The Home of Renowned Tasting

Day One
The notes are a little sketchy, although I took some, but for once I’d expect that you might let me off the hook a little as it’s a social occasion for me, rather than a professional one (such as I might consider myself every now and then). I’m writing these notes straight from the heart - the best wines evoke this (feel free to call me a wanker now). The first night (Friday) was held at the magnificent Yarra Valley restaurant of Gary Cooper and Tim Sawyer, Bella Vedere, who shut up shop and created a feast of Babettesque proportions for our vinous revelry. And now if I don’t concentrate too much on the food, then that’s not because I don’t appreciate it, but more because this is a wine review site. I will say that it was breathtakingly good grub at times, and the food and wine matching was, well…a match made in some sort of heaven. You can click on the menu to have a look at the dishes.

Quail egg with green salt and sugar
96 Krug
This was our standing up and chatting wine - and coupled with the sweet/salt/creamy taste of the innovative egg dish..well masterful. It’s almost a dry white, like a big strong white Burgundy in its intensity and power. Hazelnuts, licorice, white fruits, biscuits and spice but rolled layer upon layer so that the concentration is almost mind blowing. Painfully intense and destined for greatness…but not a wine for pleasure now. Outstanding Champagne.

Caviar Malossol superior Oscietra on crushed kipflers, with flat leaf parsley
90 Krug,
Sitting down now. The 90 is dry and very fine, subtlety harnessed to power. Showing some bottle age, but essentially youthful and vigorous with classic Krug complexity and an explosion of citrus and yeasty fruits. More superlatives required. A much better wine than the 96 at this stage..but not later. The Caviar on kipflers quite simply amongst the best things I have ever eaten.

Crayfish and scampi in brandy butter on angel hair pasta with tomato and crayfish porcini froth
01 Ramonet Montrachet
White flowers, fragrance, almond paste, mineral and yellow fruits. Light but enormous power (often the hallmark of truly great wine). Rich but bone dry with a tapestry of vanilla, almond and stone fruits. The length carrying on for an eternity. Magnificent wine. Amongst the best White Burgundies I have tasted.

03 Leroy Corton-Charlemagne
Slightly funky and fishy, smoke, peach, vanilla and grilled nuts. A big wet sloppy kiss of a wine but full of flavour and drive. It’s fat but beautiful. A lascivious creature that overwhelms the senses. Not the class of the Ramonet, but certainly a compelling wine. Superb long dry finish leaving the mouth aglow with warmth and longing.

96 Drouhin Montrachet ‘Marquis de Laguiche’
Flowers, almond, a smokiness, yellow fruit and vanilla oak. It combines the best attributes of rich creaminess with a bone dry, almost tannic, flinty character - although subtle and winning. By any mortal standards a wine of considerable greatness.

Licorice tea smoked duck breast with fennel and black truffle
88 Leroy Musigny
An engaging potato sack earthiness coupled with sweet black raspberry, vanilla, licorice and an almost alarming fragrance. In the mouth a huge spread of dry extract offering beautiful tannic density combining with earthy but sweet dark fruit. It’s magnificent and builds and builds and builds with time in the glass. Apparently one of about 300 bottles. A rare wine and a rare privilege to taste.

01 Leroy Musigny
Bloody hell..you could get lost in the aromatics pumping out of this. Raspberry, spices, earth, violets, soil, caramel - multi-layered and complete. The palate is an effortless journey from finish to end. Velvety but concentrated - rich but floating through the mouth. The finish endless. The essence of red Burgundy. One of the greatest wines I have tasted. I’m dribbling as I type!

Foie gras and Sauternes jelly with toasted brioche
59 Suduiraut
Now I must say that I’m a moderate consumer of animals, perhaps a couple of times a week, and a lot of vegetarian dishes I cook…so the old FG I approach with respect and caution…but I love the stuff. I’m a bugger for it and we were delivered a rare old slab here. The 59 is an amazing wine - it smells like the freshly torched sugar on a Creme Bruleé and then some apricots, old leather bottle age and a host of other subtle smells. The palate is rich and full with apple and quince past - great intensity and closes with a bone dry finish of enormous length. I’m not a big one for sweet wines but this had me raving.

