Miscellaneous Tasting Notes 1987-2000
(most recently tasted at the top)
Last updated: 3 Jan 2008
1990
Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne,
12% (ex cave)
A very attractive medium gold. Excellent, if rather excited
stream of bubbles. Nice light nose: toasty and nutty with
extracts of butter and vanilla, and just a hint of lime. Very
fine, long, thin legs. Very creamy attack. Not
overly mousseux in the mouth. Very crisp on the palate, with
loads of fruit; and it's very creamy with just a nice hint of acidity
towards the finish. Finishes very cleanly and with great
elegance. Very Good Indeed +
(31/12/00 - 1/1/01)
1998 Muscat
de Beaumes de Venise, Domaine des Bernardins, 15%, 375ml
(Byrne's)
"Que bèn béura diéu veira",
says the bottle. Not sure whether that's southern French
argot, Catalan or what, but it clearly translates as "whoever drinks
well will see god".
A luscious bright orange - very brassy, like polished brass.
The nose is predictably grapey, but it is also very orangey with
extracts of maquis herbs (thyme? rosemary? lavender?) Rich,
lush attack with marked sweetness. Fills out very nicely
across the palate with a nice streak of acidity. The flavours
more or less carry through the same notes as the nose: quite orangey
and almost like a liqueur Cointreau. There is some nice
acidity on the palate that stops it becoming too cloying.
Very clean on the finish with great length. Almost port-like
after. Very Good Indeed.
(31/12/00)
NV Alear
Capataz Fino, Montilla-Moriles Den. de Origen, Spain, 15% (Laymont
& Shaw)
A very pale, slightly greenish straw. Light, slightly
fragrant nose with sherry notes, but much lighter and more fragrant
than most fino/amontillado sherries. Very lightly
flavoured. Clean attack - quite light but fills
enormously. Very rich, but also very dry. Cleans up
nicely on the finish.
(31/12/00)
A couple of days later: possibly a little deeper straw
colour, but there's still that greenish tinge. Attractive,
fruity dry sherry nose with smoky, tropical fruit, a light fragrance
and some briny-ness. Nice fresh attack. Clean and
fruity and light. Very full on the middle, and very
dry. Incredible length. Very clean after.
Very Good Indeed/Excellent.
(2/1/01)
NV Smith
Woodhouse "Old Oporto Bicentennial 1984 Very Especial Rich Porto",
(ex cave)
An attractive rich, tawny red. A mature nose, largely
dominated by alcohol at the first sniff. But then some good,
healthy fruit reveals itself too: quite plummy with some
violets. Soft and warming on the attack. Fills very
nicely: full, with some fruit, but a lot of alcohol on the
middle. Much better after, when there's lots of lasting fruit
to chew on: great length and very attractive after. Very
Good/Very Good Indeed.
(30/12/00)
1992 Tinto
Valbuena 5°, Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Sicilia, D.O.
Ribera del Duero, 13% (Bibendum)
An even, fairly bright mid ruby showing some signs of
maturity. Fast, thin legs. Heavily smoky leather
and hedgerow fruit on the nose - very serious stuff, with great
depth. Great attack - very fresh and really quite light and
fruity with good acidity. Fills well, but not
enormously. There's a real tobacco astringency (in a pleasant
way) on the palate with some distinct seville orange notes.
This is lighter than I had expected it to be. Great length
and very fine and simply beautiful after.
(30/12/00)
The next day: an attractive bright ruby, fairly mature.
Fabulous nose with lots of smoky leather and grassy, hedgerow fruit
scents. Beautiful, light attack. Then you get a
sudden blast of tannin as it fills out enormously, but precisely and
with great attraction. Lots of tannins on the finish, but
also very clean. Very well balanced. Extremely
classy, well-made stuff. Very Good Indeed/Excellent.
(31/12/00)
1998 Tokay
Pinot Gris Grand Cru Hengst Clos du Vicus Romain, Domaine
Aimé Stentz, AC Alsace Grand Cru, (Booths)
Medium gold with a very slight pinkish tinge - bright and
clear. Very attractive pinot gris nose: more floral than
some, and there are even some citrus notes. Lighter on the
nose than many Alsace pinot gris wines. Very clean attack:
light and fresh. Then it fills very quickly and
enormously. Enormously rich and mouth-filling on the middle,
with spice and buttery richness, yet it's bone dry. Good
finish - clean and very long. Just a bit of a pinot gris/acid
kick at the end. Not a wine for a beginner with pinot
gris. Very Good Indeed.
(28/12/00)
1998 Grand
Prébois Rouge, Vin de Pays de la Principauté
d'Orange, Domaines Perrin, 13% (The Wine Society)
A youngish Rhône colour. Heavy meniscus and very
slow, thin legs. Good fruit on the nose with some
spice. Light. Nice attack. A bit heavy on
the grenache maybe. Very Good.
(19/12/00)
1990
Agramont Crianza, Bodegas Agronavarra, DO Navarra, 12.5% (Oddbins)
A mature ruby with brickish overtones, though it looks like it has
plenty of life. Rather mixed legs; mainly quite fat and
fast. Very flat nose: a bit of cabernet sauvignon fruit and
some earthiness. Light on the attack. Very tannic
on the middle and finish. Quite deep flavours on the middle:
initially reticent, but they come out in the mouth with
aeration. Great length. Nice and clean
after. Real leather and spice flavours after. Can't
make up my mind whether this is at the end of it's life or whether it's
going to continue for a few years and maybe open out again.
Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(17/12/00)
1997
Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, Max. Ferd. Richter, Mosel,
Germany, 8.5% (ex cave)
A pale, slightly greenish gold. Rather subdued apple and
kerosene nose. Very refreshing, very crisp, very dry appley
flavours. The next day the nose is very light and slightly
fragrant, with apple and kerosene as before. There is a real
blast of apple on the attack, but coupled with a richness and elegant
creaminess. This has improved immensely overnight: it's much
finer and rounder, though still very dry and almost mouth-puckering on
the finish. Very Good Indeed.
(16-17/12/00)
1997
Cabernet Sauvignon, Bodega Norton, Mendoza Argentina, 14% (The Wine Society)
A very dark, plummy red. Not much fruit on the nose: some
tannins, some leather, some green leaves and then finally some minty
blackcurrant. Very soft attack. Fills well, but not
a lot. Very soft and smooth - rich and
mouthfilling. Trying hard to be serious stuff, but not
achieving it. A bit unbalanced on the finish, when there are
some very bitter tannins and it's quite hot. Lacking in fruit
and lacking in character. Needs food, but even with food,
it's still disappointing. OK.
(10/12/00)
1998 Reserve
Selection Gewurztraminer, Hilltop Neszmely, Mór Region,
Hungary, 11.5% (The
Wine Society)
A fairly rich orangey gold. Good gewurztraminer nose - very
typical, but nothing special: not too heavily extracted
though. Quite thin on the attack, but then there's a very
full full, slightly hard gewurztraminer blast. Thins out on
the finish. Bit of a disappointing, rather average bottle of
this. Good(ish).
(8/12/00)
NV
Sainsbury's Oak Aged Valencia, Den. de Origen, 12% (Sainsbury)
A palish, strawberry pink, almost verging on a rosé:
attractive, if watery, to look at. A fair nose with some
fruit: cherries and leather with a hint of Bostik; some tannin evident
on the nose too. Long, thin legs. A light fruity
attack that goes on to fill well in the mouth. There's some
character in this. Quite tannic on the finish with a hint of
bitter orange/burnt caramel. Light and easy, but lacks any
real depth. A bit unbalanced towards the finish, when it
loses the initial fruit and becomes more bitter. OK (just).
(6/12/00)
1982
Château Feytit Clinet, AC Pomerol, Bordeaux, no
alcohol content shown (Byrne's)
The cork crumbled on opening. An intense syrupy blackcurrant
scent fills the room on decanting. Fairly even, very mature
brick red - quite brownish. Very hefty, thick legs.
There's a deep core of blackcurrant fruit on the nose, but also plums
and old leather, tobacco-scented chesterfields. Soft and
light on the attack: very clean with nice mature flavours. A
fairly light wine, but there's lots of character and style.
Good soft tannins plump out the finish. Quite meaty on the
finish with some minty notes. This is really rather nice: a
good mature Pomerol and undoubtedly worth its £35
cost. Very Good Indeed/Excellent.
(4/12/00)
1997
Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, Max. Ferd. Richter, Mosel,
Germany, 8.5% (ex cave)
Very pale straw. Rather pongy - bottle stink? On
the nose there are mouldy, musty apples. It shouldn't be like
this. Very crisp apple fruit on the attack, but deeply
unimpressive. It's very dry indeed, and there are some sort
of rather reductive straw/hay like dry flavours in there.
This isn't right, I think, but just to be on the safe side, I left it
aside for 10-15 minutes to let the stink blow off. But no, it
didn't improve at all, and it's worse still with food, when you get the
impression of sour, pappy, brown-fleshed apples. Not
nice. Not corked, but obviously off.
(1/12/00)
1998
Sainsbury's Chianti DOCG, 12% (Sainsbury)
A very even, attractive garnet red. Rather odd nose - a bit
synthetic with quite a lot of vanilla, some alcohol, and just a bit of
cherry fruit buried in there. Ok on the attack: soft, with
fair fruit. Rather bitter on the finish. Really
extremely unexceptional. A very poor wine, that you'd be hard
pressed to guess was Chianti. Dreadful.
(29/11/00)
1996 Pinot
Gris Réserve, Trimbach, Alsace, 13% (The Wine Society)
A very even medium straw. Pretty hefty legs. Very
good, slightly perfumed pinot gris nose with lots of tropical fruit
(even a hint of bananas) Very rich on the attack and then it
goes on to fill enormously in the mouth. Massively rich and
buttery. Actually, it seems just a touch on the sweet side,
and perhaps there's a bit of late harvest fruit in this? Very
clean, though, and with a great depth of flavour. I reckon
this is worth three times the price of the Lurton pinot gris from
Argentina (see this page passim). Very
Good Indeed.
(26/11/00)
1998 Grand
Prébois Rouge, Vin de Pays de la Principauté
d'Orange, Domaines Perrin, 13% (The Wine Society)
An even bright ruby. Big fat legs, but not many of
them. Warm, slightly spicy, very rounded nose with soft
berry-cherry fruits. Nice soft attack. Lots of
fruit and lots of character on the palate: very smooth and gentle, with
just a touch of pepper and spice on the finish with a lingering
aftertaste of pepper on the tip of the tongue. Some light
tannins on the finish, manifesting themselves in a slight bitterness
after. Very Good+.
(21/11/00)
1995
Sylvaner Réserve Millésime, Rolly Gassmann, Alsace,
12.5% (ex cave)
A bright light straw. Lots and lots of thin legs.
Very herbaceous on the nose with hints of melon. Clean, fresh
attack. fills just a little. Quite creamy on the
middle with a hint of pepperiness on the finish. A bit flat
on the finish. Probably at the end of its life.
OK/Good.
(19/11/00)
1999
Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie, Domaine des Ratelles
(Daniel & Gerard Vinet), 13% (The Wine Society)
A greenish pale yellow. Sharp green fruit with a hint of
iodised scents on the nose. Very clean and fairly
fresh. Not overly vibrant, and there's just a hint of
pétillance. Crisp and refreshing without falling
into the trap of sourness. Good fruit, balanced with
acid. There's a slight tendency towards harshness on the
finish, but it's in check. Great length. Very Good
Indeed.
(18/11/00)
1999 Pinot
Gris, Bodega Jacques y Francois Lurton, Mendoza, Argentina,
13% (The Wine
Society)
A slightly greenish pale-mid straw. Lots of very pronounced
legs. A relatively standard pinot gris nose: spice with a
sort of bready background; attractive but a bit dull. Good
attack, with some fresh acidity. There's a very good
mouthfeel: rich, buttery, spicy and quite full-flavoured, though not
aggressively so. Very good length. Very
clean. Very good at the price (sub £4). A
good, archetypal, vaguely Alsatian-style pinot gris. Very
Good +.
(16/11/00)
1998
Mußbacher Eselshaut Riesling Kabinett Trocken,
Müller-Catoir, Pfalz (Wine Time)
An even pale straw - quite yellow. Some tartaric deposits
evident. The nose is nice, though perhaps a bit dull, with a
nice delicate floral nature and a few hints of apple and petrol coming
through. Light on the attack with lots of apple flavour,
counterbalanced by significant acidity giving a real prickle on the
tongue. I'm very disappointed by this wine: it's rather
unbalanced and has little character and little style.
Disappointing. OK.
(13/11/00)
1995
Bourgogne Pinot Gris, Domaine Robert Meslin, AC Bourgogne,
12.5% (Byrne's)
A really pinky medium gold: quite a vibrant colour. Good
legs. Attractive nose: decent fruit with some creamy body;
not aggressively pinot gris on the nose, but nice and
attractive. Rather light on the attack, with notable
acidity. Fills reasonably well. It's a bit odd
though, and doesn't have the richness of Alsace-type pinot
gris. Quite light and refined. Quite a marked pinot
gris kick on the finish and after. Very clean
throughout. Probably a bit more to it than the simplest
Alsace pinot gris wines: there's some depth and a few layers of
flavour. Much drier than the majority of Alsatian pinot
gris. This is more than just a curiosity and is actually
rather good. Very Good Indeed.
(7/11/00)
1997 Pinot
Noir, Pepperwood Grove, California, 12.5% (Wine Time,
Milnthorpe)
Very light-bodied appearance. An even youngish, purplish
garnet. Lots of cherry and soft red fruit on the nose and a
hint of wet leaves. Very light attack - very soft and
fruity. doesn't fill much, but there is a bit of a spicy,
peppery, slightly acid backbone in there. Remarkably
well-rounded. Very pleasant, if a bit uni-dimensional
maybe. But a good example of a relatively pure pinot noir,
and at a good price too (around £5-£6). Very Good +
(5/11/00)
1998 Reserve
Selection Gewürztraminer, Mór Region, Hungary
(The Wine Society)
Medium gold. Very fat legs indeed. Good
gewurztraminer nose - spicy, with lots of tropical fruit; and not too
over-extracted. Nice attack with a bit of acidity.
Fills very quickly. Very mouthfilling. Really quite
buttery and rich. Good fruit throughout. Very clean
indeed. Very clean, clear, crisp finish with a bit of a
citrus flavour after. Very Good Indeed.
(4/11/00)
1997
Dogajolo, IGT Toscano, Casa Vinicola Carpineto, 12.5% (The Wine Society)
A cabernet sauvignon-sangiovese blend. Deep, deep ruby;
almost a blackish purple. thin, but very firm legs.
Slightly vegetal nose, apparently with lots of tannin. Bitter
cherries on the nose and some pears and cassis. Very, very
full favoured: very forthright on the attack. Very powerful
and incredibly serious. Very complex. quite a lot
of fruit, together with some really nice chewy
bitterness. Very meaty and chewy, though with quite soft
tannins. Very clean, with a good finish, although there's a
touch of alcohol after. Great length, finishing with some
pepperiness. It just seems a bit pretentious. Very
Good Indeed.
(2/11/00)
NV
Crémant d'Alsace Cuvée Julien, Dopff au Moulin,
Alsace, 12% (The
Wine Society)
Nice, slightly citrussy straw appearance. Good, very even
small bubbles. Fairly citrussy nose with a trace of
toastiness; some nice fresh yeast scents though. Good, clean,
nice mousse in the mouth: clean and crisp. Vibrant
even. Very clean and fresh after. Perhaps a little
lacking in flavour, but it all tastes very natural. Very Good
Indeed.
(29/10/00)
1999
Vollreiflese Mädchentraube, Qualitätswein mit
geografischer Herkunft, Chernomorski Rayon, Bulgaria,
Abfüller Wein- und Sektkellerei Ostrau GmbH, 10.5%
The back label says that it's made from Mädchentraube grapes
grown on the sunny slopes of the Black Sea coast. Warm Indian
summers ensure the grapes ripen fully.
An unexceptional, very pale straw. The nose is very peculiar
and rather closed (or just a very dull), perhaps with wet, musty
hay. Soft, light attack. Fills quickly, but not to
any great extent. Medium sweet, but with a dry
aftertaste. Simple. Lacks structure and
elegance. Tolerable.
(28/10/00)
1998
Le Grand Prébois Rouge, Domaines Perrin, Vin de
Pays de la Principauté d'Orange, (The Wine Society)
A youthful, bright ruby purple. Warm, spicy nose with hints
of pepper and nutmeg. Very soft attack. Lots of
fruit. Gentle, soft and rounded, with buckets of
fruit. Loads of character. Fills nicely towards the
finish with just a bit of tannic structure. A nice light,
quaffable Rhônesque wine. Very Good Indeed.
(27/10/00)
1998
Albariño
Burgans. Bodegas Martin Codax, Rias Baixas, 12% (Oddbins)
Slightly muddy medium straw. Good nose: quite serious with
lots of depth - sort of grassy, greeny, slightly melony. Fair
legs. Light, fresh attack, almost muscadet-like.
But fills, not overly, but well. Quite rich and buttery on
the palate. Then some fresh, fruity acid on the finish and
after. No harshness on the finish. Good
length. Very Good.
(24/10/00)
1997 Pinot
Gris Réserve, Trimbach, AC Alsace, 13% (The Wine Society)
A pale, even slightly pinkish straw. Very full, archetypal
Alsace pinot gris nose - gorgeous with rich creamy fruit and hints of
exotic spice. Very fresh attack. Fills
beautifully. Very rich and rounded on the palate.
Packed with gorgeous flavours. Absolutely no harshness (which
you sometimes find in basic level pinot gris in Alsace). Very
Good Indeed.
(23/10/00)
NV Champagne
Taittinger, Brut Réserve
As excellent as ever. Markedly superior to other
marques in my view. A great match for the
canapés/amuses gueule. Very Good Indeed.
(22/10/00)
1989
Oberemmeler Karlsberg Riesling Auslese, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt
Showing very well indeed, and exceeding previous
bottles. Possibly the merest bit sweeter than previous
bottles I'd opened. Worked well with a foie gras and
artichoke terrine with duck rillettes and extremely well with a salmon
tart with smoked salmon "pastry". Isabel described it as like
drinking liquid gold (which was going over the top a bit, I
thought!). Very Good Indeed.
(22/10/00)
1995
Clos-Vougeot Grand Cru, Domaine René Engel, magnum
(Byrne's)
A youngish, even, cherry red. Very good legs.
Beautiful, full soft red fruit nose. Exceedingly attractive
nose. Lovely attack. Fills a little, but while it's
very elegant, it's perhaps a bit disappointingly light on the
middle. Fairly tannic on the finish. Very
distinguished, though really a bit too young, especially en
magnum. Much more balanced and open with food - it
went very well with a classic osso bucco and risotto
milanese. Very Good Indeed +.
(22/10/00)
1991 Le XV
du Président, Les Vignerons d'Opoul, AC Côtes du
Roussillon Villages, (Sunday Times Wine Club/Laithwaites)
(with cheese)
Big and alcoholic (15%). But not terribly interesting. Good.
(22/10/00)
1997 Ch.
Saint Estève d'Uchaux, AC Côtes du Rhône,
13% (The
Wine Society)
A bright strawberry red with clear signs of purplish youth at the
core. Very heavy meniscus with fairly fat legs.
Complex nose - spice with some (but not a lot) of fruit - possibly some
cherries and vanilla. Very nice feel to the attack.
Then it fills out nicely with lots of fruit; then some tannins start to
kick in. Finishes with lots of peppery vanilla, and there's
very, very marked vanilla flavours after. Great
length. The vanilla flavours are bizarrely strong - to the
point that I wondered if some vanillin might have been added to
simulate oaking - very strange. Very Good +.
(17/10/00)
1996
Château La Tour Seguy, AC Côtes de Bourg, Bordeaux,
12% (The
Wine Society)
Pale to medium ruby in appearance, and it looks a bit thin.
Very thin, rather slow legs. Nice nose with good red and
black berry fruit with a fair amount of blackcurrant. Ok on
the attack. Doesn't really fill out in the mouth and it's
rather thin and rather astringent. Not very nice at
all. I suppose it might be off or a duff bottle, but to me,
it's the problem of much cheap Bordeaux and it just tastes like cheap
red wine. I didn't drink it. Poor.
(17/10/00)
1994 Ch.
Langoa Barton, AC St Julien, 12.5% (Byrne's)
A very deep ruby, still with some signs of youth. Heavy
meniscus, but with quite thin, fast legs. Very reticent on
the nose: ripe, cooked, red and black fruit with lots of vanilla deep
down and a touch of licorice. Nice attack - ripe, with plenty
of fruit. Develops very quickly and fills
enormously. There are some quite bitter tannins in there, and
the palate is pretty much dominated by tannins, which last long
after. This feels like it's trying to be top-flight, but not
quite making it. Probably a bit disappointing
really. Very Good.
(14/10/00)
1990 Chianti
Rufina Riserva DOCG, Prunatelli, 12.5% (The Wine Society)
Only a composite cork. Nice, bright even garnet, just showing
the odd sign of maturity. Very slow, fat, lumpy
legs. Warm nose with some cherry fruit, but very
reticent. More leathery overtones. Nice
attack. Still fresh and light, then it fills enormously and
very rapidly. Very full on the palate: rich, quite chewy and
pretty serious, powerful stuff. Quite bitter on the finish
(there's also just a bit too much acidity showing on the finish and
after), but the tannins feel quite soft. An interesting wine
with more character than the first impression would lead you to
believe. Much more leathery and oddly vegetal nose in a
Riedel Chianti glass with much more elegant legs too, and more flavour
on the attack. Very Good Indeed.
(13/10/00)
1999 Pinot
Gris, Bodega J & F Lurton, Mendoza, Argentina,
13% (The
Wine Society)
An attractive bright, almost lemon yellow. Thin, very slow
legs. Good pinot gris nose - ripe, slightly spicy exotic
fruit with a slightly fresh citric note in the background.
Rich and smooth on the palate. Possibly feels a bit harsh on
the attack, but fills and becomes really quite ripe and
chewy. Fairly well balanced, though it could perhaps do with
a bit more acidity, though that would probably be to the detriment of
the pure, clear PG flavours. This is a good, satisfying wine,
if rather simple. Possibly it lacks depth and complexity, but
it's a very good imitation of an Alsace PG at a fraction of the
price. Very Good Indeed.
I tried this in a couple of different glasses, as well as the original
ISO: in the Riedel riesling/chianti glass it was all but unchanged;
perhaps just a bit duller. In the Riedel chardonnay glass, it
lost a bit of its nose, but gained some finesse and roundness,
smoothing off the edges.
(10/10/00)
1989
Agramont, Bodegas Príncipe de Viana, Navarra,
12.5% (Oddbins)
[A blend of tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon.] A lovely, mature
colour - a very even, quite bright ruby with hints of brickish
redness. Looks in better condition than the Musar a few days
ago. Very dull nose, but if you persevere with it, there's a
really strong, concentrated blackcurrant blast. Light on the
attack, with rather bit too much acidity.
Distinctly lacking in fruit. Lots and lots of very soft
tannins. This is over the hill and fading. It's
still ok, but there's very little life left in it.
(8/10/00)
1997
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Studert-Prüm,
Gutsabf., 8%, AP 2 576 537 4 98 (Tesco)
Extremely pale colour - just a hint of the palest straw.
Good, crisp riesling nose with fresh crisp apples, but also a lot more
kerosene that one might expect. Very nice attack: creamy
fresh fruit. Perhaps even almost buttery when the chill's off
it. Nice length. This is like a nice
straightforward Gutsriesling, but isn't really making it as a Wehlener
Sonnenuhr kab. But it is very nice, with few vices.
A lot of acidity, which gives a sense of pétillance at the
back of the palate. Nice length. Very clean
throughout. Good, clean finish with no hardness.
I'd expect this to be under £6, and if it were it would rate
Very Good.
In fact it was £6.99, so only Good (+?)
It's worth noting that this was much improved after it had
been open two days.
(6/10/00)
1990 Chateau
Musar, Lebanon, 13.5%
A bright mature ruby fading to a marked orange at the rim.
Light texture. Fairly heavy legs, but even and
consistent. Warm nose, with an almost toasty character:
boiled plums with hints of boiled sweets, wine gums and
cedar. Light, but satisfying on the attack. Still
the merest hint of fruit on the palate. but it feels very
mature and really rather thin on the palate. Plenty of
character and some nice soft tannins help it down nicely.
Quite serious - not an everyday wine by any means. Good, with
lots of character and a nice little streak of light acidity.
Seems very much à point.
(5/10/00)
1996
Chasselas Vieilles Vignes, Cave Vinicole Kientzheim-Kaysersberg,
12% (ex cave)
A bright mid straw with no legs. Quite a deep, fragrant
herbaceous nose. A bit non-descript on the attack and a bit
harsh on the finish, but that might be because it's straight from the
fridge and a bit too cold. Not terribly impressive, though
I'd eaten something sweet not too long previously.
Re-tasted the next day. Really quite a deep colour for a
light wine. Nice nose - attractive and fragrant with more
than a hint of rose petals. Nice, very full attack.
Lots of lush fruit. This almost has the style of a gewurz or
pinot gris (cf. the nose). Very smooth, milky
texture. Nice fresh flavours. Teeniest hint of
harshness on the finish. Very Good. (Great at the
price - FF 23,50 = c. £2.35)
(1-2/10/00)
1998 Epoch
1, Chapel Down, Kent, English Table Wine, 11% (Booths)
A bright, light ruby with the slightest hints of purple. A
bit watery round the edges, and no legs. Very attractive,
light, fruity nose with lots of slightly scented cherry fruit and hints
of peppery spice. good attack. Light; clean;
pleasant. There's little development in the mouth and some
tannins on the finish. This is a pleasant, light and nicely
quaffable wine. It could well benefit from being served
lightly chilled. Very straightforward, light easy
drinking. Whether it's really "world class" as the label
suggests is debatable, but it's nicely unpretentious. Very
Good+
(28/9/00)
1997
Black Ridge
Vintner's Reserve Carignane/Grenache, California, 13% (Oddbins?)
Fast, heavy, lasting legs. An attractive colour: bright,
purplish burgundy. Very jammy nose with intense stewed plum
and damson nose with a streak of floral, violet-like notes.
Attractive initially on the nose, but is there a sort of chemical smell
in there too? Perhaps it's the alcohol. Nice attack
- full flavoured and very mouthfilling. Very hot flavours
with a slight harshness on the middle. Lots of cherry
flavours in the palate, though it then flattens out and finishes with a
bit more fruit. Very powerful stuff. A
bit unbalanced. Quite different. Enjoyable and a
little challenging. Very Good.
