31/07/1999 (TNB)

• Chardonnay 1990 (Mountadam) Now fat, buttery, cabbagey, heading for blowsyness, but with a certain appeal if you like the drama! (just).
• Coudelet 1986 (Perrin) The Perrin's "not quite Chateaneuf" has quite nice sweet fruit, but a slight unpleasant rubbery/oxidised character is lurking.

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28/07/1999 (TNB)

• Basor Lamontagne 1988 From a half. Sound Sauternes, drinking very well just now.
• Savenierres Clos de Papillon 1990 (Baumard) Tried again - this bottle rather better, dry and Chablis-like.

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Wine group at my place 26/07/1999 (TNB)

Brief notes yet again, owing to their being from memory after the event!

• Champagne NV (A. Gratien) In my cellars almost 3 years. Perfectly fresh and elegant.
• Erbacher Hohenrain spatlese 1964 (Deinhard) Fading rather, but pleasant enough.
• Hochheimer KonigenVictoriaberg Auslese 1971 (Pabstmann/Deinhard) Excellent, as many bottles of this have been.
• Domaine de Chevalier blanc 1988 Very fine - fantastic acidity, open out a little in the glass. Needs years!
• Domaine de Chevalier blanc 1984 More open - soft vanilla fruit flavours. Drinking well.
• Domaine de Chevalier blanc 1983 Another infant - again very good.
• Nuits St George 1987 (H. Jayer) Very good, with characteristically ripe, exuberant fruit and the acidity of the vintage.
• Vosne Brulees 1987 (Meo-Camuzet) Rather more seriousness and depth, but beautifully made. There are so many good 87's.
• Chateauneuf Reserve 1989 (Dom. Pegau) Strong wine - clearly grenache based, but with great concentration.
• Beaucastel 1985 Less rustic than I remembered, and altogether more substantial. Very enjoyable.
• Beaucastel 1981 Again, fine rather than rustic, like the 85 only more so. Lives up to its reputation. Perhaps even
• Beaucastel 1986 Opened by mistake - this half seemed to have an unclean, perhaps slightly oxidised palate. I don't remember this wine as being that bad, but this was certainly not showing well.
• Lafurie Peyraguey 1983 Quite evolved (maybe 83s tend that way) but lovely barley sugar character. Great drinking.
• Lafurie Peyraguey 1986 A half for comparison again. This is much paler and less eveloved, but potentially pretty good.
• Port, Martinez 1970 This Oporto bottling seems pretty dull. Not a good 70.

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25/07/1999 (RJB)

• De Venoge Blancs de Noirs 1990 Good Champagne - perhaps slightly coarse and lacking finesse to be really good.
• Les Tourelles de Longueville 1988 Drinking beautifully with classic mature claret flavours (although not heavy on the cigar box). Silky smooth. At peak, but no hurry to drink up.
• Copertino Rosso 1994, Francesco Colucci Good cheapish pasta wine. Good balance of refreshing acidity and bitter cherry fruit.

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17/07/1999 (TNB)

• Vouvray 1995 Demi-sec Dom d'Orfeuilles Rich, but modernish (probably not for long keeping). Quite good.
• Savenierres Roche aux Moins 1995 (Laroche) Chablis style aperitif, without the searing appleyness of Savenierres for long keeping.
• Coufran 1982 From a half: pleasant drinking.
• Fourcas Hosten 1983 Quite pleasant in a rustic way - fruitcakey fruit and still quite tannic (but I suspect too simple to be going anywhere). Better than I remembered.

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Wine groups at AD's 05/07/1999 (TNB)

• Cotes du Jura 1996 (Baud) Exotic fruits, citric, toffeed, very high acidity.
• Arbois chardonnay 1994 (Fruitiere vinicole) Similar - even more citric - apparently oaky.
• Dom Tselepos barrique chardonnay 1997 Very rich, highly oaked - as New World wines used to be before they lost their nerve!
• Chardonnay 1997 Antunopoulos Slight sulphur taint, otherwise quite New Worldy again.
• Chardonnay, Dom Gervassiliou 1996 Pineappley, softens in the glass. A bit cloying.
• Chardnnay Ktima Harlaftis 1996 Honey, pleasant, softish, not long.
• Cabernet Sauvignon Vergelegen 1995 Toffeed, medicinal, unconvincing.
• Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 Thelema Rubbery, slightly minty, rounded ozzy style. Pleasant.
• Cabernet Sauvignon Louisvale 1996 Lifted, blackcurranty fruit. Slightly spritzy!
• Paul Sauer Kanonkop 1993 Pleasant red fruits. Iodine and tea. More interesting. Goodish.
• Meerlust 1993 Rubicon Red fruity, lifted, rounded. Lightish perhaps.
• Beyerskloof 1994 Slightly smoky. Stylish. Good austere finish.
• Beyerskloof 1995 Austerer, yet plainer. Slightly minty.
• Tokaji Aszu 5, Evinor Orangey, golden, lightweight. Burnt barleysugar.
• Tokaji Aszu 5, Tolcs(?) Slightly richer and longer.
• Tokaji Aszu 5 Ch. Magyar 1988 Very similar.

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04/07/1999 (RJB)

• Pouilly Fuisse 1997, Louis Josse Thin wine, lacking class.
• Albacora Tempranillo 1997, Spain Good colour - lovely sweet, slightly tarry nose and palate. Smokey and with depth.
• Bella Fonte Baga 1998, Portugal Rustic food wine - light berry fruit and a gentle bitterness.
• Oak Barrique Syrah 1995, Frederic Roger, Vin de Pays d'Oc Impressive Southern French wine. Real flavours of Syrah, but perhaps a bit on the sweet side. Fine effort for a cheap wine.

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