5.6.40
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PBAB at E.McC's 21/11/2004 (TNB)

A short-notice PBAB at E.McC's recently led to three different Piedmont 1982's arriving. All the best themes arise by accident. To me, the star was Giacosa's Barabresco: an absolutely amazing, eccentric individual wine that I could imagine not being universally liked but would stand out from any crowd.

Earlier, Chave's Hermitage blanc 1985 was very anonymous at first but a couple of hours later it seemed to have filled out considerably to the extent that it stood up to the Nebbiolo we had drunk in the meantime. I think this will be fine in time, but there is an element of guesswork.

Corton Charlemagne 1970 from Tollot-Beaut was a touch maderised in a graceful way but a lovely example of old Chardonnay, as Barolo La Serra 1974 from Marcarini was of Barolo. I can't get enough of old Rioja too and the Imperial 1947 was stunning.

Zind-Humbrecht is of course a good domain although the wines for me sometimes seem a bit too blowsy. It was interesting to go back to a wine from the previous generation: the Gewurztraminer Hengst VT 1983. This was absolutely dry, had amazing concentration and a refinement that I haven't had from this Estate in the 90's - one of the finest Gewurtztraminers I can remember tasting. If this is typical of wines of this period I could find myself siding with those who say that Z-H has been rather pandering to the soft-and-easy school in the nineties.


Dinner added to Fine Wine Diary 21/11/2004   Return to top