Lunch with the Cormacks

Oysters in green waistcoats
Sweet garlic soup
Chateaubriand, spinach pear puree, roast potatoes
Cheeses
Pear charlotte with fig coulis and fresh fig

• 1989 Te Mata Estate Chardonnay Elston 94 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay

  With the Cormacks (w/o E.) See Chave Hermitage 1987 - wow! As good a new world chardonnay as I've ever had. Wish I had 12 more! French chardonnays are not much better. Very mealy bisquity fruit with superb vanilla oak/fruit intergration. Very fresh multi layered long and powerful (13.5%) and perfect balance. Had it after the Morton Estate sparkler and was drunk with the Garlic soup - not a great match, so I saved the wine until the cheese. Wine of the night - though the Chave was pretty great too!

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• 1987 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 90 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  With Cormack family without E. Fantastic food/Wine match with Chateaubriand with peppery game sauce - ruby, med body but with intensity and lingering flavours - smokey hickory, red fruits with layers and quite complex. Amazing considering the vintage. I really enjoyed it and it deserved 100 points at times during the meakl! Oysters in green waistcoats, sweet garlic soup, Chateaubriand, spinach pear puree, roast potatoes, Cheese, Pear charlotte with fig coulis and fresh figs.

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• 1991 Dry River Gewürztraminer Botrytis Bunch Selection 87 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough

  With Cormacks without E. - very good - had with cheese course - especially good with blue cheese. Very high alcohol - def. a gewurtz but a touch peppery and not as rich as the Alsace model. Nice honey characteristics and impressive power and substantial impact upon the palate. See Elston 1989 and Chave 1987. Drink one bottle in 1995 and one in 1996.

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