Salon 1990 (from magnum)

Salon has long been my favourite Champagne house. Long-lived and exceptionally fine, they achieve depth and poise equal to great white Burgundy. I've written about their wines before - they are a rare treat. I wish I had the means to enjoy them more often.

Brilliant platinum gold colour - youthful but classy.

Young, slightly spiced green apples on the nose. No toast or butter yet, no hint of wild mushrooms, just a touch of citrus zest and a fullness of body that pervades with a whisper of honey on the edges.

The palate seems slightly closed, young and tight. Incredibly promising though - textured and lingering with a remarkable finish that goes on and on. Erupts with food (a saffron & Prosecco risotto served pan-fried medallions of pork loin) - all the blank spots, those closed and quiet points in the mid-palate, open and a brilliant view of this wine's future pours in - rich with fresh blossom honey, candied apples and fresh baked croissants. Youthful, vigorous and promising. This will keep and improve for decades to come. Glorious.

****(*)

Tasted at Shorehead 7/12/08

Méo-Camuzet Bourgogne Rouge 2006

Méo-Camuzet make some of the finest wines in Burgundy. Their premier crus often fetch grand cru prices. I have very fond memories of their '91 Clos Vougeot, drunk when I graduated from the University of St Andrews, as the first fine Burgundy I ever had the pleasure of tasting. But previous vintages of this wine - their entry level red - have disappointed me. I found them too backwards and unyielding. Perhaps they were a little too young. I know a local merchant with few bottles of the '04 kicking about. I might have to revisit it.

Rich, translucent burgundy with youthful violet on the edges. Quite dark at the core, but still good clarity and brilliance.
Slightly sour cherries and cranberry fruit on the nose - heady and perfumed with a touch of sweetness.
The palate is a touch backward - tight tannins with all that fruit from the nose still gripping those tannins. Textured and a hint of the savoury about the mid-palate. Youthful and needing food but great structure with zingy acidity and more-ish red fruit. Lovely length. Will soften with cellaring but there's a crispness to its youth that I really like.
****
Tasted at The Seafood Restaurant St Andrews, 9/12/08

Dom Perignon 2000

Landmark vintages are a funny thing. Both 1900 and 2000 produced some remarkable Bordeaux (Chateau Margaux from the former is meant to be exquisite) and some remarkable prices to boot. At the time of the en primeur releases (and the first proper review tasting notes) there were quite a few cynical wine merchants scratching their chin stubble and wondering aloud whether it was somewhat convenient that such a landmark year produced such a landmark vintage. They still bought buckets of the stuff, obviously. And they made a packet. Until the hype surrounding 03's and 05's chipped away at those blue-chip 00's, proving that in the modern wine world a vintage is only great until the next great vintage. The prices more and more reflect exclusivity, desirability and a sense of get-it-before-anyone-else-does rather than actual quality of the wine. That's just a matter of points, apparently.

Recent economic disasters seem to be changing all this somewhat, and prices - while still outrageous - appear to be dropping daily, even for vintages hyped beyond all boundaries of common sense.

2000 sticks in my mind for a number of other reasons. It wasn't all that great throughout France, or Europe as a whole. The Rhône Valley didn't do too badly, Italy was still smiling about '97 and '99 and Burgundy was a bit of a minefield. The port houses all declared, but that's to be expected. They have the luxury of picking and choosing and 2000 was good enough to choose. I was just entering the wine trade while all these reports were coming out and it fascinated me. The ever-increasing hyperbole, prices and frenetic buying opened my eyes to the bewildering world of wine. Could a case of 12 bottles really be worth £4,000 while the wine was still in cask? Could I be offered the same 12 bottles 2 hours later for £5,000?

I'm older, wiser, grumpier and considerably more cynical now. En primeur season bores the shit out of me. My spam mailbox fills with brokers desperately trying to push case after case of 95-100 pointers at more money than I would ever, in good conscience or otherwise, pay for wine.

Champagne eluded the 2000 vintage hype, and for good reason. It wasn't a great vintage in Champagne. The wines are ok. Moët 2000 is particularly lovely, though that's more due to a radical (and long overdue) reform in winemaking and assemblage rather than the year itself. As it happens, I have no doubt that Dom Perignon 2000 will sell in vast quantities. It is the benchmark luxury champagne and - when it's great - it's one of the finest wines in the world. That perfectly round number on the label may even make it some form of collector's item. Well, even more of a collector's item than usual.

Dom Perignon 2000
Fresh green gold colour with an exciteable mousse composed of pinprick, hyperactive bubbles.
The nose is bursting with pear and white stone fruit with the barest hint of lemon citrus on the edges.
Silky palate of conference pears - not just in terms of flavour but texture as well, that graininess on the tongue. Nice finish. But it's a bit too youthful and pleasing for my taste. There's not a great deal of structure or acidity here. It's decadent, but in a light way. I'd call it elegant - but it doesn't have the structure for that. Perhaps it needs time, but I don't even get hints of a great future - just a pleasant now. I will come back to this in years to come, curious rather than eager.
***(*?)
Tasted in excellent and generous company at Naughton, 6/12/08

Chateau Gruaud Larose 1986

I'm sitting on a deck, staring out to where the Med would be, were the darkness of night not concealing its azure grandeur. There's a bit of a breeze. My body aches and stings with the injuries of vintage at the fantastic Coume del Mas. Nine days of back-breaking blood, sweat and tears and the hardest work I've ever done are over, and my understanding of where fine wine comes from has never been richer.

A few minutes ago, my host presented me with a decanted red and told me to guess. I'm usually good at blind tastings, but my host pretty much taught me most of what I know about wine and as such I suffer issues of confidence when tasting in his presence. I over-guess.

Anyway - I thought it was either Burgundian or Italian. A strange mix, I know. But that's a topic for another post. I couldn't really see the colour as it was dark. A truly blind tasting, really. Bringing it inside to the light revealed rusty edges but still a dark core. I shrugged my shoulders.

The nose was cherries and leather, with a soft rustic charm. A touch of spice. Perhaps a touch of wood, but old and no longer cedar.

The palate is gentle to start and finish, but robust and a touch wild in the middle. That should have been the giveaway really. Like with all wrong blind tastings, it became obvious once the answer was revealed. The cherries and leather from the nose come through on the palate - the fruit's a touch compote but it's ok because the mouthfeel is lovely throughout and to the last of the fantastic, lingering finish, It's not the perfect claret. It's better. It's old and lovely and honest and after everything, I couldn't want anything more.

****

Tasted in Collioure, 9/08

Chambolle-Musigny 1985 Louis Jadot

This bottle was a gift from an old friend who happens to own one of my favourite restaurants in the world. Thank you, Mr Jukes

Lovely old colour bit of rust on the edge, with fine ruby at the core. Warming. The nose is farmyardy, dusty old leather with stewed strawberries and cranberries. It smells soft.

The palate is still on form - the fruit's a bit stewed, but pure at the core. The texture is wonderful - supple, soft with velvet tannins and just the remains of grip. It goes surprisingly well with the goose egg carbonara. This is charming. Not much life left in it, but beautiful at the moment.

****
Tasted at South Street June 2008

Kingfisher Lager & Kingfisher Strong

Just kidding. I'm not really doing tasting notes of the two lagers that contributed to the bulk of my drinking in India. They provided much needed refreshment in the muggy monsoon heat, often at the end of a long and exhausting day. Beware the Kingfisher Strong - it's tasty (possibly double malted - the label didn't say, but the flavour suggested as much), rich and will knock you flat on your arse if you don't treat it with a modicum of respect.

I did, however try some Indian wine during the trip, and found it not unpleasant.

Sula Sauvignon Blanc
I was on holiday and didn't bother to check the vintage. I would assume that it was 07. The colour's quite a rich lemon gold; none of the antipodean pale straw notes that you get used to with this varietal... whatever - it was pleasant and drinkable. Sitting on a balmy evening with a glass of this with a variety of Indian dishes I don't think you could really complain. Is it great wine? No. But I'm not sure there was a point on the trip where I desperately needed a Puligny Montrachet. Or, sticking with the grape, a fine Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé. I wanted to drink the local stuff and see what it was like. It was like tasting wine made in a place that isn't quite used to making wine, but is learning. There was a touch of soupiness, a touch of flab, but some nice grassy notes and it was refreshing. Importantly, it complimented the food - some manner of mutton dhansak I believe.
I would drink it again, were I in India. In fact, I would drink it in preference to paying the outrageous prices charged for European (and Australian, South African, American, Chilean etc etc) wine in India.
I wouldn't buy it over here. It's not ready yet. I'm not saying it never will be, but they need time to hit their stride. Will it be world-beating fine wine? I doubt it. But not every wine has to be. The lower end of the wine market is filling with bland, sweet, mass-produced rubbish - there's space for something new and idiosyncratic.
One word of advice though, drink it cold. Not chilled.

Sula Cabernet Sauvignon
Not quite as developed as the Sauv Blanc. Stewed, hyperactive fruit on the nose and palate. Room temperature doesn't help it as the room is very warm (well... the room is a patio, and it's hot out). It is, however, wine and I'd say there are a few cheap Aussie cab/shiraz blends that may pale to it. Drinkable, but pass me some more of the white please...

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2000 Domaine Denis Mortet

I have been remiss of late. Life has taken over much of my writing, tasting notes included. I've just vacated a flat and in the midst of the maelstrom I found a note I made on birthday - I treated myself.

Be warned - this isn't quite a return to regular posting. I'm off to India for three weeks and can only write so much about Kingfisher...

Lovely colour - a violet tint to the classic Burgundian hue. Still youthful, deep and brooding with a touch of lightness at the edges.

Forest floor on a sunny day - ripe red and black fruit with a perfumed, floral edge. Touches of spice, cherries and mint. Intoxicating, elegant and ephemeral.

