First had this wine in a beginners wine tasting class I was doing for Bacchus in Oxford about five years ago. This was being shown as the example of a Bordeaux left-bank wine. I thought at the time that it would benefit from a bit of age so went and bought a couple of bottles and completely forgot about it! Until now.
Five years on, it's still surprisingly young-tasting and looking. Red and opaque, although the rim is fairly watery. The colour on the rim is still more towards red than brown. The tannins are still very prominent and perhaps now a little out of balance to have on its own. However, with the stew I ate this with it all came together really well. Very woody on the nose with blackcurrant and tobacco. Medium bodied and smoky on the finish. Medium length. After about an hour and a half it opened up into something pretty amazing and I was reminded of what prompted me to buy it in the first place.
So all in all, not a bad little experiment. Plus it had the benefit of nostalgia from my early wine-tasting days. It is hard to pick up a decent wine from Bordeaux at any kind of reasonable price but this was not too expensive. Of course, it's all gone now.
Friday 20 March 2009
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Tuscan Wine Tasting
Wines of Tuscany
Friday 13 March 2009
A very interesting tasting this. Will update later with proper tasting notes. For now, here are links to all the wines which are still available to buy.
Whilst we're still waiting for proper tasting notes...
Whites
OK, but overpriced and not really that special. The vermentino from Colline Lucchesi was the better of the two, but for £13 from other regions a far better white could be had.
Best Value Red
The Morrelino di Scansano was by far and away the best value red. It was showing far better than the Vino Nobile - intense on the palate and with a long way to go. A real find!
Best Red
A tricky one this. From the Sangiovese-based wines, the Brunello was my favourite. Lots of people liked the Castello di Fonterutoli best, but this was probably a result of the age (which was perfect). However, the Ornellaia really was the best wine there. Although it was almost 3-times the price of the next most expensive wine!
Vin Santo
Interesting, but not my favourite sweet wine. Lots of unusual flavours going on in there. Also, the combination of this with the almond biscotti was superb.
Tasting Notes
Adam Dent
1. 2007 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, Riccardo Falchini
Cost £9.75
A pale greenish, herbal, wine with notes of green apple, mineral, kiwi. High acid, medium body, fruity. Lemons, green apple, hint of pineapple. Pretty long, slightly bitter note. Crisp and refreshing, some complexity, well balanced.
No one had much to say besides agreeing it was very drinkable. So, ok but nothing special.
2. 2007 Palistorti, Colline Lucchesi DOC. Tenuta di Valgiano
Cost £12.95
A pale straw colour. Clean, medium intensity with aromas of cloves, peaches, cream. Crisp and dry with high acidity, medium-high body. Flavour profile on palate is peach, pear, white pepper, clove, cream. Some herbal notes. Maybe Wild Thyme?
VERY long, intense finish. Good balance. Complex, unusual. Lots going on.
This generated diverse opinions within the group. Lots of comments and far more heated discussion than #1. A good, interesting, complex wine.
3. 2004 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG. Riserva dei Mandorli, Massimo Romeo
Cost £23
Dark, brick red. Quite intense nose with blackcurrant jam, black cherries, hint of spice / pepper. High tannin, high acid, medium body. Blackcurrant, blackberry fruit.
Good balance between acid and tannins, although the tannins are a little grippy. Some oak. Needs a little more body and fruit to balance the tannins. Fresh but a little hollow. Long, but tannins are a little unbalanced.
4. 2005 Morellino di Scansano DOC. Poggio Nibbiale, Tuscany
Cost £11.95
Dark ruby. Intense smoky, gamey, nose - even with hints of leather. Black cherries are the dominant fruit note.
Very tannic (but ripe tannins). High acid, full bodied, intense. Silky blackberries and cherries. A big wine. Long, satisfying. In balance.
Very good. Very different, more international than #3. Got a very positive reaction all round. Exceptional value for money.
5. 2006 Fontodi, Chianti Classico DOCG.
Cost £17
Deep ruby. Surprisingly light nose. Slightly musty. Subdued fruit on nose, blackberry. High tannins, medium-high acid and body. Fruity on palate - some red fruit, mostly black. Medium-length.
Good, but definitely young.