Rare breed pork shoulder braised in chocolate and sour cherries
62 Vega Sicilia ‘Unico’ All fresh and lively - looked like a 10 year old wine - strawberries and lashings of vanilla, medium bodied, sweetly fruited with slight leathery bottle age character coming through on a silky tannin structure. It built in the glass rather than tired but still looked slightly one dimensional compared to the mighty 65 3110…

65 Lindemans Bin 3110
The legend continues. Licorice, earth, dusty bottle age, blackberry. It’s dry and tannic but still young and vigorous. Layers of flavours and always something new to reveal. It’s a magic wine and one worthy of a place alongside all the greatest wines of the world. This is my fourth encounter in the last couple of years, and every bottle has something unique to say.

Glenloth pheasant boned and filled with foie gras and truffle, glazed en cocot with pomme anna potato
74 Heitz ‘Martha’s Vineyard’,
A second encounter with this wine and by far the strongest showing. A myriad scents - sweet fruit, mint, cigar box, spice and earth. The palate is wonderfully complex but still muscular and vigorous showing all the classic Cabernet traits of lead pencil, sweet fruit, herb and mint. An outstanding wine and most likely a fond farewell - I doubt that I’ll ever have (such) the pleasure again. As good as any Cabernet you could wish for.

92 Dalle Valle ‘Maya’
I’ve since decided that Californian Cabernet hits a particular sweet spot for me and this was no exception. Rich Cassis, cherry, chocolate, mineral and lavish oak. Full bodied, dense and concentrated with ripe fruity blueberry, Cassis and good minerality - perhaps lowish acid but no concern for me as the ripe furry tannins are minding this part of the shop. Great wine - although an alarmingly young one.

Wagyu beef oven roasted with orange salt with black bean sauce and buttered broad beans
82 Chateaux Mouton Rothschild
By this stage I was feeling a bit stuffed but there’s nothing like the fragrance of Mouton to revive the spirits (and someone has written in my notebook ‘Gary is a wonderful human being - so glad you are here!’ - so that’s nice too). An exotic and flamboyant nose of lead, cassis, flowers and mineral leads on to a hugely concentrated, yet balanced and poised, textbook Cabernet palate. It’s a wine of irrepressible charm and charisma, and while the palate is not quite at the outrageously great level of the nose, it’s so good that you’d never want to quibble.

82 Chateaux Latour
A second outing with the 82 and an equally compelling bottle. The nose is more sauvage and strict than the Mouton but still a thing of beauty, although reticent - earth, cherry, mineral, coffee and cedar - brooding and magnificent - the young Marlon Brando of Pauillac. The palate ratchets the intensity up a notch with amazing power and thick mouthfilling earthy Cabernet fruit. The line and length astounding. The essence of Cabernet.

82 Chateaux Margaux
Corked.

Cheese plate – Comte and Meredith blue, Yarra Valley walnuts and pear
90 Chateaux Margaux
Two years ago I remember this being a lush and very full wine but here it seems fine and poised. A more delicate wine of grace and great symmetry with the classic Margaux fragrance and a certain fine boned beauty. Perhaps I’m fading. Nonetheless an exceptional wine, but not inspiring for me on this night.

90 Cheval Blanc
It’s about my favourite wine of all time. Raspberries, a gentle grassiness and fragrance cut with smoke and mineral. Sweet fruit on an endlessly fine, medium bodied palate of grace and precision. One of the true greats.

Apricot and white chocolate pudding with cumquat and sauternes ice cream
67 Chateaux Suduiraut
Again the Creme Brulee, cumquat and spice but without the additional layers of complexity of the ‘59 Suidairaut, which made it look a little simple and old. A thick syrupy palate but still fresh and clean. On any other night it would have been a star.

95 Krug
In the car on the way home. It’s a top wine, and refreshing, but fair to say I was not concentrating enough to tell you more…

99 Chateau Petrus
Black raspberry, tea, plum, truffle. It’s a rich wine but very tight with silky tannins and a winning personality - certainly at this time of night anyway. Here I resort to a Clive Coates style note in my pad and have merely scrawled “very fine indeed!”

