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Absolutely Cracking Wines from France

The annual tasting of French wines selected by 50 UK wine critics - three wines each so 150 altogether - took place a few weeks ago in London and today has been written up in the Ham & High by Liz Sagues who points out that "unlike just about every other trade wine tasting in the UK, the bottles are there because people who know and love wine want to drink them, not because they’re the choice of a wine-promoting organisation of whatever kind."

Event founder, Andrew Jefford had already reviewed Domaine Joblot Givry 1er Cru 'Clos du Cellier aux Moines' 2010“Precise, fresh scents of mingled red and black cherries, with poised and vivacious fruit flavours which warm, fill and fatten on the palate.”

Liz Sagues agreed with the emphasis on this wine in her column; this was the one wine she highlighted from the tasting:

"For a single recommendation, rather than one of my own choices, here’s a memorable wine – a perfumed, elegant and warmly fruited red burgundy selected by Andrew Jefford, who was the inspiration for Absolutely Cracking, via his groundbreaking book The New France. It’s Domaine Joblot Givry Premier Cru Clos du Cellier aux Moines 2010, £24 from www.bigredwine.co.uk."

Also in the line-up was Moulin de Gassac's Merlot: “This is what you wish sub-£10 Bordeaux Merlot was like, lots of fruit, but still with a touch of leafy freshness.

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