[...]

It's a good thing that UK independent wine merchant Yapp Bros holds its tasting in the early evening or I might have felt just a tiny bit guilty at having so much fun and pleasure during the working day: real variety, interest and consistent quality in just a small selection of about 30 wines. (How did I get such a great job?) Yapp Bros, Decanter World Wine Awards Specialist Merchant 2009, demonstrates all that is praiseworthy about independent wine merchants: terrific wines at all prices, often but not always from lesser-known regions and producers; enthusiastic, knowledgeable and passionate staff; and transparent value for money without recourse to endless price promotions. If I were a producer, I would be delighted to know my wines were being listed by Yapp. They specialise in wines from the Loire, the Rhône and Provence but are not in the least strait-jacketed by that, as you will see from the wines below. There's a rich sprinkling of GV for great value, and I had to edit out a few instances of 'lovely' and 'delicious' to make the notes less repetitive. Wines are listed in the following order: sparkling, white, red, sweet and fortified, and roughly in the order tasted within each section.

J Dumangin, Grande Réserve Brut NV Champagne 17 Drink 2009-11 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Meunier. Yeasty brioche nose. Rich, creamy and mouthfilling. Crisp and taut but with a seam of red fruit adding depth and power. Very good and not a wine to be ignored. Good food wine wth all that structure in harmony. GV 12% £19.95

[...]