5.6.40
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Diary index

Tuscans from Raeburn Fine Wines 26/04/2001 (TNB)

Three 1984 Burgundies 25/04/2001 (RJB)

22/04/2001 (TNB)

21/04/2001 (RJB)

Wine group at M.D.'s 12/04/2001 (TNB)

A Louis Jadot tasting 05/04/2001 (RJB)

02/04/2001 (TNB)

The Diary - April 2001

Tuscans from Raeburn Fine Wines 26/04/2001 (TNB)

  • Chianti Classico "Paris" 1999 (Monte Bernardi) Raspberries dominate the piercingly fruity nose. Pure, concentrated, intensely fruity palate. Nice quality tannins. Quite long. This will age pretty gracefully for a while. An easy **(*) (18.99)
  • Sa'etta 1999 (Monte Bernardi) Nose as for the above (this is also a Sangiovese wine), but more tannic - a more "serious" wine built for keeping, but not necessarily much better - the fruit quality doesn't seem that different. That said, perhaps this edges **(**) (25.99)
  • Chianti Classico "Paris" 1998 (Monte Bernardi) More herby, almost medicinal, closed now and lots of tannins. Probably it's just that 98 is a more "difficult" vintage. This probably just about makes *(**) (19.99)
  • Chianti Classico 1997 (Monte Bernardi) That piercing raspberryand blackberry fruit - tremendously juicy - fleshy and long. This is a really splendid Chianti vintage - this is enjoyable now but will age effortlessly for ten years. Perhaps even ***(*) (20.99)
  • Sa'etta 1997 (Monte Bernardi) This is a monster: closed nose, huge palate. Very dense and long. Serious wine that needs at least five years. **(**) (28.99)
  • Sa'etta 1996 (Monte Bernardi) More open, complex fruity nose. Cherry fruit. Nice acidity. This is beginning to show a bit of maturity and is already drinking quite nicely although a few more years will probably do it a bit of good. *** (25.50)
  • Sa'etta 1995 (Monte Bernardi) Forward, round, almost tarry (slightly cooked) fruit. This seemed too be quite popular on the whole, but it was not my favourite Sa'etta. Perhaps I have misjudged it, but for now ** (23.50)
  • Sa'etta 1994 (Monte Bernardi) From a weak vintage, this is an elegant light-weight, almost Burgundian wine. There is no great concentration and some may rate this quite low, but it is fine. Probably at peak too. A good ** (18.95)
  • Chianti Classico 1998 (Collelungo) Much more open and fruity than the Monte Bernardi wines. Very prominant acidity which would probably be fine with food. Easy drinking style. A good * (11.99)
  • Chianti Classico Riserva 1997 (Collelungo) This is quite complex and (compared again with Monte Bernardi) low in tannins and high in acid. A very attractive drink, but lacking the fineness of the other estate. Probably just worth *** (22.99)
  • Anfiteatro 1993 (Vecchie Terre di Montefili) This idiosynchratic wine has an almost farmyard Burgundian side to the brambley Sangiovese fruit. An interesting wine from a rather moderate vintage. *** (23.99)
  • Vigna Regis 1995 (Vecchie Terre di Montefili) Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc and Traminer with the former predominating - an interesting wine with quite an exotic fruit character. It would be interesting to try it again, rather than as a "palate-cleanser" after all the Chianti! For now perhaps ** (19.99)
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 26/04/2001   Return to top

Three 1984 Burgundies 25/04/2001 (RJB)

  • Corton 1984 (Louis Jadot) Easily the best of the three 1984 Cortons tasted together. Dilute (as one might expect from the 1984 vintage), but with a tannic structure holding it together. This was the only one of these three wines that was remotely drinkable the next day. **
  • Corton 1984 (Domaine Arnoux) Not a bad effort all things considered. Glimpses of what might have been had the vintage been better. Hints of VA at the finish after a dilute strawberry start. Just hanging on at *
  • Corton 1984 (Bonneau du Martray) Really suffering. Oxidised - dilute 'mushy' fruit. No Stars
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 25/04/2001   Return to top

22/04/2001 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 22/04/2001   Return to top

21/04/2001 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 21/04/2001   Return to top

Wine group at M.D.'s 12/04/2001 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 12/04/2001   Return to top

A Louis Jadot tasting 05/04/2001 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 05/04/2001   Return to top

02/04/2001 (TNB)

  • Escherndorfer Lump Silvaner spatlese trocken 1999 (Horst Sauer) Scented, peachy nose, mouthfilling fruit. Fairly simple in the final analysis (as silvaner perhaps always will be ) but reasonable acidity and good balance and finish. I haven't had a Franken wine for ages - this is pretty good. **
  • Champagne NV (Roederer) One can find great small growers in Champagne and excellent (but expensive) luxury brands, but it is hard to beat the ever reliable Roederer. This bottle had been in cellar for 18 months or so and was splendidly rich yet not overblown. Top ***
  • Riesling Silberberg 1995 (Rolly-Gassmann) I was impressed by the lovely, racy acidity of this at a tasting a while ago but I think that on closer study it is a slightly less substantial wine than the lovely Kappelweg and Pflaenzerreben from this estate and despite the acidity, a bit earlier maturing. Refreshing and fruity, it might be particularly good with seafood. **
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 02/04/2001   Return to top