This is classic, weighty, masculine Burgundy - elegant still, but with rustic, meaty undertones. The fruits and forest are wild, rich and textured with notes of saddle leather. The tannins are soft, but still grip. Remarkable combination of rustic and refined. Wonderful.

****
Tasted 27 May 2008 at South Street.

Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella 2003

Amarone's a big part of me being in the wine trade. In a roundabout way, it's how I got my first job selling fine wine. I'm sure some of my other spectacular personality traits helped, but my love of Amarone was the only one that's ever been mentioned. My first vintage of Allegrini's Amarone was the 1988, tasted in summer 2001. I didn't take notes, sadly, but I do remember loving it. I remember the first time I tried Quintarelli's incredible (and incredibly expensive) wines and the aftermath of that tasting. I felt guilty. I decided, foolishly, that my love of Amarone held me back as a taster. I needed to seek elegance, refinement and complexity - the rustic glories and awesome power held in the Veneto's finest red could not improve my palate or knowledge. 

It was not my first, nor will it be last, bad decision. It was, however, easily rectified. 

Amarone done well is a raucous wine, summarily dispatching so many new world pretenders boasting about their super-ripe dried grapes. It balances bitter and sweet, rustic and refined, power and the antonym of power. When it's done well. Poor Amarone is a travesty - stewed, unstructured, occasionally oxidised but mostly unfinished. You get this big hit and then... woosh, gone. The big hit isn't even fruit, or flavour, but booze. Avoid poor Amarone as you would any mucky factory produced wine.

The colour's still dense, though fading slightly at the edges it's still dark and brooding at the core. 

Bramble and pepper on the nose, followed by rich dark chocolate and cocoa powder with hints of glacé cherries.

Massive palate, matched by a tight structure. Bramble and cherries, ripe but with a pleasant savoury tang, then comes the chocolate - not only in flavour but in texture too, almost to the grain. Bittersweet, slightly meaty with beautiful but never overbearing weight. The dustiness of the tannins reminds me of cocoa powder and the term chocolate leather comes to mind in terms of mouthfeel. This is great stuff and drinking a treat at the moment. Perhaps not as classy as the '04, but a real blinder nonetheless.

****

Tasted at Luvians Bottleshop 09/04/08

Pieropan La Colombare Recioto de la Soave

Bronze at the core, though gold and a touch of silver throughout. 

Candied apricots, peaches and all manner of stone fruit on the nose. It's not all sweetness though - there's a flinty, minerality to it - hint of cereal, touch of grist and a nice spiciness all there. Almost overwhelmingly heady, with a touch of perfume too.

This is a great wine. The palate is rich, honeyed - pure stone fruits from the nose with gripping texture and a hint of botrytis. Minerality of the wet pebble variety, with clean structure throughout and a long finish that drifts into the ephemeral. 

*****

Tasted at Luvians Bottleshop, 9 April, 2008

Chateau Pontet Canet 1998

The colour is just beginning to show its age, lightening at the rim, though still deep at the core - no rust and still quite intense.

Fresh currants with cedar wood, coal dust and unsmoked tobacco on the nose - everything that classed (and classy) claret should smell like - the warmth of old wood and old leather with shelves of old books.

Palate shows how young this is - tight and restrained with some grippy oak - good structure and nicely layered fruit and secondaries - bit of a meaty, savoury note but still elegant. 

***(*)

Tasted at Luvians Bottleshop 29/3/2008

Ostertag Gewurztraminer 2003 'Vignoble d'E'

Rose petal, lychee and fresh ground black pepper with a touch of flint on the nose. 

Quite sexy on the palate - lipid, soft and silky but with a bit of a hot finish. Great with Thai food a few weeks ago, but we don't have any Thai food right now. 

***

Tasted at Naughton 23/3/2008

Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Spätlese 2003

The room's too dark to really judge the colour - still pale gold though.

Nose is honey and ripe pineapple with slices of lime, fresh green apple, honeysuckle and flower water.

All that comes through on the palate with more. Juicy melon, more pineapple - ripe and sweet on the mid-palate but with brilliant candied lime peel acidity on the finish that keeps it clean. The texture is fresh honeydew and this is a fine, sexy wine. More, please.

*****

Tasted at Naughton 23/03/2008

Niepoort Vintage 1970

Dirty brown with touches of rust. Not the most attractive colour of port I've ever seen.

The nose is stewed chocolate, caramel and edges of esther.

Leathery on the palate, soft - almost no fruit to speak of, but pleasant texture. A bit boozey on the finish.

Pleasant, but not great. Drink now.

**

Tasted at Naughton 23/08/2008

Bollinger La Grande Anée 1996

Rich gold in the glass - not dark yet, still with hints of green.

Hugely toasty on the nose with buttered mint and a touch of strawberry, nettles and summer hay. 

Honey buttered toast, mouth-filling and textured with a luscious mousse, still slightly rambunctious bubbles. The finish is perfumed, coming through with the strawberry, nettles and mint. Then it shuts down, bizarrely, and becomes quite simple. Bizarre. I think it may be a touch too young perhaps still? There is greatness to come. Wait a bit.

***(**)

Tasted at Naughton, 23/03/2008

Louis Jadot Pernand-Vergelesses Clos de la Croix Pierre 2003

I first tasted this from barrel in November 2004. It struck me as a bit of a gem. The vineyard is a favourite of the winemaker, Jacques Lardiére and offers great quality at great value. 2003 though, was hot - damn hot. I've ranted here before about it being a terrible waste of money, how it was far too hot for decent wines, how better wines from better vintages could be bought at better prices. There are, of course, exceptions.

-----------------

Quite dark with vague violet on the edge. 

The nose is confusing but enticing. Meaty, with floral edges and a touch of candied cherries more reminiscent of Tuscan sangiovese than Burgundy. Behind the cherries are the cranberries and raspberries and its burgundian roots appear.

Ripe, juicy, red fruits erupt on the palate. This is what a heatwave does to Burgundy - femininity and elegance evaporate and what's left is sexy, perhaps even tarty. The fruit becomes a touch stewed with air - over an hour or so. That doesn't make it bad though. It's more-ish, slightly simple, but incredibly compelling and drinkable with soft, dusty tannins ensuring that it isn't just a one night stand. It lingers longer.

***

Tasted at Luvians Bottleshop 20/3/08

Louis Jadot Côte du Nuits Villages "Le Vaucrain" 2005

What brilliant colour! Vibrant, youthful Burgundy with a touch of violet. 

The nose is both intense and tight knit at the same time. Focused. Raspberries and cranberry fruit edged by newly tanned leather, wild herb and a dash of spice.

The vibrancy of the fruit follows through all the way to the palate. It's almost juicy, but the structure keeps it in - I get the sense that the newly tanned leather of the tannins will soften brilliantly to that fantastic beaten saddle-leather texture that good old Burgundy gets. It's pleasing and more-ish now, with dark, tarry notes on the finish and surprising grip. I think five years or so and this will be truly incredible.

****(*)

Tasted 15/3/08 at Luvians Bottleshop

Crater Rim Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Very pale gold with shimmering silver edges.

Great kiwi sauvignon nose - fresh, crisp green pepper first, then gooseberry and stone fruit - intense aromatics that get the mouth watering.

All that intensity comes through - the crispness, the green peppers, the gooseberries and the fleshy white fruit, but then there's a surprise. A sweet, rounded, rich, mid-palate with fine honey notes and razor balance reminiscent of good German riesling. The finish that follows is long and lovely.

Apparently a percentage of the fruit was late harvested. If so, well done. The margin for error with something like this is daunting, and the winemaker's success has resulted in a cracking New Zealand Sauvignon that manages to stand out from the crowd - no mean feat.

*****

Tasted at South St, 10/3/2008

Lustau Añada 1989 Rich Oloroso

I first tasted this wine at the Lustau bodega in Jerez. It was a charmed holiday and this wine was one of the great surprises along the way. We liked it so much we shipped about a pallet back to Scotland. 

The nose is smoked nuts and marmalade with loads of Christmas spice and fruitcake, candied cherries and butterscotch. Basically, there's a lot going on here, and I'm happy to be a part of it. 

All that came before on the nose follows through on the palate, but moreso. It's extraordinary. Fat, sweet caramel with figs, honey coffee grounds, roasted oranges, cloves and nutmeg all rounded beautifully, with a touch of saddle leather and dusty oak drifting into the long and ephemeral finish. It all happens in check - the structure's remarkable; sweet but never gooey, as some of its PX cousins can be. Delightful.

*****

Tasted often, but most recently 23/2/2008 at Luvians Bottleshop

Louis Jadot 2006 En Primeur Tasting

Burgundy, it turns out, is a fine way to start the day. It's elegant, and provides a lift that bolsters the soul. 

This morning we tried a few selected cask samples from Louis Jadot; offerings from their 2006 vintage. 2006 turns out to have been an odd year - an intense heatwave in July led to fears of a repeat of 2003. A wet August restored balance to the vines and the dry, warm September meant that there was balance and harmony to those who trusted their vines enough not to panic. Whites tend to be sexier and more forward than the reds, and overall it tends to be more of a 'terroir' vintage than 2005. What this means, apparently, is that the more expensive, premier and grand cru vineyards show their mettle, while the lesser wines are not the incredible value and superb quality of the previous year. With 2005 in Burgundy a basic AC Vosne Romaneé from a good producer will be spectacular whereas with 06 you may be better off getting the 1er Cru Beau Monts. If you can afford it. And that's assuming you can find much 05 Burgundy still kicking about - if you can, best of luck to you.

But I digress.

We tasted a nice cross-section of wines - it was not comprehensive. All scores are in brackets - they're cask samples that travelled from Beaune to Scotland and such they're not 100% indicative of the wine to come.

