Maureen organised a brilliant northern rhone dinner last Thursday, with a star-studded line up of rare and esoteric wines, connoisseurs and relics...
We started off on a high note...
Chateau Grillet, 2005
Pale but radiant; exceptionally light on its feet with subtle stone fruits, igneous slate and minerals; beguiling and complex; its firm acidic backbone will allow this to age effortlessly. A wine with impeccable balance and dexterity.
Condrieu ‘Coteau de Vernon’ Domaine Vernay 2004
Mature, aromatic with fine texture, honey-blossom, acacia and apricots.
On to the first flight of reds, Cote Roties:
Burgaud Cote Rotie 1988
Off-piste; meaty, carnal, brawny, foursquare, sous-bois; verdant.
Jasmin Cote Rotie 1990 en magnum
Gamey and earthy this wine displays a surreal symbiosis of floral femininity and masculine backbone and punch. Intricately woven and kaleidoscopic, it has an ethereal levity and a pleasing tension with subtle notes of Madagascar cocoa, wolframite, mysterious dark fruits, Mediterranean olives, wet fox, iodine and black and white pepper.
This is perhaps the quintessential expression of northern rhone and the syrah grape. It was deservedly the wine of the night.
Jamet Cote Rotie 1988
Brutal, marauding and powerful, but somewhat lacking in elegance compared to the Jasmin; masculine, brawny and chewy with lashings of bacon fat and smatterings of olives/tapenade, leather and Mediterranean herbs. A bit of VA permeated this wine, and the finish wasn't smooth. This bottle was not as good as one we tasted in April 2011.
Noel Verset Cornas 1989
Delicate, ethereal and earthy with leather, bramble and sour cherries; it had gamey, bacon notes, tobacco, mocha and mineral, impeccably balanced. Transcendental.
Noel Verset Cornas 1990
Initially quite closed, and somewhat curmudgeonly this had hints of autumn leaves, earth, iodine, feldspar, smoke, bacon fat, and animal hides. An intellectual wine which mesmerises you as it metamorphoses with its intricately woven tapestry, Delphic personality and cognitive dissonance.
Noel Verset Cornas 1991
Complex, animal hide, earthy and spicy. A perfectly judged expression of mature syrah, another cerebral wine, which weaves its charms with an almost Kafka-esque reflexivity.
August Clape Cornas 1991
A much more expressive nose of mushroom, olives, tapenade, flowers, machine oil, tungsten carbide and mahogany; plummy and beefy, St-James's Street tobacconist. Lithe and svelte on the palate.
Allemand Cornas Reynard 94
Masculine and fruit forward, beefy cow hide, savoury, minerally, and olive/tapenade. This young wine lacked the subtlety and complexity of some of the others but was thrillingly raw and intense.
Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1982
Gamey, spicy, dried flowers, opaque. Bacon fat, dried herbs, sous-bois, umami, rose petals, Romeo y Julieta robusto. Dried plums and orange peel, savoury with lively acidity but mellow at the same time.
This dinner would not have been what it was without the generosity of Richard Katz the North London Northern Rhone Maestro, who could not attend in the flesh but was with us spiritually.
Sunday 25 March 2012
Tuesday 20 March 2012
Some Bordeaux and non-Bordeaux wines
From the last month or two
Bordeaux wines
Chateau Chasse Spleen 1981
Still elegant and fresh with hints of strawberries and plums, tobacco, cedar and minerals. Super bottle. Parker rating 79 – my rating 91
Chateau Giscours 1982
Fully mature, but vibrant and rich with berry, earth, meat and tobacco notes. Splendid wine. Parker rating 86 – my rating 93
Chateau Lafite 1981
Very muted at first, then it came out of its shell; maroon, medium-bodied, stylish, complex with tobacco, cedar and cigar box; fresh and elegant, refined palate and a long finish; really starting to hit its stride. Parker rating 93 – my rating 94
Chateau Margaux 1985
Tasted next to Opus One, a tortoise next to a hare. This was really slow out of the blocks as if it had been rudely awaken from a deep slumber. Then it started to get its act together and strut its stuff. But it is still a remarkably backward wine and quite closed up; it is dense, powerful and brooding for the vintage but in an unobtrusive way; it has all the hallmarks of a classic well-proportioned Margaux. Parker rating 95 – my rating 93 ++
Chateau Figeac 1982
Fully mature with notes of earth, gravel, tobacco and compost, which is really thrilling; this particular example was a bit cracked on the finish which suggested it didn’t have much time left. Parker rating 92 – my rating 93
Chateau Cheval Blanc 1993
Cherry menthol, eucalyptus, tobacco, green tea and green peppers; spicey, complex with some gamey notes. Superb wine. Parker rating 86 – my rating 94
Chateau Trotanoy 1999
Lush plumy and tobacco notes, this is still young and fairly one dimensional. It should gain in complexity over time, however. Parker rating - Parker rating 89-92 my rating 89+
Chateau Branaire Ducru 2001
Quite a modern and smooth wine for this estate but it really delivers the goods; some oak, red and black fruits with cedar with some earthy-gravelly notes. Excellent wine. Parker rating 89-91 – my rating 92
Chateau Batailley 2001
Still on the young side a pleasant Pauillac true to its appellation. Reasonable fruit but not particularly complex...more of a luncheon claret really. Parker rating 87-88 – my rating 88.
Le Dome (St-Emilion) 2004
Easy to drink, boring and one dimensional. Like a $20 Californian merlot. Parker rating 90-92 – my rating 85.
