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Bin Ends

 

A bin, in wine terms, is simply a part of the cellar where one stores wine. Say the cellar is divided up into 100 bins, each separated by a partition of some sort. Then imagine that each bin contains bottles of a single vintage of the same wine; for argument’s sake imagine that a particular bin starts out full to the gunwales with 1929 Château Latour. This wine has been on one's wine list for some time and now there are but a few bottles remaining, rolling around at the bottom of the bin. What you really would like to do is to get rid of them quickly, thereby freeing up the bin, perhaps for the 1930 vintage (quel dommage; it was a dog). The natural inclination is to knock a slab off the ticket and call a few close friends and especially favoured customers.

 

Our bin ends are simply a variation on this rather old-fashioned theme. Rather than wine sitting in our own bins, this list features wine held in our company account at Octavian; wine which we'd much rather sell, albeit sometimes with a reduced margin, than having it continue to tie up capital and accrue storage charges. Wines on this list are the remnants of offers past and, as such, have all passed rigorous selection tasting. There are superb wines on this list, many quite a bit more mature than when we first offered them…and, on the whole, at a lower price. This is your chance to take advantage of your wine merchant. Feel free!

 

 

Red Bordeaux

Vintage Wine Drink dates Case size Price In Bond
2005

Château Lynch Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Notes: Warm nose of rich black fruit: blackcurrant and chocolate cake. Creamy, with a touch of dried fruit. This is highly structured. There are chunky, integrated, medium-high tannins and juicy acidity. Great tension to Lynch this year. Full of energy. 18.5/20. (Robert Parker 91-93)
2018-2030 12x75cl £960.00

2005

Château Poumey La Sérénité., Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Notes: "Sweet, smoky, black currant and cherry notes intermixed with spice box and cedar emerge from this fleshy, medium to full-bodied Pessac-Leognan. Drink it over the next decade. 88-90/100." Robert Parker
2009-2017 6x75cl £210.00

2006

Château Troplong-Mondot., St Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Notes:

Smoky, black, cocoa-scented nose here. The palate is creamy, giving up brambly fruit flavours. This is full of rich tannins, but they're not overdone. This is balanced and even quite powerful. Long, with blueberry and bramble at the finish.

 

"The 2006 is a marvellous effort...91-94+/100." Robert Parker

2012-2025 12x75cl £654.00

2007

Vieux Château Certan., Pomerol, Bordeaux, France

Notes:

N.B. This is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc

Lovely colour: a deep ruby/purple

A pretty nose of summery, fresh fruits. There's real spice from the Franc, blackcurrants and pencil shavings.

This is full of structure right from the off. Cool and medium weight, with very fine, nutty, integrated tannin. A complete wine and a very good one.

2012-2020 6x75cl £540.00

2008

Vieux-Château-Mazérat, St Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Notes: “…it is a dense, rich, opulent, flamboyant effort with a 45-second finish…93-95/100.” Robert Parker
2014-2025 12x75cl £552.00

2008

Château Laforge, St Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Notes: “…wonderful density and purity, and a full-bodied mouthfeel…92-94/100.” Robert Parker
2013-2022 12x75cl £261.00


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White Bordeaux

Vintage Wine Drink dates Case size Price In Bond
2006

Château Coutet., Barsac, Bordeaux, France

Notes: "...Long and powerful. Arguably one of the longest lived here..17/20." Jancis Robinson
2013-2025 6x75cl £150.00

2008

Château Rieussec, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

Notes:

N.B. 86% Semillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc, rest Muscatelle

Some nutty wood and good botrytis here. The fruit is lemon, with dried flower aromas

Cooly rich and sweet. Pastille-llke pear and lemon fruit. Nutty and persistent. Nicley fresh.

2015-2030 12x75cl £444.00

2008

Château d'Yquem, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

Notes:

N.B. 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc

A very rich and beautiful nose, stuffed with botrytis. Delighthful lemon and lime meringue pie fruit and those heavenly aromas of lime flowers. Nutty from the rot

This is very rich in the mouth, but with excellent control and just powers forwrad across the tongue. A note of menthol here. Very fine acidity. Very, very long and becoming compact with youth later on. A gorgeous, aromatic and complex Yquem that'll be an out-and-out crowd pleaser.

