Wines at a WineSmart.com tasting 29/11/2000 (RJB)

• Blanc de Blanc 1999 (Van Loveren) Standard cheepy youthfull stuff.
• Riesling 1998 (David Wynn) Good Oz petrolley Riesling. Needs time. Goodish Length.
• Riesling 1997 (Katnook Estate) Nicely musty leesish nose. Green and slight tannins. Not so obviously Riesling. In between phase? for now
• Windy Peak Riesling 1998 (De Bortoli) A touch of sweetness does nothing for this wine. Out of kilter, chewy.
• Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 1999 (Steenberg) Slightly vegetal with a soft finish.
• Sauvignon Blanc 1999 (Wairau River) Soft nose, but with a harsh acidic finish.
• Sauvignon Blanc 1999 (Fairhall Downs) Sulphur on the nose, soft and mushy fruit.
• Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc NV (Mulderbosch) Sulphurous, soft lychee fruit. A one-off blend apparently due to the reduced crop in 1998, and the excellent quality of the 1997 (am I missing something here? Wouldn't it have been better to stick with the 1997?)
• Chardonnay 1997 (Shale Ridge) Heavily oaked and without the quality of fruit.
• Overlook Chardonnay 1998 (Landmark) Toasty oak. Hazelnut nose, but perhaps too alcoholic at the finish.
• Chatemp Rouge 2541 1997 (Siam Winery) My first Thai wine, and probably my first wine harvested by boat (the rows of vines are separated by water channels). For the record 70% Pok Dum (I'm not sure what this is, but I might order it as a starter), 20% Muscat de Hamburg and Lambrusco, 10% Syrah and Grenache Noir. Colour looks oddly orange. Lacks just about everything other than curiosity value.
• Oregon Pinot Noir 1997 (Lorane Valley) Weak colour, stalky nose. Aggresively green tannins. Poor wine.
• Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Vineyards 1998 (De Bortoli) Better! Jammy and minty plumminess. Tastes heavilly oaked. just
• Sangiovese 1996 (Lockwood) Interesting stuff. Juicy and with light Sangiovese bitterness. Perhaps lack of structure. plus?
• Anubis Syrah Bonarda, Argentina 1999 Good blackcurrant nose. Good colour and structure. Sandy tannins. Perhaps a touch green.
• Merlot 1999, Argentina (Finca el Retiro) Smoky dumb on the nose, but good juicy depth on the palate. Tannins at finish (a trifle harsh).
• Shiraz 1998 (Boveli) Lightweight blackcurrant nose. Harsh stalky tannins.
• Vintner's Blend Zinfandel 1997 (Ravenswood) Light bitter cherry nose, and a rather bitter woody finish.
• Zinfandel 1997 (Ravenswood) Charming lifted nose. Tarry big mouthful. Lovely wine for drinking now. On retasting an odd solvent based glue aroma. ?
• Durif Vat 1 1998 (De Bortoli) Goodish style, but lacks real depth.
• Pinotage 1998 (Bouwland) Thin. Where's the fruit?
• Pinotage 1997 (Kanonkop) Good deep colour. Leathery stalky wine.
• Merlot 1996 (Shale Ridge) Disconcerting bouquet of anchovies! (Something fishy?)
• Vintner's Blend Merlot 1997 (Ravenswood) Dumb on the nose. Not a lot going on. Dilute.
• Merlot 1999, Chile (Chateau los Boldos) Mushroomy leather mature nose. Slight spritz (a worry).
• Family Merlot 1996 (Niebaum-Coppola) Classy sweety, plummy, oak, mocha nose. Easily the best red so far. Not quite showing on the palate, but needs time (a few years).
• Cabernet Merlot 1997 (Hogue) Stalky subdued. Slight spritz. Thin.
• Cabernet/Merlot 1995 (Hollick) Thin stalky VA nose. Past it? I think so.
• Cabernet/Merlot 1996 (Koppamurra) Plummy, mushy rose petal nose. Past it.
• Alexander Valley Cabernet Franc 1996 (Hank Wetzel) Fresh (although just about anything would seem so after the last two wines) fruity nose. Plumped up Cabernet Franc - good of its kind.
• Reserve de la Familia Cabernet Sauvignon 1995, Chile (De Martino) Jam on the nose, but also some weediness. Finishes a touch short with sandy tannins.
• Alexander Valley Cabernet sauvignon 1996 (Hank Wetzel) Liquorice violet nose emerging. Juicy, and with a delicate touch of VA. Goodish.
• Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 (Katnook Estate) Overly jammy vegetal nose. Palate hollow and short (if that's possible).
• Trilogy 1995 (Flora Springs) Lovely warm nose emerging with time - violets and berry fruits, and with gummy oak. Needs more time, but I'm not completely convinced by the depth. Went back to this wine - easily
• Custodian Grenache 1997 (d'Arenberg) High toned Grenache that needs a few years. Simple, but drinkable.
• The Footbolt Old Vine Shiraz 1998 (d'Arenberg) Berry and spicey, but with astringent tannins.
• Grand Brut (Korbel) Is it meant to have the sweetness? Out of balance, not at all keen.
• Eliza Sparkling Brut 1996 (Padthaway Estate) Pineapple, but again out of balance. Soft finish.
• Brut Tachi (Daniel le Brun) Onion skin colour. Doughy nose. Short and slightly sulphury.
• Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 1997 (Ravenswood) From a half. Mandarin nose. Barley sugar palate. Sweet soft finish.

