Booze Monstrous 6 O'Clock tasting

Great setting on the 69th floor of the Swissotel Stamford and some nice wines that I tasted with Alex Han.

Tutored tasting of Mazzei's Chianti Classico. Apart from the 2003, the wines were generally pretty good, with the 2004 a stand-out wine. I understand that these wines generally see around 90% Sangiovese, the rest being Cabernet Sauvignon. They are aged in Hungarian oak, with some percentage of it being new oak.

• 2005 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  I thought this was pretty good. Dark blood red, much like the other vintages. This wine had the most perfumed nose of its peers, fragrant from the first pour, it showed bramble, meat and the faintest of leathery touches and a ferrous backbone that faded a little. Underneath all this lay Sangiovese cherries and strawberries and a light hint of vanilla. Lovely. It grew a bit sweeter in time, with the cherries showing a slight candied note, mixed in with an emerging funk. The palate held fine tannins and bracing, tomato-ish acid - an explosion of flavour on the attack. Unfortunately, while round and fresh with a gummy feel after the initial attack, the flavours seemed to die off at the midpalate with a lingering touch of heat and an aftertaste of Italian herbs and bitter root. This is still very tight and needs lots of time, but is nevertheless attractive now. The most feminine wine of the vertical.

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• 2004 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  This was the best wine of the vertical by some distance. Dark bloody red. Still rather tight, it took a bit of time to open on the nose unlike the rather expressive 2005. When it did, it showed a rather thicker nose than the younger wine, more musty and earthier, leathery, with more meat, but the familiar ferrous note was there as it was with almost all of the five vintages we tasted. It seemed choked full of lurking dark fruits, but these still seemed a little submerged. Still, the nose was deep, dark and very intriguing. No let down on the palate either, which was at once sweet and round, but also fuller and firmer than the other vintages, with fresh tomato-ish acid and sturdy, teeth-coating tannins supporting rich but still lurking dark fruit and a hint of savoury meat. Best finish of the lot as well, with lacy minerals and a hint of bitter. A liitle hint of the Hungarian oak lingered, latte like, at the edges of the wine. This was certainly the most serious and challenging of the wines and the one best built for aging. It shares similar characteristics with the other vintages, but this will pull away from the others qualitatively as time goes by.

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• 2003 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli 86 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  This was unfortunately poor when placed beside the other wines. I suspect that it has gone a little flat, showing the same dark red colour as the other wines, but smelling of wet cardboard. There were familiar scents of iron and a dusty tang, but the nose was otherwise rather muted at first, with loads of funk and whiffs of glycerin rather obscuring the sweet fruit. Much the same on the palate, funk, dirt and sweet fruit, finishing with a flash of heat and drying, chalky tannins. Lower acidity than the rest, not a surprise given the vintage. It was not undrinkable by any means, but it came across as weak, flat and not altogether pleasant compared to the other wines on show.

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• 2001 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  I thought this pretty good, and probably the most traditional tasting Chianti Classico in this flight. Dark bloody colour as with the other vintages, the wine had a rather clean, defined nose with Italian herbs, leather and the strongest barnyard tang amongst its stable-mates, along with the rather typical graphite, mineral streak marching alongside dusky cherry flavours. The palate seemed a little reserved at first, but loosened rather well to show round acid and really firm tanins undergirding dark cherry and savoury meat and leather tones. It opened up even more with time to show a pleasant roundness, but remained really fresh and friendly throughout until its bright finish that showed just a little sprig of bitter herb. I enjoyed this very much, although it is rather simple and certainly more one-dimensional than the 2004.

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• 2000 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  The most rounded off of the vintages, not surprising given its age. Same dark blood colour. Lots of dark, black fruit and meaty undertones on the nose. The sharp edges of the structure so evident on the palate in the other vintages has also rounded off and softened, but there were still drying tannins from the mid-palate on and lots of fresh acid holding up the rather plump dark fruit flavours. It finished short, but with a nice resolution displaying a hint of the Hungarian oak and a bit of stinky funk - a little startling but not overly unplesantly.

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Another tutored tasting, with a pair of knock-out vintage ports, both of which were my favourites of the day.