Day Two
I have to retire for the evening - I’ll fill this in later.
(more…)

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Had a bit of a small party round at our house last night and today, I must admit, I feel a little shabby. I opened this along with a sample of Champagne G.H.Mumm 1999 which was (sadly) corked and then a few Australian Sparklers. Champagne is always a hard act to follow, the local offerings always look fruity and have distinctly sharp acidity. I have pretty much copied my note from last years tasting, except this bottle looked finer and better than last years model. I wish they would put disgorgement dates on NV because quite apart from the lotteries of cork and storage…I don’t even know if you will be tasting the same cuvée!

Aromas of apple, lemon biscuit, flowers, vanilla, fresh bread and touch of mineral. On the palate flavours of lemon pudding, apple, citrus and white peach with some spice and mineral. It has a gentle foaminess and feels light and lively. Good sweet fruit but also tastes dry and spicy with clean mouth freshening acidity. Finishes with apple, lemon and spice flavours. A vivacious and entertaining wine.

Other non vintages : NV

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I ran “blason” through the old Babelfish translator and it suggested “Blazon” in English, which is a formal description for a coat of arms or flag. Hmm..I thought it might be something to do with Champagne being on fire..or ablaze and therefore “blason” (gesticulate wildly) in French. I prefer my translation anyway..much nicer.

It smells of redcurrant, strawberry jam, mineral and a little spice. In the mouth a weightier style that’s fruity (think wild strawberry and apple) but still pretty dry overall. It has clean acidity that’s just a little coarse and a vigorous foaming mouse. Closes dry with good length and a spicy poached strawberry aftertaste. I like it. Very nice, certainly tasty and good to drink, although not especially fine.

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This is available exclusively through Vintage Cellars, which seems a bit of shame, but there you go. At least it’s widely available..

It’s a subtle style that’s gentle and very minerally with a distinct saline soda-like character, fresh green apple, some spice, a floral touch and a light honeycomb character. Very fine acid, a soft foaming creamy mouse and fractionally off dry - it’s gentle and dreamy and drinks beautifully. There’s some flintiness too and a slight chalkiness on the finish - which is nice and long. Lovely wine. I wandered lonely as a cloud…I’d really fancy a bottle of this at a posh picnic or similar.

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In 1991 I tried a bottle of Lassalle and loved it so much I tried to buy some more. I was told it was no longer being brought into the country. I had it again in November 2006 (its on the site, look it up). That wine was out of someone’s cellar and although about 10 years old it was lovely.

Now I discover Champagne J. Lassalle is back! I had this with a group of friends and although everyone loved the wine nobody was aware of the fine reputation this small house has. The mousse was fine and gentle with aromas of fresh bread, a bit of meringue, some red berry and a bit of lemon. The palate has superb balance with great fruit power. The flavours begin with the red berry jam flavours typical of a blanc de noir yet are balanced with the melon of chardonnay along with the fresh bread flavours that one gets with a bottle fermented fizz with several years of lees contact. A wine with quite a degree of richness,complexity and length.

Other non vintages : NV

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It’s a joint venture between Champagne Veuve A. Devaux and Yering Station and is usually one of our better sparkling wines.

An aperitif style with complex and highly attractive aromas of citrus, spice, apple and wheatmeal. On the palate delicate and fresh with flavours of lemon sherbet, cracked wheat and a lightly creamy lees derived richness. It has fine foaming bubbles and feels dry, savoury and refreshing, closing with an apple cider aftertaste. An otherwise excellent wine spoilt by coarse acidity that bites down hard on the finish and refuses to let go.

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A surprise packet. I have not tried this house before and had no idea other than an enthusiastic description by Jeremy of D’Or to Door. Firstly, the wine. Soft and gentle mousse that is very fine. The nose is very, very fine with citrus, bread and a little peach, most enticing. The palate was of the aperitif style, light, elegant with beautiful flavours that are exactly as suggested by the nose. The only problem was that I found it a little addictive. Lastly, I did a quick virtual visit to discover it was a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, beautifully assembled, it works for me.