A Riedel Bordeaux glass softened it nicely.
(25/9/00)
1997
Santenay La Comme Dessus, Domaine Amiot Guy, Burgundy, 13.5% (Bibendum)
Good, bright, fairly even cherry red. Very attractive
appearance. Ok legs that appear and fade quickly.
Soft red fruits on the nose, with a bit of vanilla and some cedary
tannins. Nice light attack. Plenty of very soft
fruit. Then it deepens and gains complexity and
power. Stronger flavours with developing tannins.
Powerful finish with a few hints of raw spice. Surprisingly
little difference in a Riedel Burgundy glass over an ISO: it's just a
bit softer. This is too young to be drinking at the
moment. Try again in five years? Very Good Indeed.
(19/9/00)
1998
Albariño
Burgans. Bodegas Martin Codax, Rias Baixas, 12% (Oddbins)
Iffy. No off.
(18/9/00)
1996 Muscat
d'Alsace, Sigille Qualité Confrérie
Saint-Etienne, Kuentz-Bas, Alsace, France, 12.5% (ex cave)
A pale to medium straw, almost clear at the centre, with a marked
greenness towards the edge. Not an overpoweringly muscat
nose, though it's very nice and very attractive, with slightly perfumed
hedgerow fruits and the merest hint of grapiness. Very marked
legs: long and thin. Nice attack. There are almost
gewurztraminer hints on the middle, building all the time from a fresh,
though intense and solid attack to a real richness on the
finish. Just a hint of harshness after. Almost a
buttery feel and taste. Very complex on the middle and
end. Lots of structure, power and intensity. Quite
a heavyweight really. But it would be difficult to guess it
was muscat if you didn't know. Very Good Indeed.
(16/9/00)
1997 Black
Ridge Vintner's Reserve Barbera/Cabernet, California, 13% (Oddbins?)
Cheapo cork. An even cherry-ruby colour, maybe with just a
little youth evident. Interesting nose: soft berry fruits - a
bit of cherry, a bit of blackcurrant, a bit of alcohol. Nice
attack: soft fruit. Very powerful middle, but quickly becomes
unbalanced. Too much tannin and alcohol, though some soft
cherry fruits just about battle through. Good.
(10/9/00)
1997 Dr L.
Riesling QbA, Dr Loosen, Mosel, Germany, 9% (Bottoms Up)
A mid gold with orange tinges and a marked greenness towards the
edge. A pleasant nose: soft riesling fruit with some
freshness with just the slightest soft, apple-y fruit. Clean
and fresh (though it does need to be chilled properly).
Smooth, almost buttery on the palate, but finishes with a nice tart
granny smith pucker. Really not at all bad and great at the
price. Very Good +
(10/9/00)
1997 The
Society's Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmen Vineyards, Central Valley,
Chile, 13.5% (The
Wine Society)
A fairly bright, very even, fairly mature ruby. Long thin
legs. Powerful nose, but virtually no fruit - a tannic nose
with some mint, leather and alcohol. If you look really hard,
there's some very intense blackcurrant fruit tucked away (unless that's
just the power of suggestion). Nice attack: clean
and full-flavoured. Fills quickly with strong tannins that
make it really quite bitter and point towards over-extraction in the
winery. This is powerful stuff, and while the tannins are
very evident, they are under control. There what seems to be
a tingle of alcohol on the tongue on the finish. Strong
flavours after. This is a powerful, heavy wine, but with no
real finesse or style. It's fine, but not great by any
means. Not one to buy again. OK.
(5/9/00)
1999 Pinot
Gris, Bodega Jacques y François Lurton, Mendoza, Argentina,
13% (The Wine
Society)
A remarkable pale yellow-gold appearance. Slow, fat
legs. A good, soft, fairly fruity pinot gris nose, that's not
overly intense. Nice attack. Clean and fairly
fresh. Very mouthfilling, with a distinct pinot gris
richness, and there's almost a hint of orange caramel on the
finish. Fills to a very full-bodied, rich middle with a nice
streak of acidity. Very, very long and a really quite
powerful PG flavour lingers long after. Finishes as well as
it starts. Very Good, especially at the price.
(3/9/00)
1998 Villa
Maria Private Bin Gewürztraminer, Eastern Bays, New Zealand,
12.5% (Byrne's)
Medium yellow gold. A lovely fragrant nose that doesn't
strike me instantly and obviously as being gewürztraminer:
it's a very light, fresh, fragrant gewurz with no trace of overpressing
on the nose. Very powerful attack. Lots of spicy
and peppery gewurz tones. Fills quickly. Strong
gewurz flavours. Very rich and full in the mouth.
Finishes with loads of exotic spice, vanilla and coriander
seed. Perhaps a bit too aggressive on the middle and
finish. Good.
(28/8/00)
1998 The
Society's Merlot Vin de Pays d'Oc, 12.5% (The Wine Society)
An attractive merlot mauve colour, though perhaps a bit muddy
looking. Good soft merlot nose with lots of soft berry
fruits, though perhaps slightly cooked. Good
attack. Plenty of fruit. Nice and soft.
Just fills a little and finishes with some nice tannins. Some
nice hints of spice in there. Good.
(27/8/00)
1998
Riesling, Tim Adams, Clare Valley, Australia, 12% (Tesco)
A very even, pale greenish straw. No legs. Nice
nose: melony with some kerosene notes - very rounded, but quite
subtle. Very nice attack. Good, fresh, rounded
riesling fruit. A little harshness on the middle, but it
finishes ok and with great length. But also incredibly
dry on the finish: really puckering. Also, there's virtually
no fruit on the finish, which makes it feel rather hollow and a bit
odd. In comparison to the attack, it's rather unbalanced on
the finish - and in fact, it loses a little all the time it's in the
mouth. But still attractive and pleasant enough,
though. Good.
(25/8/00)
1999
Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie, Domaine des Ratelles
(Daniel & Gerard Vinet), 12% (The Wine Society)
Very light, attractive pale yellow. Little legs.
Very light nose: fruity, but very light. Very clean and crisp
on the attack. Very fresh and limey. Good
flavours. Some depth. Rather nice hints of richness
on the middle. Very nice, very clean finish. Very
Good.
(24/8/00)
1997 Tokay
Pinot Gris, AC Alsace, Felix Meyer, 13% (Lay &
Wheeler)
A fairly rich gold tinged with pink. Some fairly powerful
legs. Fairly full nose - slightly spicy, though perhaps a bit
subdued. Very powerful on the palate. Extremely
intense. Quite remarkable. Too strong a flavour
really. Incredibly rich and full in the mouth.
Quite a lot of spice, with a distinct pepperiness on the
finish. Quite remarkable, but I'm not really
convinced. It's not really at all enjoyable to drink - it's
just too powerful. Good.
(20/8/00)
1994 Riddoch
Cabernet Shiraz, Coonawarra, South Australia, 13.5% (Bibendum)
Decanted as there was some sediment evident. Gave off an
intense blackcurrant scent while being decanted. A purple-ish
ruby fading to Accrington brick red at the rim. Hefty
legs. Berry fruits, particularly blackcurrants on the nose,
together with a hint of peppery spice. Nice attack.
A good mouthfeel from the alcohol. Very pleasant, but not
particularly dramatic. Very spicy on the finish.
Somewhat lacking in fruit. Either coming to the end of its
life or entering a dormant period. The next day, it was clear
that it was over the hill.
(16-17/8/00)
1997 Ch.
Saint Estève d'Uchaux, Côtes du Rhône,
13% (The Wine
Society)
Some seepage from the cork. Very spongey cork.
Powerful legs. A fairly bright ruby with some signs of
maturity. Nice Côtes du Rhône nose with
cherry and some quite intense strawberry: a very ripe nose.
Lovely attack. Intense flavours. Very full and very
alcoholic feeling. Some rather bitter tannins and a slight
harshness on the finish. Very ripe flavours: almost cooked.
This is a powerful wine, but in a rather rough and ready way.
Lacks elegance. Very Good.
(13/8/00)
1997
Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt,
9% (Oddbins)
A very pale green with yellow tinges. Some small bubbles at
the base of the glass. Strong gasoline nose with the merest
hint of apple. Slight pétillance detectable on the
palate. Very dull flavours and lacking no fruit and with
virtually no character. A very duff bottle. There's
no apparent oxidation: it's just completely flat.
(12/8/00)
Same bottle, next day: A tiny little bit better.
There's still that slight pétillance and it's actually not
so bad on the palate now. But it's still not right.
Rather flat flavours. There is some fruit there now, but it's
hardly showing off.
(13/8/00)
And the day after: This is amazing - it has dramatically
improved now. It's really quite impressive now, with good
fruit, well-balanced by a fine acidity, and it almost seems to have a
spätlese sort of quality to it.
(14/8/00)
NV Three
Choirs United Kingdom Table Wine Dry, 10.5% (The Wine Society)
This is actually made from the Phoenix grape, which at the time was not
permitted by the EU for wine production, and as UK Table Wine, they
aren't allowed to state the vintage either (I think it was probably the
1998).
A pale gold perhaps with a greenish tinge: very bright and
clear. Some legs, but nothing worthy of mention.
Fragrant, green hedgerow nose. A very nice attack: very fresh
and refreshing. Lots of dry, green fruit. Very
clean and crisp. Very nice on the finish, still with lots of
fruit. Quite exotic fruit (dragon fruit?). Very
Good Indeed.
(11/8/00)
NV The
Society's French Full Red, Vin de Table Français,
bottled by Pierre Lapascal, 13% (The Wine Society)
A nice attractive bright ruby; a strong meniscus with heavy fat
legs. Fair nose. Some fruit, but initially lots of
alcohol. A bit dull perhaps, and there's no particular
gruit/grape evident. Possibly some merlot? Nice, round,
mouthfilling attack. Some tannins, becoming a bit bitter on
the finish. A hint of acid on the middle. Quite
light flavours, but also a bit of a bite. No better than
tolerable.
(9/8/00)
1998
Gewürztraminer Reserve Selection, Mór Region,
Hungary, Hilltop Neszmély (The Wine Society)
Perhaps a little more concentrated on the nose than usual.
Ditto on the palate. More concentrated rose perfumes/flavours
and a slight pepperiness on the palate. Very Good.
(5/8/00)
NV
Crémant d'Alsace Brut Cuvée Julien, Dopff au
Moulin, 12% (The
Wine Society)
A mid, slightly greenish straw. Not exactly packed with
bubbles (the mousse quickly disappears) and not particularly evenly
sized bubbles. A good clean attack. Very mousseux
on the palate. fills well and has lots of good strong
flavour. Finishes nice and cleanly with notable
length. Very Good despite the disappointing nose and bubbles.
(2/8/00)
1997 Maso
Lodron, DOC Trentino Rosso, Letrari, 12.5% (The Wine Society)
A Bordeaux blend of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and
merlot. Deep, deep ruby purple, looking a bit young on the
edges. Slow, heavy legs. Very intense
nose. Very leathery with super-concentrated blackcurrants;
but the leather predominates. Very good attack - full and
forward. Soft and packed with fruit. Very full and
a bit alcoholic. Finishes with some bitterness.
Just sufficiently different to hold one's interest. Very
well-balanced. Very ripe flavours. Very Good.
(31/7/00)
1998 Reserve
Selection Gewurztraminer, Mór Region, Hungary, Hilltop
Neszmély, 11.5%, (The Wine Society)
A fairly deep, yellow gold. No discernable legs.
Lovely fragrant, gewurztraminer nose., just tending towards turkish
delight. Nice, rich attack. Fills well.
Bundles of gewurz flavour with plenty of fruit character
still. Finishes very cleanly and with great length.
Pure essence of gewurztraminer all the way. Very Good Indeed.
(28/7/00)
1997
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken,
Reinhold Haart, 10.5%, (ex cave)
A very pale green with yellow tinges. An attractive nose -
quite rounded and full and creamy. Some apples; some
petrol. Some dullness. Some sharp green apples on
the palate, together with some waxiness. Fairly
full. Not as fresh and crisp and refreshing as a proper
Kabinett. Fairly attractive, but hardly stunning.
Good/Very Good.
(27/7/00)
1998 Sessel
'La Taconnière', AC Seyssell, Maison Mollex,
Savoie, 12.5% (The
Wine Society)
A wine from Savoie in France; made from the altesse grape grown on an
exposed slope above the river Rhône. A slightly
orangey mid gold. Rather thin legs. Fairly fruity
nose with some fragrance. Quite light and delicate.
good attack, with body and a depth of flavour. Interesting
flavours. Nicely rounded, almost buttery. Quite a
striking finish. Really good length and very clean.
Very light drinking, but powerful flavours on the finish.
Possibly a hint of nuttiness on the finish. Very Good Indeed.
(24/7/00)
1998 La
Goudie Rosé, Vin de Pays de la Côte Vermeille,
Domaine de la Rectoire, Parcé Frères,
14% (The Wine
Society)
A fairly deep strawberry pink - almost a tomato flesh colour.
Pronounced, substantial legs. A nice nose - very attractive -
light and fragrant and not too aggressively fruity. A scented
soft red berry nose. Very mouthfilling on the
attack. Wow! What a humdinger! This is a
big boy. Very full and with really rather heavy
flavours. Lots of soft red fruit with a hint of acid, but
none of the harshness that I'd often associate with southern French
rosés. Very lush in the mouth (no doubt connected
to the whopping alcohol content!). Very, very long.
Finishes with a very concentrated strawberry juice scent that lasts in
the mouth for minutes after. Very Good Indeed+.
(18/7/00)
1989
Oberemmeler Karlsberg Riesling Auslese Goldcap, Reichsgraf v.
Kesselstatt, 8.5% (The
Wine Society)
Opened as I'd noticed the cork was leaking, something that has been
relatively common with this wine. Huge amount of tartaric
deposits in the bottle. Luscious medium gold. Very
fat legs which fade quickly. Rather reticent nose.
Only really the honeyed notes coming through. Possibly some
malic riesling fruit trying to break out. Smooth,
mouthfilling and rich, but with some acid and fruit too.
Definitely not the best bottle of this. Possibly/probably
suffereing some oxidation or other effects from the leaking
cork. A bit unbalanced, lighter and with more acid than
previous bottles. Disappointing. Good.
(16/7/00)
1999 Pinot
Gris, Bodegas Jacques y François Lurton, Mendoza, Argentina,
13% (The Wine
Society)
A good even yellow straw with a hint of pink. Some legs, but
quite thin and fast fading. Good full pinot gris nose with
some spice and fragrance. Quite an intense attack: pure pinot
gris flavours; full, rich and with some spice. Quite an even
mouthful. No great sense of depth, but it does finish very
well - very cleanly and with very good length. A good straightforward
pinot gris. Perhaps a little simple. Good.
(11/7/00)
1997 White
Cloud, Nobilo, New Zealand, 11% (Sainsbury)
A blend of Müller Thurgau and Sauvignon Blanc. A
fairly rich gold. quite a lot of slow, rather thin
legs. Not a bad nose - some fruit (especially from the
sauvignon blanc) showing through, but a bit dull. Reasonable
attack, still quite fresh with some acid, but doesn't fill much, if at
all. A bit plain and simple. Poorer than previous
bottles of this, though I think this had been on the shelf for a long
time, as I picked up some of the 1998 at the same time. OK.
(9/7/00)
1997 Erdener
Treppchen Riesling Kabinett, Robert Eymael, Mönchhof,
Gutsabfüllung, 8.5% (The Wine Society)
Extremely pale, slightly greenish lemon-y gold. Fabulous nose
- lots of creamy green apples with a blast of almost gas-like petrol
and a hint of sulphur. Beautiful, fruit-packed
attack. Really mouthfilling, but very pure Riesling
elegance. Quite complex on the palate, and finishes with a
great chunk of crisp Cox apple that's slightly under-ripe and
puckering. A gorgeous wine. Excellent.
(4/7/00)
1998 Chapel
Down Bacchus, English Vineyards Quality Wine PSR, bottled by
Chapel Down Wines Ltd, Tenterden, 12% (The Wine Society)
"Best English wine of 1998. Gore-Brown trophy; Jack Wood
Silver Salver and Dudley Quirk trophy"
A pale, slightly lemony straw. Nice fresh nose - grassy and
herbaceous, possibly slightly floral. Very light
attack. Clean and crisp with fresh herbaceous green fruit,
even maybe a bit lettuce-y flavours. Clean and fresh all the
way through. No great depth or complexity. But very
fresh and clean and it has plenty of charm. Lighter tasting
than a 12%. Very Good.
(2/7/00)
1999 Pinot
Gris, Mendoza, Argentina, Bodega Jacques y François Lurton,
13% (The Wine
Society)
Medium yellow straw. Very good pinot gris nose - pure
varietal. But not a lot else. Clean, fruity, light
attack. But fills quickly into an intense and powerful pure pinot
gris. Simple and direct. Essence of Pinot
Gris. Very Good.
(1/7/00)
1998 Tokay
Pinot Gris Hengst, Clos du Vicus Romaine, AC Alsace Grand Cru, Domaine
Aimé Stentz, 13% (Booths)
Mid to really rather rich gold, plenty of quite fat looking legs, but a
rather watery meniscus. Very attractive nose. Lots
of rich spicy fruit - mellow and ripe, but also a grassy
backbone. still a bit immature probably. Very rich
attack, and then it fills even more. Young, but really quite
attractive. A bit of a blast of soft acidity and alcohol on
the finish. Very Good.
(27/6/00)
1997
Canterbury House Show Reserve Riesling, Estate Bottled, Waipara, New
Zealand, 12% (Morrisons?)
Bottled with a plastic cork. A marked gold, with almost
orangey hints. Lots of fruit on the nose. A
slightly grapey, slightly apple-y nose with some kerosene
hints. Rather unbalanced on the palate. Fairly
fresh fruit flavours with plenty of acidity, but not very clear or
well-defined. quite unusual and more than a little
odd. There are some clear riesling characteristics, but it's
very much an in-your-face new world style rendition, and certainly more
Australian in style than Kiwi.
(18/6/00)
1999 Moscato
d'Asti DOCG, Araldica, 5% (The Wine Society)
A marked pétillance, and almost a hint of a
mousse. Pale-medium straw with green tinges. Full,
fruity nose, but not a heavy muscat nose - almost a bit more complex
than in-yer-face muscat. Light and fragrant though.
Good grapey, full fruit. Very nicely balanced. Good
depth of flavours. Very attractive with absolutely no harsh
or even slightly jarring tones. Not too
sweet. Very Good.
(16/6/00)
1998 Tokay
Pinot Gris, Albert Mann, 13.5% (Lay & Wheeler)
Nice, fairly rich gold with marked pinkish hints. Rather fat,
very uneven legs. Lovely pinot gris nose - rich and deep,
slightly spicy and fragrant. Very filling attack.
Extremely smooth, and not particularly dry. Very mouthfilling
with extremely marked pinot gris varietal flavours. Really
shows off the full flavour of pinot gris. Great depth of
flavour, though perhaps lacking a bit in complexity - but to be fair,
it is Albert Mann's basic cuvée. Very Good Indeed.
(9/6/00)
1998 Grand
Prébois Rouge, Vin de Pays de la Principauté
d'Orange , Domaines Perrin, 12% (The Wine Society)
A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and a dash of Counoise.
A very attractive, bright, young ruby red, with no violet
purples. Slow, quite fat legs. A rather reticent
nose, and I had to search around a bit to find a slightly leather,
slightly perfumed and maybe even violet-scented blast of
fruit. Nice soft attack with a good blast of acid
accompanying it. Fills quickly and well. Slightly
odd on the middle, with an almost citrussey bitterness and a certain
nuttiness. Quite bitter, very chewy tannins on the
finish. Unusual and interesting, but I wonder if this is
really an entirely sound bottle? Good/Very Good.
(7/6/00)
1989 Kaseler
Nies'chen Riesling Auslese, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Ruwer,
9%
(Frank Stainton)
A bright lemony gold with a very pronounced meniscus with some good, if
quite thin legs. A rich, very attractive, riesling nose with
intense dried apple, though no apparent petrol notes yet.
Beautiful attack: lush, rich fruitcake. Then it fills with
very intense flavours. Really quite sweet and lush, but very
elegant too. Just enough soft acidity to give a really noble,
elegant character. Finishes with distinction and great
length. Nice flavours after. Shows much more
character in a Riedel Riesling glass. Excellent.
(4/6/00)
1997
Marcillac AOC, Les Vignerons du Vallon, 12% (Booths)
Deep, young looking purple: a very deep colour. Rather dull
nose, lacking in fruit, but quite hot with some spiciness.
Light, fresh attack. Fills ok. Quite nice on the
palate with some fruit coming through Not bad at
all. A lot of soft tannins come through on the
finish. Not bad, but unexciting and lacking in any character
at all. Good.
(4/6/00)
1997 Pinot
Blanc Auxerrois Cuvée Caroline, Schoffit, Alsace,
13% (Oddbins)
An attractive pale, lemony yellow. Great fat legs.
Good fruits on the nose and a bit grassy and herbaceous, but very
balanced and even - and possibly a little dull. Nice attack:
fresh and fruity, then it fills with real richness and body.
Some spice and hints of citrus flavours. Really good body and
texture. Very good length and very good after. No
harshness at all, just lingering flavours and a slightly puckering
great character. Very Good.
(3/6/00)
1997 Ch.
Saint Estève d'Uchaux, AC Côtes du Rhône,
13% (The Wine
Society)
A nice attractive, fairly even garnet red. Maybe just a hint
of age. Good legs. Lovely nose: rich ripe fruit
with a real backbone and character. Very soft on the
attack. Fills nicely. Plenty of fruit.
Finishes with a little alcohol and spice. Quite meaty and
full. Very attractive cherry and pepper flavours.
Excellent and smooth length. Very Good Indeed.
(1/6/00)
1998
Côtes du Rhône Villages, Michel Bernard,
13% (Sainsbury)
A deep purple, just turning to a dense ruby; a thick meniscus with
fairly powerful legs. The nose is OK, but a bit nondescript:
a bit of fruit and the merest hint of spice; some alcohol
too. All in all, the nose is very dull really and perhaps a
bit over-extracted. Nice attack - very young tasting
wine. Very mouthfilling. Not identifiably a
Côtes du Rhône though (perhaps a bit low on Syrah
in the blend?), though there's quite a peppery tang
afterwards. A bit unbalanced on the middle, going through to
the finish, with acid and tannin and dull fruit. Tolerable.
(29/5/00)
1996 Muscat
d'Alsace Réserve Personnelle, Kuentz-Bas,
Sigille de qualité - Confrerie St Etienne, 12.5%
(ex cave)
A bright light gold. Lots of very marked legs. Very
elegant, floral nose - not especially light - with good body and
depth. Nice, clean attack with quite fresh flavours with some
acid; then it fills into something somewhere between light and
rich. Quite creamy on the middle, but with quite a powerful
fragrance and almost hints of lavender on the palate. There's
an interesting little hint of pepper on the finish.
Remarkable length, with only the very slightest hint of
hardness. Very Good Indeed.
(26/5/00)
1996 Tokay
Pinot Gris Réserve Personelle, Kuentz-Bas, 13%
(The Wine Society)
A deep medium gold. Good nose with hints of gewurztraminer like
tropical fruit, though overall it's quite muted. Fairly rich, yet
remarkably fresh attack. Very butter and rich on the palate with a hint
of spice, especially on the finish. Very dry, with a slight hint of
acidity. Well developed and rounded, but perhaps a bit lacking in fruit
and varietal character. Very Good.
(7/5/00)
1996 Azienda
Agriola La Prendina, Vigneto del Falcone, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garda
DOC, prodotto ed imbottigliato da Giulietto Pirna, viticoltore a
Monzambano, 13% (Booths)
Very deep, very intense ruby with a few hints of youth at the edge.
Quite a tannic nose with alcohol and hints of leather: lacing in fruit
and any definite cabernet sauvignon character. Very nice attack, with
lots of flavour, a slight hint of bitter orange and more than a hint of
mintiness. Tannins develop on the palate, and it's very full in the
mouth. There are some slightly bitter tannins on the finish, but it's
pretty fine after. This is really quite a noble brew and shows quite
superbly in a Riedel cabernet glass. Very Good Indeed.
(4/5/00)
1997
Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt,
9%, AP Nr. 356 1077 37 98 (Oddbins)
A very pale greeny yellow. Slightly subdued riesling nose, but still
with lots of apple-greenness coming through, but a few years has just
knocked the edges off this and it's starting to develop more complex
notes, though some of them are rather odd spray polish notes. Lovely
attack. Very fresh, with lots of fruit. Nicely balanced with good
acidity. Finishes vry well. This is a nice all-rounder: not especially
brilliant and perhaps a little lacking in finesse, especially on the
finish. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(3/5/00)
NV Rioja Den
de Origen Certificada, bottled for The Wine Society by Cosecheros
Alaveses SA, 12.5% (The Wine Society 28/11/99 £6.50)
Fairly good even ruby with a few hints of maturity on the rim. Very
attractive nose with lots of cherries and ripe fruit and a slightly
roasted character. Nice soft attack. A bit discordant on the palate and
a bit harsh on the finish. Lots of character though, and it improves
with a bit of air, though it doesn't repay being kept in the mouth too
long. OK/Good. Hugely overpriced: £6.50 for a NV basic
Rioja???
(1/5/00)
1998 Coriole
Growers' Chenin, Mclaren Vale Chenin Blanc, 13% (Wine Society)
Pale to medium yellow. Nice nose: quite herbaceous, but not exactly
laden with fruit. Good, fresh attack. Fills well. A little buttery, but
very dry and almost tannic. Perhaps a little thin and lacking interest.
Good/Very Good.
(25/4/00)
1997 The
Society's Red Burgundy Bin Four, La Cave des Vignerons de Buxy,
13.5% (Wine Society)
Pretty bog standard. A bit overpriced. Good.
(24/4/00)
1997 Pinot
Blanc Auxerrois, Albert Mann, AC Alsace, 12% (Oddbins)
A very even, bright medium straw. Very powerful nose: very herbaceous
and green on the first impression, then develops into an intense, very
fresh, very concentrated granny smith and kiwi nose. What a surprise on
the palate! Not at all green and fresh, but instead very rounded,
though there are still occasional malic hints. All these apples are bit
odd in an Alsatian wine, and served blind, you would easily be fooled
into thinking this might be German riesling. Very odd, and you can't
help but think it's a fault, but it does result in a quite unusual and
rather distinguished wine. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(23/4/00)
NV The
Society's Claret, AC Bordeaux, Peter Sichel, 12% (Wine
Society)
A rather uneven, but quite bright ruby, with some marked young tinges.
