tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83356916086728080042024-03-05T14:14:01.149-08:00194KPRThe day to day activities of a wine merchant, broker, trader.Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.comBlogger390125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-63022986311136308132017-01-16T07:24:00.005-08:002017-01-16T07:24:41.259-08:00I've moved this site...(see below)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will continue to write when I can, about what I want, but all new posts will be on <a href="https://194kpr.com/">194kpr.com</a>!</span></div>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-40345352515667709282016-12-10T13:25:00.001-08:002016-12-10T13:25:35.372-08:00Tardieu-Laurent dinner @ 28-50 with Bastien Tardieu...<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This dinner ten days ago was one I had been massively looking forward to. I love the wines from The Tardieu family. </span></o:p><a href="http://www.2850.co.uk/">28-50 Fetter Lane</a> did a really great job of hosting the dinner, efficient but understated service and cracking food - menu below!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can see <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=tardieu">some other Tardieu-Laurent posts</a> that show the range of the wines. This family firm with father and son team of Michel and Bastien at the helm on the wine side just do a great job. They work with, often in the vineyard as well as cellar, a whole series of producers from Condrieu to Bandol. Producing about 80% reds and 20% whites. They are just what a quality focussed micro-negociant should be. The firm started in 1994 and the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1994 and 1995 vintages were aged in Burgundy (hence the "Laurent" bit) and then from 1996 onwards in Lourmarin where they are based now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We started this evening with </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Condrieu 2015 </b>as an aperitif. Now I don't really "do" Viognier in the same way that some people don't like pistachio ice cream (they are insane) but this I did like, and not just because I am biased. Full rich texture but a good bit of acidity and a nice oak integration, I imagine this doesn't see much new oak. It worked well as an aperitif but has plenty about it to be a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">gr</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">eat food wine. Bastien said it was from a new producer to them, based in Vernon with a parcel facing full south and on thin soil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was then time to be seated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="FR">As Bastien said a few words we were served the </span></span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Hermitage Blanc 2007 </b><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">en magnum. </i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">This </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">was a real star of a wine. This sees 24 months in oak but not much new. One of the key aspects to this wine being the fact that it is possibly the most long-lived of all their wines. One important point of the ageing being that it is done on the fine lees, Bastien noting that this is crucial to the character and complexity. There is a lot going on here, waxy with notes of petrol and pear then lanolin and beeswax, a rich wine but not heavy, more intense than heavy, a little white truffle...splendid just splendid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="FR">As we moved from Terrine to lamb (which was superb) so we moved to reds, all from magnums:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="FR"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Gigondas 2004 </b><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">en magnum </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">this is from a higher part of the Gigondas area known as </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">les dentelles</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, meaning silk or lace as opposed to teeth as one might think. It is an area known </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for grace and elegance. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As an aside, if you get the chance to go to Gigondas then go. It is a beautiful village and has a great restaurant - Oustalet - as outlined in this <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/rhone-epic-en-parallel.html">trip</a>. Back to the wine, this is perfect now, good slightly degraded character and nice earthiness to combine with red back fruits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="FR"><b>Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale 2006 </b><i>en
magnum</i><b> </b>what a wine this is. Year in, year out I love this. 100% Grenache ("as Chateauneuf should be!"), made with 100% whole cluster from 100year+ old vines in La Crau on a sandy soil (only really shared by Rayas, La Crau and Pignan). There is no pumping over, it is what Bastien described as a tea-bag wine. The colour, as Grenache should be, is not too deep. There is an extremely elegant freshness to this wine. I just love the poise and balance, the slight white pepper but mainly the redder leafy fruits. Spot on. All this from a decent, but not more than that, vintage. I have some mags of 2010 but Bastien made me promise I will leave them for a while.