29/05/1998 (RJB)

• Chianti Classico Riserva 1994, Villa Antinori Not one of their better efforts - lacking concentration.
• Vina Ardanza Reserva 1989, La Rioja Alta, Blanco Seco Rioja White Rioja isn't to everyone's taste, but once in a while it can be enjoyable. This wine is good value (6.00 Bacchanalia) for a mature white - nutty and lightly buttery.
• Gosset Excellence Brut Lovely basic (for Gosset) NV Champagne. This bottle greener than previous ones that I have tasted, but it just needs some time to age. plus
• Marsannay Les Longerois 1988, Bruno Clair From a half. Better than the last one I had of these (which seemed to be drying out). This was coffee and spice, with only a slight sign that it's on the way down.

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La Potiniere 29/05/1998 (TNB)

• Chablis Montee de Tonerre 1995 (Michel) Very pure and steely - good but could do with a year or two.
• Riesling Fred Emile 1993 (Trimbach) Spicy, decent weight - a good but not great Fred E.
• Buzet Grande Reserve 1989 (Vignerons de Buxy) Round, softish, Bordeaux like. Drinking pleasantly.
• Coteaux de Layon, St Catherine 1992 (Baumard) Gives the impression of a moderate vintage for this usually rather good wine - still, good young chenin - needs some time.
• Taylors 1977 Lovely: a bit softer and more approachable than I remember-slightly less obvious piercing raspberry fruit. Beginning to drink really well.

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Misc 28/05/1998 (TNB)

Some odd things tasted over a week or two but not noted.

• Chateau d'Issan 1986 Pleasant wine, but very much "luncheon claret" if not even "elevenses claret". OK, but a bit light for a classed growth.
• Mountadam Chardonnay 1990 One of the better bottles - more fruit than vegetables - or maybe I was just more receptive!

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Dinner at V&C 28/05/1998 (TNB)

• Rosso di Montalcino 1996 (Conti Costanti) Very nice ripe fruit with hints of chocolate/coffee. Well made wine. A good
• Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 1995 (Pepe) Idiosynchratic farmyardy nose, slight spritz in the mouth. Bags of fruit. Curious, but impressive! At least

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White Burgundy 96 at OFW 27/05/1998 (TNB)

• St Veran Tete de Cuve 1996 (Verget) Quite tight, pure fruit, decent length, but fairly straightforward. Good "village wine". (9.99)
• Pouilly Fuisse 1996 (Dom de Lalande) Ripe, melony fruit. Quite a lot of oak. More obvious than the previous wine, but no better. (10.99)
• Pouilly Fuisse Vielle Vignes 1996 (Ch. Fuisse) Closed, quite fine citric flavours. Quite a lot of oak and lees character - not yet resolved. Possibly a bit overblown, but pretty good. A top (17.49)
• Chardonnay 1997 (Hamilton Russell - S.A.) Very ripe, quite complex lemony fruit. Slightly short on acidity. Good, but for drinking soon. Recognisably not French from the slight lack of grip and (a cynic might add) the cleanness! (11.99)
• Chassagne Montrachet 1996 (Pillot) Quite a bit of oak, but a good consistent core of ripe fruit. Nice village wine. (16.99)
• Chassagne Montrachet Vielle Vigne 1996 (B. Morey) Nutty, almost Puligny character, lovely length. Very good. (Not quite what I think of as B. Morey's style.) (16.99)
• Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres 1996 (Ch. de Puligny) Correct Puligny character, but not quite as good as I remember the 95. OK but a shade dull.
• Meursault Perrieres 1996 (Ch de Puligny) Quite intense and weighty - could do with a couple of years. Much better than the Meursault I rememeber from this property last year! (17.99)
• Meursault Genevrieres 1993 (Michelot) Honeyed, with the slight vegetality of mature chardonnay. Pleasant wine from a modest vintage - drink now. (30.00)

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Wine group at Dougie's 25/05/1998 (TNB)

On the whole, the 88 clarets were showing very well: youthful, excellent ripe fruit, and while clearly well-structured a bit more welcoming than I would have expected.

