Wine Wisdom Class 7
Vivat Bacchus
Italy
1. Manzanilla "Las Medallas" Herederos de Argueso
DO - Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda, Andalucia
Yummy, salty and nutty.
2. Bodegas Ametzoi, Pais Vasco, Txacoli di Getaria 2009
Basque Country
Very pale. Floral and apple nose. Some petillance on the palate. Refreshing, acidic. Good length. Good and simple. Easy to drink but a little overpriced at £12ish.
3. Martin Codax, Albarino 2008
DO - Rias Baixas, Galicia
Very floral with crisp, refreshing acidity. Perfect with seafood.
4. Bodegas Urbina, Rioja Crianza 2004
Ripe red fruit. Noticeable oak and tobacco on nose. Smooth mouthfeel - apart from oaky, textured finish. Good acid.
5. Mencia "Petalos" 2008
Bierzo, Castilla y Leon
Floral, aromatic and perfumed. Lots of red fruit and more complex flavours - like a meaty stew. Good length, dusty texture. Very good.
6. Warres "Otima" 10-year old tawny port
Douro Valley, Portugal
Nuts, almonds, marzipan, red fruit. Sweet. Served chilled.
Sunday, 12 December 2010
New Zealand Wine Tasting
New Zealand Wine Tasting
Oxford and Cambridge Club
13 May 2010
Map
1. Waipara Springs, Sauvignon Blanc, Waipara 2009
13% Stone, Vine and Sun, £9.95
Very pale. More grassy and asparagus than gooseberry. Crisp and acidic but not sharp - actually quite soft mouthfeel. Good length.
2. Two rivers of Marlborough, Pinot Gris Marlborogh, 2008
13.5% Philglas & Swiggot, £11.99
Some creamy oak. Yeasty, "leesy" note. Some floral notes. Stone fruit. Good intensity. Crisp finish. Surprisingly good for a pinot gris.
3. Mud House, Chardonnay, Hawke's Bay, 2008
13%. Stone, Vine and Sun, £9.95
Round. Ripe fruit. Quite a hot-climate chardonnay. Butter, cream and yeast. A little unbalanced. Not noticeable if oaked. Medium acid. Pineapple on the finish (long).
4. Lawson's Dry Hills Riesling, Marlborough, 2007
12.5%. Philglas & Swiggot. £15.99
Very acidic (lime). Some petrol. Intense lime, green apple. Long. A little 1-dimensional but plenty of acid and fruit. Pleasant.
5. Hunter's Gewurtztraminer, Marlborough 2008
14%. Stone, Vine and Sun, £11.95
Smells of rose and turkish delight. Fragrant, like perfume. Surprisingly high acid. Soft mouthfeel. Very good.
6. Mud House, Swan Pinot Noir, Central Otago, 2007
14%. Stone, Vine and Sun, £15.50
Surprisingly jammy fruit (cherries). A slight green note on nose. High acid, low tannin. Soft and silky. Good fruit intensity. Medium-high length. Pleasant but a little too simple. This is not my favoured style of pinot-noir, but other people really like it.
7. Alpha Domus "The Navigator", Merlot/Cab Sauv/Malbec/Cab Franc, Hawke's Bay 2006
13.5%. Philglas & Swiggot £13.99
Quite a subtle nose. High acid, plenty of astringent tannin. A little green. Good balance between tannin and acid. Nice length, but the finish is a little too tannic. Probably better with food. Pretty good but not amazing.
8. Craggy Range Syrah, Block 14, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, 2007
13.5%. Oddbins £13.59
Relatively subdued black fruit aroma. Plenty of intensity on the palate. Primary fruit on the palate. A little bit of meat on the nose. Soft mouthfeel. Lifted note in the middle of the palate. This is the best red of the night, but at the price it would be possible to get a better syrah from elsewhere. Pretty refined though - it grew on me in the glass as the wine opened up.
Oxford and Cambridge Club
13 May 2010
Map
1. Waipara Springs, Sauvignon Blanc, Waipara 2009
13% Stone, Vine and Sun, £9.95
Very pale. More grassy and asparagus than gooseberry. Crisp and acidic but not sharp - actually quite soft mouthfeel. Good length.
2. Two rivers of Marlborough, Pinot Gris Marlborogh, 2008
13.5% Philglas & Swiggot, £11.99
Some creamy oak. Yeasty, "leesy" note. Some floral notes. Stone fruit. Good intensity. Crisp finish. Surprisingly good for a pinot gris.
3. Mud House, Chardonnay, Hawke's Bay, 2008
13%. Stone, Vine and Sun, £9.95
Round. Ripe fruit. Quite a hot-climate chardonnay. Butter, cream and yeast. A little unbalanced. Not noticeable if oaked. Medium acid. Pineapple on the finish (long).
4. Lawson's Dry Hills Riesling, Marlborough, 2007
12.5%. Philglas & Swiggot. £15.99
Very acidic (lime). Some petrol. Intense lime, green apple. Long. A little 1-dimensional but plenty of acid and fruit. Pleasant.
5. Hunter's Gewurtztraminer, Marlborough 2008
14%. Stone, Vine and Sun, £11.95
Smells of rose and turkish delight. Fragrant, like perfume. Surprisingly high acid. Soft mouthfeel. Very good.
6. Mud House, Swan Pinot Noir, Central Otago, 2007
14%. Stone, Vine and Sun, £15.50
Surprisingly jammy fruit (cherries). A slight green note on nose. High acid, low tannin. Soft and silky. Good fruit intensity. Medium-high length. Pleasant but a little too simple. This is not my favoured style of pinot-noir, but other people really like it.
7. Alpha Domus "The Navigator", Merlot/Cab Sauv/Malbec/Cab Franc, Hawke's Bay 2006
13.5%. Philglas & Swiggot £13.99
Quite a subtle nose. High acid, plenty of astringent tannin. A little green. Good balance between tannin and acid. Nice length, but the finish is a little too tannic. Probably better with food. Pretty good but not amazing.
8. Craggy Range Syrah, Block 14, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, 2007
13.5%. Oddbins £13.59
Relatively subdued black fruit aroma. Plenty of intensity on the palate. Primary fruit on the palate. A little bit of meat on the nose. Soft mouthfeel. Lifted note in the middle of the palate. This is the best red of the night, but at the price it would be possible to get a better syrah from elsewhere. Pretty refined though - it grew on me in the glass as the wine opened up.
Tim Wildman Italy Tasting
Wine Wisdom Class 5
Vivat Bacchus
Italy
Map
1. Pecorino "La Merlettaie", 2008, Ciu Ciu, Marche, Italy
Pecorino grape.
Stone fruits and floral notes. High acid, medium body. High intensity fruit on palate.
Trivia note: Harvey Nichols replaced their Pinot Grigio with this and a falanghina. "Pinot Grigio is textured, alcoholic water."
2. Soave Superiore 2008, Temellini, Veneto
Garganega grape
Rich, nutty. Aged on lees with plenty of battonage.
3. Rosso di Montepulciano 2006, Vittorio Innocente, Tuscany
Grapes: Sangiovese (called "prugnolo genile" in that region), Canaiolo Nero, Mammolo
Pale. Red fruit character. This wine was served slightly chilled. Medium-high tannin, high acid. A little short but otherwise good. Herbal, delicate. Good and enjoyable but nothing serious.
4. Primitivo "Gioia del Colle" 2005, Fatalone, Puglia
Primitivo grape
Rustic, black fruit on nose. Smoky. Juicy red fruit and tomato on palate. Medium tannin. Good length. Well balanced. High alcohol (15%) but don't feel the tannin. Excellent.