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="FR"><b>Côte Rôtie Vieilles Vignes 1999 </b><i>en magnum</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> drinking a wine that is special for a particular reason is always great. The reason this is such is that it was only made in magnum an</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">d never sold. It was only the 3rd time Bastien had drunk it! Only three times have they made a <i>Vieilles Vignes</i> Cote Rotie and this was just 300 magnums (2 barrels). There was a "normal" Cote Rotie 1999. The nose is just classical Cote Rotie, all bacon fat and dark spiced fruit. The palate had a more ferrous feel, a savoury bite that left you wanting more. I would say it is mature now, clearly it will continue to age but is spot on at the moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When it comes to planning dinners one of the trickier areas is the last course, especially if the producer in question is white or red wine dominated. Here we had a great option. The other "first world problem" is whether you have cheese or pudding first so we served a fortified red with cheese and pudding alongside each other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel 2014 </b>this was a production of just 600 bottles and 2014 was only the second time they had made this. The only Rhone village that has an official appellation for Vin Doux Naturel (or Rhone Port as we simplified it to on my table) is Rasteau. This village, 50 years ago, made almost exclusively VDN. The vines are 80 years old. There is an insane drinkability to this, I am delighted that I bought some. It is redder in fruit than Port, elegant, more drinkable in volume at an early stage, also "only" 17% rather than 20%. Splendid!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b><span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And that was it really...a thoroughly enjoyable evening, Bastien throwing great nuggets of information into the mix and everyone just getting stuck in. Wine as it should be...</span></span></span></div>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-2107722962795813152016-11-26T01:20:00.000-08:002016-11-26T01:20:06.586-08:00Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo-Ravera Vertical - Beppe Rinaldi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is a sort of sibling feeling to this particular evening in the form of this - </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/beppe-rinaldibrunate-le-coste-vertical.html">Brunate - Le Coste vertical</a>. In reality this tasting was planned first and the other evening queue barged. We were 8 people, Eric (who had done all the hard work) myself and six wine lovers. The venue was a repeat - </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.medlarrestaurant.co.uk/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Medlar Restaurant</a>. Chris Delalonde and the team doing a great job as ever. The upstaors room there is a real asset 6-12 people with lots of space.</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Champagne to commence as we all assembled. <b>Delamotte Blanc de Blancs NV</b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <i>En Magnum</i> was a terrific start…this magnum having been disgorged in 2014. There is a easiness but also a freshness, good purity and just elegant drinkability about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Spicy tomato nahm
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We actually started the dinner with a white of Eric's. I have had Miani a few times and it has to be one of the great whites of Italy.</span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Miani Friulano 2008</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> - A cracking wine. I
think if I were to have had to guess blind then I may have been in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">serious dry
white Bordeaux country. There is a lovely waxy texture and a nose of dried gym
socks (one's own socks before this is seen as negative!). The fruit is more
yellow than white. Mellow maturity but no lack of drive. Spot on now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;">And so, it was time for the meat and drink of the evening. This wine is a blend of two vineyards - <b>Cannubi San Lorenzo</b> and <b>Ravera</b> made from 1993 to 2009. From 2010 it is essentially called Tre Tini as it now includes some Le Coste from what was the Brunate-Le Coste before there was a ban on more than one Cru name appearing on any label (see the other post for a little more info here). For better pics and some data on the wines do see Ken Vastola's site </span></span><a href="http://finewinegeek.com/rinaldig/" style="font-size: medium;">Finewinegeek - Rinaldi</a>. <span style="font-size: small;">All these Barolos (excepting the 1961) wines were</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">opened around 3pm and
gently double decanted at 5.30. The flights are more in vintage style that pure age range, this seems to work better - especially, in my view, for wines from Piedmont and Burgundy.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><u><b>Flight 1 – Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo-Ravera - The warmer vintages</b><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>2000</b> – This had a very heady initial richness that quite quickly degraded into a bruised nature. There was a little mushroom quality, some iodine and smelling salts. The shame was that the palate had none to the quirky (not necessarily positively so) nature of the nose. It faded quite quickly. I’d be intrigued to try again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>2003 </b>– A good surprise here, good richly intense red cherry fruit and good energy, no sense of the heat other than in a good depth. A good, quite bold structure with good grip. There is a slight lushness but this is kept in check on the palate. A good wine that is starting to peak.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>2007</b> – As with the 2003 this was a good surprise. The fruit character was again around the red cherry area but with more vigour and freshness. This has a good future, I don’t think it will close down, it is what it is and is all the nicer for it. A good wine with which to introduce someone to this estate. Very consistent with other bottles I have had. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Flight 2 – </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo-Ravera - Some</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> classic vintages</b><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>2008</b> – I keep my love of 2008 as an underrated Barolo Vintage very badly hidden. It is a cracking year, it might not have the verve and all-rounder status of 2004 and 2010 or the uncompromising nature of the 2006s but it has typicity and charm in spades! This wine has a persistent tenderness, the fruit combines red and black with saline and earth, very Nebbiolo. It is a wine that is very balanced, very happy in it's skin. A long future and an elegant one. If you see it, buy it, but dont miss out on trying a bottle soon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>1996</b> – I find 1996 in Europe almost always has a strictness, an acidity and a sternness, not necessarily a mean nature but certainly a lean one. This is no different. The nose has a slight tar and toffee character and whilst the feel of the wine on the palate is true enough there is a lack of fruit. It may well makes great “old bones” as they say but the contrast in lack of charm with the 2008 is stark. May be I am being harsh.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>1999</b> – Was a very good example of classically proportioned Barolo, in third gear maturity-wise, some brown fruits and degradation to go with enough deep red fruit. Saline and frazzles come through. Not a waste to drink now but no rush. Good good wine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Flight 3 – </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo-Ravera - </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Classicism with flare?</b><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">This was going to be 2001-2004-2006 but the 2001 was not perfect so we went for 2004, 2005 and 2006 with Eric then generously adding the 2009.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>2004</b> – This was always going to have a task on its hands to come close to the Brunate - Le Coste 2004 of the previous tasting. It was very good, nice vigour and drive – good young red fruits with some black in the background. Very well balanced, still primary, “splendid” appears a few times in my notes. I’d be sitting tight for 5 years before trying this again. Just as it should be. V.nice!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>2005</b> – Saline and dark cherry, a really odd note (not negatively so) of cool sausage meat. I have found wet raw steak a useful note at times. Good acidity and a good wine, simpler than the 2004 but almost equally enjoyable on this night. Not to be overlooked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2006</b> – A deeper wine, a more savoury wine too, a line to the 1999 possibly? There is a sense of leather and tobacco and tar, not a fruit wine, there are hints to the Monfortino style. Properly uncompromising and all the better for it. Splendid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2009 </b>– It was good to have this here as it is almost the polar opposite of the 2006. Fruit and red fruit at that, juicy, lighter, fresher. I think this is a nicely tender and unpretentious portrayal of a tricky vintage. There is an easiness about the wine. Leafy and fresh.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once you're in the the flow of things...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinet 2007 </b>– Eric had
brought this along as a refresher and it worked well. I remember “demolishing” a
case of Prum’s Graacher Himmelreich Kabinet 2007 some years ago – it seemed to
almost drink itself! This was the same, extrovert but fresh…<o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">delicious</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Barolo 1961 Rinaldi </b>– It was very generous
of Edward to have brought this along. An amazing bottle before you even get
onto the contents, 720ml and hand blown, extraordinarily heavy. The wine was
fully mature as you’d expect, rich but ferrous with a iron and stones feel, the
texture carried the wine. There was a sense of fruit rather than fruit itself.
Fascinating. A wine from another era!</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">And that was that...with these two tastings done I feel I know the estate and the wines better. I will continue to buy them and to drink them whenever I can. I feel the younger vintages (2007 onwards) will last and age well but ceratinly repay exploration early as the balance is superb! For instance a bottle of this wine from 2011 recently was gloriusly vigourous.</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Keep up the good work Beppe and family!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtHC1TgyGwiFbsS5rB1vSJ6ee36ZIZGmKifsM0T6KSVdyP73MEdgzIjI9NNoVpbTkOulaGmUDF-bramqv0r4LaZXBd8NCDxr6uJ5fvS1aXwQYZLc4ggc1-SCyTsxLPjEthw8kFFY34Yk_/s1600/Rinaldi+CSLR+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtHC1TgyGwiFbsS5rB1vSJ6ee36ZIZGmKifsM0T6KSVdyP73MEdgzIjI9NNoVpbTkOulaGmUDF-bramqv0r4LaZXBd8NCDxr6uJ5fvS1aXwQYZLc4ggc1-SCyTsxLPjEthw8kFFY34Yk_/s400/Rinaldi+CSLR+2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Spicy tomato nahm jim marinated stone bass with prawn tempura, avocado, coriander and cucumber</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5gKM_jm3_KTK-LZAmA8LikN-JSwxUlT2cMueHcHy2ZUB4Zigjlx-nwpenwKDARcEOuUx-pRjy9FQwXjV0IIAQcZprfGT2HIN9tIYEY190vuzlOqCfS20kDO-e1jVWKzSh8AlLBED6qof6/s1600/Rinaldi+CSLR+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5gKM_jm3_KTK-LZAmA8LikN-JSwxUlT2cMueHcHy2ZUB4Zigjlx-nwpenwKDARcEOuUx-pRjy9FQwXjV0IIAQcZprfGT2HIN9tIYEY190vuzlOqCfS20kDO-e1jVWKzSh8AlLBED6qof6/s400/Rinaldi+CSLR+3.