Dinner in Normandale
Normandale, Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand
Tasted Sunday, August 10, 2014 by Marc with 563 views
Introduction
Leek Tarts
Kingfish Tagine, Saffron Couscous
Braised Beef Shortrib, Celeriac Pave, roast winter vegetables
Three Cheeses
Macerated Winter Fruits, Coconut Ice
NV Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Crisp and complex. Green herbal elements add lift and considerable definition to the wine. Classy blanc de blancs with plenty of verve.
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2004 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese 94 Points
Germany, Nahe
Luscious and seemingly ageless wine. Opulence, spectacular acid cut and vibrant fruit quality add up to a absolutely outstanding spatlese with a brilliant finish. This is still a baby but drinks extremely well.
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2010 Pieropan Soave Classico La Rocca 90 Points
Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico
Herbacious and earthy, somewhat reminiscent of a gruner veltliner. Tangy and possibly a little hot, this is a gorgeous food wine with considerable character. Rich (lime) fruit quality is a feature of the palate, as is the bright acids and herbal nuance that contribute to the complete mouthfeel.
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2007 Josmeyer Riesling Hengst 91 Points
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Beautiful wine in early maturity. Round and lanolin in texture with gout de petrol alongside lime peel and rich bacon fat character. Well modulated with a soft and honied finish. Outstanding wine that is drinking beautifully at the moment.
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1990 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Spectacular wine in full maturity. Textbook Graves tobacco and earth character. Impeccable toasted oak with refined cassis and high class leather notes. Medium body with perfect balance and a superb finish. This was clearly the most complex and a point wine in a flight that included the 1990 Chateau Montrose and 1991 Shafer Hillside Select.
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1990 Château Montrose 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe
Very ripe and quite un-evolved (for its age). Visually the wine has only made slight concessions to its 24 years and the bouquet is opulent, slightly gamey and has a significant merlot component. Tasted right after the 1990 La Mission Haut Brion, this came across as rather new world and whilst impressive, ever so slightly monolithic at this stage. The intensity and length of the wine are not in question and I certainly hope that with further time in the bottle, this will achieve resolution. If this happens, I would want to score it higher, but for now 93+ points, based on hopeful potential.
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1991 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Clear aromas of sauteed green bell peppers combine with blackcurrants and classy cedar and oak character. A touch of dusty complexity and also a hint of oxidation that suggests the wine is slightly past its peak. The palate has outstanding definition and a long and rich finish, with slightly elevated acids. In no way is the wine drying out. Compared to the two great 1990 bordeaux wines that preceded it, this felt stylistically in the middle of the two wines, sharing a hint of the extravagant opulence of the Montrose and also some of the classic poise of the La Mission Haut Brion. Certainly the most developed of the trio. The dualism of both ripe and unripe fruit quality marks this as a wine that may not have achieved complete physiological ripeness in the vineyard. I liked this wine very much but it was well and truly outclassed by the two superstars drunk in the same flight.
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2001 Paolo Scavino Barolo Carobric 90 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Intense nose of blackberries, earth and jasmine tea. Tannic and slightly lean in the mouth. A wine of both power and finesse that feels like it needs another 7 or 8 years to be fully expressive. The clarity of the palate is beautiful.
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1996 Elio Grasso Barolo Riserva Rüncot 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Very complex nose of roses, black tea and fresh crushed raspberries. Huge tannic structure adds definition to the weighty fruit density. This came across as a richer and more compelling wine than the Paolp Scavino Carobric 2001 served before it. This needs more time to fully resolve the palate but I found this to be an outstanding wine just about to enter early maturity. The new oak adds a welcome creaminess to the austerity of the structure.
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2005 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 89 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Fragrant and floral (roses) on the nose. Extremely young and in need of considerable bottle age. This is all juicy strawberry fruit and earthy character, displaying a cutting tannic profile with a tangy and bright finish. There is a finesse to the wine that is really attractive and my impression is that with time, this will age into a beautiful wine. 89+
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NV Emilio Lustau Jerez-Xérès-Sherry East India Solera 86 Points
Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
Drunk at the end of a fabulous meal (and a great many wines!), my impressions should be taken as the thoughts of a diner who was well past replete. Dark brown appearance. Sweet prune flavors and aromas. Good balance and oxidative complexity allied with a lush sugar balance made this a lovely match for macerated winter fruits and coconut ice.
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