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The Real Wine Fair 2013
Tobacco Dock, Wapping
Tasted March 17, 2013 by davestenton with 906 views
Flight 1 - Clos Lapeyre, Jurançon (3 notes)
White
White
2009 Clos Lapeyre Jurançon Sec Vitatge Vielh de Lapeyre
Lovely tension and balance. Fuller-bodied than the entry level wine and quite opulent texturally. 17/20.
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White
2009 Clos Lapeyre Jurançon Sec Mantoulan
Richer through the mid-palate but dry finish still. Tense and nervy. Great. 17+/20 2014+
Flight 2 - Alsace Rieslings (5 notes)
White
2011 Albert Mann Riesling Schlossberg
Much more aromatic than the basic Riesling with a mix of white flowers and cut grass. Full-bodied with quite a rich mid-palate. Off dry. 2014+ 16.5/20.
White
2011 Domaine Binner Riesling Vignoble d'Ammerschwihr
Very tightly wound just now. But good concentration and acidity. Should get there. 16.5/20. 2015+
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White
2008 Domaine Binner Riesling Vignoble de Katzenthal "K"
Tense and tangy with bruised apple flavours. 16.5/20.
White
2009 Domaine Binner Kaefferkopf Originel
Sweet and floral. Rich palate but there's real zing to the finish. Off dry. 17/20.
Flight 3 - Portugal - Whites (3 notes)
White
2011 Aphros Vinho Verde Ten
Nice mix of salt and citrus aromas. Sweet attack but a stony finish. Purer and lighter on its feet than the Branco. Good. 16/20.
White
2011 Aphros Vinho Verde Daphné
More aromatic than the others. Mineral, stone fruit palate. Lovely texture. 16.5/20.
White
2011 Aphros Vinho Verde Loureiro Branco
Pithy, lemon rind with a whiff of salty sea air. Sherbetty palate with a tangy lime finish. It's just a little on the heavy side though. 15.5/20.
Flight 4 - Loire Chenins (7 notes)
White
2011 Agnès et René Mosse Anjou Blanc
Classic Loire Chenin with just a touch of sweetness. Good. 16.5/20.
White
2011 Agnès et René Mosse Blanc Initiale BB
More concentrated and quite tense just now. Touch of sweetness again. Lovely balance. 17/20 2014+
White
2011 Agnès et René Mosse Savennières Arena
More aromatic and fuller-bodied than the Anjous. Very concentrated. Great tension. 17+ 2014+
White
2011 Catherine et Pierre Breton Vouvray La Dilettante
Tense and nervy. Just off dry with great purity of fruit. 16.5+ 2014+
White - Off-dry
2004 Lemaire Fournier Vouvray Les Morandières
Bouquet is both sweet and oxidative with some bruised apple skin. Medium sweet with a very distinctive quince jelly flavours. Medium. This would make a great aperitif. 16.5/20.
White
2008 Les Vignes Herbels Anjou La Pointe Vieilles Vignes de 1920
Sweet, herbal nose. Very tight and nervy just now; not nearly as open as the '09. Real energy and purity though. 17/20 2014+
White
2009 Les Vignes Herbels Anjou La Pointe Vieilles Vignes de 1920
Apple aromas with some sherry notes. Dry, stony palate with a long, tangy finish. Very good. 17/20.
Flight 5 - Spain - Whites (3 notes)
White
2011 Guimaro Godello GBG Blanco
Creamy nose with some baked apple; a bit yeasty, too. But the palate is beautifully fresh with a mineral finish. Exciting. 17/20.
White
2011 Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Blanco
Apple skin aromas. Decent acidity and length but a little one-dimensional. 16/20.
White
2009 Bodegas y Viñedos Mengoba Albarín Blanco Vino de la Tierra de Cangas Nibias
Complex, oxidative nose - a little like a Jura Savagnin. No trace of oxidation on the palate though. Instead it's fresh and stony with great concentration. Great tension, too. Really distinctive but seems it's not (yet) available in the UK. Shame. 17/20.
Flight 6 - Spain - Reds (6 notes)
Red
2011 Guimaro Ribeira Sacra
Leafy and perfumed. Ripe, dark fruit. Slightly sappy. Round, easy drinking. 16/20.
Red
2011 Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Finca Capeliños
Pinot-like again. Sweet red fruit. But lacks freshness. 16/20.
Red
2011 Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Finca Meixeman
Sweet red cherry - similar aromatically to NZ Pinot. Lots of sweet, ripe fruit. Oaky texture. A little cloying. 16/20.
Red
2011 Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Finca Pombeiras
Aromas of spicy oak. Slightly darker fruit profile. Good but drying finish. 16.5/20.
Red
2011 Jiménez Landi Méntrida Ataulfos
Good structure. That beautiful high-altitude Garnacha combo of crushed rocks and juicy strawberry fruit. Great stuff. 17/20.
Red
2011 Daniel Gomez Jimenez Landi Méntrida The End
Silkier than the Ataufulos. Crackles with energy and excitement. Transparent. Excellent. 17.5/20.
