STEVEN SPURRIER’S fine wine world
FROM THE CELLAR
Charles Hours, Uroulat, Jurançon 2007
On a sunny Sunday in late May, 65 guests milled around in a cobbled mews in Paris’ 11th arrondissement enjoying AR Lenoble’s Brut Intense 2014 Champagne served from methusalah. This was a prelude to Rhône, under the theme ‘Big Boys Only’. Once seated, David Morey’s Puligny-Montrachet 2017 and Auxey-Duresses 2016 were swiftly served, to be followed by double-magnums of Château Villars 2004, a superb Fronsac. Later we moved to the southern Rhône for Marcel Richaud’s Cairanne 2014 and special bottling L’Ebrescade 2012. Then, with the magnificent birthday cake that was preceded into the restaurant by a Scottish piper, came the star for me: Charles Hours, Uroulat Jurançon 2007. In late 1970s I had stocked this marvellous sweet Jurançon in my Paris shop and continued when rugby man Charles Hours bought the 3.5ha vineyard in 1983, increased today to 16.5ha. Made from low-yielding Petit Manseng, this brought a round of applause. To refresh us over the coffee, we moved to Provence for Château de Roquefort’s Corail Rosé 2018 – served in magnums, of course.