The nose is a bit poor, with very little fruit, some alcohol and some
odd biscuity notes. Fair attack. Slightly acid and overall rather thin
and dull with very little fruit and very little character. Poor and
overpriced.
(20/4/00)
1988 Tokay
d'Alsace, Eugène Meyer, 13.5% (Ramsbottom
Victuallers)
The label proudly proclaims the wine's biodynamic production. Medium to
deep gold, nice, bright appearance. Rich, heavy, rounded pinot gris
nose, that's actually quite sweet: very attractive with some mature
tones and a slight vanilla-y solidity. Quite light on the attack, even
watery, but it quickly fills on the palate: lots of body, with an
interesting dried fruit character. Quite concentrated, especially on
the finish; almost a bit too concentrated, making this not a bottle to
drink on its own. Perhaps lacks a bit of complexity? Very rounded
flavours and Very Good Indeed overall, but it does need food.
(18/4/00)
1995
Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Fritz Haag,
7%, AP Nr. 2 577 050 6 96 (Lay & Wheeler)
Pale to medium gold with greenish tinges. Not a very impressive nose -
a bit dull, but really rather creamy, with buttery apples and some
paraffiny notes behind - pretty archetypal Mosel riesling nose, but
just rather dull. Nice celan attack with good fruit. Nice riesling
fruit on the palate, though it's marred by a very slight petillance
(also visible in a few bubbles at the bottom of the glass. Clean and
fairly refreshing on the finish. Seems more Kabinett than Auslese, and
a bit dull overall. It could be a bit of a duff bottle, but I suspect
it's going through a dumb phase. Very Good -
(14/4/00)
NV
Traditional Method English Sparkling Wine Brut, Halfpenny
Green Vineyards, Bobbington, Staffordshire, 12% (ex cave, Manchester
Farmer's Market)
The first half acre of vines were planted at Halfpenny Green in 1983,
and by 1991 a further 22 acres had been added. In 2005 a
further 3 acres of Bacchus were added, so the vineyards now cover some
25.5 acres. The vineyards are situated at 250 feet above sea
level on well-sheltered south facing slopes on a light, sandy,
free-draining soil. The original winery was built in 1994,
but a new winery was built in 2005 and now produced 50-60,000 bottles
per year.
This sparkling wine (bought ex cave in 2000) is a blend of pinot noir,
chardonnay and seyval blanc. Quite lively, though not a great deal of
mousse in the glass. Steady stream of bubbles, which vary considerably
in size. Quite a deep colour: a very marked deep gold. Very good nose
with deep, rich, buttery, biscuity nose. Very full flavour, with the
pinot noir fruit noticeable on the palate. Just a little scented.
Powerful flavours, but very clean. Finishes very nicely. Really quite
satisfying. Perhaps lacks finesse, but it has a freshness and
brightness. Very Good+.
(9/4/00)
1997 Chapel
Hill Irsai Oliver, Balatonboglár, Dry White Quality Wine,
Balatonboglár Winery, 12% (Sainsbury)
Very, very pale gold. Fascinating nose: quite citrussy, but there are
also hints of fruit cake on the first impression. There's definitely a
cakiness to the nose - very odd -, maybe more like madeleines. The
attack is equally fascinating, though a bit light. Lots of fruit on the
palate. Rounded and full-bodied. A slight hint of acid, especially on
the finish: again slightly citrussy. Very interesting. Very Good+.
(4/4/00)
NV Colombard
Chardonnay, Western Cape, Landema Falls, 12.5% (Booths)
Very pale straw, though a bit cloudy. Not a bad nose: fairly
interesting with some nice fragrant melony notes in there. Nice attack.
Medium weight. Good clean freshness, but a rather heavy note beating
its way through and upstage. Good.
(4/4/00)
1998 La
Piazza Bianco, Sicilia IGT, Casalbaio, 11.5% (Booths)
Medium gold. Lovely nose like a big fresh bouquet of flowers. Lots of
delicate, fragrant fruit. Very light, almost watery attack, but then it
fills nicely. rounded and very refreshing. Good fruit. Good length.
Very good after. Very Good.
(4/4/00)
NV
Sainsbury's AC Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine, V.N. à
F44150, 12% (Sainsbury)
A rather yellow pale straw. Pretty good grassy, green fruit nose,
slightly scented with melon. Thin attack Really quite mouthfilling and
not too acid. Good+
(4/4/00)
1998
Sainsbury's Castillo de Alhambra Tempranillo, La Mancha Den. de Origen,
Vinicola de Castilla SA, 12% (Sainsbury)
A rather insipid, fairly young colour. Very closed nose. Very flat and
almost unattractive. Light attack. Dull and characterless. Poor.
(4/4/00)
1999
Viña Alarba tinto, Calatyud Den. de Origen, Spain,
13% (Booths)
A fairly attractive raspberry red, blending into a young purple at the
edge. Very attractive, very young, very fruity nose with a slight
scent. Nice light, fresh attack. Good light, fruity flavour that
follows through onto the palate. Attractive and fresh with a fair
amount of tannin after. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(4/4/00)
NV
Sainsbury's Do Campo Tinto, Vinho Regional Terras do Sado (Setubal
peninsula), JP Vinhos SA, 12% (Sainsbury)
Made by Australian winemaker Peter Bright. Good colour, not too young
looking: a light ruby. Rather dull nose with some fruit coming through,
but a bit dominated by a generic cheap red wine smell. Rather hot on
the nose. Quite light attack. Decent palate with very warm flavours,
though with a touch of hardness. Rather flabby and insipid after. OK.
(4/4/00)
1996 Tokay
Pinot Gris clos du Vicus Romain, AC Alsace Grand Cru Hengst, Domaine
Aimé Stentz, Wettolsheim, 13.5% (Booths)
A nice medium gold with slight green tinges. An interesting nose -
scented and, in fact, really quite deeply perfumed. Very concentrated
nose, almost gewurzy with gassy overtones. Very good attack, clean with
that rich dryness of pinot gris. Fills very nicely. Plenty of pinot
gris flavour - nice and rich. Slight perfume, but very dry and very
full on the finish. Very clean finish with remarkable length. Very Good
Indeed.
(2/4/00)
1998
Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Fritz Haag,
8% (Lay & Wheeler)
A very pale, greenish colour Markedly paler than the Max Ferd. Richter
97 Kabinett. Very fresh nose: slightly malic, perhaps a bit lacking in
fruit. Very light, fresh nose. Much more appley than the 97 Richter.
Nice, fresh, appley attack. Quite filling, yet still fresh and light.
More acidity and definitely more austere on the palate than the 97
Richter Kabinett, though it is a year younger of course, and there's
vintage variation to take into account. The acidity almost gives an
impression of pétillance. Very fine, distinguished finish
with remarkable length. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(30/3/00)
1997
Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett, Max Ferd. Richter,
8.5%, AP Nr. 2 593 049 25 98 (ex cave)
A pale, greeny gold. Very full, fruity nose with good, creamy, rich
fruit. Fresh but not excessively so. The attack is spot on: fresh,
crisp, clean, bright with good fruit. Then it fills quickly with lots
of perfumed appley notes. Excellent balance. Clean and fresh on the
finish, with just a hint of racy fresh acidity. Very Good Indeed.
(29/3/00)
1996 Lone
Redwood Ranch Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Joseph Swan Vineyards,
13.7% (Byrne's)
An attractive, very deep burgundy colour. Very even. Fantastic, deep,
fruity nose with violets and lots of deep berry fruits. The nose is so
intense! Nice attack, somewhat lighter than I'd expected. Clean with
good fruit and it's lifted by a touch of acidity. Much lighter in the
mouth that would be expected. Very nice, but perhaps a little simple in
comparison with the 1996 Ridge Lytton Springs. Very Good Indeed.
(23/3/00)
NV
Moët & chandon Brut Impérial, 12%
I'd been cellaring this bottle for around five years. Very this, very
straight-sided cork. Good mousse on pouring. Fairly large bubbles in a
steady but slow stream. Nice yeasty nose with quite marked citrus
notes. Faintly reminiscent on the nose of a white wheat beer. Nice,
rich, full-bodied palate, with very rounded, plush flavours. Very clean
with some depth and complexity. Very good finish and great length. A
very comfortable, comforting champagne, showing the clear benefit of
ageing mass market non vintage champagne. Very Good Indeed(+)
(23/3/00)
1990 AC
Château Chalon, Jean Bourdy, 620ml, 13% (Wine
Society)
A bright, clear, very yellow gold appearance. Very powerful,
sherry-like nose, but also with some honeyed raisins; and there's a lot
of flor-like scents on the nose. Very odd flavours and very intense.
There is some fruit on the attack, then it dries out and fills
intensely. There's an almost whisky-like hint of flavour on the palate.
Most unusual and certainly not something you'd want every day. Very
Good Indeed.
(19/3/00)
NV Lustau
Solera Reserva Manzanilla Papirusa, 15.5% (Byrne's )
A fairly ordinary palish straw appearance. Nice, attractive nose: quite
forward fruit with a really salty background. Nice and light on the
palate. Clean, crisp attack. Reasonably rich palate, but still very
attractively lean. Very salty finish. This has more to it than La
Gitana. Very Good Indeed.
(16/3/00)
NV The
Society's Côtes du Rhône, AC CdR, Henry Bouachon,
12.5% (Wine Society 28/11/99, £3.95)
An attractive, fairly light cherry red, and fairly young looking. Good,
very pleasant fruit on the nose: hints of strawberry and vanilla with
some spice. Good rounded, very attractive attack. Wonderfully fruity
palate and then finishes with some nice tannins and a fair bit of
style. Bit of alcohol roughs out the finish. Very Good though,
especially at the price.
(14/3/00)
1997
Santenay "La Comme Dessus", AC Santenay, Domaine Amiot Guy et Fils,
13.5% (Bibendum)
A nice even, bright cherry red with strawberry tones and no signs of
youth. Gorgeous, slightly scented nose, full of rich red berry fruit
with great depth and intensity. Fairly innocuous, light attack. Lots of
fruit and body on the palate: this has considerable depth, but still,
despite having been decanted for two hours, it feels a bit closed and
probably needs more time. Much fuller, rounder and just a bit more open
in a Riedel Burgundy glass.
(12/3/00)
1998
Riesling Kabinett, Fritz Haag, 8%, AP Nr. 2 577 050 3 99 (Lay
& Wheeler)
A very, very pale appearance, almost colourless, with just a slight
greenish tinge. Very fresh, appley nose - crisp green apples, cut by a
hint of creaminess. There's a very definite pétillance on
the palate. Very lgith attack. Very clean and crisp throughout, despite
the pétillance, which actually just adds to the freshness.
Not at all too light. Just a hint off-dry. Perhaps slightly hard on the
finish. Very Good+
(12/3/00)
1992
Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese,
Weingut Mönchhof Robert Eymael, 8%, AP Nr. 2 602 029
019 93 (Morrisons)
Attractive colour: greenish with yellow gold tones. Slightly flat nose,
but with apples and kerosene coming through. Light attack, fills with
some fruit, but not exactly marvellous. Finishes with nice appley
flavours. Bit of a duff bottle.
(11/3/00)
1996 Lytton
Springs, Ridge Vineyards, 14.5% (Ramsbottom Victuallers)
78% Zinfandel. Pretty much a textbook red wine colour in the glass: a
deep ruby fading to a slight hint of purple at the rim. I might perhaps
have expected a bit more maturity on the colour. Killer nose -
absolutely fabulous: there's lots of blackcurrant and blackberry, and
all very concentrated. Then there are herby, spearmint tones, with a
bit of vanilla and tannin. Also a streak of alcohol. Nice, good fruit
on the attack, then it fills enormously. Really fat and mouthfilling.
Powerful stuff. There's a real streak of berry fruit on the palate.
Good length with slightly bitter tannins.
Much improved in a Riedel Bordeaux glass, though the nose and flavour
comes across more dilute.
A Riedel Chianti/Riesling glass brings out much warmer tones in the
nose. There's less fruit, more roasted tones. The glass seems to bring
out a bitter tannin note a little.
The Riedel Burgundy glass really concentrates the fruit and greatly
enhances all the background herbaceousness, and cuts down the alcohol.
On the palate, it's essentially similar to when in an ISO glass.
Overall the Burgundy glass is the best.
(8/3/00)
1998 La
Piazza Rosso, IGT Sicilia, Casalbaio, 12.5% (Booths)
Nice, even slightly youthful cherry red. Fair nose: nice soft fruit,
but a bit too rough round the edges with more than a hint of alcohol.
Nice attack. Fresh, with bundles of fruit. Fills nicely. Lots of soft
red fruit with slight tannins and some alcohol holding it together.
Soft tannins with a bit of harsh acidity on the finish. Not at all bad,
and markedly more palatable than the Sainsbury own-label Chianti.
(29/2/00)
1998
Sainsbury's Chianti DOCG, Casa vinicola Luigi Cecchi & Figli,
12% (Sainsbury)
Nice even, fairly rich ruby red, without any particular signs of youth.
Round nose; a bit lacking in fruit, with some tannins and a bit of
alcohol evident. Quite a warming, comforting nose. Decent attack - a
bit lacking in fruit. Hardly any development in the mouth. This is just
a very anonymous, innocuous Chianti. Very unremarkable. OK/Good.
(28/2/00)
1998 The
Society's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Casa Vinicola Roxan, 13.5%
(Wine Society)
A deep garnet red with more than a hint of youth. Fair nose, with some
fruit, though it's a bit subdued and reticent: there's some nice cherry
fruit in there and leather and hay. Nice attack. Rather youthful and a
bit rough round the edges. Quite filling and warming on the palate,
with a rich fruitiness. Fairly soft tannins develop after. Not at all
bad at the price. Very Good.
(24/2/00)
NV
Manzanilla San Leon, Herederos de Argüeso, 15% (Wine
Society)
Salty, caramelly nose - very full. Quite heavy on the palate and
slightly salty. Very full flavoured. Interesting, but I much prefer
Hidalgo's La Gitana. This lacks the clarity of La Gitana, though it's
perhaps more complex, though there's an impression that it is a little
muddy. Very Good(+)
(21/2/00)
1989
Oberemmeler Karlsberg Riesling Auslese, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt,
8.5%, AP Nr. 356 1077-103-90 (Wine Society)
A very green gold. Quite light colour. Nice mature riesling nose:
plenty of creamy apples and just a faint hint of petrol. Very rich
attack: very full and rich. Fills enormously on the palate, then some
residual acidity kicks in and it finishes with some finesse. There is
lots of green, slightly honeyed appley fruit with just the slightest
hint of raisins. Very concentrated flavours and great depth. But far
from being persistently sweet, just very rich. There was a massive
tartaric deposit in the bottle. Excellent.
(19/2/00)
1992 Les
Cyprès de Climens, Sauternes-Barsac, AC Barsac,
14%, 500ml (Bibendum)
A rich, very yellow deep gold - quite unctuous looking. Incredibly
intense nose: deep, deep, multi-layered, with some hone, some sweet
citrus, raisiny and creamy, like bread and butter pudding in a way.
Nice, bright, fruity attack. Then it explodes with flavour. Rich; very
rich. Great depth of complex flavours. Very rounded. Slightly
marmaladey flavours, with rich orangey, orange-zesty flavours. Just a
touch of rather odd bitter orange fruit on the finish. Very Good
Indeed+.
(13/2/00)
1996 Rasteau
Les Peyrières, AC Côtes du Rhône
Villages, Cave de Rasteau, 13% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine
Club)
A very even ruby red with no signs of youth. Lovely fruity nose,
perfumed with violets. Very soft attack with lots of fruit and some
nice soft tannins. Finishes with marked spice and pepper. Excellent in
all respects.
(13/2/00)
1988
Chambertin Grand Cru, AC Chambertin, Domaine Jacques Prieur,
12.5% (Willoughby's)
A fair sediment was evident, so this was decanted. It could probably
have done with just a bit longer left with the bottle vertical first.
An even, mature brick red - pale with faint hints of orange. Powerful
nose, though there's little fruit: warm and rounded with roasty, toasty
hints and depth and complexity. Fairly soft attack. Rather flat and
even on the palate. Maybe it's a little past it (it was a half price
bin end)? In a Riedel Burgundy glass there's much more character on the
nose, with mushroomy and leathery scents, though still rather flat and
even. Quite a bit of tannin, but lacking in character on the palate.
Disappointing.
5-10 minutes later: I'll take that back. This is improving dramatically
and turning into a really meaty Burgundy with some hidden depths that
are only just beginning to show themselves. There's a roast game side
to the nose starting to show. Actually, now it's beginning to seem a
bit too young, and the tannins are really coming forward. Very Good(+?)
(9/2/00)
1996 Chapel
Hill, Rheinriesling, Dry White Quality Wine, Balatgonbaglár
Winery, Hungary, 11.5% (Booths, 18/2/99, £2.99)
A slightly dull medium pale yellow gold. Not a bad, fruity riesling
nose: slightly floral with just a hint of waxiness. Rather indistinct
attack. Fills to a rather rough-round-the-edges riesling. More dry than
medium, though a bit lacking in acidity. But it finishes cleanly.
Absolutely fine, if undistinguished. There's a rather air-freshener
scentedness on the finish. OK.
(18/2/00)
1997
Fleurie, Cuvèe du Cardinal Bienfaiteur, AC Fleurie, Cave des
Producteurs des Grands Vins de Fleurie, 12.5%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
An even, slightly purplish ruby: a bit average looking. Evidently gamay
on the nose, but it's not exactly fruity. Nice, clean attack. There are
some rather odd, acid streaks running through the palate and the
finish. It feels a bit unbalanced and rather odd. Presumably a bit of a
duff bottle. Rather sharp tannins on the finish.
(6/2/00)
1998 The
Society's Crozes Hermitage, Cave de Tain l'Hermitage, 12.5%
(Wine Society, 28/11/99, £6.25)
A rather even, bright, quite young-looking ruby/burgundy red. Pretty
powerful, fairly archetypal syrah nose with some young tannins and some
pleasant violet floral scented notes. Very nice attack: full and
rounded. Plenty of fruit on the palate, though much lighter than you'd
expect. Very low on tannins. Quite fresh tasting, with lots of fruit. A
bit characterless actually. Tasted blind, I'd guess rather at a
Languedoc syrah-grenache blend, or equally I could easily be fooled
into thinking it was Argentinian. Ok, but disappointing.
(3/2/00)
1997
Peperino, Rosso di Toscana IGT, Terruzi & Puthod, 13%
100% Sangiovese, aged for six months in barrique. A lovely, bright
vibrant plum red. Very light looking with some signs of youth. Nice
soft nose, with lots of soft rd fruit - cherries and strawberries. Very
attractive nose. Nice light attack, with loads and loads of fruit.
Really powerful, slightly scented cherry fruit forces the light tannins
into the background. Really incredible fruit, and it continues through
the immense length and long after. Excellent.
(31/1/00)
1992 Les
Cyprès de Climens, Sauternes-Barsac, AC Barsac,
14%, 500ml (Bibendum)
Medium yellow gold, perhaps with some orange tinges. An intense, deep
concentrated nose, perhaps a bit closed. Citrus - especially orange -
and also hints of pine coming through together with a blast of
sweetness, which knocks away any real elegance. Beautiful attack; the
wine explodes with lots of flavours: predominantly citrus and a light
honey. Quite lush, but not cloying. Very nice balance of acidity. Some
complex flavours on the palate and finish, with the sort of tartness
that some plums have. Very Good Indeed.
(30/1/00)
1997
Santenay "La Comme Dessus", AC Santenay, Domaine Amiot Guy et Fils,
13.5% (Bibendum)
Delightful, fairly even strawberry red. A warm, welcoming nose: not a
great deal of fruit, but clearly pinot noir and with a hint of tannin.
Quite rounded, open attack, almost with some orangey hints. Fairly
mouthfilling, but in a light way. Good length, but slightly bitter at
the end. Comes into its own much more in Riedel Burgundy glass: the
nose opens up and it loses the bitter note on the finish. A very nice,
light, but very satisfying Burgundy.
(30/1/00)
1998 The
Society's Beaujolais Villages, Jacques Depagneux, 12.5% (Wine
Society)
An attractive, bright, very even strawberry-cherry red. Doesn't look
too young. Bags of fruit on the nose: fairly simple, but really quite
soft nose - not aggressively gamay. Very nice, soft attack. Full and
fruity on the palate with a nice gentle spiciness. This is a light,
fairly simple Beaujolais: it's ok but not exactly stunning. There's a
rather odd, slightly astringent note that develops on the palate and
continues through to the finish, making it seem just a little off and
just a tad unsatisfactory. Good.
(23/1/00)
1991
Gewurztraminer Oberer Weingarten de Rohrschwihr, Rolly Gassmann,
13.5% (ex cave)
Really rather pale straw. Very attractive, fragrant gewurz nose with
nicely rounded scents, but very evidently lychee fruity rather than
rosewater. Very rich attack. Very full on the palate. Really rich,
rounded, fat, almost buttery. There's a spiciness that really develops
in the mouth and continues to develop long after. Just a slight streak
of acidity comes across just at the start of the finish. This is a
really rich, powerful gewurztraminer, almost with hints of a vendanges
tardives. Very Good Indeed +.
(19/1/00)
One day later: a very even pale-mid straw. Nice
gewurztraminer nose, though perhaps a touch flat. Good, very rich
gewurz character on the palate - remarkable richness. Very clean
flavours. Not too mouthfilling and not too aggressive. Good character.
Finishes well, with great length. Very Good Indeed.
(20/1/00)
1992 Les
Cyprès de Climens, Sauternes-Barsac, AC Barsac,
14%, 500ml (Bibendum)
A medium yellow gold fading to almost clear at the rim. Very intense
nose, but with very, very closed botrytised notes: very concentrated,
raisiny, orangey, slightly cooked, slightly smoky nose. Interesting on
the palate. Very intense attack: very rich and concentrated. You could
almost say this was a bit over-concentrated. Feels a bit reticent on
the palate, yet very powerful and really quite complex, but doesn't
seem to want to "give". Not at all too sweet, though there's no
particularly noticeable acidity. Very Good Indeed.
(18/1/00)
One day later, there's virtually no change in colour. Good,
interesting nose, perahps a bit fuller and more open now. Still very
cocentrated and intense, with a slight smokiness, but less raisiny than
before. The nose has very, very concentrated, light orange flower water
scented sort of orangey notes. Very good attack, then it explodes with
fruit on the palate; rich condensed fruit. There's a pleasant streak of
acidity across the tongue. Very far from cloying. This could probably
still open up rather more. Very intense finish, rounded with enormous
length. There's just something a little odd about it.
(19/1/00)
And on the third day ...
A bright medium yellow gold. Intense nose, quite perfumed: very rich,
almost citrussy with quite a streak of squashed sultanas. Very ripe
attack, but balanced by an interesting acidity. Very mouthfilling. Lots
of interesting flavours. Not at all cloying, even just, perhaps, not
entirely sweet. Really quite a unique flavour. Lots of ripe fruit.
Stunning length after an intriguing finish.
(20/1/00)
1996
Chasselas Vieilles Vignes, AC Alsace, Cave Vinicole de
Kientzheim-Kaysersberg, 12% (ex cave)
A nice rich golden straw appearance. Interesting nose with slightly
earthy, grassy tones, and very rounded. Full-flavoured attack. Nicely
rounded on the palate with really quite ripe fruit flavours. Finishes
reasonably well with a strong flavour and just a hint of harsh-ish
acidity. Very Good+
(16/1/00)
1992
Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese,
Weingut Mönchhof Robert Eymael, 8%, AP Nr. 2 602 029
019 93 (Morrisons)
A nice pale straw with greenish tinges. Very interesting nose: complex
with lots of layers. At first there is some apple-y riesling fruit,
then some fresh green tones, then a delicate hint of petrol. Very nice
attack, with clean, crisp fruit. Good roundness on the palate with some
richness, but also a fine balance of acidity. Perhaps just a little too
much acid on the finish. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(10/1/00)
1996 Pinot
Gris Réserve, AC Alsace, Trimbach, 13% (Wine
Society)
A slightly dull, pale gold. Good, very typical pinot gris nose, with
rich and rounded spiciness. Very odd flavour: this is a bit of a duff
bottle. Lacking in body. Tastes a bit dilute overall, with a rather odd
essence of Tokay Pinot Gris in the background. OK. Just a poor bottle.
(7/1/00)
NV Champagne
Mercier Demi-Sec, 12%
Tolerable.
(1/1/00)
NV Alfred
Gratien, The Wine Society's Private Cuvée Champagne Rich,
12% (Wine Society)
Fairly full and very fruity. Really quite classy and working very well
with a home made cassata. Very Good+.
(31/12/99)
1976
Château La Tour de Ségur, AC Lussac-St. Emilion,
Alcohol not shown, 1480ml
A fairly heavy sediment, but decanted only one hour previously owing to
fears for its longevity, or lack of it. Quite a pale orangety red. A
rather flat, dull nose. Very uninteresting on the palate: dull and
lakcing in fruit or anything much. After another 30/40 minutes, it
starts to come round and open up. After an hour, it's much improved -
opening up and improving markedly. But it's till not over-inspiring.
Good, fairly light flavour. A moderately interesting, if unexciting
wine. Good.
(31/12/99)
1947
Côtes du Jura Rouge, Jean Bourdy, Arlay-Jura, 12%
(Wine Society)
The capsule is made of a thin, red, foil, and the bottle was very
dirty, with lots of black cobwebs! The wine has a very even brick red
appearance. The nose is quite remarkable - and was immediately apparent
on opening the bottle (which had a very new cork) - with hints of
Seville oranges and red fruit. Very, very interesting attack. Fills
beautifully with very interesting sort of dried fruit flavours. Very
good length. Very clean. This wasn't decanted, and we discovered that
52 years had given it time to throw a heavy sediment. Very Good Indeed.
(31/12/99)
1976
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese, Weingut St. Johannishof Dr
Loosen, Zach. Bergweiler-Prüm Erben, no alcohol
shown, 375ml, AP Nr. 2 576 162 020 78 (ex cave)
A deep, deep yellow gold. Immensely powerful nose, with lots of
botrytis/honey blended with just a little petrol. On the palate ...
Nectar! It has lots of fruit - dried fruits, apricots. Rich, rich,
rich, yet with huge finesse. Just the right hint of acidity on the
finish. Pretty, bloody good. Excellent.
(31/12/99)
1976
Riesling Vendanges Tardives, Hugel, 13%, 700ml, (The Wine
Society; recorked by Hugel 1989)
A rich, deep, lush, honeyed gold with almost orange tinges. Very
pronounced legs. Fruit cake and petrol on the nose. Rich, mineral-laden
attack with lots of rich, ripe fruit with honeyed hints of botrytis.
