Vinosphere

I meandered around various tables trying various wines but two hours really wasn't enough time to get around a tasting of this quality. I did white before reds but this was not the way that they were laid out on the tables…hence the rather odd order of the wines below...

• 2015 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Old Cellar

  Australia, Victoria, Gippsland

  Muted polished oak with wild ferment, ripe red currant, slight coffee, sweet spice…Juicy but tending to sour. Hmm.

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• 2015 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir The Crown Prince

  Australia, Victoria, Gippsland

  Medium minus intensity, slight cherry and red currant, sweet spice…more of the same on the palate but, again, tending to sourness.

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• 2015 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Estate

  Australia, Victoria, Gippsland

  funky wild ferment, spicy oak, coffee, slightly leesy. Again it's a bit wet and disappointing.

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• 2015 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Issan

  Australia, Victoria, Gippsland

  Perfumed, polished oak and richer with cream vanilla over cherry. Rich, dense, slightly gritty tannic grip, coffee, cherry and chocolate. Time required.

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• 2015 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Premium

  Australia, Victoria, Gippsland

  Cream cherry, spice, new oak. But on the palate it's a bit disappointing…again…wet…long finish. Hmm, not sure what's going on here.

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• 2015 Etienne Boileau Chablis

  France, Burgundy, Chablis

  Polished with stone fruit over citrus, butter…the nose belies the palate though which is hard and a bit green. How annoying.

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• 2015 Etienne Boileau Chablis 1er Cru Montmains

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Polished again, stone fruit, slight oak, butter and, again, a bit hard and tight but the fruit is persistent and this shows more promise. Time will help.

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• 2014 Domaine Collotte Marsannay Blanc

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Marsannay

  perfumed, floral, slight butter and spice. Tangy with fleshy fresh fruit. A little short but pleasant enough for what it is.

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• 2015 Domaine Métrat et Fils Chiroubles La Scandaleuse

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chiroubles

  Semi cab mac, stalky notes, bright cherry…fresh. Simple.

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• 2014 David Duband Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits

  stalks tending to ash, leathery with slightly meaty and funky notes. Juicy acidity over savoury muted fruit. Meh.

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• 2014 Lucien Muzard Santenay Les Champs Claude Vieilles Vignes

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay

  Medium minus intensity aromas of slight spice, muted black fruit. Juicy, fleshy, black hued and spicy. Difficult to spit. Pretty good.

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• 2014 Domaine Collotte Marsannay Le Clos de Jeu

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Marsannay

  slightly more red than black fruit, spice, slight stalks. Juicy with coffee and red currant, it's a little short and, perhaps a touch sour for me.

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• 2014 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey St. Denis En la Rue de Vergy

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis

  biscuit, toast, sweet spice, cherry over strawberry backed by slight cedar. Rich, generous, juicy to fresh, rather pleasant with plentiful dark fruit, bold though silky drying tannins and hints of sweet spice and coffee on the finish. nice

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• 2014 David Duband Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Procès

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  wild ferment funkiness, slight stalks, spice over red berry fruit, fruity, long, savoury meaty with chewy tannins. Too young. Hmm.

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• 2014 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes

  France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

  slightly dusty lemon…very citrus sharp on the palate. Now, where are those oysters?

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• 2014 Domaine Luneau-Papin Terre de Pierre

  France, Loire Valley

  slightly earthy and quite leesy, creamy yoghurt, over lemon, tight, quite lemony in fact.

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• 2014 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Semper Excelsior

  France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine

  quite savoury, leesy over lemon, tangy, rich, cheesy and savoury, interesting. A wine to spend an evening with. I rather like it.

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• 2013 Le Rocher des Violettes Montlouis-sur-Loire Cuvée la Negrette

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire

  waxy, very slightly oxidative, muted. Citrus (lime and lemon) more to the fore on the palate. This is quite pleasant.

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• 2013 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos de Saint Yves

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières

  gun smoke, lanolin, lemon and waxy lemon as well…more of the same on the palate. Very long. Very nice. In a good spot right now. Bit of a wow for me.

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• 2010 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières

  Medium minus intensity with aromas of honey, slightly wax and muted citrus. More breadth on the palate than I was expecting. Honey flavoured but slightly astringent on the finish which rather detracts.

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• 2014 Château de Coulaine Chinon Bonnaventure

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  polished red berry fruit, slight tobacco leaf, pencil shavings, fresh and lovely.

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• 2015 Weingut Salomon Undhof Grüner Veltliner Wieden & Berg

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal

  Slight grapefruit, wet stone, mineral, herbs…nominal spritz on the palate more of the nose here as well. Savoury. Okay.

