5.6.40
Fine Wine Diary The Bailey brothers have now tasted 12082 wines in 28 years 6 months and 15 days
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Diary index

Recent sweeties 30/07/2002 (TNB)

Southern Italian Wines at V and C 28/07/2002 (TNB)

Drunk in Nice 20/07/2002 (TNB)

Some Chablis from Fevre 20/07/2002 (RJB)

Wine group at A.D.'s 16/07/2002 (TNB)

Laroche 07/07/2002 (RJB)

Torbreck Cellars at Raeburn Fine Wines 06/07/2002 (TNB)

03/07/2002 (RJB)

Dinner at LJM's 02/07/2002 (TNB)

The Diary - July 2002

Recent sweeties 30/07/2002 (TNB)

  • Mussbacher Eselhaut Riesling Auslese 1992 (Muller-Catoir) Apricot fruit and a touch of botrytis. This has become more graceful as it ages (it was rather "in-your-face" a year or two ago). I wonder where it is going - not falling a part in a hurry, but perhaps not going to get any better than this. Good rather than stunning. ***
  • Port 1967 (Martinez) Almondy nose (slightly odd - but it seems to dissipate). Ripe cherry fruit and chocolate. Quite good, particularly for the vintage. ***
  • Bastor-Lamontagne 1988 It is amazing how good wines from "minor" producers in classic regions can be. Perhaps the fact that Sauternes is unfashionble helps. Lovely golden colour with green hints (always a good sign) - rich and nutty, unctious yet savoury, the sweetness less evident at this age. A really nice drink. ***
  • Tokaji Aszu, 5 Puttonyos1993 (Diszonoko) A hint of green on the rim, a good sign in a sweet white generally, but perhaps the norm with Tokaji. Apricot fruit, reasonably sweet but with excellent acidity. Pleasant, but the fruit quality seemed a bit simple on close study. **
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 30/07/2002   Return to top

Southern Italian Wines at V and C 28/07/2002 (TNB)

  • Ciro Bianco 2001 (Librandi) Perfumed, slightly oily nose (not unpleasantly so). Clean, dry, unassuming, slightly marzipan fruit with banana finish - probably young wine esteryness. Good *
  • Gravina 2001 (Botromagno) Intriguing fruit-cake nose - a character that carries on to the palate. Restrained fruit but quite decent concentration and length. Nice acid. A very top *
  • Ciro Rosato 2001 (Librandi) Slightly toffee nose - pleasant scented fruit but a bit more bite of some sort would be welcome. Bare *
  • Ciro Rosso 2000 (Librandi) Fairly light colour, in-your-face red fruit with a rustic edge. Cherry fruit, a bit of tannin. BBQ wine - Summer drinking. *
  • Salento Rosso 2001 (Aliante) More serious - suitable for indoors! Attractive blackberry fruit. Good balance all the way. Good for a modestly priced wine. *
  • Negroamaro 2001 (Aliante) The grape seems to have a darker, gamier character. Fairly modern perhaps - fruit driven - but very drinkable. *
  • Primitivo 2001 (A Mano) Slightly closed - perhaps a touch of sulphur. Juicy fruit. It seems a shade lacking in the mid-palate. Possibly a bit over-made or maybe it will fill in after a few months. *
  • Primitivo 1999 (Botromagno) A bit of complexity on the nose here. The palate good but not quite up to the nose. I think I prefer the A Mano wine. *
  • Salice Salentino Riserva 1998 (Candido) High-toned, crushed red fruits. Interesting fruit and good balance. Scrapes **
  • Copertina Riserva 1997 (Cantine Sociale Copertino) There's a fleeting something on the nose, but otherwise a bit straight down the middle. *
  • Capello di Prete 1998 (Candido) Stewed, fizzy and odd. Coming back to it the bottles seem a bit different: certainly a baked quality. Just old-fashioned? I would like to try this again - I find it hard to decide about it. Not Rated
  • Ciro Riserva 1998 (Librandi) Curious farmyard character - odd - perhaps over-ambitious. I am not convinced. *
  • Gravello 1998 (Librandi) Difficult to put a name to the flavours, but this has some real quality - good balance. Maybe ***
  • Duca di Aragona 1996 (Candido) Is there a touch of ripasso or something? It has that air about it. Cherry fruit. High-toned. Just **
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 28/07/2002   Return to top

Drunk in Nice 20/07/2002 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 20/07/2002   Return to top

Some Chablis from Fevre 20/07/2002 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 20/07/2002   Return to top

Wine group at A.D.'s 16/07/2002 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 16/07/2002   Return to top

Laroche 07/07/2002 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 07/07/2002   Return to top

Torbreck Cellars at Raeburn Fine Wines 06/07/2002 (TNB)

And after at the Vintners Rooms, as well as drinking rather than tasting the first two Torbreck wines:
  • Sancerre Cul de Beaujeu 2000 (Cotat) Herby, refined Sauvignon blanc - like many of Cotat's wines this is not yet at its best and may even rate another star in time. **
  • Shiraz 1997 (Dry River) Interesting wine from this excellent New Zealand estate - tasted briefly: leafy blackcurrant Northern Rhone style fruit - and chocolate. I would like to taste this properly, but I feel it probably rates around ***
  • Cote Rotie 1983 (Gentaz-Dervieux) A quick taste again: exciting smoky fruit, quite dry on the palate, tannins still quite assertive although it probably won't improve now. (I feel 83 Northern Rhones can be a bit like that.) A very classy drink! ****
  • Shiraz 1999 (Galah Wines) A bit woody, although opinion was divided over whether it was corked. I think it was a faulty bottle since last time I tried this I liked it enough to buy a few! Not Rated
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 06/07/2002   Return to top

03/07/2002 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 03/07/2002   Return to top

Dinner at LJM's 02/07/2002 (TNB)

  • Champagne Carte d'Or 1983 (Drappier) Very honeyed and grassy. Evolved yet fresh. Nutty and a lively sparkle. At peak - just about worth ****
  • Laville Haut Brion blanc 1980 Stinky. Blows off to be very mineral. Lightweight gooseberry fruit. Engaging in its way - more out of interest than real enjoyability. Being realistic, probably worth only *
  • Ruchottes Chambertin, Clos des Ruchottes 1989 (Rousseau) Soft, ripe, yet animal. Forward as this vintage tends to be, this is for drinking over the next few years. This is very enjoyable. ****
  • Canon 1978 In very good condition - irony, lean, nice acidity, savoury, smoky, hints of the sea. What a splendid wine - and the best 78 I've had for a while. Peaking, but no hurry to drink. Good ****
  • Raymond Lafon 1980 Very apricot. Resolved, lovely botrytis, good length. At peak. Top ***
  • Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese 1983 (Moenchof) Bit of spice, grapey, intense, fair amount of residual sugar (it seems to be the Moenchof style). Pleasant. ***
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 02/07/2002   Return to top