Remarkably dry. This is a powerful, dominant wine. Very upfront, but
finishes with remarkable clarity. Very Good Indeed+.
(31/12/99)
1983 Erdener
Treppchen Riesling Spätlese, Dr Loosen, 8.5%, AP Nr.
2 576 162 24 85 (ex cave)
Pale gold with just the odd hint of green-ness. Fairly powerful
riesling nose. Beautiful attack. Fills marvellously. Lots of creamy
riesling fruit, like whipped cream on apple pie. Beautiful ultra-clean
finish. Again a little more acidity would lift it into the sublime.
Excellent.
(31/12/99)
1988
Riesling Jubilee Réserve Personelle Hugel, 12%
(The Wine Society)
Really quite a pale colour, but with a more yellow tinge. Quite a
fragrant nose, developing clear petrolly tones. Very interesting palate
with marked older, riesling notes. Really quite full with much richer
fruit flavours than the Germans. Nicely rounded. Finishes well with
marked length. Quite distinguished. Slightly smoky. Very Good Indeed+
(31/12/99)
1997
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken,
Reinhold Haart, 10.5%, AP Nr. 2 596 429 2 98 (ex cave)
Pretty much the same, but improved by being a bit colder. There's a
more marked colour than the Loosen 97 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett. It
improves considerably with a lot of exposure to air, which makes me
think it's perhaps in a bit of a dumb phase. This is a richer, much
less austere wine than the Loosen Sonnenuhr Kabinett, but completely
lacking the latter's elegance and finesse. Very Good.
(31/12/99)
1997
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken,
Reinhold Haart, 10.5%, AP Nr. 2 596 429 2 98 (ex cave)
A very shy nose, lacking in fruit. Rather dull on the palate: rounded
with a bit of acid on the finish. Not very impressive. OK.
(31/12/99)
1997
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Dr Loosen, 8.5%, AP Nr.
2 576 162 03 98 (ex cave)
An extremely pale, almost clear appearance with the merest hints of
green tinges. Fairly fresh nose with hints of malic green-ness. Very
good attack. Very fresh, with lots of fruit. There's a nice richness on
the palate. This is somewhat richer than you might expect from a
Kabinett. Finishes very cleanly with nice fruit and style. Very
elegant. Perhaps a bit more acidity might help give it more finesse.
Very Good Indeed.
(31/12/99)
NV "R" de
Ruinart, Brut, 12% (Oddbins)
The cork was quite straight-sided, so it's not unlikely that this has
some bottle age. An attractive colour - a nice pale gold - and there's
a fairly even stream of bubbles, though there's a marked variation in
size. Very strong nose: toasty, but also with lots of fruit. Fairly
light on the attack, but fills quickly and is very full flavoured on
the palate. There are some cassis hints, plus some mushroominess. Nice
length with the same strong flavours, with a bit of acidity on the
finish. Very Good Indeed
(21/12/99)
1957 Taylors
Pale, thin brown colour. Not a lot of nose, though this has
been open for quite a while. Still some life. Dried fruit and a certain
syrup of figs note on the palate. Suffering a bit from having been open
too long. Very Good.
(19/12/99)
1991 Chablis
1er Cru Grande Cuvée, La Chablisienne, 13%, 375ml
(The Wine Society)
A pale to medium, noticeably yellow straw: a very even, bright colour.
Rather unusual nose, quite foresty with wet green vegetation and hints
of mushrooms. Quite vigorous on the palate. A bit dull on the attack,
but very full on the palate, with nice acidity. Finishes clearly with
remarkable length. Very interesting, but probably not really much more
than a curiosity. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(14/12/99)
1998 Reserve
Selection Gewürztraminer, Mór Region, Hungary,
Hilltop Neszmély, 11.5%, (Wine Society)
An attractive nose - slightly spicy with lots of fruit, and not
overtly/overpoweringly gewurzy. There's a great explosion of flavour on
the attack. Lots of rich, spicy fruit. Very full and really quite rich.
Nice and clean all the way through. Finishes with good intensity of
gewurz flavours and notable length. Really an exceptionally good drink.
Very Good Indeed/Excellent.
(12/12/99)
1983
Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Peter Jos. Hauth,
700ml, no alcohol shown, AP Nr. 2 583 012 3 84 (Willoughby's)
A deep, bright yellow gold. Quite a powerful nose, though somewhat
lacking in fruit: there are a few hints of pepper and a dominant,
rather oxidised smokey diesel nose with hints of honey and botrytis.
Very full and very concentrated on the attack: lots of fruit; almost
raisiny. But then miraculously there's a streak of appley acidity
tempering the richness. Absolutely bone dry and very clean on the
finish. Very Good Indeed.
(5/12/99)
1998 Brown
Brothers Tarrango, 12% (Booths)
A soft cherry red colour with a tinge of youthful purple on the rim.
Nice soft red fruits on the nose. There are slight hints of gamay
together with some tobacco on the nose, which is very soft and fruity.
Soft, light, fruity attack. Good fruit on the palate, with some very
soft tannins. Perhaps lacking a bit in complexity, but it's reasonably
satisfying. Good/Very Good.
(25/11/99)
1998 Reserve
Selection Gewürztraminer, Mór Region, Hungary,
Hilltop Neszmély, 11.5%, (Wine Society)
A deepish straw, perhaps looking a little muddy. Very attractive
gewurztraminer nose - very rounded, quite soft, but with very marked
gewurz fruit in abundance. Nice, clean attack. Good fruit. Very clean.
Finishes very well. Gentle and not at all overpowering. Very Good/Very
Good Indeed.
(23/11/99)
1983
Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Peter Jos. Hauth,
700ml, no alcohol shown, AP Nr. 2 583 012 3 84 (Willoughby's)
A deep, luscious gold. Very full, very ripe riesling nose, but oddly
lacking any strong petrolly notes. Very odd attack. Very ripe, almost
overripe flavour. This is a bit over the hill and appears as a very
mature riesling. Quite concentrated and smoky. Good/Very Good.
(19/11/99)
1990
Prunatelli Chianti Rufina DOCG Riserva, imbottigliato da Bati Sorelle,
12.5% (The Wine Society)
An excellent, fairly even rich ruby colour with some signs of maturity.
Good rich nose; very even, though there's not a great deal of fruit.
Very nice attack, very rounded and very full. Fills well, and there's
good fruit on the palate, with some tannic structure. Finishes well and
has good length. Very Good +.
(15/11/99)
NV Txomin
Etxaniz Denominacion de Origen, Getariako Txakolina, 10.5%
(The Wine Society)
"Este txakoli ha sido elaborado exclusivamente con las variedades
autóctonas Hondarrabi cultivadas en nuestros vinedos de
Getaria."
Apparently a Basque sur lie wine. An even mid straw. Nice fresh, fruity
nose with lots of greenness, but tempered with a bit of pepperiness.
Marked petillance on the tongue. Very fresh and very crisp. Finishes
very well. Lots of fresh, green flavours and quite rounded. Very clean,
fresh and refreshing. Very Good +.
(10/11/99)
1989
Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Weingut Max Ferd.
Richter, 7.5%, AP Nr. 2 593 049 23 90 (Byrne's)
Very good riesling nose with lots of fruit and also some rather
reticent petrol notes. Very soft attack with lots and lots of fruit.
Very rounded, very full, but with a good streak of acidity at the front
of the palate. Finishes with a slightly different acidity at the rear
of the mouth. Very fine and elegant. Very Good Indeed.
(7/11/99)
1998
Edelzwicker, Aimé Stentz et Fils, Wettolsheim, AC Alsace,
11% (Booths - replacement for 29/10 bottle)
A pale to medium, fairly bright straw. Very deep nose with a fair
amount of fruit, but notable mainly for its remarkably mature tones.
Very strong flavoured attack. Very full in the mouth, but then it tails
off dramatically. Quite earthy, but also full and rich, though somewhat
lacking in acidity. OK.
(4/11/99)
NV
Cuvée Prestige Extra Brut, AC Crémant d'Alsace,
Aimé Stentz et Fils, 12% (Booths)
Very mousse-y. Good pale to medium straw. Good stream of consistent
small bubbles. Quite a powerful nose with lots of biscuity notes and
lots of nice firm fruit. Clean attack, with lots of mousse on the
palate. Very dry, with fair acidity: quite refreshing. Doesn't really
develop in the mouth. Finishes cleanly, but not over excitingly. A bit
light on flavour. Very Good.
(31/10/99)
1998
Edelzwicker, Aimé Stentz et Fils, Wettolsheim, AC Alsace,
11% (Booths)
Pale to mid straw - quite bright and clear. very odd nose, with some
fruit, but very dull earthy tones. Dull attack, with rather stinky
flavours. Very odd and very probably off. Distinctly unpleasant.
Returned and replaced.
(29/10/99)
1997 Pinot
Blanc Cuvée Tradition, AC Alsace, Cave de Turckheim,
12.5% (The Wine Society)
An even pale straw. Interesting nose with lots of fruit, but also lots
of fresh acidity. Rather flat on the attack, then it fills enormously.
Remarkably (and a bit oddly) rich. Really a bit odd and unusual for an
Alsace pinot blanc - not at all what I'd expected. Very full and rich.
Improves a bit with food. Surprisingly good for a Cave de Turckheim
wine. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(16/10/99)
NV
Cuvée Julien, AC Crémant d'Alsace, Dopff au Moulin,
12% (Wine Society)
A fairly attractive pale straw with much gradation of colour. Fairly
thin nose with just a hint of toasty-biscuity tones. Nice steady
bubbles, but there's a fair variation in size. Nice mouthfilling
attack. Good firm mousse. Lots of flavour in the mouth with good
length. Clean, but also nice, rich, rounded flavours. Clearly has some
interest and repays attention, especially at the price. Very Good
Indeed.
(9/10/99)
1998 Reserve
Selection Gewürztraminer, Mór Region, Hungary,
Hilltop Neszmély, 11.5%, (The Wine Society)
A remarkably deep gold. Attractive nose - fairly light gewurztraminer,
but nicely rounded with only the very slightest hint of rosewater. Very
good attack: fresh with lots of fruit. Fairly light gewurz taste, not
at all overpowering. Finishes extremely well and cleanly, with just
that faint hint of turkish delight kicking in at the end. Very
Good/Very Good Indeed and exceptional at the price.
(7/10/99)
1985
Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives, AC Alsace, Louis Sipp,
12.5% (Willoughby's)
An attractive, bright, fairly deep gold. Deep, luscious, scented nose
with distinct gewurztraminer tones up front, then lots of honeyed
richness: with time in the glass, the nose loses some of the gewurz
tones. Rather thin on the attack. Fills nicely, with lots of power,
though markedly short on flavour. If you try hard, you can get some
gewurztraminer character coming through - very concentrated. Far from
brilliant and much below expectations. Also remarkably dry. Good.
Though it was much improved with being open a bit and with cheese (some
Munster and Lord of the Hundreds), but still it doesn't quite live up
to expectations and is vastly inferior to the 1996 Tokay Pinot Gris
Vendanges Tardives Clos des Capucins, AC Alsace, Domaine Weinbach,
Colette Faller et ses filles, 10.5% drunk a day or two earlier, but for
which I don't have a proper note.
(3/10/99)
1997 Burgans
Albariño, Bodegas Martin Codex, DO Rias Baixas,
12% (Oddbins, £6, Nov 98)
100% albariño. A very bright medium gold fading to very pale
at the rim. Very fruity, quite rounded nose with a slight hint of
honey, but overwhelmingly redolent of fresh green fruits. Very nice
attack - very attractive. Just a little unusual. Fresh, clean flavours,
with lots of body. A remarkable mix of fresh fruit and body. Good
length. Very Good (+).
(3/10/99)
1986
Riesling Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé, cuvée
particulière de nos vignobles, AC Alsace Grand Cru, Louis
Sipp,
700ml, 13% (Willoughby's)
An even gold with just a few tinges of green. A nice, reasonably mature
riesling nose with just a few minerally tones, perhaps just a bit dull.
Very full attack. Rich and full on the palate. Just a hint of pepper on
the finish. Very rounded, but a bit unexciting. Finishes with
remarkable length. Good/Very Good.
(30/9/99)
1997
Fleurie, Cuvée du Cardinal Bienfaiteur, AC Fleurie, Cave des
Producteurs des Grands Vins de Fleurie, 12.5%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Nice attractive bright pale ruby with hints of purple youth and cherry
red. A rich luscious, well-rounded nose with lots of plummy red fruits:
nice and rounded, but only some hints of gamay. Ok on the attack, but
not overly exciting. Fills greatly with lots of firm body. Fairly
complex. Finishes with great length. Good+
(27/9/99)
1987
Riesling, AC Alsace, Louis Sipp, 12.5% (Willoughby's)
A very deep gold. Very odd nose with only very slight riesling tones.
Rather peppery, rather flat, honeyed tones. Really quite vile on the
palate. Completely off. Yeuch.
(22/9/99)
1992
Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese,
Weingut Mönchhof Robert Eymael, 8%, AP Nr. 2 602 029
019 93 (Morrisons)
A mid gold. The nose is a bit thin on this bottle. This bottle doesn't
seem as good as some others - a bit lacking in character. Quite thin on
the attack. In a way, it has a bit more finesse than some other
examples of the same. Good length. Remarkably different to other
bottles. Very Good Indeed.
(12/9/99)
1998
Riesling Gewurztraminer Medium Dry White, Hardy Stamp of Australia,
South Australia, 12% (Sainsbury)
A very pale colour with a slight greenish tinge. Lovely fragrant nose,
the gewurz tones softened with hints of riesling. Nice clean attack.
Hint of acidity. Really quite full on the palate. Works well. Very Good.
(5/9/99)
1983
Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese, Cardinal Cusanus Stiftswein,
Erzeugerabf. St. Nikolaus Hospital, 8.5% (Willoughby's)
A rather mucky, gunky top of the cork on removing the capsule, but
there's no sign of ullage and the cork's in good condition. A very
marked, quite intense yellow-gold, but bright and clear. A very intense
nose, blending lots of honey scents with a fairly strong petrolly
structure. Very smooth on the attack. Fills dramatically, with good,
very marked riesling character. Lots and lots of flavour and depth of
flavours. Just a slight trace of very elegant acidity on the finish. A
nice example of a fairly mature Mosel riesling. Perhaps a bit sweeter
and flabbier than the norm, lacking some of the elegance of the finest
examples. But it's still a fine wine of notable rarity, especially at
the price (£11.55 reduced to £4.95!). The colour is
quite remarkable and the honeyed, sweet scents on the nose are more
than balanced by the acidity of the basic wine. Very well rounded,
clean, long and attractive. Very Good Indeed.
(29/8/99)
1997
Château La Perriere, AC Bordeaux, 11.5% [white
Bordeaux] (Wine Society)
Bright and clear mid straw. Nice, fresh nose with lots of fruit -
nicely rounded. The sauvignon blanc is very noticeable on the nose,
rounded and softened by the semillon (50:50). Nice clean attack with
lots of fruit. Fills well with good round, rich middle. But then it
goes a bit strange and scented, finishing with a very odd almost
rosewater taste. Not unpleasant, but very, very odd - probably a bit
off. Never had anything quite like it, though it's actually rather
good. Very Good.
(25/8/99)
1997 Tokay
Pinot Gris "Le Fromenteau", AC Alsace, Josmeyer & Fils,
14% (Wine Society)
A very attractive colour - pale gold with a few green tinges. Good nose
with lots of depth and very marked pinot gris fruit. Very full on the
attack. Rich and almost chewy on the palate with a quick blast of
acidity. Finishes with good length and character. Markedly more complex
than the Trimbach and better than the Kuentz-Bas. Very Good Indeed.
(16/8/99)
1996 Tokay
Pinot Gris, Reserve Personelle, Kuentz-Bas, AC Alsace, 13%
(Wine Society)
A fairly deep straw. Nice nose - quite complex, but perhaps a bit
muddied. An even, clean attack. Plenty of fruit with hints of
sweetness. Quite a strong streak of acidity, making it just a little
hard on the finish. Rather lacking in fruit. A bit unsatisfying.
Good/Very Good.
(14/8/99)
1996
Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve, 13%, (Wine Society)
A very even pale straw. A better than average pinot gris nose with a
bit of fruit coming through with a nice bit of fruit coming through
with nice hints of warm spice: a really quite attractive, nice, open
nose. Nice attack: plenty of fruit, fills nicely to a good rich pinot
gris. Good round richness, but also a nice fruity acidity. Finishes
very well - very clean with no harshness at all. Very Good/Very Good
Indeed.
(12/8/99)
1996 Clos La
Coutale, AC Cahors, 12% (Wine Society)
A very rich garnet cum ruby red with just the merest hints of youth. A
pleasant clean nose - perhaps a bit on the dull side. Very pleasant
attack: clean and rounded. Fills with some tannin, then finishes with
lots of tannin, some of it remarkably bitter. But the fruit does just
about fight through. A fairly old fashioned Cahors. Pretty good all
round, but without any particular distinction. Very chewy. Very Good.
(10/8/99)
1998 White
Cloud, Medium Dry White Wine, North Island, New Zealand, Nobilo Vintners,
11% (Sainsbury)
A pale straw with marked green tinges. Very fresh nose - distinctly
herbaceous. Reasonable attack with lots of fruit but without any great
complexity. A little bit sweet. Very unexciting palate; just a bit
fragrant. Not a patch on the 1997. OK/Good.
(8/8/99)
1996
Chardonnay, Deakin Estate, Victoria, Australia, 14% (Bibendum)
Fantastic, very rich deep gold - odd, but a very pure colour, almost as
golden as trockenbeerenauslese. Very full nose, very rich, with lots of
Ozzie chardonnay character with just a hint of oak. Very clean on the
attack. Very pungent on the palate, followed by a quite a crisp,
buttery. biscuity finish. Definitely on the turn and maybe a bit
oxidised, but still perfectly ok. A very interesting drink, oozing
character. Very Good+
(5/8/99)
1992
Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese,
Weingut Mönchhof Robert Eymael, 8%, AP Nr. 2 602 029
019 93 (Morrisons)
Lovely, very full and rich riesling nose with some hints of apple.
Showing more distinct keroseney notes with a bit of exposure to air.
Fine attack. Quite full. Very well balanced fruit and acidity, just
tending slightly to off-dry fruit maybe. Reasonable length. Perhaps
lacking some finesse, but not a bad example of a fairly mature riesling.
(29/7/99)
1999
Tramontane Viognier, Vin de Pays d'Oc, 12.5% (Asda)
A pale gold, but with a very yellow edge. A pleasant, fruity nose -
quite fresh and rounded, but pleasantly simple. Pleasant,
nice-flavoured palate that's quite fresh and fruity. Uncomplicated, but
the viognier character comes through to maintain the interest. Finishes
very cleanly and smoothly. Not at all bad. Assuming it's in the
£3-£4 range, it represents good value. Very Good.
(25/7/99)
1994 Salice
Salentino DOC, Rosso Riserva, Azienda Vitivinicola Francesco Candido,
13% (Wine Society)
A blend of negroamaro and malvasia nera. A fair, very even ruby
appearance with no noticeable youth. Not a bad nose: there's some fruit
and some alcohol: a bit like it looks - the nose is just a bit
uninteresting. Good attack - plenty of fruit with a streak of acidity.
Then tannins come to the fore. But it finishes feeling a bit thin.
(23/7/99)
1997 White
Cloud, Müller Thurgau-Sauvignon Blanc, Nobilo Vintners,
Gisborne, NZ., 11% (Bibendum)
An attractive, glistening goldy mid-straw. Attractive nose with lots of
fruit and some complexity: quite rich and buttery with hints of mango
and fresh-cut grass. Nice attack: well rounded and quite rich. Plenty
of good flavour and a nice streak of acidity to balance it. Decent,
fresh length. Very Good+.
(19/7/99)
NV Asda
Tempranillo, DO Jumilla, Bodegas 1890 SA, 12.5% (Asda)
Plastic cork. A very even mid-ruby. The nose is fine, but really rather
dull. Attractive attack - smooth and rounded, but without much in the
way of fruit. A bit dull on the palate. Bitter tannins after. Barely
tolerable plonk. OK.
(15/7/99)
1993 Merlot
Cellar Reserve, Suhindol Region, Bulgaria, produced and bottled by
Lovico Suhindol, 12% (The Wine Society)
Still remarkably young looking, with no sign of ageing at all. A fairly
bog-standard merlot nose: decent fruit; perhaps a bit muddied. Very
nice attack: plenty of fruit. Fills nicely on the palate. Finishes
softly, but with quite marked tannins after. Very average. OK.
(13/5/99)
1992
Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese,
Weingut Mönchhof Robert Eymael, 8%, AP Nr. 2 602 029
019 93 (Morrisons)
Pale to mid gold with hints of green apple flesh. Very petrolly nose,
but with an undertone of fruit and elegant acidity. Quite light on the
attack, but it fills greatly and is really quite rich and rounded on
the palate. Finishes with a hit of acidity, but it's a little muddied
after. There was some damage to the capsule on this bottle and it seems
it might have affected the contents. Good/Very Good.
(11/5/99)
1997
Lindemans Coonawarra Botrytis Riesling, 11.5%, 375ml (Oddbins)
A nice pale to water gold. Powerful honeyed apricots and tropical fruit
on the nose with a very slight hint of paraffin. A rich attack: very
full, and very, very, very intense and luscious. Great body, with quite
an elegant sweetness, but nowhere near as refined as equivalents from
the Mosel. Unlike you would find in the Mosel, there is virtually no
acidity. There are some almost apricot and banana flavours on the
finish. Good, but not great. Might be interesting to see how it ages.
Very Good.
(26/4/99)
1992
Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese,
Weingut Mönchhof Robert Eymael, 8%, AP Nr. 2 602 029
019 93 (Morrisons)
A pale gold, fading to very, very pale at the edge of the glass. A nice
rounded riesling nose with lots of refined fruit: the nose has riesling
fruit rather than petrol minerality. Nice, very clean attack with good
fruit flavours. Quite full on the attack, but almost completely dry on
the finish.
(20/4/99)
1992 Preece
Cabernet Sauvignon, Mitchelton Wines, SE Australia, 13%
(Possibly from
Oddbins?)
A deep, reasonably mature ruby. Slow, but quite thin
legs. Fantastic nose: loads of mature fruit; some oak; rich
cassis background. Good clean attack. A real
powerhouse on the middle; and it develops very quickly in the
mouth. Very full, very rounded, very satisfying.
Really meaty character (but not bretty). Powerful flavours,
but very smooth and rich. A little peppery spice on the
finish. Very Good.
(21/5/00)
1997 Elstree
Brut Reserve Riesling, Highfield Estate, Marlborough, New Zealand,
13.5% (Tesco)
An attractive pale gold with a hint of pinkishness. Gorgeous fruity
nose. Hints of apples and spirity notes, with just a trace of petrol.
Nice clean attack: fairly full with good fruit. Quite rich and
mouthfilling on the palate. There's a bit of spice on the finish, but
unfortunately also a rather hard acidic streak that really catches the
back of the throat. Improves dramatically with being open 15 minutes,
and after a while it all but loses that harshness on the finish.
Good/Very Good.
(18/4/99)
1995
Xinomavro, Appellation of Origin Naoussa, Boutari, 12.5%
(Morrisons)
From vineyards at Filia, Marina, Trilofos and Lefkadia. The vineyards
are at an altitude of 350-400 metres above sea level. The vines are all
around 21 years old, and yield about 2kg of grapes per vine. The grapes
were harvested 15th-16th September 1995 and after vinification, the
wine spent two years in French oak, followed by a further six months in
bottle before release.
A lightish garnet colour, with a fairly mature rim. Reasonably
attractive nose, but not especially distinguished: there are rustic,
earthy tones with just a bit of fruit. Quite an interesting attack:
there's a bit of fruit, then it's very mouthfilling. There are a lot of
very dry tannins, which make the wine feel quite drying, but it's not
unnecessarily harsh. Finishes with a hint of acidity and it's long and
dry after. A reasonably solid wine, if a bit overpriced. I wonder if it
might not be an entirely good bottle. OK.
(13/4/99)
1997
Romanian Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, vinari de calitate superiore su
denumine de origine controllata Recas, Unknown producer, 12%
(Asda)
An attractive, fairly even strawberry red. Very fruity nose with lots
of red berry notes with some interesting earthy notes with a leathery
undertone. Nice clean attack with plenty of fruit, then very dry
indeed, but with quite soft, attractive tannins. Perhaps a hint of
acidity on the finish. Not bad at all. Good/Very Good.
(8/4/99)
NV NYX Vin
de liqueur, AC Mavrodaphne of Patras, BG Spiliopoulos, 19%,
500ml (Oddbins)
A blend of mavrodaphne and korinthiaki grapes from the hills of Patras.
An odd brown colour with a hint of dark ruby at the centre: the
appearance is slightly reminiscent of a very old Burgundy. The nose is
quite unusual with hints of coffee, spice, meths and other
miscellaneous, unidentifiable scents. Very smooth attack. Remarkably
clean. Very rich and unctuous on the palate with lots of raisiny tones.
Finishes with some pepper, some acidity and hints of port.
(31/3/99)
1993
Auxerrois, Rolly Gassmann, AC Alsace, 11.5% (Byrne's)
An interesting, rathery lemony mid straw appearance. Attractive,
interesting, full nose with quite forward fruit and a vegetal backbone.
Very interesting attack: lots of fruit, but it quickly fills
dramatically and has really full honey-caramel notes on the palate.
Very full, very round, slightly off dry. Some odd, slightly peppery
notes. Not noticeably sweet, but it feels as if it should be. Perhaps a
bit odd. But Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(18/3/99)
1998
Monastrell, Bodegas 1890 SA, DO Jumilla, 13% (Asda)
85% monastrell, 15% tempranillo. Plastic cork.
A reasonably attractive, pale ruby, fading to pinkiness on the rim.
Quite a heady nose, full of hints of spice, leather and vanilla. Quite
light on the attack, but full-flavoured. Very much a red soft fruit
sort of taste and texture. This has almost the air of a very young
pinot noir. There's quite an acidic streak, which lightens it nicely,
and gives a slight prickles on the tongue. Very creditable, especially
at the price. Very Good.
(17/3/99)
1997
Chardonnay, Azienda Agricola Cantele, IGT Salento, 12.5% (The
wine Society)
A very pale gold; quite bright. Full, raw Chardonnay nose with the
merest hint of oak. Quite fresh and full on the attack. Rather flat on
the palate and finishes with rather too much harsh acidity, which
really lingers. Good.