• NV Graham Porto Fine Ruby 88 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Very simple and fruity. Deep red colour. Nose of pepper and spice and slightly savoury clove notes accompanying lots of sultanas. On the palate, loads of plums and a whiff of cigar smoke at the shortish finish. Decent, but not exactly exciting.

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• NV Graham Porto Six Grapes Reserve 89 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  This was a touch better than the Fine Ruby. Very dark, inky purple-red colour. Rather fresh nose, with a stemmy, green tone underlying dried raisin and savoury-sweet umami and hoi-sin notes. Fresh again on the palate, with the same rich dried fruitiness and some dark plummy tones. Shortish finish. Rather yummy in a simple, straightforward way.

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• NV Graham Porto The Tawny 91 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Very low scoring by other tasters in CT, but I enjoyed this. Certainly nowhere near as elegant or profound as a top 20-30 year tawny, but good for what it is. Lovely garnet brown colour. Nose was reminiscent of an old gentleman's club, full of mahogany, leather and brazil nut accents paired with dried, figgy fruit tones. Smooth, creamy and nutty on the palate, which showed more dried fruit and nuts, and a fine, spicy finish.

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• 1998 Graham Porto Vintage Malvedos 91 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Deep red colour, a touch of acrylic on the nose which blew off to reveal darkly fruited scents, and then wreaths of smoky tobacco, a touch of bramble and an umami undertow - very deep, plush and inviting. After time in the glass, the nose took on a very dominant sultana accent. The palate was extremely balanced compared to the non-vintage ports we tasted, with nice acid and freshness paired with a touch of vanilla oak and loads of dark cherry and plum flavours winding their way down into a satisfying finish. This is oh so very young, but already rather nice.

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• 2003 Graham Porto Vintage 93 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  This was beautiful, probably my favourite wine of the entire tasting, along with the 1983 vintage port. The later was better drinking now, but it has had the benefit of more bottle age. I have no doubt that the 2003 will be a more profound and exiciting wine when it hits its stride 20 years later. A deep, almost inky purple coloured wine, this had a really beautiful and luxurious nose replete with lots of lush black fruit, earth and forest mushroom, cracked black pepper and meat and subtle chocolate notes. After time, the wine began to scream of fragrant sultanas on the nose. Lovely on the palate as well, which was thick, dense and so very rich, choked full of fruit and character all the way into its long, smooth finish. Very, very young and primary now, but so yummy!

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• 1983 Graham Porto Vintage 93 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Dark red core with a lightening, slightly brickish rim. So good on the nose! Layered with prune, chocolate, vanila, earth, a hint of nuts and leather and whiffs of cigar smoke. So very different in character from the blockbuster and extremely primary 2003. The palate was dense and rich, but showed beautiful balance, with a fresh vibrancy being a great counterpoint to the lush, chocolatey flavours all the way to the long, lingering finish of cigar and wood. Surprisingly youthful for a wine hitting its 25th year, very fine indeed.

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This was just a bit dissapointing. Two good wines, and two not so nice ones. I found many of Bouchard's wines to be marked by a slightly bitter, root and herb flavour. A consequence of a house-style that emphasises elegance, laciness and expressiveness of the fruit over ripeness and power perhaps?

• 2004 Bouchard Père et Fils Clos Vougeot 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  A little overshadowed by the 2002, but this was easily the next best and, in my opinion, the friendliest and best drinking of the moment in this mini-vertical. Light, patridge-eye pink as the French would call it. It opened with a ferrous, minerally nose and sweetish cherry that became increasingly candied with time - a little cough-mixture-like I thought at that time, but this evolved into a more pleasanty round sweetness. There were some dust and spice notes mixed in there as well, with a slightly herbacious, vegetal stain that marred the wine a little for me. Very 2004. Thankfully, there was less of the green on the palate, which showed good Grand Cru weight, fine balance between the fresh acid and fine tannins and attractive, if slightly subdued flavors of sweet cherries, orange peel, a whiff of leather and a the slightest touch of oak. I found the wine very focused and seamless, with a nice, silky mouthfeel all the way down to the longish finish, which showed sweet cherry and a little bitter-root kick that was prevalent in all the vintages tasted. It is simpler, less layered than the 2002 and is certainly not a top-end Grand Cru at the moment, but it should evovle in a another 5 years or so to show pretty well.

