Monday, November 22, 2010

Another Go

The party continued the next night. We had another go. The encore never quite lives up to the main production, but it was nevertheless a pleasant event.
A 2008 Terrace Edge Waipara Riesling had a touch of toast to the limes, and a wonderful precision to the palate. It could last another 5 years, but not this bottle. Drinking well now too was the 2004 Craggy Range 'Les Beaux Cailloux' Hawke's Bay Chardonnay. Still steely-fresh, but ripe, intense, tight, with just the right amount of development. I reckon it could last another 4-5 no problem. I missed out on the 2009 Mt Difficulty Pinot Gris, but SWMBO said it was classical in its fruit and very Central Otago with its minerally acidity.
The star of the night was the 1999 Louis Jadot Musigny, brought along by The Real Mr Parker. We share a bottle a couple of months ago, and he couldn't help letting us have another go at it. Well, what a cracker! Big structure from the Louis Jadot house combined with floral elegance and intensity. A working mix of meatiness, undergrowth, ethereal fruitiness and a lithe feel overall, despite the size and projection.
Burgundy beats Bordeaux is the common finding nowadays, 'cos that's what we prefer. It was the case again this night. The 1982 Ch. Siran Margaux was bretty to the point of disgust. It was a big wine in its time, but it was all dried out and tannic now. Also big in its youth was the 1981 Ch. Les Ormes de Pez St Estephe. The greenness of the 1981 vintage now shows clearly. But it was sweet and fresh with acid, fruit liveliness and tannins to burn. Coolness can be a preservative.....
I missed the 1998 Wynns Coonawarra Shiraz. SWMBO said it had TCA tainting it, but the A-Prentice reckoned it was drinkable. We all concured SWMBO has a very keen and discriminating palate.

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