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Drappier Champagne dinner hosted by Paul Anderson and Scott McKittrick 21/11/2000 (TNB)

These wines had mainly been obtained directly from Drappier and the old Carte d'Or's were recently disgorged.

• Champagne Rose Val des Demoiselles NV (Drappier) Rose-perfumed nose, delicate, ripe fruit. Good creamy soft mousse. Made properly, I think, rather than by blending with red wine after fermentation. An excellent rose. Perhaps even
• Champagne Cuvee 2000 IIIeme millenaire 1995 (Drappier) Nice, rounded, slightly tropical fruit. Soft mousse. Fine. Nice ripe fruit.
• Champagne Grande Sendree 1995 (Drappier) Intruigingly complex nose. Soft at first taste, but I suspect this will be rather good. More exciting than the millennium cuvee. At least
• Champagne Grande Sendree 1990 (Drappier) Nutty, autolytic, ripe nose. The lovely fruit of this vintage very evident. Good acidity and balance.
• Champagne Grande Sendree 1989 (Drappier) Closed nose. Straightforward with a charred, almost burnt wood finish. Odd. Possibly a dodgy bottle, but if not then
• Champagne Grande Sendree 1988 (Drappier) Quiet but concentrated nose. Good acidity. Long finish. This required some attention, but it opened up in the glass and I think it is a first-class wine still rather tightly wound.
• Champagne Carte d'Or Brut 1983 (Drappier) This cuvee is 90% Pinot Noir and I like the grippy, appley acidity this gives. Lovely taught, concentrated fruit. Needs a year or two still. This is my sort of Champagne. Perhaps even
• Champagne Carte d'Or Brut 1982 (Drappier) Farmyardy, creamy, rather exotic (nutty coffee perhaps). Larger, more forward, but perhaps less fine than the 83.
• Champagne Carte d'Or Brut 1978 (Drappier) Slight maderisation - this was the only wine with that sort of traditional old champagne character. This has a good mousse and finish and is a tremendous effort in a poor vintage. Maybe
• Champagne Carte d'Or Brut 1970 (Drappier) Nice, mature nose, but beautifuly fresh, seems almost sweet - probably it's just mellowed acidity.
• Champagne Carte d'Or Brut 1979 (Drappier) Nutty, fine, dry, balanced, reasonably long. Another lovely wine.
• Champagne Carte d'Or Brut 1969 (Drappier) Quite evolved, but not at all maderised. Attractive smoky finish.
• Champagne Carte d'Or Brut 1959 (Drappier) A sort of rustic richness (I suppose it's that same farmyardy character one gets from Pinot Noir in red Burgundy), but fine and long after some exposure in glass. A treat!
• Champagne, Pint Noir Brut nature zero dosage (Drappier) Excellent. Bone-dry, fruity.
• Chateau Cantemerle 1970 A sort of red berry fruit, mouthwatering acidity. Decent claret around peak.
• Jurancon Novembre 1997 (Domaine Cauhaupe) Nicely concentrated desert wine. Decent acidity. I've had this a couple of times recently and if you're in the mood it's probably worth

