I was hoping to get through more bottles over the holiday, but sadly first my partner and then I went down with a stomach bug which rather spoiled our appetite for good wine. We then ended up finishing the break with a bottle of fairly atrocious supermarket wine that we opened for cooking and didn't want to just throw away, and I won't waste your time with that!
Dr Loosen 1993 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese
On double-checking the name of this before posting this tasting note I discovered this was considerably more expensive than I'd realised and I probably picked the wrong bottle off the shelf! I thought it seemed a bargain for a 1993 vintage! It would appear I should have cellared it, but when I opened the bottle the top of the cork was already covered with mould, so it was probably for the best that it got drunk now.
Wine is gloriously golden in the glass.
Smell is noticably sweet with elements of peach.
Initially full and very sweet on the palate with a creamy texture and rich peach flavours which is rapidly cut across by refreshing acid with nuances of lemon, lime and minerals.
Turner road 2005 Cabernet Zinfandel
This was a Christmas present from some friends that I grabbed at short notice when I suddenly required a screwcap wine to take out for the day. I'm not familiar with the label, but my hopes weren't high.
Classic Zinfandel nose of raspberry & vanilla.
Flavour on the palate follows the nose but extends into red cherry and some gentle oak spice. Nicely balanced but a little thin in both taste & texture. Still, definitely better than I was expecting.
There didn't seem to be many Cabernet aspects in the blend - I'd never have guessed had it not been written on the label.
Vina Falernia 2005 Carmenere
Scent is aggressively - and somewhat unpleasantly - gamey.
In the mouth, after a hit of pepper and smoke, the gamey flavour resolves itself into thick, fairly tannic, liquorice, blackcurrant bramble and plum. Amazingly enough this in turn almost magically transforms into an aftertaste of chocolate.
This is a little full-bodied for my tastes, but is nevertheless surprisingly complex for a £6 bottle.