5. Barolo Classico Riserva 2001, Giacomo Borgogno, Piedmont
Nebbiolo grape
Pale. Tar and roses - the classic barolo combination. Delicate spice. Asian spice and balsamic. Delicate flavour but plenty of tannin. Well balanced.
6. Moscato d'Asti "Lumine" 2009, Ca' d' Gal, Piedmont
Moscato Bianco grape
5% abv. Similar sugar to a sauternes. Very floral and grapey. Good acid. A bit short but not cloying. Good.
Vivat Bacchus
Italy
Map
1. Pecorino "La Merlettaie", 2008, Ciu Ciu, Marche, Italy
Pecorino grape.
Stone fruits and floral notes. High acid, medium body. High intensity fruit on palate.
Trivia note: Harvey Nichols replaced their Pinot Grigio with this and a falanghina. "Pinot Grigio is textured, alcoholic water."
2. Soave Superiore 2008, Temellini, Veneto
Garganega grape
Rich, nutty. Aged on lees with plenty of battonage.
3. Rosso di Montepulciano 2006, Vittorio Innocente, Tuscany
Grapes: Sangiovese (called "prugnolo genile" in that region), Canaiolo Nero, Mammolo
Pale. Red fruit character. This wine was served slightly chilled. Medium-high tannin, high acid. A little short but otherwise good. Herbal, delicate. Good and enjoyable but nothing serious.
4. Primitivo "Gioia del Colle" 2005, Fatalone, Puglia
Primitivo grape
Rustic, black fruit on nose. Smoky. Juicy red fruit and tomato on palate. Medium tannin. Good length. Well balanced. High alcohol (15%) but don't feel the tannin. Excellent.
5. Barolo Classico Riserva 2001, Giacomo Borgogno, Piedmont
Nebbiolo grape
Pale. Tar and roses - the classic barolo combination. Delicate spice. Asian spice and balsamic. Delicate flavour but plenty of tannin. Well balanced.
6. Moscato d'Asti "Lumine" 2009, Ca' d' Gal, Piedmont
Moscato Bianco grape
5% abv. Similar sugar to a sauternes. Very floral and grapey. Good acid. A bit short but not cloying. Good.
Vergelegen
Vergelegen Tasting
10 May 2010
Vivat Bacchus
1. Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Grassy, crisp and acidic. Intense green fruit. Good length. Well balanced. 7% Semillon and left on lees to give texture.
2. Vergelegen White 2008
Oaked - not integrated yet. Very ripe fruit. Intense flavour of apricots on the palate. Quite short - can just feel the oak tannin. Plenty of fruit so may get better with age but not that enjoyable now.
3. Chardonnay 2009
Quite pale with appropriate oak (40% fermented in new oak). Surprisingly high acid which gives a very acidic finish. Primary fruit character. Refreshing. When the wine warms up the oak is more prominent. Good stuff though.
4. Chardonnay Reserve 2007
Medium intensity apricot and vegetal nose. Also tinned pineapple. Nicely oaked. Elegant with good mouthfeel. Medium-high acid, good length and plenty of texture. Well balanced to the end. Fantastic.
5. Merlot 2006
Slightly thin and bitter with green tannins. OK but not great. Quite rough mouthfeel. Would probably benefit from food.
6. Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
10% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Ripe fruit aroma. Fine pixellated tannins. Plenty of ripe fruit. Some tobacco. Great length. Some savoury spice. Well balanced with a pleasant finish.
7. Cabernet-Merlot 2007
More austere than previous wine. Tannin feels rougher and some astingency on the palate. Needs food or time. Well structured but not as good as number 6.
8. Vergelegen Red 2003
Elegant. Pencil shavings, tobacco and soft tannin. Plenty of fruit on palate. Quite high but fine tannin. Very good. Great length and well balanced. This was the best wine of the night, but number 6 was pretty close.
10 May 2010
Vivat Bacchus
1. Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Grassy, crisp and acidic. Intense green fruit. Good length. Well balanced. 7% Semillon and left on lees to give texture.
2. Vergelegen White 2008
Oaked - not integrated yet. Very ripe fruit. Intense flavour of apricots on the palate. Quite short - can just feel the oak tannin. Plenty of fruit so may get better with age but not that enjoyable now.
3. Chardonnay 2009
Quite pale with appropriate oak (40% fermented in new oak). Surprisingly high acid which gives a very acidic finish. Primary fruit character. Refreshing. When the wine warms up the oak is more prominent. Good stuff though.
4. Chardonnay Reserve 2007
Medium intensity apricot and vegetal nose. Also tinned pineapple. Nicely oaked. Elegant with good mouthfeel. Medium-high acid, good length and plenty of texture. Well balanced to the end. Fantastic.
5. Merlot 2006
Slightly thin and bitter with green tannins. OK but not great. Quite rough mouthfeel. Would probably benefit from food.
6. Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
10% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Ripe fruit aroma. Fine pixellated tannins. Plenty of ripe fruit. Some tobacco. Great length. Some savoury spice. Well balanced with a pleasant finish.
7. Cabernet-Merlot 2007
More austere than previous wine. Tannin feels rougher and some astingency on the palate. Needs food or time. Well structured but not as good as number 6.
8. Vergelegen Red 2003
Elegant. Pencil shavings, tobacco and soft tannin. Plenty of fruit on palate. Quite high but fine tannin. Very good. Great length and well balanced. This was the best wine of the night, but number 6 was pretty close.
Vivat Bacchus Alphabet of Wine "A"
The first of Laura Ward's "alphabet of wine" tastings at Vivat Bacchus.
16 August 2010
Vivat Bacchus
1. Domaine Perraud, Aligote 2008
Burgundy
Floral and ripe-tasting citrus notes. A little thin. High acid (lime). Medium alcohol. Not great.
2. Martin Codax, Albarino 2008
Rias Baixas
Zingy with sharp, refreshing acid. Typical albarino.
3. Regvenga de Melgaco, Alvarinho
Portugal
Rounder, less noticeable acid than its twin wine number 2.
4. Gaia, "Wild Ferment" Assyrtiko 2009
Santorini, Greece
Smoky aroma - probably from the volcanic soil. Lots of minerality on the palate. Fermented on its lees. Good length. I love assyrtiko.
5. Vesevo, Aglianico 2008
Beneventano, Italy
Very poor in comparison with number 6. Far less complex.
6. Vesevo, Taurasi 2003
Avellino
Smells amazing. Meaty, savoury on palate. Sandpaper tannins on the tongue. Complex. Excellent.
16 August 2010
Vivat Bacchus
1. Domaine Perraud, Aligote 2008
Burgundy
Floral and ripe-tasting citrus notes. A little thin. High acid (lime). Medium alcohol. Not great.
2. Martin Codax, Albarino 2008
Rias Baixas
Zingy with sharp, refreshing acid. Typical albarino.
3. Regvenga de Melgaco, Alvarinho
Portugal
Rounder, less noticeable acid than its twin wine number 2.
4. Gaia, "Wild Ferment" Assyrtiko 2009
Santorini, Greece
Smoky aroma - probably from the volcanic soil. Lots of minerality on the palate. Fermented on its lees. Good length. I love assyrtiko.
5. Vesevo, Aglianico 2008
Beneventano, Italy
Very poor in comparison with number 6. Far less complex.
6. Vesevo, Taurasi 2003
Avellino
Smells amazing. Meaty, savoury on palate. Sandpaper tannins on the tongue. Complex. Excellent.
Christie's Hospices de Beaune Masterclass
Christie's Hospices de Beaune Masterclass
26 October 2010
The Domaine des Hospices de Beaune is a charitable organisation which has had many vineyards donated to it. Every year they have a charitable wine auction where the wine is auctioned off in barrel. That is, each lot is an entire barrel of wine. So the purchase price of the barrel is difficult to translate into a per-bottle price since, once the barrel is purchased, there are still significant transaction costs before bottling. For example, you still need to pay someone to look after the barrel for you until the wine is ready to bottle. Then it needs to be bottled and shipped. Still, you then get to give the wine its own cuvee name which would be pretty cool. So well worth considering for anyone who has storage space and drinking capacity for a few hundred bottles of the same wine.
