A selection of wines shown at Cambridge University Wine Society's Garden Party, held in the Scholars' Garden, St John's College, Cambridge. Stockist and retail prices are indicated, where known.
2002 Pol Roger Vintage
B+(+)
Pol Roger's current vintage champagne, released earlier in 2012. Biscuity, bready with some oxidative character, theres yeasty notes there, baked mushroom. Lots of acidity, lemony flavours; there decent persistence and width on the mid palate but still very much structured; feels quite linear, taut and young. Good vibrancy and focus, many many years ahead of it.
2009 Ridgeview Fitzrovia Rose Brut
Wine Pantry £28.99 | A-
50% Chardonnay, 28% Pinot Noir and 22% Pinot Meunier. Red fruit on the nose: strawberry and red currants, hint of development and bready notes, but its really fresh and lively, primary characters showing. Palate is rounded; good ripe fruit, fresh acidity and structure given by the Chardonnay; strawberry freshness, summer in a bottle. Brilliantly put together, I think the quality is right up there among the best English sparkling roses; good value too (from The Wine Society, anyway). Absolutely perfect with strawberries and cream.
2000 Pol Roger Vintage
A
Served from a jeroboam. Only got a tiny amount of this. Much prefer this than the 2002 - felt more precise and focused yet also more generous, just more of everything. Impeccably structured yet so expressive, quintessence of what proper vintage Champagne in a brilliant year ought to be.
2007 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Vielles Vignes, Domaine Marc Morey & Fils.
Roberson Wine £35.95 | A
Buttery, creamy and sweet vanilla showing; the oak treatment is prominent and very forward; theres also ripe citrus undertones; voluptuous and fragrant. On the palate, plenty of ripe fruit to carry the oak treatment; full bodied and layered mouthfeel, generous flavours; very ripe acidity to. In short: a complete wine, very classy and well put together, from a fabulous Burgundy vintage and this does not disappoint; showing wonderfully at the moment, drink now - 2020+.
Riberach Synthese Rose, Cotes des Catalanes
B+
100% Carignan. Light salmon pink in colour. Nose isnt full on fruity, quite subdued; on the palate theres plenty of bright red fruit, strawberries and the like, nice texture to this, its almost minerally. Well balanced, this isnt your simple summer quaffer, demands slightly more.
2009 Hartenberg Sauvignon Blanc
B
Correct varietal nose - green notes of grass and leaves, some tropical fruit (guava and passion fruit), but the varietal greenness is what dominates. Some grapefruit-like pith on the mouthfeel along with citrus; clean and fresh flavours, the greenness does carry through on the palate. A correct, but perhaps rather simple wine.
2011 Albarino, Lagar de Bouza, Rias Baixas
Cambridge Wine £11.99 | B+
Very brief notes - lemony nose, palate is clean as a whistle, high acidity dominated by steely citrus flavours; really cleansing and refreshing feel on the palate, crying out for some sunshine and seafood.
2004 Saar Riesling Spatlese, Wiltinger Schlangengraben, Weingut Johann Peter Reinert.
Cambridge Wine £12.90 | A-
Reviewed previously here.
2011 Welcombe Hills Hollow Meadow. Warwickshire, England.
Wine Pantry £13.99 | B+
A blend of Bacchus and Auxerrois. Nose is of citrus, granny smith apples and green pears; quite aromatic and lively, theres a hint of white lilies / flowers there. Palate is fresh, citrus dominates with some green pears too, hints of minerality, theres some pithy bitterness towards the finish. Overall, very balanced and fresh; perfect for summer, enjoy with or without food. Impressive effort.
2010 AOC Mont-sur-Rolle, Domaine Maison Blanche. Switzerland.
B+
This is one of four Swiss wines below which I tasted very quickly, without making much written tasting notes. Grape variety in this one is Chasselas - neutral some citrus, not much by way of flavour; clean, bone dry and refreshing, a 'neutral' white wine.
2010 Aligote de Peissy, Cave & Domaine Les Perrieres. AOC Geneve.
B
Neutral nose, citrus and a touch of spritz. Searingly high acidity on the palate, like sucking on lemons; quite intense citrus flavours coming through, acidity is mouth contorting. Perhaps food might temper it?
La Chenaie, Gamay de Peisy, Cave & Domaine Les Perrieres. AOC Geneve.
Cuvee Noble Rouge, Domaine La Capitaine. Switzerland.
2010 Moscato d'Asti DOCG, Bosc Dla Rei, Beni di Batasiolo
Reviewed in the Batasiolo tasting here - very popular at the Garden Party this year.
NV Moscato Frizzante, Cantine Volpi.
Cambridge Wine Merchants £9.49 | B+
Reviewed previously here - another CUWS Garden Party favourite, popular today as it was last year.
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