These too bottles were opened to accompany Finnish reindeer steak and wild mushrooms.
Côte Rôtie 1994 – Jean-Paul & Jean-Luc Jamet – Alc. 12.5%
1994 did not get a very good press in the Northern Rhône but the wines which have come my way recently have been flavoury and elegant albeit on the light side. This is a good example.
C: A fine medium depth ruby with hints of bricking at the rim.
N:Elegantly complex aromas of wild flowers, ivy and red fruit with a lot of cherry veering to kirsch.
P: Medium weight and depth, classical shape in the mouth and excellent length showing great elegance with finely focused and fragrantly expressive aromas similar to the nose and bright freshness. This is my sort of wine and perfect for the food. At its peak, I think; 17/20.
“Piano di Montevergine” Taurasi DOCG 1997 – Feudi San Gregorio – Alc. 13%
This wine is made from Aglianico grapes.
C: Much deeper and more opaque than the previous.
N: Refulgent and showy with sweet red and dark fruit, hints of mint and a fine vanilla patina. New World, I would have guessed.
P: Quite up-front and softly structured with considerable weight and depth of smooth, sweet dark fruit but at first quite a lot of butterscotch towards the finish. With some more time those butterscotch receded and some more attractive cherry notes emerged as well as greater freshness and sense of structure overall, although less than I would expect from a reputedly quite acidic and tannic variety like Aglianico.
This is undoubtedly a very good wine but I get no sense of place from it nor find anything really distinctive. It was made to look like an opulently overdressed parvenu by the Côte Rôtie. I would have preferred something with rougher edges and more acid and tannin like the Taurasis I remember from Mastroberardino which I drank in the 80s. So something of a disappointment in the light of this estate's reputation as well as some excellent whites and enjoyable basic Taurasis which I have had from them; 15.5/20.