Midsummer Night's Celebration (Pagan Way)

A gang of 6 OT's and us gathered with some wine and just let go for a fabulous evening.

Lasted us the first ~3 courses (of 12).
What a treat!

• NV Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut 89 Points

  France, Champagne

  A pure bubbly that put smiles on everyone's faces.

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• 2013 Domaine du Tariquet Côtes de Gascogne Les Premières Grives 80 Points

  France, Southwest France, Gascony, Côtes de Gascogne

  Nothing to write home about. Pink grapefruit aromas, very youthful, fruity (like eating sweet grapes). The wine is also somewhat sweet, not unlike Swedish white BiB's.
  
  Quite delicious and was fine for the first plates.

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The Oz Shiraz shook us all with it's colossal constitution and pleasurable balance. All wines performed well, so all the more reason to just be happy!

• 2008 L'Ecole No. 41 Merlot Columbia Valley 90 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  To my palate, a typical Cali Merlot with aromas of sundried fruits (raisins, figs, dates) and some deep spicey aromas towards cacao and Heliotrope. Close to full bodied. Quite delicious. In the zone!

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• 2005 Peter Lehmann Mentor Cabernet 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa

  Started out with buttery aromas that moved on towards a 'modern' fruity CS-nose. On the palate this is medium bodied and mature enough. All in balance, great intensity.

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• 2010 Domaine des Bouzons Côtes du Rhône Villages Cuvée Beauchamp 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages

  An exceptional CdRV. Towards the flamboyant style of the Southern Rhône with extravagant Grenache fruit. Rich and dense. Should improve over some 5 yrs.

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• 2002 Penna Lane Shiraz "The Willsmore" 97 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  My WOTN.
  Extremely rich, dense, aromatic Shiraz nose in a perfect place. It's rare I get stuck with my nose in a red wine, but this nose is utterly amazing!
  In the mouth, it has excellent balance even if there is a hefty full bodied Gospel singer embodied in this wine. Dramatic, clear expression of wet stones and all the anise-seeds, fennel, rusty iron and industrial rubber that you can ever dream of.
  Has many more years of great life ahead of it. Really wish I had some...

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• 2005 Tardieu-Laurent Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  In tonight's company, its Olde Worlde pedigree is quite apparent on the nose, with its earthy, restrained dry forrest floor.
  Displayed all the richness of a great non-sweet CdP. Quite balanced and a little "muffled" compared to last month's btl. La Garrigue can be found on the palate; that is rich, intense and long. This has subtle herbal qualities that are just amazing!
  Early drinking window.

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• 2004 Bodega Numanthia Toro Numanthia 94 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Toro

  TN's here represent quite an amusing read.
  Every 5th or so are not impressed and some seem convinced that this represents some kind of modern over-extracted and over-oaked plonk. Of course, tastes differ.
  
  It has very little sediment because the grapes are tiny and come from a truly arid climate, which means natural concentration. Made in quite a different style from Rioja, and (arguably) with less oak.
  Nose of warm, sunny notes of very mature grapes.
  On the palate we all found a rich, GRANDE wine that I'd happily enjoy every day. Perfectly balanced: the acids keep this wine fresh, despite its magnificent concentration and warm, rich fruit on the palate.
  
  Still almost untouched by age, and should (according to my palate) not be drunk on this side of 2020. Will mature very well! One btl to go for ~2023.

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Couldn't be a better ending than Namae-san's desert and 2001 Guiraud...

• 2001 Château Guiraud 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  This is a great Guiraud now fully in its bloom. Exactly as mild, rich, layered and typical as I prefer my better Sauternes'. Will last for at least a decade, possibly two.

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The Aussie Shiraz was a monumental wine this evening. And in the spirit of Northern Swedish Traditions we ended the evening with a 'nubbe'. Not having access to the real thing, we chose Grappa as a substitute. It also worked well.