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Wine Group at E.O'N's 21/11/2000 (TNB)

• Cinque Terre 1998 (Co-op) Chalky, dry, sherberty. Rich yet dry. Decent length.
• Pigatoa Riviera Ligure di Ponente 1998 (Aschero) Ripe, custardy full-bodied. Well made. Some interesting and unusual flavours from the grape variety. A rather good
• Sancerre 1994 (Crochet) Up your nose fruitiness - barley sugar. Grapey fruit, perhaps a shade neutral. Sauvignon Blanc evident more in the finish (it took ages for anybody to identify the grape variety). Fading a shade perhaps, but still a pleasant drink. A good
• Sancerre Harmonie 1995 (Pinard) Another wine where the variety was not so evident. Steady, elegant, well-balanced . Again, a good
• Sancerre 1995 Cuve Prestige (Crochet) Melony fruit. Nice length. Time to drink, but rather fine.
• Shiraz 1991 Eileen Hardy Gamey but very sweet (not just ripe) fruit. Others will like this, but I find it just tiring to drink.
• Basket Press Shiraz 1991 (Rockford) Sickly sweet again - there's plenty of fruit there but I find it just far too much like ribena.
• Shiraz Show Reserve 1991 (Rosemount) A bit less sweet. Slightly suspect - highish acid and a faint suggestion of a spritz. Unattractive. Could be a bad bottle.
• Hermitage 1994 (Chave) Like night and day: immediately picked from the seven wines blind as being French as opposed to New World. Balanced, peppery, bacon-fat Rhone nose. Savoury. Good acidity. At least
• Olb Block Shiraz 1991 (St Hallets) Very soft again. Syrupy - sweet finish. Undistinguished, but not as cloying as the first two wines in this flight. A decent
• Black Pepper Shiraz 1991 (E&E) Slightly better balance. Above that, what can one say - the usual fat fruit and burnt rubber flavours. Scrapes
• Shiraz 1991 Meshach (Grant Burge) The only one of the six Ozzy wines in this flight to have a bit of class about it: still lots of fruit, but reasonable acidity and a dry finish. Possibly even
• Vouvray Molleaux Le Marigny 1996 (Fouquet) Lightweight, barley-sugar nose. Balanced, but not built to last.
• Vendage de Novembre 1997 (H. Pelle) A Menetou Salon wine - it lacks weight a bit to my mind. Slightly sour-appley fruit (not unpleasant). Decent length. At most

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Italian wines at Noel Young Wines 21/11/2000 (RJB)

• 'Casal di Serra' Verdicchio Llassico Superiore 1997 (Umani Ronchi) (7.49) Deepish straw colour. Well made fresh characterful. Smoky almond nose. Dry palate, touch oily. An Italian white with attitude ... but even so.
• I Sistri Chardonnay IGT 1998 (Felsina Berardenga) (13.99) Honey and lightly toasty nose. Some aniseed. Touch of yeast and minerality with good acidity and a chewy oaky finish.
• Nero d'Avola IGT 1999, Sicily (Mandrarossa) (5.99) Highish toned cherry nose and palate. Good 'drinking' wine.
• Vitiano 1999 (Falesco) (7.59) Strawberry and a touch jammy, but with a savoury edge to hold interest.
• Chianti Classico 1998 (Castello di Fonterutoli) (10.99) Toasty fruity reduced nose. Rustic leathery high toned palate. Needs a few years. Lovely. plus
• Palazzo della Torre IGT 1997 (Allegrini) (11.99) A Valpolicella Classico in olden times. Smoky fresh smoked salmon nose. Excellent balance - lovely drinking. possibly more with age
• Ardingo IGT 1998 (Calbello) (20.99) 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Relatively soft nose. Oak dominated palate.
• Tassinaia IGT 1998 (Castello Del Terriccio) (20.69) Reduced flavours that open out into a still restrained nicely oaked balanced wine. Needs time, but should be very good.
• Barbaresco Vigneto Bric Ronchi 1997 (Rocca Albino) (26.99) Tannic backbone with an astringent finish. Ripe tannins, but is it going to come round? And, if so, when? perhaps

