On the first evening, I made a simple pasta with cold smoked salmon with cherry tomatoes (to bring in much needed freshness to an otherwise heavy dish) and chèvre. I’m not much of a cook, so it was edible but not great. With it, I opened up an Adegas Valmiñor Davila 2006 from Rías Baixas, Spain which is a blend of Albariño, Treixadura and Loureiro.
The nose is salty like a sea-breeze, peachy like a Viognier, and very mineral. The palate is salty and mineral with juicy acidity. I find this wine to be very moreish – in fact I drink almost a case of every vintage! Year to year, this is one of the most loveable whites I come across.
The next day, after some sightseeing, we went to one a nice restaurant, Carelia. I ordered a pork dish with the slightest touch of Dijon mustard and bacon. The dish was just superb with a Jadot Château des Jacques Moulin-à-Vent 2002. This wine is one of the best Beaujolais I have ever had. The nose is very Pinot-like, except it does have a slight sweet edge that I rarely get in Pinot. It is bright and pure, with a mix of red and darker fruit. The palate is well structured but still juicy. Whenever I need to prove to others that Beaujolais can be a serious wine, I go to Carelia and order one of these. Great stuff. I wish it was available via our monopoly, so I could buy several cases of it.
For dessert I had a glass of Krohn Colheita Port 1967 which was just lovely! Toffeed and orange-like, rancioed; sweet and oxidative, not overly woody. This sort of dessert wine satisfies both my need for the brighter notes (citrus), oxidative notes as well as sugar. Lovely.
Forumite Antti Jokinen and another good friend, Toni, joined us for some reindeer (don’t tell Santa) and risotto (thank you Toni for saving our dinner!  ). Ben had brought a lovely aged Riesling to share (blind, of course), Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese 1983.
It was very earthy at first, with so much of a red toned fruit, and baked brick character that I was sure it was from Rheinhessen (from where I have found much more such character than in MSR). It was soft from age, but still bright and refreshing despite its honeyed note. Lovely.
With the reindeer we drank a Castello di Ama Chianti Classico 1999 which was cherried and herbal but sweet and ripe. There was a prominent structure of both tannins and acidity competing with the ripe fruit – it was a vibrant and exciting wine. I really loved it with the reindeer that was left bloody in the centre.
Ben, knowing that I love a good Cru Bojo, brought a Domaine Chignard Fleurie “Les Moriers” 2005 which I found very much to my taste.
The nose was bright and raspberried, with a strong mineral presence, even a leafy and lifted note. The palate was bright and acidic, not as tannic as and more tart than most ‘05s I’ve had. Because of that tart, bitter, very slightly quinine-like aftertaste and the lack of obvious tannins I thought it was an ’04 Bojo. Lovely stuff and I wish I owned a case of this.
I opened up a Burgundy that I fell in love with when I tasted it a little while back, Domaine de Montille Pommard “Les Pezerolles” 2002
This was a very elegant and unforced style of Pinot with a good deal of root-like aromatics (carrots, beetroot) and sweet fruit of both red and darker tones. There was tons of minerality showing as well as bright and refreshing structure - very beautiful Burgundy. I wish I could afford to buy the whole property. It is only 12% abv yet fully ripe and very expressive.
For dessert Antti brought a very lovable South African legend, Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 1999 which smelled very Muscatty to me but with an extreme intensity that I rarely see in other Muscats. It is honeyed and floral and I could, (and indeed every time I have had it) have mistaken it for a botrytised wine. It is supremely sweet yet has excellent acidity so that it seems very refreshing despite its cloying nature. I really like this vintage of this wine.
Ben had kindly brought a few of his own excellent berry wines for us to try. Ben Rotter Peach Wine is a touch candied on the nose, but is otherwise very lovable with a mineral core with a ripe, peachy (not a great surprise is it?) fruit surrounding it. The palate is dry, clean, pleasantly acidic and mineral, yet fruity. This is a very clean and pure style of berry wine – one more wine of Ben’s that has made me realise that berries can make good wine. Bravo, Ben, and thank you for the opportunity to try your excellent wines!
Ben Rotter Rhubarb Wine is another genius creation of Ben’s! The nose is delightfully funky yet with a cucumber-like vegetal streak to it. The palate is precise, delineated, and refreshing and a wine I would love to drink often again.
The other rhubarb wines that Ben has sent me haven’t been as funky as this one. I don’t know which of the styles I prefer – the pure and clean style of the previous wines, or this funkier style. Ideally I would have some of both in my cellar.
I had a great time!
-Otto-