For the last few years the auction has been run by Christie's. This tasting of wines from previous Hospices auctions was organised by Christie's as a prelude to the 2010 hospices be beaune auction. Total bargain too considering the quality of the wine.
Tasting notes
1. Pouilly-Fuisse, Cuvee Francoise Poisard 2006
Medium-pale gold colour. Medium intensity aromas of sweet ripe apple and melon and some smoky notes. Good intensity on the palate. Lots of spicy oak, great length. For an entry level wine this bodes well for the rest of the tasting! Drink now, but will age fine for a few years.
PS When you go back to it after tasting the other whites it suffers from the comparison.
2. Meursault-Charmes 1er Cru. Cuvee de Bahezre de Lanlay 2005
Deeper gold than the previous wine and appears more "weighty" in the glass. Lots of fruit on the nose. Showing a very little of development character with some cooked apple and dried apricot coming through. Some nutty aromas too. Less intense initial hit on the palate that wine 1 but much crisper acid. More taut and lean and a little bit of oak tannin too. Strong finish, will be better in the future.
At the moment the first wine is actually more pleasant to drink but this wine is clearly of higher quality.
3. Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Cuvee Francois de Salins 2007
Very young. Noticeable oak on both the palate and nose which has not had time to integrate. Quite intense citrus on the palate. Very long finish is basically just pure fruit at the moment. Having said that, once the wine opens up in the glass there is more secondary character.
The wine is far too young, but will be excellent at some point.
4. Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cuvee Dames de Flandres 2007
Rounder, richer and more inviting nose than number 3 and more integrated oak. Still very young and very acidic with great length. This wine has serious power and still tastes great even when gone back to it after the reds. Total infanticide drinking it now.
5. Savigny-les-beaune 1er cru, Cuvee Arthur Girard, 2008
Too green. I didn't like this one at all.
6. Beaune 1er cru, Cuvee Dames Hospitalieres 2006
Ripe, warm and inviting nose with only a hint of vegetal character coming through. Silky and elegant on the palate... until the finish where there is plenty of grippy tannin. Lots of acid to balance. I liked this a lot - it even tasted good when I went back to it at the end after the big boys.
7. Beaune 1er cru, Cuvee Guigone de Salins 2005
Smooth, silky and spicy. Great length. Still too young but not bad to drink now.
8. Volnay 1er cru, Cuvee Blondeau 2005
Quite similar to number 7 but not quite as well balanced. Initially it was showing better but once they had both had time to open up in the glass then number 7 was the better wine.
9. Pommard-Epenot 1er cru, Cuvee Dom Goblet 2007
Very pale red wine. Elegant and restrained nose. Silky and smooth on the palate. The tannin is there when you search for it but otherwise would go unnoticed. Eminently drinkable now but probably won't last much longer. However, it is definitely the most enjoyable red wine so far in terms of drinkability now. Yum.
10. Corton Grand Cru, Cuvee Charlotte Dumay 2003
Deep colour - almost ribena-like levels of concentration. Definite barnyard on the nose - like being kicked in the face by a horse! Some tobacco on the nose and lots of spice and leather. Noticeable oak, toasterd cherries and tarte tatin. Quite a complex nose.
A structured, powerful and agressive wine... particularly for a Pinot. Plenty of tannin. It's a little over the top for a burgundy, but very good. Could not be much more of a contrast to number 9.
11. Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Cuvee Georges Kritter 2005
Complex nose: spicy red/black fruit, meaty and vegetal. This wine is very good - it has the right balance between power and elegance. High acid and tannin. Excellent but very young.
12. Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cuvee Madeleine Collignon 2006
Quite elegant. Mostly young red fruit character. Not showing much in the way of development yet. Fresh and young-tasting on the palate too. Got a good life ahead of it.
26 October 2010
The Domaine des Hospices de Beaune is a charitable organisation which has had many vineyards donated to it. Every year they have a charitable wine auction where the wine is auctioned off in barrel. That is, each lot is an entire barrel of wine. So the purchase price of the barrel is difficult to translate into a per-bottle price since, once the barrel is purchased, there are still significant transaction costs before bottling. For example, you still need to pay someone to look after the barrel for you until the wine is ready to bottle. Then it needs to be bottled and shipped. Still, you then get to give the wine its own cuvee name which would be pretty cool. So well worth considering for anyone who has storage space and drinking capacity for a few hundred bottles of the same wine.
For the last few years the auction has been run by Christie's. This tasting of wines from previous Hospices auctions was organised by Christie's as a prelude to the 2010 hospices be beaune auction. Total bargain too considering the quality of the wine.
Tasting notes
1. Pouilly-Fuisse, Cuvee Francoise Poisard 2006
Medium-pale gold colour. Medium intensity aromas of sweet ripe apple and melon and some smoky notes. Good intensity on the palate. Lots of spicy oak, great length. For an entry level wine this bodes well for the rest of the tasting! Drink now, but will age fine for a few years.
PS When you go back to it after tasting the other whites it suffers from the comparison.
2. Meursault-Charmes 1er Cru. Cuvee de Bahezre de Lanlay 2005
Deeper gold than the previous wine and appears more "weighty" in the glass. Lots of fruit on the nose. Showing a very little of development character with some cooked apple and dried apricot coming through. Some nutty aromas too. Less intense initial hit on the palate that wine 1 but much crisper acid. More taut and lean and a little bit of oak tannin too. Strong finish, will be better in the future.
At the moment the first wine is actually more pleasant to drink but this wine is clearly of higher quality.
3. Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Cuvee Francois de Salins 2007
Very young. Noticeable oak on both the palate and nose which has not had time to integrate. Quite intense citrus on the palate. Very long finish is basically just pure fruit at the moment. Having said that, once the wine opens up in the glass there is more secondary character.
The wine is far too young, but will be excellent at some point.
4. Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cuvee Dames de Flandres 2007
Rounder, richer and more inviting nose than number 3 and more integrated oak. Still very young and very acidic with great length. This wine has serious power and still tastes great even when gone back to it after the reds. Total infanticide drinking it now.
5. Savigny-les-beaune 1er cru, Cuvee Arthur Girard, 2008
Too green. I didn't like this one at all.
6. Beaune 1er cru, Cuvee Dames Hospitalieres 2006
Ripe, warm and inviting nose with only a hint of vegetal character coming through. Silky and elegant on the palate... until the finish where there is plenty of grippy tannin. Lots of acid to balance. I liked this a lot - it even tasted good when I went back to it at the end after the big boys.
7. Beaune 1er cru, Cuvee Guigone de Salins 2005
Smooth, silky and spicy. Great length. Still too young but not bad to drink now.
8. Volnay 1er cru, Cuvee Blondeau 2005
Quite similar to number 7 but not quite as well balanced. Initially it was showing better but once they had both had time to open up in the glass then number 7 was the better wine.
9. Pommard-Epenot 1er cru, Cuvee Dom Goblet 2007
Very pale red wine. Elegant and restrained nose. Silky and smooth on the palate. The tannin is there when you search for it but otherwise would go unnoticed. Eminently drinkable now but probably won't last much longer. However, it is definitely the most enjoyable red wine so far in terms of drinkability now. Yum.
10. Corton Grand Cru, Cuvee Charlotte Dumay 2003
Deep colour - almost ribena-like levels of concentration. Definite barnyard on the nose - like being kicked in the face by a horse! Some tobacco on the nose and lots of spice and leather. Noticeable oak, toasterd cherries and tarte tatin. Quite a complex nose.
