pre-event 1 • pre-event 2 • pre-event 3 • pre-event 4
walk-round • dinner • gallery • seminar 1 • seminar 2 • seminar 3
The pre-event dinner at Chardon d’Or
reporters: Mike lee and David Bennett
A great evening which later descended into “wine porn” as the excitement and effect of the alcohol took its toll – way out of my league! Excellent food and perfect understated service. Thanks also to the mysterious force which guided the drinking order for the night; it couldn’t have been bettered.
All wines tasted blind. For comparison, first note is mine followed by note by fellow superBOWLer David Bennett.
Henschke, Eden Valley Riesling 1992 13.0%
1. Obviously Riesling, with kerosene and hint of rubber on nose. Palate began dry but grew rich with sweetness from mid palate. Good acidity and very well balanced. Missed the signs and imagined it was Old World. A very good wine.
1. Riesling, big petrol and this has to be MSR Bone dry with clean winemaking and wonderful acidity. Definitely old world. Wrong again Bennett!
Sanctus Jacobus 1989 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spatlese MSR 8%
2. Petrol but slightly musty nose. Caramel on end palate. Obviously Riesling. (No other notes)
2. Riesling again (my wine here) Clean example if a little tired now of the
Wiltinge-Kupp 1989 Riesling Auslese Vereinigte Hospitien
3. Ill defined nose. Sweet fruit and quite fat. (No other notes)
3. I opened this one too although it was John’s wine. the nose was subdued but again unmistakable riesling. Much cleaner than the third 89 wine of the night below.
Sanctus Jacobus 1989 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese
4. Sharper nose. Flash of plasticine on palate. Medium dry, rich and medium length. Broke up within 10 mins in glass.
4. Sharper nose. Bloody hell Riesling again! How do we do it. dumb at first but ripened out in 10 mins only to fall apart in about an hour. It just went all fat and orrible with no acidity. Broke up within 10 mins in glass.
Josmeyer 2003 Alsace Gewurztraminer, Les Folastries
5. Nose of Turkish Delight and lychees with a final hint of bacon! Not confected, spicy with fiery alcohol. Clearly Gewurztraminer. Very good.
5. Another of mine recently brought back from Alsace. Bought at the domaine. Josmeyers entry level gweurtz. Deeeee- licious
Pieropan Soave 2002 La Rocca 13%
6. Closed on nose. Some oak with high acidity. Nutty, rich and ripe. Guessed Australian Chardonnay. Opens out in the glass with a slightly oxidised nose and mouth filling palate. A treat. Time I tried more Italian wines.
6. Cripes this is closed. Hang ona bit there is some apricot…?viogner from cool climate? after 10 mins really fills out and the whole table like it. Great acidity and really well balanced, Yum A real treat – and I’ve got some in my cellar – hurrah!
Vosney Romanee Les Suchots, Louis Jadot 1994
7. Farmyardy nose. Bretty Burgundian palate with high acidity, dry tannins and some leatheriness. Evolves in the mouth.
7. Philip’s wine. Gotta be Pinot. This went really well with the beef. stinky farmyard nose – so that’s the brett that Alabaster has been banging on about… fruit (secondary style) richness in the mouth. Lovely.
Clos du Pape, Chateauneuf du Pape, 1997
8. Nose of red fruits. Much fruitier with higher acidity. Savoury meatiness and long on the palate. Opened further in the glass with some Brett and cedar.
8. High acidity and red/dark fruits. yes this has stuffing but for what it is not really enough for me . My guess was a cndep but no guess on the year. Good producer though judging by the way it evolved.
Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste, Pauillac, 1996
9. Deep purple with ripe blackcurrant aromas. Rich hit of fruit, dry, not in balance (yet). Very long. After 10 mins in glass, porty nose. Hint of Brett. Excellent with a long future ahead of it.
9. Deep purple with ripe blackcurrant aromas. I thought quiet at first and i was def in the new world order here. This has been made in that international style. An aus Cabernet for sure.!!
Chateau Leoville-Barton, St Julien 1990 in half bottle
10. Good purple colour. Rich cedar on nose. Slight VA, but sweet black fruits and very long. Still young tasting, classic Bordeaux and delicious.
10. Bring it on! lovely claret. Mature and not really that bretty. this will go for some years.
Chateau Cantemerle, Haut Medoc 1990
11. Most horsey nose I’ve ever come across. Also saddle leather. Sweet and ripe palate. Brett made it impossible to detect its origin. With time in glass the brett reduced a little to detect liquorice and good blackcurrant.
11. A fart in a glass. VERY stinky indeed and doesn’t clean up. Just my kind of wine! OK..It’s a fair cop…I did bring it. smelly sweaty lubberly brett.
Cockburns 1963 Port
12. Alcoholic sweet nose of dates. Rich palate with vanilla and cloves, good sweetness and well balanced. Not harsh at all. Long. All too easy to drink, excellent.
12. Magnificent Port. I know sweet **** all about port but guessed 63. As not really a port lover I was wooed by this classic example of a style I like. Note to self….go investigate ye olde ports.
La Perlara, Recioto di Soave ca Rugate 2002, Italy
13. Peaches and syrup nose. Floral, well-balanced with fresh clean flavours. Hadn’t a clue what it was, but very good.
13. Can It get better – Oh yes I can!!!! A wine right up my street. Delicious acidity fab dried fruit aromas and a really luscious mouthfeel. I’m now in love. This is by far and away the best recioto i have ever tasted.
Domaine Schlumberger, Grand Cru Kessler Gewurztraminer 1989, Alsace.
14. Ripe pear nose. Slight spritz on tongue, honeyed peachy wine Very slight bitterness and subtle spiciness.
14. Mine again! a disappointing example here. Just a bit over the hill. Still for a gewutz and 15 years old what do you expect!
Tokaji Aszu 5 Putts 1994
15. Oxidised apple juice on nose. Some VA with lovely burnt marmalade on the palate. Delicious dessert wine.
15. another one of mine! bought for a fiver at auction. (later seen in oddbinns at 20 quid!!!!!!) Classic tokay in a fat style. Went well with some afternoon cakes I cooked recently when i had a few pals (the choir…) for tea and crumpets. Only now have a bottle left from a case!