A tutored tasting by Jancis Robinson MW on the occasion of the publication of the 3rd edition of The Oxford Companion to Wine ("The previous editions are completely out of date - throw them away" she said).
Jancis said "So much has happened in the past 7 years since the first edition of the Companion came out. What an amazing world of wine we live in. There's a surplus of ordinary wine and no shortage of very good wines.
And yet every day new people embark on making a new interesting wine....
I have selected some really interesting wines that were not available when the first edition came out. There are only two white wines in this tasting, but there are fewer ground breaking whites."
- 2005 Abacela Albariño - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley
Jancis was "a bit worried about the colour --looks a bit cloudy, on the cusp of ideal -- statement of non-fining. Not much scent, high acidity. Zesty cleaniness, marine like, but I miss the perfume of the Spanish counterpart. This is more honeyed".
Me - nice clean -- my glass wasn't cloudy, crisp fesh albarinho, acids on finish. (86 pts.) - 2004 Domaine Matassa Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Blanc - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes
From 60-105 year old vines, Grenache Gris 70%/ 30% Macabeu - Joint venture of Tom Lubbe (South Africa) & Sam Harrop MW (UK) 12.5%
Jancis: Likens it to white Burgundy, but more interesting than most "Some high acidity,missing something in middle palate -- all the pleasure is on the nose" She'd keep it 2 years for it to fill out.
Me: Pale straw colour, strange nose, like ginger biscuit and burned match, medium full body, dry, interesting but not pleasant. Bottle variation? I'm not going to score this - 2004 Waitaki Braids Pinot Noir Waitaki Valley - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Waitaka Valley
First vintage from a brand new region. Winemaker was Michelle Richardson (ex Villa Maria) 14% Only available in UK at co-owner Peter Gordon's restuarant at £50
Jancis: "Volnay style, careful how you choose your food, its quite lightweight. Its a pretty Pinot -- it is true to the variety."
Me: Quink ink and iron flavours, chalky finish, dry. - 2005 Rio Sol Reserva Vale do São Francisco - Brazil, Vale dos Vinhedos
12.5% £4.99 (intake of breath by audience) 50% Shiraz/50% Cabernet
Jancis: This is for 8 degrees south of the Equator. I've written wine grapes should be grown between 30-50 degrees -- that's all nonsense now! They get two crops a year, Portuguese winemaking expertise -- its a very interesting wine --, I get a mouthfull of oak, but there's not supposed to be any in it. You can taste the Syrah, will it get better as vines age? Hmm -- if they don't need replanting after 5 years with all the stress"
Me: Dense ruby colour, light bodied, not much depth of flavouir, some clean acids on finish. (81 pts.) - 2004 Grace Vineyard Chairman's Reserve - China, Shanxi
Cabernet Sauvignon 60% / Merlot 30% / Cabernet Franc 10%. new French Oak barrels for 12 months , no filtration. Only available top hotels in China.
Jancis: "Grace is the leading winery in China, vineyards south of Beijing, but owners looking for new sites. This is the best Chinese wine I've tasted. If it came out of a French bottle labelled Chateau no-one would be surprised. Smells very respectable, very Bordeaux like. The Chinese will go their own way, they have a great understanding of flavours."
Me: Good colour, light bodied not much fruit -- definitely old world style, very claret-like. (84 pts.) - 2001 Girolate - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée
A simple AC Bordeaux -- from Entre des Meres, just south of St Emilion on llimestone. Wine is mostly Merlot, unsually small barrel fermented. 14.5% £40-50
Jancis: "Most tightly spaced vineyard I've ever seen, very low bunches,all barrels on cradles so they can be turned without jolting. Barrels need to be taken apart to clean. Smooth -- the caress of California with limestone taste. I personally wouldn't pay the money for it."
Me: Dark red, good inviting nose, smooth rich fruit, delightful complex wine. (92 pts.) - 2004 Weingut Ziereisen Syrah Gestad - Germany, Baden
13.5%, only available in Germany
Jancis: "This is a testament to climate change in Germany. Hanspeter Ziereresan owns Germany's largest Syrah vineyard, its 1 hectare. He makes the barrels himslef, and this is matured in 1 third new oak. It is a lovely delicate peppery wine.
Me: Dark red, no problems with colour here. Middle palate tastes of dusty ground black peppre, medium bodied, medium finish. (85 pts.) - 2004 Viña Falernia Syrah Alta Tierra - Chile, Coquimbo, Elqui Valley
14.5% £8 (around)
Soft vanilla nose, glass staining, rich silky fruit, some sweetness and vanilla, very nice. (92 pts.) - 2004 Bodega Colome Malbec Estate - Argentina, Salta
66% Malbec / 20% Cabernet Sauvignon / 14% Tannat 14.7% £13
Jancis: Bought by Donald Hess (Swiss mineral water magnate), owner of California's Hess Collection. Very far north of Argentina, almost in Bolivia. Highest vineyard in the world at 2200-3000 metres. (Although after Hess bought it, he went to visit the previous owner who'd retained some of the property and found he had a sign outside his vineyard stating his vineyard was the highest, so Hess then planted a new vineyard even higher up the mountain.)
"I love this wine, its interesting without being soupy/syrupy. There's real vivacity and the air of the mountain about it.
Me: Dense black/red, hint of mint on the nose, it has stained the glass since being poured and leaves a trail as it moves in the glass. Sweet fruits, soft a little jammy and very drinkable. (90 pts.) - 2004 Finca Sandoval Manchuela - Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Manchuela
Mostly Syrah. 14% £18.50
Jancis: "how refined Spanish wines have become in the past few years. This is sweet and spicy and dry on the finish. I don't find the tannins uncomfortable, but it needs food. It tastes more of its 14.5% alcohol than the Colome".
Me: Dark black/red colour, colours glass, fills mouth but leaves a metallic tang on the finish. (84 pts.) - 2004 Tenuta La Guardiola (Passopisciaro) Passopisciaro Sicilia IGT - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia IGT
14.5%, £25+
Jancis: Made from Nerello Mascalese grown in a old vineyard high on slopes of Mt Etna. Wild, bright red fruits, chewy in a licking stone sort of way,"
Me: Light colour, very clear red, interesting red fruit flavours, hard to pin down, clean finish. (85 pts.)
Jancis is an excellent speaker, clear, interesting and without 'errs' 'umms' 'know what I means' etc.
The audience were asked to vote for one wine. The four highest scoring were
1) - 2004 Finca Sandoval
2) - 2004 Bodega Colome Malbec
3) - 2004 Weingut Ziereisen Syrah
4) - 2001 Girolate
My top three wines were
1) - 2004 Viña Falernia Syrah (on QPR)
2) - 2004 Bodega Colome Malbec
3) - 2001 Girolate
The highest scoring wine received 20 votes out of 120 people.