A structured, powerful and agressive wine... particularly for a Pinot. Plenty of tannin. It's a little over the top for a burgundy, but very good. Could not be much more of a contrast to number 9.
11. Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Cuvee Georges Kritter 2005
Complex nose: spicy red/black fruit, meaty and vegetal. This wine is very good - it has the right balance between power and elegance. High acid and tannin. Excellent but very young.
12. Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cuvee Madeleine Collignon 2006
Quite elegant. Mostly young red fruit character. Not showing much in the way of development yet. Fresh and young-tasting on the palate too. Got a good life ahead of it.
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Italian Wine and Cheese Tasting
This was one of the wine and cheese tastings at VB. I just made notes on the wines.
1. Pra, Soave Classico, 2008 (Veneto)
Crisp, fruity (stone fruit). Good wine but a bit thin to stand up to the very creamy cheese it was paired with.
2. Ciu' Ciu' Pecorino 2008, "Le Merlettaie" (Marche)
Good balance and length. Fruity, exuberant nose. Excellent. Paired with a pecorino fresco cheese.
3. Ascheri, Dolcetto d'Alba, "Vigna Nirane" (Piedmont)
Medium-high intensity cherry on the nose. Very acidic. Very Italian. Good length. Maybe seen some carbonic maceration. A good pairing with the insane red wine-washed cheese.
4. Villa Tonino, Nero d'Avola "Baglio Curatolo" (Sicily)
Black fruit, Intense flavour. A little 1-dimensional but should develop more complexity over time. Good, but a little short. Paired with Parmiggiano (a famously hard cheese to pair with wine) and it stood up to it.
5. G D Vajra, Moscato d'Asti 2009 (Piedmont)
Gently sparkling with residual sugar. Works very well with cheese. A much-maligned type of sparkling wine, this definitely has its place in situations such as this.
1. Pra, Soave Classico, 2008 (Veneto)
Crisp, fruity (stone fruit). Good wine but a bit thin to stand up to the very creamy cheese it was paired with.
2. Ciu' Ciu' Pecorino 2008, "Le Merlettaie" (Marche)
Good balance and length. Fruity, exuberant nose. Excellent. Paired with a pecorino fresco cheese.
3. Ascheri, Dolcetto d'Alba, "Vigna Nirane" (Piedmont)
Medium-high intensity cherry on the nose. Very acidic. Very Italian. Good length. Maybe seen some carbonic maceration. A good pairing with the insane red wine-washed cheese.
4. Villa Tonino, Nero d'Avola "Baglio Curatolo" (Sicily)
Black fruit, Intense flavour. A little 1-dimensional but should develop more complexity over time. Good, but a little short. Paired with Parmiggiano (a famously hard cheese to pair with wine) and it stood up to it.
5. G D Vajra, Moscato d'Asti 2009 (Piedmont)
Gently sparkling with residual sugar. Works very well with cheese. A much-maligned type of sparkling wine, this definitely has its place in situations such as this.
Friday, 4 June 2010
Tim Wildman Australia Tasting
1. Knappstein Riesling 2008
Clare Valley, South Australia
Lime, apple and floral on the nose. Dry, medium body. Crisp with medium-intensity green fruit on the palate. Good length with a floral finish. Well balanced, good fruit character. A very good New World riesling.
2. Shaw + Smith "M3" Chardonnay 2008
Very pale. Buttery oak, but done well - not like the overoaked Chardonnays which everyone fears from the bad old days. Green and stone fruit on palate. Good length with a round, soft mouthfeel. Some nuts, particularly on the finish and a slight tannic feeling on the tongue. I like this. This is the type of wine Jen would say smells of popcorn. Once the wine is drunk, the glass still has a strong sweet, vanilla aroma.
3. Yering Station Pinot Noir 2004
Yarra Valley, Victoria
Relatively deep colour for a pinot noir. Cherry, other red fruits and wood on the nose. Also beginning to develop a little bit of the vegetal aromas. Served slightly chilled which has made the acid more prominent and the overall feeling is of a crisp wine. The tannins are a little green - particularly on the finish.
Not awesome by any stretch of the imagination, but pretty good.
4. Balnaves Cabernet-Merlot 2007
Coonawarra, South Australia
Amazing minty, leafy smell overlaying the black fruit. Some tobacco leaf. Concentrated and intense on the palate. High acid, high tannin but well balanced. A slightly dusty mouthfeel. Lots of complex flavours - cloves, cinnamon, something a little medicinal. Fantastic length. Palate tastes younger than the nose so probably got some ageing potential. An excellent wine.
5. Willunga 100 Grenache 2006
McLaren Vale, South Australia
Simple, jammy fruit. Some vanilla, some spice. A little dusty tannin. Good fruit intensity. It has ripe fruit but no real complexity. However, I still like this wine - it's very pleasant to drink.
6. Stanton and Kileen Rutherglen Muscat
12-year old
Rutherglen, Victoria
Toffee, marzipan, raisins, nuts, cinnamon. Ridiculous intensity, ridiculous length... and this is only an entry-level Rutherglen. Bitter like coffee. Sweet, but good acid prevents it from ever feeling cloying. Rich and complex. This is excellent.
Incidentally - a Rutherglen Muscat undergoes:
- fortification before fermentation is complete (like a port, to retain sweetness)
- baking under a tin-roof in the boiling sun (to oxidize, like a madeira)
- aged in oak in a system similar to a solera (like a sherry)
so no wonder it is awesome!
Clare Valley, South Australia
Lime, apple and floral on the nose. Dry, medium body. Crisp with medium-intensity green fruit on the palate. Good length with a floral finish. Well balanced, good fruit character. A very good New World riesling.
2. Shaw + Smith "M3" Chardonnay 2008
Very pale. Buttery oak, but done well - not like the overoaked Chardonnays which everyone fears from the bad old days. Green and stone fruit on palate. Good length with a round, soft mouthfeel. Some nuts, particularly on the finish and a slight tannic feeling on the tongue. I like this. This is the type of wine Jen would say smells of popcorn. Once the wine is drunk, the glass still has a strong sweet, vanilla aroma.
3. Yering Station Pinot Noir 2004
Yarra Valley, Victoria
Relatively deep colour for a pinot noir. Cherry, other red fruits and wood on the nose. Also beginning to develop a little bit of the vegetal aromas. Served slightly chilled which has made the acid more prominent and the overall feeling is of a crisp wine. The tannins are a little green - particularly on the finish.
Not awesome by any stretch of the imagination, but pretty good.
4. Balnaves Cabernet-Merlot 2007
Coonawarra, South Australia
Amazing minty, leafy smell overlaying the black fruit. Some tobacco leaf. Concentrated and intense on the palate. High acid, high tannin but well balanced. A slightly dusty mouthfeel. Lots of complex flavours - cloves, cinnamon, something a little medicinal. Fantastic length. Palate tastes younger than the nose so probably got some ageing potential. An excellent wine.
5. Willunga 100 Grenache 2006
McLaren Vale, South Australia
Simple, jammy fruit. Some vanilla, some spice. A little dusty tannin. Good fruit intensity. It has ripe fruit but no real complexity. However, I still like this wine - it's very pleasant to drink.
6. Stanton and Kileen Rutherglen Muscat
12-year old
Rutherglen, Victoria
Toffee, marzipan, raisins, nuts, cinnamon. Ridiculous intensity, ridiculous length... and this is only an entry-level Rutherglen. Bitter like coffee. Sweet, but good acid prevents it from ever feeling cloying. Rich and complex. This is excellent.