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Sautéed gnocchi with white onion purée, eryngi, wet walnuts and homemade fresh ricotta</span></td></tr>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-91664855148026067082016-11-13T04:38:00.000-08:002016-11-13T04:38:10.621-08:00Cantina Giacomo Conterno “Paulée” with Roberto Conterno<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back in May I made the annual trip to see Roberto Conterno and taste the new releases at <b>Cantina Giacomo Conterno </b>along with a few other wines (I love my job) you can read about that trip <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/conternotasting-and-dinner.html">HERE</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the things we discussed with Roberto and his, ever helpful, assistant Stephanie was getting them over to London, this we finalised while we were out there, setting dates for July. They had a very busy time while they were here and I have briefly put notes at the bottom of this post about the wines we showed at a press lunch and a private customer dinner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the main things I wanted to do, with not a hint of self interest you understand (much!), was to get some customers together for a small (we were 12 people) Paulee at <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=67+Pall+Mall">67 Pall Mall</a>. The team there, headed by Gareth, did a great job with endless Zalto Burgundy glasses and lots of pouring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The team in the kitchen did exactly as asked and came up with a simple and non-clashing menu as below. In the nicest possible way I don't think we even noticed the food much!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Fillet of beef Carpaccio, rocket, capers and sourdough croutons</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Somerset organic spelt and girolle risotto</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Fillet of beef Wellington with beef dripping roasties</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Girolles on toast</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">People were asked to bring along a magnum or two bottles of a wine of Roberto's. I did a little bit of "steering" on the selections and we came up with a cracking combo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the guests assembled we started with some <b>Wiston Blanc de Blancs 2010 </b>which is drinking very well right now, a nice combination of zip and a little toastiness showing, the sort of thing I will regret not tucking a few bottles aside of to see what it is like in 5 years or so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Flight 1</u> - "Nobody puts Barbera in the corner"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ok so that's a naff title for a flight but as Roberto never tires of saying "you are not opening a bottle of Barbera or Barolo of even Monfortino...you are opening a bottle of CONTERNO". The Barberas are given every bit of love and attention that the Barolos are and I would say (well I would wouldn't I) that the Conterno Barberas are the most consistently high quality you will find anywhere. I wanted to use this as a chance to show not only the two sites but two different stages of evolution:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: bold;">B</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>arbera Cascina Francia 2008 </b>- this is a wine I know very well, moreish and becoming more savoury, good mellow grip and dark but not deep fruit. There is a lot of balance here, pretty seamless. Quite serious as Francia always is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barbera Cerretta 2012 </b>- this is, like 2008 above, from a cooler, more classically Nebbiolo vintage. The vibrancy of the violets and dark cherry fruit is superb. If I was to drink any Conterno without food as an "aperitif" it would be Cerretta Barbera. Cool stoney minerality seems to get in there too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u style="font-style: italic;"><br /></u></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u style="font-style: italic;">Flight 2</u> - two by two...</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So this is a cracking way to get to know two sites. I was keen to show these as they are two different vintages and then the two sites. The site differences showed very clearly. The vintages did too but a little less so. I think this is often the case with great producers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><b>Barolo Cerretta 2010 Magnum </b>- this is the first Barolo from the site, 2008 and 2009 both being released as Langhe Nebbiolo (the 2008 is stunning right now!). This has a super-charged feel, rich and fruited and with a big structure, there is density and concentration here, lusciousness even sucrosity. This will be fascinating to follow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cascina Francia 2010 Magnum </b>- my note for this features the word "serious" twice. There is a density but this is a linear wine, with drive and poise. I like this a great deal, it is just as I would want it to be, introvert, saline, tight and proper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cerretta 2011 Magnum </b>- this really typifies Cerretta for me, it is friendly and approachable, begs to be drunk. Sweetness and succulence. There is a very Nebbiolo character but also a warm vintage intensity. If you own this it would be a great shame not to try it in youth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cascina Francia 2011 Magnum </b>- my note just starts "Superb wine". Delicious fruit, good grip and drive that makes this less overt than the Cerretta. Reassuringly savoury and grippy but with fruit that roles over the tannin, great balance to the nose, red, black, soil and salinity. You can really sense the input of what would have been the Monfortino barrel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was every bit as good a flight as I hoped, as expected the 2011s are showing more now but the 2010s would appear to have it all.</span></div>