Whites

Louis Jadot Savigny Les Beaune Blanc 1er Cru Les Vergelesses 2006

Soft nose and palate - creamy and supple. There's decent mouthfeel, though no minerality to speak of, while the wood seems unruly at times - especially on the finish. Bit simple. (**)

Louis Jadot Pernand Vergelesses Blanc 1er Cru Clos de la Croix de Pierre 2006

Big, spicy, exotic vanilla and pineapple nose that comes through to the palate - there's a lot going on here. Nicely layered tropical fruit and spice, but still a good underlying elegance and a touch of the ephemeral on the finish. (****)

Louis Jadot Meursault 1er Cru Les Gouttes d'Or 2006

Not showing well at all - flabby, which befalls many a Meursault, but without the compelling sexiness to resurrect it. Is it the sample or the wine? Beaten soundly by the Pernand at half the price. (**?)

Reds

Louis Jadot Chateau Des Jacques Moulin-a-Vent Clos de Rochegrés 2006

An old favourite with an excellent nose of mint, briar and violets that follows through to palate - this is earthy, rustic, well-knit and remarkably deep. Still shocked that gamay does this. The secondaries are remarkable though obscure the primaries slightly. There's little core fruit at the moment, though I assume that will come out with time. It's just too expensive for a Beaujolais though, greatest Beaujolais though it may be. (***?*) - the question mark is due to price.

Louis Jadot Cote de Nuits-Villages 'Le Vaucrain' 2006

The most obviously 'sampled' wine, with a bunch of residual CO2 kicking up a bit of effervescence on the mid-palate. However, there's beautiful purity of fruit and nice secondary notes of tobacco and forest floor - not hugely complex, but lovely nonetheless. (****)

Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Les Avaux 2006

Big, juicy, premier cru Beaune with surprisingly mature integration between the tasty cranberry fruit and oak. Quite more-ish and sexy. (****)

Louis Jadot Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Barre 2006

Far darker fruit on the nose than any so far, with a touch of leather. Beautifully integrated oak with good depth and fine mouth feel. Fine structure. This is going to be a lovely wine. (****)

Louis Jadot Vosne Romaneé 2006

Good fruit and nice balance but a bit dumb. Would like to try it again after bottling (**?)

Louis Jadot Vosne Romaneé 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts 2006

Intense berry fruit on the nose - brooding and perfumed. The finest wine so far today. Integrated, complex and boasting elegant structure. Look forward to following up on this (*****)

Louis Jadot Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuees 2006

Bit dumb - four Chambolle fans in the room looking despondent. There's a hint of more, but it's muted. Must come back to this. (**?)

Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2006

Lovely colour, though the nose is a bit closed - there's a lot of oak as well. Very good length on the palate and remarkable tightness. It's closed, waiting, but not dumb. (****)

Over all the wines tasted lovely. It was not one of those earth-shattering en primeur tastings you read about, with critics scrambling to get down as many adjectives as possible, trying to out-superlative and odd-fruit each other. Instead it seems to be one where you'll have to pick carefully for greatness, if that's what you want. I enjoyed the overall elegance - they weren't showy wines, even the sexy ones. I'd like to have tried some finer whites, but I'm sure I'll get the chance. The wines that excited me weren't the most expensive - the white Pernand and the Vaucrain (£20 and £16 respectively), should they live up to these samples, will be cracking wines at good prices. The outrageous 05 prices mean that people who've been priced out of Burgundy for a year could get some excellent wines at much better prices for 06, but they should choose carefully. 

Vin de Constance 2002

If South Africa has a flagship wine, then this must be it. Its legend dates back three centuries and there are reports of bottles ageing beautifully for over 100 years or more. Once upon a time it stood proudly next to Yquem, the great Tokaji's, and Germany's finest in the pantheon of the world's great dessert wines. 

The first time I tried it I didn't like it. I didn't think it lived up to the hype that the producers, Klein Constantia, were trying to instil in the brand. I thought they were trading on past glories, that their great experiment was doomed to failure, that I would stick to France for great sweet chenin blanc. I don't remember that vintage. It may have been late nineties. 

Trying the 2002 is a very different story. 

Incredibly deep gold, with hints of brass and possibly copper at the core. Delightful brilliance - genuinely beautiful to look at as it captures the light. 

The nose is such that were I only to have smelled it, I could take some small comfort. The nose is beautiful. Spiced marmalade, flint, lemon, heather honey and a touch of marzipan edged with floral perfume and a hint of minerality.  

Honey and marmalade come alive on the palate - such brilliant purity of sweetness and fruit - oranges, lemons and a touch of peach. It isn't flabby though - there's a classic flintiness and minerality that keeps it from all going crazy. It gives structure and texture that makes me want to try this wine with some fantastic food - creamy Loire goat's cheese perhaps, or a tarte citron? The finish lasts a good couple of minutes. It's ridiculously more-ish, and surprisingly elegant, considering the intense concentration of flavours. 

It will keep for a decade or two at least, though I look forward to trying one of their centenarian bottles.

*****

Tasted 31/1/08 at Luvians Bottleshop.

Dönnhoff Riesling 2006

The hype of Germany's 2006 has sent quite a few waves through the wine world. London merchants staged hugely successful en primeur campaigns, selling top wines from top producers at top prices in large quantities. What does it all mean to the average consumer, to whom most German wines are a mystery, who don't know Bernkasteler Doktor or the significance of a gold capsule, or why a half bottle of eiswein is worth over £100 in bond? 

It means a lot. It means a lot because, hopefully, this great vintage and heightened attention will increase the profile of some of the greatest white wines on the planet. As is the norm with these things, it doesn't matter how good the top tier wines are if those at entry level drag their heals. Look at Bordeaux - millions of gallons of unsold garbage sitting in warehouses next to the some of the world's greatest wines selling out before they're bottled. 

So yesterday we opened Dönnhoff's basic Riesling 2006. Dönnhoff's pretty much the best producer in the Nahe and I expected it to be good, as it always is, regardless of vintage. 

I was, we were, blown away. This wine retails at £10.99 and it's incredible value for money. The nose alone gets you salivating. Fleshy white grape, fresh pear and a hint of lime with a fresh effervescence. It tickles. On the back is a hint of flint.

The palate is pinpoint balance between residual sugar and acidity. The fresh, fleshy (though never flabby) fruit continues from the nose - juicy white grapes, pear and a touch of citrus. That incredible acidity cleans the palate leaving you wanting more, lingering on the refreshing minerality. It's bursting with flavour, but never weighty - poised and balanced it manages both sexiness and elegance. Kind of like Scarlett Johansonn in a svelte ball gown but fuck-me pumps and sexy lingerie underneath. 

I look forward to drinking this and many other German 06s over many years to come. 

*****

Tasted at Luvians Bottleshop, 24/1/08

a visit to Coume del Mas

My thumb and forefinger are purple, stained into the grooves of my fingerprints. It's the mark of a tasting in this neck of the woods, and in this case a very good tasting. Phillippe Gard, winemaker and owner of Coume del Mas, is vaulting barrels and stacks of wine cases with a wine-thief, drawing samples, occasionally shouting something about the vintage, the cuveé, wine in general or the region in particular. I try to follow the French, to little avail, though it's all said with such quiet conviction that I feel I understand regardless. My friend Andy translates to help out and sometimes Phillippe switches to English. 

The cáve is perfect. It's January and all things are happening. Stainless steel fermentation tanks line the walls, stained barrels lie here and there and every gap is filled by stacks of crates, the recently bottled vintage preparing for shipping, empty bottles awaiting the bottling truck, rolls of labels not-yet-afixed, flat-packed crates, more packaging, more cases, more barrels - it is a small winery and nothing shows that better than the clutter I see before me. Phillippe apologises for the mess but I couldn't be happier - it's a rare sight, a genuine behind the scenes look, and the wine geek in me drinks it all in. 

All the while the wine thief does its job, and we try some wines.

--------------------------

Coume del Mas Folio 2007

This is always my favourite white of the region. Mouth-filling, waxy white fruit, a touch of clotted cream and a great mineral backbone. Very quaffable. This is barrique aged but then Phillippe takes a sample from one of the stainless steel tanks, telling us it's an experiment. It's tight, with more intense minerality and a more angular structure. I ask if it will be blended with the wine from barrique and Phillippe shrugs. He's constantly experimenting, looking for the best way to express his wines, and he hasn't made his mind up yet.

We then try a rousanne/vermentino blend that's only sold locally - easy drinking table wine, that's a real delight. Fun wine for the porch on a warm summer's day. The effervescence of young white samples excites the palate and readies us for the reds.

Coume del Mas Schistes 2007

Straight from tank, this wine sees no wood, no racking, and as little air or interference as possible. The result is remarkable, especially at this young stage. It is dark purple with vivid edges. The nose is fresh crushed violets, plum and allspice, with wild fresh herbs on the edges. The palate follows through entirely from the nose. The complexity is astounding, as is the depth and darkness - that it is all coming from the fruit (100% very old vine grenache), without any wood, seems daunting. Essence of plums and violets run over stones and pebbles - such brilliant minerality - words like purity and authenticity come to mind. This is a remarkable wine. ***(**)

From then we tried a barrage of barrel samples, compenent batches to be blended into either Quadratur, Abysses, Quintessence or some yet un-named cuvée. Late harvested syrah, old vine carignan, a blend of syrah, mouvedre and carignan. All of them were big, yet that purity of fruit, a total lack of confection, pervaded, as did that backbone minerality, the heart of the region's terroir. 

---------------------------

In a loft in the back of the winery sits a selection of barrels of various sizes. Phillippe explains this is where, when the time is right, his attempt at Banyuls Grand Cru will come from. To blend a great Banyuls Grand Cru is an art few still possess. While the law stipulates that it must simply stay in barrel for three years before achieving Grand Cru status, the reality is more complicated. Selection and blending are paramount to achieve the best results, which can be heavenly on the nose and palate. We sample some of these barrels - glorious honeyed red fruits with still gripping tannins. One particularly wonderful mouvedre from an unfeasibly small barrel nearly brings tears to my eyes. With such incredible components I have no doubt that Phillippe's first Grand Cru will be a triumph. I mention this and the shrugged response is reassuringly honest and humble. 