• Le Tertre Rose 1997 Rose from a good Bordeaux property - fresh, floral, ripe fruit. It was remarked that it doesn't have quite the bite of a good Provence example, which may be true. Pleasant though.
• Le Rose de Giscours 1997 More ambitious, in being more concentrated. Came over as slightly duller.
• Ch de Castelneau 1993 (E d M) Oily, nutty, mature sauternes-like fruit. Characterful wine - old vines apparently.
• Ch Pontac Monplaisir 1993 (Graves) More classic, good weight and depth.
• Ch Guiraud Sec 1993 More Sauv blanc character - reasonably long.
• Tour de Haut Moulin 1988 Good colour, very attractive smokey fruit, good, but finish a bit shorter than you might hope from the nose.
• Beychevelle 1988 Classic blackcurrent nose - a bit "straight through" though. For now, just
• Rausan Segla 1988 Closed at present, but one feels it will fill out and be really good.
• Canon 1988 Nicely balanced smokey fruit - again, this will be pretty good.
• Leoville Barton 1988 Again dumbish, but very fine structure and impressive length - opens up in the glass. Excellent!
• Rausan Segla 1970 Gorgeous sweet fruit, medium weight, and a fine finish. Lovely wine.
• Cote de Saumur 1990 (Bourdin) Rich and grassy - good sweet chenin.
• I Capitelli 1995 (Anselmi) Lots of bottrytis, overlying a nose dominated by rosemary. Curious, but pleasant.
• Moscato d'Asti 1996 (Marcarini) Nice example - refreshing and not remotely cloying.

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Gang of Five 17/05/1998 (RJB)

• Martinelli Gold Ridge Chardonnay 1996, Russian River Valley Toasty oak - big textured chardonnay. Good balance.
• Macon Lugny Les Genievres 1978, Louis Latour Lemony old chardonnay - past its best.
• Chalk Hill Pinot Gris 1995, Estate Vineyard Selection, California I thought this to be soft chardonnay (and probably marked it down on that assumption). Light sweetness and aniseed. Fatty.
• Condrieu La Bonnette 1996, R. Rostaing Light colour, light flavour. disappointing.
• Henschke Semillon 1989, Eden Valley, Australia Slight spritz, waxy and citric. Probably past its best, but it's not a style I'm that familiar with.
• Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 1989, one star, Kerpen Acidity lacking, light sulphur. Not nearly as good as the last bottle I tried.
• Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 1994, Jaboule-Aine Clarety nose but the wine not together. Toffeed.
• Pesqera Cosecha Especial 1986, Ribera del Duero Gorgeous maturing nose. Not incredibly complex, but good drinking. plus
• Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 Big soft and sensual. plus
• Brokenwood Vineyard 1991 Graveyard Vineyard Good structure, currant fruit.
• Atlas Peek 1990 Consenso Corked.
• Wynn's Michael Shiraz 1991 (2) Good balance, and with some sweetness.

And some extras ...

• Mount Mary Vineyard Lilydale Triolet 1995 Good easy drinking white, which probably has more complexity than it was letting on. plus
• Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 1991 Ageing elegantly, and with good acidity.
• Late Harvest Zinfandel 1996, Redwood Hill Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, J. Fritz From a half. Good of its type.

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Baccahanalia's Cambridge Wine Fair 13/05/1998 (RJB)

Rather short notes from this tasting and the scores done rather quickly 'on the hoof'. This isn't the order I tasted them in - just the order on the tasting sheet. on looking through the notes, the reds don't seem to have shown as well as might be expected - perhaps the weather (hottish and dry) wasn't conducive.