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<u style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-style: italic;">Flight 3</u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - One site, four vintages... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If I was asked to name my favourite vineyard, from a pure drinking perspective it may very well be Cascina Francia. Now planted to 9hectares of Nebbiolo (to give you a perspective Clos de Tart is a little over 7 hectares and La Tache is around 5hectares) and 5hectares of Barbera.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><b>Barolo Cascina Francia 2008 Magnum </b>- I am a massive fan of 2008. I really feel that those who may have bought Barolo in 2004 and 2010 (the most lauded vintages) but not 2006 and 2008 have made a mistake. 2008 is a vintage of sweetness and elegant feminity but with no lack of classicism, 2006 is the older brother to 2008, grip and texture, a wine of sternness and complexity. Roberto was very interesting on the 2008 as a growing season mainly because there was a seven-day spell towards the end of September when the temperature fell to zero...this was about a month ahead of the Nebbiolo harvest. Somehow this s</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">eems to have left wines with less obvious tannin but no lack of complexity. This wine is a lovely example of Cascina Francia, fruited but not overly so, red bramble like hints with brine and leather grip in there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cascina Francia 1994</b> - this was "gone", badly stored I am guessing, like bovril and PX sherry then tobacco leaf. It is a wine I have had before, a few years ago, it is ok but not much more. In Roberto's own words "from 1995 it is pretty difficult to find bad vintages".</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cascina Francia 1990</b> - A wine I know pretty well and last had with Roberto when I </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/conternotasting-and-dinner.html">visited back in May.</a> It is also a wine I have had a few other times over the last 5 years. Saline, soy, degraded darker fruit and some bacon fat are real signatures of this wine. We did while tasting this superb wine get onto talking about 1989 vs 1990 and I remarked that I'd never had the 1989. There was also no Monfortino in 1989 which would seem odd for a vintage that many label as a comfortable 5stars. The reason is that only 4000 bottles of Barolo was made from the Cascina Francia vineyard due to a hailstorm. It remains I wine I crave to try.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Monfortino 1955 </b>- now this is an experience and one I have had a couple of times before. Notably </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Monfortino+1955">here</a> during a splendid lunch. This was good showing. From 20 years (ok 19) before the Cascina Francia site was bought. Frazzles, bricky, briney nose with richness. There were a couple of funny conversations over this wine but the over-riding memory was that Roberto simply commented how totally ludicrous his predecessors would have found the idea of people in London enjoying this wine nearly 61 years after it was made!</span><br />
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<u style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-style: italic;">Flight 4</u><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> - Mighty Monfortino...for now and for later...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Monfortino is an iconic wine in the correct sense of the word i.e. because it has proved itself to be a beacon for Barolo and not because the estate or someone in marketing department calls it such a thing. Iconic status can be difficult as it comes with expectation. I genuinely believe that the Monfortinos of the last 15 years (01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 08, 10 & 13*) are amongst the greatest. * The 2013 will be just Monfortino (i.e. no Barolo Cascina Francia), a move not seen since 2002. Simply put, the quality is that good.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">M</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">onfortino 2004 </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- one of only about 5 or 6 wines I have given a perfect or near perfect 20 out of 20 to. That was when I tasted it at the estate back in </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/giacomo-conternotasting-wines.html">May 2011</a>. It is a wine I have had a few times since and it is profoundly good. Such drive and persistence, grace and at the same time fathomless structure. It has red fruit as well, no deep dark monster just a great wine. I wouldn't change a thing about it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b>Monfortino 1999 </b>- a slightly volatile example compared to the ones that the note below refers to. The was good, rich and full with a lot of salinity.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Monfortino 1997 </b><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Magnum</span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> </b><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">- This is a cracking example of a mature Monfortino. It has soy and a little ginger as well as nicely degraded fruits. Of the Monfortinos from the last 30 years this is the one to drink right now. I think it will age well but why would you?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Monfortino 1995 </b><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">- This is a leaner vintage for me, not quite the round degraded elements that you can find in the 1997. A little stricter. I have a feeling it will make a good older wine, I have nothing but gut feel to base that on. