| | Another February celebration, this time for Ben and Franks birthdays which are respectively the 9th and 7th. Nice selection of interesting things to have with supper at the Devonshire hotel. Just the five of us - our eponymous hero's, myself, Dave and Wayne. - 2004 Tyrrell's Chardonnay Vat 47 - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley
Lemon over very slight lime marmalade, touches of honey, controlled butter and wet stone. Juicy with lemon and restrained spice with the buttery elements more to the fore…it's all rather subtle though and not really showing it's age (other than that honey note). Rather nice tending to yumptious. Ben says touches of mandarin and I'm inclined to agree.
- 2011 Sons of Eden Kennedy - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Pretty but ripe red berry backed by blackberry with some meaty savoury notes. Also some candy floss carbonic for me here. Quite rich and savoury berry on the palate. Not massively long but finishes with some lovely pure Grenache fruity generosity. Nice
- 2009 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Red berry tending to porty herbaceousness. Touches of candied elements and finishing with a bit of black pepper. More of the same on the palate with alcohol warmth joining on the finish.
- 1996 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Aromas of biscuit, blackcurrant, traces of black cherry, farmyard, mushrooms, autumn leaves, cigar box, sweaty horse and sweet spice; especially nutmeg and clove. Touch of dustiness as well. Hell of a lot on the nose In the mouth, though, ti's wet and slight sourly fresh with savoury black fruit, touches of soy almost and fine textured but grippy and firm tannins. travels long. The bretty elements on the nose are not immediately discernible on the palate but with time these grow and grow and grow lending a somewhat yeasty Bovril note to proceedings. Not that I mind of course but others are less than impressed.
- 2004 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Red berry, almost strawberry, touches of tobacco, vanilla, sweet spice, volatile acidity and slight biscuit. On the palate it's broad and joyous with flavours of red berry, touches of tobacco leaf, but all married to vanilla and briny coconut. Still very primary and young but very pleasant.
the Vat 47 was pretty much perfect nick - no prem ox here. The two grenache led wines were pretty enough and the LB probably just had a bit too much Brett for the majority of the party (I was in the minority) but the WotN was the Castillo Ygay and big thanks to Wayne for bringing that along. |
