The Little Aussie Battler & The Drama Queen

A kindness from The Little Aussie Battler & The Drama Queen brought us together for a couple of bottles. An introductory, elegant and 'nice' Laurent-Perrier 'Brut L-P is a good start. It never steals the scene, but is a decent drop. This lead seamlessly to a 2005 Haut-Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett. A little shy, as Whehleners can be, but I would have wanted a little more from this great year. Possible some TCA hint? But still, this slid down a treat.

Two 1982 wines were a feature. Great years for N.Z. and Bordeaux, if you made claret styles. Elegant in N.Z., but ripe and rich if you're a Bordelais. The 1982 Te Mata 'Awatea' was the first under this label. Still dark, definably Cab Sauv, a touch of stalk. But hey, who can complain for a 26 y.o. Kiwi wine. Fruit in good form. As good as 'Coleraine', bigger, even, but possibly without the nuances. Followed by a silky, sumptuous, wonderfully balanced 1982 Ch. Haut-Batailly Pauillac. On its plateau. It grew a little bretty in the glass, but it all worked. Even SWMBO loved it. And she's a brett-Nazi!

Then a modern treat to send the two gal guests on their way home - a 2008 Framingham Gewurztraminer SGN. Rich and lush, and lots of botrytis. Not much Gewurz character, except the lower acidity, adding to the rounded textures. Andrew Hedley can made super aromatic wines and this latest 2008 sweet wine range he has made seem pretty good and uniform in botrytis handling. The year was a toughie, and he has captured the best of it.