Rioja Contino Reserva Viña del Olivo 1996 – Viñedos del Contino – Alc. 13.5% - (c.€50 for current vintages). Colour was quite deep with little bricking. The nose was discreet with quite a lot of vanilla at first but gradually deliciously complex fruit with a lot of sweet cherry and kirsch hints took over leaving the vanilla in the background. The palate was quite full, more so than often with Rioja, and the fruit more dense but this is no way interfered with harmony because the wines was so seamless with velvety and caressing texture, delicious but quite discreet acidity and enough grip and ripe tannic support for the long finish. This was an elegantly rich and lovely pairing for Easter lamb; 18/20.
This was one of the best Riojas which has come my way, at least equalling my fond memories of outstanding 20+ year old examples from the 60s, 70s and 80s, mainly from CVNE’s Imperial and Viña Real; alas my last bottles of these have gone so I can’t make a direct comparison.
Jurançon sec – La Part Davan – 2010 – Camin Larredya – Alc.14% - (€13), made from organically grown Gros Manseng 55%, Petit Manseng 30%, Petit Courbu 15%.
I am well on the way to becoming a Jurançon-oholic helped by the accessible prices for such quality. This producer is new to me but seems on a par with the outstanding Lapeyre and Charles Hours. This gently aromatic medium/light bodied wine gives a subjectively bone dry and exhilarating impression but mingled into the citrus fruit, crisp juicy acidity, minerals and toasty hints are fleeting glimpses of honey; there was an attractive grapefruit like bitterness giving backbone to the finish. My guess is that even greater complexity such as I found in Lapeyre’s Vitatge Vielh 2007 will emerge with medium term ageing; 16.5/20++ now QPR.
Vouvray sec Le Haut Lieu 2010 – Domaine Huet – Alc.12.5% - (€18).
This is exhilarating but not bone dry with some perceptible RS (c.10g/l if I remember correctly what Noël Pinguet was saying last October). At first the medium/full wine seemed a little simplistic but as the bottle emptied it became more complex and delicious with abundant mouth-watering acidity making it a good pairing for the Saint-Pierre (translation?) and with lively fruit with slightly waxed apple and pear, gritty minerals and good length. As usual some Loire goat cheeses emphasised the minerality and brought out additional subtlety. Another wine which will grow in complexity, I think, but I ‘m not sure that I can keep my hands off the bottles; 17/20 now QPR.