Majestic Greats

My wine life properly began when I started working at Majestic Wine Guildford just after my career as a teacher foundered somewhat on the rocks of a group of Spanish teenagers.  I took the job as a bit of a taster to see if the wine world was for me, and just get my foot in the door.  The regime I joined was well known throughout the chain due mostly to our charismatic dictator Justin Lazenby. His "go hard or go home" attitude to stock management, and ruthless stock procurement procedures made it a fast paced exciting place to work.  What did and does make Majestic such a good place to start out is the educational way that the role of the tasting counter is used within the store.  It gives the staff the opportunity to taste the wines which are sold in the store and furthers knowledge of the products which really helps the staff get a better grasp of what's on offer and allows them to speak with a more confidence about the wines.  I will never forget the staff tastings which our leader led on quiet afternoons: Justin's unique single-nostril smelling technique is one particular facet which will always stick in my mind.  
I drink a wide variety of wines, and this is in part due to our assistant manager at the time (now glorious leader of the store in his own right) Marc Imig.  Marc is half German and half Australian, and gave me a lot of tuition about these and many other regions.  To this end, I would like to share with you some of the wines which made my staff discount time at Majestic such a worthwhile experience.  I'd like to point out I am no longer affiliated with Majestic, but regard the people I worked with there as friends and feel I can offer a little insight into their selection. 

I'll start with the whites:

Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Chardonnay 2011
This is a really nice clean expression of a white Burgundy.   No oak is used, which leaves the palate expressive and bright.  The aroma is discreet and delicate with butter and white flowers, and the texture is luxurious and rich but with nicely balancing acidity.  The wine pairs well with lightly spiced food.

Domaine de L'Aigle Chardonnay 2012

Limoux is a region which produces some sensational whites, as well as sparklers, and this wine from Gerard Bertand is no exception.  It is a baby Mersault in style, given oak and lees aging which give it levels of complexity you just wouldn't find in a similarly priced Burgundy.  Rich and unctuous, with creamy nutty peachiness on the nose, and a palate which makes a mockery of it's price category.  You will feel like you've got away with murder.

Waimea Estate Pinot Gris 2012
The same grape which makes the blandest thinnest wines available to humanity is capable, in the right hands, of producing some absolute crackers.  This example from Nelson (due west of Wellington on the top of the South Island) is a case-in-point.  The nose sparkles with fresh fruit vibrancy and the palate fair explodes with an ever-so-slightly off-dry fruit ensemble. 

Now on the the reds.....

I'll start with a wine which is very close to my heart.  I bought the 2009 iteration on my very first day at Majestic purely because I liked the bottle.  Turns out you can judge a book by its cover as it turned out to be something of a family favourite, even to this day my father's house is seldom without a bottle or two of CS despite the ever increasing price of it!

Chateau Sénéjac 2010 Cru Bourgeois Haut Médoc
When I bought this first it was about half the label price it is now, which just goes to show how well people are rating it now.  Approachable already this is a mid-weight left bank claret which will not disappoint even the staunchest of Bordelaise elitists.  Soft tannins belie its age and the fruitiness of this young wine make it easy to drink right now (with that good bit of beef) but the structure of it hints at what a classy wine this will be if you keep it.  I always recommend this wine.  I do now.

Dogajolo Carpineto 2012
If I could, I would drink Tiganello all day long and nuts to the rest of it.  I can't really do that (Mrs W-J might have something to say about it) so instead I drink Dogajolo and get on with my life.  This wine provides a lot of what you look for in a super-Tuscan, but offers it at an affordable price.  I know that Plumpton's own Paul Harley shows this in class as an example of the modern super-Tuscan style and it is exactly that.  Affordable decadence.  And isn't that what we're all looking for?  Mid weight with mellow oakiness.  Are you looking for a wine for lasagne night? You found it.

La Casetta Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso (La Casetta for short) 2010
Valpolicella wines are delicate, fruity and elegant, a true northern Italian treat.  What sets ripasso wines apart is the addition of the dried skins from amarone grapes which are added to the wine to give extra oomph.  The result is a meatier beast, with more concentrated fruit and fuller tannin.  This is a stylish wine which will give you a gist of the amarone style without shelling out top dollar for a good one.  The label is also very pretty and shiny purple.

This is just a little sampler of some of the wines which made me give a decent portion of my wage back to the company.  Majestic has a lot of amazing wines, so for these and details of the prices of these wines (which change a lot) head to www.majestic.co.uk for more details.