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Caroline's bash
Windsor
Tasted March 12, 2009 by SimonG with 1,082 views
Introduction
A tasting for some colleagues who wanted to taste a range of wines as a social evening. I served a series of matched pairs, with the occasional trio, to demonstrate a range of varieties and to compare new world with old and top demonstrate the effect of modest ageing. The whites were tasted followed by a buffet supper. we returned for the reds and then took puddings with the sweet wines.
Flight 1 (1 note)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Lanson Champagne Brut Black Label
2 bottles. The first, just purchased wastypicaly lemon-fresh with noticeable acidity and lacking interest. *1/2 The second, with 3 years post-purchase cellaring was, as expected, far more interesting. Richer with biscuity and buttery aromas/flavours developed. A little more weight and presence. Perfectly decent as a small tasting sample and woul dbe enjoyable by the glass. Bare ***
Flight 2 (2 notes)
White
2005 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis
greeny gold colour. Ripe on the nose than expected, this is pretty decent for a village wine. Has filled out a little since tasting at the domaine and is doing nicely. A hint of oyster shell and chalk. **1/2
White
2005 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
As expected a little fuller and more intense than the basic villages, but still very open and aproachable. This seems to have the fat of the vintage without getting to 03 blowsiness. I't a nice drink and actually quite ready now. Stylistically I prefer the 04 wines, but this is decent ***
Flight 3 (2 notes)
White
2004 Louis Jadot Meursault
Rounding out a little since my last bottle two years ago, this combined mineral and lime fruit with a buttery warmth and weight that I often associate with Meursault. Ready now but should last a while longer, pox aside. Lovely and people enjoyed this. ***1/2
White
2004 Penfolds Chardonnay Reserve Bin 04A
Obviously similar to the Meursault, but with half a degree more of everything except elegance. Nice weight and richness, the fruit a little more tropical, but the extra alcohol nicely in balance. A nice creamy lift to the finish. Really quite classy, on a brief taste this seemed ready. ***1/2
Flight 4 (2 notes)
White
2005 Jacob's Creek Riesling Steingarten
Pale yellow. Nose of lime, mineral and a faint hint of kerosine. Approachable now but still pretty tight - back label advises cellaring for up to 20 years and this seems very reasonable. Really very impressive. ****
White
2001 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile
Pale to mid yellow. Quite tight and mineraly nose with some lime and kerosine. Dense, viscous palate with a hint of vaseline and a mineral and lime, long, finish. Very good indeed and a mere babe. ****
Flight 5 (2 notes)
White
1995 Pewsey Vale Vineyard Eden Valley Riesling
Some kerosine and lime on the nose. Entry is rounded and ripe with the impression of some slight sweetness, though I think this is just the mellowing of middle age rather than any particular RS. A little plain and simple after the previous pair, but an excellent example of how a modest Oz riesling can take a decade in bottle and evolve positively. **1/2
White
2005 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Burgweg Riesling Kabinett
Mid yellow. Ripe nose, kerosine and apparent sweetness of ripe fruit. Attack seems very sweet initially, then the acidity and minerality come in to balance. That said, sweet and simplistic. More of a party quaffer than something for serious consideration. This might well have benefited from a bit of air to pull itself together more. **
Flight 6 (3 notes)
White
2006 Montana Sauvignon Blanc Rapaura Conders Forest
Very pale. Typical kiwi SB nose of asparagus, cut grass and gooseberry. Rasping acidity on the attack, really grabs you by the throat following on from the Leitz. Gorgeously mineral, linear and fresh. Cracking example and still in the tight youthfull stage. ****
White
2006 Domaine de l'Ecu Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Expression de Gneiss
Pale yellow. Quite a mineral nose, yeast, hints of iodine and then a slightly mushroomy damp smell that hints of TCA. Hmm. After 30 minutes of so this seems just to be bottle stink, and the mustiness blows off to reveal marzipan and more obvious iodine. Dry entry, more rounded in the middle and showing the ripeness of the vintage. Long finish dominated by oyster shell and other mineral notes, this is only just starting to show. Tuck away for a few years of decant several hours in advance. ***(*)
White
2005 Josmeyer Pinot Gris Le Fromenteau
Pale colour. This is very tight an unexpressive on the nose. After a little while apricot kernals and lychee can be coaxed out of it, but even so, this is tight. Palate reveals a thinner wine than I was expecting, without apparent lushness or the richness that I was hoping for. Clean, fresh and quite mineral. Currently this would make a reasonable aperitif, but not the match for rich food that TPG can be. Too young? House style? Not sure. **
Flight 7 (2 notes)
Red
2005 Neudorf Pinot Noir Tom's Block
Full colour, almost purple-tinged. Densely fruity nose, some spice, but initially a slightly reductive element that's matched by a slight sprizyness on the palate. This wears off to reveal a full, obviously new world pinot with attractive ripe fruit. Decent enough but this needed unscrewing and decanting earlier than it was. Really only a quick sip so nothing more than an impression here. **1/2
Red
2005 Vincent Lumpp Givry 1er Cru Clos du Cras Long
A victim of being opened and being expected to perform straight away. Full colour, dense red and almost black fruit, spice, some oak and then good acidity and tannin. It's all there, just needs to mellow a little. Only a quick sip, so currently **1/2
Flight 8 (2 notes)
Red
2000 Vergelegen Merlot
Starting to show signs of softening and tending towards the garnet. Soft and gently spicey nose, showing some development. Ripe fruit, softly spicey, tannins have mellowed and it finishes quite positively. Essentially a little bland though. I preferred this to the youthful 05 but obviously this is a stylistic rather than qualitative difference. **1/2.