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Italian Wines at Oddbins 21/11/2000 (RJB)

• Prosseco di Valdobbiadene Spumante Extra Dry (Instituto Enologico) Almond nose, relatively refreshing fizz.
• Casa Langhe Favorita1998 (Gianni Gagliardo) Hazelnut nose and apple skins. Slight spritz and sweet apple skins. Much more enjoyably than many an Italian Chardonnay. Just
• Vin Soave 1997 (Inama) Gentle Peach kernel nose. Light bodied toffeed wine. Some length.
• Agno Casto Colli Euganei Pinot Bianco 1997 (Vignalta) Quite a deep colour. Nose and palate sporting oxidation. Flabby finish.
• Tre Uve Ultima (Due Tigli) Good young colour. Fragrant, violets and gummy oak. Nicely balanced wine, but for short term drinking. Fades quickly to reveal a simple wine.
• Chianti Classico Riserva 1995 (Ormanni) Fungal maturing nose. Ready to drink, and with a slightly too bitter finish. Gamey.
• Bricco della Bigotta Barbera d'Asti 1996 (Braida Giacomo Bologna) Oddly closed metallic woody nose - oddly closed metallic woody palate. Vastly overpriced (23.00)
• Barbera d'Alba Giadi 1997 (Andrea Oberto) Quite dry finish after a sweet start - simple wine.(18.00)
• Barbera d'Alba Giadi 1995 (Andrea Oberto) Mushroom nose: simple wine.
• Asili Barberesco 1996 (Michele Chiarlo) Sulphury stalky noss. Short aggresive finish.
• Barolo 1995 (Gianni Gagliardo) Bitter at the finish - thin and dilute.
• Recioto della Valpolicella Classico 1997 (Masi) Sweet leathery wine Nicish, stylish sweet-pea scented wine. plus
• Dindarello 1997 (Maculan) From a half. Big marmalade and sweet melon nose.
• Le Sponde Recioto di Soave 1998 (Coffele) From 50cl. Quite pleasant, but too soft for its size. Dried grape style. maybe
• Tenuta Sant Antonio, Passito 1996 (Colori d'Autumno) From a half. Waxy, lemony nose and palate. Too sweet for real balance.

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16/11/2000 (TNB)

Interesting to have a look at three 1978's from around France. The Burgundy and Claret certainly in lovely condition, the St Joseph interesting but rather clearly past its best.

• Crozes Hermitage 1989 (Graillot) Good young-looking colour. Blackberry and blackcurrant leaf nose with mushroomy depths. Still quite tannic. I'm impressed again by this producer.
• St Joseph Le Grand Pompee 1978 (Jaboulet) Etherial, sweet fruit. Slightly metallic old nose. Drying rather in the finish. (just)
• Morey St Denis Clos de la Bussiere 1978 (Roumier) Gamey old pinot in very good condition. Lovely juicy fruit. Slightly too simple to be great, but very enjoyable indeed.
• Haut-Batailly 1978 Good colour, classic claret nose, dry and savoury, capsicum fruit with a good finish.
• Chambolle-Musigny 1993 (H. Lignier) Nice red fruits nose. Structured, serious, typical of the vintage. Good acidity.

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From Raeburn Fine Wines 16/11/2000 (TNB)

A selection of bottles at about six to eight pounds supplied for a party. All are interesting, the Lirac and the Redoma rose really good and with the Erdener Treppchen you are getting real fine wine from a top vineyard at a very low price. One day people will start to realise how undervalued German riesling is!

• Erdener Treppchen Kabinett 1997 (Robert Eymael ) Good sherberty nose, rich palate with fine acidity. Nice long finish. Perhaps even
• Cotes du Rhone, Les Vieilles Vignes 1999 (Les Grandes Vignes du Roy) Floral but mineral nose. Apple and marzipan fruit. Very good. Just worth
• Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vigna a Solatio 1999 (Falchini) Fruity banana tangy nose. Ripe but dry. Attractive salty finish. Scrapes
• Redoma Rose 1999 (Niepoort) Rose-scented nose. Sweet fruit but not cloying, not unlike a basic red Burgundy in a way. As good as any rose.
• Mas Champart 1998 Deep inky red colour. Blackberry fruit, soft but not too so. A good
• Lirac 1998 (Domaine de La Mordoree) Good colour, bags of blackberry fruit and the concentration and ripe sweetness of this splendid vintage. Easily
• Amade 1996 (Hofmeyr - South Africa) Sexy, old-fashioned, evolved colour, soft and oaky, slightly farmyardy. Just about ?

