Wines on a lovely late summer's evening on the Thames

• 1997 Alain Graillot Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (9/26/2006)
  Plum colour;,warm floral bouquet with coffee/mocha and toast.This wine has immediate appeal,with the flavour of raspberries,great texture and very rich oily finish.This is one of the best Rhones I have drunk this year.Just beautiful. (95 pts.)
• 1999 Meerlust Rubicon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (9/26/2006)
  Ruby/purple colour.Gorgeous bouquet of black fruit,cassis ,vanilla and oak. Intense flavours on the palate of blackcurrents,rich creamy texture,very elegant and nice length. (92 pts.)
• 2003 M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Blanc Les Granits - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (9/26/2006)
  yellow,almost straw colour.Fruit , nuts and light spice.Plenty of depth on palate,fabulously warm and rounded and lovely richness.Great balance and acidity to last well.This is a lovely wine which will probably improve. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

I should imagine the Graillot would be topnotch, Keith. Have never been able to find anything over here/up here!!!
The St Joseph, a blend of viognier, marsanne, rousanne???

Pinotage would probably taste great in that setting, Keith. When do you depart for warmer climes?

Thats pretty cool, Keith, Jamie and Bob all in one thread....and all from the UK. We are taking over.

Hey Jamie, any more pics from the harvesting?

Bob, Its pure Marsanne- from old vines-------just brilliant.

Jamie----off in 4 weeks. Are you still OK for the Overton offline.If so I can give you a lift,there and back.----with my driver of course!!

• 2003 M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Blanc Les Granits - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (9/26/2006)
  yellow,almost straw colour.Fruit , nuts and light spice.Plenty of depth on palate,fabulously warm and rounded and lovely richness.Great balance and acidity to last well.This is a lovely wine which will probably improve. (92 pts.)

Hi Keith, I believe you are a relative newcomer to the forum so <b>welcome</b> to the best wine stop on the internet. About the white Rhone though, I am surprised that the wine was able to keep it's balance regarding acidity. I would have thought that being from the '03 vintage it might have been just a bit fat. It is good to hear of one though that is not.

Keith, thanks for the note on the '97 Graillot Hermitage. I was not a fan of the '97 Crozes Hermitage, so guess I had sort of in my mind discounted their '97's altogether. Sounds like my (very first ever ) mistake. Thanks again.

-Michael

Bob, This wine is unusual for white rhones in that it is 100% Marsanne from 80 year old vines and is picked quite late.It is a lovely sensuous wine,relatively expensive but worth it!!

[Jenise]

Keith! Good notes. Say, I've got a few bottles of an 03 South African Cabernet Sauvignon here I've never read a tasting note on nor heard anyone else mention, and I wonder what you think of it: it's called Conde. Likewise, I've never read a TN that I know of on a Mulderbosch Beta Centauri, though I'm very familiar with Mulderbosch's white wines, but I recently grabbed an 02 when I saw it. I think that wine's availability over here is extremely rare--this is the only bottle I've ever laid eyes on. Would appreciate any comments and recommendations you might have for that one, too.

Jenise, The Stark-Conde Conde range cab is a very impressive wine.It is made in very limited quantities,from extremely low yielding vines,which are hence beautifully concentrated. Although the wine is a hefty 15% abv the wine is well balanced,and will definately benefit from a few years bottle age.The 2003 is probably the best vintage for some years.
Will get back to you on the Mulderbosch later.

I have not tasted recent vintages of the Beta Centauri although I do know the 98 was really outstanding.
Understand the 2002 needs a few more years,but I promise to look out for it when I get back to the Cape,later next month and will post a note.

[Jenise]

Keith, thank you. The fellow I bought the Conde from said it was possibly the best South African cabernet he ever tasted, and he knows that unlike most of his customers I'll call him a big fat liar if I am disappointed , but at the same time a few of his choices have mystified. A more objective opinion is most appreciated. In the meantime I'm happy to let these rest. No need to rush, I have plenty other wines to drink.

Oh, and while I have you on the line: Thelema. Are you familiar with their track record for aging? I've got a handful of 00 and 01s, and am thinking it's about time to try one of the former. I can give them all the time they need and they seemed like wines that could go a decade or more, but I'm flying blind here....

Thelema is certainly one of my favourite Cape wineries. Especially love their Cab and Merlot. Recently their 99 Cab was voted WOTN in a blind tasting I organised,against stiff opposition from the old and new world.
The wines do age well--------certainly a minimum of 5 years and ideally up to 10.

[Jenise]

Keith, that's splendid. I have a few of the merlots as well--unlike most Norte Americanos, I have no aversion to that grape, and South Africa does some amazing things with it. A 99 or 00 Vergelegen a few months ago was just ungodly.

A note from the 1992 at age 9:

• 1992 Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (3/1/2001)
  Purchased 5/96 after tasting it somewhere on release and being impressed.
  Bottle 3/01 Color just starting to brick and still a young wine with excellent concentration of blackcurrant fruit, unobtrusive oak, excellent acid balance.

Thanks Keith for reminding me. I have an orphan bottle I should find and uncork.
Charles

[Jenise]

Charles, thanks for digging out that TN. That's the kind of performance I hope for.

Jenise, I live next door to Vergelegen and have a guest cottage---so if you and your partner wish to stay for free in paradise,you are most welcome

[Jenise]

Keith, re your generous offer--if you're serious, then I am too when I say that we've talked about going to South Africa next year. We will be travelling with another pair of wine lovers, though; does the cottage sleep four?

Not really but no problems,if you give me enough notice,one couple can sleep downstairs in our house and the other in the guest wing----its not really a cottage,just an extension to the main house. Nothing fancy but comfortable.