Chateau La Tour De By, Cuvee Prestige 2000
A wine only made in certain vintages this is still remarkably austere, closed up, tannic, and conspicuously lacking in fruit...as if to say ‘we don’t do fruit here.’ A throw back to the old days perhaps? Given its curmudgeonly state it does need food. Guess I should bury the magnum of this somewhere. Parker rating n/a – my rating 87+
Non-Bordeaux wines
Dom Perignon 1990
This wine is in a sweet spot. Now displaying delightful strawberries and cream notes, and luxurious and silky on the palate. Dream champagne. 96
Fourrier Griottes Chambertin 1997
Dark, rich, with minerals and cherry; good structure and purity; fine length on the palate. 93
Jasmin Cote Rotie 1984
A wine that never fails to impress, regardless of what else is on the table. Delightful cherry, smokey, mineral aromas. 93
Opus One 2002
Pure seductive cabernet fruit out of the gate, low tannins and acidity; the charms quickly wear off and it is a bit one dimensional. Just fine for well heeled divas. 89
Kooyong Ferrous Pinot Noir 2005
Cool pinot fruit from Mornington Peninsular in Victoria, this has iron & mineral notes and herb (dill) nuances. One of the best new world pinots you will find anywhere. 94
Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte 2007
A sultry, utterly delicious and very seductive chassagne; has good acidity and balance however. 93
Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St-Jean 2007
Much more austere and structured than the Boudroittes, less pleasurable. 91
Jouard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Gain 2004
A hypothetical mix combining the best of the above two wines and not a hint of pox. 93
Bordeaux wines
Chateau Chasse Spleen 1981
Still elegant and fresh with hints of strawberries and plums, tobacco, cedar and minerals. Super bottle. Parker rating 79 – my rating 91
Chateau Giscours 1982
Fully mature, but vibrant and rich with berry, earth, meat and tobacco notes. Splendid wine. Parker rating 86 – my rating 93
Chateau Lafite 1981
Very muted at first, then it came out of its shell; maroon, medium-bodied, stylish, complex with tobacco, cedar and cigar box; fresh and elegant, refined palate and a long finish; really starting to hit its stride. Parker rating 93 – my rating 94
Chateau Margaux 1985
Tasted next to Opus One, a tortoise next to a hare. This was really slow out of the blocks as if it had been rudely awaken from a deep slumber. Then it started to get its act together and strut its stuff. But it is still a remarkably backward wine and quite closed up; it is dense, powerful and brooding for the vintage but in an unobtrusive way; it has all the hallmarks of a classic well-proportioned Margaux. Parker rating 95 – my rating 93 ++
Chateau Figeac 1982
Fully mature with notes of earth, gravel, tobacco and compost, which is really thrilling; this particular example was a bit cracked on the finish which suggested it didn’t have much time left. Parker rating 92 – my rating 93
Chateau Cheval Blanc 1993
Cherry menthol, eucalyptus, tobacco, green tea and green peppers; spicey, complex with some gamey notes. Superb wine. Parker rating 86 – my rating 94
Chateau Trotanoy 1999
Lush plumy and tobacco notes, this is still young and fairly one dimensional. It should gain in complexity over time, however. Parker rating - Parker rating 89-92 my rating 89+
Chateau Branaire Ducru 2001
Quite a modern and smooth wine for this estate but it really delivers the goods; some oak, red and black fruits with cedar with some earthy-gravelly notes. Excellent wine. Parker rating 89-91 – my rating 92
Chateau Batailley 2001
Still on the young side a pleasant Pauillac true to its appellation. Reasonable fruit but not particularly complex...more of a luncheon claret really. Parker rating 87-88 – my rating 88.
Le Dome (St-Emilion) 2004
Easy to drink, boring and one dimensional. Like a $20 Californian merlot. Parker rating 90-92 – my rating 85.
Chateau La Tour De By, Cuvee Prestige 2000
A wine only made in certain vintages this is still remarkably austere, closed up, tannic, and conspicuously lacking in fruit...as if to say ‘we don’t do fruit here.’ A throw back to the old days perhaps? Given its curmudgeonly state it does need food. Guess I should bury the magnum of this somewhere. Parker rating n/a – my rating 87+
Non-Bordeaux wines
Dom Perignon 1990
This wine is in a sweet spot. Now displaying delightful strawberries and cream notes, and luxurious and silky on the palate. Dream champagne. 96
Fourrier Griottes Chambertin 1997
Dark, rich, with minerals and cherry; good structure and purity; fine length on the palate. 93
Jasmin Cote Rotie 1984
A wine that never fails to impress, regardless of what else is on the table. Delightful cherry, smokey, mineral aromas. 93
Opus One 2002
Pure seductive cabernet fruit out of the gate, low tannins and acidity; the charms quickly wear off and it is a bit one dimensional. Just fine for well heeled divas. 89
Kooyong Ferrous Pinot Noir 2005
Cool pinot fruit from Mornington Peninsular in Victoria, this has iron & mineral notes and herb (dill) nuances. One of the best new world pinots you will find anywhere. 94
Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte 2007
A sultry, utterly delicious and very seductive chassagne; has good acidity and balance however. 93
Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St-Jean 2007
Much more austere and structured than the Boudroittes, less pleasurable. 91
Jouard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Gain 2004
A hypothetical mix combining the best of the above two wines and not a hint of pox. 93
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