Flight 7 - Italy (13 notes)
Red
2011 Cascina 'Tavijn Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato
Odd nose - somewhere between otporri and Turkish delight. Dry and chewy but not lacking in acidity. Interesting but not sure I could drink more than a glass. 16.5/20.
Red
2010 Cascina 'Tavijn Barbera d'Asti
Floral nose. Full-bodied but juicy with an attractive sour tinge. Good. 16.5/20.
Red
2000 Elio Sandri Barolo
Attractive bouquet of rosemary and tobacco. The fruit is a little figgy and stewed but not overly so. Good but lacks the balance of the 2005 Riserva. 17/20.
Red
2009 Elio Sandri Barbera d'Alba Superiore
Lovely nose of crushed herbs and dried flowers. Ripe, dark fruit with a touch of dark chocolate. Very attractive. 17/20.
Red
2005 Elio Sandri Barolo Riserva
Power and focus. Plenty of tannin but beautifully balanced. Excellent potential. 17.5/20 2015+
Red
2010 AR.PE.PE. Rosso di Valtellina
Pale red. Lighter-bodied than most Piedmont Nebbiolo. Juicy and refreshing with really well integrated wood. Persistent. Really good. 16.5/20.
Red
2006 AR.PE.PE. Valtellina Superiore - Sassella Stella Retica Riserva
Very silky and burgundian. Bit of grip to the finish. Lovely freshness too. Very good. 16.5/20.
Red
2001 AR.PE.PE. Valtellina Superiore - Sassella Riserva Rocce Rosse
More concentrated but supple. More savoury too with a streak of sweet spice through the mid-palate. Focussed and elegant. Excellent. 17/20.
Red
2005 AR.PE.PE. Valtellina Superiore - Sassella Riserva Ultimi Raggi
A late harvest wine but not in the least bit heavy (or sweet). Great structure, linear acidity and real purity. Sweet, strawberry fruit with a tense granite core. Superb. 17.5/20.
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Red
2009 Pacina Il Secondo di Pacina Toscana IGT
Briny nose. Lots of tannic structure but also sweet fruit and decent acidity. Very dry finish. 16.5 2014+
Red
2007 Pacina Chianti Colli Senesi
Leather and dusty plums. Serious, savoury and structured for the long haul. Dry, austere finish means it's not much fun just now though. 16.5/20 2015+
Red
2004 Tenuta Grillo Monferrato Pecoranera
Dusty fruit and leather. Lots of tannin but better balanced than the Protoasciutto. Good but needs some fairly robust food. 16.5/20.
Red
2006 Tenuta Grillo Monferrato Protasciutto
Pungent, sweaty nose. Savoury and serious but very dry finish. Perhaps a little past its best. 16-/20.
Flight 8 - Australia (4 notes)
Red
2011 Lucy Margaux / Domaine Lucci Pinot Noir Village of Tiers
Pale, rusty red. Smells of strawberries and cream. Sweet entry but palate is a little amorphous. OK. 16/20.
Red
2010 Lucy Margaux / Domaine Lucci Pinot Noir Monomeith Vineyard
Slightly darker colour. Lifted herbal aromas. Much more focused. Linear acidity. Savoury finish. Good. 17/20.
Red
2011 Lucy Margaux / Domaine Lucci Pinot Noir Wildman
Very pale salmon colour. Peppery nose. Sappy, stalky palate and missing a little fruit. Tart finish. 15.5/20.
Flight 9 - South Africa (2 notes)
White
2011 Testalonga Chenin Blanc El Bandito Cortez
Complex, lees-y nose. Chalky texture. Bone dry. 16.5/20.
Flight 10 - New Zealand - Whites (2 notes)
White
2010 Pyramid Valley Chardonnay Lion's Tooth
Surprisingly oaky nose (given that it apparently sees no new oak). Rich, sweet attack but a whistle clean finish. Good. 17/20.
White
2009 Pyramid Valley Chardonnay Field of Fire
Really well integrated oak. Bright, crunchy fruit. Great acidity and Puligny-like minerality. Shame the price is Puligny-like, too. Excellent. 17.5/20.
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Flight 11 - New Zealand - Reds (4 notes)
Red
2008 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir Growers Collection Calvert Vineyard
Aromas of sweet red cherry with a hint of charred wood. Black cherry on the palate with an espresso note. Supple. 17/20.
Red
2010 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir Earth Smoke
Softer strawberry nose [than the Calvert] with creamy oak underlay. Pure and transparent. Really gorgeous fruit. So silky. Top stuff. 17.5/20.
Red
2009 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir Angel Flower
Rusty red colour. Nose a little more vegetal than the others. Darker fruit palate with a spicy fringe. Very fine. 17.5/20.
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Red
2010 Pyramid Valley Cabernet Franc Growers Collection Howell Family Vineyard
Tomato leaf aromas. More structured than the Pinots. Appetisingly stalky finish but the fruit is fully ripe. Very good. 17/20.