The Corney and Barrow Christmas tasting in Leeds had the sort of atmosphere you only get when people who genuinely enjoy wine gather under one roof. Aspire was dressed for the season, with lights on the columns, the usual hum of the room softened by mince pies and the steady carving of a Christmas ham.

It drew a mixed crowd, younger drinkers keen to learn and long-standing customers who treat this annual tasting as the real start of December. The format was simple, no fuss, just good bottles poured by people who know their subject and are happy to talk about it.

Corney and Barrow’s long history matters here. You feel it in the way they present their wines: no gimmicks, no pressure selling, just a merchant that has been doing things properly since the eighteenth century. Their range reflects that tradition, covering everything from everyday bottles to the grandest names in the market. It is a reminder that strong relationships in the wine trade still count for something.

Among the many bottles on pour, the Corney and Barrow Claret Maison Sichel 2020 stood out as the clearest expression of what a merchant’s claret ought to be. The Sichel family, with more than a century of experience and long ties with the region’s growers, provides the raw material. The blend, shaped by the Corney and Barrow buying team, draws fruit from clay limestone slopes and the lighter boulbène soils of the Entre Deux Mers. The choice to age it in vats rather than barrels keeps everything clean and lifted. The nose is pure raspberry with a slight floral edge, leading into bright red cherry, cranberry and a touch of redcurrant on the palate. The acidity is lively, the tannins soft and rounded, and the finish carries that mint and herb note that gives the wine its freshness. At £12.25 a bottle, it is one of the easiest Christmas decisions you will make.

L’Aurage 2021 offered a deeper, more serious Bordeaux. It is almost entirely Merlot, with just a small addition of Cabernet Franc, and the wine shows its pedigree from the first swirl. Raspberry, blackberry and cedar come through on the nose, with a darker line running underneath. On the palate, the fruit is juicier and more concentrated, with black cherry and plum joining the berries. A faint bitter cherry lift keeps the wine balanced and stops the richness from becoming heavy. The tannins are firmly packed, young but precise, pushing the wine forward without overwhelming it. As the finish stretches out, liquorice and dark chocolate appear, followed by a clean, taut acidity that gives the wine its definition. At £36.15 a bottle, it is not an everyday purchase, but the quality is clear, and it feels built to last.

Both wines showed why this tasting is worth attending. Good bottles, fair prices, a merchant with his feet planted firmly in his own history, and a room full of people enjoying themselves. A memorable start to the Christmas season.

Our wine enthusiast Nathan lives in Leeds and runs the PR and marketing company Campfire PR.
https://campfirepr.com/