Cellartracker in the flesh #2 with Stefan, Akiko, Atsushi & Yukari.

A semi blind tasting over a series of courses with Stefan and guests. Though I taste blind on a regular basis I've never really done a tasting where one has to name region/vintage/varietal % etc

Rather disturbingly Stefan completely nailed the first wine! Kudos to him. The Simon Bize was misleading because it was suffering from Premature Oxidation and I picked the Robert Weil as Auslese, 2006 - or a warm vintage - and further south than Mosel...which was close enough as far as I was concerned!

• 2005 Gustave Lorentz Riesling Altenberg de Bergheim Vieilles Vignes

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  Kerosene, cream/yoghurt, lime over lemon, slight wet stone. In the mouth medium plus acid, round textured, mouth filling and juicy. Kerosene and quite subdued citrus fruit are joined by peach which carries on the medium plus length. Okay

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• 2007 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses Blanc Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru

  Oxidised aromas over green apple, spice, wet stone, slight herbs and citrus notes and hints of toast and butter. In the mouth there was more oxidation over tart apple crumble with lemon zest and slight mid palate grip. With more time the oxidation grew progressively worse. FLAW

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• 2005 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese

  Germany, Rheingau

  Medium minus aromas of apple, peach, lime, slight herbs (thyme?) and slight kerosene. In the mouth the wine is off dry with flavours of peach, ripe apple. The wine is very clean tasting with slight mid palate coarseness and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the medium plus length finish. I guessed German, Auslese, warm vintage - I plumped for 06 but then I don't know my German vintages I'm ashamed to say - further South than Mosel.

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Stefan called the first one - Beaujolais or Pinot Noir, old world, non-French about 2010 and settled on Italy. My best was the Leoville Barton as 99 Bordeaux, better quality classed growth.

• 2011 Franz Haas Pinot Nero

  Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol

  Spice, meat, red berry; strawberry, slight rose petal. In the mouth flavours of strawberries and spice, slight alcohol heat that is evident quickly and persist on the medium length, fine tannic grip. Meh.

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• 2012 Adega das Mouras de Arraiolos Vinho Regional Alentejano P.Lex Reserva Sexto Sentido

  Portugal, Alentejano, Vinho Regional Alentejano

  Red and black plum, spice, sl. Herbaceous quality (the one I associate with Carignan), cream. In the mouth juicy plum fruit, slight herbaceous notes - hints of mint, medium chalky tannin, plentiful alcohol heat. I guessed Sthn Italy Primitivo based blend from 2011. Was a 2012 Douro Field blend.

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• 1998 Château du Moulin Rose

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

  Medium minus aromas of leather, bonfires, cream, slight red plum and red currant, horse sweat and rubber. On the palate the wine is tart and juicy with muted red plum and red currant flavours, leather and tough chalky tannin - all of which carry on the medium length, which also introduces a touch of yeast extract. It's a bit flat and tired.

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• 1999 Château Montus Madiran Cuvée Prestige

  France, Southwest France, Madiran

  Cream, blackcurrant, vanilla, spice, black plum cedar, biscuit, and toast and mint. In the mouth the wine has medium plus acidity, blackcurrant with medium plus talc like tannin and spice. Very long finish. Very good. I guessed good vintage Pauillac (I went with 09) so got this completely wrong. The only upside was that when the Chef tried it the first thing he said was "Bordeaux!"

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• 2009 Chateau Kamnik Winemaker Selection

  North Macedonia, Povardarie

  Plum, leather, cherry, herbaceous notes, slight toast & blackcurrant. Touches of cooked meat. Everything is very ripe. Also some chocolate, vanilla and cream. In the mouth the wine has plums, spice, cherry and chocolate but lacks acidity and is very alcoholically warm -I'd say also that there is a touch of residual sugar here. Nah.

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• 1996 Château Léoville Barton

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Saddle leather, farmyard, bramble, spice. In the mouth medium plus acidity, leather, medium plus talc like tannin then more notes of muted brambles, plums and biscuit notes and very slight coffee and hints of alcoholic warmth begin to intrude on the long finish. I guessed better classed growth 99.

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I must confess I did feel quite a lot of trepidation about tasting blind in this fashion but in the end it was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be - for that I have to thank Stefan for making the whole thing so relaxed and convivial. Tutu & Yukari gabbled on to Akiko happily whilst Stefan and I pontificated about matters more vinous in nature. I also owe Stefan my gratitude for bringing such an interesting and wonderful selection of wines. The Montus was very impressive, The Weil very good if not a touch 'warm' and the LB (from Stefan's first En Primeur purchase no less) a massive treat. I hope to be able to entertain Stefan on my home turf in due course with a couple of bottles from my first EP purchase and some appropriate Aussie beasts...