6. 2004 Chianti Rufina DOCG. Riserva Bucerchiale
Cost £19
Deep brick. Lots of sediment. Medium body. Quite intense nose wih red friut, mainly red cherries. Ripe medium tannins, medium acid and body. Grippy finish. Opens up very nicely. Lots of people did not really like when first poured (even though decanter more than an hour before this). However, after about 10 mins in the glass it was a real crowd pleaser (for those who still had any left).
7. Castello di Fonterutoli 1995 (from magnum)
Cost £50
Deep garnet-brown. Pronounced nose of herbs, earth, cigars. Chipotle? Resin? Full bodied, high but soft tannins, medium acid. Quite smooth on the palate. Black cherry, spice, tobacco. Very long and flavoursome.
Nicely mature, lots of tertiary flavours and smells. Probably past it's best but still superb. Definitely drinking well now. An impressive example of how Chianti can develop.
8. 2003 Brunello di Montalcino. Gianni Brunelli
Cost £30
Medium-deep garnet. Intense nose. Cream, vanilla, cocoa. “Condensed Milk”, caramel. Dried black fruit. High tannin, high acid, full bodied but smooth. Flavour profile on palate incldes caramel, blackberry, treacle, cherry. Very long, very smooth, very complex.
Stunning. Variety and range of flavours, intensity. The whole room is audibly impressed.
9. Ornellaia, 2005
Cost £85
Deep ruby. Intense nose with smoke and pencil-shavings dominating. Hint of cream/caramel, blackcurrant. Fairly classic bordeaux blend nose. Full-bodied, high tannin, high acid, and intensw. Fine tannins. Blackcurrant and marmite on the palate.
Long, finish comes in waves of intensity. Excellent. Very different to the others (not that surprising since Cabernet Sauvignon rather than sangiovese)
10. 1992 Vin Santo di Montepulciano, Massimo Romeo
Cost £38.65
Medium golden-brown. LOTS of brown gunk comes out towards the end of the bottle. Intense nose of figa, dates, raisins, toffee. Sweet, but not massively so. High acid helps to keep the wine fresh despite the sweetness. Medium body. Caramel, toffee, sultanas, Xmas pudding, hint of brandy. Golden syrup.
Very acidic, drying finish; remarkable given the sugar. Deep, varied flavours, but lacks an extra something - maybe we've just drunk too much excellent sweet wine before.
Greatly enhanced by (the classic pairing of) biscotti.
Friday 13 March 2009
A very interesting tasting this. Will update later with proper tasting notes. For now, here are links to all the wines which are still available to buy.
Whilst we're still waiting for proper tasting notes...
Whites
OK, but overpriced and not really that special. The vermentino from Colline Lucchesi was the better of the two, but for £13 from other regions a far better white could be had.
Best Value Red
The Morrelino di Scansano was by far and away the best value red. It was showing far better than the Vino Nobile - intense on the palate and with a long way to go. A real find!
Best Red
A tricky one this. From the Sangiovese-based wines, the Brunello was my favourite. Lots of people liked the Castello di Fonterutoli best, but this was probably a result of the age (which was perfect). However, the Ornellaia really was the best wine there. Although it was almost 3-times the price of the next most expensive wine!
Vin Santo
Interesting, but not my favourite sweet wine. Lots of unusual flavours going on in there. Also, the combination of this with the almond biscotti was superb.
Tasting Notes
Adam Dent
1. 2007 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, Riccardo Falchini
Cost £9.75
A pale greenish, herbal, wine with notes of green apple, mineral, kiwi. High acid, medium body, fruity. Lemons, green apple, hint of pineapple. Pretty long, slightly bitter note. Crisp and refreshing, some complexity, well balanced.
No one had much to say besides agreeing it was very drinkable. So, ok but nothing special.
2. 2007 Palistorti, Colline Lucchesi DOC. Tenuta di Valgiano
Cost £12.95
A pale straw colour. Clean, medium intensity with aromas of cloves, peaches, cream. Crisp and dry with high acidity, medium-high body. Flavour profile on palate is peach, pear, white pepper, clove, cream. Some herbal notes. Maybe Wild Thyme?
VERY long, intense finish. Good balance. Complex, unusual. Lots going on.