(14/3/99)
1997
Grenache Shiraz [rosé], Stamps of Australia, Hardy's (Thomas
Hardy & Sons), South Eastern Australia, 11.5%
(Bibendum)
A very attractive, bright colour somewhere between strawberry pink and
salmon pink - actually quite an artificial tint to it. A light, fresh
nose with lots of soft strawberry fruit. Also very attractive on the
palate: slightly off-dry and with the same strawberry tones as on the
nose, together with some cherry and orange flavours. Very smooth and
nicely rounded. Very Good.
(12/3/99)
1994 AC
Béarn, Domaine Guilhemas, 12% (Bibendum)
Quite a powerful, rather vegetal nose, with some hints of melon. Nice
attack with a fair amount of fruit and character, but it hardens on the
palate and finishes without any real interest, just a rather harsh,
drying note. Evidently past its best.
(10/3/99)
1992
Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese,
Weingut Mönchhof Robert Eymael, 8%, AP Nr. 2 602 029
019 93 (Morrisons, 6/3/99??, £4.99)
A good, attractive pale gold. A powerful nose with lots of keroseney
tones. Nice clean attack with good fruit. Clean and rounded, with an
attractive fruity richness on the palate. A very clean, refreshing
finish, followed by good length. Not at all a bad example of a
reasonably mature Mosel riesling. Very Good+
(7/3/99)
1998 Asda
Argentinian Syrah, Famatina Valley, Argentina, Unknown
Producer, 13% (Asda)
A very even, young purple-raspberry colour. A full, fruity nose that
smells fairly young. Plenty of fruit - cherries and a hint of pepper
spice. Quite light and mouthfilling at the same time: very clean and
fruity on the attack. Very young and tough on the palate, but with some
varietal character coming through. Quite chewy and with just a bit too
much acidity and tannin on the finish. Good.
(7/3/99)
1994 Late
Harvest Orange Muscat and Flora, Brown Brothers, Milawa, Victoria,
Mystic Park Vineyard, 10%, 375ml (Booths)
An interesting colour - a sort of orangey pale caramel; but quite a
deep colour overall. Very attractive nose: quite scented and with lots
of honey aromas and hints of raisins. Very clean attack. Fills to a
nice full richness on the palate, but avoids being cloying, and there's
a nice bit of acidity on the finish. Very elegant. Nice complex
flavours. Very Good Indeed.
(28/2/99)
1995 Las
Campanas Crianza, DO Navarra, Vinicola Navarra SA, 12.5% (The
Wine Society)
Apparently a blend of 80% tempranillo and 20% cabernet sauvignon, this
is an attractive, fairly young bright ruby colour. The nose is pleasant
with nice fruit, but not exactly thrilling, and with a hint of oak.
Very soft attack. Quite light on the palate, with lots of soft fruit.
Fairly solid tannic finish. Pleasant if innocuous. Good.
(27/2/99)
1997 Le
Petit Bosc, Blanc de Blancs, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault,
Pierre Besinet, 11.5% (The Wine Society)
Quite a deep straw - very bright, clear and attractive. Lovely nose
with bags of fruit. Light, crisp and refreshing. Not at all complex,
but very attractive and clean. Very Good(+)
(24/2/99)
1997
Cuvée de l'Arjolle, Vin de Pays des Côtes de
Thongues, Prosper et Louis-Marie Teisserenc, Charles Duby et Guilhem de
Foxières, 12.5% (The Wine Society)
A blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.
A pale ruby appearance with some youth. Young berry fruit on the nose:
there's reasonably attractive fruit, but it's far from exciting. Nice
smooth attack. Fills nicely, though perhaps lacking in fruit a bit on
the palate. Finishes with lots of tannin and an acidic harshness.
Tolerable. It improves dramatically with being open: better fruit and
less harshness.
(21/2/99)
1988 Jubilee
Hugel, Riesling "Hugel", Réserve Personnelle, AC Alsace,
Selected and Shipped by The Wine Society, 12% (The Wine
Society)
A very, very pale straw. Very full nose - deep and rich, distinctly
riesling, though not over-keroseney. Quite fresh on the attack. Very
full on the palate, rich and almost creamy. Nice length with hints of
acidity. Very well rounded and balanced - balanced to the extent that
it could be described as a bit one-dimensional. Very Good/Very Good
Indeed.
(19/2/99)
1994 Tannat
Cuna de Piedra, Vino Tinto de Calidad Preferente Costas del San
Juan-Colonia Los Cerros de San Juan, Uruguay, 12% (Byrne's)
Gorgeous deep, almost black plum colour with attractive brightness. A
rather undistinguished, dull nose with some soft fruit. Very smooth
attack, rich and full and quite a treacly texture. Finishes with a hint
of lightness, but then a rather bitter aftertaste. Very Good/Very Good
Indeed.
(17/2/99)
1991 Vine
Vale Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Peter Lehmann, 12.5%
This had thrown a sizeable sediment. Quite an attractive, bright ruby,
but with very clear gradation down to a browny orange at the rim. A very
odd toasty nose with acid tones. This is surely an off bottle. Thin,
musty flavours and thoroughly nasty.
(17/2/99)
1996
Tramontane Viognier, Vin de Pays d'Oc, 12.5% (Asda)
A fairly deep medium gold. Very green, herbaceous nose with buttery
tones: full and attractive.
Thin, but not unattractive attack. Innocuous palate. Rather hard on the
finish and very hard after. Tolerable, but not really worth the effort.
OK/Good.
(15/2/99)
1991
Château d'Opoul, AC Côtes du Roussillon Villages,
La Cave des Vignerons d'Opoul, 13% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times
Wine Club)
A very grubby cork, with considerable tartaric crystallisation on its
base. The wine has a very attractive, deep ruby colour - fairly even,
just a bit paler at the rim. The nose is extremely attractive:
absolutely full of ripe, plummy fruit, but also a slight hint of
acidity. Very full, and full of fruit, on the attack, again with the
same rich plummy ripeness, with hints of strawberry and citrus
flavours, which gives it an odd freshness. Nice and clean on the
palate. Good soft character, with a blast of really dry tannins on the
finish. Mouthfilling and rich, yet curiously also quite light bodied
and fresh in the mouth. Oddly elegant in a rustic sort of way. Quite
unusual. Very good length. Very Good Indeed.
(9/2/99)
1996
Gewurztraminer Cuvée Particulière, AC Alsace,
Paul Zinck, 13% (STWC)
A very pale, crisp clear yellow. Nice, attractive, light floral nose
with definite turkish delight tones. Good clean attack. Fills quickly,
but has some rather harsh tones on the palate. Quite rounded and full,
but distinctly marred by the harshness. A bit over-extracted, probably.
Possibly trying a bit too hard to be floral and ends up lacking
elegance. Good.
(28/1/99)
1993
Gewurztraminer Kappelweg de Rohrschwihr, AC Alsace, Rolly Gassmann,
14% (Byrne's)
A deeper colour than the '96 Zinck: a bright clear, crisp, pale gold.
Very full nose - rich and complex, with hints of rosewater, but much
fuller and rounder than just that; also some hints of herbaceousness.
Very full attack, with marked richness. Considerable depth on the
palate, though perhaps not quite as complex as it first seems.
Interestingly, it's bone dry, though it's sufficiently full-bodied for
it not to appear lean. Nice hint of acidity on the finish. Very Good
Indeed.
(28/1/99)
1997 White
Cloud, Müller Thurgau-Sauvignon Blanc, Nobilo Vintners,
Gisborne, NZ., (Bibendum)
Attractive, if a little murky pale gold. Rather dull, unexpressive nose
with very little fruit and little varietal character - just a little
greenish on the nose. Nice clean attack - quite full. Good fruit on the
palate: very ripe and open. Finishes a little oddly with noticeable
acidity. Not at all bad for an industrial wine. Good/Very Good.
(26/1/99)
1996 Pinot
Noir, Domaine Pont, AC Bourgogne
, 12.5% (Asda)
(Opened for cooking) A very light, bright strawberry red colour with
more than a hint of youthful purple. Soft berry fruits on the nose,
though not excessively varietal. Nice soft attack: full and round and
very soft. Then there's a real blast of tannins which drown out the
fruit. Finishes with great length and a reasonable structure. Not bad.
Good+
(24/1/99)
1973
Hermitage, Paul Jaboulet Ainé, abv not shown
A very attractive colour, mature, but not overly so. Very full nose:
remarkably fruity and soft. A good, full, mature nose: really very
attractive. Very clean, light attack. Really good fruit on the palate.
Quite a complex finish with lots of spicy peppery tones and some nice
soft tannins. Very meaty and powerful, but with a sort of soft feminine
underbelly. Lovely syrah character on the finish. The overall
impression is of a very fine, mature softness with well rounded
meatiness. Excellent.
(24/1/99)
1994 AC
Béarn, Domaine Guilhemas, 12% (Bibendum)
A light to medium yellow, with green tinges again. A fairly full nose,
perhaps a bit vegetal and muddied. A faint hint of polish behind. Not
especially fruity. Bit hard and austere on the attack, but quickly
softens, leaving some peppery tones behind. Quite flat and dull and
only just about OK. Evidently a faulty bottle.
(23/1/99)
1994 AC
Béarn, Domaine Guilhemas, 12% (Bibendum)
Quite pale yellow with green hints. Very full, fruity nose with marked
melon notes. Clean attack, then fills well. Full on the palate with
some quite vegetal tones, with slight hints of pepper. A touch hard on
the finish.
(17/1/99)
1993
Riesling, AC Alsace, Rolly Gassmann, 12% (Byrne's)
Very sparkling, clear, crystal clear, pale to medium straw with
greenish tinges. Very attractive, full nose, though a bit lacking in
varietal character. Remarkably fresh and green on the nose. A stunning
attack - really fruity, and showing lovely varietal character - and
then it fills enormously and very quickly. Very rounded on the palate,
with a hint of peppery spice on the finish. Finishes with a bit of
acidic harshness, which just unbalances it a bit. Perhaps it still
needs time. Good/Very Good.
(10/1/99)
1993
Disznóko Tokaji Furmint, Dry white Quality Wine, Hungary,
13%
A fairly deep yellow with goldish tinges. Very rich nose, with lots of
fruit and a nice scented character, almost with a hint of riesling. The
label says it's dry, but it doesn't smell dry! Quite unusual on the
palate: a fairly rich attack, then lots of fruit, but with very raisiny
hints. Dry on the finish with marked length. Perhaps not quite dry on
the finish. Very odd, and certainly on the evidence of this bottle, not
entirely attractive. Avoid.
(7/1/99)
1997 White
Cloud Müller Thurgau-Sauvignon Blanc, Gisborne, NZ, Nobilo
Vintners, 11% (Bibendum)
A medium straw colour fading to a watery rim. Very dull nose with
vegetal tones and no freshness at all, though it is quite rounded and
full. Fairly clean attack, and it goes on to fill out very quickly.
Very mouthfilling with great length. Bit of harsh acidity on the
finish. Fairly interesting flavours, and not at all bad for such a
commercial wine. Quite fat and full and rather unusual. Just a touch
off dry. Good/Very Good.
(3/1/99)
NV
Moët & Chandon Brut Impériale,
12% Bottled Spring 1991, says the back label.
A fairly deep, bronzey gold. Fairly even bubblestream. Fairly full
nose, that's a bit biscuity, but overall a bit undistinguished and
dull. Good mouthfilling attack. Nice, creamy and rich on the palate.
Fair depth and there's nice length, with a very clean, soft finish. A
clear example of why it's best to keep NV grandes marques for a few
years. Very Good Indeed.
(31/12/98)
NV Matusalem
Oloroso Dulce Muy Viejo, Gonzalez Byass
A browny orange colour, fading to yellow-brown at the rim. A
deep burnt caramel nose: very orangey and nutty. Smooth on the attack,
full and quite rich. There's quite a streak of acidity to balance as
well, and there's the bittersweet of burnt caramel. Not at all cloying.
Very Good Indeed.
(30/12/98)
1995 Pinot
Gris Bergheim, Domaine Marcel Deiss, AC Alsace, 12% (ex cave)
A very attractive deep very yellow straw, though markedly lighter than
the 1997 Kientzheim-Kaysersberg pinot gris. Very rich on the nose:
quite smoky with nice rich fruit and hints of honey. A lovely deep,
rich attack, full of fruit. Then there's quite a lot sweetness, but
balanced by a very attractive acidity. Very full and rounded with great
richness, and almost hints of botrytis. Quite scented and concentrated
on the finish, with good length. Finishes with a notable elegance.
Excellent.
(24/12/98)
1971
Château Talbot Grand Cru Classé, AC St Julien,
no abv shown
No noticeable ullage. The cork was in very good condition. The wine
gave off intense blackcurrant scents on decanting. It had a very
attractive colour: a bright, clean, very mature ruby with a very marked
orange rim. Bright and clear appearance. The legs are very slow to
develop, but don't last. On the nose, despite the blast of fruit on
decanting, this seems just a bit over the hill: there is still a lot of
blackcurrant fruit, but it's not a particularly fresh blackcurrant
smell. In fact, the nose is quite heady, very open and with hints of
orange and spice and quite a bit of alcohol. Rather thin on the palate,
with very little fruit left, though there are still some tannins. The
finish shows a bit of acidity, with some alcohol showing through.
Unfortunately, this bottle had not been kept well and is now well past
its best, and is nowhere near as good as the last bottle of this I had
on 23rd March 1985. You can still see the class though.
(23/12/98)
1997 Tokay
Pinot Gris Réserve, AC Alsace, Cave Vinicole de
Kientzheim-Kaysersberg, 13% (ex cave)
An attractive, fairly deep gold. Quite a powerful nose, though not
especially rich in fruit: in fact it's almost got an oaky weight to it,
along with some freshness. A very nice, rich attack. Very full on the
palate. Remarkably rich. I wonder what it would be like a few year -
pretty damn good, I expect. All in all, it has a very mature outlook: a
rich colour; rich flavours and a touch of acidity on the finish.
There's really quite a bit of spice too, particularly brought out by a
slice of pâté de foie gras. Very Good Indeed +.
(20/12/98)
1993
Guelbenzu, D.O. Navarra, Bodegas Guelbenzu, 13% (Byrnes,
1996, £6.35)
A blend of 50% tempranillo, 35% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, that
spends one year in French oak.
Good quality cork. This has a very nice, very even, very deep ruby red
with a hint of maturity on the rim. Very good nose: there's a blast of
tempranillo, but with some cabernet sauvignon blackcurrant fruit
evident too, alongside some oak and spiciness. Very mouthfilling, with
a fair amount of fruit. Lots of tannin on the finish, that should fade
with food.
(14/12/98)
After 24 hours, this is much improved: the nose shows more
merlot and the harsh spiciness present earlier has gone. Much softer on
the palate. Very nice flavours, much rounder and less aggressive than
yesterday. Still a bit of tannic structure, but there's lots more fruit
now. Very Good Indeed.
(15/12/98)
1996 La
Domecque Tête de Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Blanc, Vin
de Pays d'Oc, 12% (Asda)
A blend of roussanne, marsanne and muscat. A fairly even medium gold
that's reasonably bright and clean looking. Rather subdued, distinctly
muddy nose: there's some fruit at first, then very dull: an almost
thudding vegetal nose with all the attractiveness of a visit to the
dentist. Very hard attack. Fairly full, but very hard and nasty.
There's nothing wrong with it: just a very poor wine.
(13/12/98)
1994
Satinella de Marqués de Caceres, Medium-Sweet, Rioja Den de
origen, 12% (Oddbins)
This is a medium sweet white Rioja made from late harvested viura and
malvasia. This has a fairly bright medium gold appearance. The nose is
very full with lots of fruit and good concentration: there are hints of
honey and even a vaguely petrolly-riesling hint. On the nose, at a
first impression, you could be excused for thinking of a mid-rate
riesling Spätlese. But there's also a greasy undertone on the
nose and some stray vague suggestions of oak. Quite a clean attack.
Then there are concentrated, rich flavours. It is medium sweet, but not
cloying. Slightly perfumed, fairly elegant, this is an easy wine, just
spoiled a bit by some hardness on the finish. Very Good Indeed.
It's interesting to compare this to my note on the same wine of
13/8/95: evidently it has improved much in three years.
(9/12/98)
1995 La
Domecque Tête de Cuvée Syrah Vieilles Vignes, Vin
de Pays d'Oc, 12% (Asda)
A nice bright ruby with just the slightest hints of youth. Quite a bit
of fruit on the nose, displaying more merlot characteristics than
syrah. Nice attack: clean and smooth, then some fruit comes along, then
it finishes with a great blast of peppery spice and tannin with great
length. Just a slight hint of acidity on the finish. Quite acceptable,
if rather powerful. Very Good
(5/12/98)
1995 Albor
by Campo Viejo tempranillo, Rioja Den de Origen, 12% (Oddbins)
A very even colour: pale ruby with a watery-pinky rim. A rather dull
tannic nose with hints of alcohol and virtually no fruit. Seems likely
this is off. Biting acidity and long musty flavours on the palate. Off.
(5/12/98)
1994 Viura
Albor by Campo Viejo, Rioja Den de Origen, 11.5% (Oddbins)
Quite a deep colour. Very indistinct, muddy nose. Off.
(4/12/98)
1964
Brauneberger Juffer feine Spätlese, Max Ferd. Richter,
abv not shown. (Ramsbottom Victuallers)
The cork shows clear signs of age, but is still sound. A medium to deep
rich gold, fading to transparency at the edge of the glass. The nose is
a bit odd - very strong and intense, with paraffin and pepper, hints of
honey and a lovely smokiness. The nose has overtones of a light Islay
malt whisky. Quite light on the attack, but it quickly fills out. Very
dry - almost tannic, like peatsmoke. The flavours on the palate, pretty
much reflect the nose: very intense, without much in the way of fruit,
though with hints of pepper and spice. You definitely wonder whether
this might not be entirely riesling. Very full on the palate, and
showing clear finesse and breeding. Massive length.
(1/12/98)
1983
Oppenheimer Herrenberg Riesling Eiswein, Rheinhessen, Louis Guntrum,
AP Nr. 4 907 187 123 86, 9%, 250ml (Harrods c. 1990)
A dinky little 250ml bottle, sealed with a screwcap under a metal
capsule. A fairly deep gold. The nose is very raisiny with a hint of
acidity. Rather sweet on the attack. Very full and rounded with intense
flavours. Only a hint of acidity though. This is quite remarkably
different to Richter's Eiswein. This is much, much sweeter and doesn't
have the searing purity of Richter's, nor the refined elegance.
(30/11/98)
1995
Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein, Weingut Max Ferd.
Richter, AP Nr. 2 593 049 12 96, 8.5%, 375ml (Ramsbottom
Victuallers, £31)
A remarkably pale appearance: very pale gold with a watery rim. A real
wow! of a nose: quite unlike what you'd expect from the colour. Very
rich nose with loads of fruit; and very smooth. The nose doesn't
suggest any great sweetness. A real nectar essenced of riesling attack.
Incredibly intense and not really very sweet at all. Very clean, with a
massive blast of rich fruit on the finish. Great purity elegance.
Excellent.
(29/11/98)
1997 Asda
Hungarian Merlot Private Reserve, Szekszárd Region,
Száraz Minöségi Bor, Produced and
Bottled by Interconsult Ltd, 12% (Asda)
Immediately a rather acidic smell on drawing the cork. The colour is a
fairly even, deep strawberry red with distinct signs of purplish youth.
A young nose of soft fruit and some depth. Decent palate. Soft and
fruity. A bit characterless. Rather acidic on the finish. OK.
(23/11/98)
1990
Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Selection, Rosemount, SE Australia,
12.5%
65% shiraz; 35% cabernet sauvignon. This has an even bright ruby
appearance with mature edges. Very, very solid, slow legs. Very full,
very fruity nose, with plenty of spicy notes and an alcoholic backbone.
Reasonable attack, then you get a hit of tannins. This feels remarkably
powerful and fairly serious: there's a big backbone and lots of tannin.
Great length. But overall, I don't find this especially remarkable.
Good+.
(19/11/98)
1992
Mussbacher Eselshaut Rieslaner Trockenbeerenauslese, Weingut
Müller-Catoir, Pfalz, 9.5%, 375ml, AP Nr 5 174 079
13 93 (Oddbins)
Significant tartaric deposits. A deep honeyed yellow, though not
especially sticky looking. Gorgeous ripe, honeyed nose with scents of
perfumed raisins. Very interesting on the palate. Quite sweet on the
attack, but not overwhelmingly so. Very elegant with nice fruits and a
nice backbone with good acidity. Very full on the palate, with a heavy,
quite syrupy texture, but it's by no means too sweet or cloying.
There's quite a perfumed note on the palate, with some tropical fruit
flavours. The overall impression is of elegance. Very Good Indeed ++
(15/11/98)
1995
Auxerrois Moenchreben de Rohrschwihr, AC Alsace, Rolly Gassmann,
11.5% (ex cave)
Very pale appearance, indeed almost colourless, with just a hint of
pale yellow at the rim. Very attractive nose with lots going on: fruity
and very herbaceous, with almost a hint of sauvignon blanc to it. Very
nice attack: full with a hint of richness. Very fruity, very rounded
and filling. Great length, finishing with finesse. Continues to grow
and develop on the palate long after. Maybe an extra hint of acidity
would help with food, but it's absolutely stunning on its own.
Excellent.
(11/11/98)
NV Moscato
del Piemonte, mosto d'uva parzialmente fermentato, Cantine Gemma, 5.5%
(probably bought 94/95, Oddbins??)
Good petillance with uneven bubbles. Attractive straw yellow. Rather
flat, dull nose: sort of murky, musty, melony, lemony. Markedly sweet
on the attack and really a bit sugary. Very little character, and
indeed you'd be forgiven for not recognising it as wine. Poor.
(8/11/98)
1995 Albor
Red, Albor by Campo Viejo, Rioja
(Oddbins)
An even, rich ruby red colour with no signs of youth and some hints of
maturity. The nose is a bit dull and flat. Clean attack: fairly
mouthfilling. Quite distinct. There's a hint of acidity, but also some
tannic depth. But overall just a bit past it. OK.
(31/10/98)
1994
Rosemount Estate Shiraz Cabernet, SE Australia
A very even colour in the glass: an attractive berry red.
Initially there's a blast of fruit on the nose, but then the nose
becomes rather indistinct and rather musty. Thin, watery and sour.
Quite definitely off, seemingly with a combination of bacterial
infection and a touch of TCA.
(31/10/98)
NV Prestige
Rosé, Taittinger
A delicate strawberry pink. The nose is sweeter and flashier
than the Brut Reserve, with hints of berry fruits. Some fruit on the
palate, but quite a hard finish. Really lacks character. Distinctly
unsatisfying.
(3/10/98
at Taittinger in Reims)
NV Brut
Réserve, Taittinger
A nice creamy nose. Fine flavours on the palate, though
without anything particularly dominant. Very nice flavours on the
palate which pale to a fresh crispness. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(3/10/98 at Taittinger in Reims)
1997 Tokay
Pinot Gris Réserve, Cave Vinicole de Kientzheim-Kaysersberg,
Alsace
A good example. Clean, with nice rich tones. Very Good Indeed.
(1/10/98 in a restaurant next door to the co-op's shop in
Kaysersberg)
1990 Macon
La Roche-Vineuse, AC Macon - La Roche-Vineuse, Domaine du Vieux
Saint-Sorlin, 12.5% (Bibendum)
Very attractive bright cherry red with a markedly mature rim. Very
attractive nose with nice ripe pinot noir fruit. Nice clean attack.
Fills out nicely. Very smooth and rounded. Slight traces of an
alcoholic backbone. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(1/9/98)
1997
Whitecliff Sauvignon Blanc, Hawkes Bay, Sacred Hill Winery, New Zealand,
12.5%
A very, very pale straw indeed. Very dull, flat nose. Soft attack, but
overall this has very little character and little flavour. A bit
watery? OK.
(10/8/98)
1994
Antoure, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vin de Pays d'Oc, 12.5%
(Bibendum)
An attractive ruby with hints of youth. Very nice, fruity nose, though
not especially full of cabernet sauvignon character, but very soft and
rounded. Very soft and pleasant on the palate. Nice, long, clean
finish. Very little tannin. Good/Very Good.
(30/7/98)
1997 AC
Pouilly Fumé, Sainsbury's Classic Selection, Fouassier
Père et Fils, 13% (Sainsbury)
Remarkably deep straw colour. A fairly standard greeny, grassy nose.
Nice clean attack, then fills out enormously. Really quite rich and
full. Very long and pleasant after. Very Good+
(28/7/98)
1996 La
Domecque Tête de Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Blanc, Vin
de Pays d'Oc, 12% (Asda)
A blend of roussanne, marsanne and muscat from near Carcassone. Pale
gold. Fruity, rather fragrant nose. Good attack, and then fills out
fairly well. Fairly dull on the palate. More than a little harshness on
the finish. Quite full and round, but it doesn't live up to the promise
of the blend of grapes or the fragrant nose.
(22/7/98)
1994 Albor
by Campo Viejo, DOc Rioja, 11.5% (Oddbins)
A white Rioja from the viura grape. An even, very, very pale gold. The
nose is interesting and quite complex. Nice clean, fruity attack. Fills
very nicely. Well rounded with good full flavour. Very Good.
(15/7/98)
NV
Sainsbury's Romanian Merlot Rosé, DOC Medgidia, bottled by
D-RP 342 899, shipped by St Laurens Weinkellerei GmbH, 13%
(Sainsbury)
A very attractive, bright, pale strawberry juice colour with sort of
orangey tinges: a nice depth of colour. The nose is very flat, with
very little character, just a touch of fruit. Nice and clean on the
attack, with bags of fruit. Good rounded, full flavour, with no
harshness. Good, easy summer drinking. Very Good.
(5/7/98)
1992 Crianza
Palacio de la Vega, Navarra Den. de Origen, 12.5% (Oddbins)
A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% tempranillo, this has a nice
even rich burgundy-ruby colour, looking rather mature. Very attractive
nose, with the cabernet fruit very evident alongside some leather and a
bit of oak. The attack is reasonable, with some vibrancy, but overall,
it's disappointingly thin, without any marked character. There's very
little fruit on the palate, though there are still some tannins.
Probably this bottle is a bit over the hill.
(27/6/98)
1995
Chardonnay, Caliterra Estate, Casablanca Valley, 13.5%
(Bibendum)
A nice bright, pale gold. Very solid legs. The nose is very intense and
rich with peachy melon hints. Very smooth on the attack, filling out
very quickly. This appears to be characterised primarily by really
quite harsh, rough notes. Decent length, but very hard. Good.
