5.6.40
Fine Wine Diary The Bailey brothers have now tasted 12082 wines in 28 years 6 months and 14 days
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Diary index

Lovely Bubbly at the Edinburgh Festival 23/08/2008 (TNB)

Weekend wines 10/08/2008 (TNB)

Wine group at M.D's 04/08/2008 (TNB)

At E.McC's 02/08/2008 (TNB)

The Diary - August 2008

Lovely Bubbly at the Edinburgh Festival 23/08/2008 (TNB)

Pleasantly surprised to arrive at the Edinburgh Festival Foodie weekend and discover that the promised Champagne bar was serving a selection of interesting grower wines from internet business "Lovely Bubbly" rather than being a grand marque monoculture. It was mainly lower-level wines but I liked the "Legras and Haas" a lot and would be interested to try other wines also from Tribaut even though they are not in a top village.
  • Champagne Brut Tradition NV (Tribaut-Schloesser) Clean, dry, appetising. Apparently this is 20-30% reserve wines and I think this shows in the extra complexity. Some evident Meunier character but I think this contributes to its character as an aperitif fizz. The producer is in Romery. A good ***
  • Champagne Cuvee Selection NV (Lancelot-Pienne) Apparently this is a blend of the three varieties from Cramant and nearby. It doesn't strike me as very typical of the village, being quite big and showy. Pleasant but a bit undistinguished I feel. Top **
  • Champagne Tradition Grand Cru NV (Legras et Haas) A blend of the usual varieties from Chouilly, high-quality fruit (as you would hope for from a Grand Cru wine). Good stuff - I would be interested to try other wines from this estate. Top ***
  • Champagne Brut Rose Premier Cru NV (Lallier) Pinot Noir from Ay, Mareuil and Bouzy, made by addition apparently. Nice fragrant nose and good fruit. Tried briefly at the end - my initial impression is that it probably merits ***
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 23/08/2008   Return to top

Weekend wines 10/08/2008 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 10/08/2008   Return to top

Wine group at M.D's 04/08/2008 (TNB)

  • Bandol blanc 2003 (Tempier) Aniseedy, grassy, flat accross the palate but long and vinous. Not really singing now but it might well in time and then merit another star. **
  • Bandol Rose 1989 (Tempier) Testing the theory that this wine ages - this one is stinky and oxidised and so fails. Not Rated
  • Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets 2000 (Pousse d'Or) Red fruits, fresh, appetising and yet luscious. High-toned and very moreish. Top ***
  • Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru 2000 (Domaine des Lambrays) Stonier and more mineral than the Volnay. Understated wine but very lovely. SAnd there is something in reserve too. ***(*)
  • Tokay Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz 1998 (Bott-Geyl) Rich and at the sweet end of medium, although with just about adequate acidity. Fragrant and with good grapy fruit. Pity though the consumer who thinks this is not really a pudding wine. Bare ***
  • Tokay Pinot Gris Heimbourg 1997 (Zind-Humbrecht) This is really quite dry (in a way that much recent Z-H is not) and has a riesling-like complexity. Rather good. Top ***
  • Tokay Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz 1999 (Bott-Geyl) This is in the style of the 98 but flabbier and I am not very keen. **
  • Chateau La Dominique 1989 Like the other 89 Clartets here, this seemed rather younger. This has a touch of astringency still and capsicum overtones to the berry fruit. Good length. Bare ***(*)
  • Chateau La Lagune 1989 Nice balance. Dry and persistent, but still a bit gummy. ***(*) again I guess.
  • Chateau Pavie Macquin 1989 Solid fruit with a pleasing purity and good Claret character. More resolved than the previous two wines but like the others good classic wine. A good ***
  • Chateau Palmer 1989 Pure and gentle at first, and pleasantly high-toned. There's just a hint of the iron fist towards the finish. Rising to a bare *****
  • Chateau Palmer 1983 Cedary, very classy, classic Claret. Quite meaty. Obviously top-class, but I would never have guessed it was this wine, which I remember being a monster year ago. Very top ****
  • Chateau Suideraut 1988 Lots of botrytis, apricot flavours, full fruit. Fine Sauternes. ****
  • Niepoort 1992 Blueberry fruit with lovely ripeness. Thoroughly attractive Port that is actually pleasantly drinkable although it will doubtless benefit from another decade or two in cellar. A good ***(*)
  • Deutz 1995 Very autolytic nose, bready, quite evolved. Intense, characterful wine. ****
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 06/08/2008   Return to top

At E.McC's 02/08/2008 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 06/08/2008   Return to top