Giant Deep-Sea Garoupa dinner with Chards and more.

Impromptu dinner thrown together by Alex with a few of his colleagues. Food was interesting. We ate several parts of the fish across 8 courses - belly, fish head, lips and skin. Standard was alright. Wine was a nice surprise though. I was not expecting much from the wines, but we had some pretty good ones.

• 2005 Rosemount Estate Chardonnay Show Reserve 87 Points

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  About what you would expect from a run-of-the-mill Hunter Chard. Golden yellow colour, nodern styling with a nose showing buttered mushrooms, a funky durian-like whiff, some alcohol and musky, fleshy white fruit. Rich palate, lots of yellow fruit and some ripe lemons. A little flabby with all that weight. Finished in a short alcoholic end with buttery popcorn flavours with a sprinkling of mineral and a linger of sweet oak. Not undrinkable, but certainly not one I would buy.

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• 2002 Guy Bocard Meursault Les Narvaux 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Really excellent for a lieu-dit village, especially at its pricing. Unmistakably Meursault. Golden yellow colour. Pretty nose with little lashings of butter, white mushrooms, cream fraiche, rather fleshy white fruit and a rim of mineral. Acid was low for 2002, but overall the wne was well-shaped and nicely balanced, with ripe lemons, fleshy white fruit with yellow shades and touches of mineral. Some bits of alcohol here and there, but it was nevertheless delicious throughout, especially when moving from the mid-palate into the finish, which showed more fleshy fruits and a squeeze of lemons. Very good.

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• 2007 Albert Ponnelle Chablis Vieilles Vignes 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis

  If the Bocard Meursault was good value, this was terrific. Great sense of typicity. Served blind, it could be nothing but a 2007 Chablis - yet it was so well put together that I was quite sure it was at least a 1er Cru. Green yellow in colour. Lovely nose, with a touch of flowers on the first whiff, followed by fleshy, peachy white fruit, and then lovely notes of chalk and slate and a metallic, oyster shell minerality. Just superb balance on the palate. Perfectly integrated acidity was laced through pure white fruit flavours, ripe green apples and sweet lemon notes with a touch of white musk. All very focused, very defined, riding on a backbone of more of the metallic minerally notes into a long, persistent finish lifted by more clean freshness. Lovely.

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• 2003 Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards (TMV) Theta Tulbagh 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Tulbagh

  A bit manipulated, but this wine has real quality. Deep purple colour. Sweet, fruit bombish nose at first, with lots of plums, creamy milk chocolate and some hints of smoke. After some time, it opened up to show a touch of earth with a little bramble. Rather attractive really. Palate was rich and weighty, but always clean and well balanced with some structure in the form of silky tannins and plenty of elegant freshness. I got rich flavours of dark blueberries, plums and a touch of wood spice moving into a long, smooth chocolatey finish that showed a hint of tobacco smoke and burnt coffee grounds. A bit simple maybe, but very well made. Nicely paired with beef in white wine sauce and Zhejiang pork-ribs as well.

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• 2008 Fontanafredda Moscato d'Asti Le Fronde 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Moscato d'Asti

  A really excellent Moscato, at a very good price to. Bubbly enough to work up a little froth in the mouth. Nose was choked full of perfumey flowery notes - chamomile, white musk, poutpourri and lavender. Sweet palate, but with a good balance, and attractive flavours of sweet muscat grapes and sultanas, moving into sappy white fruit notes in the finish. Lacked a bit of extra interest and complexity that the very best Moscatos have, but very yummy nonetheless.

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