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White wines from Justerini and Brooks 16/11/2000 (TNB)

Hurried notes from a quick canter round a J&B tasting.

• Chardonnay 1999 (Domaine Montrose) Plain country wine from l'Herault. Scrapes (4.75)
• Chateau Lacroix 1998 Fresh, herbaceous Bordeaux white, not too vegetal. (6.50)
• Chateau Tour des Gendres 1999 Cuvee des Conti Sur Lie Dry country wine from bergerac. Nice herby finish. A good (6.45)
• Viognier 1999 (Moulin de Ciffre) Slight sulphur evident. Good fruit. I suspect some wood. (7.95)
• Vernaccia di San Gimignano Casanova 1997 (Fontaleoni) Ripe, dry, plain. Typical. (7.50)
• Sancerre 1998 (Crochet) Very characteristic, and ripe with a good finish. (8.50)
• Sauvignon Chenin 1997 (Kopland, SA) Very toffeed and big, if you like the style it's worth (4.95)
• Semillon Sauvignon 1998 (Hotham Valley Estate, WA) That vegetal grassy green-pea nose takes me back to tasting in Oz. Won't age, I suspect. A good (7.90)
• Chardonnay 1998 (Pencarrow Estate, NZ) Very spicy (cinnamon, I think) dominates all. Not keen. A bare (7.95)
• Chablis 1998 (Laurent Tribut) Restrained nose. Good body. Will be a peasant drink. Perhaps (8.90)
• St Romain Sous le Chateau 1997 (Coste-Caumartin) Very decent basic white Burgundy. Maybe (10.50)
• Pouilly Fuisse 1997 (Chateau de Fuisse) Reasonable length and balance but not much more. Just (15.00)
• Meursault 1997 (A. Grivault) Nice texture - unctious but balanced. Mouthfilling. A rather good (24.00)
• Chardonnay 1996 (Scotchmas Hill) Syrupy-sweet, tropical fruit. Superficially concentrated. Not my sort of thing. (11.50)
• Sauvignon blanc 1999 (Palliser Estate, NZ) A little soft and quite vegetal. (9.95)
• Crozes Hermitage blanc 1997 (E. Pochon) A little neutral. Stony fruit. (6.95)
• Scharzhof Riesling 1997 (E. Muller) Interesting - a top German Estate clearly going for something a little more early-maturing. Already evolved and spicy. Full-bodied. Decent acidity. Not a long-term keeper I think, but probably the white on show I would most enjoy drinking. An easy (9.00)
• Riesling 1998 (Crawford River) Prematurely petroly and no real depth - this is shown up badly by the previous wine, as I suspect most New World riesling would be. A bare (9.90)
• Champagne Premier Cru NV (Forget Brimont) Seems quite a rich style from this quick taste. Quite good, but could cloy a little perhaps. (15.50)

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Modern Fine Wines at Noel Young Wines 09/11/2000 (RJB)

