Black Lion Wine Club - Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir Tasting
The Black Lion
Tasted December 2, 2016 by Andrewbdc with 225 views
Introduction
Tasting of four sauvignon blanc and five pinot noir wines from around the world. Great opportunity to see the regional differences and how these wines change with the soil, climate and wine making. Notes are ordered as we drank the wine - blind tasting except for the Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru.
Flight 1 - Sauvignon Blanc (4 notes)
Clear differences between the Loire, Bordeaux and New World wines. The Chilean took everyone by surprise (most assumed it was the New Zealand) and certainly was the best value of all the wines that evening. The Pouilly-Fume showed real elegance whilst the Bordeaux was possibly the most complex but also the most intense - almost too much so for some.
White
2014 Domaine Landrat-Guyollot Pouilly-Fumé Wine Society Exhibition
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
Pale lemon. Clean nose, medium (+) intensity aromas of lemon zest, elderflower, grass, minerals. The wine is youthful. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium body and alcohol, medium (+) flavours similar to the nose,. Medium (+) finish. Elegant, fresh, long. Very good quality, suitable for drinking now but has the fruit and acidity to age further over the next few years.
White
2015 Château Doisy-Daëne Grand Vin Sec
France, Bordeaux
Pale lemon. Pronounced aromas of grapefruit, blackcurrant leaf, white peach, vanilla. The wine is youthful. On the palate, dry, medium (+) acidity, medium (+) body, medium (+) alcohol, pronounced flavours similar to the nose but with a really creamy texture. Cassis leaf is almost too dominant. Long finish. Very good quality, suitable for drinking now but certainly has the fruit concentration and balancing acidity to age further.
White
2015 Tabalí Sauvignon Blanc Reserva Especial
Chile, Limarí Valley
Pale lemon. Clean nose, pronounced aromas of blackcurrant leaf, grass, asparagus, gooseberry, lychee, lemon. Youthful. The palate is dry with high acidity, medium body, medium (+) alcohol, pronounced flavours similar to the nose (green grass dominates), medium (+) finish. Very good quality, drink now whilst it retains its freshness and fruit. Very good value.
White
2015 Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
Pale lemon. Clean nose, pronounced aromas of blackcurrant leaf, pineapple, passion fruit, lemon. The wine is youthful, The palate is dry (almost off-dry), high acidity, medium body, medium (+) alcohol, pronounced flavours similar to the nose, medium (+) finish. Very good quality, drink over next three years, although I'm not convinced keeping will improve it. Good value for a NZ Sauvignon Blanc of this quality.
Flight 2 - Pinot Noir (5 notes)
Tasting showed how pinot noir can vary around the world and also how it develops with age. The German pinot took everyone by surprise - the most youthful but with an incredible intensity of fruit and great acidity. One to see how it develops. The Burgundy from Sylvie Esmonin was drinking beautifully - shows how even an entry level Burgundy that is well made can develop with time in the cellar, whilst the Mazis-Chambertin revealed multiple layers of flavour - worthy of its Grand Cru status. The only disappointment was the Oregon Pinot Noir - surprisingly dilute and uninteresting (I tried it the following day, no improvement) and definitely far to expensive.
Red
2015 Weingut Aldinger Untertürkheimer Gips Spätburgunder Trocken
Germany, Württemberg
Pale ruby. Amazingly concentrated nose dominated by strawberry jam, some cherry, violet and smoke. Youthful. Dry palate, high acidity, medium (-) tannins, medium alcohol and body, medium (+) flavours similar to the nose - strawberries dominating again. Long finish. Very good, possibly outstanding. Needs time, still very youthful. Can certainly be drunk now but H=has the concentration and acidity to develop for a long time. I'll buy some more and see how it develops.
Red
2013 Prophets Rock Pinot Noir Mt Koinga
New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago
Medium ruby. Clean nose, medium (+) intensity atoms of cherry, plum, redcurrant, vanilla, earth, game, Developing. Dry palate, high acidity, medium fine tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium body, medium (+) flavours, red fruits dominating but some savoury characteristics. Medium (+) finish. Very good quality, nice concentration and some complexity. Personally I think this could develop for several years - has the acidity and fruit to do so, although The Wine Society (exclusive to them) suggest drinking this year and next.
Red
2013 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Thea's Selection
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Medium ruby. Medium intensity aromas of cherry, red currant, cranberry, liquorice, earth. Developing. Dry palate, medium (+) acidity, medium ripe tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium body, medium intensity flavours similar to the nose. Medium (-) finish. Good quality at best, rather dilute and disappointing. Doesn't live up to the tasting note from the Wine Society. Drink up.
Red
2010 Sylvie Esmonin (Michel et Fille) Bourgogne Cuvée Sylvie
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
Medium garnbet. Medium (+) intensity aromas of cherry, cassis, toast, smoke, earth, vegetal. Developing. Dry palate, medium (+) acidity, medium (+) ripe tannins, medium alcohol and body, medium (+) flavours similar to the nose. Medium (+) finish. Very good quality entry level burgundy at a reasonable price, well worth the cellar time, but time to drink up (next 12 months).
Red
1999 Domaine Newman Mazis-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
Medium garnet. Clean nose, pronounced aromas of fig, prune, orange peel, spice, fruit cake, toast, smoke, earth, mushroom, vegetal. Fully developed. Dry palate, high acidity, medium ripe tannins, fully resolved, medium alcohol and body, medium (+) flavours similar to the nose. Long finis. Outstanding mature burgundy, drinking beautifully now. Would suggest drinking in next three years, may be starting to fade just a little.
Closing
There wasn't a clear winner amongst the Sauvignon Blanc wines - possibly the Bordeaux, although the Pouilly Fume was much appreciated and the Chilean certainly got top marks for value. The Burgundy wines won the Pinot tasting, although the benefit of age certainly helped, and the German pinot surprised everyone.
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