My Birthday celebration Tasting

Thinking to treat my fellow friends some wines in my birthday month so I organised this tasting at ES. All the wines are from my cellar and served blind to them and of course their response are good having had the opportunity to taste some mature and rare wines and it is a good experience for them. However, to me that the selection is good (obviously because is done by me :p) but I did not encounter any wine that really able to hit my soft spot. But nevertheless I am glad my company enjoy the wines a lot.

• 1978 Château La Dominique 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  1st wine in the tasting, pop and pour, clear ruby colour with brick red hue. Subtle nose of dried fruits, mineral and light hints of floral and rose pedal. Slowly open up after 30 minutes, very smooth on palate with dried fruits and nice acidity. Soft, a little spice come through at the finish. Tannins has fully dissolve and quite enjoyable at this moment although lack of mid-palate and finish.

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• 1992 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Medium ruby red with brick red hues and showing maturity. Pop n pour and it needs some times in the glass to open up, showing nice bouquet of red fruits, floral and hints of truffle. Elegant palate, some earthy notes with chalky mouth feel, still got good fruits, prune, blackberry and slightly raisiny. Soft acidity, long finish and soft subtle tannins.
  100% Grenache and this wine was served blind alongside 1992 Seppelt Shiraz and showing a big contrast in term of flavour and style although both coming from the same vintage. It shows a very nice development and more complex than Seppelt. It has reached full maturity and drinking nicely now before it starts to fall.

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• 1992 Seppelt Shiraz Great Western Vineyard 90 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians

  Dark garnet red with youthful dense rich purple red hue which shows a big contrast to Barbe Rac '92. The nose is much younger than its actual age of 20 years, lots of black berry, blue berry, chocolate, roasted coffee and sweet vanilla. On the palate it shows plenty of fruits flavours, blueberry and black berry but in a nice subtle way. Balance and rounded mouthfeel with nicely integrated oak. Soft tannins with subtle spicy finish. This doesn't show much secondary development but become more mellow with age. I got this bottle 2 years back and always unsure about whether it is still good. After tasted it I'm quite pleased of my buying decision.

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• 2007 Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir Hatter's Hill 87 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough

  Dark ruby red with glossy hues. It has an expressive nose of strawberry, cherry, lots of toastiness with a touch of vegetal. But the palate shows a weird element of mushroom and herbaceous which is not typical of New Zealand Pinot. Good intensity on palate. Suspect this is due to bottle variation but i have no way to find out as i only have one bottle.

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• 2007 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 90 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

  This has a contrasting colour to 2007 Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir Hatter's Hill, maturing colour with medium ruby colour and touch of bricking hues. Elegant but less expressive on the nose, aroma of red fruits, red cherry with hints of South Africa trademark smoky fruits. Very approachable and balance on palate, with red fruits and touch of smokiness in a nice and subtle way. South African wines tend to have the smokiness on the nose as well as palate and if that is not handle well it tend to show the burnt rubber smell and taste which is also commonly find in Pinotage. It has a very nice acidity leading to a medium finish and soft tannins. This bottle has developed well and drinking nicely now. It makes me believe that South Africa can also produce a good Pinot Noir.

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• 2001 Warrenmang Shiraz Black Puma 90 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees

  Decanted for 2 hours, deep and opaque with purple red hues. Wow this is a big wines, lots of berry fruits, blueberry and black berry with hints of spice. Medium finish with soft chewy tannins. It is a good Shiraz but somehow I am not as impressed as I thought I will be. Tried the Torchio Aged pressing Cabernet Shiraz and I like it so I thought this will be equally impressive.

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