Ultimo lunch time tasting

the penultimate tasting at the old Ultimo cellars, Jon Obenstein's creation that he sold to Vintage Cellars before he moved off to help with Prince Sydney. The shelves are barer and barer and, with 25% off everything and 50% off everything on taste, this is not really surprising. All wines that are left will be moved to the VC Doublebay store. Ho hum.

• 2011 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Blanc Sec

  France, Bordeaux

  slight green notes, herbaceous, cut grass, slight green apple. In the mouth it's tart with flavours of grass with green apple, some mid palate fur. Quite short. Instantly forgettable. Meh

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• 2008 Domaine Michel Gros Vosne-Romanée

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  smoky notes, cherry, slight medicinal elements as well on the nose but in the mouth it's tart and green and quite hard. Disappointing. Nah.

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• 2005 J. Vidal-Fleury Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  blackberry and pepper, slight perfumed with almost rose notes. In the mouth the wine has slight sour blackberry and peppery spice notes to accompany the chalky tannins. Hmm

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• 2009 Château Siaurac

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Medium minus intensity aromas of plum and chocolate. In the mouth the wine has slight savoury plum with plan chocolate and a fair whack of alcohol warmth that rather bullies the mouth and tongue. Meh.

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• 2009 Clos René

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  slightly confected plum, also slight brambly and herbaceous notes. In the mouth there are flavours of plums with firm but in talc textured tannins, plentiful grip though fruit persist beneath. Quite simple but nice for what it is.

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• 2009 Domaine de l'A

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

  Oak, cream, vanilla over slight blackcurrant and cassis. Oaky drying note with tough chewy tannins over slight blackcurrant fruit. Too much oak. Meh

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• 2010 Château Marquis d'Alesme

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Biscuit, bramble, sweet blackcurrant, slight cedar. In the mouth the wine has juicy black currant fruit, slight spice then plentiful tannic grip though the fruit carries beneath. Still quite youthful. Nice.

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• 2010 Château Lafon-Rochet

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Blackcurrant and a slightly inky quality along with crushed rocks, cedar and slight brambles. In the mouth there is dense black fruit then firm drying but fine textured tannins. Long. Very long in fact. Oh, this is rather nice. Lovely in fact.

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• 2009 Château Suduiraut Lions de Suduiraut

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Apricot, cream vanilla and roasted oranges on the nose, very candied on the palate - lacks acidity for me to back this rather cloying sweetness and it's quite short. Meh.

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• 2009 Château Cantegril Sauternes

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  slight sweet spice, apricot, orange marmalade and an almost toffee apple. In the mouth the wine is juicy and spicy with some front of mouth grip. Flavours are a little diminished though with slight orange marmalade the most dominant factor. Hmm

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• 2004 Château Doisy-Daëne

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

  crème caramel, slight apricot, brioche, vanilla. In the mouth more crème caramel with apricot jam on the palate, slight spice joins on the finish. Perhaps, if I was going to criticise, I would suggest it's a little flabby for me.

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At the reduced prices I succumbed to a bottle of the Lafon Rochet (even though I swore not to buy any more 2010's Bordeaux tsk tsk) which, for me, was the best wine at the tasting.