(21/6/98)
1996 Merlot,
Bodegas La Rural, Mendoza, Argentina, 13% (Bibendum)
A very even, attractive, young cherry red colour. Very attractive nose
with bags of fruit and quite a sweet scent. Very smooth, clean attack.
Then there is loads of fruit. then a real punch of backbone. The
tannins are very much kept in control, though there are plenty of them.
Long, very long finish. Very well structured and very well balanced.
This has plenty of life and potential for keeping. Very Good Indeed.
(14/6/98)
1996 Domain
Pont, Pinot Noir, AC Bourgogne, 12.5% (Asda)
A fairly even, rather young purple. An intensely fruity nose, markedly
pinot noir, with a bit of rough alcohol at the end. Slightly dull,
undistinguished attack. It then fills out rather well. Good flavours,
though a bit lean and not exactly mouthfilling, but a decent example.
Considerable length. Good.
(13/6/98)
1992 Crianza
Palacio de la Vega, Navarra Den. de Origen, 12.5% (Oddbins)
A blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% tempranillo, this has a nice
rounded, even ruby colour, looking fairly mature. Powerful legs. The
nose is very full: thick and rich with peppery vanilla. Very nice
attack: clean and fruity. Very well balanced on the palate, with all
the tannins smoothed out and no particularly out-standing flavour.
Very, very long, the aftertaste developing from an initial pepperiness,
then slowly rounding out. A Riedel cabernet glass brings out a distinct
earthy, mushroomy aroma.
(2/6/98)
1994 Domaine
Seigneurie de Pardailhan, Elevé en futs de chêne,
AC Saint-Chinian, 12.5% (Sunday Times Wine Club)
A bright, sparkling red colour. Young with touches of purple. Very
firm, syrupy legs. The nose is very attractive with lots of young,
crisp fruit. Nice, pleasant attack, showing youth. Fills out fairly
well, but overall it's hampered by its youth and young tannins. Very
Good/Very Good Indeed.
(10/5/98)
1995
Colombard Domaine d'Espérance, Vin de Pays des Landes, Comte
et Comtesse J.L. de Montesquieu Fezensac, 11% (Bibendum)
A pale, bright straw. Very clean, vegetal nose with hints of peppery
spice, though perhaps a little muddied. Nice and clean, yet firm on the
attack. Rounds out nicely on the palate. Very full and not over-dry.
Quite rich and mouthfilling. Good length. Very Good Indeed.
(30/4/98)
1996
Sauvignon Blanc, Deakin Estate, Victoria, Australia, 12.5%
(Bibendum)
A bright sparkling gold colour. The nose is full, and not especially
redolent of sauvignon blanc: rather it's very ripe with very clear
overtones of mango on the nose. Full on the attack. Quite rich and
oddly buttery: not all what you'd expect from a bottle labelled as
sauvignon blanc, other than some nice, clean freshness. Very Good+.
(27/4/98)
1995 Bianco
di Torgiano DOC, Azienda Agricola Vignabaldo, Umbria 11.5%
(Bibendum)
Very, very pale, almost watery colour, with just a slight tinge of
greeny yellow. A very clean, crisp nose that's slightly fragrant and
slightly vegetal. A very nice, crisp, fresh attack. It then fills
quickly into a very rich, vaguely buttery mouthful. Well, maybe not
buttery: the fruit has a dense appley-mango-pea flavour. Good length
with very slight traces of hardness on the finish. Very Good+
(14/4/98)
1996 Chenin
Blanc, Libertad, Mendoza, Argentina, 12.5% (Bibendum)
A vivid pale straw. The nose is very attractive with good herby tones.
Nice clean attack. Good crisp fruit. Full and attractive Clean, crisp
flavours. Great length. Nice after too. Very Good Indeed+.
(17/2/98)
1996
Hárslevelü Estate wine, Lemberg Estate, Lemberg,
Tulbagh, South Africa, 13% (Ramsbottom Victuallers)
Night-harvested grapes. A pale to medium straw. The nose is full,
though not expecially fruity, and has some hard tones, alongside
vanilla and citrus. Full and open on the attack. Initially fairly
attractive, but the flavours become very muddied and unclear. Great
length, but following a very hard finish. Quite interesting, but not
overly enjoyable. Good.
(14/2/98)
1993 Recioto
amabile degli angeli, DOC Recioto della Valpolicella Classico, Masi
(Byrne's)
An interesting, very rich ruby colour with hints of youth,
but also others of maturity. A very rich colour. Very strong, firm
legs. Extremely full nose - again very rich: very concentrated and
intense with several layers. There's fruit initially on the nose, then
it's almost smoky, almost redolent of a timber-yard. Very rich, very
full attack. Then it fills out and lengthens amazingly. Great depth of
flavour. Very attractive. Very rich. Great length. Rich and velvety
rather than sweet, and with hints of pepper. Very Good Indeed.
(8/2/98)
1994 Pinot
Bianco, Vino da tavola della bergamasca, Produttori Riuniti dai Cantina
Sociale Bergamasca, 11.5% (Bibendum)
Clear, pale gold. Quite a full nose with decent fruit and some citrussy
undertones. A bit hard on the attack, but fills very nicely in the
mouth. Smooth and rich on the palate. Good length. Good/Very Good.
(1/2/98)
1995
Sangiovese dell' Umbria, Brogal Vini
(Bibendum)
A nice mature, cherry red: quite a vibrant and sparkling colour. Nice,
pleasant nose, if fairly simple. Good fruit, though by no means heavy
or jammy. Very clean attack with some fruit. Light, but full textured
with great length. There's a fair amount of tannin on the finish
together with some spice. Good/Very Good.
(28/1/98)
1996 Wolf
Blass Chardonnay, barrel-fermented, South Australia, 13.5%
(Morrisons)
A medium to deep gold. Rich nose: biscuity and buttery. Very full on
the palate. Round and very nicely balanced on the palate. Not too much
oak. Great length. Very rich and very slightly spicy. Very Good.
(19/1/98)
1995
Nagyréde Estate Zenit, Hungary, 11.5%
A very pale straw. No legs. Fresh, floral nose. Very nice attack: crisp
and fresh. It then fills out to a certain creaminess. Clean and fresh.
Very Good+
(1/8/97)
1976
Erbes-Rüdesheimer Vogelsang Gewürztraminer Auslese,
Rheinhessen, Haus Thiel, AP Nr. 4 277 143 011 77, 11.5%
(Ramsbottom Victuallers, £23.50)
Labelled as an organic wine. A gorgeous deep gold: very rich looking.
No discernible length. Very full nose: rich, creamy and buttery with
some gewurz hints, but not much. Very rounded nose. Very clean on the
palate. Very mouthfilling and rich. Very rich rather than sweet, though
definitely is sweetish. But remarkably clean and rounded. Very Good
Indeed.
(27/4/97)
1996
Aconcagua First Release, Mendoza, Argentina, 12.5% (Sunday
Times Wine Club)
A superb nose: some fruit, but lots of warm spice. A good, clean
attack. Very full, smooth and rounded on the palate. Quite a fruity
backbone of flavour. Develops very well with a building pepperiness.
Reminiscent of a Navarra tempranillo blend. Very good length. Very Good+
(11/3/97)
1994
Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon, Clare Valley/Lenswood, Tim Knappstein,
13% (Oddbins)
A blend of 77% sauvignon blanc and 23% semillon; 40% of the wine was
fermented in French oak. A thin, hard nose. Nice fruity attack. Fills
out quite a lot. Complex flavours, but really quite hard and steely
with some slightly unpleasant tones, though I don't think there's
anything wrong. OK.
(March 1997)
1992 Preece
Cabernet Sauvignon, SE Australia, Mitchelton Wines, 13%
A very deep, fairly mature ruby colour. Great nose with loads of frit,
but noticeable green twigginess. A nice clean attack with good fruit. A
mouthfilling wine that's not over-tannic, just a nice backbone. Great
length on the finish. Very Good.
(6/2/97)
1993 Preece
Chardonnay, SE Australia, Mitchelton Wines, 13%
A very yellow gold with no discernible legs. Quite a full nose - not
especially fruity, but very well developed and complex. Very smooth
attack, then really mouth-filling. Nice, fresh, and fruity. A bit hard
on the finish, especially after. Good.
(2/2/97)
NV
Sainsbury's Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon, Navarra Denominacion de
Origen, Bodegas Agronavarra, 12% (Sainsbury)
A nice gradation of reasonably mature colour with a good ruby red at
the centre. Noticeable, but not over-firm legs. Good nose, fairly
complex, with a good amount of fruit. Clean, neat attack. Quite
mouthfilling. There's a hint of roughness after, developing into a
long, fairly fruit finish. OK/Good.
(30/1/97)
1995 Le
Tallaron, Syrah & Gamay, Vin de Pays des Côteaux de
l'Ardèche, 12% (Sunday Times Wine Club)
A very young purple colour - actually a very nice cherry colour. Loads
of fruit on the nose, but still with very young tones. Nice
mouthfilling fruit. Fairly high tannins. Good length. Nice and clean
after. Very Good.
(9/7/96)
1992 Palacia
de la Vega Merlot, Navarra den. de Origen, 13% (Oddbins)
A youngish (very young on the rim) colour, just starting to mature.
Very full merlot nose: soft and fruity, very soft scents with a slight
spiciness. Nice soft attack. Good flavours, if rather subdued. But also
very full. Good length. A slight hint of harshness on the late finish.
Good.
(4/3/96)
NV Feteasca
Negra & Cabernet Sauvignon, Cellarmasters Selection, Murfatler
Wine Region, 12%
An even, quite young cherry colour. Very smooth, if unremarkable nose
with slight scents of tannin and alcohol. Very smooth, silky attack.
Fairly full. Fairly pleasant, verging on the innocuous. A bit hard
after. OK/Good.
(22/1/96)
1991 Palacio
de la Vega Cabernet Sauvignon, Navarra Denominacion de Origen,
12% (Oddbins)
An even, fairly mature colour - quite bright. A nice vanilla nose with
the cabernet fruit a little subdued, but overall attractive. Good
attack. Clean, quite fresh and fairly full. Quite tannic after, when it
has considerable length. Very well rounded. Very Good.
(21/1/96)
NV Tesco
Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon, Navarra Denominacion de Origen, Luis
Gurpegui Muga, 12.5%
A fairly young, bright red with some vague signs of maturing at the
rim. Quite powerful legs. The nose is fairly rich with decent fruit,
though a strong background of alcohol. Decent attack. Quite crisp and
there's not much fruit, though there is the same alcoholic power as on
the nose (which is odd, given that it's a mere 12.5%). Fills out well
in the mouth and has good length. Not bad. OK/Good.
(13/9/95)
1993
Brothers Vineyards Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, New Zealand,
10.5%
Quite a deep gold colour with greenish tinges. A very rich nose that
has buttery tones with hints of green fruit. Very fresh on the attack,
with lots of green fruit on the palate. There's also the same sort of
buttery notes on the palate as on the nose. Very Good.
(10/9/95)
1994
Satinella de Marqués de Cáceres, Rioja,
12% (Oddbins?)
[A blend of late harvest viura and malvasia]. A very pale, slightly
pinkish straw. A full, rich nose with sweet vanilla tones. Very full on
the palate. Sweetish (and indeed, clearly medium sweet), but very clean
on the attack. Good length. Nice and attractive, though it could do
with a bit more acidity. Good/Very Good.
(13/8/95)
1991 Palacio
de la Vega Cabernet Sauvignon, Navarra Den. do Origen, 12%
(Oddbins)
A very deep mature colour with strong legs. Very deep blackcurrant nose
with some depth and hints of leather and mint. A bit up front and
obvious on the palate. Quite full and a bit brash. This has a
remarkably thin character given the nose and the colour. Good.
(9/7/95)
1994
Rosemount Estate Shiraz Cabernet, 12%
A young, vibrant colour. Very full nose with lots of complex fruit,
including some cherries. Very clean attack. Then it's quite spicy, and
fills out well in the mouth. Smooth finish with good length. Distinctly
lacking in tannic structure. Very Good.
(4/7/95)
1989
Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Kabinett, Schloss Schönborn,
Rheingau, AP Nr 31 052 008 92, 9% (Sunday Times Wine Club)
Pale straw: quite clear. A fairly dull, flat nose with rather subdued
riesling fruit. Nice clean attack, and there's good ripe and rich fruit
on the palate. Very smooth. Very nice, but not especially
distinguished. Very Good. 85/100
(27/6/95)
1994 Albor
by Campo Viejo. Selected Cuvée of tempranillo grapes. Rioja
DOC, 12% (Oddbins)
A very young, nicely vibrant colour: good raspberry colour, with a
depth of colour at the core, thinning out to a crisper slightly more
mature colour at the edges. A decent nose, clearly fairly young. This
isn't overwhelmingly fruity, but there is very little tannin too. Very
clean attack: fresh and fruity. Quite light but not entirely lacking
structure. Some slighly harsh tones just before the - lengthy - finish.
Good+ 83/100
(20/6/95)
1993
Château Paul Blanc, AC Costières de Nîmes,
12.5% (Oddbins)
An attractive, deep colour with some fairly young hues. Good strong
legs. The nose is very fruity initially, then it fills out with some
tannins and perhaps a bit of alcohol. Good, clean, fresh attack. Very
full on the palate. Considerable structure. Quite smooth. Good length.
Good+ 84/100
(14/6/95)
1993
Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, The Brothers Vineyards, Marlborough, New
Zealand, 10.5% (Oddbins)
An attractive deep straw. No discernible legs. Very full nose: quite
strange with a fair amount of smokiness, though very smooth and rich,
perhaps with a bit of nuttiness. Quite fresh on the attack. Fills out
to an extremely smooth, flavoursome palate. Remarkable length. Very
distinctive. Very Good.
(6/6/95)
1992 Alsace
Pinot Blanc, AC Alsace, Cave des vignerons à Turckheim,
12%
A full fragrant, elegant, floral nose. Very hard on the palate. OK.
(28/5/95)
1993
Côtes du Rhône, Barton & Guestier,
12% (Oddbins)
A very attractive colour - really quite mature. No legs. Dull nose
without fruit. Very dull hard taste. Off, though it doesn't seem corked.
(17/5/95)
1991
Dürkheimer Spielberg Scheurebe Kabinett Halbtrocken, Weingut
Johannes Karst & Söhne, Pfalz, AP Nr 5 160
164 19 92, 10% (Sunday Times Wine Club)
A pale gold with hints of green. Fresh, slightly appley nose. A bit
unbalanced on the palate, with some harshness and some smoothness. Not
a great deal of flavour, though after being open a while, some hints of
melon come through on the palate. Very dull and unimpressive. OK.
(14/5/95)
1989
Dürkheimer Fuchsmantel Scheurebe Auslese, Weingut Johannes
Karst & Söhne, Pfalz, AP Nr 5 160 164 16 90,
11.5% (Sunday Times Wine Club)
A fairly deep straw. Incredibly fresh, fruity, deep nose. Clean attack.
Very full on the palate. Just a bit too sweetish. Great length. Very
clean. Good/Very Good.
(7/5/95)
1989
José Maria da Fonseca, Quinta de Camarate, Vinho Regional
Terras do Sado, Portugal, 12%
Attractive, very bright ruby red with signs of maturity on the rim.
Rather twiggy nose with some oak and very little fruit. Good attack,
with decent fruit. Decent palate - full with decent structure. Fair
length, but with a hint of astringency on the finish. Good.
(25/4/95)
1994 Albor
by Campo Viejo Vino Joven, Rioja DOC, Bodegas Camp Viejo,
11.5% (Oddbins)
A pale gold. Very full, markedly appley nose. good crisp attack. Very
mouthfilling and very fresh. Good/Very Good.
(22/4/95)
1990
Costières de Nîmes, Barton & Guestier,
12% (Oddbins)
A nice mature colour, with a good depth of colour in the glass. Rather
astringent, slightly spicy nose. Fresh and fruity on the attack. Fills
out enormously, though this doesn't really feel full-bodied, just self
important. The astringency continues throughout and into the
considerable length. Good+.
(19/4/95)
1991 Palacio
de la Vega Crianza, Navarra, 12% (Oddbins)
An attractive, just mature ruby. Great oaky, vanilla nose -
very full. Good legs. Nice attack: decent
fruit. Very mouthfilling, with tannins coming through,
together with a bit of alcohol on the finish. Good+.
(16/4/95)
1988
Brauneberger Klostergarten Riesling Spätlese,
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, P. Licht-Bergweiler Erben, 8% (Laithwaites)
Pale gold. Very full riesling nose: herby and slightly
spicy. Very nice attack. Clean, yet with rich
undertones. Velvety smooth. Fills out beautifully
in the mouth. Very good depth of flavour. Very nice
after. Great length. Very Good Indeed.
(9/4/95)
1993 Domaine
de Saint-Launes, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne, Michel
Duffour, 11% (Morrisons?)
An attractive goldy-yellow appearance. Nice, attractive
rounded nose with herby overtones. Very attractive on the
palate. Very rounded and smooth. Clean and
fresh. Very well formed and balanced. Nice length
after. Very Good Indeed.
(3/4/95)
1993
Cimislia de Moldova Merlot, Vin de Calitate de la rejiunia Cimislia,
12.5% (Morrisons)
Not too young in appearance, though it's a bit murky looking.
A very odd, very powerful nose: heavy, with strange fruit
aromas. Very smooth on the palate. Not particularly
flavoursome. Quite decent. There's a slight hint of
harshness towards the finish. Decent length. Good.
(28/3/95)
1993
Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc, Rosemount Estate, 10.5% (Tesco)
Quite a fair gold colour. Very nice, freshy, fruity
nose. Fairly thin attack: clean and crisp. Fills
out well on the palate and ends up quite full and rich. Very
balanced. Considerable length, and very good after.
Perhaps a bit lacking in character, but very sound. Good/Very
Good.
(27/2/95)
1989 Chivite
Reserva, Navarra, Denominacion de Origen, Bodegas Julián
Chivite, 12.5% (Oddbins)
A bright, crystal clear red with hints of strawberry and a touch of
maturity. Lots of fresh vanilla on the nose, which has some
complexity. Nice attack. Full palate, with some odd
hints of lemon and a nice kiss of oak. Good/Very Good.
(21/2/95)
1993
Château Paul Blanc, AC
Costières
de Nîmes, 12.5% (Oddbins)
A very deep mauve, showing considerable youth round the
edges. Very deep, full nose with quite a lot of fruit
initially, but then showing more serious signs of structure.
Decent attack, but with little of the fruit that was on the
nose. Slightly pepper on the palate with some alcohol
evident. Very firm and full, and very long.
Unusual. Good/Very Good.
(17/2/95)
1992
Corbières Rouge, Les Vignerons du Val D'Orbieu, Narbonne,
11.5% (Morrisons)
A very dark colour, still rather young at the edges. Fair
legs. Full nose: a bit odd with slightly astringent notes,
and some strong hints of alcohol. Rather thin on the palate,
and what flavour there is, quickly gives way to tannins. It
really tastes exactly how it smells. Very
undistinguished. OK
(7/2/95)
1992
Bernkasteler Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer,
Graf von Spee'sche Weinkellerei, 9% (Laithwaites)
Pale gold appearance. Very good nose: fresh, fruity with
hints of apples. Nice smooth attack. Light, but
full of flavour. Really quite rich and complex on the
palate. Considerable length. Extremely
pleasant. Very Good Indeed.
(6/2/95)
1986
Niersteiner Oelberg Riesling und Ruländer Auslese,
Rheinhessen, Weingut Dr. Alex Senfter, 10.1% (Laithwaites)
A very tall bottle. Pale gold colour. Attractive,
luscious nose with multi-layered creamy fruit. Full attack,
with heavy, creamy rich fruit flavours. There's a hint of an
acidic backbone, but it's fairly faint. Creamy and full and
with a pleasing sweetness. Fair length. Very
Good/Very Good Indeed
(30/1/95)
1993 Le
Meunier, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Californian Red Wine, 13.5%
(Oddbins)
Made from the pinot meunier grape, helpfully described on the label as
"pinot noir's rustic cousin." A young, bright raspberry
red. Attractive nose: fruity with some structure and
depth. Decent legs. Fairly fresh attack, then very
mouthfilling on the palate with a surprisingly large amount of
tannins. Rather odd, rather harsh finish, followed by
considerable length. An unusual wine, for sure, but I'm not
sure how attractive it ultimately is. Good?
(25/1/95)
1992
Bechtheimer Pilgerpfad Spätlese, QmP, Weinkellerei am
Klostergarten, 9.5% (Morrisons)
A very pale gold. Quite a full nose: fairly rich
and attractive. Smooth, rich attack. Fairly full on
the palate: pleasant with very slight hints of spiciness.
Good finish. Decent length. Just a tad
sweet? Good/Very Good.
(17/1/95)
1990
Fondation 1725 (red), AC Bordeaux, Barton & Guestier,
12.5% (Oddbins)
A mature, fairly even colour. Good firm legs. Nice
nose, with plenty of vanilla, but not overloading some mature fruit
character which forces its way through. There is some
evidence of a firm structure. Reasonable attack - there's
even a hint of fresh fruit. Firm, if a little odd on the
palate. Perhaps rather thinner and more insipid that you
would initially think. Good-ish.
(18/12/94)
1993
Chardonnay Barrel Fermented, South Australia, Wolf Blass,
12.5%
An unexciting pale gold. Very full, rich nose, with good
depth and some slight spicy overtones and hints of oak. Nice
fresh attack. Very full and rich on the palate with a hint of
pepper. Very rich, smoothing and filling. Very Good.
(11/12/94)
1992 Riddoch
Sauvignon Blanc, Coonawarra, Katnook Estate, 12.5% (Oddbins)
Quite a remarkably deep gold. Lovely nose: very full, herby
and slightly scented sauvignon nose. Good legs.
Thin, fresh attack. Good depth, but no so fresh on the
finish. Fair length. Some rather harsh tones appear
on the finish. Good+.
(25/11/94)
1993 Preece
Chardonnay, Mitchelton Wines, South Eastern Australia, 13%
(Oddbins)
A pale gold with few discernable legs. A fairly subdued,
immediately obvious oaky Ozzie chardonnay nose. Very nice
fresh attack, which instantly fills out into something quite rich. some
acidity appears on the finish. Very long. Very Good.
(23/11/94)
1989 Navarra
Reserva, Bodegas Julián Chivite, 12.5% (Oddbins)
A nice colour, still with some signs of youth. Very good
nose: very full fresh and clean with fruit and vanilla
aromas. On the palate, it's actually a bit standard, but that
doesn't stand against it. Very even and quite mouthfilling;
smooth and clean. The use of oak is spot on. I have
to say I rather like this. Very Good.
(19/11/94)
NV Vin de
Pays de Gironde Selected for Tesco, Cheval Quancard, 11.5%
(Tesco)
A very thin appearance, not especially young-looking. This
has a very full nose that is not unattractive, though a bit twiggy
maybe. Nice smooth attack. Some slightly
unintegrated notes dominate the palate, with an overall of impression
of harshness. It has fair length, but there's nothing you
would particularly want to linger in the mouth. Very
innocuous and very, very uninteresting. OK.
(13/11/94)
NV
Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvignon, Navarra Denominacion de Origen, Tesco
(probably Bodegas Agronavarra) , 12.5% (Tesco)
A very attractive bright, clear colour - very youthful, but not very
purple. Not a wonderfully attractive nose. Nice
crisp attack. This has a good, full, young texture and is
fairly mouthfilling. There are some hard notes, but they
disappear after. OK.
(10/4/94)
1990
Costières de Nîmes, Barton & Guestier
(Oddbins)
An attractive, even colour that's not too young. Good nose -
not too heavy, with decent fruit. Good attack; quite fresh
really and with nice fruit. Develops a bit of a hard feel if
left in the mouth for more than a moment and is a bit odd
after. While having a relatively full flavour, it's has an
overall feeling of lightness, even of being a bit thin.
Goodish length though. Good/Very Good.
(25/10/94)
NV Gamay,
Havenscourt, California, 12.5% (Oddbins)
The Havenscourt range of wines were selected by Jason Korman for
Oddbins, essentially from winery surpluses, allowing him to hit a UK
price point (in the mid 1990s) of £3 to
£6. Korman supplied different ranges from similar
sources to Fullers under the name "Thornhill" and to Sainsbury's under
the name "South Bay". So much for the history.
This has a young to very young purple colour, looking clear and
crisp. It has a full, slightly twiggy gamay nose.
Nice attack, but there's nothing particularly distinctive about
it. It rounds out well and is fuller on the palate: fresh,
and fairly fruity, thouh with a hint of hardness on the
finish. Good length after, but overall it feels very light,
and it wouldn't have surprised me if it were less than 12.5%
abv. A nice, drinkable wine. Good+.
(20/10/94)
1992 Riddoch
Sauvignon Blanc, Coonawarra, Katnook Estate, 12.5% (Oddbins)
Quite a rich golden colour. Decent legs. Very full
nose: very fresh and green. Nice fresh attack. Full
and smooth with a good depth of flavour. Very Good Indeed.
(17/10/94)
1990 Ralph's
Shiraz, Coonawarra, Penfolds, 14% (Oddbins)
A very deep, even purple, with very firm legs - an incredilby deep
colour. Matur-ish nose, with oak and spicy woody tones
predominant. Good smooth attack. Full and rich on the
palate. Nice. Very Good.
(16/10/94)
1991
Riesling Trocken, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Weingut Grans-Fassian,
11% (Oddbins)
A clear pale gold. Nice clean riesling nose with some
depth. Nice sharp clean attack. full, fruity and
refreshing with fair length. An attractive wine.
Very Good.
(9/10/94)
NV Codru
Cabernet-Merlot de Cricova, Cricova, Moldova, Vin de Calitate de la
Rejiunia, Mont Royal Barois Kellerei GmbH, 12% (Sainsbury's)
A young cherry red, but not too young. Good fruity, clean
nose with plenty of blackcurrant fruit and hints of tannin.
Unclear attack. There's not much fruit on the palate, but
it's not bad. Nice follow through with some tannins, some
structure, some peppery spice. Not brilliant, but perfectly
ok. OK/Good.
(4/9/94)
1990
Fondation 1725, AC Bordeaux, Barton & Guestier, 12.5%
(Oddbins)
A fairly even colour: quite a vibrant, fruity mature red.
Fair legs. Fairly standard nose; nothing out of the very
ordinary, with some twigginess and some alcohol. Very harsh
attack. This is just like essence of tannins. Odd
and harsh. Probably a dodgy bottle, though I don't think it's
off. OK.