Incidentally - a Rutherglen Muscat undergoes:
- fortification before fermentation is complete (like a port, to retain sweetness)
- baking under a tin-roof in the boiling sun (to oxidize, like a madeira)
- aged in oak in a system similar to a solera (like a sherry)
so no wonder it is awesome!
Domaine Laureau Savennieres "Cuvee des Genets" 1999
Cooked apple, smells very ripe. Apricot and honeysuckle on the nose. However, the wine is bone dry with a slight waxy feeling. An interesting combination. Very acidic, but feels mellow on the palate. Lots of complexity. The palate has younger and fresher fruit than the nose. A complex, stoney finish. Very good.
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Cabernet Sauvignon from around the world
Cabernet Sauvignon from around the world
Vivat Bacchus
Monday 24 May 2010
1. Inspira Reserva 2007
Maipo Valley, Chile
General impression is of clean, varietal character. Lots of fresh black fruit and leafy notes. Quite full bodied and powerful. Round, ripe fruit on the palate and something a little bitter like dark chocolate. Oak is noticeable on the palate, but less prominent on the nose. Given time it should integrate. Good, should improve.
2. Robert Mondavi "Twin Oaks" 2007
California
Greener, leafier smell than number 1. Very high tannin and acid, or at least certainly more noticeable. This wine has a less intense palate so perhaps this is why. The wine suffers in comparison to number 1. Both are decent entry level wines, but the first is more pleasant to drink. I think that this wine does not have enough on the palate to age for long enough to get the acid and tannin in balance. Although maybe with food it would be fine.
3. Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge 2005
Languedoc
Complex, weird aromas. Jammy fruit, meatly and earthy. Probably quite bretty. Dusty mouthfeel - very dry tannin. This is relatively austere now, should improve a lot with age. Good, but not the best Daumas Gassac I've tasted.
4. Leconfield 2003
Coonawarra
Very jammy, concentrated black fruit. Also minty, orange peel, sweet spice and caramel. Very open - not a wine you would use the word "restrained" about. Good acid and tannin. Feels soft and ready to drink. Very Australian in style. Good, but a little brash. Nowhere near as good as the Balnaves Coonawarra Cabernet-Merlot from Tim Wildman's Aus tasting.
5. Springfield "Methode Ancienne" 2003
Robertson, South Africa
Tobacco leaf and ripe fruit on the nose. Intense palate, well balanced and great length. Lots of ripe tannin, slight dusty mouthfeel. Younger on the palate than on the nose. This is very good and should age well for many more years. My favourite of the night.
6. Isole e Olena 2001
Tuscany
Savoury aromas (cheese was a popular tasting note) overlaying ripe, slightly cooked fruit. Fruit character was more prevalent on opening up. Very acidic (Italian-style acid) and good length with a savoury finish. Good grippy tannin - would work well with a steak. Very good.
Vivat Bacchus
Monday 24 May 2010
1. Inspira Reserva 2007
Maipo Valley, Chile
General impression is of clean, varietal character. Lots of fresh black fruit and leafy notes. Quite full bodied and powerful. Round, ripe fruit on the palate and something a little bitter like dark chocolate. Oak is noticeable on the palate, but less prominent on the nose. Given time it should integrate. Good, should improve.
2. Robert Mondavi "Twin Oaks" 2007
California
Greener, leafier smell than number 1. Very high tannin and acid, or at least certainly more noticeable. This wine has a less intense palate so perhaps this is why. The wine suffers in comparison to number 1. Both are decent entry level wines, but the first is more pleasant to drink. I think that this wine does not have enough on the palate to age for long enough to get the acid and tannin in balance. Although maybe with food it would be fine.
3. Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge 2005
Languedoc
Complex, weird aromas. Jammy fruit, meatly and earthy. Probably quite bretty. Dusty mouthfeel - very dry tannin. This is relatively austere now, should improve a lot with age. Good, but not the best Daumas Gassac I've tasted.
4. Leconfield 2003
Coonawarra
Very jammy, concentrated black fruit. Also minty, orange peel, sweet spice and caramel. Very open - not a wine you would use the word "restrained" about. Good acid and tannin. Feels soft and ready to drink. Very Australian in style. Good, but a little brash. Nowhere near as good as the Balnaves Coonawarra Cabernet-Merlot from Tim Wildman's Aus tasting.
5. Springfield "Methode Ancienne" 2003
Robertson, South Africa
Tobacco leaf and ripe fruit on the nose. Intense palate, well balanced and great length. Lots of ripe tannin, slight dusty mouthfeel. Younger on the palate than on the nose. This is very good and should age well for many more years. My favourite of the night.
6. Isole e Olena 2001
Tuscany
Savoury aromas (cheese was a popular tasting note) overlaying ripe, slightly cooked fruit. Fruit character was more prevalent on opening up. Very acidic (Italian-style acid) and good length with a savoury finish. Good grippy tannin - would work well with a steak. Very good.
Henri Bourgeois Etienne Henri 2003
Medium gold (deep colour for a Sauvignon Blanc). Noticeable oak and stony minerality on the nose. Opens up significantly in the glass with more floral and honeysuckle aromas (not sure whether this was because it was too cold to start with or whether it simply needed time to breathe). Smooth mouthfeel, intense green fruit on the palate - ripe green apples in particular, but also plenty of limes. As it opened up the minerality became more prevalent on the palate and there were more stone fruits (apricots) coming through in the flavour profile.
Great complexity and very long - several minutes after tasting it I kept getting an ethereal flashback-taste of the wine. Well balanced and complex, the way this one opens up in the glass makes me confident that it will improve in the bottle. It's excellent now though so no need to wait if you are impatient!
Great complexity and very long - several minutes after tasting it I kept getting an ethereal flashback-taste of the wine. Well balanced and complex, the way this one opens up in the glass makes me confident that it will improve in the bottle. It's excellent now though so no need to wait if you are impatient!
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Tim Wildman Wine Wisdom Class - SW and regional France
1. Iroulegy Blanc 2007, Caves de Saint Etienne
Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, Courbu
£14
Peachy, apricot. Full bodied. Something like tinned pineapple. Bone dry, high acid. Very nice. Perhaps a little bit of a niche wine but I enjoyed it.
2. Chateau du Cedre, Cuvee Prestige Cahors 2006
90 Cot (aka Malbec), 5% Tannat, 5% Merlot
Usually I get tomato on the nose for malbec-dominated wines, but not in this case. Old world in character. Very tannic (must be the tannat) and mouth-drying. However, the high acid comes through at the end to save the day. Dusty and earthy rather than fruity. Excellent.
3. Domaine La Suffrene, Bandol Rouge 2005
55% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 15% Cinsault. 10% Carignan
Bandol is famous for its Brett character sometimes likened (by its fans) to the smell of a dead badger (how on earth do they know?). This wine was not quite that bretty but had serious meaty, dirty aromas (in a good way). Also noticeable garrigue aromas. Full body, decent length although the fruit fades a little too quickly. There are two distinct waves of flavour. Medium acid.
This wine is good, but the levels of brett would give many Australian wine makers a heart attack.
4. Chateau Montus, Madiran 2004
80% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
50% new oak. £20ish
Black! Restrained aroma but pronounced flavour. High tannin and acid. Ripe black fruit. Balsamic note. Dusty tannins. A bruiser.
5. Domaine Dugois Jura, Savagnin 2005
Not fortified
100% Savagnin, £25
Intense, flor-like taste. Almonds, saline. Not a full bodied wine but a concentrated flavour - not oak, not fruit, not alcohol.
6. Clos Lapeyre, Jurancon Moelleaux "La Magendia" 2005
£12 (bargain!)
Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng
High acid, sweet wine. Some toffee aromas. Very good.
Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, Courbu
£14
Peachy, apricot. Full bodied. Something like tinned pineapple. Bone dry, high acid. Very nice. Perhaps a little bit of a niche wine but I enjoyed it.
