Château Margaux Wine Tasting
Oxford University Wine Society
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Friday, 27 August 2010
Monday, 23 August 2010
Port Wine Tasting with Stanford University Club
Brief notes on a very enjoyable tasting given for old friends at the Stanford University Club.
Cálem white port (non-vintage)
Dark, aged yellow colour with a nutty nose hinting of oxidation. Palate similar. An old style white port, and not to my tastes. 13/20.
Not sure about this. A new development in the port trade, this pink port is something of an anomaly. Bright pink rosé, slightly confected nose and a similar palate which smacks more of sticky mass appeal than memorable port. Personally, not a fan. Drink now (or not at all) 13/20.
Dow’s Renown ruby port (non-vintage)
Good quality ruby, better than average. Heady nose, and huge black fruits on the palate. Hot, the alcohol comes through clearly on this. 15/20.
Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) 2003 (IWC trophy winner)
This LBV is well above average, with fine weight and structure. Clear to see why this was and IWC winner. I note this was a declared vintage, so it has certainly benefited from good starting material. Although made for consumption now, this could safely be cellared for another 5 years or so given the generous structure here. 16/20.
This LBV is well above average, with fine weight and structure. Clear to see why this was and IWC winner. I note this was a declared vintage, so it has certainly benefited from good starting material. Although made for consumption now, this could safely be cellared for another 5 years or so given the generous structure here. 16/20.
Warre's Otima 10 Year Old Tawny Port (non-vintage)
Stylishly packaged, this Warre’s tawny port has been successful in reaching out to new audiences. Typical, light tawny-amber coloured, with lovely nose of nut and toffee. Palate perhaps lacks a little concentration, and is a little short relative to the depths of flavour achieved by some tawnies, but very enjoyable nonetheless. A modern tawny in a more approachable modern style. 16/20.
Stylishly packaged, this Warre’s tawny port has been successful in reaching out to new audiences. Typical, light tawny-amber coloured, with lovely nose of nut and toffee. Palate perhaps lacks a little concentration, and is a little short relative to the depths of flavour achieved by some tawnies, but very enjoyable nonetheless. A modern tawny in a more approachable modern style. 16/20.
Single quinta port – not a declared vintage. Nonetheless, I suspect most would have a little trouble in distinguishing between the two at a blind tasting. Quinta de Vargellas provides the backbone for Taylor
Warre’s vintage port 1994
Warre’s vintage port 1994
From a great declared vintage, this Warre’s takes port to an all together more serious level. Opaque, deep colour. Nose is still relatively closed, but multi-layered and full. Deeply concentrated palate with rich dark fruit notes and firm but balanced backbone, This is already drinking surprisingly well now but doubtless has another decade before it even begins to get into its stride. Retails for around £70+, if you can get hold of it. 18/20.
Le Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet
Puligny-Montrachet 2007 (Domaine Pascal)
Pale yellow. Classic Burgundian chardonnay nose, light and pure. Wine follows a very similar style, very clean cut and classic. Good acidity and balance, very food friendly. Crystalline pure, with light white fruits on the palate. Medium finish. Everything a Village wine should be. No more than medium term cellaring potential and unlikely to improve further. 15.5-16/20.
Rully 1er Cru « Grésigny » 2008 (Domaine Michel Briday)
Slight deeper yellow than the Puligny and stylistically different. This is a wine that is trying hard. A touch more herbaceous, and a touch more acid. A little less smooth and classic but very good for it though. This is a credit to Rully and indicates what the appellation can do. More expensive than the village Puligny-Montrachet! 16/20.
Santenay 1er Cru « Gravieres » 2008 (Domaine Borgeot)
Deep yellow. Fascinating open nose quite unlike a classic Burgundy, but very appealing. Orange peel Cointreau style! Very full, powerful palate with heavy toasted spice on a long, spicy finish. This has seen some wood-assisted manipulation but not in a typical New World style, it reminded me more of a smoky-bacon old Oregan Chardonnay. Nonetheless the wine behind it can take it. This will not be to everyone’s liking, and will outface all but the most strongly flavoured Burgundian dish, but I very much enjoyed this. Will it keep? I get the impression this is best drunk now.17/20.
Saint-Aubin 1er Cru « En Remilly » 2006 (Sylvain Langoureau)
From a Premier Cru vineyard bordering Chassagne-Montrachet, this is a medium weight classic providing considerable drinking pleasure now. Very clean cut with excellent concentration and acidity. Lasting finish. Although drinking beautifully now, this could doubtless be cellared another ~3 years to round it off, and would probably keep longer still. Solid, serious, classy white Burgundy. Perfect foil for the white fish Sandré that accompanied it. 16.5/20.
Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru « Les Chaffots » 2000 (Michel Magnien)
Not showing its age, on the darker side for pinot noir. Immediately striking, heart-stoppingly open nose with huge complexity. Old leather, dark spice, teak. Quite volatile, secondary characteristics. Full, balanced palate with firm tannins seemingly coming out of nowhere to give this some real structure. Partnered Charlois fillet perfectly. Mature, drinking now, will doubtless keep another ~5 years. Wonderful. This is the sort of seductive, multi-faceted, thought provoking wine that draws people to Burgundy and etches itself into your memory. 18/20.
Plus the odd other Burgundy tasted during local travels…
Saint-Aubin 1er Cru « En Remilly » 2006 (Sylvain Langoureau)
From a Premier Cru vineyard bordering Chassagne-Montrachet, this is a medium weight classic providing considerable drinking pleasure now. Very clean cut with excellent concentration and acidity. Lasting finish. Although drinking beautifully now, this could doubtless be cellared another ~3 years to round it off, and would probably keep longer still. Solid, serious, classy white Burgundy. Perfect foil for the white fish Sandré that accompanied it. 16.5/20.
Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru « Les Chaffots » 2000 (Michel Magnien)
Not showing its age, on the darker side for pinot noir. Immediately striking, heart-stoppingly open nose with huge complexity. Old leather, dark spice, teak. Quite volatile, secondary characteristics. Full, balanced palate with firm tannins seemingly coming out of nowhere to give this some real structure. Partnered Charlois fillet perfectly. Mature, drinking now, will doubtless keep another ~5 years. Wonderful. This is the sort of seductive, multi-faceted, thought provoking wine that draws people to Burgundy and etches itself into your memory. 18/20.
Plus the odd other Burgundy tasted during local travels…
Pouilly-Fuissé 2008 (Joseph Drouhin)
Deep yellow. Open nose, mainly consisting of lees and subtle French oak at the moment. Quite rich palate, seemingly not yet integrated. Good weight of fruit with pure white fruit flavours. Mineralic with refreshing acidity and good length. My overall impression is of a wine that needs another year or two to pull itself together and currently comes across as a little too forced - Pouilly-Fuissé pretending to be something grander but not quite having the stuffing to do so. Nonetheless, this is a very good wine. Needs rich Burgundian cuisine to accompany it. 16.5/20.
Cave des Vignerons de Buxy
Deep yellow. Open nose, mainly consisting of lees and subtle French oak at the moment. Quite rich palate, seemingly not yet integrated. Good weight of fruit with pure white fruit flavours. Mineralic with refreshing acidity and good length. My overall impression is of a wine that needs another year or two to pull itself together and currently comes across as a little too forced - Pouilly-Fuissé pretending to be something grander but not quite having the stuffing to do so. Nonetheless, this is a very good wine. Needs rich Burgundian cuisine to accompany it. 16.5/20.
Cave des Vignerons de Buxy
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Time to move on from Bordeaux
An excellent and timely article in the New York Times this week:
"...Bordeaux, once the world’s most hallowed region and the standard-bearer for all fine wines, is now largely irrelevant."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/dining/19pour.html?pagewanted=1&ref=general&src=me
We simply have to move on from this Bordeaux obsession in the UK wine trade. Red, overpriced and popular in China. What more do you need to know?
[Although I do confess to a soft spot for the dry and sweet whites - some vague attempt at value there]
"...Bordeaux, once the world’s most hallowed region and the standard-bearer for all fine wines, is now largely irrelevant."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/dining/19pour.html?pagewanted=1&ref=general&src=me
We simply have to move on from this Bordeaux obsession in the UK wine trade. Red, overpriced and popular in China. What more do you need to know?
[Although I do confess to a soft spot for the dry and sweet whites - some vague attempt at value there]
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Loire Valley Wonders
I was delighted to showcase the Loire Valley at a tasting for the Deloitte Wine Club in their Shoe Lane offices in the City this week. It was a very enjoyable evening, and I think the Loire did itself proud with the following wines. It certainly opened peoples eyes to this neglected region!