(21/8/94)
1992
Kéfrankos, Dry Red Quality Wine, Villány Region,
Hungary, 10.5% (Asda)
A very young, rather thin, bright cherry red appearance.
Nice, very fresh fruity nose with a strong blackberry
presence. Rather muddy attack. Very little on the
palate: there's some tannin, but not a great deal else.
Slightly peppery after. Avoidable. OK.
(14/8/94)
1993
Deidesheimer Hofstück, Pfalz, QmP, St. Ursula Weinkellerei GmbH,
9.5% (Asda)
A very pale straw. Deep, quite complex nose: herby, grassy,
with a hint of spice. Really quite mouthfilling.
Clean, full, rich, creamy smooth. Clean and really quite long
after. Very Good.
(20/7/94
1992
Dienheimer Tafelstein Scheurebe Kabinett, Weingut Brüder Dr.
Becker, Rheinhessen, 10.5%
A very pale straw appearance. Full nose, though a
bit muddy. Quite rich and almost a bit buttery.
Nice attack, well-rounded with a slight hint of acidity. A
touch sweet, and it could do with a little more acidity.
Fairly clean. Bit of an odd finish, but it's not unpleasant,
and is very long. Good/Very Good.
(29/5/94)
NV Aveleda
Vinho Verde Branco, Quinta da Aveleda, 8.5% (Plato Harrison)
There's a marked petillance in the glass and it's a very pale straw
colour. A pleasant nose with decent fruit, and also quite
rich, almost buttery. Nice attack. Clean and
fresh. Maybe a bit insipid, but still quite
mouthfilling. Very creditable length. Good+
(20/2/94)
NV Rocks
Elderflower Wine, 9.5%
A pale gooseberry green. Very, very fragrant nose, with lots
of muscat scent. Nice attack, with a very scented, fragrant
flavour. Rather confused on the palate and a bit hard, the
harshness lingering onto the fair length. Good
(6/2/94)
NV Blanc de
Blancs, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault, medium white wine, mis en
bouteille par Union de Grands Chais, Sète, France,
11% (Asda)
A clean pale gold with slight legs. Strange nose - quite
herby. Clean attack, though it's slightly confused on the
palate. Fairly full and very much medium in sweetness terms,
but there is some acidity to give it a bit of structure. Not
bad really. OK/Good.
(16/1/94)
1984 Morgon
Appellation Contrôlée, les producteurs
réunis Cellier des Samsons, alcohol content not
shown
This had thrown a very heavy sediment. A very mature
appearance; almost too brown. Wonderfully full, fruity nose:
very rich and strong, but still with some fresh fruit. Very
clean attack. There are some quite peppery flavours on the
palate; it's thin after and almost a bit dish-watery. A bit
odd. Past it.
(20/11/93)
1992 Mendoza
Blanc, Tesco International Winemaker Selection, Argentina,
(Tesco)
A good deep straw. Full, fruity nose: rich and
rounded. Very full, rich, creamy palate with very good
length. Good soft finish. Good.
(7/11/93)
1991
Sauvignon Blanc, Willow Grove Vineyards, Sonoma County, California,
13.5% (Laithwaites)
Quite a full straw colour. Very full nose with some typical
sauvignon aromas of green fruit and grass. Strong attack,
with a real backbone. There's quite a sharp tang in the
middle of the mouth. This is not a clean or fresh sauvignon
blanc. Full in the mouth with good to very good
length. Good.
(22/10/93)
1991
Agramont Navarra Den. de Origen, Bodegas Cenalsa, 11%
(Laithwaites)
Good gold. Little legs. Strong nose with a hint of
sour cream. Off.
(21/10/93)
1992
Semillon-Riesling Barossa Valley, Tesco International Wine Maker
Selection - Jacques Lurton, produce of Australia, bottled by Jean
Borel, St Hilaire, St Florent France, 12.5% (Tesco)
Quite a deep straw. Very full, complex nose with the butter
semillon to the fore and some riesling fragrance breaking
through. Nice clean attack. Very
mouthfilling. Full, rich and smooth on the palate and with a
full, long finish. Slightly hard long after. Very
Good.
(1/10/93)
1989 Marques
de Caceres White Rioja Crianza, 12% (Oddbins)
A fairly rich gold. Full, fruity, okay nose. Very
mouthfilling. Very Good.
(5/9/93)
1992 Domaine
de la Huperie Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie,
12% (Tesco)
A very pale golden colour. Fresh, grassy
nose. Good clean, fresh attack. Quite full
flavoured. Good length. Not especially
exciting. Good.
(22/8/93)
1991
Moravenka Palava, Znojmo Winery, Czechoslovakia, 11.5%
(Laithwaites)
A fairly rich gold. Very full aromatic nose: spicy, with
honeyed overtones. Clean attack. Full and fruity on
the palate: smooth, rich and mouthfilling, with a nice
spiciness. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(2/8/93)
1991 Tahbilk
Marsanne, Victoria, Australia, 13% (Oddbins)
Quite a deep straw colour, and quite strong legs. Very, very
full, fruity nose: very buttery, raisiny and a bit nutty, with some
floral undertones. Firm attack. Very full on the
palate, but not really fruity. A bit hard towards and on the
finish. Great length. Very Good.
(2/7/93)
1967 Grand
Vin de Chateau Latour, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac
Decanted at 18:20. There was remarkably little
sediment apparent and the cork was in good condition. It has
a good colour, shading from a very respectable, quite fresh-looking red
to a mature pale orange. Pleasant nose, with a balance of
vanilla and fruit. Perhaps not very much fruit,
though. Quite a clean, almost fresh attack. It then
fills out wonderfully and is quite spicy/peppery on the
finish. There are still traces of tannins. Good,
but not great length.
By 19:25 the nose was fuller and rounder with more vanilla.
Good clean attack, followed by some very solid structure.
Very mouthfilling. Peppery finish, followed by some length.
The next day, at 13:40, the colour has deepened and it has a more even,
mature port-like appearance. There are some legs on the
glass, though they aren't particularly striking. The nose is
rather fuller now, and more even. Decent fruit on the
attack. This is now nice and mouthfilling with quite a bit of
tannic structure. The spiciness has lessened.
There's good, but not extraordinary length.
By 20:50 on the second day, it's showing a good, attractive, mature
colour, though not an old colour. The nose is ok, but is now
receding, with just plenty of oaky vanilla and very little fruit
indeed. Nice clean attack: it's not noticeably fruity, but is
well-rounded. It has a decent tannic backbone, though feels a
bit thin.
Very Good Indeed.
(20-21/6/93)
1991 Rhine
Riesling Reserve, Danie de Wet, Wine of Origin Robertson, South Africa,
8% (Asda)
Medium straw appearance. Fairly full nose: quite
rich. Smooth, fruity and clean on the palate, but also very
raisiny. A bit on the sweet side. OK.
(17/6/93)
1992
Semillon-Riesling Barossa Valley, Tesco International Wine Maker -
Jacques Lurton, produce of Australia, bottled by Jean Borel, St
Hilaire, St Florent France, 12.5% (Tesco)
A pale gold. Very full nose with hints of citrus.
Very full, mature flavours. Great length. Very
smooth and well rounded. This has quite a bit of character
for a wine that's been bulk imported into Europe.
(30/5/93)
NV Moscato
del Piemonte, partially fermented grape must, sweet semi-sparkling,
produced & bottled by Salero SpA, Santo Stefano, Belbo, Italy,
5% (Victoria Wine)
There are some bubbles in the glass, but no stream of
bubbles. An aromatic muscat nose - not
overpowering. Very pétillant on the tongue and
quite foamy. Nice, clean, fresh fruit. Very little
length. Good.
(17/5/93)
1992 Barossa
Valley Estates Gewürztraminer Premium Selection, South Eastern
Australia, 11% (Oddbins)
A very pale, clear straw. Fairly full nose: quite pleasant -
not notably spicy or sweet. Clean, fresh attack.
There's some depth on the palate followed up by decent
length. Smooth and fairly well rounded. A tad sweet
perhaps. There's a slight harshness on the finish.
Not the world's best gewurz, but it's quite adequate. Good.
(16/4/93)
1989
Tenterden Cinque Port Classic, Medium, English Table Wine, Estate Grown
& Bottled by Tenterden Vineyards, Kent, UK, 11% (Asda)
A very pale colour with only the slightest green tinge. Some
legs. This has a reasonably full nose: quite rich, but a bit
muddy, with a slight scent. Is there a touch of oak on this
too? There's some acidity on the attack, which is followed up
by some sweetness. Quite mouthfilling. Pleasant and
easy. Not bad.
(28/2/93)
1982 Chateau
Saint Estève d'Uchaux, AC Côtes du Rhône,
13.8% (Fields, Sloane Avenue, c. 1984)
There was quite a bit of sediment in the bottle, so it was
decanted. In the glass it showed a fully mature brownish red
with an ochre rim. Very full nose - remarkably fruity with
some oaky backbone. There are also some hints of alcohol on
the nose. Very full and rounded on the palate, with some
fruit, but this is a very mature wine. Quite a bite after and
great length. Very Good+.
(24/2/93)
NV Jeunes
Vignes Cuvée Personelle, Vin de Table Français,
12.5% (Marks & Spencer)
This was a chablis made from vines too young for the
appellation. A medium straw with a slight green
tinge. Good nose - young, fresh and very crisp.
Very mouthfilling. Smooth and remarkably rich and buttery
with a good acidic structure coming through at the end. Very
Good+
(7/2/93)
1990
Archioni Reserve Rhine Riesling, Mikulov Znojmo, Estate Bottled,
Czechoslovakia, 12% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A rather deep straw colour. No legs to speak of.
Very full nose: not markedly riesling, and a bit grassy with some
sweetish scents behind. Very full on the palate, very smooth and very
nicely rounded and quite mouthfilling. Some length.
Good+
(22/1/93)
N.V.
Sainsbury's Winemaker's Choice Vino da Tavola, Barone Ricasoli,
Tuscany, Italy, 12.5% (Sainsbury)
An almost clear appearance, with the slightest green tinge.
Good, full, fruity nose with some buttery notes. Probably
chardonnay, possibly with some Sauvignon or similar. Quite
full on the attack - firm and rounded with a slight acidic
backbone. A bit odd on the finish. OK.
(10/1/93)
1987
Fronton, AC Côtes du
Frontonnais, Mis en bouteilles par Küntz père et
fils
viticulteurs à Castelanu d'Estretefonds, 12.5%
(Asda)
Fairly mature appearance with some legs. Decent nose, if
undistinguished, with some fruit and some vanilla. Good clean
attack. Moderately mouthfilling. Smooth and
moderately fruity in the mouth, with some structure. Great
length. Quite Good.
(5/1/93)
1991
Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, California, Willow Grove Vineyards,
13.5% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A good, full, fairly scented, grassy nose. Incredibly rich
and butter on the attack, with hints of pepper. This has a
very solid backbone and probably need a bit of time to
soften. Very Good.
(18/11/92)
1991
Moravenka Moravian Müller-Thurgau, Estate Bottles, Znovin
Salov Winery, Znojmo, Czechoslovakia, 11% (Laithwaites/Sunday
Times Wine Club)
A remarkably rich straw colour for a Müller-Thurgau.
Full, very fruity, almost Riesling-like nose - rich, sweet and a bit
scented. Very rich and full and rounded on the
attack. Fresh and clean on the palate, but with really good
depth and great length too. Quite refreshing too. Very Good
Indeed.
(13/11/92)
1990 Preece
Chardonnay, Mitchelton Vintners, Goulburn Valley, Australia,
12.5% (Oddbins)
A good deep golden colour. Rich, powerful nose, though not
especially redolent of chardonnay. Very smooth, creamy and
rich on the palate, with a slight hint of peppery spice.
There's a nice line of acidity towards and on the finish.
Very Good Indeed/Excellent.
(1/11/92)
1991 Cortese
del Piemonte, vino da tavola bianco, Viticoltori dell'Acquese,
Piedmont, Italy, 11% (Oddbins)
Pale green appearance. Full, herby nose. Smooth
attack. Quite mouthfilling, with a good depth of
flavour. Very Good.
(26/10/92)
1990
Archioni Reserve Rhine Riesling, Mikulov Znojmo, Estate Bottled,
Saldorf Cellars, Novy Saldorf, Moravia, Czechoslovakia, 12%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
There's a marked bold tinge to the appearance. Very, very,
rich full nose, and remarkably very buttery too. Nice clean
attack. Fresh follow-up. Toasty finish.
Some acidity, though of the hard variety, showing after. Very
full and rich. Very Good.
(11/10/92)
1990
Gewürztraminer, Barossa Valley, Tolley, 13.5%
(Oddbins)
Quite a rich gold. Nice fragrant gewurztraminer nose: not too
scented; perhaps even a bit reticent. Very full on the
attack. Lacks freshness on the palate. Rather hard
finish. OK.
(17/9/92)
1988
Cuvée Réservé, AC Côtes du
Rhône Villages, Cellier des Dauphins, 12.5% (Tesco?)
A fairly even, fairly mature colour with a slight hint of
raspberry. Full nose, but very undistinguished and with
little fruit. Strong legs. good, very smooth
attack. Nice rounded. There's enough body to
satisfy and some tannins. But overall, it's very
unexciting. Good.
(6/9/92)
1989
Dienheimer Tafelstein Scheurebe Kabinett, Rheinhessen, Weingut
Brüder Dr. Becker, 9.5% (Safeway)
From organically cultivated vineyards. Very pale colour, with
just a slight green tinge. Very full Cox's orange pippin
nose. Appley and very smooth on the palate, though there's
the slightest hint of cloying. Very good length.
There's a slight hardness at the top of the palate long
after. Very well rounded and decently balanced
wine. Very Good.
(1/1/92)
1990 St
Ursula Organic Qualitätswein, Rheinhessen, 9.5%
(Safeway)
A clear, even pale straw. The nose is okay, but nothing
special. Clean attack. Quite
full-flavoured. Fair length. Clean and fairly
fresh. A bit average overall. OK/Good.
(11/8/92)
NV Tesco
Argentinian White Wine, Mendoza, Argentina, bottled by
Argrivin in France, 11.5% (Tesco)
A fairly deep straw colour. Full nose - really quite
fragrant. Thinly textured on the palate, but very
full-flavoured. Very powerful, and almost raisiny.
I'd suspect there's a good proportion of viognier in this.
Good length. Very different, and it seems a bit challenging
for the absolute base level supermarket non-vintage white.
Very Good.
1989
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese, Weingut
Grans-Fassian, 7.5% AP Nr. 3 529 042 10 90 (Oddbins)
Clean and clear appearance with a greenish yellow
colour. Very full nose; quite complex, minerally and a touch
herbaceous, and showing some age. Hmm, this has an
interesting bunch of flavours - "bunch" to the point of feeling a bit
mixed up and muddied. Very good length, with an apple
cordial/concentrate aftertaste that's really rather bizarre.
My impression is that it's serious stuff, but on balance it's not
really doing it for me. Very Good.
(7/7/92)
1991 Moscato
d'Asti DOC, Viticoltori Dell'Acquese, 5.5% (Oddbins)
Quite a golden appearance. Very full, fruity muscat nose -
nice and fragrant. Only a slight
pétillance. Very fresh. Just a touch
sweet. Lovely and fresh. Very Good Indeed.
(12/6/92)
1990 Douro
Branco, Vinhos Sogrape
(according to the cork), 12% (Asda)
Pale straw colour. Quite full on the nose, feeling rather
dry, but with an artificial household cleaner scent behind.
Decent attack. Fairly full in the mouth. Rather
hard, with an odd finish. Fine, but totally
unexceptional. Good.
(29/5/92)
1989
Dienheimer Paterhof Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken, Rheinhessen, Weingut
Brüder Dr. Becker, 10%, AP Nr. 4 371018 13 90
(Oddbins)
Produced organically.
Pale gold, but definitely golden. Very full nose with apples
and gooseberries. Very good, fruity attack. Very
smooth. A bit sweeter than you'd expect for a halbtrocken,
which does it no harm whatsoever. Rich and very full on the
palate, making a very enjoyable glass. Very Good Indeed.
(22/5/92)
1989
Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc, Hunter Valley, Rosemount Estate,
11.5%
A light straw colour, with some legs. Full nose - rich and
fruity, perhaps with a bit of spice. Clean, crisp
attack. It has an acidic backbone, but is decently
balanced. rich and smooth, quite dry. Good
length. Just slightly muddied. Very Good.
1971
Château Moulin Pey-Labrie, AC Canon Fronsac,
alcohol content and bottle size not shown
Very pure and clean looking. Decently mature, and with a
markedly orange rim. Quite a thin appearance. Nice nose -
well-structured and very mature, fairly spicy and complex. Very smooth.
Full-flavoured, with good-great length. Unfortunately, this has just
gone over the hill and is probably a bit past its best. Very Good/Very
Good Indeed.
(20/4/92)
1990 La
Cigüeña, DO Navarra, 11.5%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Pale but attractive deep straw. Nice, slightly herby,
garriquey nose with good, full fruit. Nice attack - sharp and
fresh. Mouthfilling and very long. Very Good.
(18/2/92)
1987
Fronton, AC Côtes du
Frontonnais, Mis en bouteilles par Küntz père et
fils
viticulteurs à Castelanu d'Estretefonds, 12.5%
(Asda)
Quite mature looking, going to thin strawberry juice at the
edge. Decent, but unexciting nose, and with something a bit
odd behind. Quite full on the palate, with a nice fruity
attack. good length, rather dry, but not
over-tannic. Slightly hard finish and after. Very
long and lingering, with unfamiliarity of the negrette coming across as
a bit odd. OK/Good.
(3/2/92)
N.V.
Sangiovese dell'Emilia, Vino di Tavola, Wisco Crocetta del Montello,
10% (Tesco)
This has the appearance of strawberry juice with a rather young purple
tinge and little in the way of legs. Young, light and very
pleasant on the nose. Light and inoffensive on the
palate. Not much length, but smooth and soft. Good+
(28/1/92)
Unknown
Vintage (probably 1991 or 1990), Villany Cabernet Franc
This was an unlabelled bottle from Laithwaites/Sunday Times
Wine Club.
Very heavy appearance with plenty of youth. Great thick,
globular legs - really glass coating. Sweet, winey nose -
it's good, but difficult to pin down the exact scents. Very
mouthfilling. Good attack, with the vigour of youth very
evident. Plenty of tannic structure, though it's not
overdone. Very long. Very Good+
(22/1/92)
NV The
Society's French Country Red, AC Corbières (The Wine Society),
11.5%
A bottle that was given to me. Spicy nose with some acidity
behind. Young, thin purple appearance. Good attack
with plenty of flavour. Smooth, simple and rather thin and
innocuous. Fair length I suppose. This is ok, but I
wouldn't want to be spending more than £2.50 (1991 prices) a
bottle on it. Develops a bit of a hard note long
after. OK.
(5/11/91)
1990 Los
Becerros, DO Navarra, 12.5% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine
Club)
18,000 bottles produced. Quite a young, youthful
purple. The nose is a little twiggy, but there lots more of
interest in there with some quite fruit, counterpointed by a fair
amount of vanilla. Fruity attack. Good palate - the
tannins aren't as dominant as the nose suggested they might
be. Good length. Complex, but not heavy.
Very Good Indeed.
(21/10/91)
1989
Moravenka Moravian Rulander, Znojmo Winery, Czechoslovakia,
12% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Remarkable, very full golden appearance. Very full nose -
quite grassy, but clean and sharp, though unfortunately I'm serving it
a bit too cold. Very dry. Great length.
Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(12/9/91)
1988 Estate
Grown Muller-Gutenborner Dry, English Table Wine, Tenterden Vineyards,
11% (from the winery)
A very pale, thin-looking yellow. Powerful nose - a bit odd
and not overly inviting: there's musky grass in front of a greenish
fruit background. Ugh. It's ok, not spoiled, but
it's just not a good wine at all. And that "Dry" is a bit of
lie - it's not very dry at all. Good length though.
Very unimpressive. OK.
(31/7/91)
1990
Moravenka Moravian Palava, Produced & bottled by Znojmo Winery,
Czechoslovakia, 11% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A nice, rich goldy straw - little in the way of legs, though it does
look to have quite a firm texture. Very full, forthright,
fruity nose that's slightly scented. Nice clean
attack. Very fresh on the palate. Incredibly
long. Jolly good. Very Good Indeed+
(14/7/91)
(Unknown
vintage, probably early-mid '70s) Morgon, Louis Latour
Good cork. Very little sediment. Very
clean and thin looking, but with an attractive orangey red
colour. Very good mature, full, fruity nose. Nice
smooth attack. Fairly mouthfilling. Very
smooth. Very long. Very pleasant after.
Very nice indeed. Who says Beaujolais doesn't age?
Very Good Indeed.
(24/6/91)
1987
Drayton's Estate Bottled Chardonnay Semillon, Lower Hunter Valley,
Australia, 11%
Nice golden colour. Good, very full nose: fruity with a
buttery richness. A bit odd on the palate: rather thin
attack, a touch off dry. Very long, but rather unpleasant
finish with a hint of bad eggs. All very smooth
though. OK.
(6/2/91)
1988
Tenterden Rosé, Fine English Table Wine, Estate Grown
& bottled at Tenterden Vineyards, Spots Farm, Tenterden, Kent,
11% (direct from the producers)
Pale, thin salmon pink. Nice, fully, fruity nose.
Very smooth, nice, fruity attack. Good balance.
Good length. Nice after. Very Good.
(19/11/90)
1986
Château Menate, AC Sauternes, 375ml, alcohol
content not shown (?Tesco/Sainsbury's?)
Pale gold colour. Full nose with some interest. Not
bad. Nothing special. Not too sweet.
Slightly harsh after. Good.
(4/9/90)
1987
Balgownie Premier Cuvée, South Eastern Australian Shiraz
Cabernet Series One, 12% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A very nice, even ruby colour, though it looks a bit thin.
Very nice, complex nose - very peppery, but with a distinct
blackcurrant background. Smooth and deep. This has
a bit of something about it. Distinctive, powerful flavours;
full and elegant. Very Good Indeed.
(13/8/90)
1984
Juliénas, Georges Duboeuf, alcohol content not
shown (Whynot Wine Warehouse)
A nice, even orangey ruby, looking a bit thin and
matured. Mature nose: rich and complex, but not
much fruit left. Nice, pleasant and smooth attack.
Very mouthfilling. Great length. Past its best, but
interesting to try. Very Good.
(9/7/90)
1987
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Les Arnevels, Jerome Quiot,
13% (Tesco?)
An attractive pale gold. solid legs. Attractive
nose: quite complex and nicely rounded, with a hint of fresh appley
fruit. Nice and mouthfilling. Good, sharp, focussed
attack. Full-bodied, with a nice weighty richness.
Very long, but with a touch of hardness after. Very Good/Very
Good Indeed.
(18/6/90)
1987 Grain
Sauvage Blanc de Blancs, AC Jurançon Sec, Cave des
Producteurs de Jurançon, 12.5%, 700ml (Tesco?)
A pale, even, lemon yellow colour. Good legs. Nice
fruity nose with real depth: there's grass, fruit and a bit of
spice. Nice attack, but then really rather hard on the
palate, and very sulphorous on the finish. Tastes of sulphur
after. Not especially pleasant. Poor.
(5/6/90)
1985
Eastwood Cabernet Sauvignon, Eden Valley, Australia, 12.8%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A good mature ruby colour. Very strong, sticky
legs. Very fully nose: oaky, twiggy, with lots of
vanilla. Sharp and hard on the attack. A little
bitter and astringent. A bit odd initially, but it did
improve as it was exposed to air. Good. 81/100
(17/11/89)
1987 Vin de
Pays des Côteaux de la Cité de Carcassonne, mis en
bouteilles par les Producteurs Réunis, 11% (Tesco)
A blend of grenache, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Rather
think looking: a pale strawberry red. Very nice nose: really
fruity with lots of berry fruit and a hint of blackcurrants.
Ok. A bit acid. Rather sulphurous. A bit
hard. But it's nice and fruity, with medium length.
Good. 82/100
(1/10/89)
1985 Brown
Brothers Victoria Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia, 13%
A deep, but rather young colour. Straightforward cabernet
nose, though without too much blackcurrant. Rather
sharp. Needed time to breathe, but was fine given that
time. Good. 84/100
(15/9/89)
1986 Cave de
Saint-Exupéry Vin de Pays de Côtes de
Pérignan (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A very deep and even red with just a touch of purple. Good
legs. Strong nose: very powerful and quite
herbaceous. Nice attack. Fairly
mouthfilling. Very good length. Nicely balanced
with medium tanins. Good+. 86/100
(5/9/89)
1986
Marcillac VDQS, Vin de Rouergue, La Cave des vignerons du Vallon Valady
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Very deep colour, with a rather young purple appearance.
Strong legs. Heavy fruit nose. Good clean
attack. Nice and rounded on the palate. A bit
hot. Very long. Good/Very Good.
(2/7/89)
1985er
Grauer Burgunder Kabinett, Bereich Südliche Weinstrasse,
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat,
Erzeugerabfüllung Gebiets-Winzergenossenschaft Deutsches
Weintor, 10.5%, AP Nr 5 042 092 187 88 (Laithwaites/Sunday
Times Wine Club)
Pale gold. Very full, very fruity nose: rather
scented. Good, full-flavoured attack. Very well
rounded. A bit thin on the finish, but there's good
length. Bit of acidity and a bit of sulphur
evident. Quite nice. Very Good(+)
(29/6/89)
1985
Kiedricher Sandgrub Riesling Kabinett, Schloss Groenestyn, Rheingau,
375ml, AP Nr. 34016 012 86 (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Very pale, with a greenish tinge. Complex nose: starts very
nice, but becomes almost overwhelmingly complex. Nice attack,
and fairly complex on the palate, but my overall impression is that
it's a bit thin. Very short on the finish. Very Good.
(25/6/89)
1985
Erbacher Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett, Schloss Reinhartshausen,
Rheingau, 375ml, alcohol content not shown, AP Nr. 32 071 028
86 (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A nice bright, golden appearance. I'm suffering from
hayfever, so can't report on the nose much, though it's clear there's
some fruit there. Nice, round, smooth and clean on the palate
with lots of fruit. Very long. Very Good Indeed.
(21/6/89)
1985
Johannisberger Mittelhölle Riesling Spätlese, G.H. v.
Mumm, Rheingau, 375ml, AP Nr. 26 032 021 86, alcohol content
not shown (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A crystal clear pale gold. Very full nose: fruity and complex
with good minerality. Good, clean fruity attack.