Red
2005 Vergelegen Merlot
Tasted alongside the 2000. Unsurprisingly this is a younger version of its older brother. The younger more vigorous version was generally prefered by the tasters. **1/2
Flight 9 (1 note)
Red
2002 Sainsbury's Cabernet Sauvignon Classic Selection
Full colour, blackcurrant nose that follows thgrough to the palate. Some mineral complexity but this is essentially a blackcurrant-led wine. Decent enough structure and a fairly positive finish. Good for what it is. This seemed to polarise the tasters with some dismissing as simple and others enthusing about it. For me, ** This was tasted alongside the 2005 which was slightly younger and chewier, but essentially the same wine and same quality. Both made by katnook Estate.
Flight 10 (2 notes)
Red
2001 Château d'Aiguilhe
Full colour. youthful nose of mulberry, blackcurrant and damson. Creamy vanilla oak on the atatck followed by a modern-styled fruit wine that whilst being a crowd-pleaser lacks complexity and elegance. Impressive example of what you can do with the time and investment. Ultimately a little bland and lacking in a firm sense of identity. **1/2
Red
2001 Warwick Estate Trilogy
A little deeper colour than the d'Aiguilhe, more purple. This comes acros inb the nose too which is less creamy and more dark-fruited. A less polished and smooth wine but also a bit more honest, with a hint of SA terroir to it. Could do with some time yet, or hearty food. Would have done some bobotie justice. **1/2
Flight 11 (2 notes)
Red
1996 Château Cantemerle
Obviously lighter in colour than any of the previous reds and far more scented and delicate on the nose. Blackcurrant, cedar, the faintest hint of tobacco and sandlewood. Smooth rounded attack, good fruit and nice mineral elegance. This is spot on. Even a small tasting sample blind in amongst some bruisers shone and was appreciated by the largely non-winey tasters. ****
Red
1996 Château Grand-Pontet
This showed well too. A little plusher than the Cantemerle, the extra sense of body appealed to some. I thought it lacked a little complexity compared with the cantemerle and finished slightly less fresh. very decent though and showed well. Drinking nicely now. ***1/2
Flight 12 (2 notes)
Red
2001 Vergelegen Shiraz
This showed well too. Good SA shiraz that mixes the new world and the old. Positive attack, good middle and finish. harmonious. Some nuances but lacks complexity. Solid performer. ***
Red
2001 J.L. Chave Sélection St. Joseph Offerus
Reasonably full colour. Mulberry and some raspberry to the fruit. This is a little plusher and also fresher than the previous bottle of this. Decent enough. **1/2
Flight 13 (2 notes)
Red
2001 Wolf Blass Shiraz Gold Label
Mid ruby, mulberry, blueberry and damson nose. Some iron and spice. Lovely attack, far lighter and more elegant than expected. Fresh, well defined fruit accompanied by iron and mineral and a refreshing finish. Best showing of this yet. ***1/2
Red
1998 Château Fabas Minervois Seigneur de Fabas
This was very well matched with the Blass. Mulberry fruit and white pepper with a slightly more velvety mouthfeel compared to the Blass's surprsingly silky feel. Restrained and elegant, this is never going to be showy but it oozes confidence and class for a Minervois. ***
Flight 14 (3 notes)
Red
1998 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva
Nailed as Spanish by a couple of folk. Mellow nose of vanilla and raspberry. Ripe with a velvety texture this is drinking nicely. Smooth and reasonably long. Feels like a halfway house between the traditional and modern. ***
Red
2005 Cantine Giacomo Ascheri Barbera d'Alba Fontanelle
Full cherry red with cherry-scented nose. Decent, typically italian acidity, good fruit and the acidity and tannin for food. **1/2
Red
2007 Clos de los Siete
A bruiser. very full-on ripe malbec fruit given a bit of complexity with the others grapes in the blend. Distinctively typical. Currently this is a chargrilled steak wine that appeals to some and not others. Not for me currently, but having drunk a bottle of the 2004 last weekend (well, we managed half of it anyway), this certainly has the ability to calm down and develop with age. Probably needs 5 years. **(*)
Flight 15 (4 notes)
White - Sweet/Dessert
1995 Château Guiraud
Full orangely gold colour. Hint of botrytis and amrmelade. Sweet on entry, then a slightly vin de liqueur feel and a medicinal touch to the finish. lacks freshness, elegance and complexity. **
White - Sweet/Dessert
N.V. Sainsbury's Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois Taste the Difference
New label. Grapey sweetness with reasonable acidity to prevent cloying. **
Red - Fortified
1998 Mas Amiel Maury Vintage
Typical Maury, but it still seems a little muted/dirty. i wonder if the ghastly, cheap compound cork is at fault here? Still, a reasonable example. **1/2
Red - Fortified
1998 Les Vignerons de Terrats Rivesaltes Terrassous
Fresh and grapey, redcurrant and strawberry aromas, fresh acidity and a bit of alcohol on the finish. This showed the best of the pudding wines. **1/2