Blind tasting notes
A seafood themed dinner this time so not too many red wines.
1997 Nicholas Feuillatte Champagne Brut – surprising colour with significant ambering, and the mousse faded quickly, so both of those aspects plus the faint oxidative notes in the nose indicated advanced maturation, but the wine was delightful in the mouth, soft and medium length. Certainly one to be drunk up but pleasure to be had here if you are quick.
2004 Alvear Montilla Sherry Fino en Rama – the first vintage dated Fino Sherry made. Light colour, typical nose with citrus and almond notes, dry and mineral throughout. Very decent.
2017 Penfolds Chardonnay Bin 311 – a screw cap wine with a lemon and sulfur nose (the latter not a disincentive to dedicated Chablis fans, but not as much fun for others) some decent toast on the Chard and medium length.
2007 Château Ferran Blanc – this Graves showed an interesting roasted cashew nose, and peach pit elements in the mouth, on the light side but fairly decent.
2015 Dr. Thanisch Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese Trocken – Interesting wine. I asked it it were a QBA wine and was told that it was a Spatlese, which made no sense to me – in fact I didn’t even think it was German until the petrol finally made an appearance. It wasn’t until we saw the bottle that the guy that brought it remembered the ‘Trocken’ part…Pale straw colour with wet stone and faint petrol nose as well as some sweet peach. OK.
2009 Rustenberg Chardonnay 5 Soldiers – medium colour, tons of acidity, but balanced, with a nose of rather tropical fruit and lemon. In good shape.
2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros – light colour, wet stones with citrus and mineral, quite a lot of acidity, and long finish. Lean but classy.
2017 Brezza Langhe Rosato – I have a soft spot for this Piemonte producer as they have a hotel right above the winery that we stayed at some years ago (somehow being wakened in the morning by the clink of bottles doesn’t bother me!). Light pink, cherry candy nose, impossible to tell as a Nebbiolo, but pleasant.
2011 Terres Dorees Morgon – this JP Brun wine was of the pumped up modern style with ample sweet fruit and rather dark in colour, with some nice spice notes at the end. Enjoyable.
2003 Jean-Claude Boisset Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut St. Jacques – fairly dark, with a ripe nose of strawberry and on palate the strawberry showed up again along with some cherry notes. Nicely balanced and tasty. Drink up.
Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Palo Cortado Apostoles 30 Years Old – medium brown colour, sweet nose with figgy notes, and sufficient acidity to balance out the RS it is carrying. Nice.