It may have been the altitude, but drinking this on a flight, it came across as a solidly good Champagne without being truly outstanding. It just felt that there was a lot in reserve that the wine was not quite ready to show yet. The nose was lovely - yeast, biscuits, sweet apples, some floral perfume - all rather feminine, and quite entrancing. It started out strong on the palate too with a soft, creamy mousse and subtle acidity almost giving an impression of softness at first, but then a clear spine of structure and clarity emerges through its generously fruited notes of lemons and apples, with a nice crumble of biscuits on the sides. Clearly quality here. The finish did feel a little empty initially, before filling out with time and air to show soft appley fruit and fresher citrus notes. This was Really elegant, silky and easy to drink. Like so many 2008s, it is a beautifully balanced and poised wine which will give plenty of pleasure even in its youth. That might be a bit of a waste though - this is a champagne with ample material to get better and better with time.
This was a particularly good bottle, beating out a charming 2008 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne that I had alongside. Like the other wine, this had Lovely nose - with aromas of butter and shortbread, apples and white fruit, and then some notes of yeast and candied macadamia at the edges. Those carried on into the palate, which showed more of those apple and macadamia flavours, along with a nuance of white chocolate, all these held up with a vigorous, almost sinewy mousse and very correct acidity. A muscular, powerful Champagne, just about coming into its own. It still came across quite youthful on tha back-palate. Here it was all mineral and citrus, rather stern, with tons of acidity pulling away into a long, long finish. Altogether, a very accomplished NV, with power and tension aplenty. This is another one that will get significantly better with time. It will be nice to try it again in 5-6 years.
Pretty good, if still a little young. The nose came across a bit modern and international, with sweet cassis and plum aromas along with a noticeable lilt of sweet oak alongside more traditional Cos tones of tobacco, incense and some exotic wood spice - think sandalwood and anise. Attractive though. The palate felt very sleek and polished with fine tannins and silky acidity laced through lifted flavours of cassis, blackberries and violets, together with more of that sweet, spicy cigar box character picked up from the nose and, rather distractingly, some of that new oak sweetness. I remember thinking that this was a particularly perfumy Cos. It had an obviously lighter touch, lacking the power of great vintages, but was still very enjoyable. The finish was okay rather than great, even maybe a tad short maybe, with a linger of some spice and tobacco on the back-palate and a pucker of firmer tannins that came up rather surprisingly. This probably needs time. For all its pleasing qualities, it is drinking a little sweet and oaky now, and that finish still feels like it needs to resolve somewhat. Nevertheless, a pretty nice drop.
Australia, New South Wales, Southern New South Wales, Canberra District
Pretty decent. This had a nice nose - with full, rich aromas of plums and blueberries, violets and loam, and then a little hint of eucalyptus just to remind you of the wine's provenance. The palate was much more balanced and pure than that ripe nose suggested. There was still ripe fruit - plums and blueberries again - but these were punctuated with clear, well-integrated acidity, fine velvety tannins, and nice shades of spice at the backend. Still an absolute baby, which will be much nicer in a few years, but this was already quite an enjoyable drink.
2008 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 93 Points
France, Champagne
It may have been the altitude, but drinking this on a flight, it came across as a solidly good Champagne without being truly outstanding. It just felt that there was a lot in reserve that the wine was not quite ready to show yet. The nose was lovely - yeast, biscuits, sweet apples, some floral perfume - all rather feminine, and quite entrancing. It started out strong on the palate too with a soft, creamy mousse and subtle acidity almost giving an impression of softness at first, but then a clear spine of structure and clarity emerges through its generously fruited notes of lemons and apples, with a nice crumble of biscuits on the sides. Clearly quality here. The finish did feel a little empty initially, before filling out with time and air to show soft appley fruit and fresher citrus notes. This was Really elegant, silky and easy to drink. Like so many 2008s, it is a beautifully balanced and poised wine which will give plenty of pleasure even in its youth. That might be a bit of a waste though - this is a champagne with ample material to get better and better with time.
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NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 167eme 94 Points
France, Champagne
This was a particularly good bottle, beating out a charming 2008 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne that I had alongside. Like the other wine, this had Lovely nose - with aromas of butter and shortbread, apples and white fruit, and then some notes of yeast and candied macadamia at the edges. Those carried on into the palate, which showed more of those apple and macadamia flavours, along with a nuance of white chocolate, all these held up with a vigorous, almost sinewy mousse and very correct acidity. A muscular, powerful Champagne, just about coming into its own. It still came across quite youthful on tha back-palate. Here it was all mineral and citrus, rather stern, with tons of acidity pulling away into a long, long finish. Altogether, a very accomplished NV, with power and tension aplenty. This is another one that will get significantly better with time. It will be nice to try it again in 5-6 years.
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2008 Château Cos d'Estournel 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe
Pretty good, if still a little young. The nose came across a bit modern and international, with sweet cassis and plum aromas along with a noticeable lilt of sweet oak alongside more traditional Cos tones of tobacco, incense and some exotic wood spice - think sandalwood and anise. Attractive though. The palate felt very sleek and polished with fine tannins and silky acidity laced through lifted flavours of cassis, blackberries and violets, together with more of that sweet, spicy cigar box character picked up from the nose and, rather distractingly, some of that new oak sweetness. I remember thinking that this was a particularly perfumy Cos. It had an obviously lighter touch, lacking the power of great vintages, but was still very enjoyable. The finish was okay rather than great, even maybe a tad short maybe, with a linger of some spice and tobacco on the back-palate and a pucker of firmer tannins that came up rather surprisingly. This probably needs time. For all its pleasing qualities, it is drinking a little sweet and oaky now, and that finish still feels like it needs to resolve somewhat. Nevertheless, a pretty nice drop.
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2019 Clonakilla Shiraz O'Riada 91 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Southern New South Wales, Canberra District
Pretty decent. This had a nice nose - with full, rich aromas of plums and blueberries, violets and loam, and then a little hint of eucalyptus just to remind you of the wine's provenance. The palate was much more balanced and pure than that ripe nose suggested. There was still ripe fruit - plums and blueberries again - but these were punctuated with clear, well-integrated acidity, fine velvety tannins, and nice shades of spice at the backend. Still an absolute baby, which will be much nicer in a few years, but this was already quite an enjoyable drink.
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