2. Chateau du Cedre, Cuvee Prestige Cahors 2006
90 Cot (aka Malbec), 5% Tannat, 5% Merlot
Usually I get tomato on the nose for malbec-dominated wines, but not in this case. Old world in character. Very tannic (must be the tannat) and mouth-drying. However, the high acid comes through at the end to save the day. Dusty and earthy rather than fruity. Excellent.
3. Domaine La Suffrene, Bandol Rouge 2005
55% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 15% Cinsault. 10% Carignan
Bandol is famous for its Brett character sometimes likened (by its fans) to the smell of a dead badger (how on earth do they know?). This wine was not quite that bretty but had serious meaty, dirty aromas (in a good way). Also noticeable garrigue aromas. Full body, decent length although the fruit fades a little too quickly. There are two distinct waves of flavour. Medium acid.
This wine is good, but the levels of brett would give many Australian wine makers a heart attack.
4. Chateau Montus, Madiran 2004
80% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
50% new oak. £20ish
Black! Restrained aroma but pronounced flavour. High tannin and acid. Ripe black fruit. Balsamic note. Dusty tannins. A bruiser.
5. Domaine Dugois Jura, Savagnin 2005
Not fortified
100% Savagnin, £25
Intense, flor-like taste. Almonds, saline. Not a full bodied wine but a concentrated flavour - not oak, not fruit, not alcohol.
6. Clos Lapeyre, Jurancon Moelleaux "La Magendia" 2005
£12 (bargain!)
Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng
High acid, sweet wine. Some toffee aromas. Very good.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Louis Roederer Champagne
Monday 11 January
Louis Roederer is a family-run champagne house. The current owners are direct descendants of Louis himself. They own plenty of their own vineyards with 70% of their production coming from vineyards they own themselves. None of the family-owned vineyards are Pinot Meunier. The wines are all Pinot Noir dominated and generally avoid malolactic fermentation.
They also own Champagne Deutz. As well as Champagne, they own well-regarded vineyards in other regions and countries. For example there is the Louis Roederer "Quartet" - a Californian sparkling wine, Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Bordeaux and Domaines Ott in Provence.
However, tonight we focus just on Champagne Louis Roederer
1. Brut Premier
Ripe, slightly cooked apple and a hint of orange peel. High acid, but round texture. Surprisingly smooth apart from at the back of the throat where there is plenty of bite. More bread on the palate. Decent length without any bitterness on the finish. Very good entry level.
2. Vintage 2003
Many champagne houses didn't bother with a 2003 vintage. This was the super-hot year in France and the Champagnes which were made are generally not acidic enough. This is no exception and is clearly only made to satisfy the commercial demand for vintage Louis Roederer. The previous wine was higher quality, despite this one being significantly more expensive. Weird finish.
3. Cristal 2002
Their flagship wine and one which has become synonymous with bling. Very pale with very small bubbles. Intense fruit, and definite red fruit also. Great length, pleasant finish. Very fine and elegant.
4. Rose Vintage 2004
Prickly, sharp texture. Strawberry and raspberry on the palate. Bitter aftertaste. Made by a combination of the saignee and assemblage techniques. The PN is saignee and the Chardonnay is then blended in later. Quite good, but overpriced.
5. Carte Blanche Demi Sec
Grapey. As demi-sec goes this is good. Decent length, not too sweet or cloying. Surprisingly good. They claim that if this was drunk with dessert then it would taste as dry as the first wine.
Louis Roederer is a family-run champagne house. The current owners are direct descendants of Louis himself. They own plenty of their own vineyards with 70% of their production coming from vineyards they own themselves. None of the family-owned vineyards are Pinot Meunier. The wines are all Pinot Noir dominated and generally avoid malolactic fermentation.
They also own Champagne Deutz. As well as Champagne, they own well-regarded vineyards in other regions and countries. For example there is the Louis Roederer "Quartet" - a Californian sparkling wine, Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Bordeaux and Domaines Ott in Provence.
However, tonight we focus just on Champagne Louis Roederer
1. Brut Premier
Ripe, slightly cooked apple and a hint of orange peel. High acid, but round texture. Surprisingly smooth apart from at the back of the throat where there is plenty of bite. More bread on the palate. Decent length without any bitterness on the finish. Very good entry level.
2. Vintage 2003
Many champagne houses didn't bother with a 2003 vintage. This was the super-hot year in France and the Champagnes which were made are generally not acidic enough. This is no exception and is clearly only made to satisfy the commercial demand for vintage Louis Roederer. The previous wine was higher quality, despite this one being significantly more expensive. Weird finish.
3. Cristal 2002
Their flagship wine and one which has become synonymous with bling. Very pale with very small bubbles. Intense fruit, and definite red fruit also. Great length, pleasant finish. Very fine and elegant.
4. Rose Vintage 2004
Prickly, sharp texture. Strawberry and raspberry on the palate. Bitter aftertaste. Made by a combination of the saignee and assemblage techniques. The PN is saignee and the Chardonnay is then blended in later. Quite good, but overpriced.
5. Carte Blanche Demi Sec
Grapey. As demi-sec goes this is good. Decent length, not too sweet or cloying. Surprisingly good. They claim that if this was drunk with dessert then it would taste as dry as the first wine.
Christmas Tasting
Vivat Bacchus
Monday 21 Dec
1. Graham Beck Brut NV
Western Cape, SA
Ripe apples. Not much in the way of yeast autolysis. Probably not spent much time on lees. A little sweet and oily, particularly on the finish. Fruit character is a little short, but not bad at all.
2. Knappstein Riesling 2008
Clare Valley, Australia
Petrol, lime and floral notes. Dry, with high acid. Green fruit. Crisp and refreshing until the end. I'd rather have a German/Austrian/Alsatian riesling any day though.
3. "Blanc de Mer" 2008, Bouchard Finlayson
Hermanus, SA
This has riesling, viognier and other stuff in it. It doesn't really work for me. The riesling dominates. The viognier doesn't really seem to add anything very good.
4. Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2008
Hermanus, SA
A very classy new world chardonnay. Apricot, melon, smoke, oak. This spends 9-months in 55% new oak barrels. Smooth and silky mouthfeel. Intense fruit on palate. Green apple on palate. Great length. Fantastic.
5. Bouchard Finlayson "Galpin Peak" Pinot Noir 2008
Walker Bay, SA
A good example of a New World Pinot Noir. Lots of red fruit - cherry, raspberry etc. Little dots of tannin. Green pepper on the palate. One of the bottles had some bret, which led to some complaints, but mine was very good. Would work well with a meaty stew.
6. Chianti Classico 2006, Isole e Olena
Tuscany, Italy
Tannin-tastic. Smells sweet. Ripe fruit (mostly red but some black). Sandpaper texture on the tongue. Mouth-puckering acid. If ever a wine needed food, this is it. It would probably still be a little unbalanced even with food though.
7. Veenwouden Classic 2005
Paarl, SA
American oak. Ripe black berries and leafy notes. The intense ripe black fruit is also there on the palate, but tomato also there too. High acid. High, drying tannin. Good.
8. Springfield "The Whole Berry" Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
South Africa
Incredibly intense palate. Ripe black berries on the nose and the palate. Very definitely a new world wine. Very drinkable in the tasting. I wonder what it's like to have a large amount of. I imagine that it could be hard to drink in large quantities. Like alcoholic ribena. Apparently this wine has undergone some carbonic maceration. Luckily it doesn't taste anything like a Beaujolais!
9. Kaapzicht Stetyler Pinotage 2006
Stellenbosch, SA
Slight rubbery smell present until the wine was swirled. Dry, leathery palate with tobacco leaf noticeable. Red berries and tomato. Rough, dry sandpaper texture from the tannin. "Dusty". Needs food but good.
