Fads and fashion rule with red wine varieties and styles. The current trend is for Pinot Noir and Burgundy, Syrah (with a splash of Viognier) and the more esoteric Rhone Ranger grapes, plus indigenous or long-planted varieties that make styles that are not in favour, but make table wine of real character, such as Zinfandel, which was popular for rose as well as Touriga for Port.
It was a real reds weekend, where a couple of old favourites did the job, and reminded you of how good the tried and true classics can be. Good old Aussie Shiraz from a warm climate. Now how unfashionable is that? A 2006 Saltram 'Mamre Brook' Shiraz was lush, ripe, sweet, slightly euc'y, and silky smooth. Sheer satin to drink. Then an old-timer dependable name in a 2006 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz. Still reserved, but complex in aroma and flavour. Fully ripe. And with structure to burn. This could last another two decades.
To just make sure we weren't on the wrong track, a couple of the 'hot' Shiraz/Viognier wines, but from stalwart South Australian producers. Both 2007 - the d'Arenberg 'Laughing Magpie' Shiraz Viognier from the McLaren Vale. Tight, crisp, steel and acid, with minerals too. This will age a decade. Lovely aromatics emerged with air time. And a Yalumba 'Hand-Picked' Shiraz+Viognier from the Eden Valley , a big, broad and softer number, but also with terrific bouquet and perfumes. These combined the new whizz-bang style with the traditional 'terroir'? of South Australia. As the new styles should be. The wines should reflect their origin, and not some supposed inspirational homeland in France too much.
But the wine of the weekend was a 2001 CVNE Rioja Reserva. Still a baby as it approaches its 10 year mark. Garnet red, but a wow bouquet of cedar and vanilla from the oak. Great concentration, and a wine crying out for a flavoursome, hearty meaty dish. If it was older, you'd want some finer meat expression then. Needs another 10 years. Classical Rioja, full of character that has been consistent with the Rioja style for decades. Absolutely trustworthy and heart warming to see an old-style wine look so characterful, against these 'mod' wines.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Fireworks
It was 'out of the blue' that we got invited by the finance wizard and his wife to view the fireworks. Their house has the most amazing, blue-chip view of the harbour, and there would not have been a better vantage point to see how the city council spent $100,000 in pyrotechnics. The show was spectacular, and an estimated 150,000 people enjoyed it. I call it good value.
A number of good wines could be expected to be served, and the night lived up to this expectation. Firstly, a round of quizzing. A rare Domaine Epis Chardonnay, 2000 vintage I think, came first. SWMBO went Australian, probably Semillon. I went old-world Chardonnay. We were both right and wrong. This Macedon Ranges, Victorian Chardonnay is made with white burgundy in mind, and is not your typical Aussie fruity number. The wizard fired this Catherine Wheel, we were not quite fizzing. Then a gorgeous Dry River Gewurztraminer 1999. Fully mature, golden, lush an honeyed. Decadent, off dry, harmonious and oily, flowing with flavour. Like a lava flow from a Mt Vesuvius! The wizard has experienced bottle variation with this label.
Then our neighbour's wine. The Pet Pals had visited Central Otago recently and brought along a cracker in their Bannock Brae Barrel Selection Pinot Noir 2007. Two gold medals for a wine from a great vintage. Deep, supple, beautifully ripened fruit, yet tight with structure. Classic Bannockburn stuff with the thyme herb complexities. If you got it wrong in Bannockburn in 2007, then shame on you! And then the 'Big Bang'. A Penfolds Grange 1999. A vintage gaining in repute all the time. Black as. Huge extraction and huge richness. Beautifully ripe and packed with goodies. A touch of VA, adding to the lift. Massive. 10 years old and it needs another 20. Power packed stuff to finish an evening of fireworks.
