Fields, Morris & Verdin

Winter Tasting
2^nd October 2006

Prices are ex-VAT, duty paid.

• NV Cuvée 730, Champagne Jacquesson (£19)
  Very biscuity autolytic nose – very powerful on the nose.  Very, very rich and full on the palate.  86/100
• 1996 Champagne Jacquesson (£41)
  A very fine, elegant nose with biscuity cassis.  Very structured, very elegant palate.  This is a big mouthful, but also has very good elegance.  89/100
• 2004 Montlouis Sec ‘Rémus’, Domaine Taille aux Loups, Jacky Blot (£10.50)
  Quite a smoky nose with pear and pear drops.  Round, very delicate attack, which fills and develops well in the mouth.  Nicely rounded and full.  There’s lots of interest here.  91/100
• 2004 Albariño, Rias Baixas, Lusco do Miño (£9.20)
  Full and pleasant on the nose.  A nice round palate with a lovely fruit character.  This has lots of interest and character.  Very Good Indeed.  92/100
• 2004 Albariño Pazo Pineiro, Rias Baixas, Lusco do Miño (£15.25)
  Attractive nose, with a nice minerality.  This is a bit lighter on the palate than the straight 2004 Albariño from Lusco do Miño.  This is attractive on the palate with very good flavours.  By contrast to the light elegance felt to start with in the mouth, the finish is like that of a Broadway show: big.  Very Good Indeed.  89/100
• 2004 Leapfrögmilch, Frog’s Leap, Napa, California (£9.25)
  This is a blend of 67% riesling and 33% chardonnay.  But the nose doesn’t reflect that: it’s a bit odd, sweet and nutty and more like viognier than either riesling or chardonnay.  It’s mild and inoffensive on the palate with an almost medium sweetness.  A strange wine.  Good.  84/100
• 2005 Gris (Pinot Grigio), Lis Neris, Friuli Isonzo, Italy (£8.35)
  A very attractive, lightly spiced, fragrant nose.  There’s good fruit on the palate.  Very well balanced with decent acidity.  Very dry on the finish.  Very Good Indeed.  90/100
• 2003 Dry Furmint, Mandolas, Tokaji Oremus, Hungary (£7.50)
  Very interesting nose: nutty, sweet and with a bit of apricot fruit.  Fresh, clean attack.  Round and fairly full on the palate.  Hugely attractive.  Very long finish.  Excellent.  93/100
• 2005 Grüner Veltliner Reserve Gottschelle, Dr Unger, Austria (£8.90)
  A nice, light, fragrant nose.  Good palate – fairly light, but it could do with more varietal character.  Very long, with the GrüV coming through after.  Very Good.  86/100
• 2005 Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben, Dr Unger, Austria (£9.15)
  Very much deeper, more concentrated, and more complex nose than the Reserve Gottschelle, with big, sweet, buttery fruit on the nose.  Complex palate.  A very interesting wine with excellent character.  96/100
• 2002 Pinot Noir, Domaine Drouhin, Oregon (£13.67)
  The nose has perfumed, forward raspberry fruit.  Light and fragrant on the palate.  Quite zingy and reminiscent of New Zealand pinot on the finish.  Very Good+.  88/100
• 2002 Pinot Noir Cuvée Laurène, Domaine Drouhin, Oregon (£17.22)
  An oaky forest floor nose with some shitake mushrooms.  Very elegant attack – silky and elegant.  Very attractive on the palate, though it tails off and becomes more vibrant and younger towards the finish.  Very Good.  86/100
• 2004 Rosso Conero, Fattoria Terrazze, Marche (£8.50)
  Lovely sweet cherry fruit on the nose.  Fresh, balanced palate with good fruit character.  A bit simple, but very pleasing.  86/100
• 2005 Valpolicella Classico, Corte Rugolin (£8.75)
  The nose has very young cherry fruit.  Light and fresh on the palate, and remarkably attractive.  Pretty much a sort of valpolicella nouveau with lots of zingy fruit.  89/100
• 2003 Pintia, DO Toro, Vega Sicilia (£16.85)
