The first wine we opened was Clarendelle 2003 from Haut-Brion - some sort of "premium wine" apparently (c. 20 euros, 13% abv). It was very nice proper Claret from a hot year. If there is anything I hate it is overripeness. This was on the border, but didn't cross it. I liked it.
The nose was leafy and full of cassis as Bx should be, red berry scented but also with much darker fruit from the merlot and a lovely floral quality which I suppose is something positive that the warm year brought to the wine. The palate is light but juicy and fruity, with soft tannins, decent acidity and is very savoury and food friendly (a great match for rare kangoroo, lol!!). But the most notable part of the wine was its immense aftertaste: dry, but pleasingly juicy, mineral, savoury, herbal, leafy and incredibly long and balanced. The aftertaste belongs to a wine of the first class: the Haut-Brion mark coming through?
Very impressive. Served totally blind, I did guess it as warm year Bordeaux but went to 2000 as it did seem rather evolved.
Then we drank a lovely little Sauternes for dessert, the Chateau de Malle 1982 with no abv on the lable, c. 40 euros.
Lightish yellow - not very evolved. The nose is elegant and fresh, but it doesn't have very much botrytis. There is pineapple, a bit of oak, and cigar box minus the cigars (if you can imagine that scent!). The palate is also elegant - and I'm not using this word euphemistically - with fine and fresh acidity, moderate in its sweetness: quite the perfect balance. The aftertaste turns slightly bitter which some will see as a fault but which I see as bringing an extra touch of freshness. Very nice. Very much better than the reputation of the vintage would allow.
A very nice evening indeed
Otto