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• 2015 Weingut Salomon Undhof Riesling 1ÖTW Undhof Kögl

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal

  perfumed, floral, slight bruised orchard fruit. Bit wild ferment funky on the palate finishes meaty and this rather dominates proceedings. Meh.

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• 2012 Trimbach Riesling Reserve

  France, Alsace

  lime, citrus, kerosene, slight green apple. Tight and acidic, juicy, long, tart but all in check and balanced. Nice.

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• 2008 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile

  France, Alsace

  lime, lemon, honey, wax, citric and tartly refreshing. harmonious. Difficult to spit. Exceedingly long. Excellent.

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• 2015 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Altenburg Riesling

  Germany, Pfalz

  peachy, apples and unripe orange, wet stone, juicy, fresh, fleshy, fruity, harmonious, long, a puppy but superb none the less.

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• 2015 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl Riesling

  Germany, Pfalz

  spice apples, almost honey notes, citrus and blossom. Massive, long, balanced, impressive, the fruit is hidden beneath this a little and feels a touch short.

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• 2014 Mader Riesling Rosacker

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  medium minus aromas grow in the glass and become rich, slightly creamy lees and notes over orange citrus. Rich and almost buttery on the palate, dry but with botrytised fruit hints, pretty good.

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• 2012 Antonelli San Marco Montefalco Rosso

  Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Rosso

  medium minus intensity aromas of perfumed but ripe red berry fruit sweet spice…juicy, savoury ,cherry, plentiful tannins and s slight funky on the long finish. Rather nice.

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• 2006 Antonelli San Marco Montefalco Sagrantino Chiusa di Pannone

  Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino

  slight oxidised, savoury and sweet spice, slight herbaceous, meaty, structured with black fruits. Oof, on the palate it's a beast, huge, with big drying tannins, dusty and savoury, baked fruit with plenty of acidity to boot. It's kind of yum in a rustic style.

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• 2015 Markus Molitor Haus Klosterberg Riesling (White Capsule) Flawed

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  very slight cork taint, muted, slightly clove as well. Off dry. Hmm. Not sure if this is how this should taste so I'll mark it as Flaw

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• 2015 Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett (White Capsule)

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  wild ferment, crushed rock, slight green apple on the nose. Tight green apple, juicy, medium minus length. Nice.

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• 2015 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (White Capsule)

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Cream, honey, orchard fruit, a little forward perhaps. In the mouth there is very slight spritz, broad, very slight green bean joining fruit and honey, long, nice.

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• 2015 Markus Molitor Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese (White Capsule)

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  wild ferment, bit funky, slight herbaceous, slight crushed rock on the nose. Tight very young, fruit there bit quite closed. Time required

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• 2015 Hiedler Riesling Loiserberg

  Austria, Niederösterreich

  creamy with slightly meaty notes, sweet spick, kumquat, Juicy, zesty in fact, kumquat fruit, medium length. Okay.

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• 2015 Hiedler Riesling 1ÖTW Reserve Kogelberg

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal

  kerosene, mineral almost crushed rocks, orange marmalade, sweet spice. Juicy but broad rather than linear and front to back of mouth. Rich, spicy, very long, impressive.

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• 2015 Weingut Hirsch Riesling Zöbing

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal

  honeyed with muted spice and bruised apple. Slightly tart, fleshy, juicy, short but pleasant.

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• 2013 Alzinger Riesling Federspiel Dürnsteiner

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  slightly meaty, savoury, creamy with muted fruit. Muted palate, juicy but little else going on here.

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• 2012 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Loibenberg

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  Muted fruit, kerosene, green apple, spice; almost pepper. Ugh, touch bitter and ungenerous on the palate.

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• 2014 Rudi Pichler Riesling Federspiel

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  Perfumed, bruised orchard fruit, wild ferment, sweet spice. Spritzy, tart apple and citrus and slight apple skin bitterness. It's a bit tough but it is also rather excellent.

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• 2012 Rudi Pichler Riesling Smaragd Terrassen

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  Kerosene, apples, honey and pear skin, sweet spice. More of the same on the palate. Hmm.

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• 2014 Peter Zemmer Alto Adige - Südtirol

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

  Meaty and savoury; wild ferment dominates nose and, to a lesser extent, the palate. Bit meh.

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• 2013 Elvio Cogno Barbaresco Bordini

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Polished and perfumed, pot pourri, sweet spice, slight sweet cherry, juicy fruit with very slight oxidised notes married to plentiful oak. Hmm.

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• 2011 Mauro Molino Barolo Vigna Gallinotto

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Polished, creamy, red cherry over plum. Slight oxidative style, bit tannic, bit disjointed for me.

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• 2011 Elvio Cogno Barolo Cascina Nuova

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  polished oak, cream, meaty , slightly cherry, spicy, bone dry, cherry fruit, drying tannins,

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• 2012 Ferdinando Principiano Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d'Alba

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  slight sour cherry, dried flowers, sweet spice…juicy, bolshy massive tannins, sour cherry fruit. Quite old school and none the worse for that...