-----------------------------

Coume del Mas Quadratur 2001

We drank this with a lovely, simple lunch of pasta and fresh truffles at Phillippe Gard's home in the village of Banyuls. 

The nose is christmas spice - cinammon and cloves, fresh woodspice. Wonderful and different. This follows through to palate where those spices balance against rich plum and forest fruit. It's a remarkable fine wine, complex and rustic, beautiful to sip, brilliantly structured. A total sensory delight - as good excuse as needed to lay Quadratur down for a good few years. 

*****

-------------------------

I left lunch with the sense of excitement one gets knowing that the best is yet to come. Phillippe Gard makes great wines, that much is true, but he's not content to stand still. That can only be a good thing, and I look forward to trying what comes next.

Stella Bella Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

We tasted this sample in Luvians on a slow, hungover Wednesday in January. Wines have to work hard on such days. They need to provide lift, they need to be authentic. We're bored already, we don't want anything else to bore us. 

Sadly, the Stella Bella bored us. 

It's nose was dense, brooding, quite powerful but undefined. It smelled like a big red. Blind I would have said it was Australian... and red. The blackcurrant from the cabernet overwhelms any cherry notes from the sangiovese. 

We spoke about the palate for a good 15 - 20 minutes. It was big, unctuous and again, blackcurrants overwhelmed some of the subtler notes. The sangiovese came through on the finish, with a green tannin bitter bite that stands as a hallmark for new world pinot noir and sangiovese that's been overextracted. That said, it isn't a terrible wine - it bears hallmarks of quality. But it's faults leave it exposed. There are better wines from this part of the world at this price. It's uniqueness, as a sangiovese blend from Western Oz, is undermined by it not being a good sangiovese from Western Oz. Most of our chat was apologetic, searching for plus points, rather than shouting about them. 

That's not a good sign.

**

Chambolle Musigny Les Fuees, JF Mugnier, 2000

The colour is why I love Burgundy - one of the reasons anyway. That perfect pale brilliance that deceives you. You think it's going to be wishy-washy, but the brilliance gives it away. It generates it's own light. 

The nose is more feel than flavour, fruit essence rather than defined - red fruit flower water, if such a thing exists. Perfumed and incredibly sexy.

The palate is sensuous, beautifully textured with wonderful mouthfeel, but the fruit's a touch muted. As though it is entirely ephemeral. Lovely, elegant, sexy, yet simple in the pleasure it gives, though not a simple wine. Pinpoint perfect fine Burgundy, though quite a shock to the system after barrel samples of old vine carignan, old vine grenache and several samples of fine Banyuls earlier in the day.

****

Tasted in Collioure, 11/1/2008

Quadratur, Coume del Mas, 2003

The colour displays deep purple or ruby, depending on the angle of the light. It's still dark to the core, but brilliant nonetheless and bearing more translucency than a couple of years ago. 

The nose is pure, driven, perfect old vine grenache - ripe plum and blueberry fruit wrapped in dark woodspice, forest floor and tar aromas. Well balanced on all counts and hugely inviting.

All the fruit and peripheral notes from the nose come through on the palate - it's beautiful. Ripe plums, blueberries and bramble fruit with such intensity and purity - avoiding the stewed, overcooked aspects prevalent elsewhere in the vintage. Then that dark earthiness comes through, rich, tactile and gripping. The tannins are becoming supple. This is about pleasure - it's sensuous. Mouthfeel is a tad suede and velvet, lending to its more-ishness. The structure isn't rigid but it also isn't lacking. This is great stuff - a definitive example of fine grenache and a fine wine in general. 

*****

Tasted at Luvians Bottleshop, St Andrews 7/1/2007

10 Year Old Boal Reserve, Barbeito

God I love Madeira. Really. Well, Barbeito's Madeiras certainly - I think other houses may be ruined for me as Barbeito's wines are just so bloody good. They set the bar so high that I doubt any of their wines that I've tasted would get less that 4 stars. So without further ado...

The colour is a mix of polished amber and brass. It seems to glow from within, but not in a creepy unnatural way.

The nose is incredibly nutty, with a touch of smoke and a hint of honey, maple syrup and dried fruit.

Maple syrup, pecans and almonds pervade the palate with quince jelly and a dusty saddlewood mouthfeel. There's a touch of the coast on the edges - a hint of salt. It is beautifully balanced - sweet but never cloying. Delightful.

****(*?)

Tasted at Luvians Bottleshop

End of Year Dinner @ Naughton

It's been a year of not-enough-fine-wine. In order to address this imbalance myself and some friends ate and drank some brilliant drops last night.

Taittinger Comte de Champagne 1971

Colour's a light brass with gold highlights. Still remarkably youthful with lively streamers of tiny, pinpoint perfect bubbles rising to the surface.

The nose is full of candied peaches and apricots with a spicy darkness on the edges - allspice, cloves and a touch of nutmeg.

The candied apricots really come through on the palate - it's a remarkable and lovely fruitiness. The mousse guides the structure of the palate beautifully. This definitely 'older' than when tasted last, but wiser too. A brilliant example of well-aged champagne. There's still an incredible lifting freshness at its core. Particularly suited to the exceptional recording of Gerschwin's Rhapsody in Blue playing in the background. Further air brings on a malty oatiness and fantastic texture with luxurious mouthfeel - rich, butter roasted chestnuts. The finish goes on and on.

*****

Disaster - sommelier series vintage champagne glass loses fight with a Breitling and the kitchen table, criminally taking almost a full glass of this wonderful wine with it. Tragedy.

Musigny Grand Cru, JF Mugnier, 1995

Colour is pale ruby, pure to its core and truly brilliant,

The nose is heavenly - aromatic, perfumed and pervading - heady and sensuous. Classically something that you just can't put your finger on...

The palate starts quite big and boisterous - loud even, trumpeting away with vibrant, high tensile red fruit that gives way entirely to mouthfeel and sensuous sexiness. It coats the mouth and finishes with a gentle grip. As it opens it achieves harmony and balance - the opening no longer boisterous but beautiful. There's elegance, earth and beauty all rolled into one and as they all come together it is true vinous glory.

*****

Ducru Beaucaillou 1983

Colour is SO dark for the age - deep purple with not fading on the rim.

The nose is tight - when it does open it's big but lacking definition. A faceful of black fruit and tar. 

The palate is much the same - big and brash with a tight tannic background that trips towards green. Sweet fruit and forest floor but not a lot in between. The fruit's a bit stewed. Nice, but not going to get any better from the taste of things. Outclassed this evening.

***

Taylor's 1963

Colour is tawny with a touch of rust. 

The nose is welcoming and more-ish - little fruit but lots of peripheries: mint, eucalyptus, damsons and sloes. Autumn fruit.

The palate is incredible - it lasts forever and there's much that goes on in the meantime. Luscious, silky, long and incredible. Bit hot on the end though.

****(*)

Tasted at Naughton 28/12/2007

Pio Cesare Barbaresco 2001

Colour - The perfect ruby of young-ish nebbiolo, still translucent at the core.

Nose - Heady and rustic with piercing red and black cherries surrounded in tar and rain on hot asphalt. Brooding. Brilliant.

Palate - Everything the nose promised and more. Still incredibly rustic but at the same time beautifully structured. The mouthfeel is leather and tar with woodspice and a bit of creaminess as well. Brilliant acidity and bright, clean fruit coming through more and more. Fantastic with the meal (Roast Mediterranean veg and sausage casserole) and just kept getting better as the night went on.

*****

A bit of a break and Louis Jadot Moulin-a-Vent Chateau Des Jacques 2004

There's no excuse for my long absence from tasting notes. I certainly haven't stopped drinking wine. I just haven't been writing it down. Apologies.

I recently tried a cheap Argentinian white - a Chenin- Semillon blend bottled under stelvin. It was corked. Well, it was tainted with TCA. I suppose it's not technically corked if it doesn't have a cork in it. I've been pondering that for awhile and will have a rather long rant about it in the near future.

In the meantime, I'm delighted to say that the Chateau des Jacques 2004 is tasting spectacular and should be drunk at every available opportunity. It's a perfect roast chicken wine. Soft raspberry and strawberry fruit with a nice earthy backbone. Rustic and elegant - certainly not your average Beaujolais.

Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St-Jacques 2000 Domaine Denis Mortet

There's a touch of rust on the rim but the core is deep Burgundy - fantastic actually.

The nose is heady, meaty with a touch of blood before the strawberries come through, with a hint of cherries and black forest gateaux, cocoa shavings on the finish.

My goodness I love good Burgundy. All the fine aspects of the nose come through beautifully, the strawberries turning to cherry, fleshing out into the gateaux and cocoa - the structure is perfect, and almost imperceptible its so good. Very good acidity. Tannins are incredibly supple. Wonderful - drink now and for the next 5-10 years. In large quantities.

Sometimes I really miss Luvians.

*****

Tasted 12/5/07 at Luvians Bottleshop, St Andrews

Palandri Estate Merlot 2002

The colour's saturated purple. It's not soupy, but seems like it should be. Does that make sense? It's dense basically - big extraction.

Earthy, cooked plums dominate the nose but there's a touch of cassis there as well. Very sweet and a bit cloying.

Very juicy fruit on the palate - sweet plums and blackcurrant - dense and unctuous. The tannins are there, but not aggressive: they're soft but not delicate. It's mouthfilling and almost flabby but not. I actually really like it. And I don't generally like merlot unless it's from Pomerol and, well, expensive. But this isn't bad. And it's Australian. Weird.

