Château Sociando-Mallet Haut-Médoc 1999 – Jean Gautreau – Alc.12.5%. Colour showed few signs of age and the nose was well developed with savoury red fruit aromas and nice hints of wet leather and forestall greenness. The palate was medium full and decently long with rather sweeter red and dark fruit than the nose suggested, some earthy minerals, lively acidity and enough firmness of tannic structure supporting the finish. This was an extremely satisfying left-bank claret with 1999 charm softening the usual robustness of this growth; 17/20.
Anjou Chenin blanc - Les Grandes Brosses - 2011 - Château de la Roulerie - Alc.13% - (<€6). The 2010 was our staple house white for about 12 months. It was good QPR but this first bottle of 2011 is even better. It was medium/light in body, linear in shape, well focussed with attractive white fruit (incl. peaches), minerals, lively acidity and a slightly saline finish. Where it scored over the last bottles of the 2010 was in its great liveliness and juiciness of its acidity. Maybe it will be duller by the time the 2012 becomes available. 15.5/20 right now QPR!!.
Priorat Usatges 2004 – Costers del Siurana (Pastrana & Jarque) – Alc. 14.5 – (€16) – made from Garnatxa, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo and matured for 1 year in Limousin, Allier and Nevers twice used barrels.
I liked a lot a bottle of this opened nearly 4 years ago and thought it very promising. Something has gone badly wrong, at least with this bottle. The predominant aroma on the nose was a combination of rotting cabbage and acidic varnish and though less marked on the palate it was enough to spoil. The cork appeared impeccable; only bottom 1 mm stained. Down the sink!!
Rioja Reserva 2004 – Sierra Cantabria – Alc.14% - was rapidly substituted for the sick Priorat and did a perfect job. I don’t usually open Reserva Rioja as young as this but I appreciated its youthful showing of deep colour, quite full body, vigour and vibrancy of its red fruit, its lively acidity and its unusually strong tannic backbone as well as the restraint of its oak flavours, again unusual in young Rioja. A lot more life here, I think; 16/20+ now.
Alsace Riesling Clos Häuserer 2000 – Domaine Zind-Humbrecht – Alc.13.5% seems to have improved a lot since I wrote a TN nearly 4 years ago and it was the best of the three Z-H 00 Rieslings which I have opened recently (the other two were Guerberschwirh and Herrenweg de Turckheim). It was medium/full, round and structured (I have heard Olivier Humbrecht talk of tannins in his whites!) with plenty of flesh and just a hint of RS and has acquired better focus with its acidity and minerality more apparent. There is often a hint of rusticity in this cru but I like that much better than the rather sweet suavity and baroque splendour of the Herrenweg de T; 16/20+++.
Syrah – Vin de Pays des Cévennes – 1995 – Domaine de Baruel (Rainer Pfefferkorn) – Alc.13%
Just over three years ago, I wrote
C: Deep dark red still laced with purple tints.
N: In spite of a long wait in a decanter, the aromas remained very subdued but with tantalising hints of minty violet, dry leather and bacon suggesting that greater expression was still being held back.
P: Likewise aromatically subdued and quite austere seeming, but as the bottle progressed the medium/full body, balance, lively acidity, gently firm structure, good length and absence of parasitic new wood flavours (only large foudres here) all grew on me. So I ended up thoroughly enjoying this wine and believing that it may still have development potential if the aromas blossom; 15.5/20 + with ?++ potential.
Unlike the estate’s Cabernet/Syrah 95 cuvée, which seems to be drying out, this pure Syrah (not decanted) has blossomed and has become thoroughly satisfying in just the way I was hoping. The nose whilst still quite discreet has become expressive and the palate has opened up displaying savoury fruit with a nice steely cherry notes typical of more northerly Syrah and a generosity of body which is more southern; now 16/20++.
(The sturdy, traditionally styled and excellent QPR wines of this estate, located North of Nîmes in the Cévennes foothills, enjoyed a vogue amongst the customers late lamented La Vigneronne in London for vintages before Rainer Pfefferkorn sold the estate in 1999. There are anecdotic reports that the new owners have gone in for a more “modern” and oaky style.)
