..beware the Ides of March!

”Well, the Ides of March are come. Aye, they are come, but they are not gone”. 

Today, the wine world went bonkers for the latest release, 2023 vintage, of the great Sauternes estate Ch.d’Yquem. All the top pundits gave the wine a 100/100 point score, and the reserved English fellow from deepest darkest Surrey gave it a 99/100pts. Well done N.Martin! As none of us normal people have actually tried it yet, my allocation arrives at the bond in June/July 2026, so I will not begin to wax lyrical on the wine until then. However, I do want to point you dear reader in the direction of an annual ‘Under the Table’ wine tasting that is put together by Riaan Potgeiter (in England) and served blind to his select group of tasters. MWs, and other proper sensible palates are present too at the table. The idea is to sift through the good and the great Grenaches of the world, blind! The tasting confirmed back in 2023 that Commando G ‘Rumbo Al Norte’ 2020 was right up there with one of France’s great wines, le Chateau Rayas (Chateauneuf-du-Pape) Rouge. Bravissimo! This month we have finally taken in some of last year’s winner from the Sierra de Gredos, central Spain. A super small production of bottles filled each year, and we have managed to get our paws on just 12x75cls of the winning 2021 vintage!

Rico-Nuevo La Quebrá 2021, Gredos, Spain
Juanan Martin & Laura own Rico Nuevo La Quebrá, up there at Cebreros in Gredos. Their  2021 vintage  won the Judgement of Wimbledon (blind Grenache tasting) tasting in 2025. Here is what it tastes like:
”A darker fruit profile is dominant in the glass with a dusty, stony minerality and some smoky, spicy wood smoke and blueberry fruit opulence. The youthful depth and blueberry opulence follows to the palate that shows chalky grippy tannins, a fabulous piercing black cherry and black fruited intensity with a searing saline oystershell maritime edge to the finish. Very impressive indeed.” 

I will keep a couple of bottles for me.….
First come, first served!

Three previous other winners of this inspirational Grenache tasting have been these. All wines are available (in very limited quantities) from our cellars at London City Bond ‘Vinotheque’: 

2023 Winner
Commando G Rumbo Al Norte 2020 vintage* 

2024 Winner
Sadie Soldaat 2021 vintage 

2025 Winner
Rico-Nuevo La Quebrá 2021 vintage* 

– 10 bottles available @ GB£95 per bottle Under Bond* ex LCB VT – 

2026 Winner
Terroir Al Limit ‘Les Manyes’ 2018 vintage* 

”Serious wines for serious wine drinkers………..” WPH 

– Los Grenache (GARNACHA) vines of Cebreros – William@worldwineconsultants.com