This generated diverse opinions within the group. Lots of comments and far more heated discussion than #1. A good, interesting, complex wine.
3. 2004 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG. Riserva dei Mandorli, Massimo Romeo
Cost £23
Dark, brick red. Quite intense nose with blackcurrant jam, black cherries, hint of spice / pepper. High tannin, high acid, medium body. Blackcurrant, blackberry fruit.
Good balance between acid and tannins, although the tannins are a little grippy. Some oak. Needs a little more body and fruit to balance the tannins. Fresh but a little hollow. Long, but tannins are a little unbalanced.
4. 2005 Morellino di Scansano DOC. Poggio Nibbiale, Tuscany
Cost £11.95
Dark ruby. Intense smoky, gamey, nose - even with hints of leather. Black cherries are the dominant fruit note.
Very tannic (but ripe tannins). High acid, full bodied, intense. Silky blackberries and cherries. A big wine. Long, satisfying. In balance.
Very good. Very different, more international than #3. Got a very positive reaction all round. Exceptional value for money.
5. 2006 Fontodi, Chianti Classico DOCG.
Cost £17
Deep ruby. Surprisingly light nose. Slightly musty. Subdued fruit on nose, blackberry. High tannins, medium-high acid and body. Fruity on palate - some red fruit, mostly black. Medium-length.
Good, but definitely young.
6. 2004 Chianti Rufina DOCG. Riserva Bucerchiale
Cost £19
Deep brick. Lots of sediment. Medium body. Quite intense nose wih red friut, mainly red cherries. Ripe medium tannins, medium acid and body. Grippy finish. Opens up very nicely. Lots of people did not really like when first poured (even though decanter more than an hour before this). However, after about 10 mins in the glass it was a real crowd pleaser (for those who still had any left).
7. Castello di Fonterutoli 1995 (from magnum)
Cost £50
Deep garnet-brown. Pronounced nose of herbs, earth, cigars. Chipotle? Resin? Full bodied, high but soft tannins, medium acid. Quite smooth on the palate. Black cherry, spice, tobacco. Very long and flavoursome.
Nicely mature, lots of tertiary flavours and smells. Probably past it's best but still superb. Definitely drinking well now. An impressive example of how Chianti can develop.
8. 2003 Brunello di Montalcino. Gianni Brunelli
Cost £30
Medium-deep garnet. Intense nose. Cream, vanilla, cocoa. “Condensed Milk”, caramel. Dried black fruit. High tannin, high acid, full bodied but smooth. Flavour profile on palate incldes caramel, blackberry, treacle, cherry. Very long, very smooth, very complex.
Stunning. Variety and range of flavours, intensity. The whole room is audibly impressed.
9. Ornellaia, 2005
Cost £85
Deep ruby. Intense nose with smoke and pencil-shavings dominating. Hint of cream/caramel, blackcurrant. Fairly classic bordeaux blend nose. Full-bodied, high tannin, high acid, and intensw. Fine tannins. Blackcurrant and marmite on the palate.
Long, finish comes in waves of intensity. Excellent. Very different to the others (not that surprising since Cabernet Sauvignon rather than sangiovese)
10. 1992 Vin Santo di Montepulciano, Massimo Romeo
Cost £38.65
Medium golden-brown. LOTS of brown gunk comes out towards the end of the bottle. Intense nose of figa, dates, raisins, toffee. Sweet, but not massively so. High acid helps to keep the wine fresh despite the sweetness. Medium body. Caramel, toffee, sultanas, Xmas pudding, hint of brandy. Golden syrup.
Very acidic, drying finish; remarkable given the sugar. Deep, varied flavours, but lacks an extra something - maybe we've just drunk too much excellent sweet wine before.
Greatly enhanced by (the classic pairing of) biscotti.
Sunday 15 March 2009
Decanter - Veneto Tasting
Decanter Wines of the Veneto Tasting
Tuesday 10th March 2009
This miniature version of the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter Grand Tastings was held in the opulent environment of the Institute of Directors HQ on Pall Mall, showcasing the wines of the Veneto region of Italy. I was not particularly familiar with this area, apart from knowing it contained Valpolicella and Soave – I didn’t even realise it included Prosecco.
