Wimps Australia and New Zealand lunch

La Trompette, Chiswick
Tasted Wednesday, January 28, 2026 by kevin h with 40 views

Introduction

A great lunch with mostly Australian wines and one from New Zealand. A couple of bottles were opened at short notice as one guest was delayed by trains. All, however, showed well and accompanied the food to good effect.

Flight 1 - Canapés (1 Note)

Flight 2 - Pressed foie gras with Armagnac prunes (1 Note)

  • 2009 Grosset Riesling Polish Hill Clare Valley 93 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

    I had the 2010 of this from my own cellar recently and it was still young. This vintage was much more evolved and now beautifully mature. Yellow colour and a classic petroglyph nose with masses of lime and a little yellow fruit. Great depth, mineral but ripe and full. Nothing tight about this bottle. I can finally see what all the fuss is about. Fine acidity, and a great full on dry Riesling like only Australia can make. Superb.

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Flight 3 - Monkfish, melted leeks, ham hock and beurre noisette (2 Notes)

  • 2022 Te Mata Estate Chardonnay Elston 91 Points

    New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay

    Unsurprisingly this presents as youthful. Pale colour, citrus nose, flinty, no evolution beyond primary at this stage, perhaps a nice tough of wet leaves emerging. Drank better, rounded out a bit, nice yellow fruit, a touch austere still but good depth and plenty on the finish. Should evolve well.

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  • 2017 Domaine Naturaliste Chardonnay Flagship Artus 92 Points

    Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

    Kindly left for us by someone who couldn’t attend. We weren’t going to open it but found it already opened when we arrived at the restaurant! Very nice to have it. Still a young, muted Chardonnay nose with yellow fruit, light oak and a little struck match. Slightly more developed flavour. Bold and rich but great poise, a nice buttery finish. Still young but drinking well. Shows some restrained class.

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Flight 4 - Saddle of venison with crisp potato galettes, red cabbage, spiced carrot purée (4 Notes)

  • 2009 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone 91 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

    This had an absolutely gorgeous, ripe crème de cassis nose. Beautiful. Some of that came though in the flavour. Still looked young but tasted a little older. An initial hint of heat on the finish turned into a stronger, overripe raisiny note as it opened in the glass. Really needed a pop and pour to get it at its best. A curate’s egg of a wine if ever there was one.

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  • 2001 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone 93 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

    This was class. It took time to build but opened out into a beautiful, classic wine. Fine nose with cassis and a little menthol. Lovely sweet-fruited flavour that holds well in the glass. Fully resolved, great balance and very fine.

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  • 1997 Penfolds Grange 92 Points

    Australia, South Australia

    This arrived late to the lunch because of delayed trains. Popped and poured and allowed to open in the glass. Still a young wine and certainly needed a longer decant than we were able to give it. Dense red fruit, hint of mint emerges. Bold red fruits but this still drinks like a young wine. There is real richness here and subtle complexities emerge. It did open in the glass to reveal a slightly surly but classy wine. This will age for decades yet.

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  • 1996 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell 91 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

    A reserve bottle that we opened because one guest bringing other wines was delayed by train problems. This looks and tastes so young. Still almost purple colour. This really is your classic Aussie Shiraz, massive red fruited nose, deep rather than complex. Big booming flavours, black fruited, hint of liquorice as it opened up. Needed more time in the decanter. Drinking well and seems to have years left.

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Flight 5 - Dessert (1 Note)

  • 1998 Campbells Muscat On the QT Bin 28 Single Barrel Rutherglen 96 Points

    Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen

    Like engine oil it was so thick. Almost opaque brown with a green tinge. I think the sommelier was positively shocked when she poured it as we both gasped. Nose is liquid raisins, incredible depth. Massive raisin flavour, so complex and intense. One person on our table couldn’t drink it saying it was “too sweet”. There is acidity here but it is a little overwhelmed. For me, so rich and luscious, only Australia makes wine like this. Perhaps some really ancient Spanish PX might run it close? Sui generis, and one of the greatest sweet wines I’ve ever had.

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