2017-2040 6x75cl £975.00

2008

Château Climens, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

Notes:

N.B. This wine will be an amalgamation of 14 different wines, picked in 4 tries in 10 days spread over one month.

Lots of different styles ot the wines I tasted from multiple barrels, some massively sweet and heavily botrytised, some crisp and lemony, some very floral. I can only imagine that the finished wine will be quite superb.

 

2017-2035 12x75cl £720.00

2008

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc., Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Notes:

N.B. 76% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Semillon

There's excellent ripeness and concentration to the citrus fruit aromas, majoring on tangerine. Smoky mineral notes and wisps of mineral smoke. Green orange

This is backward and subtle and swells impressively in the mouth. A cool and beautiful palate of melon and herbs; long with powdered stone minerals. It gains in grip to a fabulous finihs. Paralle, with great tension. This stands toe-to-toe with Haut-Brion and Laville in '08.

2012-2018 12x75cl £552.00

2008

Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc., Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Notes:

N.B. 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris

Very pungent nose of gunflint and crisp chicken skin. Crunchy, leafy fruit

A rich, fresh and backward wine. Mineral and leafy, with ripe peary fruit. This is really long and intense. Really powerful at the finish, whihc has a touch of pepper about it. Busy wine and a very good one

2011-2017 6x75cl £264.00


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Red Burgundy

Vintage Wine Drink dates Case size Price In Bond
2008

Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Grands Liards., Camus-Bruchon, Burgundy, France

Notes:

N.B. This wine comes from two parcels of vines, one 93 years old, the other 90

 

The colour is blue ruby

 

A cool nose and a touch spicy, with black cherry, pure fruit

 

Concentrated, cool, supple fruit of black cherry, then a full-stop of peppery spice at the finish. This is long and very elegant; cool with a busy finish. This is lovely, classy Savigny

2013-2019 12x75cl £165.00

2008

Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Gravains., Camus-Bruchon, Burgundy, France

Notes:

N.B. A 39-year-old vineyard

 

A floral nose, with hints of violet and red and black currants. Freshness to the fruit. A lovely nose

 

This is concentrated in the mouth and very cool. There's sophisticated structure in the form of very fine grained, rich tannins. Mineral, meaty and in need of cellaring. Really fresh. A fabulous wine!

2014-2020 12x75cl £171.00

2007

Nuits-St-Georges, Jean Chauvenet, Burgundy, France

Notes:

A ripe nose. There's something meaty here: a nuance that combines with aromas of spice and fresh, tangy black fruits.

Tangy again on the palate: black plums and their skins. The tannins are well integrated, ripe and medium. Lovely profile here and the wine's very long. Really fresh in the mouth. Fine village example

2011-2016 12x75cl £180.00

2008

Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Bousselots., Jean Chauvenet, Burgundy, France

Notes:

Great pure crunch of small black berries to this. I found cherry and a hint of cassis

 

From the moment this hits the tongue, its structure is evident in its tacky, fine tannins. It's a rich wine and a finely balanced one. This is very straight in its shape; fresh, long and mineral. Very, very long and lovely Nuits.

 

"A ripe but airy, cool and attractive nose of cassis and blue berry gives way to supple, round and a bit less obviously structured middle weight flavors that culminate in a dusty, mouth coating and solidly complex finish. This too is quite pretty." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound

2015-2023 12x75cl £327.00

2008

Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons., Château de Chorey-lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France

Notes:

If a Pinot nose could be called masculine, this is it! Meaty aromas accompany the fruit of black berries. Mint and a charred note add intrigue.

 

This is very mineral wine, the earthiness wound through fruit of cassis. This is highly concentrated and attacks the palate in a compact, linear streak. Very, very long; fresh and peppery spicy. Fabulous finish.

2015-2022 12x75cl £285.00

2007

Aloxe Corton 1er Cru les Vercots, Follin-Arbelet, Burgundy, France

Notes:
0-0 12x75cl £291.00

2007

Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru les Fichots, Follin-Arbelet, Burgundy, France

Notes:
0-0 12x75cl £201.00

2008

Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d'Orveau., Jean Grivot, Burgundy, France

Notes:

Smelling proper Chambolle is borderline habit-forming. This gives off delicious floral aromas of red and black currants. As often, it smells regal, like the inside of a queen's leather gloves

A lovely, nutty ripe palate follows. The freshness of the vintage is there, along with upright, cerebral tannins. Long and mineral, with a great crunch of intense grip at the back. Backward, linear, stuctured and very, very long indeed. Good, then!

