The Old Fire Engine House Restaurant has an eclectic list of mainly European wines, in the belief that these generally offer more in the way of subtlety than many of their New World competitors.

About 100 bins, including......

MOSEL, SAAR

Schloss Saarstein Riesling Kabinett 2005.Q.m.P

The great 2005 vintage has produced an absolute gem here. Enticing Riesling nose, honey and flowers, with a hint of citrus; seamless fruit on the palate with a lovely balance of honey and acidity, and a faint spritz.

Bottle £16.10

BERGERAC SEC

Château Boudigand 2005. C.B. (Comte de Bosredon)

I have rarely been impressed by the white wines of the Appellation, but this wine is a knock out. Fine gold colour; plenty of semillon on the nose; wonderfully focussed and sprightly fruit on the palate. Balanced, delicious, and great value.

Bottle £13.50, Half Bottle £7.50

RED BORDEAUX

Château Caronne Ste Gemme 1996. C.B. Cru Bourgeois Haut Médoc

This dependable Cru Bourgeois has produced an absolute stunner in 1996. Deep scarlet colour, still on the immature side; intense Cabernet nose, just beginning to come out of its shell; fine Cabernet palate, smooth, ripe, and concentrated. Juicy and delicious.

Bottle £25.00

*Clos du Marquis 1997. Cru Bourgeois C.B. St Julien

This is the second wine of the justly-famed 'super-second' growth Château Léoville-Las- Cases. M.Delon's rigorous selection and meticulous wine-making ensure that even the second wine is regularly of classed growth quality, and they made a particularly successful wine in this charming, forward vintage. Dense, semi-opaque in colour still; lush cassis-style Cabernet on the nose; a huge juicy mouthful of seamless fruit on the palate. Remarkably l long and stylish for the vintage.

Bottle £30.00

* Please note that all wines marked with an asterisk are stored in temperature controlled conditions at 14ºC.

WHITE BURGUNDY

Macon-Burgy Cuvée Levroutée Les Prusettes 2002. A.C. F.B. (Verget)

A typically delicious effort from the Verget team in one of the finest of recent White Burgundy vintages. Fairly evolved mid-gold colour; clean citrusy Chardonnay on the nose with honeyed notes behind; lovely peachy fruit on the palate, with delicate acidity to balance the broader flavours. Terrific value.

Bottle £20.00

RED BURGUNDY

Gevrey-Chamberton 1ier Cru Les Corbeaux 1999. A.C. F.B. (Louis Boillot)

The wines of the great 1999 vintage are beginning to open out to their full potential. Deep cherry-red colour, with only a little softening at the rim; cherries and almonds on the nose; close knit fruit on the palate, elegant, balanced, and with great length.

Bottle £38.00

RED RHONE

Côtes du Rhône 2002. A.C. F.B. (Guigal)

This is not the cheapest Côtes du Rhône, but it must surely be among the very best. A Northern blend of Syrah and Mourvedre, so unlike the rivers of flabby and characterless wine which flow from some of the southern Co-operatives. Deep cherry colour, fragrant nose; explosive fruit on the palate, with length and finesse. Just about ready to drink but will last for years. A wonderful accompaniment to game and other hearty winter dishes.

Bottle £15.80

FRENCH COUNTRY WINES: WHITE

Viognier 'Les Salices' 2005. Vin de Pays d'Oc A.C. F.B. (Lurton)

The problematic and intriguing Viognier grape used virtually to be confined to a small region of the Northern Rhône Valley, where it was made into the fine but exorbitant white wines of Condrieu. Now it is fashionable, and grown not only in Southern France, but widely in the New World. It is usually at its best relatively young, to retain its freshness. Lovely rich gold in colour, with a characteristically peachy floral nose, this example is really impressive for its modest appellation, with good concentration and length, the peaches nicely balanced with citrous notes. Excellent value.

Bottle £15.00

FRENCH COUNTRY WINES: RED

Chateau des Lunes Cuvée Suzanne 2002. Côteaux du Languedoc C.B. (Domaine Ortola)

Made from the classic southern Rhône blend of Mourvedre/Syrah/Grenache. Impressive deep crimson; dense ripe fruit on the nose, showing good complexity; and a remarkably suave and elegant palate for a wine of such weight and from such a lowly appellation. Truly excellent value.

Bottle £14.50

SPARKLING WINES

Champagne Guy de Chassey Brut Grand Cru N.V.

Unusual among the cheaper champagnes in that the grapes come from 100% rated vineyards, and the wines are given plenty of bottle age. Truly excellent wines at the price.

Bottle £30.00, Half Bottle £16.00

SPAIN

Petalos del Bierzo 2003. Denominación de Origen (Descendientes de J. Palacios)

This is a delicious novelty, as far as I am concerned. It is made from a grape variety, Mencia, which I had never heard of, and from vineyards on the precipitous slopes of the Cantabrian mountains. Old vines (40 years plus) give a wonderful vibrancy and concentration; deep plum colour; immediate and appealing plums and red cherries on the nose; delicious primary fruit flavours in the mouth, with soft tannins and spices.

Bottle £20.00

CHILE

Indomita Brio Chardonnay 2006. Casablanca Valley (Indomita)

A wonderfully elegant and understated Chardonnay from a region which produces all too many wines at the other end of the taste spectrum. Fragrant floral Chardonnay nose, with a hint of citrus; and a fine-boned Chardonnay palate, elegant and cleanly-made. Delicious wine at the price.

Bottle £14.00

Indomita Brio Pinot Noir 2003. Casablanca Valley (Indomita)

Successful cultivation of the Pinot Noir grape remains one of the most elusive goals of non- Burgundian viticulturalists. Producing, at its best, perhaps the most enchanting and ethereal of red wines, even in Burgundy itself it can all too often be deeply disappointing. This effort from Chile is one of the most 'Old World' in style that I have encountered, especially at this price level. Warm garnet-tinged crimson; typically spicy and farmyard-y on the nose; and a suave, balanced palate of considerable length. A knockout, and fantastic value.

Bottle £14.00

HOUSE WINES