A number of good wines could be expected to be served, and the night lived up to this expectation. Firstly, a round of quizzing. A rare Domaine Epis Chardonnay, 2000 vintage I think, came first. SWMBO went Australian, probably Semillon. I went old-world Chardonnay. We were both right and wrong. This Macedon Ranges, Victorian Chardonnay is made with white burgundy in mind, and is not your typical Aussie fruity number. The wizard fired this Catherine Wheel, we were not quite fizzing. Then a gorgeous Dry River Gewurztraminer 1999. Fully mature, golden, lush an honeyed. Decadent, off dry, harmonious and oily, flowing with flavour. Like a lava flow from a Mt Vesuvius! The wizard has experienced bottle variation with this label.
Then our neighbour's wine. The Pet Pals had visited Central Otago recently and brought along a cracker in their Bannock Brae Barrel Selection Pinot Noir 2007. Two gold medals for a wine from a great vintage. Deep, supple, beautifully ripened fruit, yet tight with structure. Classic Bannockburn stuff with the thyme herb complexities. If you got it wrong in Bannockburn in 2007, then shame on you! And then the 'Big Bang'. A Penfolds Grange 1999. A vintage gaining in repute all the time. Black as. Huge extraction and huge richness. Beautifully ripe and packed with goodies. A touch of VA, adding to the lift. Massive. 10 years old and it needs another 20. Power packed stuff to finish an evening of fireworks.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
A Little Sweetener
We're well into spring, and there's plenty of sweetness in the air. Funnily enough, there's still snow on the mountain, and SWMBO can still get on the white powdery stuff. How sweet is that?
I stayed in town to look after our good friends from up north. After a hard week and weekend of work, we all enjoyed a little sweetener. Life needs it sometimes, and there's nothing like a couple of half bottles of sticky. We went for the doctor. He prescribed a bit of sugar.....
The 2004 Ch. Suduiraut Sauternes was everything it should be. I reckon the 2004s are classic and somewhat underated. Pale golden, still youthful, it has classic lanolin and honey with a little beeswax and oil thrown in. Still fresh and lively, this hit the spot. No hurry, a decade ahead possible. What could beat it? How about a 2002 Ch. d'Yquem Sauternes? Deeper golden. Full and rich on bouquet. A touch subdued, but brooding. A step up considerably in richness and weight. Yet more elegant too. Massively unctuous, and just enough acidity to prevent cloying. Power and length. Drawing the palate out on the line has created class. Robert Parker would say it had a finish of over 90 seconds. An Aussie wine judge would say it's got VA, but could drink it. We just sat back and sipped. Quietly. Satisfied. Sweet.
I stayed in town to look after our good friends from up north. After a hard week and weekend of work, we all enjoyed a little sweetener. Life needs it sometimes, and there's nothing like a couple of half bottles of sticky. We went for the doctor. He prescribed a bit of sugar.....
The 2004 Ch. Suduiraut Sauternes was everything it should be. I reckon the 2004s are classic and somewhat underated. Pale golden, still youthful, it has classic lanolin and honey with a little beeswax and oil thrown in. Still fresh and lively, this hit the spot. No hurry, a decade ahead possible. What could beat it? How about a 2002 Ch. d'Yquem Sauternes? Deeper golden. Full and rich on bouquet. A touch subdued, but brooding. A step up considerably in richness and weight. Yet more elegant too. Massively unctuous, and just enough acidity to prevent cloying. Power and length. Drawing the palate out on the line has created class. Robert Parker would say it had a finish of over 90 seconds. An Aussie wine judge would say it's got VA, but could drink it. We just sat back and sipped. Quietly. Satisfied. Sweet.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
A Breath of Fresh Air
Getting out and about and into a normal routine has been very beneficial. A good dose of work and some time to smell the roses can be so invigorating and has promoted progress. So when Blewy and Abe, two of the three Calverteers were in town, a number of good bottles were opened.