****

Tasted 4/5/07 at Edinburgh Wine Merchants

Beaune 1er Cru Les Gréves 2002 Nicholas Potel

Classic Burgundian colour with a hint of lavender purple in the right light.

The nose is feminine, floral to start then juicy red fruit, crushed raspberries and cranberries followed by a touch of earth.

The palate is classic Beaune - fresh, luscious red summer fruits knit with tight structure - the fruit is all mid-palate, then there's the backbone - a bit of soft wood, supple tannins and a bit of green (cherry pips?) leading into a nice, though slightly short, finish. Good, but not great - expected more from the vintage.

***(*?)

Tasted at Edinburgh Wine Merchants 4/5/07

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1997 Conti Constanti

Colour is brilliant crimson, giving off vivid light that dances on the table beneath it. Honest.

The nose is rose water, cherries and hot tar - it's a beguiling nose - there's a hint of bloodiness about it. It's an incredible mixture of rustic and elegant.

The palate is more of the same - ephemeral herbal and floral notes dancing around a pure, almost juicy, cherry and cranberry fruit with plenty of zing. There's tight acidity there as well with a good tannic backbone that's just beginning to soften. Amazing with the pasta (which was amazing itself if I'm totally honest).

It's interesting to mark the development of this wine. The first time I tried it was summer of '03, and it was awesome but rambunctious, needing time. The second time was in '05, and the palate was beautiful but the nose confused and almost unpleasant. This last time was delightful but I couldn't help but feel it was about to go to sleep for a wee while. I'll come back to it in '09.

****(*)

Tasted at Naughton 28/4/07

Chateau Les Ormes de Pez 2003

Colour: Saturated, opaque purple, almost impenetrable.

Nose: Ripe fruit with a smoky edge. There's a hint of jam and heat.

Palate: Typical of the vintage. Incredibly ripe fruit knit well with the tannins and then the heat kicks in, burnt charcoal and toast ruins the finish. It's almost as though someone set fire to green tannins. I don't see those burnt edges toning down at all - the fruit may settle and the tannins may soften, but that burnt aspect, like green tannins, just won't go away.

**
Tasted 15/4/07 at Edinburgh Wine Merchants

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1996

Colour: Shows almost no sign of age. Intense brilliance through the crimson/black core.

Nose: Unlike anything I'm familiar with - INTENSE cassis and mint (blind - Mouton perhaps?) with wild fresh herbs, fresh chopped cedar - everything about it is alive, breathing.

Palate: Everything the nose promises and more - the fruit is remarkably pure and intense - cassis and blackberry in sweet harmony, backed by the mint, herbs and cedar. Such power and elegance. Behind it all is a blind spot - a darkness that needs time to open, as it matures the perfume and saddle leather and glories of age will arrive. One of the finest young wines I have ever drunk. One of the finest wines I've ever drunk.

*****(*?)
Yes, that's a potential six stars. If Broadbent can do it, so can I.

Tasted at Naughton 03/07

Pol Roger Chardonnay 1996

Colour: vibrant gold with just a hint of green and rapid, tiny bubbles.

Nose: Apples, lime and clotted cream - there's a slight hint of toast and honey.

Palate: Fresh, youthful and vivacious, crisp fruit - apples with a touch of lemon. The mousse is exceptional, filling the mouth entirely with its fruit. There's a touch of minerality and toast on the edges leading to a long finish, excellent acidity and structure. A long and fantastic life ahead of it.

****(*)

Tasted 03/07 at Naughton

Tinto da Anfora 2005

The colour is deep, a brooding, bruised purple with a touch of ruby on the rim.

The nose is brambles and forest floor with edges of roasted herbs and a hint of chocolate.

The palate is the best of the nose - this is an exceptionally well-rounded wine for the price. Rustic and mouthfilling without being overbearing. The bramble and cassis fruit are pure and juicy, without confection, held up by good acidity while backed by fantastic dark tones and well-rounded tannins. That dark edge seems to be a hallmark of well-made Portuguese reds, much like chocolate cherries mark well-made Italians.
The finish lingers - all for £7.25? Bargain.

****
Tasted several times at Bonnytoun Cottages over the last few weeks.

Overdue

No, I have not stopped drinking wine. I just keep losing my tasting notes. Fortunately (or not) I've found a few kicking about and will have some updates later today.

On a side note, I'd just like to say that almost every 2003 vintage wine from the entire Eurasian continent suffered from the heat, and any smartarse wine writer that tries to tell you different is lying. The reds taste like burnt toast (honest - Italy, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône, you name it - burnt toast), and the whites taste like someone dropped a vodka depth charge in a glass of 5 Alive (or whatever fruit juice that particular varietal or blend most resembles). There are a few exceptions (Jadot), but it's such a minefield and the wines are so expensive that I don't think it's worth it. 01s are a bargain, as are 02s (be careful with Italy on the latter) and 04s are proving pleasant. Fuck 03. Overhyped and overpriced - a perennial disappointment.

Silly Tasting Dinner

The Naughton Dining Club met last evening and drank some extraordinarily fine wines and cognacs.

Krug 1995

Colour: A deep, dark gold. Darker than expected, considering it's a new release.

Nose: The nose is dominated by pinot noir - beautiful and luscious but focussed, tightly knit. There's toast and scones on the edges with notes of sweet citrus.

Palate: Possibly the best young Krug I have ever tasted (at eleven years!). Beautifully structured - luscious and sexy but with elegance and poise. The mouthfeel is superb and the mousse is in perfect balance. The table agrees - this is a great wine. Pete C is doing grannie impressions. Very long, lingering finish. Brilliant start to the evening.

*****
It's so good now - I'm not sure what it will age like. I don't even know if I want it to age well. Because I don't want to wait to drink it.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1997

Colour: Fitting of its age - still deep, but not impenetrable - slight lightening on the rim.

Nose: There's just so much one can take. The nose is remarkable, almost sensory assault - it justifies the reputation and status as a first growth. Powerful, yet elegant and boasting remarkable purity - piercing blackcurrant and blueberry wrapped in cedar wppd. cigar box, forest floor and hints of mint. The table's in rapture.

Palate: After the nose, the palate's something of a disappointment. The wood's a bit more aggressive and the secondaries overpower the fruit. But this is nit-picking. There's beautiful stuff here, the palate carresses, the fruit comes forward with air and it's lovely. Just not quite up to what the nose suggests. Perhaps it needs another five or so years?

***(*?)
The nose is five stars, the palate's three and somewhere with age they might meet.

Solengo 1999

Colour: Beautifully brilliant - deep ruby though slight lightening at the rim.

Nose: Rain on hot asphalt, tar & charcoal with dark, candied cherries.

Palate: Incredible with the bolognese. This is a food wine in spite of its super tuscan status. Rustic in the most wonderful way. Old school but not overbearing. Rich, toasty cherry fruit with some spice notes as well. Brilliant night, meal and company.

*****

Hennessy XO

Nose: Big, gooey and caramely (yes, that's what I wrote)

Palate: Big dark & sticky and quite nice with the chocolate - burnt butter & butterscotch, though slightly hot and untempered on the finish.

***

Hennessy Paradis

Nose: Soft roasted caramel and butterscotch with cloves and allspice.

Palate: Elegance with sexiness. Brilliant with choc and far superior to the XO. Poise, balance and beauty. The heat is soothing. Christmas spice and fruitcake. Gloriously supple. I love this. Lingering, gentle finish.

*****

Richard Hennessy

Nose: Candy spiced cloves with cinnamon - perfumed and elegant with a hint of citrus

Palate: Massive but totally in control. Far bigger and brasher than the Paradis. The component parts, large though they are, are in perfect harmony. Very fruity on the mid-palate. Extraordinary complexity. This is remarkable, but very, very expensive. Hence it loses a star.

****

We drank an excellent oloroso as well, but my notes for that are almost illegible. Then Kirsty D made gin & tonics, distracting us from raiding the cellar in a state unsuitable to appreciate any more fine wine.

shiny and new

Enjoy the new design. The wine hasn't changed.

Anselmi Capitel Croce 2001

Colour: Deep, tarnished gold - nice brilliance to it.

Nose: Heady & honeyed with a bit of minerality in the background.

Palate: Really quite rich, great honey and roast melon flavours, pushing almost towards sweetness. The minerality from the nose forms a backbone, giving it good structure. Perhaps the odd bortytis note. Excellent with both the mussels and roast chicken - mouth filling and with a long finish. Aged well, though I miss the freshness that it has in its youth.

****

Tasted at Manuel House 27/9/2006

Chablis William Fevre 2005

Colour: very pale yellow with edges of green and gold.

Nose: citrus zest and fantastic flinty, chalky, minerality that suggests a hint of smoke.

Palate: everything the nose promises but more - the fruit is tightly knit, moreish but not sweet, held in line by fantastic minerality that leads to a long and complex finish. This is intelligent drinking wine. And if you know what I mean by that, then you'll like it too. To think of the rubbish Aussie/Kiwi/Southern French/Anywhere-In-The-World chardonnay that you could pay more for that would be samey, oaky, vanilla bollocks. I like this wine. I will drink more of it. But not tonight.

***** (Remember on the third note of this blog I said that star ratings are relative to the wine - this is no Montrachet, nor do I claim it is, but for a basic Chablis this is a gem, and worth five stars)

Tasted 13/9/2006 at Manuel House

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Vertical

These wines were tasted at an event hosted by the Earl & Countess of Elgin, Broomhall, Fife, on behalf of Pol Roger UK

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1996
Colour - pale gold with glimmering yellow edges.
Nose - heady, with fresh apple, hints of apricot and mango touched by a bit of toast and caramel.
Palate - luscious, fresh fruit, well structured - restrained and refined on the edges. There's a touch of the exotic and superb underlying richness. The mousse is vigorous but elegant.This will be incredible with time, but is delicious now.
****(*)

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1995
Colour - greener on the edges than the '96 - and disgorged only 4 1/2 months before it.
Nose - subdued. Notes of brie and grape skins with a hint of spice, but not open.
Palate - sleeping. The fruit and secondaries are dumb at the moment, making the mousse a bit overpowering. Needs 2 years to wake up.
**(**?)

