Getting Together

It has taken a year for Brit Biker, Tigger, Teacher Ma'am and Niggle and us to get together. Much has happened in that time, and the catch up was full of news and progress. We face changes and continue to move forward. Brit Biker had prepared a good lamb rack for dinner, and the wines flowed around it.

For starters, a wine from the Czech Republic, from the Suche region, a 2009 Michlovsky Palava Sauvignon Pozdni Sber. As far as I can tell, Milos Miklovsky bottles wine showing terroir, this from the Palava area, a 'late harvest' wine coming in at 13.5%. It wasn't Sauvignon as we know it, but very delicate and faint in varietal character, but it had vinosity and balanced freshness. The perfect aperitif, actually, and it surprised us all. Then onto a 2009 Spade Oak Viognier, sealed with a 'Vino-lok'. Rich, dense, still firm. But very varietal and exotic, with a bit of oak showing too. This is going to develop pretty well.

Then the lamb was served. Judged to perfection, even pink inside. Moist and succulent with subtle, but distinctive flavour. Normally you'd think Bordeaux varietal, but no, it was a 2006 Montille Volnay 1er 'Carelle la Chapelle'. Elegant, but so clear-cut, with intensity and a core, yet so gentle. It got together with the lamb amazingly. The best 2006s from the Cote de Beaune can be superb. This was followed by a 2004 E&E 'Black Pepper' Barossa Sparkling Shiraz. Saturated purple red in colour, the nose was dumb and brooding. But rich, sweet and juicy on the palate, the ripe spicy fruit enriched by the residual sugar, but then kept in check by the growing feel of tannin grip. Strangely in balance, and quite sumptuous.

The cheese board came out. Very ripe double brie was the centre piece, with a cheve emerging as a beauty too. Two old Kiwis from a high yield year. The 1986 Coopers Creek Cabernet/Merlot was still dark and dense, robust and solid, with acid and greenness, but still full of vitality, without the spoilage I had seen before. It was hard to drink, but it was surprisingly alive after 25 years. Workable with the cheeses. The 1986 Stonyridge 'Larose' was uber-mellow and faded. There was nothing left of its personality and vinosity. Very smooth, sufficiently ripe, hints of berry fruit, just disappearing to nothingness, as we looked and sipped.

A sweet treat to finish was the 2009 Clearview 'Sea Red'. A sort of ruby port-lookalike. Fruity and sweet, but quite elegant. Sometimes this label has awkward bits hanging out of it, but this vintage was very much getting together, becoming a lovely mellow finish. It helped to make our getting together a success.