Chéreau-Carré Comte Leloup du Château de Chasseloir "Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires" sur Lie 2005 (Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, Loire)
17.5/20
Almost devoid of colour, just flickers of straw and green. Very open nose, crisp citrus dominated. An immense palate, full and balanced with ample acidity. Full, intense, lingering finish. Very long. How on earth so much flavour is packed into this I have no idea. Without doubt the finest Muscadet I have ever tasted, and I think most people would never recognise it as Muscadet if they tried this blind. 100-year old vines from a single vineyard plot. Already 5-years old, this will doubtless continue to age for some years yet. Spectacular stuff.
Eric Morgat "L'Enclos" Savennières 2006 (Loire, France)
16-/20
Pale straw, reserved nose quite mineralic and sappy. Piercing Chenin Blanc acidity on the palate, although this seems a little out of kilter with the wine as a whole. Some wood on this? Hasn't quite come together yet. I imagine this will make a great wine in due course (I hope) and will give it the benefit of the doubt. I know Jancis Robinson has had l'Enclos as a one of her 'wines of the week' previously, and this was a more difficult vintage.
Domaine de Bellivière "Calligramme" Jasnières 2004 (Loire, France)
17/20
Mid-yellow, with a splendid open nose redolent of minerals, blossom, and honey comb. Similarly complex palate, very fresh. Medium finish. Beautiful, much more together than the previous wine, with secondary bottle characteristics coming through. It would seem to my mind to be fully mature now, but will doubtless keep several more years as Chenin wines are want to do.
Domaine Landrat-Guyollo "Carte Noire" Pouilly-Fumé, 2006 (Loire, France)
16.5/20
Pale yellow, with a very open nose of (dare I say it) smokey, gun-flinty character. This seems very true to style, and although perhaps not my personal preference it is a very good Pouilly-Fume. Good concentrations and finish.
François Cotat - Chavignol "Monts Damnés" 2004 (Sancerre, Loire)
16/20
Very pale yellow, quiet, restrained nose. Concentrated palate but a little short on weight. Some typical Sauvignon character there in the background, but a very refined style. I'm happy to own up to thinking I missed something with this, but for one of the great producers on one of the best vineyard sites in one of the best villages in Sancerre I had expected so much more. Perhaps this was just a reflection of my non-plussed approach to Sauvignon Blanc, but I actually preferred the Poully-Fume as having more character.
Frédéric Mabileau - Bourgueil "Racines" 2006 (Loire, France)
15.5(+)/20
Classic, traditional. Some strong tannin on the palate and plenty of stuffing to this. Needed some strong hard cheese to take that away. This needs some time to come around, up to 10-years I would imagine.
Clos des Cordeliers - Saumur-Champigny, Cuvée Prestige, 2003 (Loire, France)
15.5/20
Brick red on the rim with a light core. Open nose akin to a lightweight mature Bordeaux. Soft, round palate, with light red fruits. This is fully mature and very enjoyable, but drink up now.
Domaine Vacheron - Sancerre (ROUGE) "Les Cailleries" 2007 (Loire, France)
16/20
Light Pinot-coloured in the glass. Open nose of young Pinot fruit - strawberry. Attractive. Palate a little high in alcohol without the body to match it to my mind. Medium finish. I'd be interested to see if this could age, but to my immediate impression I'm not sure this has much more to offer in future. Perhaps a little lean in this vintage? I have tasted better Sancerre Rouge, although this is a perfectly decent example - certainly no under-ripe vegetal character here. However, I would perhaps pay the extra for their "Belle Dame" bottling (the best Sancerre Rouge in previous tastings).
In conclusion, this tasting showed the variety, consistency and tremendous value (all these wines were £10-£30) that the Loire offers. Time to re-visit I think...
Chéreau-Carré Comte Leloup du Château de Chasseloir "Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires" sur Lie 2005 (Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, Loire)
17.5/20
Almost devoid of colour, just flickers of straw and green. Very open nose, crisp citrus dominated. An immense palate, full and balanced with ample acidity. Full, intense, lingering finish. Very long. How on earth so much flavour is packed into this I have no idea. Without doubt the finest Muscadet I have ever tasted, and I think most people would never recognise it as Muscadet if they tried this blind. 100-year old vines from a single vineyard plot. Already 5-years old, this will doubtless continue to age for some years yet. Spectacular stuff.
Eric Morgat "L'Enclos" Savennières 2006 (Loire, France)
16-/20
Pale straw, reserved nose quite mineralic and sappy. Piercing Chenin Blanc acidity on the palate, although this seems a little out of kilter with the wine as a whole. Some wood on this? Hasn't quite come together yet. I imagine this will make a great wine in due course (I hope) and will give it the benefit of the doubt. I know Jancis Robinson has had l'Enclos as a one of her 'wines of the week' previously, and this was a more difficult vintage.