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1993
Colour - far deeper gold, maturity here is evident.
Nose - rich, mature notes - the fruit is candied and there are wild mushrooms on toast as well.
Palate - very nice depth and richness, the nose follows through, but ageing quickly. The finish comes to a bit of a halt. Drink soon and with food.
***

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1990
Colour - Slightly lighter than the '93, with excellent brilliance and lively bubbles.
Nose - still very fresh, with apples and a bit of citrus. On the edges the age presents itself; toasty, mushroomy notes.
Palate - late adolescence, a bit drowsy - still fresh and vibrant enough for oysters, but with a pleasant richness that would suit foie gras. It's lovely, but not yet at its potential. Lay down for another 2 or 3 years.
***(**)

Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 1988 (from Jeroboam)
Colour - deceptively youthful, bright polished gold.
Nose - honey-fried mushrooms with fresh fritter batter & candied fruits.
Palate - exceptional. Lovely pastel fruit - gleeful and moreish with exceptional richness, though I don't think the depth of the nose has been released yet. Very sexy and moreish though. Would have happily drunk it all night.
****(*) - It would be 5 stars flat out, but I really think it's going to get better.

Tasted 5/9/2006 at Broomhall

Salon Vertical

At the beginning of May, myself and fellow Naughton Dining Club founder Pete Crawford travelled to the Great North Eastern Hotel by Liverpool Street to taste my favourite Champagne, Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil. Corney and Barrow hosted the tasting; a dinner with a selection of vintages to match the different courses. Overall, I was unimpressed. Not with the wines, but with the course selection and the behaviour of some of our hosts. With tickets priced at £200 per head, I feel I'm allowed to nitpick on the finer details. Salon make superb, beautiful wines that only get better when matched with the right food. As such they deserve food that highlights the best of the wine. It is not the place for a chef to throw down a gauntlet to the wine, or worse, ignore it entirely.

The two reps at the table seemed intent on corralling opinion, making what were blatantly bad choices seem inspired and relentlessly going for the hard sell, not just on Salon, but on C & B's entire list. This felt inappropriate. I didn't pay £200 for you to sell me something, I paid £200 for the wine to sell itself.

The highlights of the evening were the exceptional canapés, served with Delamotte (Salon's sister house) Blanc de Blancs NV and the chat from winemaker Didier Depond - a lovely man clearly enthusiastic about his job and product. He's rightfully proud of the wines he crafts.

Delamotte Blanc de Blancs NV
One of the stars of the evening. Clean & fresh and very moreish - ideal to start the evening. Luscious citrus fruits curbed by joyous effervescence. Lively, but not overly so. An incredibly fun and drinkable drop.
****

Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 1997
Nose is a bit metallic, then toasty. The fruit is subdued, more texture on the edges. The palate is all about mouth-feel, and the texture is lovely, supple & subtle. Not a great deal of depth but lovely nonetheless. The scallops bring the citrus out a bit more.
***

Salon 1996
The nose is pure mineral brilliance with lemon on the edges. Floral notes follow. Eventually toast but not brioche as of yet. The palate is large - larger and more forward than expected. The tart zing on the finish is typical young Salon - I think that may be to do with the recent disgorging. Amazingly, with air, it becomes younger, more vibrant acidity, the toast retreating to a more lees-y flavour - incredible complexity and length with great texture and minerality. Fantastic now, but far greater with age.
***(**)

Salon 1988
This was served with fillet steak and an incredibly rich jus with caramelised onions, a gross disservice to the wine. It held its own, barely, but shouldn't have had to - how much better would this have been with a fine seafood course or even game bird? I won't know. Throughout the meal people marvelled at how the wine stood up to the meat. This irked me. It shouldn't have to stand up to it, it should compliment it and be complimented by it.

The nose has an edge of toasted caramel but again flinty, minerally, still youthful and very, very sexy. The palate is voluptuous and every bit as sexy as I remember - the bang comes at the finish, or the beginning of the finish - the forward palate is still a bit subdued. Mouth-filling and luscious and like the palate, very, very sexy. The texture and secondaries are well knit and there's great nuttiness. Great memories as well, from the first time I tried it.
****(*)

Salon 1976 from magnum
And now to the greatest crime of the evening. This fantastic wine, one very dear to me as it's my birth year and tied with Dom Perignon 1966 as the greatest champage I've ever tried, was served with dessert. A fresh mango based dessert that had no place next to a 30 year-old champagne. It's simple chemistry - the sugar in the dessert overcomes whatever sugar remains in the wine and strips it down to its acidity. You're not tasting the wine as it's meant to be drunk. As such, what was the greatest wine of the night was treated as a curiosity - with people questioning its age-worthiness and quality. These notes were written tasting around the dessert.

Nose of lovely wild mushrooms laced with honey & butterscotch - there's a dark cocoa powder kind of nose coming through as well. The palate seems to be sleeping. Will come back after dessert.
Coming back to it... incredibly dry - fruits dried apricots, peaches, roast lemons and lime come out with air. Incredible fruit considering the age. Layered and textured with the opulence of great white burgundy but with the tightness, structure and minerality of great Alsace Riesling. This wine, like myself hopefully, will age for many, many years to come. Possibly more youthful than the 96. Quite amazing. Does not go with the dessert, which annihilates any richness.
*****

Quite a few people walked away wondering what the fuss was about. With so much emphasis placed on how ageworthy Salon was, to pair the two oldest vintages so poorly defies belief. Would they have paired Le Montrachet with sticky toffee pudding? No. Well, after that, I'm not so sure. They all seemed so caught up in selling the wines they forgot about the wine itself.

a little glimpse at heaven

I have been dipping my toes back into the wine trade recently. Tastings with Isabel Estate from New Zealand and Finca Allende from Spain, courtesy of Fields, Morris & Verdin, have been interesting, both for the wines and the surroundings. I will get around to posting my tasting notes eventually, but first I wanted to share a little pic I took surrepticiously while rooting around the Berry Brothers cellar after the Allende tasting.

First of all, the cellars were incredible. Every nook and cranny held ancient, crusted bottles that would never appear on their list - they existed simply to be drunk eventually by directors with visiting VIPs. Neck tags, not labels, described their contents and I remembered why wine fascinates me so much, why I've bankrupted myself several times over in the fervent desire to taste the sublime, and sometimes the disappointing. So what, in this web of catacombs, could pound my heart like a gong? Well, it was a selection of ancient Tokaji Essence, dating from the start of the 20th century. I didn't really have time to check all the vintages and feared I would get in trouble for taking a shot, but they were a sight to behold. It was sad to see them caged up. I'd be more than happy to take part in their liberation.

Chateau Giscours 1988

Colour - that beautiful transluscence that claret gets when its just come of age, but still deep, dark blood red with no amber and great brilliance.

The nose is hedonistic and forward with fruit - cherries and cassis with a roast herb earthiness in the background that dwindles to a nice perfume.

The palate is quite full and sexy - great fruit, again with cherries and cassis - pretty juicy stuff on the mid-palate. The tannins are supple and pure velvet. Fantastic mouthfeel compliments the fruit - the herbs on the nose are more subtle in the mouth, coming through on the finish with some violet undertones. Not the most deep or complex fine wine but still more balance and elegance than some superstars you'd find at twice the price. Ace, actually.

****

Tasted at Manuel House 29/6/2006

more notes soon

There are some more champagne tasting notes to come, just got to get myself organised.

Which is more difficult that it should be.

And then the Champagnes

Bollinger R.D. 1982

A deep burnt gold that catches the sun gloriously.

There's a bit of smokiness & richness with a bit of cooked peaches of all things.

Big & boisterous palate with quite a hyper mousse. Very dry, some really nice, earthy mushroomy flavours. Might need food. Good long finish.

***

Louis Roederer Cristal 1979

Molten gold and luminous in the late afternoon light. Active tiny bubbles.

Custard creams on the nose with citrus edges - burnt orange as well. Very creamy.

The palate is enhanced by the finest mousse of any champagne I have ever experienced - a beautiful, elegant, tickle - an amazing sensory experience. The fruit is perfumed, almost like orange flower water, it's elegant and balanced in the true sense of the words. There's loads of sweet incense & bits of smoke - sort of like good pinot gris. All coated in rich devon clotted cream. The finish lingers on - an amazing wine.

*****

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1976

The colour is polished brass with gold flecks

Nose is very creamy with good floral notes. Slight hints of creamy cheese as well.

Palate has a wonderful, rich, sweet creaminess - very sexy. The fruit has edges of mango chutney. Amazing length - both luscious and fun and much better than the last time tasted.

*****

All tasted at Naughton 23/4/06

Barolo Pio Cesare 1977

Colour's lovely rust & amber with a still-crimson core - classic aged Barolo.

Nose is leather and tar with a bit of smoke and dried cherries.

The palate's impressive cherry fruit is laced by dark, supple tannins. Very dry and splendid with the roe deer.

****(*?)

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Vougeot 1er Cru Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot Monopole

Nose has lovely pastel notes with aromatic smoke on the edges; must be the miniscule Pinot Gris & Blanc that go into the cuvée.

Palate is lovely, with well-balanced oak and lemon and melon notes lingering on the palate. Most impressive, especially as it followed 7 vintages of port.

****

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Graham’s 2000

Impenetrable crimson with purple rim.

The nose is meat, blood & violets.

The palate is extraordinarily balanced - this has a wonderful future ahead.

