Sunday 4 March 2012

Formal Hall

Four wines with dinner; Sunday, 26 February 2012.


1999 Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay
A-

Medium gold colour. Slightly rancid butter, nutty oak and hazelnuts; slight aldehyde tones and creme fraiche; the maturity shows in the slight oxidative nose. Acidity is wide on the palate, nutty notes comes through; the appley and lemony fruit is to the background; decent length actually, not expansive more of a focused mid palate. The sweet nutty oak is the most dominant flavour here, gradually opens up to reveal a bit more fruit and generosity; complex and structured, but perhaps slightly past its best; drink up.

1998 d'Arenberg 'The Dead Arm' Shiraz
A-

Classic Shiraz notes: black currants, high notes of violets and blackcurrant cordial, wine gums, also eucalyptus; so lifted and voluptuous on the nose. Palate is wide, generous, fruit is extracted but isn't punchy; rounded and settled, sweet blackcurrant and black berries, slight jamminess; good acidity showing too, lingering finish. A touch of tannins towards the end, but understated. Very together; probably at its peak around now, drink now - 2018+.

2008 Ladies who Shoot Their Lunch Shiraz
B+

Cooked, slightly jammy dark fruit, woody tones and licorice. Masculine and extracted, the dark fruit here is structured and still very tightly-knit, quite one dimensional still, good amount of tannic grip. Needs time to relax and open up.

2009 Feller-Artinger Beerenauslese
Waitrose Wine £11.67 | B+

Honeyed nose, with floral touches, smells quite heavy. On the palate its full of dried fruits, tinned peaches and the like; nectarines and perhaps some tropical elements; feels a bit light for a Beerenauslese, was expecting slightly more concentration. Felt fleeting and lacking in weight.

Plus several wines tasted during the week which merits a mention.



1978 Chassagne Montrachet, Joseph Drouhin
B+

A mature red Chassagne Montrachet. Wonderful mature, farmyard and earthy nose, along with red currants and cranberries, with a touch of sweet spice and bloody / rusty tones. Soft on the palate, plenty of fresh acidity still, vibrant and not tired at all; needed some air to open up; the freshness was a welcome surprise. Delightful.


2006 Las Moras Three Valleys Gran Shiraz
Naked Wines £17.99 | A-

Depth on the nose; dark fruit compote and bramble, along with a floral touch to this, lots of high notes but doesnt have alcoholic notes. On the palate its fully extracted; such concentration of dark fruits here; blackberries and dark plums, yet feels together, doesnt feel overdone; oak treatment was absorbed into the substantial fruit; touch of grainy tannins at the end An excellent example of a cool, but fully extracted Shiraz.Big and bold and yet still very classy; might improve with time; drink now - 2015+

2010 Casa Defra Pinot Grigio Rose
Cambridge Wine £7.25 | B

Nice pink hue on this wine; its not the most complex rose you will ever have, but it does have decent fruit structure; slightly more fruit and weight to this than your basic Pinot Grigio; fresh acidity. Should go well with salmon and other slightly more meaty fish.




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