Sadly, I don’t qualify for access to the trade session in the afternoon so had to settle for the public tasting (a bargain at £15) between 6 and 9 pm. As I arrived at 6:30, I would clearly barely be able to scratch the surface of the 38 varied producer stalls present!
I decided to kick off in the predictable manner with some sparkling wine, meaning Prosecco in this case (made from the Prosecco grape variety). Some variety was available, with varying degrees of dryness, from examples hinting at Champagne to much fruitier samples. A rosé containing some Chardonnay and Rabosao (local red variety, fermented separately and blended before the second fermentation) was particularly good – I’m always saddened but not surprised that Chardonnay is present in the best sparklers from almost any region!
Next on to some whites, mostly from the Garganega grape including some Soave Classico. Generally rather neutral; the best examples used a little oak and had pleasant but not remarkable complexity. The recioto/passito sweet wines made by rasining these grapes were remarkably good, with hints of Tokaji and great balance – to my sweet tooth, anyhow.
At this stage I noticed the special guest stall representing a number of Chianti Classico producers, and tried a few samples with an eye to this Friday’s Tuscan tasting and a summer holiday to Chianti itself. The difference between “modern/international” and “traditional” styles was very noticeable – you didn’t even have to taste them to tell, the colour was a reliable guide! I had good examples of both, generally with plenty of tannins in the young examples, especially an as-yet unreleased 2006 Riserva barrel sample. Ouch! The highlight was a more mature Riserva in the traditional style, with farmyard and cherry notes that put me in mind of a Pinot Noir rather than a Sangiovese (or the Bordeaux feel of the modern style Chiantis I tried).
A quick stop at the stand from Asti (sadly no Barolos on show from their region) refreshed my palette with some enjoyable fizzy pop. Finally I went to tackle the Veneto reds – Valpolicella Classicos and Amarones. But time had been slipping away, and the Amarones in particular had been largely drunk dry by more single-minded drinkers. How unfair! That’s like heading straight for the port before dinner. The examples I did try were remarkably meaty or herbaceous – I expected the dominant characteristics to be floral and ripe, but there was a deep, savoury edge to them. There were, of course, also plenty of cherry aromas and flavours, as one generally expects from Italy. Highly enjoyable: I couldn’t work out whether they would be enhanced by being accompanied by meat, or would stand best alone. I wish I’d had a chance to try more!
Next time I’m at an Italian event, I will hurriedly skip over the generally rather forgettable whites and go straight for the striking reds, despite how uncivilised the idea seems. The decent sparkling wines could fill a very useful role as palette cleansers between the food-hungry tannins of the top reds, rather than simply aperitifs. I certainly don’t regret my diversion to the Chianti stand though, and ironically my enthusiasm for that region was the strongest impression I took away from the event. Bring on Friday…
41 wines tasted
Best red:
Monsanto, Il Poggio Riserva 2004 Chianti Classico (Sangiovese)
Best VENETIAN red:
Novaia, Amarone della Valpolicella DOC Classico “Corte Vaona” 2004 (Cortese etc)
Best dry white:
Giovanni Menti, Monte del Cuca, Gambellara DOC Classio 2006 (Garganega)
Best sweet white:
Ca’ Lustra, Colli Euganei, Fior d’Arancio Passito 2007 (Yellow Moscato)
Most unusual sparkling:
Giovanni Menti, Onomorto, Monti Lessini DOC Durello Spumate BrutMillesimato 2006
Salty, seafood, smoky aroma and flavours – reminiscent of a Manzanilla sherry. High acid; long tight finish. Unlike any other bubbly I’ve ever tasted
Tuesday 10th March 2009
This miniature version of the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter Grand Tastings was held in the opulent environment of the Institute of Directors HQ on Pall Mall, showcasing the wines of the Veneto region of Italy. I was not particularly familiar with this area, apart from knowing it contained Valpolicella and Soave – I didn’t even realise it included Prosecco.
Sadly, I don’t qualify for access to the trade session in the afternoon so had to settle for the public tasting (a bargain at £15) between 6 and 9 pm. As I arrived at 6:30, I would clearly barely be able to scratch the surface of the 38 varied producer stalls present!