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• 2003 Bouchard Père et Fils Clos Vougeot 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Slightly darker red than the other wines in the vertical, this was rather closed and very funky, with wet earth and bramble scents intermingled with a little off-putting open gutter stink. Very distracting, so it took ahwile to get to the sweet candied fruit, reminiscent of stewed raspberries. The funk did subside a little and evovled into a more leathery tone, but more or less remained there thoughout. The palate showed remarkably good balance for a 2003 wine, but I still found the acid a little low. There was the typical 2003 sweet fruit, but this were subdued under a bitter, Chinese-medicinal character that seemed to coat the mouth along with the chalky tannins. Finish was okay, with more oaky naunces than the other vintages. I would have expected more from a Bouchard Grand Cru, even if it was just Clos de Vougeot and from a poor-ish vintage.

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• 2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Clos Vougeot 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Best wine of the lot. Garnet-tinged red. The nose was rather reticent initially, but blossomed to show a lovely bouquet of ripe cherries intermingling with exotic spice, anise and a savoury, gamey, meaty, slightly leathery bass note. There was a bit of funk, but far less than the 2003, and a bit of greenness, but a lot less so than the 2004. Late on, it took on a sweeter, perfumed, almost floral tones, and specks of pepper. Everything was in the right place on the palate - great balance, with nice, round juicy acidity and silky tannins which gave a sense of underlying sturdiness, yet were well-shaped enough to give the wine a rather refined mouthfeel. Again, the flavours were rather reluctant and had to be coaxed out with time, but when they did, in the form of dark fruits and hints of game, the wine displayed good weight and Grand Cru richness. It finished with chalky minerals, the slightest touch of oak and that familiar bitter-root streak that I found in all the vintages. Not sure I like that all that much, but I suspect it will recede a bit with time as the wine's other qualities come to fore. Very good, but very young - this needs time to integrate and open up.

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• 2000 Bouchard Père et Fils Clos Vougeot 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Red core with a lightish rim, I did not really know what to make out of this wine. There was some intensity and richness on the palate, as would be expected. Nice balance with high-toned acid and round, but firm tannins. But the nose just smelt so much like tinned-sardines, with an anchovy tang matched with a very metallic tone, all but masking the perfumy favours and sweet cherry aromas that lurked shyly under the fishy flavours. After some time, even the high-toned acidity started slipping a little out of place, showing a tad sourish. Finished okay, with a hint of bitter-root.

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There was a large Bouchard showing at the main tasting hall, sans the Clos de Vougeot. These were the few that I tried.

• 2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Puligny-Montrachet 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  This was decent, but I would have expected a little more from a 2005 Bouchard 1er Cru. Rather closed, fruitless nose - full of cream, nut and butter, with just a touch of pear creeping out towards the end of the glass. Much the same on the palate, BIG, creamy, nutty, with a hint of chalky minerals. Nice balance though. Okay finish, a lilttle heat affected, but with a nice streaky minerality.

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• 2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Very different from the 2005 Puligny Montrachet, but not much better. Nose was closed and tight. Rather savoury, showing some mushroomy character. I was wondering where the fruit was. A bit more epxressive on the palate, with little white fruits and a streak of bitter-sweet minerals. Good balance, okay finish.

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• 2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Chambolle-Musigny 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny

  Not a bad wine, but lacking in Chambolle character. Funky and earthy at first on the nose, with some herbal, vegetal undertones. The palate was much better - rich, succulent with sweet cherries and flowers, a little cough-syrup like, but still pleasant in its aspect. I thought this could have done with just a little more freshness. Long finish, with more sweet fruit and a hint of bitter herb.

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• 2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Beaune du Château 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  My third tasting of this wine, so I will keep the note short. Light reddish colour. Epressive nose, rather perfumed, cologne like, with sweetish fruit and flowers and a flash of heat. Good fruit on the palate. High acid, fine tannins, with good richness and intensity. Finished a little stemmy with some bitter-root.