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In between tasting a whole raft of other things I grabbed this from the fridge in order to refresh the old palate, and what a refreshing change of pace it made. It’s made from Chardonnay and Aligoté (no skins) and offers a refreshing bubble of difference. Imported by Marcus Gniel at Ce Soir Wine of smouldering James Bond style B&W photograph on the back of business card fame.

It opens with indistinct fruitiness, possibly apple and lemon sherbet with a little complex smoky sulphide and a round of cream biscuits. It has a big creamy foamy mouthfeel with lots of bubbles that’s both dry and charming, light, fresh and rather fluffy. A bit like stuffing powder snow into your mouth (although no need to get up after the experience here unless you drink too much). It’s wheaty and delicious. Flavour. Expression. Difference. Style. Drinkability. I love it. Do it. DO IT.

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I’m not a big fan of Australian sparkling wine generally but this is very good. Maybe I should taste it blind, in amongst a bunch of other fizzy wines, just to keep myself honest. Watch me make a goose of myself. It wouldn’t be the first time. Certainly won’t be the last. It’s not Champagne though, it’s something different - although an equally valid and enjoyable style.

It smells of brioche topped with a little caramel and nuts, citrus, spice and mineral salt - sophisticated and engaging. In the mouth it’s full in flavour with waves of fine rippling bubbles, balanced clean acidity and has gentle charm throughout. It has creamy spicy flavours of cracked wheat, lemon and a mineral/salty character and closes with good length and again that attractive salty mineral tang. Lovely wine where bottle age adds an extra dimension of complexity and finesse.

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I really like the 2005 Yellowglen Vintage Perle, it’s an excellent and most stylish wine and I’ll be writing it up later, but meanwhile something not quite as excellent. Thanks to JP for pinpointing the exact sweet to use in the tasting note…

It smells of strawberry shortcake, liquorice and roses - all sweet and pretty. On the palate quite a long way off dry (to use some understatement) with strawberry shortcake, “Ï love you candy” and a little bit of citrus flavour. It has a nice fine mousse and feels soft and attractive in the mouth. Sweetness supports and lengthens the finish. Good quality upmarket tart fuel (for both sexes) but too sickly for my tastes - Rosé need not be so sweet.

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We always like to start the weekend with a bottle of cooling Champagne although I often don’t write them up. Too busy. Last week’s effort was a Pol Roger white foil as it happens (and very nice too) but today a bottle from this slightly more obscure producer.

Golden in colour with a complex nose - it’s a mix of mineral, smoke, creamed honey, bread and citrus mainly. Quite winey too if that makes sense. On the palate pretty dry but not without with richness and weight. It’s spicy, lightly honeyed but overall pretty minerally and savoury with a light smoky aspect. With its fine persistent bead, gentle foaming mousse and long dry finish it really hits the spot. A particularly good NV I think.

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There is always something promising about the mousse on a glass of sparkling Shiraz; I find it quite festive. This wine was no exception displaying some lovely purple foam, albeit temporarily. A complex nose, plums and vanilla, pepper, stewed fruits, and even some apricots and oranges. The palate displayed sweet fruits, plums and raspberries, with some leathery complexity and some doughiness too. It was light in the mouth, and the acid cleansing and refreshing; a single bottle just wasn’t enough, especially when shared between four people. Drink now, but it would be interesting to see it with another year or two of bottle age.

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I have 3 sparklings from Pennan to review: two Sparkling Chardonnays, one with zero dosage and another made in a slightly sweeter style, and a Sparkling Shiraz. This is the zero dosage wine. 280 six packs produced. A pleasant nose, with hints of lemon and cream, yeast and biscuit. The palate showed lemon and a light biscuitiness, with red delicious apples and sherbety tingle. It had quite a rounded mouthfeel, in some ways belying its absence of dosage. The finish is dry and crisp; quite a refreshing tipple.

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A nice glass of cooling Champagne is the best way to start the weekend. Interesting rocket shaped bottle too. Anyone for T-Ball?

