NYE 2020

Festive feast from Dinings SW3 along with a 'mystery case' of unwanted samples from 67 Pall Mall

• 2019 Te Whare Ra Sauvignon Blanc 90 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough

  As pale as water. Lovely exotic flowers on the nose, a touch of cut grass. Gooseberry and green apple on the palate. Not that sharp, nicely balanced. Nose would deserve a higher score but it's a bit dull on the palate.

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• 2016 Château Guiraud 'G' Sec 84 Points

  France, Bordeaux

  Flat as a pancake - just made hardly any impression at all. On the plus side, it made the NZ SB alongside it look really good.

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• 2018 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay Platt Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  This was pretty good - excellent balance with just the right amount of ripeness and oak, and some tasty lime notes on the palate, but far from exciting.

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• 2017 Millton Chenin Blanc Te Arai Vineyard 85 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Gisborne

  Good acidity and... that's about it. Weak stuff.

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• 2018 Bodegas Moraza Rioja Las Tasugueras Blanco 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Bruised apple, earth and honey. This seemed to have potential.

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• 2017 Trinity Hill Syrah Gimblett Gravels 85 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay, Gimblett Gravels

  Must be the thinnest Syrah I've ever encountered - might as well have been mineral water with food colouring in it.

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• 2017 Jasper Hill Shiraz Georgia's Paddock 89 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Very open, quite oaky but not too much so, straightforward and enjoyable.

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• 2011 Ferrer Bobet Priorat Selecció Especial Vinyes Velles 90 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Definitely a step up from the other red wines tonight - rich, pretty sophisticated, some savoury notes. Plenty of scope for further development here.

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• 2013 Macià Batle Binissalem-Mallorca Reserva Privada 89 Points

  Spain, Balearic Islands, Binissalem-Mallorca

  The greenness of the Cabernet in this wine made a welcome counterpoint to the richness of the wines that preceded it. Well made, good depth of fruit, not hugely interesting.

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• 2010 Weingut Johannishof (H.H. Eser) Johannisberger Hölle Riesling Auslese 92 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Spicy, gingery, botrytis-heavy nose. More spice, and honey, on the attack, with a quick transition into a sharper, greener, quite refreshing but persistent finish. Hints of sweet cream linger for quite a while after that. Tasty stuff!

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• 2002 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Lovely bottle, with lots of life but a delicious savour - yeasty rather than biscuity, with lemon curd, green apple and an overall sense of finesse. Manages to be both airy and substantial - moreish and yummy.

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