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• 2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Vosne-Romanée Du Château 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  This is an unusual bottling - vinified and bottled by Bouchard from Vicomte Liger-Belair's vines in Clos de Chateau. I found this very good indeed. Nice elegant nose, dusky, with lots of Vosne spices, anise and Cantonese roast duck flavours with a floating, floral aromas and the darkest of dark cherries. Nice, slightly savoury palate, very lacy and refined, with silky tannins,, fresh acid and more of the dark, dusky cherry fruit. Good intensity, but very clean and precise. It finished really long and nicely rich with just a hint of herbs.

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• 2004 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  Smelly, funky nose at first, which blew off some to show candied cherries with a metallic twang. Palate had good purity of fruit and good richness. I found it rather sweet, almost syrupy at points, but it somehow managed to keep a nice, lacy feel with good balance and silky tannins. There was a vegetal streak though, and a touch of heat, which dissipated into a long, long finish. Nice, but not very exciting.

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All old-world whites, save one, by coincidence. The botrytised wines stood out - the rest were rather ho-hum.

• 2006 de Trafford Chenin Blanc 89 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  Pale gold colour. Hugely expressive nose chocked full of peach and nectarine. Palate was just as you would have expected after that nose - big, fleshy, ripe with lots of nectarine fruit. Very creamy mouthfeel, just a bit alcoholic, but it was supported by nice fresh acidity. Finished a little short, with a burst of buttery oak.

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• 2003 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Wintzenheim 87 Points

  France, Alsace

  I found this rather forgettable. Canned lychees and perfumed flowers, like Jasmine and Frangipani on the nose were very inviting, but the palate was rather tart and sharp with whiffs of cat's pee. Nice minerality, but little fruit showing. Finish was short and unmemorable.

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• 2003 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Herrenweg de Turckheim 87 Points

  France, Alsace

  Another 2003 Zind-Humbrecht wine that flattered to deceive. Lovely nose, with spice, oak and exotic flowers - like an Indian garland - but the palate was hollow and bitter, with a hint of mineral and barely any fruit.

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• 2007 Gunderloch Riesling trocken 89 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  One of the better trockens I have tried, but I am still not very partial to this style. This particular wine was very friendly. Grassy nose, with lychee and floral tones, opening up to sweetish nectarine fruit. I would have thought Gewurz if served blind. Round palate, rather seamless from the nose down and quite well balanced. Okay finish.

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• 2006 Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett 89 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  Honeysuckle and tropical fruit nose, with a little of the grassy note that I found in the trocken. Round, ripe palate, with peach and apricot flavours. Good acid, but a little rounded off and not a vibrant as I would have liked. Decent finish with a strain of mineral that became more pronounced towards the end of the glass.

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• 2006 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese 89 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  Very similar nose to the Jean Baptiste Kabinett of the same vintage - grassy, peach and apricots, with just an extra hint of kerosene giving the wine a bit more complexity. Very honeyed palate, sweet and fruity, with good intensity and a longish finish. I found this to be just a little flabby though, with acid levels a tad too low for my liking.

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• 2005 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Auslese 93 Points

  Germany, Rheinhessen

  As the previous taster pointed out, this was 100% botrytised, yet it had a lovely zip and freshness. Very aromatic on the nose. with stony mineral and perfumed honeysuckle and other whites flowers wafting along a liltle rivulet of petroleum notes. On the palate, rich apricots, peaches and nectarines freature in a creamy mouthfeel and really fresh, round acidity. The freshness kept up all the way to the long and lovely finish, which showed more mineral. Very seamless, focused wine.

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• 2002 Alois Kracher Zweigelt TBA #1 Nouvelle Vague 92 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee

  Dark, almost reddish, amber hue. Lovely nose, los of dried apricot and musk. Syrupy palate, with more apricots, sweet honey-pear, but with good balancing acdiity and a long, gently dissipating finish. Simple, but very nice and poised.

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• 2002 Alois Kracher Scheurebe TBA #5 Zwischen den Seen 93 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee

  Last wine of the day before rushing off - so no detailed tasting notes. This had beautfiul gold colour. Great nose, with lychee and frangipani. Palate had a nice brambliness alongside the really rich fruit. Just a little cloying - the wine will need time for the sugar to tone down slightly. Finish was superb - long, flavourful and lingering.

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