A friend of mine recently moved from Lapland back to Helsinki so we met up for some steaks and a couple wines. Finding the right wines to share with him is always a bit of a challenge as our tastes could hardly be more different - he is a huge fan of Australian monsters and big Southern Rhônes.
But I thought I might try him out on a more elegant Southern Rhône, Texier - still within an area that he likes, but also a producer that I like very much. I was glad to see that he did seem to enjoy it. Texier St.-Gervais VV des Cadinières 2005 is a wine I have posted on so many times that perhaps one more note isn't needed. But I thought this was the loveliest it has ever been: previous bottles have shown that it could become a great wine; now it was a great wine. Nice dark fruit, savoury and lively and refreshing for Grenache but still with the typical warm, sweet fruit I expect of the grape. It isn't a heavy style at all. Lovely. If this is representative of its evolution, drink and hold.
Jussi opened a The Islander Estate Vineyards Bark Hut Rd 2004 a strange blend of 60% Cab. Sauv., 35% Shiraz and 5% Viognier from Kangaroo Island in S. Australia. This is one of Jacques Lurton's projects. It seems quite massive and clunky after the Texier - though Jussi had tried to select a wine more to my taste than most in his collection as this apparently is from a cool climate. After the initial super-massiveness calms down to only massiveness, I see a very strong perfumed, peachy aroma emerge - maybe a bit too much Viognier? Sweet. With even more air some tobacco/Cab aromas emerge. But it is all the time too clunky to bring true enjoyment to me. Gladly the oak (a third new French barrique IIRC) and the high alcohol (14% abv) aren't too noticeable. I have to admit that Jussi has opened up more interesting Ozzies with me before! But like I said, finding the common vinous ground can be difficult. But it was still very nice to meet up with him and his wife.