 

"An airy, cool and high-toned nose features primarily red berry fruit and stone aromas where the latter element extends to the detailed, racy and focused middle weight flavors that possess fine balance and drive if only moderate concentration." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound

 

2014-2021 12x75cl £294.00

2008

Volnay Vendanges Sélectionées., Michel Lafarge, Burgundy, France

Notes:

This is a stunning colour in the glass, as are all these Lafarge wines

 

A pure nose, a touch floral, with rich black cherry, spicy fruit. There's a real mélange of delightful red and black fruits here, including cassis. A fresh nose, above all

 

Rich, supple fruit on entry is joined soon by integrated, tacky, chewy tannins. There's a big thrust of minerals to this, right through that beautiful fruit of red and black cherries. A very long wine. Blimey!

2014-2020 12x75cl £279.00

2008

Vosne-Romanée, François Lamarche, Burgundy, France

Notes:

Very pretty nose to this Vosne: floral and freshly red fruit aromas, along with some spipcy wood notes

 

In the mouth, I found a seriously cool customer and highly concentrated fruit. Tannic support is fine and rich and coats the mouth spicily. Excellent length through the palate, with the acidity throughout kept beneath the fruit concentration. A peppery finish rounds off this classy village Vosne.

 

 

"A lightly spiced and airy red and blue berry fruit nose is cut with hints of anise that are also reflected by the textured, supple and very round flavors that possess a fine sense of detail on the lingering finish that is supported by dusty tannins." Allen Meadows AKA The Burghound

2013-2020 12x75cl £303.00

2007

Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans, Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France

Notes:

The nose boasts a richnes of deliciously pure, curranty fruit. There are hints of smoke and flowers to this fruit, which is both red and black.

A cool, rich palate with some impressive structure and fresh fruit of red and black cherries and currants. There's spome fine grip here and minerals to be found coating the finish. This is long and juicy and rather fabulous.

2013-2018 12x75cl £186.00

2007

Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Charmots, Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France

Notes:

N.B. This wine is the product of 70 year old vines

I found a rich, mineral-scented nose of ripe, liqueur-like black fruits: plum and cherry.

The palate is very rich and cool and concentrated, with hints of raspberry. This is full of vigour and energy. Flavours of blueberry underpinned by minerals, a natural freshness and great, juicy length lift this to another plain. This really needs time. Elegant and lovely; very juicy at the finish.

2013-2019 12x75cl £234.00

2008

Pommard 1er Cru Les Grands Epenots., Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France

Notes:

Real liqueur of a nose this. Tangy again and spicy with it, the fruit more in the cranberry and strawberry spectrum

 

This offers one rich and beautiful palate. It's the shape that piques one's interest: very straight; very elegant. Rich, integrated tannins lend their support. Red fruited, concentrated and rather stunning

2014-2020 12x75cl £297.00

2008

Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Arvelets., Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France

Notes:

The fruits aromas here are much wilder, of sloe and damson, bramble and red plum

 

In the mouth, this is instantly cool and composed; structured and fine. It picks up structure and intensity through the palate to a very long finish. This is perhaps the most backward of the wines in Daniel's cellar this vintage. Super stuff

2014-2021 12x75cl £234.00

2008

Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Ile de Vergelesses., Remi Rollin, Burgundy, France

Notes:

This is a little closed, yet wood notes surround beautifully crisp red and black fruits. Much more to come, evidently!

 

This is super-cool and poised llike Audrey Hepburn. Concentrated fruit of blueberry and cherry with real crunch to it. Very rich are the nutty tannins. This is very busy through to a long, long finish. Very black cherry the fruit flavours. This is built to last. There's great grip at the back. Heavenly Pernand.

