An evening at M.D.'s 29/01/2007 (TNB)
- Maximin Grunhaus Abtsberg Spatlese 1997 (von Schubert)
Quite rich, mouthfilling fruit. Sherberty, good acid. More forward than some from this estate. At least a good
- Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese 1-star 1996 (Selbach-Oster)
Excellent density, firm acid, really good.
- Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Les Cloux 1998 (M. Ecard)
Quite animal, meaty, but elegant. A touch hard on the finish. Top
- Nuits St George 1er cru Chaignots 1998 (Gouges)
Quite hard. Succulent tannins, dense but needs time.
- Beaune 1er cru Greves 1999 (Tollot-B)
Splendidly ripe, round fruit. Excellent wine Bare
- Vosne Les Hautes Maizieres 1999 (Arnoux)
Moderate weight, pleasant but seems a bit dilute. Bare
- Chambolle Musigny 1er cru Les Baudes 1998 (H. Lignier)
Mineral, pure, very savoury, lovely tannins. Still improving. Top
- Gevrey Chambertin 1er cru Champonnets 1999 (Heresztyn)
Middle of the road fruity, good Burgundy but not remarkable. Ready to drink.
- Charmes Chambertin 1998 (Serafin)
Charred at first - then quite fine and luscious. A bit oaky. Bare I guess but not entirely my sort of thing.
- Vosne Romanee La Grande Rue 1998 (Lamarche)
Coffee, all sorts of aromatics, complex. Unique.
- Clos de La Roche 1994 (H. Lignier)
Takes time to open out. Great poise. Subtle and complex. Fantastic effort for the vintage.
- Delaforce 1977
Pleasant, but really a bit lacking oomph. Bare
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 15/02/2007 Return to top
Sunday night 28/01/2007 (TNB)
- Chablis 1er Cru Montmains 2002(Moreau-Naudet)
Quite lightweight, but this is misleading - there's real intensity and good length. Proper Chablis minerality, dry and pure. Very good and probably not quite yet at peak. A good
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 28/01/2007 Return to top
Over the last few days 27/01/2007 (TNB)
- Bucciato 2000 (Ca Rugate)
I bought a few of these a while ago and this is the last one. It's essentially Soave, made in a retro style with quite a lot of skin contact - hinting at the sort of thing that has made Gravner famous. I have slightly mixed feelings: on opening it seems a bit flat and dull, like other things in this style it needs to be close to room temperature to show its best. When it does, it's really got nice fruit, although you have to be in the right mind-set for it. I must try another vintage.
- Mrey St Denis 1er cru Chaffots 1999 (H. Lignier)
Like the other bottles from this producer I've tried recently, this is pure, unforced, transparent wine. Really good, and as it opens out some really attractive minerality emerges. A bit more oomph that the other wines but this is 1999 rather than 2000. Very good indeed. Just because I like it, rather than for really objective reasons, I'll go as far as a bare
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 27/01/2007 Return to top
One or two things from the last week 20/01/2007 (TNB)
- Palo Cortado El Cardenal NV (Valdespino)
Quite volatile nose, palate like licking mahogany. Splendid wine.
- Amontillado Coliseo NV (Valdespino)
Finer and more complex than the Cardenal, fantastically interesting: the finish is compelling, concentrated and long, but I can see one might almost find it difficult without food. Lovely.
- Sauternes La Tour Blanche 1990
A bit of a star, if Parker and Broadbent are to be believed. I find it a bit flat - acidity only adequate and a general lack of sparkle. That said, the fruit is quite fine. Possibly this is a poor half, but if not then only for me.
- Chateau Leoville Barton 1991
Surprisingly round and fruitcakey for what was not generally a Merlot year. Beyond that, rather a lovely mature Claret, cedary, no great hurry to drink. It just shows that class is much more important than vintage, although 91 is an odd one anyway - much of its reputation as a poor vintage seems to come from its being a small vintage. Did I really sell half my case of this? Top
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 20/01/2007 Return to top
Over the Weekend 15/01/2007 (TNB)
- Zinfandel Stellwagen 1997 (Joseph Swan)
Brambly, quite intense, with that streak of minerality that often lifts this estate's wines out of the ordinary. Carries its 14.7% alcohol quite easily.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 15/01/2007 Return to top
Some easy clarets with MR 13/01/2007 (RJB)
- Les Tourelles de Longueville 1988
Nicely balanced, mature claret - perhaps just slightly over the edge, but not noticably enough to cause concern. Light cedar wood.
- Chateau Patache d'Aux 1995
Good youngish claret for drinking now. Doesn't need food. Good balance and easy, simple flavours. just
- Chateau Sociando-Mallet 1986
I think this still needs some time to be at its best. Good mature, balnced flavours overlying some fine (not overbearing) tannic structure.
- Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1989 (Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe)
Not deeply complex, but silky (slightly dilute) maturity. Pleasant and evolved with time in the glass.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 15/01/2007 Return to top
In The Hague 06/01/2007 (TNB)
- Prosecco Special Cuvee Brut NV (Zonin)
Refreshing, clean, flavoursome - a rather nice example of basic Prosecco.
- Chateau St Pierre
Quite cedary - perfectly mature. Really nice drinking Claret. Top
- Tokay 5 putts 1997 (Chateau Dereszla)
Rather fine and elegant. Good intensity in fact. Orange peel. Top
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 15/01/2007 Return to top
Canonica's Barolo 03/01/2007 (TNB)
- Barolo Paiagallo 2002 (Giovanni Canonica)
Fantastically pure, fragrant, juicy, crushed red fruits - very Burgundian (like the Nebbiolo tasted a couple of weeks ago). Good concentration and length and the fruit is of such quality that hides both the tannins and the hints of tar. Excellent wine from what is supposed not to be a great vintage in Barolo - a pleasure to drink but surely it will be even more so in a few years. At least a good
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 03/01/2007 Return to top