• Cray, Cremant de Loire 1992 Good cheap (6.99) mature fizz.
• Chapelle de Cray Chenin Blanc 1996, Loire Liquorice nose - excellent value (3.99).
• Salice Salentino 1994, Vallone Herbs and sunshine.
• Dominio de Montalvo 1995, Rioja Tannic - lacks fruit.
• Amarone delle Valpolicella Classico 1994, Bussola Fairly good amarone, but lacks acidity.
• Taltarni Brut Tache NV Dull Oz fizz.
• Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese 1990, F. W. Gymnasium Good balance and length - at peak.
• Chateau de Campuget 1996, Costieres de Nimes Good Rhonish wine.
• Chateau Fortia 1994, Chateauneuf du Pape Not impressed.
• Amarone Classico 1993, Tedeschi Really rather elegant - good acidity, but perhaps lacking depth. plus
• Riesling QbA 1997, Joseph Leitz Sulphury sweetness.
• Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 1997, Dr Loosen Disappointing and sulphury.
• Chateau de la Riveriere 1995, Fronsac Weedy and unyielding.
• Humbert Canale Malbec 1996 From Patagonia. Dumb nose, chocolatey fruit. Not a bad effort.
• Chateau de Ferrand 1986 Grand Cru St Emelion Drying out.
• Champagne Henriot Blancs de Blancs NV Coarse fizz.
• Pinot Gris Heimbourg 1996, Zind-Humbrecht Big wine, but with elegance.
• Gascogne Tannat 1996, Alain Brumont Thin and dull.
• Domaine de L'Arlot 1995, Nuits St Georges Good extract - plum skins.
• Chateau Val Joanis Les Griottes 1993 Big extracted nose - a bit short towards the finish.
• Chateau Montus 1995, Madiran Reduced cherry nose.
• Chateau de Pibarnon 1994, Bandol Lovely wine - fragrant and spicey, violets and liquorice.
• Domaine de la Bon Gran 1996, Macon Clesse Toast oak, good length, but a bit hottish.
• Cullen Chardonnay 1996, Western Australia Fairly typical New World Chardonnay with mineral flavours.
• Mas de Gougonnier Tradition 1996, Provence Rather weedy.
• Tim Gramp Grenache 1996, South Australia Big and heavy with a nose of bacon.
• Torres Santa Digna Sauvignon Blanc 1997, Chile Gooseberryish but oddly metallic.
• Sauvignon Excellence 1996 Oisly et Thesee Good balance and acidity.
• Mitchelton Marsanne 1996, Goulbourn Australia Not a style I'm keen on - custard powder.
• Marimar Torres Chardonnay 1994 Not hugely exciting - coarse flavours.
• Guigal Condrieu 1996 Some length - peachy.
• Guigal Cotes du Rhone 1994 Leathery, but not showing as well as I remember.
• Guigal Cotes du Rhone 1995 Disappointing.
• Guigal Gigondas 1995 Peppery.
• Guigal Cote Rotie 1994 This struck me as a poor effort for this wine. Disjoint.
• Champagne Lancelot Brut NV Good value (15.99).
• Chablis 1er Cru Montmain 1996, Denis Race Well made - good acidity, but a touch flat.
• Pouilly Fume 1996, Domaine de Berthiers Subdued, but signs that it is quite good.
• Beaune Montee Rouge 1993, Emile Voariac Green tanins on finish.
• Bric Merli Nebbiolo de Alba 1995, Malabaila Slight spritz - not together.
• Lindemans St George 1994, Australia Big and well balanced.
• Chablis 1995 Grossot Steely but overly oaked.
• Julienas 1997, Michele Tete Good of its sort.
• Henschke Keyneton Estate 1995 Good, but the price nowadays is high (14.99).
• Seppelt Sparkling Shiraz 1993 Just what is needed at the end of a big tasting - refreshing and very gluggable.

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09/05/1998 (RJB)

• Champagne de Venoge Brut Millesime 1989 Ageing well - very pleasant honeyed flavours. Medium weight. Probably needs a few more years to be at its best.
• Tokay Pinot Gris Reserve 1993, Trimbach Lightly oily bacon fat and hazelnuts.
• Chateau Haut Brion 1962 Drinking beautifully - not hugely complex, but lovely mature claret flavours and a light, lifting leafiness. plus
• Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne 1988, Sauternes From a half. Still plenty of time ahead of this - lanolin and a lemony, almost pithy, acidity.
• Chateau Rabaud-Promis 1988, Sauternes From a half. Initially this didn't seem as good as the Bastor, however, with time it showed its full class. It doesn't have the citric acidity of the Bastor, but it does have a sensuous peaches and cream nose and fine depth of palate.