2013-2019 12x75cl £192.00

2008

Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Grands Liards, Remi Rollin, Burgundy, France

Notes:

N.B. The vineyard is 60+ year old. This sees 30% new oak

 

Delicious floral notes of fruits small and red and black, plus proper Savigny earthiness. Currant and cherry, plus some dry wood aromas

 

Black cherry fruit with rich, fine, integrated and upright tannins. Acidity is very crisp and held within the fruit envelope. Citrus fresh, straight and balanced. Great crunchy tension at the back. Cerebral Savigny.

2012-2018 12x75cl £147.00

2007

Hautes Côtes de Nuits Le Prieuré, Aurelien Verdet, Burgundy, France

Notes:

The fruit on the nose is rich, very black and a touch animal.

This is one cool wine, giving up a palate of black plum and smoke. This is very long and hints at minerality before the fine, nutty tannins kick in. There's a rich crunch of fruit right at the back. Lots of black plum and cherry going on. Excellent Hautes Côtes.

2011-2014 12x75cl £162.00

2007

Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets, Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France

Notes:

The nose here is ripe and redolent of rich blueberry and red cherry.

In the mouth, this starts off disarmingly cool and easy-going. What quickly becomes apparent, however, is the palate's wonderfully controlled, linear shape. There are minerals and juicy grip and beauiful fruit of red currants. The tannins are super-fine and totally integrated with the fruit; nutty. The impression one's left with is of otherworldy balance. Truly fine.

2013-2020 12x75cl £342.00

2007

Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens, Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France

Notes:

A lovely colour, properly pale

I met spicy, tangy red and black fruit of bramble, cranberry, rosehip and currant. There's something earthy/masculine about this, as well as some clove-like spice.

Like the Caillerets from the same source, this is cool and easy on entry, but there's subtle power that unmistakeable. It's relaxed for much of the palate, but then explodes in volume, picking up minerals and a juicy intensity. Very long. There's lots going on at the end. Big, bold and impressive wine.

2014-2020 12x75cl £396.00

2008

Pommard., Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France

Notes:

The nose displays rich, red cherry fruit aromas. Lovely sweetness to be found here

 

Rich and very tackily tannic this Pommard. It's a compact wine at the moment and has lovely grip, plus that purity of red and black fruits, crisp and fresh. True Pommard from this master wine maker

 

"This is more expressive on the nose than the Volnay Village. Red rather than black fruit: raspberry leaf, a touch of bergamot and undergrowth/damp earth. The palate has firm, chunky tannin with crisp blackberry and raspberry leaf and although it is slightly coarse towards the finish, it burgeons with rustic charm." Neal Martin on erobertparker.com

2014-2019 12x75cl £210.00

2008

Volnay, Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France

Notes:

Like all these Voillot wines, this is a beautiful blue-ruby colour

 

Floral, the nose here, a nose that includes fruit aromas of tangy bramble, sloe and plum

 

Across the tongue, it's very cool, beautifully rich, red and black fruit, a  touch peppery. There are some wild plum flavours, with rich, tacky, square tannins through to a long, straight finish. A juicy wine and a long and grippy one too. And one that is, above all, Volnay!

2012-2018 12x75cl £192.00


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White Burgundy

Vintage Wine Drink dates Case size Price In Bond
2008

Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Combottes Vieilles Vignes, Château de Chorey-lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France

Notes:

N.B. This is 60% Chardonnay musqué, an unusual clone that gives quite exotic-tasting wine

Lovely, fully ripe pear aromas combine with scents of sweet nut

This is rich, but underpinned and, indeed, brought into focus by a profound minerality. Linear in shape through the palate and exhibiting a powerful follow-through. A touch of leafiness adds compexity. A very long wine and one showing fabulous control. Concentrated and lovely.

2011-2017 12x75cl £163.00

2008

Meursault, Domaine Buisson-Charles, Burgundy, France

Notes:

Lovely bright nose and a rich one, framed by credible nutty wood. Tte pure fruit aromas are citrus and include scents of orange and lemon

A rich, honeyed, nutty wine i.e. archetypal Meursault! Everything is brought into focus by the minerals and freshness that accompany the fruit through to the very long finish. The real deal.