At the local Chinese eatery, a 2007 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett was classical Mosel and typical Brauneberg with its hint of blackcurrants. A touch of reduction that will be swallowed up in time, but a wine with potential to come together well, not necessarily in a grand way. We also paired a 2007 Cristom Mt Jefferson Pinot Noir from Oregon with a 2007 Drouhin Beaune 'Clos des Mouches. Difficult year for both regions. The Cristom flat and hard, trying to be plump, but missing the mark, and ending up a dull drink. But the rather light Drouhin turned out to be a delight. Fresh, lively, a little light and acidic, but really appealing. Both wines indicated from the start what their personalities were, and air time substantiated the first impressions.
Back home for after dinner drinks. The big guns came out. A 2003 Rousseau Chambertin. Big, broad and complex, with rounded edges, and developing greater richness with breathing. Quite magnificent. These 2003s from the hot, dry year are a bit of an enigma. They looked really sweet and fresh a couple of years ago. But now, this was getting soft, developed, and secondary. Following was a 2001 Drouhin Musigny. A bit sharp and acidic at first, straight from the inside cellar. Breathing brought it all out. Not so much ethereal and perfumed, but fine and elegant, developing great concentrated richness, and now with secondary forest floor notes appearing. Truly a great bottle that opened up with air. Finishing with the German Riesling theme, a 2001 Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese Goldcap. Classic year. Fruit drying a touch. Getting those custard and cream secondary notes. Botrytis there. Richness too, but in a ugly in-between stage. SWMBO, Blewy and Abe happier than me on it.
Maybe it was time to get a breath of fresh air....
At the local Chinese eatery, a 2007 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett was classical Mosel and typical Brauneberg with its hint of blackcurrants. A touch of reduction that will be swallowed up in time, but a wine with potential to come together well, not necessarily in a grand way. We also paired a 2007 Cristom Mt Jefferson Pinot Noir from Oregon with a 2007 Drouhin Beaune 'Clos des Mouches. Difficult year for both regions. The Cristom flat and hard, trying to be plump, but missing the mark, and ending up a dull drink. But the rather light Drouhin turned out to be a delight. Fresh, lively, a little light and acidic, but really appealing. Both wines indicated from the start what their personalities were, and air time substantiated the first impressions.
Back home for after dinner drinks. The big guns came out. A 2003 Rousseau Chambertin. Big, broad and complex, with rounded edges, and developing greater richness with breathing. Quite magnificent. These 2003s from the hot, dry year are a bit of an enigma. They looked really sweet and fresh a couple of years ago. But now, this was getting soft, developed, and secondary. Following was a 2001 Drouhin Musigny. A bit sharp and acidic at first, straight from the inside cellar. Breathing brought it all out. Not so much ethereal and perfumed, but fine and elegant, developing great concentrated richness, and now with secondary forest floor notes appearing. Truly a great bottle that opened up with air. Finishing with the German Riesling theme, a 2001 Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese Goldcap. Classic year. Fruit drying a touch. Getting those custard and cream secondary notes. Botrytis there. Richness too, but in a ugly in-between stage. SWMBO, Blewy and Abe happier than me on it.
Maybe it was time to get a breath of fresh air....
Friday, September 25, 2009
No News is Good News?
Sorry I haven't posted much lately. Getting back into work is time consuming. I should be consuming some more 'treasures', especially now that I've been given much of my palate back.
Most of the wines I've been tasting are new season releases, and the older wines have taken a back seat. At this stage, anyway. These new wines are also good for training the palate. They are more up-front, primary and raw. These can be tough to see where they go in the long term.
But it takes a long-time sipper to appreciate the aged wines, and we all need more practice in this area!
A couple of new beauties have come my way recently. 2008 Mount Edward Pinot Blanc from Central Otago. The cuttings came from Larry Mckenna at The Escarpment Vineyard in Martinborough. Weighty, yet clean and crisp. Something a Pinot Gris maker could aspire to. Absolutely excellent in proportion and none of the rustic earthiness that can spoil the variety. And then a 2007 Wirra Wirra 'RSW' Shiraz from those good people in the McLaren Vale. Rich, concentrated, ripe, and stylishly restrained. Treasures in their own way.
