Athens Wine Event, August 2012

We took advantage of short holiday break in Athens for the 2012 AWE. Restaurants were chosen by quality of course but also for their wine list/ BYOB capacity. In the end all wines came from our friends Patrick and Alexia's cellar who we cannot thank enough! The ball is in our court now for the London leg of this wine odyssey

Good well run Italian on the beachfront strip in Vougliagmeni area (about 35 mins from centre). Good menu and allows one to bring own wines at no corkage charge.

• 2001 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (8/24/2012)

  Decanted for 30 minutes and consumed over 1 hour
  The wine has a lovely balance and elegance and piruty of fruit unlike what one enounters in many of the top cuvees/riservas in the area. Light on the nose with mild oaky notes, a bit of dark fruit, cherry. On the Palate it has quite a bit of strength but the oak is almost integrated and the elegance shines. Still at the start of its drinking window this can easily last 10yrs more and one to look for. very good 93-94

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• 2001 Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (8/24/2012)

  Decanted for 1 hour but no real effect.
  A touch ( to be nice) overdone. Quite a but of oak even after all this year which hides most of the wine characteristics. Dark fruits, dense ,sweet core . Mocha, caramel, light licorice. Oak. Oak. Oak. Where the appelation got it wrong.. The fact that we had it next to the brilliant and pure Ugolaia 2001 it didnt help but really expected more. 90 and no more. if we had more we would wait 5yrs and hope,pray etc.

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A great surprise, imaginative cuisine, well made and served food and easily of 1 Michelin star quality. Good location for both summer and winter. Great value for money and allows BYOB at 25 euro corkage but bet discuss it with the maitre'd before taking some. Highly highly recommended - http://www.botrinis.com/

• 2008 Clos Ste. Magdeleine Cassis Blanc 90 Points

  France, Provence, Cassis

  (8/25/2012)

  Colour starting to show some age. Light on the nose. On the palate it has presence and density, glycerin feel to it. Reminded us of a well made Rhone white blend. Nice but that's just about summarises it. 90

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• 2005 Sine Qua Non Grenache Atlantis Fe2O3~2a, b & c 96 Points

  USA, California

  (8/25/2012)

  Decanted for about 30 minutes but other than evening the wine we doubt decanting is needed or adds. And aesthetically it's better to serve this in the bottle.
  
  Red vibrant, glossy in colour. The nose pours out of the glass big red fruit, strawberry and raspberry notes.light floral too. Don't believe we found any oak. On the palate it's big but also not overdone. Lots of depth here, decent but not overdone on the extraction. Only criticism here is that it did not evolve at all in the glass, just stayed singing in true form.this is no overextracted over oaked fruit bomb. We wanted to hate it but we really loved it, especially that Long wonderful nose. Depending how much one likes Grenache this could be rated differently, but for us is a solid 96. Can last for many years but drinks wonderfully now. 96+

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• 2003 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  (8/25/2012)

  Decanted for about 1 hour, helpful.
  The colour tells you a lot about this wine, dark, inky red, dense but also glossy. The nose opens the first salvo of strength with an amarone-esque notes of dense dark fruit, raisiny notes and you can feel the 2003 heatwave in this. Light spice notes, very little oak if any at all. On the palate it is big and dense, lots of presence and alcohol strength (15%!) . There is a balance and elegance in its strength though, almost as if this is a beautifully grafted giant statue. 94+ from us and although it can probably last for ever we don't regret trying it at its youth when the freshness is here. It didn't evolve in the glass at all btw.

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The king is still the king even after all. 2 Michelin stars well deserved this remains the best restaurant in town and one would struggle to find better anywhere to be honest. A clear must albeit expensive. Allows BYOB but needs to be negotiated with the manager. - http://www.spondi.gr/

• 2005 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge 96 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (8/26/2012)

  would have opted to decant this.
  Big, lush and dense wine but has none of the overdone features that usually come with modern wines. The colour is dark honey much like an aged burgundy to start. On the nose it has meursault-esque notes, with fruit, minerality and light oak on the background ( a bit of alcohol notes too from the 14%+ ). Wonderful nose and we kept going back and back checking it over the 2 hours of the dinner. Vibrant and lush on the palate, with a touch of glycerin density, mineral and very complex. This is a superb wine. Great to drink now but def has the stuffing to evolve more. 96+

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• 2002 Vérité La Joie 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  (8/26/2012)

  Decanted for 30 minutes but decanting has very little impact at this stage. The wine is young ( not harsh though ) and much like we wouldn't open a 2005 pauillac we should have opened this. Wine feels tight wound around a sweet core and with a bit of unintegrated oak and a dense glossy dark red colour.This is more of a pomerol ( Joie is supposed to be in the a Pauillac style) in the level of extraction,fruit density and chewy silky tannin but in anyway it needs a good 5 more years (maybe 10?) for this to get into its drinking window. Has a lot of potential but for the moment its a lowly 92-93 for us

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• 1994 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 96 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (8/26/2012)

  Decanted for 1 hour and this is needed. The wine on open is tight and the aromatics are unbalanced and needs a bit of time in a decanter to settle down. Post the there is no keeping this wine down!
  The nose is of classic well aged Pauillac. A 1990 theatrical Pauillac in our mind. Big nose ,cedar, spice, light floral and earthy beautifly vibrant and did not waiver over the 1 hour( well 2 if u add the decanting) that we monitored it. On the palate it is very much alive although reaching the maturity plateau and again if this was blind we would have guessed 1990 Pauillac. Mid palate is its weak point but this is a wonderful wine great to enjoy now but with a good few years ahead. 96

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• NV Quinta do Noval Porto Fine White

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  (8/26/2012)

  Had by the glass as it matched our desert and this must have been opened for a while so TN should be adjusted.
  Light, clear on the colour front. On the nose it had a strong eau de vie like nose, sharp and dominant alcohol notes. Light anise notes too. On the palate it is closer to an a easy red port with a bit of age but in general we were not impressed

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