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Aldo Conterno at Noel Young Wines 08/05/1998 (RJB)

Franco Conterno is getting around a bit - first Edinburgh and two days later, Cambridge. All these notes and scores were written before I had seen TNB's notes for 6/5/98

• Chardonnay Printanie 1997 (13.49) Light spritz and quite a lot of lees contact obvious. Mineral falvours with an aniseedy alcoholic finish showing through. Difficult to judge (it has only been in bottle one month).
• Chardonnay Bussiador 1996 (22.99) Loads of quite classy toasty oak, good acidity and reasonable concentration. Is there too much oak?
• Dolcetto d'Alba 1996 (10.59) Herbs, black olive and berry fruit nose. Good acidity. Easy quaffing, but at a non-quaffing price.
• Barbera d'Alba 1994 (14.29) Raisiny reduced nose. Good food wine.
• Barolo Bussia Soprano 1994 (34.99) Well-toned easy Barolo for drinking now. Good effort for a poor vintage.
• Barolo Colonnello 1993 (42.99) Lovely wine - floral and ethereal. Excellent balance and a slight, but pleasant fishiness (the powdery stuff that goes on crispy seaweed) at the finish.
• Barolo Romirasco 1993 (48.99) This should be better than the previous wine, but my advice would be to save yourself six pounds and go for the Colonnello. This has a watery feel to it compared with the Colonnello and quite high acidity. Still good wine, but ... plus

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08/05/1998 (RJB)

• Pomerol 1990, Andre Quancard On special offer at Tesco - judging by this bottle the wine is past it.
• Salice Salentino Riserva 1993 Rosso, Taurino Drinking well for a cheapish red: some maturity; leathery and tarry.

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Aldo Conterno at V&C 06/05/1998 (TNB)

Franco Conterno was a very good representative for the estate's wines, which are certainly very good, although their fashionability has driven the price pretty high! They do seem to have a very genuine commitment to quality - for example they made no Barolo at all in 92.

• Langhe Chardonnay Printanie 1997 Very pure, unoaked chardonnay. Decent concentration and length. Attractive. (13.99)
• Langhe Chardonnay Bussiador 1996 Bags of new oak, reasonably subtly applied. Quite good fruit and acidity, but the oak might come to dominate. (23.99)
• Dolcetta D'Alba 1996 Not a blockbuster, but that slighly tannic nose (if such a thing is possible) of the thinking man's Beaujolais. (10.99)
• Barbera 1995 Conca Tre Pile Lovely blackberry fruit, good length and a bit of structure added with barique aging. Very lovely. (14.99)
• Barolo Bussia Soprano 1994 Old-fashioned colour, and warm cherry fruit. Soft palate. Clearly fairly early drinking. (34.99)
• Barolo Bussia Soprano 1993 Again, quite evolved, but clearly more concentrated, and perhaps something extra to emerge.
• Barolo Romirasco 1993 The only thing above the Bussia Soprano made in 93. Quite similar in style, but a bit richer and more concentrated. A top (55.00)
• Barolo Vigna Colonello 1990 Very rich, gamey, and structured. Very striking, but I need to taste it again to evaluate it properly. Seems excellent. From a magnum. (190.00/magnum)

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04/05/1998 (RJB)

• Pinnacle 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz, Stellenbosch South African red with little to commend it - like an unbalanced cross between cheap Australian and cheaper French.
• Laurent Perrier Brut LP I haven't had LP for a while. Lacks drama.
• Pesquera 1985, Ribera del Duero This could be a good mature Claret or Rhone wine - delicious tertiary aromas, silky and mushroomy. Probably at peak.
• Chateau Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 1985 Probably at its peak also, but the climb has left it rather more ragged and there's just a hint that it's beginning on the gentle downhill slope. Lightly minty, with cedar and some berry fruit. plus
• Regalia de Ansuero 1996, Ribera del Duero Good value (under a fiver at Wine Rack) - good concentration, but a bit commercially juicy.

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