25th January 2010
Peter Lehmann Mentor Shiraz 2004, Barossa Valley
100% Barossa Cabernet, intense black-purple with blackcurrant
fragrance, violets and sweet spiced oak. Generous flavour profile that isn't
energy sapping to appreciate and chalk dusty tannins to finish. A good,
honest wine. 91/100.
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Max Ferdinand Richter
Brauneberg Juffer Kabinett 2007, Mosel This was somewhat of a let-down for a stellar 2007 vintage. The wine exuded scents of pineapple and nuttiness, let it seemed very fragile. Nothing overtly wrong, this is a balanced wine but linear. More value can be sought elsewhere. 87/100. |
24th January 2010
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Domaine Matassa Cotes Catalanes Blanc
2004, Calce, Languedoc-Roussillon An easy pre-Australia Day drink pulled from my cardboard carton. I almost forgot about this in the fridge and I think the wine is showing its age. This wine was made by New Zealanders and you can read more about them in this Wineanorak article here. Made from old vine Grenache Gris (70%) and Maccabeu (the most cultivated white variety in this region). A light wine with an initial nose of cold-room budding white flowers and a hint of clarified butter which dissipate very quickly upon swirling to give way to more fruity and flint stone aromas. The wine has developed into a light golden colour, the palate is rich in citrus and fruit sucrose with a strong mineral edge to polish into the finish. However, I don't think the acids are in sync, being quite a fair bit more robust than the rest of the wine. Drink now. 91/100. |
23rd January 2010
Wow.. I can’t believe 2 weeks
of work have flashed by this quickly; the new decade is certainly off to a
fast start. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for my new year’s wine
consumption. The impending trip to Burgundy and Paris is causing me to
penny-pinch at the wine stores. Still, one can take comfort in having drank
well over the recent annual-transition period. So here’s a look back, which
is the least I can do over this sunny beer-beckoning weekend
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Clos Mimi Syrah Petite
Rousse 2003, Paso Robles, USA Had this at Auric Pacific whilst sitting at the site of my grandfather’s former sundry shop (1, Phillip St). 100% syrah, destemmed and 2800 produced according to eRP. Blackberries, crème de cassis are very prominent, touch of licorice and pepper too. A full-bodied red, imagine slouched into a velvet sofa. Very interesting to enjoy over the next 5 years. 91-92/100. Tasted Dec 2009. Branaire-Ducru 1999, St Julien, Bordeaux A decade old, this was typical St Julien in its aromas of black currants, raspberry, graphite and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, the tannins have resolved and together with the acids have moved completely into the background. Pure, elegant and lovely to drink right now. Easy to keep this for another 5-7 years. 89-90/100. Tasted Dec 2009. |
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Kongsgaard Chardonnay
2005, Napa, USA My Christmas dinner starter, I wasn’t overly impressed with this given its reputation. A full-bodied, robust chardonnay with fresh, crisp acidity and minerality, notes of viscous honeysuckle and floral wafts of orange spritz. This is not looking to hide or sink away anytime soon. 93/100. Tasted Dec 2009. Pavie 1999, St Emilion, Bordeaux A beauty of a wine; this is absolutely pure, multilayered boasting aromas of black currants, cherry, licorice and crushed quartz. The fine tannins are gradually integrating into the wine and form the backbone of this wine’s solid structure. This will easily go for another 15+ years. 95/100. Tasted Dec 2009. |
Sine Qua Non Poker Face
2004, California, USA
I really did this wine a crime. Decanted for half a day prior to dinner, it
was still closed and no amount of decanter swishing did the job. A hot, sexy
Syrah with a splash of Mourvedre and Viognier crafted by the genius Manfred
Krankl. Loads of blackberry, crème de cassis, toasted oak, floral lift of
white summer flowers. The tannins are still very prominent and need further
time to resolve. Still, this powerful wine was rich and pure with a long,
salivating finish. Didn’t even get to the halfway point on this wine over
dinner and it was still drinking well over the next 5 days. 96/100. Tasted
Dec 2009.
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett 2007, Mosel,
Germany
This medium-bodied riesling served as a prelude to christmas day dinner and
has a higher level of residual sugar than you’d expect for a kabinett level.
Notes of nectarine and pear shaken up in a musky bag. The acids are crisp
which complement the softer texture of this wine. A wine that is not
mentally-challanging. 89/100. Tasted Dec 2009.
Torbreck Descendant 2004, Barossa Valley
If my mum can pick this one out, then I reckon we’ve drunk way too much
Torbreck over the years. This Shiraz Viognier blend is unassumptious by
nature and is straight-forward enough to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone.
Toying with perfection and never a let-down, this exudes notes of
blackberries and acacia flower. Perfect example of a pure, simple wine that
doesn’t try to overdo things. Full-bodied and intense in smell and taste, to
be enjoyed for another 10 years. 97/100. Tasted Jan 2010.
Bruno Giacosa Arneis
2005, Piedmont, Italy
I had no idea Bruno Giacosa did whites, and I wish I had tried this earlier
because I got a sense that this has flat-lined. Still, the richness and
freshness persists. Notes of white peach, pear and honeysuckle. If you still
have this, you should have drunk this last year. 91/100. Tasted Jan 2010.
12th December 2009
Gaja Sito Moresco 2006, Piedmont, Italy
$50. This is the second bottle I've had recently and both times,
this wine has proven to be easy relaxation. Soft embracing perfume of Moss
cherry, ripening yellow-fleshed plum and I even sensed a hint of toasted
Japanese rice tea. A medium-bodied wine but with bold robust flavours of
cherry and blood plum skins. Smooth, slightly sappy tannins slowly ease back
in as the fruit fades off. Thoroughly enjoyable over the next 5-7 years.
90-91/100. Tasted Oct & Dec 2009.
5th December 2009
Joseph Landron Domaine de la Louvetrie Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie
2007
$28. Great for a warm summer day with salty oysters kindly provided
by Prince Wine Store. This was the standout on the afternoon with floral
notes, peach and fresh lime. A reasonably high level of acidity in this, a
touch of zip with the saltish orange citrus flavours. 90/100. Tasted
December 2009.
Domaine Gerard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol 2008
$50. This wonderful Sauvignon Blanc exudes notes of grapefruit and lime with
a hint of icy mint. Tasty flavours of citrus and white peach, an absolute
smacker worthy of space in the storage. 90/100. Tasted December 2009.
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