  A sweet red fruit nose with some fine oak.  It feels really velvety on the attack.  This is full and open with really good character.  Big tannins make themselves felt on the finish.  Lovely now, but no rush whatsoever.  92/100
• 2003 Lytton Springs, Ridge Vineyards, California (£15.75)
  76% zinfandel; 18% petite sirah, 6% carignan.  There’s sweet raspberry and strawberry fruit on the nose, which is very precise and focussed.  Lovely palate.  Very focussed and clear with excellent fruit and a lovely character.  Delicious.  Superb stuff.  Excellent.  94/100
• 2002 Geysersville, Ridge Vineyards, California (£16.25)
  76% zinfandel, 18% carignan, 6% petite sirah.  The nose is perfumed, a bit murky and slightly stinky with black fruit.  Really lovely balanced on the palate.  Very refined in the mouth.  Concentrated yet fresh.  Super.  93/100
• 2003 Bandol Rouge, Domaine Terre Brune (£12.50)
  A blend of mourvèdre, grenache and cinsault.  A very stinky nose – very rubbery with fresh horse poo and black fruit.  Fresh, clean attack.  Complex and well structured on the palate.  Very concentrated on the finish.  Very, very long.  90/100
• 2004 Ned & Henry’s Shiraz, Dean Hewitson, Barossa (£9.10)
  The nose is rather closed with black, plummy fruit.  Fresh, juicy fruit on the palate.  It’s quite silky in the mouth with a juicy black and red fruit flavour.  There’s nice spice on the finish with big tannins evident after.  Very Good Indeed.  91/100
• 2003 Dry Red No. 2, Yarra Yering, Victoria, Australia (£47.50, magnum)
  A perfumed nose with blackberry and plums with a bit of stink.  Super palate.  Excellent fruit, very balanced – very well balanced indeed.  Very elegant and refined.  Very Good Indeed+.  93/100
• 2003 Two Blondes, Andrew Will, Washington State (£19.75)
  A blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.  This has an elegant nose with lots of blackcurrant fruit and a nice sous bois feel.  Lovely, balanced attack.  Very clean with good fruit and a lovely balance.  Really sweet and concentrated after.  Very Good Indeed.  90/100
• 2004 Château Fayau, AC Cadillac, Bordeaux (£7.75)
  Delicate on the nose with lightly perfumed pear and peach fruit.  Superb palate.  Lovely balance.  Finishes well with lovely balance after and great length.  Clean and elegant.  Very Good Indeed.  91/100
• 2001 Château Partarrieu, AC Sauternes (£11.75)
  Very fragrant, refined palate.  Quite delicate.  Open and inviting.  Sweeter and richer than the 2004 Fayau.  89/100
• 2005 Vin de Glacière Muscat, Bonny Doon, California (£8.85, 375ml)
  A concentrated, perfumed, grapey muscat nose – utterly winning.  Remarkably concentrated, yet delicate palate.  Unusually complex for a muscat.  92/100
• NV Bouteille Call, Bonny Doon, California (£7.25, 500ml)
  This a blend of grape wine, raspberry wine and grape spirits.  It has a big crème de framboise nose.  Silky smooth on the palate, with a perfumed and chocolatey richness.  The spirit is just evident towards the finish.  Pleasant after.  Unlike anything else.  88+/100
• NV Manzanilla Pasada Cuevas Jurado, Lustau (£7.15, 375ml)
  A salty parmesan nose.  Absolutely bone dry on the palate.  Lovely.  Super length.  Very Good Indeed.  89/100
• NV Manzanilla Amontilla, Cuevas Jurado, Lustau (£7.15, 375ml)
  Nutty, open nose.  Fine and elegant.  90/100
• NV Amontillado del Puerto, Jose Luis González Obregón (£7.05)
  Full balanced nose.  Delicious stuff.  Quite delicate.  Very elegant.  90/100
• 1989 Oloroso Añada (£14.30)
  A lovely refined nose, rich yet beautifully pure.  Off-dry to medium.  Huge elegance.  Delicious.  93/100

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Last updated: 09 July 2007