Syrah - N Rhone vs SA with the N London Crew

Thoroughly lovely dinner with great wines and company. There had evidently been a little bit of drama in the arrangements with the restaurant, but on the night things couldn 't have gone better - the dining room was great and the food - my gosh. The chef received a well deserved round of applause at the end.

• 1996 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  (2/29/2024)

  Purple colour - still looks young! On the nose - surprisingly intense fruit, raspberry maybe? Would be hard to spot as Cornas but still a lovely wine. It is later revealed that this was served will by being served first - compared to later (and humbler) offerings this seems dilute - like a bourgogne rouge rather than a grand cru.

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• 2005 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  (2/29/2024)

  Nose seems more expressive than its flightmate - someone said "shiny" and this seems fair - oak? Stems? Reduction? This is tight tight tight - still a pup really. Clearly quality wine there but I'd wait a little while before drinking another.

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• 2007 Domaine du Colombier Hermitage

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  (3/1/2024)

  This is lovely - intensity, depth, pure fruits and lovely structure. Not sure this is going to get any better but in great form just now - my second WOTN.

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• 2010 Sadie Family Columella

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (3/1/2024)

  Oh Columella. This was a little bit disjointed - someone mentioned an almost whisky characteristic on the nose and while I didn't quite get that, I could see the point. There was a kind of drying, powdery finish - not a bad wine by any means but given what this producer can deliver on a good day (and the current purchase price of this wine) hard not to be disappointed.

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• 2011 Mullineux Syrah Granite Jakkalsfontein

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (3/1/2024)

  Lovely nose on this - some stone fruits, red fruits. Real depth and density on the palate - lovely acidity, this is grown up wine, and not sure I would spot "new world" blind. More evolved than its flightmate.

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• 2009 Bernard Faurie Hermitage Bessards-Le Méal

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  (3/1/2024)

  Well put together wine with a supremely engaging nose and good structure. The table's joint #1 WOTN but for me it didn't score in the top 3 - the elements were all there but somehow didn't seem to be pulling in the same direction. I get there sense there may be something in 2009 N Rhone which doesn't quite balance for me.

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• 2010 Mullineux Syrah Schist

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  (3/1/2024)

  My wine. This is the good schist. Mouth watering acidity but all in balance. Real minerality there - not in the "ooh isn't this a flinty chablis" sense, more in the actually crushed rocks in the glass - you get more than a sense of place. Blind I would have called this the most cornas-y of the wines. My WOTN and the table's joint WOTN with the 09 Faurie.

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• 2009 Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Gréal

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  (3/1/2024)

  On the nose - oomph. Super engaging. The palate...well it seems disjointed to me, doesn't quite keep the promises the nose is making. Not sure if this is a slightly grumpy bottle, or just a wine that you should sell if you own any.

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• 2020 Minimalist Wines Syrah Stars in the Dark

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Cape Agulhas

  (3/1/2024)

  Ha - once again this was served with the cheese, and once again it did a very good job. So clearly youthful - someone said bubblegum and candyfloss and they were right! But there's also depth and concentration - will be interesting to see how these age, I could imagine this being even better than the '10 Mullineux in ten years time...but also I could imagine it not.

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