Rich and quite big on the autolysis with yeast and brioche over apple and red fruits. Touch of smokiness. On the palate fairly weighty with richer flavours of sweetish red fruits, dried apple and brioche. Balanced acidity and quite a vigorous fizzy mouthfeel. Dry spiced apple and yeasty aftertaste. Not exactly subtle but still pleasant and very flavoursome - although I do prefer a finer, drier style myself.

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It always strikes me as a most curious thing when I hear people say they rarely get a corked Champagne as I find more taint in it than just about any other style. The first bottle was horridly corked so I had to scuttle back to the shop to grab a replacement. Most inconvenient.

Smells dry and savoury with a mix of citrus, brine, flint and mineral with a bit of cinnamon biscuit and some chamomile prettiness. On the palate a lighter aperitif style with mineral, biscuit and citrus flavours and a bit of briny tang. It has a slightly aggressive tingling bubbliness and attractive crisp clean acidity. Finishes dry with a bit of a salty cracker taste. Attractive, easy going and just a little bit grubby. Like it.

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After running through some pretty distressing bottles of Sauvignon Blanc I thought a nice cooling glass of Champagne was required in order to lift the spirits.

Quite creamy and sweet to smell with yellow fruit, spice, smoke and some floral notes. On the palate again soft and creamy with brioche, stonefruit, mandarin, mineral and spice. It feels well rounded, more to medium body than full with a touch of sweetness, crisp acid and a fine persistent bubble. Closes with spicy and citrus flavours and decent length. A good vintage Champagne at a fair price.

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The problem with many modestly priced sparkling wines is that they are often good for a glass and then the acidity builds up and starts to grate.

Salmon in colour with sweet red apple, strawberry, a little spice and some creamy pastry aromas. On the palate mid-weight fine and soft with sweet apple, redcurrant and rosehip and a slight yeastiness. It has an attractive fluffiness but has some biting acidity that builds up. All in all though it’s a pretty good wine for the price - especially considering the amount of bottle age it receives.

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I was flicking through the current issue of AGT wine and saw that Bob Campbell MW had given this a big 95 point rating. ‘Oh’ I thought, ‘I think I might have one of these in the pile’. So I looked and I found one. What’s in the box Carl Cox? Certainly one of these.

Pretty and slightly floral with apple, lemon biscuits, a little honeycomb and a bit of spice. On the palate again light and fresh with apple, lemon and lime, pastry crust flecked with cinnamon and a little yeasty complexity. Fairly dry with a light foamy mouthfeel and balanced clean acidity (although just a little coarse) and a good dry finish with a yeast and lemon aftertaste. Not especially complex but makes for a nice refreshing drink.

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By all accounts (including the highly authoritative Tom Stevenson) the 2002 Champagne vintage is supposed to be a rip snorter (is that one word?) and I was surprised to see one available so soon. I had to buy it (at full retail mind you..shock horror) because I was curious, but more importantly, in possession of a very large bag of fresh seafood..

Open and spicy with subtle peach, starfruit, pastry dough, marzipan and floral aromas. Nice and fresh. On the palate fresh and invigorating with peach, real lemonade, mineral and spiced pastry flavours. It has a little sweetness that is cut with beautiful clean acidity and a soft persistent foamy mouthfeel. Gentle and delicate with no grating or harsh characters - a Champagne that quietly encourages the next sip. Finishes long and clean with a spice and bitter lemon aftertaste. I think we are in for a bit of a treat with this vintage.

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Happy New Year!

I have been threatening to open this on a New Year’s Eve for a while now, at least three years, but finally last night we had a night at home, albeit entertaining some friends. Some yellowing, a relaxed fine bead, not effusive or ebullient. A complex nose, beef stock and tobacco, toasty, smoked mushrooms and a bit oxidative, aldehydic, almost some chocolate if that doesn’t seem too left field. The palate is big and powerful, quite worked, old apples and lemon, honeyed and earthy, with good length. A very interesting wine, a food wine, and needs something to accompany it. I have seen it pointed higher (and lower for that matter) so I think some bottle variation is at work here.

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