Domaine de Bellivière "Calligramme" Jasnières 2004 (Loire, France)
17/20
Mid-yellow, with a splendid open nose redolent of minerals, blossom, and honey comb. Similarly complex palate, very fresh. Medium finish. Beautiful, much more together than the previous wine, with secondary bottle characteristics coming through. It would seem to my mind to be fully mature now, but will doubtless keep several more years as Chenin wines are want to do.
Domaine Landrat-Guyollo "Carte Noire" Pouilly-Fumé, 2006 (Loire, France)
16.5/20
Pale yellow, with a very open nose of (dare I say it) smokey, gun-flinty character. This seems very true to style, and although perhaps not my personal preference it is a very good Pouilly-Fume. Good concentrations and finish.
François Cotat - Chavignol "Monts Damnés" 2004 (Sancerre, Loire)
16/20
Very pale yellow, quiet, restrained nose. Concentrated palate but a little short on weight. Some typical Sauvignon character there in the background, but a very refined style. I'm happy to own up to thinking I missed something with this, but for one of the great producers on one of the best vineyard sites in one of the best villages in Sancerre I had expected so much more. Perhaps this was just a reflection of my non-plussed approach to Sauvignon Blanc, but I actually preferred the Poully-Fume as having more character.
Frédéric Mabileau - Bourgueil "Racines" 2006 (Loire, France)
15.5(+)/20
Classic, traditional. Some strong tannin on the palate and plenty of stuffing to this. Needed some strong hard cheese to take that away. This needs some time to come around, up to 10-years I would imagine.
Clos des Cordeliers - Saumur-Champigny, Cuvée Prestige, 2003 (Loire, France)
15.5/20
Brick red on the rim with a light core. Open nose akin to a lightweight mature Bordeaux. Soft, round palate, with light red fruits. This is fully mature and very enjoyable, but drink up now.
Domaine Vacheron - Sancerre (ROUGE) "Les Cailleries" 2007 (Loire, France)
16/20
Light Pinot-coloured in the glass. Open nose of young Pinot fruit - strawberry. Attractive. Palate a little high in alcohol without the body to match it to my mind. Medium finish. I'd be interested to see if this could age, but to my immediate impression I'm not sure this has much more to offer in future. Perhaps a little lean in this vintage? I have tasted better Sancerre Rouge, although this is a perfectly decent example - certainly no under-ripe vegetal character here. However, I would perhaps pay the extra for their "Belle Dame" bottling (the best Sancerre Rouge in previous tastings).
In conclusion, this tasting showed the variety, consistency and tremendous value (all these wines were £10-£30) that the Loire offers. Time to re-visit I think...
Odds and Ends
La Chablisienne Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 2003 (Chablis, France)
Domaine d'Aupilhac 'Le Carignan' 2000 (Montpeyroux, France)
16+/20
Pale gold, maturing nose of earth mushroom and hints of citrus. Aggressive, generous mineralic palate, with alcohol coming through. Big lasting, finish. Impressive wine. Bold, but not over-blown despite the baked 2003 vintage. A great Premier Cru. Drink now.
Chateau les Eydins 'Cuvee des Consuls' 2005 (Cotes du Luberon, France)
15(+?)/20
Deep but not opaque, nose rather closed. Some red forest fruits. Palate quite firm, tannic and structured with little background hints of red fruit. Not sure what to make of this. Decanted ~2 hours in advance. I recall a great 'garrigue' wine when originally tasted at the winery but it seems a little confused now. perhaps its going through a closed period? Matched well with venison sausages in a red wine casserole - needs something hearty to balance it.
Domaine d'Aupilhac 'Le Carignan' 2000 (Montpeyroux, France)16.5/20
Despite hailing from the vineyards of one of my favourite wine villages in France, this is sold as a humble Vin de Pays due to the 100% Carignan blend, forbidden under the appellation rules. Deep core, only just lightening on the rim. Very open, enticing nose of mature leather and game with some beneficial Brett coming through. Palate is expansive, with tannin nicely balanced against a deep, mature fruit. Meaty with some rusticity. Medium finish. This is a great wine, no too dissimilar from a mature middle ranking Chateauneuf. Just shows what old vine Carignan can do in the right hands. Should keep another ~5 years, but probably not going to improve any further now.
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