A Refreshing Change

With The Lady Chairman in town, it was an occasion to splash out. After a whole lot of wines tasted over the course of the early evening, it was time to relax with some wines to drink and enjoy. Off we went to a good eatery with the Tiddler in tow, and it was a nice group indeed.

The start of the proceedings was a bottle of NV Taittinger Champagne Brut Reserve. Gosh, what a soft, refreshing pick-me-up. The dosage seemed higher than a lot of the bubbles we've had lately, and its gentleness was a refreshing change. Well done SWMBO. Over the meal we had a 1985 Ch. Mouton-Rothschild. Dark and vigorous in colour, quite stylishly restrained on nose with nice dark berry fruits, the lovely earthy secondaries and only the barest hint of funk. What surprised us all was the thread of racy, fresh acidity running through the length of the palate. The whole thing wasn't a biggie, but more an elegant number, still with depth. In comparison with the 1986s, the 1985s were always softer, more supple and accessible. And certainly more enjoyable. Like tonight. In the morning, a glass left out had a little more animal, but in a nice way. Certainly no drying out of the palate. What a refreshing change to have a real nice older claret. It was well-liked by all of us.

Then at home, we talked into the wee hours over a trio of sweeties. The 2007 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Spatlese was full, and clumsily Rheinhessen, spoilt by reduction. The Lady Chairman was OK on it, but it went down the slowest. Then a pre-release 2009 Spade Oak Gisborne Late Harvest Viognier. Forward and weighty, this showed too much VA at first, but in the glass it came together. Lotsa caramel flavours. We needed something more special, so out came a 2004 Loosen Erdener Pralat Riesling Auslese (not Goldcap). Tight and classy, toasty nuances with hints of cream and custard. Not quite the exotic power that we usually see, so maybe it was in a bit of a hole. But its sheer refreshing Mosel character came through. A refreshing change? Maybe not, as we seem to be doing this regularly.