A magnum with quite a bit of age on it, this was decent enough. The nose smelt of slight browned apples and kumquats with a citrus lemon lift, and then just a touch of years and biscuit. Pleasant. The palate still had a decent if not exactly fine mousse and plenty of acidity ringing slightly oxidative browned apple notes leading into a citrus and mineral finish. Simple but decent enough, with a nice fresh feel that made it a good aperitif.
Much better than the last bottle we had - this was quite pleasurable. A really old smelling Piedmont - this was all earth, mushroom and soy sauce and oxidative fruit notes lined with just a touch red berries and spice. The palate was a lot better than the palate I thought, with some semblance of dried red fruit - think preserved dates and strawberries - and then a kiss of sweet flowers along with a little twist of earth, mineral and spice. Tannins has softened, but acidity still kept this nice and fresh. Typical old Nebbiolo. Not fantastic, but charming in its own idiosyncractic way. Went really well with a mushroom and chicken consommé.
Last of a batch of many inconsistent bottles, this was decently good without quite hitting the heights. It had a lifted nose of blueberries and violets, earth, smoke, meat and a kiss of powdered spice, along with a little twist of rather Cabernet-like tobacco notes. Nice. The palate still had a layer of fine but firm tannins and bright acidity that formed a serious frame for really fresh flavours of blueberries and cassis, along with a bit of mineral, smoke and earth. The finish had a little grip of tobacco and tannins at the end. Quite pleasurarable to drink, but a touch muted - this bottle really needed a few more years to come about.
This has come along nicely over the years. Once again, no one could place it blind. It had a pleasant nose with a sweet glow of honey, apricots and kumquats leading the way into a nice fresh, detailed palate of round stone fruit notes and hints of honey lined with citrus acidity and a lovely spine of stony minerality, all with just a tiny hint of mushroomy umami at the edges. There was a lovely balance and definition to this that made it joy to drink. Very nice - this was quite a bit better than the last bottle we had 6 years ago.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru
Quite nice - this went a peach with the herb duck dish we had. The nose showed a drift of rose petals and smoky tar alongside red fruit and then a slightly funky dose of earth, meat and menthol notes. Very pleasant. The palate still had a good sense of structure to it, with the fine but firm tannins of the terroir and fresh acidity forming a nice backdrop to flavourful notes of red cherries, berries and more matured notes of haw flakes and citrussy orange peel, all seasoned with a good dose of spice, smoke and rose petals, and then a streak of metallic mineral at the finish. A touch lightweight, but this was a pretty nice wine, drinking well now, but with its best days still a few years ahead of it.
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
A decent, if unspectacular second tier Gevrey Grand Cru. The nose had typical notes of red cherries, earth and broiled meat laced with flower petals and a bit of mineral and spice. Classic Gevrey. The palate was showing well, with a soft tannin structure and fresh acidity enlivening pure notes of red fruit lined with mineral and spice. Lacking a touch of weight and Grand Cru authority, but this had a nice elegant feel to it. Decent finish too, with citrus acidity and fine tannins giving a nice chew alongside a lick of orange peel and just a remnant of oak at the edges. It was just a bit woody and drying at the end, but that aside, a decent enough wine, drinking well young.
Age is starting to catch up with this, but it was still very enjoyable on the night. It had a very attractive nose of plummy fruit and roasted capsicums lined with toasty oak, smoky spice and Italian herbs. The palate was where it really showed its mettle though. Soft yet firm, with silky tannins and fresh tomato acidity swirling through a core of bright red fruited notes seasoned with a nice bit of tobacco spice - this was such a delicious drink. Not the most complex, but wonderfully integrated and deliciously pure. A delight right now, but drink up - it is fast thinning out.