10. Catherine Marshall "Myriad" 2004
Elgin, SA
This is a fortified wine. Not bad, but at the price you'd be much better with a Port since this is more expensive than a good ruby, but no better. Mind-numbingly acidic!
Monday 21 Dec
1. Graham Beck Brut NV
Western Cape, SA
Ripe apples. Not much in the way of yeast autolysis. Probably not spent much time on lees. A little sweet and oily, particularly on the finish. Fruit character is a little short, but not bad at all.
2. Knappstein Riesling 2008
Clare Valley, Australia
Petrol, lime and floral notes. Dry, with high acid. Green fruit. Crisp and refreshing until the end. I'd rather have a German/Austrian/Alsatian riesling any day though.
3. "Blanc de Mer" 2008, Bouchard Finlayson
Hermanus, SA
This has riesling, viognier and other stuff in it. It doesn't really work for me. The riesling dominates. The viognier doesn't really seem to add anything very good.
4. Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2008
Hermanus, SA
A very classy new world chardonnay. Apricot, melon, smoke, oak. This spends 9-months in 55% new oak barrels. Smooth and silky mouthfeel. Intense fruit on palate. Green apple on palate. Great length. Fantastic.
5. Bouchard Finlayson "Galpin Peak" Pinot Noir 2008
Walker Bay, SA
A good example of a New World Pinot Noir. Lots of red fruit - cherry, raspberry etc. Little dots of tannin. Green pepper on the palate. One of the bottles had some bret, which led to some complaints, but mine was very good. Would work well with a meaty stew.
6. Chianti Classico 2006, Isole e Olena
Tuscany, Italy
Tannin-tastic. Smells sweet. Ripe fruit (mostly red but some black). Sandpaper texture on the tongue. Mouth-puckering acid. If ever a wine needed food, this is it. It would probably still be a little unbalanced even with food though.
7. Veenwouden Classic 2005
Paarl, SA
American oak. Ripe black berries and leafy notes. The intense ripe black fruit is also there on the palate, but tomato also there too. High acid. High, drying tannin. Good.
8. Springfield "The Whole Berry" Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
South Africa
Incredibly intense palate. Ripe black berries on the nose and the palate. Very definitely a new world wine. Very drinkable in the tasting. I wonder what it's like to have a large amount of. I imagine that it could be hard to drink in large quantities. Like alcoholic ribena. Apparently this wine has undergone some carbonic maceration. Luckily it doesn't taste anything like a Beaujolais!
9. Kaapzicht Stetyler Pinotage 2006
Stellenbosch, SA
Slight rubbery smell present until the wine was swirled. Dry, leathery palate with tobacco leaf noticeable. Red berries and tomato. Rough, dry sandpaper texture from the tannin. "Dusty". Needs food but good.
10. Catherine Marshall "Myriad" 2004
Elgin, SA
This is a fortified wine. Not bad, but at the price you'd be much better with a Port since this is more expensive than a good ruby, but no better. Mind-numbingly acidic!
Wine Wisdom at VB #1
Class #1
Bordeaux
Taught by Tim Wildman MW
One left-bank, one right-bank Bordeaux. Then two New World imposters. Then one New World Bordeaux blend including four of the five main varieties. And finally a white, oak-aged Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa.
The New World wines showed better here. Genuine Bordeaux is so overpriced that it is always a hard comparison. At similar price points the Bordeaux will show badly every time.
The Wines
1. L'Ermitage de Chasse-Spleen 2003
Moulis, Medoc, Bordeaux
Deep ruby. High, but fine, tannins. Medium-high acid. Lots of black fruit. Good length. Good but not amazing.
2.Chateau Croix de Grezard 2000
Lussac Saint Emilion, Bordeaux
Medium-deep. Brownish rim. Showing quite a lot of bottle development on the nose. Cedar, tobacco, smoke, some earthy notes. Medium bodied. Not enough fruit character on the palate. Good length, but bitter on the finish. Would be better with food. Past its best.
3.Coleraine 2006, Te Mata
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Roughly equal Merlot and CS.
Deep ruby. Lots of ripe black fruit on the nose. Some smoke. Round, soft mouthfeel for a Cabernet. High tannin. Medium-high acid. Feels more rough with time in the glass and tastes more woody than it smells. Very good though.
4. Work of Time 2002, Springfield Estate
Robertson, South Africa. Merlot-dominated.
Deep colour. Medium-high intensity jammy black fruit on the nose. Smoke and oak also. Ripe fruit on the palate. Very high tannin and acid. Smoky character. Long, but with a smoky finish. Good stuff. Needs food... and probably more time.
5. Phil Sexton "Harry's Monster"
Vintage not recorded. Yarra Valley. Again, mostly equal Merlot and CS, but with CF and Petit Verdot too.
Smells of Christmas. Cloves, cinnamon overlaying black fruit. Masculine. Very ripe fruit on the palate, but not jammy. Good length. Oaky and vanilla. Very good but needs food.
6. Vergelegen Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc
80% Semillon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc
Pale, oaky, very good. Stands up after all these big reds.
Bordeaux
Taught by Tim Wildman MW
One left-bank, one right-bank Bordeaux. Then two New World imposters. Then one New World Bordeaux blend including four of the five main varieties. And finally a white, oak-aged Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa.
The New World wines showed better here. Genuine Bordeaux is so overpriced that it is always a hard comparison. At similar price points the Bordeaux will show badly every time.
The Wines
1. L'Ermitage de Chasse-Spleen 2003
Moulis, Medoc, Bordeaux
Deep ruby. High, but fine, tannins. Medium-high acid. Lots of black fruit. Good length. Good but not amazing.
2.Chateau Croix de Grezard 2000
Lussac Saint Emilion, Bordeaux
Medium-deep. Brownish rim. Showing quite a lot of bottle development on the nose. Cedar, tobacco, smoke, some earthy notes. Medium bodied. Not enough fruit character on the palate. Good length, but bitter on the finish. Would be better with food. Past its best.
3.Coleraine 2006, Te Mata
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Roughly equal Merlot and CS.
Deep ruby. Lots of ripe black fruit on the nose. Some smoke. Round, soft mouthfeel for a Cabernet. High tannin. Medium-high acid. Feels more rough with time in the glass and tastes more woody than it smells. Very good though.
4. Work of Time 2002, Springfield Estate
Robertson, South Africa. Merlot-dominated.
Deep colour. Medium-high intensity jammy black fruit on the nose. Smoke and oak also. Ripe fruit on the palate. Very high tannin and acid. Smoky character. Long, but with a smoky finish. Good stuff. Needs food... and probably more time.
5. Phil Sexton "Harry's Monster"
Vintage not recorded. Yarra Valley. Again, mostly equal Merlot and CS, but with CF and Petit Verdot too.
Smells of Christmas. Cloves, cinnamon overlaying black fruit. Masculine. Very ripe fruit on the palate, but not jammy. Good length. Oaky and vanilla. Very good but needs food.
6. Vergelegen Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc
80% Semillon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc
Pale, oaky, very good. Stands up after all these big reds.
Mature Red Burgundy
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Wine and Dine Society
Another ridiculous one from the Wine and Dine people. Red Burgundy starting in 1964 and getting older! Burgundy used to be fortified with all kinds of stronger wine before the 70s and as a result of this it can often age much better than today's wines would.
1. 1964 Chambolle Musigny, Corney and Barrow
Meaty and earthy. Not much fruit. Past its best but still drinkable. Impressive given its age (apart from when it is compared to some of the ancient wines below).
2. 1961 Clos Vougeot, Innes Smith
Sweet, jammy fruit on nose, which is frankly astonishing given the age. Smoke and floral note also, particularly on the finish. Was probably fortified. Something on the nose is redolent of a tawny port.