Next news will include a couple of oldies....
Most of the wines I've been tasting are new season releases, and the older wines have taken a back seat. At this stage, anyway. These new wines are also good for training the palate. They are more up-front, primary and raw. These can be tough to see where they go in the long term.
But it takes a long-time sipper to appreciate the aged wines, and we all need more practice in this area!
A couple of new beauties have come my way recently. 2008 Mount Edward Pinot Blanc from Central Otago. The cuttings came from Larry Mckenna at The Escarpment Vineyard in Martinborough. Weighty, yet clean and crisp. Something a Pinot Gris maker could aspire to. Absolutely excellent in proportion and none of the rustic earthiness that can spoil the variety. And then a 2007 Wirra Wirra 'RSW' Shiraz from those good people in the McLaren Vale. Rich, concentrated, ripe, and stylishly restrained. Treasures in their own way.
Next news will include a couple of oldies....
Monday, September 7, 2009
Tough Stuff
Surely one of the most difficult of wine styles to appreciate is that of traditional Barbaresco and Barolo. Tar, leather, dried roses, huge drying extraction and searing acidity are the hallmarks of this long-lived style. It truly can be tough stuff to work through.
I put myself through the excercise of looking at ten of the brutes from the highly regarded Produttori del Barbaresco co-operative. The nose was the best way to appreciate and differentiate the wines. Palate textures and fruit sweetness on the palate backed up the nose.
My pick was the 2004 Rabaja, followed by the Montefico, then Montestefano.
I was rather pleased with myself, as it is a sign of the taste buds still working. Even on this tough stuff. But I know I have a long way to go.
I put myself through the excercise of looking at ten of the brutes from the highly regarded Produttori del Barbaresco co-operative. The nose was the best way to appreciate and differentiate the wines. Palate textures and fruit sweetness on the palate backed up the nose.
My pick was the 2004 Rabaja, followed by the Montefico, then Montestefano.
I was rather pleased with myself, as it is a sign of the taste buds still working. Even on this tough stuff. But I know I have a long way to go.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Sponteneity and Serendipity
We went out with the Chairman out for a spontaneous, quiet dinner. In some ways, a first public outing at a noted eating house, and it turned out to be one of those delightful serendipitous evenings where we met old friends and made new, and some remarkable bottles tasted.
First a catch up with the new Lady Chairman, sharing a Veuve Clicquot Rose NV, clean, fresh and with a subtle floral beauty like the Lady Chairman (and SWMBO, of course), but not overstated. It got us in the mood with fun and laughter. The Lady Chairman had a catch a flight, so missed the rest of the night with us.
At the restaurant, waiting to decide what to eat, a Lustau 'Papirusa' Manzanilla got the saliva glands into life, quite a task after two months of radiation zapping. But it was cold, crisp, salty and tangy, but not quite long on the palate to make it a star in its own right. But a successful start. We brought a couple of old bottles, which the young sommelier thought he'd tell some other diners who had brought a couple of old and interesting bottles along too. So began a swap fest.
Rumble Tumble Alex was celebrating his birthday and his 1986 Ch. Margaux was the wine of the night. Fresh, youthful, tight, elegant, dark fruited with archetype perfumes, but masses of depth and length. This could live decades, with its fresh outlook. It knocked the spots off our 1989 Ch. Cos d'Estournel St Estephe, which if served on its own would have been a silky smooth lush star, that developed funky nuances throughout the evening. Thank goodness our 1988 Jaboulet Hermitage 'La Chapelle' was the second best wine of the night. Still sweet with juicy fruit. More meaty, savoury and complex than varietal purity - exactly what Hermitage is all about. It was good with the Chicken, Duck and Steak dishes we ordered. Amazingly versatile.