NV Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 89 Points
France, Champagne
A magnum with quite a bit of age on it, this was decent enough. The nose smelt of slight browned apples and kumquats with a citrus lemon lift, and then just a touch of years and biscuit. Pleasant. The palate still had a decent if not exactly fine mousse and plenty of acidity ringing slightly oxidative browned apple notes leading into a citrus and mineral finish. Simple but decent enough, with a nice fresh feel that made it a good aperitif.
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1970 Ceretto Barbaresco Montefico 88 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Much better than the last bottle we had - this was quite pleasurable. A really old smelling Piedmont - this was all earth, mushroom and soy sauce and oxidative fruit notes lined with just a touch red berries and spice. The palate was a lot better than the palate I thought, with some semblance of dried red fruit - think preserved dates and strawberries - and then a kiss of sweet flowers along with a little twist of earth, mineral and spice. Tannins has softened, but acidity still kept this nice and fresh. Typical old Nebbiolo. Not fantastic, but charming in its own idiosyncractic way. Went really well with a mushroom and chicken consommé.
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1996 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Last of a batch of many inconsistent bottles, this was decently good without quite hitting the heights. It had a lifted nose of blueberries and violets, earth, smoke, meat and a kiss of powdered spice, along with a little twist of rather Cabernet-like tobacco notes. Nice. The palate still had a layer of fine but firm tannins and bright acidity that formed a serious frame for really fresh flavours of blueberries and cassis, along with a bit of mineral, smoke and earth. The finish had a little grip of tobacco and tannins at the end. Quite pleasurarable to drink, but a touch muted - this bottle really needed a few more years to come about.
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2007 Oremus Furmint Tokaji Dry Mandolás 92 Points
Hungary, Tokaji
This has come along nicely over the years. Once again, no one could place it blind. It had a pleasant nose with a sweet glow of honey, apricots and kumquats leading the way into a nice fresh, detailed palate of round stone fruit notes and hints of honey lined with citrus acidity and a lovely spine of stony minerality, all with just a tiny hint of mushroomy umami at the edges. There was a lovely balance and definition to this that made it joy to drink. Very nice - this was quite a bit better than the last bottle we had 6 years ago.
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1997 Domaine Marius Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Vergelesses 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru
Quite nice - this went a peach with the herb duck dish we had. The nose showed a drift of rose petals and smoky tar alongside red fruit and then a slightly funky dose of earth, meat and menthol notes. Very pleasant. The palate still had a good sense of structure to it, with the fine but firm tannins of the terroir and fresh acidity forming a nice backdrop to flavourful notes of red cherries, berries and more matured notes of haw flakes and citrussy orange peel, all seasoned with a good dose of spice, smoke and rose petals, and then a streak of metallic mineral at the finish. A touch lightweight, but this was a pretty nice wine, drinking well now, but with its best days still a few years ahead of it.
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2007 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Chapelle-Chambertin 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
A decent, if unspectacular second tier Gevrey Grand Cru. The nose had typical notes of red cherries, earth and broiled meat laced with flower petals and a bit of mineral and spice. Classic Gevrey. The palate was showing well, with a soft tannin structure and fresh acidity enlivening pure notes of red fruit lined with mineral and spice. Lacking a touch of weight and Grand Cru authority, but this had a nice elegant feel to it. Decent finish too, with citrus acidity and fine tannins giving a nice chew alongside a lick of orange peel and just a remnant of oak at the edges. It was just a bit woody and drying at the end, but that aside, a decent enough wine, drinking well young.
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1992 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia Vino da Tavola 91 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
Age is starting to catch up with this, but it was still very enjoyable on the night. It had a very attractive nose of plummy fruit and roasted capsicums lined with toasty oak, smoky spice and Italian herbs. The palate was where it really showed its mettle though. Soft yet firm, with silky tannins and fresh tomato acidity swirling through a core of bright red fruited notes seasoned with a nice bit of tobacco spice - this was such a delicious drink. Not the most complex, but wonderfully integrated and deliciously pure. A delight right now, but drink up - it is fast thinning out.
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