3. 1955 Volnay Hospice, Cuvee Blondeau
Meaty, smoky, pepper, mushroom. Particularly on the finish.
4. 1955 Charmes Chambertin, Harvey's of Bristol
Faulty. Smells dank.
5. 1953 Clos Vougeot, Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Very aromatic. Floral, sweet spice. Fades a little quickly on the mid-palate but finishes strongly.
6. 1952 Chambolle Musigny, Marx and Salmon
Meaty and concentrated. Like a stock. Cherries on the nose. Surprising grip. Must have been doped with wines from the South of France.
7. 1937 Beaune, Reserve du Chateau, Domaine Louis Lavirotte et fils
Lots of tannin, very dark. Does that sound like a 70+ year old Burgundy to you? Even by the standards of wines which have come through the Wine and Dine time machine, this is ridiculous. Probably fraud. There are sharp green tannins which doesn't seem plausible for a very old wine.
8. 1919 Volnay, Sichel
This is like a cross between a vintage port and a tawny port. Smells sweet with jammy fruit. Some oxidized character - particularly on the mid-palate. Completely mental! Complex. Weird. I like it.
Wine and Dine Society
Another ridiculous one from the Wine and Dine people. Red Burgundy starting in 1964 and getting older! Burgundy used to be fortified with all kinds of stronger wine before the 70s and as a result of this it can often age much better than today's wines would.
1. 1964 Chambolle Musigny, Corney and Barrow
Meaty and earthy. Not much fruit. Past its best but still drinkable. Impressive given its age (apart from when it is compared to some of the ancient wines below).
2. 1961 Clos Vougeot, Innes Smith
Sweet, jammy fruit on nose, which is frankly astonishing given the age. Smoke and floral note also, particularly on the finish. Was probably fortified. Something on the nose is redolent of a tawny port.
3. 1955 Volnay Hospice, Cuvee Blondeau
Meaty, smoky, pepper, mushroom. Particularly on the finish.
4. 1955 Charmes Chambertin, Harvey's of Bristol
Faulty. Smells dank.
5. 1953 Clos Vougeot, Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Very aromatic. Floral, sweet spice. Fades a little quickly on the mid-palate but finishes strongly.
6. 1952 Chambolle Musigny, Marx and Salmon
Meaty and concentrated. Like a stock. Cherries on the nose. Surprising grip. Must have been doped with wines from the South of France.
7. 1937 Beaune, Reserve du Chateau, Domaine Louis Lavirotte et fils
Lots of tannin, very dark. Does that sound like a 70+ year old Burgundy to you? Even by the standards of wines which have come through the Wine and Dine time machine, this is ridiculous. Probably fraud. There are sharp green tannins which doesn't seem plausible for a very old wine.
8. 1919 Volnay, Sichel
This is like a cross between a vintage port and a tawny port. Smells sweet with jammy fruit. Some oxidized character - particularly on the mid-palate. Completely mental! Complex. Weird. I like it.
Rare and Unusual Italian Wines
16 November 2009
Wine and Dine Society
1. 1961 Grignolino Rosso, San Giovanni Battista
This is a style of wine which is supposed to be drunk young. However, by some miracle this one is still drinkable. Some dark fruit, but it is most definitely past its best.
2. 1961 Guipa Nebbiolo, Valtellina Arrigori
Deeper than the previous wine. Soft tannin. A little fruit character with plenty of bottle development showing, but not past it. Decent length. Good.
3. 1962. Gattinara, Luigi Nervi e Figlio
Very pale brown. Pale, watery rim. A non-aromatic wine. Some violets and black fruit and smoke. Soft textured, light bodied. Sharp acid. Spicy finish. Good.
4. 1964 Tegolato Vecchio, Castello Poppiano
Chianti Colli Fiorentina. Looks weird. Like an amontillado on the nose. Oxidized.
5. 1967 Sassella Superiore Sondrio, Enoligica Valtellinese
A good wine in the style of the Wine and Dine Society. Definitely showing its age. Mushrooms and earth are more prominent than the fruit and floral notes. High acid. Good length but a rather acidic finish.
6. 1971 Petrurbani Riserva
A red wine from Orvieto. Perhaps made from Sangiovese and Sagrantino grapes but not sure. Sharp and bitter, particularly on the finish. Not particularly appealing.
7. 1973 Greppo, Biondi Santi
Brunello di Montalcino. Gamey, leathery, meaty, spice and smoke. Medium-low body. Acidic with good bitterness (like coffee). Complex. On the palate there is noticeable red fruit. Intense flavour. Good length. Well balanced. The only bad point being a little sourness on the finish. Otherwise excellent.
8. 1975 Vin Santo Toscano, G. Cecchi
16% abv, but not from fortification. This is mainly made from trebbiano (!) and also some malvasia. The production of this wine involves a slow fermentation during which time it undergoes a deliberate oxidation. It really works in this situation. There is a complex combination of nuts, Christmas cake, flowers and grapes. Off-dry to medium sweetness. Concentrated. One of the weirdest sweet wines I've ever tasted. Interesting, but to many people this would be of purely academic interest.
Wine and Dine Society
1. 1961 Grignolino Rosso, San Giovanni Battista
This is a style of wine which is supposed to be drunk young. However, by some miracle this one is still drinkable. Some dark fruit, but it is most definitely past its best.
2. 1961 Guipa Nebbiolo, Valtellina Arrigori
Deeper than the previous wine. Soft tannin. A little fruit character with plenty of bottle development showing, but not past it. Decent length. Good.
3. 1962. Gattinara, Luigi Nervi e Figlio
Very pale brown. Pale, watery rim. A non-aromatic wine. Some violets and black fruit and smoke. Soft textured, light bodied. Sharp acid. Spicy finish. Good.
4. 1964 Tegolato Vecchio, Castello Poppiano
Chianti Colli Fiorentina. Looks weird. Like an amontillado on the nose. Oxidized.
5. 1967 Sassella Superiore Sondrio, Enoligica Valtellinese
A good wine in the style of the Wine and Dine Society. Definitely showing its age. Mushrooms and earth are more prominent than the fruit and floral notes. High acid. Good length but a rather acidic finish.
6. 1971 Petrurbani Riserva
A red wine from Orvieto. Perhaps made from Sangiovese and Sagrantino grapes but not sure. Sharp and bitter, particularly on the finish. Not particularly appealing.
7. 1973 Greppo, Biondi Santi
Brunello di Montalcino. Gamey, leathery, meaty, spice and smoke. Medium-low body. Acidic with good bitterness (like coffee). Complex. On the palate there is noticeable red fruit. Intense flavour. Good length. Well balanced. The only bad point being a little sourness on the finish. Otherwise excellent.
8. 1975 Vin Santo Toscano, G. Cecchi
16% abv, but not from fortification. This is mainly made from trebbiano (!) and also some malvasia. The production of this wine involves a slow fermentation during which time it undergoes a deliberate oxidation. It really works in this situation. There is a complex combination of nuts, Christmas cake, flowers and grapes. Off-dry to medium sweetness. Concentrated. One of the weirdest sweet wines I've ever tasted. Interesting, but to many people this would be of purely academic interest.
Reschke Vitulus 2004
Reschke Vitulus 2004
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
Deep purple. Leafy, minty Cabernet Sauvignon. Vanilla, cinnamon black fruit. Med-high acid with silky ripe tannin. Tobacco and Juicy black fruit on the palate. Still very fresh and young. Good length. Very good.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
Deep purple. Leafy, minty Cabernet Sauvignon. Vanilla, cinnamon black fruit. Med-high acid with silky ripe tannin. Tobacco and Juicy black fruit on the palate. Still very fresh and young. Good length. Very good.
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