Weekend wines of 26 June...

Graeme Harvie

Graeme Harvie

Location
U.K.
Yesterday lunch time we had 2016 Chiara Condello Predappio a 100% Sangiovese from a 4HA estate in the Emelia Romagna region in central Italy.

This was served pop and pour at cellar temperature boosted by 30 mins further refrigeration given the 30C_ shade temperature. The Predappio is a structured yet refreshing wine with absolutely gorgeous savoury fruit - think of sour cherries, rose petal, red berries etc - yet there is back bone so this one can be cellared for 5 years+. 14% ABV but light on its feet as very well balanced.

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Going long on a "bucket of muscadet" (c) @Thom Blach - just received my TWS order from which was recommended the Goulaine muscadet. That is going to get a good seeing-to tonight. As will some form of vermouth-based refreshment - after a trip to Madrid earlier this year (aaah, remember those times??) I've really got into the groove for Spanish vermouth.....
 
Friends giving us seafood bbq in the garden this afternoon so taking round a Domaine Jean-Pierre Sève, Terroir Pouilly-Fuissé

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We will drink beer tonight, Unity Land of Sunshine Apricot Saison. Back to wine for Saturday and as it’s supposedly English Wine Week (sure we had one of these a month or so ago), and I’ve not yet drunk English wine, I’m lining up a Tillingham Qvevri Ortega.
 
‘95 La Conseillante. PnP. ABV 12.9%. This week should be Bordeaux week with ‘19 EP going on. Good nose, fairly clean and floral. Still some tannins around. Dense and firm, finished with slight bitter notes. Tasted younger than previous bottles. Oyster shells, dark fruits, and pencil shavings. Excellent depth and length, this should have years to go. Pretty good wine. Most ‘95 Bordeaux are drinking well these days.

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David Crossley said:
We will drink beer tonight, Unity Land of Sunshine Apricot Saison. Back to wine for Saturday and as it’s supposedly English Wine Week (sure we had one of these a month or so ago), and I’ve not yet drunk English wine, I’m lining up a Tillingham Qvevri Ortega.
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K did me a favour & popped in local merchant for a bottle of Gamay from d'Aosta. I was feeling quite please with myself for the relative obscurity, until I saw the above. :eek:;)
 
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Paul J a i n e s said:
Going long on a "bucket of muscadet" (c) @Thom Blach - just received my TWS order from which was recommended the Goulaine muscadet. That is going to get a good seeing-to tonight. As will some form of vermouth-based refreshment - after a trip to Madrid earlier this year (aaah, remember those times??) I've really got into the groove for Spanish vermouth.....
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Our fridge door, ready for tonight.
 
Chiu Lin said:
‘95 La Conseillante. PnP. ABV 12.9%. This week should be Bordeaux week with ‘19 EP going on. Good nose, fairly clean and floral. Still some tannins around. Dense and firm, finished with slight bitter notes. Tasted younger than previous bottles. Oyster shells, dark fruits, and pencil shavings. Excellent depth and length, this should have years to go. Pretty good wine. Most ‘95 Bordeaux are drinking well these days.

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I just took some of these out of Seckford storage today along with some other stuff. So far I have never been able to get along with this wine. Glad to learn Chiu it is making some incremental progress...a 25 year old from this estate should have been drinking well much earlier.
 
Ian Hampsted said:
I just took some of these out of Seckford storage today along with some other stuff. So far I have never been able to get along with this wine. Glad to learn Chiu it is making some incremental progress...a 25 year old from this estate should have been drinking well much earlier.
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Good timing in pulling those ‘95 Bordeaux out, they are just about ready.
 
It's The Patricia At Home for us again tonight. We'll start with a G&T, using a gin that, if I'm honest, I bought because it's a beautiful bottle. Maria wants red, so she'll be on the Pic St Loup. I found two bottles of the Petaluma Hanlin Hill 2008 lurking in the 'cellar', so I'll be opening one of them.
 

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First up the Salneval Albariño from Lidl’s summer range which is bright and nicely rounded with its oak ageing without detracting from its lemon and apricot fruit. Nice pithy acidity too.
Secondly, to pair with some grilled chicken is the 2017 Rizzi Langhe Nebbiolo which is raved about by TWS’s buyers but receives awful reviews from its members. I think I can see why: it reminds me a bit of red Chassagne-Montrachet in being very structured and perfumed but not as exotic or indulgent as Volnay. I love it!
 
  • 2006 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri (26/06/2020)
    Beautiful deep and full ruby. Bright. Lovely plush, finely velvety texture with plummy, even slightly chocolately flavours, starting to show some earthy development, but mainly just very smooth, resolved dark red fruit. Lithe. Not quite the complexity for top flight, but a lovely wine, probably at its peak. **** (91 pts.)
  • 2001 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (25/06/2020)
    Half. Full to mid garnet, ruby in the evening sunlight. Initially a slightly maderised sense to the nose, but this lifts to reveal a mellow and smooth wine with some plum, a touch of prune, but mainly a nicely autumnal and sipcy profile with a slight glycerin feel to the finish. Harmonious, mellow and fully mature. ***1/2 (90 pts.)

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  • 2006 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (24/06/2020)
    Full straw. Classic nose with some wax, lanolin and a lovely and really quite viscous texture despite only being 12.5abv. Toothsome and moreish. Bags of saline minerality and a bright finish. This seems to be gaining weight and gravitas and feels more Tondo than trad Gravonia. **** (92 pts.)

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Well, very happy with first bottle from an offer of Wittmann estate riesling Trocken 2018. A youthful sherberty spritz but lots of zingy acidity, grapefruit and citrus. Not the longest but for £14 in the fridge, cannot possibly grumble.
With steak, a cold glass or two of Laurent Martray Brouilly Les Feuilles 2015. Nice smooth tannin, sort of cold tea and red fruit, quite solidly built, grown up Gamay. Good auction purchase (to offset other morenrash purchases!).
 
Simon Grant said:
  • 2006 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri (26/06/2020)
    Beautiful deep and full ruby. Bright. Lovely plush, finely velvety texture with plummy, even slightly chocolately flavours, starting to show some earthy development, but mainly just very smooth, resolved dark red fruit. Lithe. Not quite the complexity for top flight, but a lovely wine, probably at its peak. **** (91 pts.)
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That sounds very good - and it's a high mark - for a second wine. I've loved Ornellaia on the few times I've had it. It's a bit above my comfort zone, price-wise, so maybe I should try the Serre Nuove, which I've never had. I have had Le Volte numerous times but I don't think it aspires to greatness or longevity.
 
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