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• 2012 Ferdinando Principiano Barolo Ravera di Monforte

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  herbaceous, earthy, muted ripe black plum, and dried flowers. Hmm, not as good as the serralunga - more finesse, yes, but less fun…ripeness.

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• 2016 Domaine du Clos des Fées Les Sorcières Blanc

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes Catalanes

  peachy and stone fruit - fruit forward, juicy, fleshy, friendly, quaffable.

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• 2011 Domaine du Clos des Fées Grenache Blanc Vieilles Vignes

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes Catalanes

  wild ferment, slightly savoury and earthy, muted nose. Slight marzipan, tangy and savoury. Feels a little weary.

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• 2013 La Pèira en Damaisèla Vin de Pays de l'Hérault Deusyls de la Pèira

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault

  butter, new oak, muted apricot fruit, more of the same on the palate…bit roided for me.

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• 2014 Domaine du Gros 'Noré Bandol

  France, Provence, Bandol

  perfectly ripe red berry fruit, polished, juicy, lovely simple, nice, chalky tannins, some sweet spice, excellent in fact. I need to have more Bandol in my cellar.

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• 2011 Alain Brumont Madiran Tour Bouscassé

  France, Southwest France, Madiran

  muted plum, muted on the palate with bold, drying tannins. Hmm

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• 2013 Château Bouscassé Madiran

  France, Southwest France, Madiran

  polished oak, vanilla, even slight caramel, spiced plums, blackcurrant . Extremely young, fruit and even the oak are the velvet wrapping a positively iron tannic fist. Really quite yum.

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• 2010 Château Bouscassé Madiran

  France, Southwest France, Madiran

  savoury plum, spicy. Tight tannins, chewy big and bolshy. A little rounder as well. Hmm.

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• 2016 Château Mont-Redon Côtes du Rhône Blanc

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  vibrantly fruity, peaches, apricot, lacks a little acidity but has a fleshy pleasantness

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• 2015 Château Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

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

  Peachy, slight spice, bees wax, wet stone, savoury and spiced. The fruit is a little more muted on the palate, though all the rest carries long and there is nice structure.

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• 2015 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

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

  peachy, rich, bees wax, slight orange. Broad, textured, rich, oranges on the palate along with stone fruit. Long, right with spice. Nice.

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• 2014 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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

  Perfumed red berry fruit , cherry, slight stalkiness, slight black pepper. Juicy, rich, dense, broad big bodied. Needs time but despite the weight this has balance and elegance.

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• 2014 Domaine la Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Signature

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

  closed nose hints at slightly overripe red fruit and spice. Juicy, thick, fleshy, red berry fruit, dominates peppery spice, hmm from me.

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• 2006 Château Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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

  funky and earthy, muted and slightly reductive (?), red berry fruit. Better on the palate but still lacks a bit of fruit to accompany the drying tannin. 2006 wasn't the best vintage so that might be why this is not showing so well.

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• 2015 Weingut Clemens Busch Riesling Trocken LS

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  green apple on the nose, simple and fresh but the palate tends to the more sour cider

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• 2015 Enderle & Moll Müller-Thurgau Muller

  Germany, Baden

  honey, crushed green apple, sweet spice…Oof, this is tart tending to vinegar on the palate…oh dear

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• 2015 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet

  butter, peachy fruit, toasted nuts…more of the same on the palate, far too young, pretty handy in a couple of years.

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• 2015 Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir

  Germany, Baden

  perfumed and slight clue, picked red cherry, spicy and cedar. Rich but tart. Low sulphur? Hmm. Interesting.

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• 2013 Fernand Lécheneaut et Fils (Philippe et Vincent) Nuits St. Georges

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges

  wild ferment funkiness, slightly rustic black cherry and meaty notes. Juicy and round, fleshy with slight cherry, fine tannins. Long. Rather nice.

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• 2007 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape Flawed

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

  Medium minus intensity nose, funky and gamey, lacks fruit…sour, tending to bitter vinegar. Based on vintage I have to say Flaw

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• 2011 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Polished oak, cream, vanilla, cherry fruit. Tight chewy tannins, big bold, massive in fact. Time required.

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• 2015 Domaine Pichot Vouvray Clos Cartaud

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Medium minus intensity aromas of muted lemon and lime. Fresh, tangy, slightly herbaceous with lemon on the finish. Kind of yum.

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Surprisingly well behaved crowd, especially with mostly self pour.

And what a superb tasting. I really need to stick this one in the diary - and I barely got through a third of what was on show - and there were so many great wines that I missed on top of the excellent ones that I managed to try.