I decided to kick off in the predictable manner with some sparkling wine, meaning Prosecco in this case (made from the Prosecco grape variety). Some variety was available, with varying degrees of dryness, from examples hinting at Champagne to much fruitier samples. A rosé containing some Chardonnay and Rabosao (local red variety, fermented separately and blended before the second fermentation) was particularly good – I’m always saddened but not surprised that Chardonnay is present in the best sparklers from almost any region!
Next on to some whites, mostly from the Garganega grape including some Soave Classico. Generally rather neutral; the best examples used a little oak and had pleasant but not remarkable complexity. The recioto/passito sweet wines made by rasining these grapes were remarkably good, with hints of Tokaji and great balance – to my sweet tooth, anyhow.
At this stage I noticed the special guest stall representing a number of Chianti Classico producers, and tried a few samples with an eye to this Friday’s Tuscan tasting and a summer holiday to Chianti itself. The difference between “modern/international” and “traditional” styles was very noticeable – you didn’t even have to taste them to tell, the colour was a reliable guide! I had good examples of both, generally with plenty of tannins in the young examples, especially an as-yet unreleased 2006 Riserva barrel sample. Ouch! The highlight was a more mature Riserva in the traditional style, with farmyard and cherry notes that put me in mind of a Pinot Noir rather than a Sangiovese (or the Bordeaux feel of the modern style Chiantis I tried).
A quick stop at the stand from Asti (sadly no Barolos on show from their region) refreshed my palette with some enjoyable fizzy pop. Finally I went to tackle the Veneto reds – Valpolicella Classicos and Amarones. But time had been slipping away, and the Amarones in particular had been largely drunk dry by more single-minded drinkers. How unfair! That’s like heading straight for the port before dinner. The examples I did try were remarkably meaty or herbaceous – I expected the dominant characteristics to be floral and ripe, but there was a deep, savoury edge to them. There were, of course, also plenty of cherry aromas and flavours, as one generally expects from Italy. Highly enjoyable: I couldn’t work out whether they would be enhanced by being accompanied by meat, or would stand best alone. I wish I’d had a chance to try more!
Next time I’m at an Italian event, I will hurriedly skip over the generally rather forgettable whites and go straight for the striking reds, despite how uncivilised the idea seems. The decent sparkling wines could fill a very useful role as palette cleansers between the food-hungry tannins of the top reds, rather than simply aperitifs. I certainly don’t regret my diversion to the Chianti stand though, and ironically my enthusiasm for that region was the strongest impression I took away from the event. Bring on Friday…
41 wines tasted
Best red:
Monsanto, Il Poggio Riserva 2004 Chianti Classico (Sangiovese)
Best VENETIAN red:
Novaia, Amarone della Valpolicella DOC Classico “Corte Vaona” 2004 (Cortese etc)
Best dry white:
Giovanni Menti, Monte del Cuca, Gambellara DOC Classio 2006 (Garganega)
Best sweet white:
Ca’ Lustra, Colli Euganei, Fior d’Arancio Passito 2007 (Yellow Moscato)
Most unusual sparkling:
Giovanni Menti, Onomorto, Monti Lessini DOC Durello Spumate BrutMillesimato 2006
Salty, seafood, smoky aroma and flavours – reminiscent of a Manzanilla sherry. High acid; long tight finish. Unlike any other bubbly I’ve ever tasted
Tuesday 10 March 2009
Penfold's Grange 2001
Had this at a dinner recently. It was the first time I've ever had Grange so can't comment on how it compares to other vintages. However, what I can say is that this is a strong contender for best red wine I've ever drunk. Whilst it was definitely too young, it was showing excellently. We had double-decanted it a few hours before going to the restaurant which probably helped. A bruiser of a wine - I've never come across a wine with such intensity of flavour. The finish was legendarily long and remained balanced until the end. We ate Cote de Boeuf with this which helped to mollify the tannins. Some serious complexity as well - every time I tasted it I got different tasting notes coming through. Could keep going but would run out of superlatives!
