Had a friend round last night and made a bunch of things from Ottolenghi's Simple (roast aubergine with anchovies and vinegar; butterbean mash with muhammara; wedges with feta, garlic and oregano; and harissa chickpeas with cod, followed by salty cherry cheesecake). Pretty happy with the wines, but the food was better.
2012 Dehours Champagne Extra Brut Œil de Perdrix La Croix Joly - France, Champagne (28/01/2023)
A pretty and nicely-evolved rose fizz that lacked excitement. Plenty of interesting notes - blood orange, ginger, a slight gameyness - and good, crisp structure, but it simply wasn't arresting. Maybe better a year or two ago, with more youthful energy, or in a year or two's time, with more evolution. Tasty, but not £75 tasty. (91 pts.)
2011 Charles Joguet Chinon Clos du Chêne Vert - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (28/01/2023)
Decanted for sediment and started on fairly soon after that. An excellent wine that reminded me of the wonderful Rougeard I had this time last year. Bright, savoury, saline and herbaceous, the overall effect being remarkably like a Bloody Mary, but with a dusting of cocoa powder that took me to Pomerol. Delicate despite its 13.5% ABV and extremely drinkable and food-friendly. I should drink this sort of thing more frequently. (92 pts.)
2018 Quady Winery Black Muscat Elysium - USA, California (28/01/2023)
An interesting translucent crimson, like a pale ruby. Very aromatic, with thick wafts of black cherry and dusky rose. Super intense on its own, like alcoholic cherry compote with Turkish delight steeped in it, but made a great match for cherry cheesecake. (90 pts.)
Tonight, with a roasted chicken and last night's leftovers, a quite wonderful wine. Best rose I've had, probably.
2013 Thymiopoulos Rosé de Xinomavro (Late Release) - Greece, Macedonia (29/01/2023)
Brilliant, glittering orange-crimson - no pink here! Just slightly oxidised, adding complexity, but the long ageing has actually brought the wine together as a seamless, delicious whole. Rhubarb and custard sweets, beeswax, dried roses, tomato stalk and blackcurrant leaf... bittersweet and palate-exploding. Long, mealy, mouthwatering finish. Why did I only buy a single bottle of this?! (94 pts.)
(obviously we ended up using the Sensories, as happens nine times out of ten...)
2012 Dehours Champagne Extra Brut Œil de Perdrix La Croix Joly - France, Champagne (28/01/2023)
A pretty and nicely-evolved rose fizz that lacked excitement. Plenty of interesting notes - blood orange, ginger, a slight gameyness - and good, crisp structure, but it simply wasn't arresting. Maybe better a year or two ago, with more youthful energy, or in a year or two's time, with more evolution. Tasty, but not £75 tasty. (91 pts.)
2011 Charles Joguet Chinon Clos du Chêne Vert - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (28/01/2023)
Decanted for sediment and started on fairly soon after that. An excellent wine that reminded me of the wonderful Rougeard I had this time last year. Bright, savoury, saline and herbaceous, the overall effect being remarkably like a Bloody Mary, but with a dusting of cocoa powder that took me to Pomerol. Delicate despite its 13.5% ABV and extremely drinkable and food-friendly. I should drink this sort of thing more frequently. (92 pts.)
2018 Quady Winery Black Muscat Elysium - USA, California (28/01/2023)
An interesting translucent crimson, like a pale ruby. Very aromatic, with thick wafts of black cherry and dusky rose. Super intense on its own, like alcoholic cherry compote with Turkish delight steeped in it, but made a great match for cherry cheesecake. (90 pts.)
Tonight, with a roasted chicken and last night's leftovers, a quite wonderful wine. Best rose I've had, probably.
2013 Thymiopoulos Rosé de Xinomavro (Late Release) - Greece, Macedonia (29/01/2023)
Brilliant, glittering orange-crimson - no pink here! Just slightly oxidised, adding complexity, but the long ageing has actually brought the wine together as a seamless, delicious whole. Rhubarb and custard sweets, beeswax, dried roses, tomato stalk and blackcurrant leaf... bittersweet and palate-exploding. Long, mealy, mouthwatering finish. Why did I only buy a single bottle of this?! (94 pts.)
(obviously we ended up using the Sensories, as happens nine times out of ten...)
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