Formal Hall

Five wines during the course of dinner, with a couple of interesting older reds from the Jaboulet stable.

2009 Bellingham 'The Bernard Series' Hand Picked Viognier. South Africa.
Majestic £10.99. A-

Full on the nose, ripe peaches, lots of white fruits and even a touch of honey on it; also exotic tropical fruits of lychee and mango too; floral and heady, smells rather sweet and big. Very juicy, its evident there was tremendous ripeness in the fruit; nice thickness and weight on the palate; full bodied, slightly off dry, with an oily touch too, slight spice at the end. Big, rather muscular wine; drinks very well.

1996 Crozes Hermitage 'Domaine de Thalabert' Paul Jaboulet Aine
A-

Reviewed this several times before. Still showing wonderful freshness on the palate; sour cherries and plums, with nice firm acidity too. The touch of earthy rusticness still there. Just very together.

1971 Chateau La Lagune. 3er Cru Classe, Haut Medoc.
A-

On the nose, its still incredibly vibrant, even lively - red berries and particularly red currants leaping out; some earthy, rather musty note also shows. On the palate its yielding yet still firm; the acidity is whats keeping the wine together and still in tension; fruit is still there, mostly sour red cherries. Very poised and truly an interesting wine.

2006 Chateau Doisy-Vedrines. 2er Cru Classe, Barsac.
A-(+)

Big, full on the nose; lots of candied oranges, marmalade and acacia honey; the botrytis also evident. The mouthfeel is remarkable; textured and full, again of candied citrus, sweet oranges and marmalade; theres almost a creamy side to it, flavour does come in layers; lots of citrus, and also decent streak of acidity. In all, very together and not cloying; its very fine now, but no doubt will age gracefully too.

2002 Domaine de Montahuc, Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois, Vin Doux Naturel
B+

Only had a small sip of this so very brief impressions. Does feel fortified, showing nice sweetness of peardrops, sweet citrus, maybe even cooked apples on the nose; lacks the balancing acidity but because still feels light on the palate. Never had anything from this AOC before.