Monday 2 March 2009
Excellent St Emilion Tasting
Numbers are the following ratio:
Merlot:Cab Fran:Cab Sauv:Malbec
1. 1988 Chateau Couspade
Grand Cru Classe
70:20:10
Brick rim. Rich and plummy and cherry nose with some tobacco notes. Secondary development showing but still plenty of time ahead of it. Full bodied with medium tannin, lots of fruit. Great length, with a tannic finish. Remains balanced to the end. Not a bad start at all.
2. 1986 Chateau Cadet Piola
Grand Cru Classe
51:18:28
Relatively opaque compared to first wine. Sweet cherry, smoke and oak on the nose. A little sharpness which carries through onto the palate. Probably a little oxidation but at a level which is not unpleasant. Fades faster than first wine - quite upfront. Good, but not as good as number 1.
3. 1985 Chateau Corbin d'Espagne
Grand Cru Classe
60:25:5:10
Deep red colour. Not very opaque. Soft nose with violet and cherry. A little sharpness but nothing like number 2. Round and balanced on the palate. Full bodied, high acid and tannin in balance with each other. Great length and a tannic finish. This still feels young. Best so far.
4. 1970 Chateau Cheval Blanc
Premier Grand Cru Classe
40:57:tiny:tiny
Lovely red colour. Quite translucent. Fairly restrained on the nose. Some red fruit but also strong earthy and dusty notes. Full bodied, round and balanced. Plummy on the palate. Tannins are still prevalent. Some black fruit also coming through. Plenty of acid. An amazing taste and still going strong. Very pleasant. Wonder how much knowing what I was drinking affected my opinion..?
5. 1962 Chateau Croque Michotte
Grand Cru Classe
80:20
Quite light colour. Old wine smell with plenty of volatile acid However, still some red fruit coming through. Med-light body. Still got some tannin and some acid. Smooth, drinkable. Probably past its best and not going to get any better. Still good though despite the tough competition.
6. 1961 Chateau l'Angelus
Premier Grand Cru Classe
40:48:12
Interesting anecdote from tonight's tasting illustrating yet again that the wine market is far from efficient. 1961 was a legendary year for left-bank Bordeaux. However, was pretty ropey for right-bank. However, prices of right-bank 1961s are massively overpriced because of the success of the left-bank. Ho hum.
Deep brown colour. Quite open and spicy nose. Not much in the way of fruit. Smooth mouthfeel but still very tannic. Must be the high Cabernet content. Fades pretty quickly and ends with an austere finish. In summary - open nose, disappointing palate.
7. 1955 Chateau Pavie Decesse
Grand Cru Classe
90:10
Deep colour - surprisingly so. Some old wine notes (not surprisingly) and sweet red fruit. Meaty character also (weirdly pleasant savoury notes). Smooth and balanced. Rich, with a little tannin on the palate. This is a seriously impressive wine and definitely the highlight of the night. It's in peak condition and holding up ridiculously well for its age.
8. 1945 Chateau Fonroque
Grand Cru Classe
88:12
Appears a little cloudy. Smells of turkish delight. How bizarre. On the palate this is clearly faulty. Never had this weird aroma from a wine before.
Not fair to judge.
So, pretty impressive wine list. Surprised by the poor showing of the Angelus. Massively impressed by the Pavie Decesse. Shame they're all so expensive!
Merlot:Cab Fran:Cab Sauv:Malbec
1. 1988 Chateau Couspade
Grand Cru Classe
70:20:10
Brick rim. Rich and plummy and cherry nose with some tobacco notes. Secondary development showing but still plenty of time ahead of it. Full bodied with medium tannin, lots of fruit. Great length, with a tannic finish. Remains balanced to the end. Not a bad start at all.
2. 1986 Chateau Cadet Piola
Grand Cru Classe
51:18:28
Relatively opaque compared to first wine. Sweet cherry, smoke and oak on the nose. A little sharpness which carries through onto the palate. Probably a little oxidation but at a level which is not unpleasant. Fades faster than first wine - quite upfront. Good, but not as good as number 1.
3. 1985 Chateau Corbin d'Espagne
Grand Cru Classe
60:25:5:10
Deep red colour. Not very opaque. Soft nose with violet and cherry. A little sharpness but nothing like number 2. Round and balanced on the palate. Full bodied, high acid and tannin in balance with each other. Great length and a tannic finish. This still feels young. Best so far.
