| | Cooperative buying and bidding at auctions make for great fun and get-togethers as well as more interesting wines in the cellar. The burnt holes in the pockets are still similar, though...
We shared the cooking tasks and, for once, had a little too much to eat. Being vikings, I think that maybe we could have drunk more, but I'm not sure. Welcome! Japanese smoked Almonds and cava is a great combo. - 2010 Vins de Terrer Cava La Vida al Camp - Spain, Cava
Elegant cava with well performing citrus. This is young and fruity with a medium light body. Great length. Minerality apparent, no disturbing "earthiness" and award winning style bubbles.
Needs some air-time to deliver and actually over-performes in room temperature...
4 hrs later:
Becomes more and more complete, but upon leaving it for the night, it is still a little young-fruity-with-a-hollow-mid-palate.
Zannen desu. (90 pts.)
Soup and sherry Same sherry as yesterday, a mini glass for everyone. (NV Equipo Navazos Jerez-Xérès-Sherry La Bota de Amontillado Nº 37 "Navazos")
Traditional Japanese winter soup with vegetables and bacon.
Warmed us all from the inside out.
We also sniffed out the Chardonnay that started out as Burgundian but more and more during the course of the evening became more and more fruit-flasher. The Chard then stayed with us for the whole nighht. - 2009 Donkey and Goat Chardonnay Brosseau Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone
Well balanced oak on nose and palate greet you as you approach the glass and take the first thoughtful sip.
Not quite Burgundian in style, more NZ than Calif. (I'd have gone for NZ in a blind tasting.)
Still very fruity with a good dollop of oak. Great acids. Very good body and ok finish. Little too citrussy for my palate. Not enough minerality to merit a higher score in my World.
Score is for a white wine.
Too pricey in Sweden to be of any use in our cellar. Not my cup of tea, but a great effort nevertheless.
*** update ***
2nd day, this has become more towards tropical fruits jamboree. So, deducted two points from the original 90. (88 pts.)
Plate with cold cuts Rein deer (smoked), several Italian salamis, cured pig, ruccola, meaty chorizo in herby tomato sauce...
Nothing can ever go wrong with this style of plate.
...and, yeah, fois gras, of course... - 2009 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Monferrato Pin - Italy, Piedmont, Monferrato
Today: acids overtake whatever pleasures may be here. Quite discomforting and underwhelming, at least for our expectations.
Will not be buying any more btls of this thin and just barely "good" wine.
One btl to go, hoping for the best in circa 2023...
Rather lactic showing this evening...
*update*
On day two, it had beefed up a little bit, but acids are still sharp and way too exaggerated for our plates. Dikeskörning... (80 pts.)
- 1997 Barone Ricasoli Casalferro Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Much better showing than previous, recent btl.
Alluring, dark and mysterious wine that has everything in place. During the course of the evening, the acids take over more and more, so not a wine to cellar for any number of years.
Ends with fine dark fruit and sumi ink. Yay!
Last btl, perfectly timed :-) (92 pts.)
Rein deer steak MH's creation extraordinaire.
Almost rare.
Absolutely magical with chips from various roots and a potato gratin francaise.
I ate too much, guess we all did...
And the wines?
LB sang Wagnerian arias, promising a future ruled by valkyries...
The Aussie was rich and in between the old heavy over extravted Oz stuyle and a Norhtern Rhône.
Both wines great with the dish.
Did not suck! - 2001 Clarendon Hills Syrah Piggott Range Vineyard - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
A superbly clean, distinct, well constructed Syrah (says "Syrah" on the label) that is extracted AND has Rhône Valley acids and back bone. We all liked this wine very, very much.
Anise seed, licorice, "fruity rubber" and rich aromas make up both nose and palate. Tannins are strong: playing hide-and-seek behind the amazing fruit. The acids are very well balancing this amazing juice. Structure is 99 points and complexity around 91-92. Should easily develop and integrate for at least 5 more years and keep for several years after that.
Upon opening, a rather peculiar nose and a palate less appealing. After 3 hrs of decant-time, it showed off as the great second lover for the rein deer main course. Did nooot suck. (95 pts.)
- 2003 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
This is a prodigious wine of proportions. A wine that will blossom and bloom like a fireworks display over the years. Has all the marks of a GREAT young Bordeaux: earth, power, tannin, long-life-ahead, acids, red fruit, dark fruit... Jaw dropping.
Insanely attractive and rewarding, but still very young and without having unleashed any of its yet subterrainean potential.
Wife: 92p
3 btls to go, next one around 2025. (97 pts.)
Cheese plate Conté, Brillat-Savarin, Stilton... Yummy!
MT only matched the Brillat, but instead most of us seemed to enjoy the previous wines with the cheese. - 1971 Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon
Maybe a medium btl.
Not as complex as previous btl from last month, and the oxidized aromas took their time to leave. Toffee dominated after the demise of the oxidative fumes left. The CB acids do very well and the mature sweetness is elegant, refined and non-cloying.
This was still one heck of a wine and can probably go for another 20 years, evolving more layers and refinement.
These stickies defy the evolutionary laws of red wine, they just keep on evolving... (93 pts.)
Vanilla ice cream and warm, home made hjortronberry jam The ruling king for this dish: Moulin Touchais.
This was just sooo amazing together with the MT.
Prooven: Desserts need not be by 2 star chefs to create introverted looks as well as bloated bellies. A fantastic evening.
As always with these guys and our selection of foods and wines. Always new horizons open, even if great Bordeaux wines seem to always rule... |