Rather mouthfilling and well rounded. Off-dry, but not very
sweet. Nice after, with good length. Very Good
Indeed.
(7/6/89)
1982
Château St. Estève d'Uchaux, Tradition, AC
Côtes du Rhône, 13.8% (Fields)
A nice even mature colour - very deep. Strong nose - well
balanced and mature with hints of vanilla. Peppery
attack. Good, smooth and well-rounded on the
palate. Quite serious stuff. Medium tannins. Great
length. Very Good Indeed.
(4/6/89)
1986 Marquis
d'Effiat, AC Touraine, 11.5% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine
Club)
Quite a mature colour, almost orangey strawberry. Very
powerful, forceful nose; with loads of fruit. Very
concentrated nose. Nice smooth attack. This has a
good round fruitiness. Not heavy bodied, but with just enough
tannic structure to give it something noticeable. Pleasant
palate, but a touch hard at the finish. Very Good.
(14/5/89)
NV?
Hochheim, Deinhard Heritage Selection, Deinhard & Co,
11.5% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Rather pale, but with an appealing gold tinge. Pronounced
legs. Complex riesling nose - very full, quite sweet, with
loads of fruit. Nice attack. Very
mouthfilling. Not bone dry, but nowhere near even medium
sweet. Very smooth and rounded. Good fruit, but
this is a very nicely balanced wine with great length.
(7/5/89)
1987
Château de Calissanne Cuvée Tradition, AC Coteaux
d'Aix-en-Provence, 12% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A fairly even colour, but some maturing tones along the hint of
youthful purple. Tolerable nose - very twiggy with some
acidity. Thin and unexciting on the palate. Very good length,
but a bit rough on the finish. Good.
(24/4/89)
1987
Montravel "La Chapelle", AC Montravel Sec, Semillon, 11.7%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A rather pale straw yellow. Great nose - really
fruity. Good length. Nice fruity attack.
Maybe a bit harsh at the end? Good/Very Good.
(17/4/89)
1985er
Grauer Burgunder Kabinett, Bereich Südliche Weinstrasse,
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat,
Erzeugerabfüllung Gebiets-Winzergenossenschaft Deutsches
Weintor, 10.5%, AP Nr 5 042 092 187 88 (Laithwaites/Sunday
Times Wine Club)
This has a nice, pale goldishness. Nice nose: fruity and
spicy. Good, fruity, mouthfilling. Great
length. Very smooth. Excellent.
(8/4/89)
1987
Montravel "La Chapelle", AC Montravel Sec, Semillon, 11.7%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Pale straw. Good full nose. Good fruit.
Smooth, round and mouthfilling and a touch buttery. Good
length. Nice balance. Very Good Indeed.
(20/3/89)
1985
Rüdesheimer Bischofsberg Riesling Kabinett, G.H. von Mumm,
375ml, no alcohol content shown, AP Nr. 26 032 022 86
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Nice colour - quite golden. There's plenty of fruit on the
nose, but some lovely freshness too. Very smooth,
mouthfilling, though a bit short on the finish. Nicely
balanced with good character. Very Good Indeed.
(22/2/89)
1987
Montravel "La Chapelle", AC Montravel Sec, Semillon, 11.7%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Consistent with other bottles. Perhaps a bit
acidic. Very Good.
(12/2/89)
NV Bollinger
Special Cuvée Brut, Champagne, 375ml, alcohol
content not shown (Selfridges)
Good bubbles; some very fine, others medium sized.
Goldish-straw colour. Good nose; nice fruit. Good
clean taste; quite distinctive. Good length. Very
Good.
(30/1/89)
1985
Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling Spätlese, Verwaltung der
Staatsweingüter, 375ml, AP Nr.
33 050 028 86 (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Pale, but marked yellow tinge. Very nice, rich, fruity
nose. Very smooth, mouthfilling, well-rounded. Good
length. Rather nice.
(22/1/89)
1966
Château Le Breuil, AC Médoc, Selected
and bottled by Grants of St. James's Ltd
Good tight-fitting cork that broke during extraction. Gave
off a gorgeous blackberry smell on decanting. It has a good
rich, ruby colour. Nice and clear. Looks properly
matured, with just a hint of bricking. On the nose there are
strong blackcurrants, but also some citrus freshness and some
vanilla. Good attack; if rather thin. There are
fullish tannins on the palate; lacks character in a way. Fair
length. After ten minutes, the flavour is beginning to
develop. After 12 hours, the nose is still redolent of
blackcurrants, but there's also a touch of treacle now. Not a
great deal of improvement on the palate.
(15/1/89)
1985
Domaine de l'abbaye de Valfernière, AC
Côteaux du Languedoc La Clape, Mûri en
fûts de chêne, mis en bouteilles au Domaine par
Jean Demolombe, 11.7% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
The colour suggests it's just past its youth, with only a vague hint of
purple and rounding off well. Fairly even, woody
nose. Quite well-rounded. Good character.
Quite mouthfilling. Medium tannin. Not bad.
(28/11/88)
NV Fortnum
& Mason Champagne Reserve Extra Dry, 375ml, alcohol
content not shown
A mid golden appearance. There's a good flow of fairly small,
even bubbles. Rich nose, with an nondescript aroma of
chardonnay. Very clean with good flavour. Very
marked length, though it didn't feel particularly
mouthfilling. Pleasantly dry, but not so much so that you
need a drink. Very clean, crisp finish. Very
Good/Very Good Indeed.
(22/11/88)
1986
Rosé de Saignée Cave d'Embres et Castelmaure, AC
Corbières, Société Cooperative
Castelmaure, Alcohol content not shown (Laithwaites/Sunday
Times Wine Club)
Salmon pink with a hint of orange: quite a good colour
really. Very clean nose: warm with good berry
fruit. Clean palate with refreshing acidity and decent
length. But a bit nondescript really. Good+
(13/11/88)
1985er
Grauer Burgunder Kabinett, Bereich Südliche Weinstrasse,
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat,
Erzeugerabfüllung Gebiets-Winzergenossenschaft Deutsches
Weintor, 10.5%, AP Nr 5 042 092 187 88 (Laithwaites/Sunday
Times Wine Club)
An extremely pale appearance, with just the merest hint of golden
yellow. No legs. Nice, full nose with a hint of
melon. Quite thin on the palate with a remarkably high level
of acidity for pinot gris. More medium dry than
dry. Good with patés. Good/Very Good.
(6/11/88)
1985 Brown
Brothers Late Harvest Orange Muscat and Flora, 375ml, 8.5%
(Selfridges)
Mid straw-gold. Nice nose: there really does seem to be
muscat with a distinct hint of orange flowers. Very well
balanced. Not at all over-sweet. There's a nice
citrussy tange to counteract some of the sweetness, together with a
lovely touch of acidity. Very Good Indeed.
(25/10/88)
1985 Domaine
de l'abbaye de Valfernière, AC Côteaux du
Languedoc La Clape, Mûri en fûts de
chêne, mis en bouteilles au Domaine par Jean Demolombe,
11.7% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A fairly even deep, not young purple: looks to have some maturity to
it. Fairly flattish nose - not particularly fruity - more
grassy with a hint of tobacco. Quite heavy tannins on the
palate. This is a serious, well-made wine with good flavours
and great balance. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
(9/10/88)
1985 Fitou
Cuvée exceptionelle, Cave des Producteurs Tuchan,
no alcohol content shown (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
An even colour, looking fairly mature. Pretty nondescript on
the nose, and a bit musty and lacking in fruit Thin, weedy
with the tannins being the only notably feature. Corked.
(2/10/88)
1985
Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC, Allegrini, 12.5%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Very thin looking: a very even red colour, almost a strawberry
red. Rather nice nose, full of fruit, but perhaps with a
slight hint of musty tannin. But I don't think there's
anything wrong with this. A bit light on the attack, but
there's some very nice, almost sweet-ish fruit. Very slight
tannins. Quite mouthfilling. Very
drinkable. Very Good.
(25/9/88)
1987
Rosemount Estate Chardonnay, Hunter Valley, Australia, 12.5%
(Tesco)
Very pale appearance, with a greenish tinge fading to clear at the
edge. Good, strong, buttery nose. Very
distinctive. Good length. But there seems to be a
slight pétillance. There's also rather too much
oak, though it does manage to retain a sharp freshness too.
Good.
(18/9/88)
1985 Domaine
de Saint-Julien, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault,
no alcohol shown (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A good, fairly even colour, looking not too young, but with a shade of
youth still showing through. good fruity nose, but not just
blackcurrants (there's not much blackcurrant in fact).
Pleasant, light and lively on the palate. Good
length. Good/Very Good.
(11/9/88)
1985 Domaine
de l'abbaye de Valfernière, La Clape, AC Côteaux
du Languedoc, 11.7% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A very rich, almost ruby colour. Quite mild on the nose, with
nice fruit, evenly balanced. Somewhat unusual.
Rather heavy tannins. Very mouthfilling and with great
length. Rather good. Very Good(+)
(21/8/88)
1986 Chablis
Cuvée René Defert, 375ml (Fortnum
& Mason)
A pale apple-green colour. Full nose with a hint of
oak. Certainly not one of the more steely chablis, this has a
nice richness in the mouth. Quite pleasant. Good
length, with quite a bit of fruit lingering on the
aftertaste. Very Good.
(8/8/88)
1985
Château du Grand Caumont, Cuvée Louis Rigal, AC
Corbières (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A nice, rather rich velvety deep purple, with only a hint of
youth. Not very impressive on the nose: rather dull, with
little hint of any fruit or any distinctive features. Very
well rounded on the palate with a substantial tannic
structure. Somewhat unusual. Rather mouthfilling,
and I suspect this will improve with age. Good+
(13/7/88)
1985
Rüdesheimer Bischofsberg Riesling Kabinett, G.H. v. Mumm,
Rheingau, 375ml, no alcohol content shown, AP Nr. 26 032 022
86 (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Good colour. Nice riesling nose. Very clean on the
palate, with just a hint of sweetness. Very nice.
Very Good Indeed.
(28/6/88)
1985 Brown
Brothers Semillon, Victoria, Australia, 12.5% (Selfridges)
A pale golden straw appearance. Good, clean fruity
nose. Rather dry on the palate, with a lot of
acidity. Very long. Not one of Brown Bros better
efforts. Good.
(26/6/88)
1986
Marcillac VDQS, Vin de Rouergue, La Cave des vignerons du Vallon Valady
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
This looks youthful and vigorous, yet also rather attractive.
There are tons of fruit on the nose - with a hint of blackcurrants in
there too. Nice and well-rounded on the palate.
Quite full tannins, which make it very mouthfilling. Good
finish. Very Good.
(14/6/88)
1987
Montravel La Chapelle Semillon, AC Montravel Sec, Cave de St. Vivien et
Bonneville, Dordogne, 11.7% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine
Club)
Pale colour, with a greenish tinge. Really heavy, fruity nose
with lots of apples. There also seems to be a very distinct
golden-delicious apple flavour to it too. Maybe a hint of
banana too. Lovely and refreshing, if not exactly screaming
Semillon at you. Very Good.
(1/6/88)
1986
Marcillac VDQS, Vin de Rouergue, La Cave des vignerons du Vallon Valady
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A very even young purple. Thin legs. Good fruity
nose. A good, well-rounded drinking wine. Very Good.
(20/5/88)
1986 Dry
Muscat Blanc, Brown Brothers, Victoria, Australia, 12%
(Selfridges)
A mid straw yellow colour. Very distinctive, flowery mucat
nose - very flowery and scented. Really mouthfilling and with
good length. Just a bit off dry. Very Good Indeed.
(9/5/88)
1986
Rosé de Saignée, Société
Cave Vinicole Castelmaure, AC Corbières
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A pale salmon-pink - almost uncannily pink. Very good, fruity
nose with a hint of orange. Thinnish on the palate, though
quite mouthfilling. Not especially dry, and there's a hint of
sulphur floating around. Not as clean and fresh as it could
be. Decent length. Not bad. Good summer
weather garden wine. But not worth going out of one's way
for. Good.
(2/5/88)
1986 Blanc
de noir, Domaine de l'abbaye de Valfernière, Vin de Pays des
Côteaux de Narbonne, Vin de Table, 12%
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A very pale, steely straw colour. Very unpleasant and
definitely off.
(1/5/88)
1985 Schloss
Groenesteyn Kiedricher Sandgrub Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau,
Reichsfreiherr von Ritter zu Groenesteyn, Alcohol content not
shown, AP Nr. 34016 012 86 (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A pale yellow/sand colour. Nice nose. Very good.
(29/4/88)
1986 Chablis
Cuvée René Defert, 375ml (Fortnum
& Mason)
There's a pale greenish tinge to the straw appearance. Nice
full nose with a curious hint of apples. Decent body with
some richness, but also rather a lot of acid. Not
particularly good. OK.
(2/7/88)
1982 Rosso
Conero DOC, Azienda Agricola Dott. Mario Marchetti, 13%
(Tesco)
A good, even ruby colour: quite mature looking really, with an orangey
tinge at the edge of the glass. Quite peppery on the nose,
which feels very rounded. On the palate this is
overwhelmingly and savagely tannic. Not really very
nice. Perhaps a bit off? I'm not sure though, and
it does improve slightly as it's open. OK.
(25/4/88)
1986 Estate
Selection Late Picked Muscat Blanc, Milawa Estate, Brown Brothers,
Australia, 10% (Selfridges)
A pale apple-greenish yellow. Good muscat nose.
Very clean. This is actually a very nicely made little
muscat. Very clean, and not at all too sweet. Very
Good+.
(23/4/88)
NV, Vin de
Pays des Côtes Catalanes, 700ml, 12% (Tesco)
A young purple. Good firm legs. Good fruity nose,
with a slight hint of currants. Remarkably smooth and deep
with fair length. Not bad at all. Very Good.
(21/4/88)
1982 Bricco
Manzoni, Podere Rocche dei Manzoni, Vino da Tavola, 14%
This is a blend of nebbiolo and barbera. Following the
instructions on the bottle, I decanted this. It gave off a
fabulous, full, rich blackcurranty bouquet during decanting.
It has a good, even, ripe colour and heavy legs. The nose is
incredibly rich and fruity. On the palate, it's really
mouthfilling. There's quite a lot of tannin, and also a faint
trace of acidity. This is a nice, well-rounded, powerful
wine. Probably just about entering its drinking
window. Worked superbly with food (what food, unfortunately,
isn't recorded!). Very Good Indeed/Excellent.
(17/4/88)
1985
Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC, Allegrini, 12.5%,
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A pale strawberry colour, with just a touch of youthful purple at the
centre. Thin legs. Really good, fruity
nose. Smooth, fairly easy drinking. Very long on
the finish, but still feels a bit thin. Good/Very Good.
(4/4/88)
1985
Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling Spätlese, Verwaltung der
Staatsweingüter, 375ml, AP Nr. 33 050 028 86
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
A nice golden straw colour. Perfumed, if rather thin on the
nose. Nice and smooth with good fruit. Not very
long. A good afternoon wine. Very Good+
(4/4/88)
1984 Brown
Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon Koombahla, 12% (Selfridges)
A very good even colour with no trace of youth remaining.
Nice nose, though it's not especially distinctive; some blackcurrant
scents develops, and overall it's slightly scented. Very
well-balanced. Very smooth Medium to low tannins
provide soft balance to a long, rather delicate, fruity
flavour. Very Good Indeed.
(31/3/88)
1985 Domaine
de Saint-Julien Cabernet Sauvignon, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
(Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club)
Purplish, but on the whole not too young looking. Good
blackcurrant and bilberry nose: very deep. Very thin attack,
with a slight trace of tannin. Goodish flavour, but very
short. Really comes into its own with food.
(27/3/88)
The next day, this had a good full flavour, having been open
some time. Well balanced with just enough structure to make
you take the wine seriously, though it remains nice and fruity
too. Very Good+.
(28/3/88)
1967
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Cèdres, Paul Jaboulet
Aîné, alcohol content not shown
No proper note on this, as it was drunk with a meal at Harvey's, Marco
Pierre White's first restaurant, in Wandsworth. The note just
says that it was at the peak of its maturity.
(22/3/88)
1985 Mildara
Coonawarra C.S. Malbec, 12.3% (Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine
Club)
55% cabernet, 35% shiraz, 10% malbec.
This has an even, but quite youthful, purplish red colour.
Initially there are strong blackcurrants on the nose, though some
secondary twiggy-spiciness comes along later. Very forward on
the palate. Well-balanced, with light tannins.
Though the tannins develop with exposure to air. Pretty
serious stuff. Very Good+
(28/2/88)
NV Cahors,
Produced and bottled par CCO pour la Vinicole du Lot Parnac,
700ml, 12% (Tesco)
A fairly even young, bright clear red with just a hint of youthful
purple. The nose is markedly unexceptional, with a hint of
blackcurrants and a hint of alcohol. Pleasant and youthful on
the palate. A bit thin maybe. But it has some
character, and although it's non-vintage, may repay being kept a
while. Significant tannins. Very Good.
(14/2/88)
1986
Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese, Valfieri, imbott. nelle Cantine di
Costigliole, 12% (Tesco)
A thin, brownish red. Very powerful, rich nose with heavy
blackcurrant fruit. Light and pleasant on the palate with
medium to full tannins. Quite lively. Good/Very
Good.
(13/12/87)
1982
Château Fontaine Royale, AC Listrac-Medoc, alcohol
content not shown (Tesco)
The colour varies across the width of the glass from a reddish ochre
garnet to strawberry red to a tinge of mauve. The nose is
powerful and fruit with berry fruits and blackcurrants. Lots
of tannins. A bit rough maybe. Good
Length. Good.
(29/11/87)
1986
Chiaretto di Bardolino DOC, Medium Dry Rosé Wine Selected
for Tesco, Cantina Sociale di Soave, 700ml, 11.5% (Tesco)
An extremely pale orange colour. The nose is very rich,
fruity and slightly scented - there's a definite hint of orange flower
water. Unfortunately the palate doesn't live up to the nose
in the slightest and it's just weak and rather acidic.
Innocuous. OK.
(15/11/87)
1986 Gran
Feudo Rosé, D.O. Navarra, Bodegas Julián Chivite,
700ml, 12% (Tesco)
A pale watermelon red. Remarkably rich, fruity nose, also
with citrus fruits and a touch of cattiness. Not very well
balanced on the palate. Fair to good length. Some
middlin tannins. A bit peppery and has a slight prickle from
some acidity, which keeps it really rather dry. Catches the
back of the throat a bit. Probably best served very
cold. Acceptable.
(1/11/87)
1981 Recioto
della Valpolicella Classico Amarone DOC, Cantine Sociale di Soave,
14% (Tesco)
Dating back to a time before the Italian authorities decided that
having Recioto Amabile and Recioto Amarone was too
complicated. A good colour, showing some signs of decent
age. Nice fruity nose with good berry fruits, though there's
a hint of mustiness. Very thin and unremarkable on the
palate, particularly thin for an Amarone. High
tannins. Good length. Good.
(26/10/87)
1982 AC
Vosne-Romanée, Grand Vin de Bourgogne, mis en bouteille par
Moillard, alcohol content not shown (Tesco)
A rather thin colour: very pale and rather orangey, looking a bit
prematurely aged. The nose, however, is very rich and
penetrating, with notably sweet strawberry fruit. Gentle
fruit and spice on the palate, but all in all a bit thin and with no
great distinction. Very tannic. OK/Good.
(2/10/87)
NV Vin de
Pays de l'Aude Selected for Tesco, 10.5%, 700ml (Tesco - for
the princely sum of £1.89!)
A good, rich, ruby colour that doesn't look too young. Good
legs. Super, rich, fruity nose with some nice
pepperiness. Soft on the palate with gentle tannins and good
fruit, plus a touch of pepper on the tongue. Good+
(28/9/87)
1986 Tesco
Cabernet de Saumur Rosé, 12%, 700ml (Tesco)
A rosé from the cabernet franc grape. Extremely
pale, orangey pink appearance Very fruity on the nose with
orange, plums and blackcurrants. Very clean taste.
A touch odd, but not unpleasant. OK/Good.
(7/9/87)
NV Tesco
Syrah Vin de Table Français, medium dry red wine, Vin de
Pays d'Oc, Produced & bottled by Mathieu Vignon,
700ml, 11.5% (Tesco)
A youngish purple, just starting to mature. Very strong,
rich, fruity nose, that's slightly spicy and has some stewed
raspberries too. Very smooth, with a good tannic structure
and decent fruit and peppery spice. Good.
(23/9/87)
NV Casal
Garcia Vinho Verde (Harrods)
A pronounced visible pétillance in the glass.
Extremely pale with a slight greenish-goldish tinge. Good
fruit, but with some raw green leaves too, giving it a dry
air. Very dry on the palate, where there's the same
pronounced pétillance. A bit acidic, and seems to
be suffering a bit from excess sulphur.
(20/9/87)
1983
Cuvée des Pompadours, AC Corbières, S.C.V.
Castelmaure (ex cave)
A good ruby colour with orange tinges around the edges. This
has a good fruity nose; slightly spicy. This has been aged in
oak and it shows with lots of tannins on the palate. Quite a
spicy flavour. This is a much better bottle than the first of
the two I bought direct from the cooperative in Embres &
Castelmaure. Very smooth, and really opening up in the
glass. Very Good Indeed.
(16/9/87)
1983
Brouilly, Georges Duboeuf (Whynot Wine Warehouse)
A purplish ruby centre fading to almost orange at the edge of the
glass. Good fruit, but it's a bit over the hill.
(13/9/87)
1985
Château La Forêt St. Hilaire, AC Bordeaux
(Tesco)
I pulled this one as I noticed the cork was leaking slightly.
A youngish ruby colour with very little gradation. Cabernet
blackcurrants on the nose, but a bit woody and musty, not boding well
for the wine's health. On the palate, it seemed distinctly
unhealthy. Probably corked.
(13/9/87)
1982 Logis
de la Giraudière, rouge de cépage cabernet, AC
Anjou (Whynot Wine Warehouse)
A good ripe, almost old ruby tinged with plum colour, though without
any great depth. Very intense blackcurrant and wet twiggy
nose, with more than a hint of mustiness. This is going to be
corked, I think. Thin and weedy on the palate with lots of
acidity. With exposure to air, this showed itself definitely
to be corked.
(13/9/87)
1983
Beaujolais Villages, producer unknown, though it was in an
unusual dumbbell shaped 50cl bottle (Whynot Wine Warehouse)
Very good, super fruit on the nose and plate. Very pleasant
and very drinkable. Very Good+
(23/8/87)
1983
Cuvée Latour Bourgogne Blanc, Maison Louis Latour
(Whynot Wine
Warehouse)
This has a very pale colour, with the greenish tinge of the flesh of an
underripe golden delicious. Extremely good, fruity
nose. Nice hint of freshness on the palate to go with a
general feeling of being very well rounded. Very Good/Very
Good Indeed.
(1/8/87)
1985 Brolio
Rosé, Barone Ricasoli, Vino da tavola di Toscana,
11.5% (Delmonico)
An orangey rosé colour. Good fruit on the nose;
very fresh and zingy. Very clean palate though not exactly
overladen with fruit. Good.
(28/7/87)
NV Vin de
Pays des Côtes Catalanes, Vin de Table, Selected for Tesco,
les Chais St. Gallant, 12%, 700ml (Tesco)
A young, ruby red colour with a deeper purple at the centre.
Rich, fruity, slightly spicy nose with some immaturity
evident. Feels slightly sulphurous on the palate.
Low tannin. Plain and very unexceptional.
(21/7/87)
NV Listel
Gris, Gris de Gris, Vin de Pays des Sables du Golfe du Lion, les
domaines C.S.M. à Villeroy propriétaire
récoltant, 11.5% (Delmonico)
A very pale, watery salmon pink. Fruity, acidic
nose. Dry and slightly acidic on the palate with no length
whatsoever. A bit odd. Slightly rough at the back
of the palate and rather hard.
After a day open, this was smoother, but still absolutely nothing
remarkable. Quite a subtle taste: slightly peppery, vaguely
reminiscent of a watered down Côtes du
Rhône. Slightly odd and not worthy of interest.
(18/7/87)
1985
Cuvée des Campagnons Rosé, AC Côtes du
Rhône, La Cave des Vignerons de Rasteau (Whynot
Wine Warehouse)
A good strawberry red colour with rich, long-lasting legs.
Very fruity and quite rich on the nose with strawberries and passion
fruit. On the palate, initially there is some fruit, but
there's no really pronounced flavours. Interesting flavour
though. A bit of acidity keeps it nice and fresh, and this
would be good summer drinking on its own, though it also has enough
character to handle most lighter foods.
(5/7/87)
NV Casal
Garcia Vinho Verde Branco, 9%, 700ml (Harrods)
This is a good clean vinho verde, which actually does have a greenish
colour (though that's nothing to do with the name of course!)
There's a pronounced pétillance and acidity. Good.
(4/7/87)
NV Blanc de
Blancs, Spécial Fruits de Mer, Vin de Table de France,
bottled by Louis Barrault à St-Hilaire-St-Florent (Maine
& Loire), 11% (La Réserve)
A very pale colour, with a slight greenish tinge, like the colour of
the flesh of a green apple. A fairly rich nose, but it's
difficult to pin it down - possibly apples? A light, medium,
dry-ish palate. Some fruit, put perhaps after its best (it
was bought in 1984).
(16/6/87)
1986
Kapellener Kloster Liebfrauenberg Dornfelder Rotwein Trocken,
Qualitätswein, Erzeugerabfüllung,
Gebiets-Winzergenossenschaft Deutsches Weintor e.G., Ilbesheim,
Südl. Weinstrasse, Rheinpfalz, AP Nr. 5 042 092 016
87, 12% (Tesco)
The colour is a reddish purple with an immature purple edge and there's
an apparent slight sparkle in the glass. A fruity bouquet,
yet feels a bit immature. On the palate there's a
well-balanced/innocuous level of sweetness and medium
tannins. There's a slight trace of pétillance
right at the front of the tongue. Slightly odd, but not
unpleasant after. This may become interesting after a couple
of years, but I can't at the moment think it's likely to become
anything more than average. Good.
(14/6/87)
1985
Tenterden Rosé, Tenterden Vineyards, Spots Farm, Tenterden,
Kent (bought at the winery)
A pale orangey-pink with good clarity. Light and fruity on the nose -
slightly orangey. There's a slight prickle on the tongue from the
acidity, and maybe from a very slight petillance. This has a good light
taste, is slightly sweet, and all in all is a good summer
rosé. After being open a day, what was left in the bottle
showed little change - it had just lost a bit of its freshness on the
palate. Good.
(7/6/87)
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Last updated: 16 July 2007