4. 1970 Chateau Cheval Blanc
Premier Grand Cru Classe
40:57:tiny:tiny
Lovely red colour. Quite translucent. Fairly restrained on the nose. Some red fruit but also strong earthy and dusty notes. Full bodied, round and balanced. Plummy on the palate. Tannins are still prevalent. Some black fruit also coming through. Plenty of acid. An amazing taste and still going strong. Very pleasant. Wonder how much knowing what I was drinking affected my opinion..?
5. 1962 Chateau Croque Michotte
Grand Cru Classe
80:20
Quite light colour. Old wine smell with plenty of volatile acid However, still some red fruit coming through. Med-light body. Still got some tannin and some acid. Smooth, drinkable. Probably past its best and not going to get any better. Still good though despite the tough competition.
6. 1961 Chateau l'Angelus
Premier Grand Cru Classe
40:48:12
Interesting anecdote from tonight's tasting illustrating yet again that the wine market is far from efficient. 1961 was a legendary year for left-bank Bordeaux. However, was pretty ropey for right-bank. However, prices of right-bank 1961s are massively overpriced because of the success of the left-bank. Ho hum.
Deep brown colour. Quite open and spicy nose. Not much in the way of fruit. Smooth mouthfeel but still very tannic. Must be the high Cabernet content. Fades pretty quickly and ends with an austere finish. In summary - open nose, disappointing palate.
7. 1955 Chateau Pavie Decesse
Grand Cru Classe
90:10
Deep colour - surprisingly so. Some old wine notes (not surprisingly) and sweet red fruit. Meaty character also (weirdly pleasant savoury notes). Smooth and balanced. Rich, with a little tannin on the palate. This is a seriously impressive wine and definitely the highlight of the night. It's in peak condition and holding up ridiculously well for its age.
8. 1945 Chateau Fonroque
Grand Cru Classe
88:12
Appears a little cloudy. Smells of turkish delight. How bizarre. On the palate this is clearly faulty. Never had this weird aroma from a wine before.
Not fair to judge.
So, pretty impressive wine list. Surprised by the poor showing of the Angelus. Massively impressed by the Pavie Decesse. Shame they're all so expensive!
Sunday 1 March 2009
Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph 2002
Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph 2002
Had this last night as part of a dinner party where we got through about 2 bottles per person; as a result of which I've spent most of today feeling as though I'm suffering the wrath of God - ugh! The wine which was the highlight of the night was the Saint Cosme 2002 Saint-Joseph. This was a Christmas present from my parents, purchased from Haslemere Cellar. A quick google fails to find any of the same year for sale online but there is plenty of more recent years. The wine had lots of black fruit, spice and pepper, with a little bit of leathery notes starting to come through. Worked perfectly with a great steak, but to be honest I'd happily have drunk this by itself.
Ancient German Wine Tasting
Have been very excited about this tasting for a while since old German wines are some of the most exciting in the world...
1. 1982 Urspisheimer Johannisberg Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal not noted
Amber with golden rim. Very open on the nose - hits you with citrus and honey notes. Medium bodied. Sweet but with the acidity to match. Rich and very well balanced. Great length but quite dry on the finish, which weirdly has a strong taste of toffee apple. Very good
2. 1976 Kreuznacher Beerenauslese Hinkelstein (Nahe)
Varietal = Weissburgunder
Deep toffee coloured wine. Nose was quite subtle. Fruit notes probably closer to apple than anything else with caramel notes. Quite full-bodied and more prominent sweetness than #1. Crisp, acidic, well-balanced and refined. I liked this one a lot.
3. 1976 Oppenheimer Sacktrager Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal = Rulander
Burnt toffee colour. Nose has a reasonable amount of volatile acidity and smells burnt. Pretty thin on the palate, too much acidity and bitter aftertaste. Past its best.
4. 1976 Framersheimer Petersberg Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal unknown
Relatively pale considering the age and sweetness. Botrytis is prominent on the nose. Lots of toffee. Medium bodied, sweet and very acidic. A little unbalanced. Medium length with a pleasant but dry finish.