• Riesling 1998 Cuvee Ste Catherine L'Inedit (Weinbach) Spicy closed slightly musty nose. Mineral tight finish, but blossoms into length. Pure and clean with a beautiful light sweetness. Excellent acidity. Top Riesling plus
• 'Ermitage de L'Oree 1996 (Chapoutier) From a magnum. Smoky honey nose - fennel/liquorice and public swimming pools. Continuing that theme: a watery edge - dilute feeling. Not hugely interesting at present. But is beginning to open out. Lots of glycerol. Overrated, or needing time? ?
• 'Messorio' IGT di Toscana 1995 (Le Macchiole) 100% Merlot. Big jammy wine - essence of Merlot. Sweet fruity wine with an oaky acidic finish keeping it in balance. Light bitter finish. Showing some age. Not sure I'd keep it too long.
• Merlot 1997 (Pahlmeyer) Higher class Merlot nose. Herbs strawberry vanilla. Ripe fruit held in check by the structure. Needs time to melt the tannins.
• 'Jack Mann' Cabernet-Shiraz 1996 (Houghton) Black fruit and acid-closed nose. Oaky big-tannin sawdust finish. Is it going to get through that - astringent - finish with time? If so
• 'Hanisch' Shiraz 1997 (Veritas) Minty, big nose. Character on the palate. Textured and focussed. Needs some time. Well made big wine.
• 'Draycott Reserve' Shiraz 1998 (Burge Family Winemakers) 174 cases produced. Soft nose, with a touch of caramel. Smooth and with good acidity. Good balance, but a hot finish. plus
• 'Joseph' Sparkling Red (Primo Estate) Made only every 2 yr - blend wines span 3 decades. hogshead of 91 Cabernet, 10 % 1960s and 70s. 1971 fortified port style also in the blend. Dry savoury stuff, touch of oxidation. Loses fizz quite quickly. Good.
• Scheurebe Zwischen den Seen Trockenbeerenauslese No. 6 1995 (Kracher) From a half. Apricot spicy rich wine. Too sweet initially and then too much sweetness after.

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Pape Clement dinner at E.McC's 06/11/2000 (TNB)

• Weingebirge Honifogl Gruner Veltliner 1986 (Nikolaihof) Spicey, very fresh, bone-dry, good length. Lovely with food. (50cl)
• Weingebirge Riesling Spatlese 1986 (Nikolaihof) Delicate, spicy, fresh, Still quite tight, but mouthfilling. Very impressive. I thought this producer's wines would age, and it's nice to see these older wines verifying that.
• Chateau Pape Clement blanc 1970 Much fresher than the last bottle I had (from the same source): fruity nose, very smoky (charred) palate, gooseberry finish. Some will think this past it anyway, but to me at least it scrapes
• Chateau Pape Clement 1988 Berries and smoke. Lovely dry palate, the smoky Graves notes even more prominent. Nice structure and finish. Classic young claret. One of the best wines I've tasted from a favourite vintage. Probably even
• Chateau Pape Clement 1962 Delicate, perfumed, smoky wine. Fresh, very sweet fruit. Slight iodine. Not a heavyweight, but very fine.
• Chateau Pape Clement 1955 Live colour, meaty yet fragrant. Less complex perhaps than the 62, but a little fuller and better balanced. Lovely.
• Chateau Pape Clement 1953 The sea, the sea! This has that lovely iodine seaweed tang to the smoky graves fruit, but so fresh and such a finish! All the complexity of the 62 and the balance of the 55. A delight.
• Fine Old Oloroso, bottled 1949 (Justerini & Brooks) Tawny colour, concentrated chocolate and orange nose. Weaker on the palate perhaps, with old rancio flavours. Still a very enjoyable drink.

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Some bottles drunk on a recent trip to the Highlands 06/11/2000 (TNB)

• Erbacher Marcobrunn BA 1976 (Schloss Schonborn) Nice deep colour, slight green rim. Rich, honeyed caramel, heading fast to dry with good acidity. Luxurious and has an air of distinction about it, while not absolutely exceptional.
• Dogoli 1997 (Guerrieri - Rizzardi) Floral, interesting flavours, not just grapey (it's muscat-based, I think). Dry, nice balance and length.
• Brauneberger Juffer spatlese 1989 (Max Ferd. Richter) Seemed slightly corked. From a half.
• Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain Range 1991 (Sterling Vineyard) Deep, young red colour. Substantial, slightly leafy blackcurrant nose. Quite structured, good acidity. Hard to see whether the finish promises more to come. Perhaps
• Valduero Reserva 1991 A Ribera del Duero wine. Good colour, fresh blackberry fruit. Nice acidity, no great length. For drinking now.
• Wehlener Sonnenuhr spatlese 1983 (Baumler, Hallgarten Selection) Rather nice, good fruit and acidity, about at peak.
• Savigny Lavieres 1996 (Tollot-Beaut) Juicy, redcurrent, almost tomato (is one allowed to say that) fruit. Grippy, lovely acidity, but drinking well. I think this house did well in 96.

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