**(***)

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Graham’s 1994

Colour opaque purple with a violet rim, clearly still youthful

Nose very meaty and gamey.

Palate is very forward and quite sexy. Hugely approachable, making me a tad suspicious. I’m not sure if it will have the staying power of the ’55 or even the ’70. But a lovely drop nonetheless. Sometimes you need a porno wine.

***

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Graham’s 1985

Colour – Still opaque but not for much longer

Nose – slightly dead; I think there may be some form of taint.

Palate – as muted as the nose. I think there’s something wrong with this and it’s a shame, for I have many fond and beautiful memories of this wine. When it’s on form, it’s *****, sadly, it gets nary a star today.

No stars

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Tasted again 24/4/06 - the extra time had done wonders and once again it was **** or *****. Weird, huh? Of course, sadly, it had been open a bit too long at that point.

Graham’s 1970

Deep, dark crimson with a shade of purple at the core – very sexy looking

Nose – There is a dark, deep brooding to this nose – dark forest fruits, earth and maybe a bit of sweet candied brambles. There’s a hint of slight heat on the end.

Palate – quite enormous, rambunctious fruit, the sweetness beautiful and pure, the tannins supple and elegant. There is a touch of heat but it’s still a favourite and the heat is tamed by food.

*****

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Graham’s 1966

Colour is light crimson with hints of rust

Nose- quite hot and a bit syrupy

Palate – bit too simple for my liking and there seems to be something out of kilter between the tannins and the fruit. Slightly disjointed but still pleasant.

***

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Graham’s 1960

Colour similar to the ’55 but less pink

The nose is simple, broody with real meaty notes

The palate is slightly more sweet and a tad simple compared to the 55 – more pure fruit, less tannin, less complexity. Possibly more fun, but loses something with air. Any other time it would have delighted. In this company it’s a bit of a disappointment.

**

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Graham’s 1955

The colour of crushed strawberries

The nose is tremendously elegant – strawberries, forest floor, rustic notes and then something deeper, darker, and slightly spicy with a touch of licorice

The palate is remarkable, vigorous, intense and with focused fruit. The tannins still grip but have a lithe quality. As it develops a dark backbone emerges, deep spices and black licorice serve as a foil to the fruit, balancing the sweetness and bringing remarkable length and complexity. A monumental wine.

*****

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Dom Perignon 1988

Colour – pale gold with small, fast bubbles and hints of green at the edges

Nose – intense lemon nose with effervescent minerality on the edges, coated by light butterscotch notes as well

Palate – intensely juicy with tight citrus fruit. There is a mineral backbone that gives great structure and lends a bit of seriousness to the proceedings. There’s fun there as well – loads going on, in fact. Will become more luscious with time. Wonderful!

*****

Tasted at Naughton 22/4/06

Moet & Chandon 1943

– last vintage that Moet & Dom Perignon were the same cuvee

Colour – unpolished brass with lingering sediment.

Nose – sherried

Palate – Weird; there are some notes of dry, aged Riesling – still technically wine but well passed its best. Oddly, the structure is still rigid and tight, it’s just everything else has fallen down around it. Would have been interesting to add some current vintage to give it a bit of mousse.

No stars

Tasted at Naughton 21/4/06

Chateau Ausone 1988

Colour is deep & bloody, but no amber on the edges, rather crimson

Nose has pure perfumed elegance, sweet herbs, cherries & blackberries

Palate – silk & velvet texture in perfect harmony with the quite luscious though elegant fruit – great mineral backbone to it – elegant structure with a whispering dovetail finish that lingers beautifully.

Very happy I have 2 more bottles.

*****

Tasted at Naughton 21/4/06

Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 1988

Colour – Pure gold, amazing brilliance with tiny, fast bubbles

Nose – Vibrant, slightly floral notes – light heather & hint of mint with a core of honeyed butter

Palate – Delightful, luscious, compelling juicy fruit – reminiscent of its blended sibling. Manages to be both serious & fun at the same time – great depth with a good, rich, mouth-filling finish. Will mature gracefully, but I fantastic now.

*****

Tasted at Naughton 21/4/06

Veuve Clicquot 1961

Colour: Tarnished brass with brilliant flecks of gold. Slow bubbles rise lazily from the bottom of the glass. A wine relaxed in its maturity.

Nose: A bit heady and dare I say past it? Quiet notes of mushroom but there's something a bit too aged about it.

Palate: Quite remarkable considering the nose. Rich, butter-fried wild mushrooms with hints of caramel and butterscotch. This is rich and mouth-filling and quite fantastic. Sadly, the finish shows too much age with some strange acidity kick-back coming through, though this may have been contained by food. When good, exceptional, but there are balance issues.

***(**) Probably 5 stars 10 years ago

Tasted 14/4/06 at Naughton

Ch Lagrange 1995

Bloody corked bloody bottle. Somewhere beneath the musty rubbish was probably a very good wine.

(taster grumbles to himself and pours an uncorked pint of Fuller's ESB)

Tasted 6/4/06 at Staithe House

Hermitage La Chapelle Jaboulet 1994

Nose has sweet cedar with a bit of smoke and deep, brooding cherry notes that fade slowly to a pot pourri of red fruit with a hint of dark chocolate.

The palate is both massive and elegant. Big, beautiful luscious juicy fruit balanced by a backbone of subtle, soft tannins - the purity of fruit is reminiscent of fine Burgundy, though the Rhone comes through in the focused finish that lasts for ages. With air loads of secondaries start coming through; roasted herbs, meat, licorice, all tightly knit and well structured. Pure, clean and elegant and quite wonderful with the lamb. I'm very, very happy I have another bottle.

*****

Tasted 4/4/06 at Staithe House

Chateau Guiraud 1999

Nose - burnt honey & lime on the nose with rich, nose-filling caramel notes. There's a hint of summer hay as well.

Palate - An eclectic mixture of honey & burnt caramel with roast lime - good mid-palate richness and a lot of depth. Well balanced but unctuous and decadent to boot. Finish is long and more elegent than the mid-palate suggests

****

Tasted 1/4/06 at Staithe House

Chateau Domaine de L'Eglise 1995

Nose - bit of smoke on the nose with nice, plummy blackcurrant & forest floor and sweet herbs on the end.

Palate - there's a bit of acidity at the back - tamed by the food and really quite nice; classic claret and more left bank than right bank. Good backbone; the fruit seems a bit lean to start but opens up, especially with food. Goes from being rather good to fantastic. Second bottle opened seemed a bit more harmonious. Long finish with the tannins just beginning to soften. Long life

***(*)

Tasted 1/4/06 at Staithe House

Chateau Coutet 1994

Nose has a real lemon sherbert tang with a dash of botrytis dirtiness and a touch of eucalyptus.

Palate has nicely balanced sugar and acidity - tangy lemon and lime notes with a bit of acacia honey sweetness - really good minerality running through it as well. Nice long finish - hints of spiciness. Good layered complexities; not overly unctuous, possibly a bit thin?

***(*)

PS Really enjoyed it but my critical palate may be astray at the moment - 4 star enjoyment, 3 if I'm being strict.

Tasted 31/3/06 at Staithe House

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Vertical Tasting - Held at the Seafood Restaurant St Andrews, 22 December 2005

1959
Toasted butter & mushroom nose with a hint of sherry. Mousse looks perfect; tiny bubbles. The palate is lovely, rich & long. Fine, luscious texture that goes brilliantly with the smoked salmon. *****

1961
More citrus on the nose than the '59 - fresher, though there's a suppleness as well. The palate is very sexy with elegance but a bit more simple than the '59. Mousse a bit more active. There's a note of age on the finish. ****

1964
Sadly past it. Very little mousse. Not terrible, but not there anymore. Especially compared to the older wines. *

1971
Colour is vibrant and fresh, with fast, tiny bubbles. Freshness continues to the nose, which is fantastic: that perfect balance of fruit and buttery biscuits. The palate is an explosion - candied oranges & pears with toasty edges and amazing length. Awesome. *****

1976
The colour is older than the '71. Bit more brass. The nose is rich and toasty, as is the palate - rounded, mouth-filling and brilliant. Not as sexy as the '71, but possibly more complex and refined. Lovely with the cod. *****

1982
Fresh yeast on the nose, with lemon sherbert as well - rich and boisterous palate but slightly untamed. I think this needs a bit of time. ***(*)

1988
Really fun nose & palate - this is just moving from being a serious youthful champagne to being a very serious aged champagne. The fruit is dominant and the secondary flavours haven't quite some forward yet. Lovely. ***(*)

1990
Active mousse with perfumed nose - quite lemony & tangy. Palate is beautifully rounded with a great, long finish. *****

1995
Fresh & zesty with hints of greatness to come. The fruit is already knitting with the secondaries, so if you almost chew the wine you can get a sense of its future. ***(**)

1996 (from magnum)
Incredibly tight-knit. This has years to go (especially in large format), but I look forward to monitoring its progress. **(***)

This tasting was put on by The Naughton Dining Club with kind help from The Seafood Restaurant St Andrews.

Apologies...

I've not updated in awhile. Partly because I'm not a wine merchant anymore. But I will; there's a massive pile of untyped notes that I brought with me down to London just so that i could update this blog. And to type into my database. So anyway, it will be awhile because I'm in Ireland for a week.

Vigne de l'enfant Jésus 1997 Beaune Gréves 1er Cru Bouchard Pere et Fils

Colour is lovely, light crimson - classic Burgundy.

Nose - perfumed and fantastic with hints of spice and rich raspberries.

The palate is dark Beaune cranberries and strawberries. Very well structured and delicious with the smelly Epoisses!

****

Tasted 8/9/05 at Shorehead

Chateau Gruaud Larose 1995

The colour is reasonably youthful - with that dark, foreboding tint to the core that looks fantastic.