5. 1976 Bodenheimer Ebersberg Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal = riesling
Again relatively pale all things considered (and particularly in contrast with the other wines tonight). Nose is classic for botrytised riesling. Toffee apple, apricot and werthers originals all fairly prominent. Well balanced, crisp and refreshing despite the sweetness. Fantastic length. Tastes far too young for its age. Obviously been brought here in the tardis*.
6. 1973 Binger Scharlachberg Beerenauslese
Varietal unknown
Dark brown, lots of toffee and raisins. Some burnt notes. Very open... and similarly upfront on the palate. This wine was well balanced and had decent length (if a little dry on the finish). If it had been the only such wine tasted tonight then I'm sure I would have thought it was very good, but against the competition tonight it just seems ok.
7. 1966 Oppenheimer Sacktrager Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal not recorded
Pale amber. Drying out a little. Fades quite rapidly and the finish is slightly bitter. Past its best.
8. 1976 Urziger Wurzgarten Beerenauslese (Mosel)
Varietal = riesling
Beautiful golden colour, some crystals. The only wine tonight with any of the kerosene/petrol notes I associate with old German riesling. Apparently this is a particularly Mosel thing, not all areas of Germany - who knew? Still smells quite young behind the petrol smell. Lots of apples. Medium bodied, but rich, sweet and acidic. Well balanced and rather delicate. Very long with a burnt sugar finish. A very classy wine!
* = Sometimes the older wines at the wine and dine society tastings are holding up so well we think that they must have been brought here in a time machine. It's only the state of the wine bottles (below) that convince us that they are actually that old.
1. 1982 Urspisheimer Johannisberg Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal not noted
Amber with golden rim. Very open on the nose - hits you with citrus and honey notes. Medium bodied. Sweet but with the acidity to match. Rich and very well balanced. Great length but quite dry on the finish, which weirdly has a strong taste of toffee apple. Very good
2. 1976 Kreuznacher Beerenauslese Hinkelstein (Nahe)
Varietal = Weissburgunder
Deep toffee coloured wine. Nose was quite subtle. Fruit notes probably closer to apple than anything else with caramel notes. Quite full-bodied and more prominent sweetness than #1. Crisp, acidic, well-balanced and refined. I liked this one a lot.
3. 1976 Oppenheimer Sacktrager Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal = Rulander
Burnt toffee colour. Nose has a reasonable amount of volatile acidity and smells burnt. Pretty thin on the palate, too much acidity and bitter aftertaste. Past its best.
4. 1976 Framersheimer Petersberg Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal unknown
Relatively pale considering the age and sweetness. Botrytis is prominent on the nose. Lots of toffee. Medium bodied, sweet and very acidic. A little unbalanced. Medium length with a pleasant but dry finish.
5. 1976 Bodenheimer Ebersberg Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal = riesling
Again relatively pale all things considered (and particularly in contrast with the other wines tonight). Nose is classic for botrytised riesling. Toffee apple, apricot and werthers originals all fairly prominent. Well balanced, crisp and refreshing despite the sweetness. Fantastic length. Tastes far too young for its age. Obviously been brought here in the tardis*.
6. 1973 Binger Scharlachberg Beerenauslese
Varietal unknown
Dark brown, lots of toffee and raisins. Some burnt notes. Very open... and similarly upfront on the palate. This wine was well balanced and had decent length (if a little dry on the finish). If it had been the only such wine tasted tonight then I'm sure I would have thought it was very good, but against the competition tonight it just seems ok.
7. 1966 Oppenheimer Sacktrager Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen)
Varietal not recorded
Pale amber. Drying out a little. Fades quite rapidly and the finish is slightly bitter. Past its best.
8. 1976 Urziger Wurzgarten Beerenauslese (Mosel)
Varietal = riesling
Beautiful golden colour, some crystals. The only wine tonight with any of the kerosene/petrol notes I associate with old German riesling. Apparently this is a particularly Mosel thing, not all areas of Germany - who knew? Still smells quite young behind the petrol smell. Lots of apples. Medium bodied, but rich, sweet and acidic. Well balanced and rather delicate. Very long with a burnt sugar finish. A very classy wine!
* = Sometimes the older wines at the wine and dine society tastings are holding up so well we think that they must have been brought here in a time machine. It's only the state of the wine bottles (below) that convince us that they are actually that old.
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