 

"The estate of Michel Buisson – whose son-in-law Patrick Essa now takes the lead – crafts white Burgundies for the Riesling or Chenin-lover, offering clarity, refreshment, and minerality yet not stinting on richness or structure, and wines whose track record in the cellar is among the best of any Chardonnay-based wines in the world." Robert Parker

2012-2015 12x75cl £219.00

2008

Puligny-Montrachet, Bachelet-Monnot, Burgundy, France

Notes:

A profound and rich nose with hints of grapefruit to the sweet apple aromas

 

Wow, this is compact. Lemony; very crisp and full of proper, grainy, "square" Puligny minerals. Long. Fabulous shape here. Any doubts about what kind of wine is Puligny? Buy this for full enlightenment!

"Classic peachy, steely, floral Puligny aromas. Then sweet, creamy and surprisingly easy to drink, with a silky texture that has effortlessly handled the recent bottling. For a village wine, this spreads out impressively and really saturates the palate on the aftertaste. Good acidity and mineral cut , along with an intriguing saline component, give this wine a youthful reserve. Very strong, long village wine-layered and rich for only 12.5% alcohol." Stephen Tanzer

2011-2015 12x75cl £240.00

2008

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles, Morey-Coffinet, Burgundy, France

Notes:

There's delightful, pure melon fruit to be found here, plus floral notes. This is one rich and pure nose and it's nutty with it. The palate comes across as cool, concentrated and direct. The fruit is quite aloof, the minerals grainy, the whole thing leading through to juicy freshness at the back of the palate. There is some hint of the wood in the mouth. Spicy/peppery and dead straight, this. Mouthcoating and powerful Puligny.

2013-2018 12x75cl £393.00

2008

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Fairendes., Morey-Coffinet, Burgundy, France

Notes:

N.B. Only 3-4 barrels of this cuvée are made each vintage, from a vineyard that is 75+ years old

 

A lovely summery nose here of citrus fruit: lime and orange. White currants and talcum powder and dried flowers

 

This is rich and really well structured in the mouth right from the off. It is underpinned by spicy - almost peppery - grainy minerals. There's a tangerine-like acidity and flavours of various citrus fruits. Powerful stuff; very dense and long and fabulous.

2013-2018 12x75cl £354.00


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Red Rhône

Vintage Wine Drink dates Case size Price In Bond
2007

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Deux Frères, Pierre Usseglio, Southern Rhône, France

Notes:

Seriously broad, creamy, very ripe liqueur of a nose meets the taster. The fruit is of spiced black plums, bramble and sweet spice. Smoky, with a note of andouillettes meatiness; dried herbs and piercing red fruit. Facetted and fascinating nose.

This goes into the mouth and spreads out in an extraordinarily rich concentrated wave of red and black cherry, bramble and blueberry fruit. There's real pepperiness to the great linear thrust through the palate, dusted with sandy minerals. Long doesn't begin to describe this wine. The finish has been removed several dimensions in a tardis. Liquorice. Mouthcoating and beautifully fresh. It's silly to talk about perfect wine, but…

2015-2035 6x75cl £1,110.00


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White Rhône

Vintage Wine Drink dates Case size Price In Bond
2007

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Clos des Papes., Avril, Southern Rhône, France

Notes: N.B. Again, this is a wine to drink in the first 4 years before putting it away for the next 6 whilst it shuts up tight like cocoon. Thereafter it will emerge like a nutty butterfly. The nose is simply beautiful, giving off scents of crystallised fruits, including small oranges, lemon and lime, pear, peach and those kernelly notes like almonds. This is rich but very cool in the mouth, going forward in a wave of pear, white peach and almond fruit. There's a distinct stoniness here: minerals. Very juicy wine. I also found a spice flavours like fresh ginger. Very fresh; very concentrated; very elegant; very mineral. Grippy and very, very long. The minerals at the finish have the texture of talcum powder. Utterly beguiling.
2010-2020 12x75cl £354.00


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USA

Vintage Wine Drink dates Case size Price In Bond
2005

Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia, Araujo Estate, USA

Notes: "The deep ruby/purple-tinged 2005 Altagracia (91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot) reveals a spicy, mineral-laden, black fruit, damp forest, truffle, and crushed rock-scented bouquet. With lovely fruit, medium to full body, and no hard edges, it is ideal for drinking over the next 10-15 years." Robert Parker
2009-2020 6x75cl £282.00


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