Nose - very smokey - classic, earthy Gruaud with cedar, woodspice and a bit of cassis. (Euan noticed blackberries and black cherries).

Palate - classic Gruaud, though somewhat forward. This is lovely stuff. Mouthfilling woodspice, cedar and the like with fruit coming through towards the end. That rustic, Gruaud-y mid palate is unmistakeable. Such classic and individual Bordeaux. This is great!

****

Tasted 8/9/05 at Shorehead

Chateau Magdalene 1995

Very dark colour, with deep core.

Nose is quite hot: plummy was well with some herbal hints.

Palate has quite a bit of sweet, forward dark fruit. Very pleasing and approachable. There are darker notes that come through on the back palate. The rich, sweet, plummy fruit is more-ish. Lacks somewhat in structure - it is very modern Bordeaux, but I like it.

***

Tasted 8/9/05 at Shorehead

Pol Roger 1982

Colour: nice - medium gold with the slight green turning richer.

Nose: rich cheese with butter and a shade of citrus honey.

Palate: fresh and lively with great mousse. It's compelling and very more-ish. The mouth-feel is fantastc. Green apples, slight cheese & mushrooms but the latter on the edges. The mid-palate is mostly fruit driven. Long on the finish and the complexities of age are just beginning to come through and, importantly, this is a fun wine!

I would happily drink it breakfast, lunch and dinner.

*****

Tasted 5/9/05 at Naughton. With bacon butties.

Croft 1945 (a gift to the club from Ann Turner)

Colour is fading, but still red, not brown. Ageing gracefully.

Nose: quite boozy but with damsons, sloe berries, morello cherries and herbaceous spice as well! Heady perfume. Quite lovely.

Palate: lovely - one of the most elegant port wines I've ever had, but hidden power behind it. There is heat, but it's ok, it works. The fruit's slightly dry. Very enjoyable - excellent with the Dunsyre Blue & quince jelly.

2 hours later was a revelation - full integration with dryness and heat being replace by glorious richness and unity. A complete and almost perfect wine in terms of structure, maturity, complexity. Wonderful. Should you be fortunate enough to obtain a bottle, please decant and allow to breathe for at least 3 hours.

*****

Tasted 4/9/05 at Naughton

Chateau Margaux 1995

Colour: almost black with crimson/purple edges.

Nose: deep, with chocolate & pencil lead, edges of violets - its youth cannot hide its feminity!

Palate: mouth-filling - its youth is evident; big, rich, with immense black currant and floral violets on the edges - incredible, but the secondaries aren't quite there yet. Very hedonistic & will be awesome in the future but is a bit simple at the moment. Very long finish.

***(**)

Tasted 4/9/05 at Naughton

Chateau Petrus 1985

Colour: crimson through to the core. True brilliance as well. Big legs.

Nose: remarkable: an explosion of herbs, forest fruits, cedar, currants & blueberries. Perfumed with luscious sweetness on the nose (which almost makes you light-headed).

Palate: ephemeral. Not massively unctuous, as I was expecting, but elegant, possessing a level of structure, poise and balance that I have not experienced with merlot (even fine Pomerol). The tannins grip but with silk gloves. The fruit & secondaries are integrated and lovely. Remarkable allspice, cinammon and other exotic spices on the finish. Saddle leather, suede, pipe tobacco & cloves emerge as well. But with refinement and structure.

Truly amazing. In flavour this, being my first sampling of the legendary Petrus, is worth its reputation. It is indeed the equal of the greatest wines in the world and not simply a status symbol. However, it is tremendously overpriced. And not worth the outrageous mark up it receives. For what you pay for this wine you could have 2 magnums of Mouton Rothschild 1985. And I'd choose the latter.

*****

Tasted 4/9/05 at Naughton

Dom Perignon 1971

Fine, petite bubbles.

Colour: rich, butterscotch gold

Nose: clotted cream & lime sorbet with toast & chai tea. Soft mushroom notes as well.

Palate: rich, elegant & slightly austere, this hides some of the fruit. Very dry & long with nice floral edges. Superb with wild smoked salmon. Very much my sort of Champagne - refined, elegant & slightly herby with texture & class. A delight.

*****

Tasted 4/9/05 at Naughton.

Perrier Jouet 1961

Colour: slightly brassy, obvious age. Pinprick mousse rises slowly.

Nose - bit austere with farmyardy notes. No fruit to speak of, but hints of past richness. Slightly cheesy as well.

Palate - bit cheesy with hints of smoke; fruit gone but the secondaries give good mouthfeel and there's a lot to be said for it. Certainly past its prime but interesting nonetheless. Not everyone's cup of tea though, be warned.

**

Tasted at Naughton 17/8/05

Perrier Jouet 1959

Wire cage designed to twist clockwise instead of anti-clockwise. Strange.

No mousse. Nose pungent & dirty. Palate: non.

No stars

Tasted at Naughton 17/8/05

Laurent Perrier Blanc de Blancs 1975 (Commemorative Bottling, Charles & Di's wedding)

I should preface this note; we were told by Laurent Perrier UK that some old stock of this they found was considered undrinkable and chucked.

Colour: quite deep, brass & gold with a hint of caramel.

Nose: Honey & butterscotch with a touch of toasted limes.

The palate is rich and a touch sherried with loads of acacia honey, butterscotch and toasted brioche. The fruit is subdued, slight notes of citrus. Nice spice and quite lovely. Rich & long.

There was a curious initial mustiness that departed with air.

***

Tasted at Naughton 17/8/05

Boekenhoutskloof Semillon 2002

Colour - quite pale straw. How many times can you say a young white is like that? Or that a red has a crimson rim? The nuances and whatnot never come out right in the descriptions, so what's the point? Broadbent can detect '45 Mouton by the colour. Bully for him. But he's unable to describe it properly, because if he did, everyone would be able to detect it by its colour after reading his notes.

Nose - Started off with light honey and lime overtones. There's now an odd earthiness to it that Andy ascribes to unbalanced sulphur. He's probably right as wine faults have become his area of study and obsession of late.

Palate - Exceptional. None of the nose confusion comes through. Pure fruit of peaches and limes well integrated with mineral texture, earth, hints of smoke and a long, mineral spice finish. Fantastic with the balsamic lobster. Make that really long on the finish as well. Wow.

Stars... well, it's awesome. And I think in terms of South African whites its *****. In fact, in terms of pure expressions of Semillon it's *****. But it smells a bit shitty. So it only gets ****. Sorry. I'm also sorry that it's only available through Oddbins. Gits.

I should also say that this is by far the best and most unique South African wine I've tasted throughout the vintages I've tried. But that note isn't directly related to this vintage - just a general note on the cuveé. Oh, and the reds from this place seem to suck, possessing that horrendous burnt rubber shite that seems endemic in South African reds and that most wine writers seem to avoid talking about. It should be discussed. South African reds are terrible. Pinotage is an abomination. Bring on the comments.

Dom Perignon Oenoteque 1985

Colour - sort of a dirty hay, golden brilliance comes through with closer inspection though.

Nose - earthy butter and toast with a hint of sage. Quite engaging. The smell of the country on a warm summer day, whatever that means.

Palate - the texture is truly amazing. The mousse is incredible but moreso is that it's bonded with the wine itself. It gives a sensation of drinking fine dimpled leather. But fine dimpled leather that tastes of butter, toast & honey-roasted lemons with edges of sage and mint. Extraordinary, as is the finish, which lingers on the mid palate like the echo of fine music. Or some such nonsense. It's really, really good. Buy some.

*****

Salon 1982

Criminally madeirized. Very upset.

La Reserve de Leoville Barton 2000

Colour is deep but with more crimson on the edges than purple - good core.

Nose slightly woodsmoked with cassis & a hint of blueberry - bit of pencil lead as well. Slight heat comes out at the finish but still lovely.

Palate is big & well-integrated but not terribly complex? Will age deepen this, has it been over-shadowed by the Ducru? The former I think not, the latter yess.. nice long finish though. A wine to come back to in 5 years.

Tasted at Naughton 9/8/2005

***(*?)

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou 1966

Colour is light, but with no amber - still ruby on the edges with a slightly deeper core.

The nose is forest floor & cedar - wild berries as well. Hints of classic pencil lead and a slightly floral edge.

The palate is elegant with soft, plush fruit - rich with toasted raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrant - then comes really good secondaries; forest cedar, gentle wood spice, leather all supple and beautifully integrated. The structure is sublime because it's invisible - you don't notice it until later because everything tastes so right. I'm loving this. The finish brings out some of the tannins. Incredible with the venison sirloin. My red of the year so far...

Tasted at Naughton 9/8/2005

*****

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blancs de Blancs 1995

Pale gold colour (hint of green there as well) with tiny bubbles.

Very fresh lemon-zest nose, with suggestions of the richness to come with age.

The mousse is softer than I remember. The palate is lovely and fresh but with hints of the nuances to come (it helped to try the '61 beforehand) - infant notes of heather & honey hiding behind the zingy lemon-lime fruit. Finishes with a really long zing. There's a long life ahead of this one.

Tasted at Naughton 9/8/2005.

****

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blancs de Blancs 1961

We have mousse! Always a nice surprise when the bottle is 44 years old.

The colour is deep gold with copper hints - nose is heather honey with a bit of citrus spice, but light, elegant & refined... rich toastiness comes out with air.

The palate is luscious - gentle mousse with the fruit & secondary flavours achieving unity. Silky, textured & mouth-coating. The length is remarkable, with those heather honey notes lingering without cloying.

This is without a doubt the finest example of Comtes that I have tried. More than that though, I feel it is at its apex. I think it is the best that Comtes can be and as such it was wonderful to taste.

Tasted at Naughton 9/8/2005

*****

No notes...

I've burnt my tongue on hot pizza, so I can't taste very well and, to add insult to injury, it was a rubbish pizza.