Then came an odd assortment of reds that were a tier down in delivery. A 1997 Borgogno Barolo was drying and savoury. Interesting complex flavours, but the grip was a bit too much. The 2003 Faively Nuits-St-Georges 1er Porets was over-extractive. Some can handle this style of Burgundy, probably needing time - decades maybe, but too hard to enjoy for us. And then a modernist 2003 Isole e Olena Syrah, pepper and florals, international and non-individual, though pleasant.
To cap the night off, we had five Framingham sweet wines, all 2008 vintage. Riesling Auslese #1, huge botrytis on nose, with elegant weight. Then Auslese #2 dumb and flat on the nose, but with good weight. It may have been opened a bit long and seen too much air. Auslese #3, gloriously rich with botrytis and exotic sweetness and complexing positive volatility. It was my third wine of the night. The Botrytised Viognier surprisingly varietal, but a round, full number that could have done with a little more zest, and finally the SGN Gewurztraminer, again with varietal character, but flatter on palate. A fantastic comparison of what Dr Andrew Hedley, the winemaker has a passion for.
For me, the arrival of the Chairman was a starter signal to begin tasting and drinking again. The two days were a true palate workout, quite unexpected - spontaneous and serendipitous. I think I'm on the road to recovery, and will regain much of my palate. And what was pleasing was that all of us were pretty much in agreement. Long live the Chairman!
First a catch up with the new Lady Chairman, sharing a Veuve Clicquot Rose NV, clean, fresh and with a subtle floral beauty like the Lady Chairman (and SWMBO, of course), but not overstated. It got us in the mood with fun and laughter. The Lady Chairman had a catch a flight, so missed the rest of the night with us.
At the restaurant, waiting to decide what to eat, a Lustau 'Papirusa' Manzanilla got the saliva glands into life, quite a task after two months of radiation zapping. But it was cold, crisp, salty and tangy, but not quite long on the palate to make it a star in its own right. But a successful start. We brought a couple of old bottles, which the young sommelier thought he'd tell some other diners who had brought a couple of old and interesting bottles along too. So began a swap fest.
Rumble Tumble Alex was celebrating his birthday and his 1986 Ch. Margaux was the wine of the night. Fresh, youthful, tight, elegant, dark fruited with archetype perfumes, but masses of depth and length. This could live decades, with its fresh outlook. It knocked the spots off our 1989 Ch. Cos d'Estournel St Estephe, which if served on its own would have been a silky smooth lush star, that developed funky nuances throughout the evening. Thank goodness our 1988 Jaboulet Hermitage 'La Chapelle' was the second best wine of the night. Still sweet with juicy fruit. More meaty, savoury and complex than varietal purity - exactly what Hermitage is all about. It was good with the Chicken, Duck and Steak dishes we ordered. Amazingly versatile.
Then came an odd assortment of reds that were a tier down in delivery. A 1997 Borgogno Barolo was drying and savoury. Interesting complex flavours, but the grip was a bit too much. The 2003 Faively Nuits-St-Georges 1er Porets was over-extractive. Some can handle this style of Burgundy, probably needing time - decades maybe, but too hard to enjoy for us. And then a modernist 2003 Isole e Olena Syrah, pepper and florals, international and non-individual, though pleasant.
To cap the night off, we had five Framingham sweet wines, all 2008 vintage. Riesling Auslese #1, huge botrytis on nose, with elegant weight. Then Auslese #2 dumb and flat on the nose, but with good weight. It may have been opened a bit long and seen too much air. Auslese #3, gloriously rich with botrytis and exotic sweetness and complexing positive volatility. It was my third wine of the night. The Botrytised Viognier surprisingly varietal, but a round, full number that could have done with a little more zest, and finally the SGN Gewurztraminer, again with varietal character, but flatter on palate. A fantastic comparison of what Dr Andrew Hedley, the winemaker has a passion for.
For me, the arrival of the Chairman was a starter signal to begin tasting and drinking again. The two days were a true palate workout, quite unexpected - spontaneous and serendipitous. I think I'm on the road to recovery, and will regain much of my palate. And what was pleasing was that all of us were pretty much in agreement. Long live the Chairman!
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