Domaine du Cret de Ruyere and other recent bottles 25/09/2007 (RJB)
Three Beaujolais kindly supplied by the winery- Morgon les Charmes 2005 (Domaine du Cret de Ruyere)
Modern style wine with plenty of vibrant plummy/berry fruit. Good body and acidity. Needs another year or so to be at its best I'd have thought.
- Morgon Tradition Cuvee Nature 2004 (Domaine du Cret de Ruyere)
Less of the vibrancy of the first wine, but a more mellow, early-mature feel to it. Good drinking now.
- Morgon les Vernes 2003 (Domaine du Cret de Ruyere)
To me the least successful of the three wines. Rather dilute and lacking body.
- Coudoulet de Beaucastel 1998
Good mature Rhone with strawberry and mushroom flavours. A simple pleasure.
- Banda Azul Rioja Crianza 2003 (Paternina)
One of my father's favourite wines twenty to thirty years back. This vintage is pretty acceptable Rioja at this price level. Easy if unexciting drinking.
- Bethany Cabernet Merlot 2004 (The Schrapel Family Vineyard)
Standard of its sort - clean and juicy but could be anything really.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 25/09/2007 Return to top
Over the last week or so 23/09/2007 (TNB)
- Champagne NV Cuvee Speciale (Egly-Ouriet)
This seemed rather dull and flat - weighty, quite substantial, but not really appetising. It could be slightly faulty but more likely it's just how it is.
- Morey St Denis En La Rue de Vergey 2001 (Lignier-Michelot)
Delightfully hight-toned and quite mineral, and decent substance too. Top
- Meursault 1er cru Poruzot 2000 (F. Jobard)
Delicious, coming round quite early for this grower perhaps but mineral, complex, elegant and very drinkable.
- Morey St Denis 1er cru Faconnieres 2002 (Lignier-Michelot)
Quite different from the odd bottle tasted recently, this has plenty of fruit. I am not sure it is the star that Burghound suggests, but it is pretty strong Morey. Top
- Meursault Casse Tete 2004 (Deux Montille)
A bit difficult currently - slightly closed but with an underlying persistence. I think this will be pretty good in a year or two. Top
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 23/09/2007 Return to top
14/09/2007 (TNB)
- Rioja Gran Reserva 904, 1985 (La Rioja Alta)
Fresh, in nice condition generally, very easy-going, attractive fruit. In the final analysis not that complex perhaps, but enjoyable. Bare
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 14/09/2007 Return to top
13/09/2007 (TNB)
- Vouvray 1989 (Chateau Gaudrelle)
Old-fashioned - Gaudrelle in this period at least made one wine which was more or less sweet depending on the vintage. This is a rich demi-sec, grassy, very drinkable. I can't see it developing much more - probably time to drink.
- Verdelho 1981, Single Cask (Barbeito)
On the plus side, splendid richness, great fruit, authentic flavours, good length. On the down side, like other relatively young Barbeito wines it seems quite sweet and slightly lacks the intellectual austerity I look for. I don't think this is entirely its youth - my impression is that it is a sort of modernism - a dumbing down towards easy accessibility. Very high quality in its way. With some reservations, a bare
- Riesling Schoenenbourg Grand Cru 1988 (Dopff au Moulin)
Very drinkable, might have had a bit more presence a year or two ago, but very agreeable. It would be overawed by other wines perhaps but on its own a nice drink.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 13/09/2007 Return to top
The wine group at my place 03/09/2007 (TNB)
- Champagne Grand Cru 1998 (C. Cazals)
Big-framed, quite showy wine, partly the vintage and anyway not beyond good taste. Good complexity and length, but for drinking in the next few years, unlike the Clos Cazals from this vintage. Bare even.
- Champagne Grand Cru 1999 (A. Jacquart)
More austere than the Cazals wine - I siuspect that is both the producer and the different vintage. A touch closed and it doesn't have the immediate impact of the Cazals, but it doe shave good intensity and length. (rising to a top three stars)
- Meursault Les Tillets 2002 (Roulot)
By far the most restrained of the three Meursaults, less oak, quite a lot of interesting fruit. Very good. Top
- Meursault Les Tessons 2002 (J-P Fichet)
Between Roulot and Mikulski I think, some oak, fairly modern take, but very enjoyable.
- Meursault 2002 (Mikulski)
This really is modern-style, bags of oak, forward fruit. Good drinking but not much to engage the intellect. Bare
- Puligny Montrachet 1er cru Les Caillerets 1997 (de Montille)
Sheer class - a really lovely Burgundy, starting to drink well. A splendid effort for the vintage. Top
- Breg 1998 (Gravner)
Like it or loath it - served at room temperature as Gravner recommends, a deep pink white wine. Lots of interest. Top
- Morey St Denis 1er cru Les Faconnieres 2002 (Virgile Lignier)
Was not singing at all - the consensus was that this was an off bottle
- Latricieres Chambertin 1999 (Drouhin-Laroze)
Light, elegant, very lovely, if a little below the level of intensity you might hope for. Classy though.
- Cornas 1989 (A. Clape)
Very beautiful, scented, elegant wine. Just perfect, in a style that doesn't emphasise the sauvage side of the appelation. Top
- Hermitage 1989 (J-L. Chave)
Beautiful, smoky fruit. A absolute star.
- Hermitage La Chapelle 1989 (Jaboulet)
Very awkward and edgy, a little oxidative, possibly a poor bottle. If not, it is a bit disappointing.
- Barolo Bussia Soprana 1990 (Aldo Conterno)
Lovely, quite stern and tannic but full of nuance. Needs food. Top
- Quarts de Chaume 1989 (Baumard)
Very fine and balanced. Lovely mature Chenin. Top
- Coteaux du Layon, Clos de Sainte Catherine 1989 (Baumard)
I have often wanted to compare this side by side with the QdC. This has more botrytis and that gives it added complexity and richness and there is none of the clumsiness that sometimes accompanies it. This edges the competition I think and will develop well.
- Rebello Valente 1966
Perfectly drinkable but dry and a bit attenuated. Not a great 66 at all.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 15/09/2007 Return to top