Tasting notes on some terrific wines opened over the last two days:
Day 1
Perrier-Jouet La Belle Epoque 1996 - brilliant straw colour, persistent streams of fine bead. Sensational bouquet of brioche, biscuits, toasted sesame over gorgeous citrussy fruit. Immaculate palate, mouthfilling, fresh with such poise, balance and exquisite length. A delightful start. 94
Served with Maggie Beer's famous duck pate topped with slivers of kalamata olives and coriander.
Seppelt Drumborg Riesling 1999 - Starbright green/straw. Incredble nose of toast, lime, a hint of oily petrol unfolding scents of peach, mineral and crisp green apples later. Fresh as a daisy on the palate with a distinctive floral character to the crunchy lime and redcurrant fruit. The best possible integrated acid cut delivers the perfect penultimatum to a long and glorious finish. 93
Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux-St-Jacques 1993 - This wine has finally entered its' peak drinking window. Solid dark core with maturie hues in the outer edges. Opened particularly feral with a fair dollop of duck pond but this dissipated slowly but surely to reveal a truly wonderful Burgundy that revealed spicy plums, game, sappy notes with a strong input from fine savoury oak. Silky palate with almost perfect ripe acids and fine tannins to round off a long peacock's tail finish. 94
With oven roasted Chicken breasts atop eggplant and finished with baby capers, tomato, balsamic and fresh basil.
Day 2
Hermann Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese 1998 - One of my favourite German producers and what looks to be a very successful vintage for this estate. Bright light gold appearance. Imposing nose of tropical fruit (mango), white peach, yellow nectarine and underlying citrus with some slatey/minerally undertones. Ripe, intense and ready to go on the palate but relatively light on its' feet exhibiting a wonderful rounded mouthfeel, plenty of extract and controlled, complimentary acidity. Finishes ohso smooth and long - a beautifully constructed wine - but as I've noticed with the last few bottles opened, probably not destined for extremely old bones. I'd guess another 5-8 years will see this at its best. 92
Accompanied Tiger prawn salad - home grown rocket, baby lettuce, avacado, over-roasted cherry tomatoes and drizzled with olive oil infused with tomato and garlic.
Louis Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 2000 - for a village wine this punches well above its weight. Infantile bright straw colour. Classy mealy nose of grapefruit, almonds, an intriguing minerality and a lovely touch of (newish) oak. Very fresh and zesty. Exhibits an incredibly tightly structured palate, excellent line, a modicum of cirtus/grapefruit/underripe peach fruit with subtle smoky oak flavours, fantastic acid cut and a blinder of a finish. The austerity of this wine in no way dampened my enthusiasm for the enjoyment it gave last night. I'm sure better things are in store for those with the patience to keep their hands off this for many years to come. 92
Chargrilled Atlantic Salmon (marinated in a touch of soy, sesame oil, galic and ginger) served with a celeriac and potato mash and pan-fried young asparagus spears rolled in butter. Yummo!
Seppelt GR113 Rutherglen Rare Muscat - Drunk over two nights and benfitted from the aeration on the second night. Seppelt's flagship commercial mucat and what a great example it is! Dark mahogany red fading to rich brown/rusty hues with a faint khaki rim. Potent nose of jumbo raisans, brandied Christmas cake, touch of molasses with strong rancio and v.a. notes playing an integral part in the wine's counterbalance, complexity and stature. Unctiously and decadently rich palate with luscious flavours aka the nose. The sweetness level balanced perfectly by a grippy astringency that cleans up an almost interminable finish. Just brilliant. 95
Served with home-made passionfruit ice cream.