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was a wonderful evening - to get the chance to sit and discuss this many wines with Roberto and hear the passion was incredible. I'll leave you with one comment from Roberto, said in the most heartfelt way imaginable "We do not make wines for other people, it is only in making wines for us that satisfy us, that we can be satisfied, that is what drives us".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">All that really remains is, as ever, to thank Roberto (and Stephanie) for the time, energy and wonderful wines...I am looking forward to my next trip to the Langhe already!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also in the same visit we hosted both a press lunch at the office and a dinner at <a href="http://www.sartoria-restaurant.co.uk/">Sartoria</a> in Mayfair. On both occasions we showed the same four wines, my notes below:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barbera Cerretta 2013, En Magnum </b>- "Intensity" and "pleasure" are the watch words here. This is a great vintage for Barbera, expressive and rich but with the necessary acidity and focus. More extrovert than the 2012 mentioned above. To my taste this will be in the zone in 2-3 years. Very true to its site. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cascina Francia 2001 </b>- Saline, salty, a zesty texture with bacon fat and soy, mellow fruits, some ginger appearing. This is just shifting from 3rd gear into 4th. Classical - 2001 being a serious vintage of intensity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Monfortino 1999 </b>- This is a very typical Monfortino for me, a vintage you "Chew", rich but vast, full and focused at the same time. Hard to write a note for actually. I have always liked this wine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cerretta 2011 </b>- More clay here in this site and it shows there is a lusher texture. Notes from all three times (including the above) are very consistent. Vibrant energy.</span></div>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-12311420589450583142016-11-12T06:10:00.003-08:002016-11-12T06:10:44.057-08:00Irish makes his half century..."The Lads" celebrate...<div class="Default">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So a meeting of "The Lads" was called to celebrate Irish turning 50. The line up being </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>Irish</b>, <b>Halifax</b>, </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ronaldinho</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">,</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>Woo</b>,<b> Monty</b> (new name on account of hints dropped) and myself. We were sad to unavoidably lose the presence of </span><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chewy</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> but we drank to him and I am sure he'll be back with a bang next time. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This group is a joy. A few of the previous outings can be seen below, were I more IT savvy then maybe there would be a section of this site dedicated</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> to the group...the same could be said of the May trips group.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/boats-bottles-tides-and-pirates.html">Boats, bottles, tides and pirates</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/irish-goes-into-his-50th-year.html">Irish goes into his 50th year</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/double-birthday-bonanza.html">Double birthday bonanza</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/lunch-at-ronaldinhos.html">Lunch at Ronaldinhos</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The venue and co-ordination was chosen and orchestrated by Irish. <a href="http://www.kitchenw8.com/">Kitchen W8</a> is a great spot and one I have always enjoyed - if you've not been you must go. The brief was a simple one "bring a great bottle or two and NO <i>meaningless volume</i>". I tell you what, it worked as you'll see. But first the menu which was faultless - pics at bottom of this post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Warm Baked
Celeriac, Autumn Truffle, <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Roast
Chicken Skin and Hazelnuts <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>-</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Risotto of
Cepes with Aged Parmesan <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>-</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Fillet of
Turbot, Autumn Roots, Iberico Lardo, <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Smoked
Potato and Red Wine <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>-</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Haunch of
Venison, Bulgur Wheat, Swiss Chard,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Creamed Chanterelles, Liver and Onions</i></span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>-</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Cheese</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: left;">So let's start at the </span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">beginning, Halifax (aka Nobby) is almost always in charge of the Champagne which is fine given he has good stocks and loves it BUT has the one downside of being served first, Nobby is almost always late! Only 15 minutes this time so having discussed the state of the world over a glass of water and got the first of Ron's dodgy jokes out the way we were on. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">There was an element of "blindness" to almost all the wines. </span></span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Louis Roederer 1988 </b><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">from magnum was just splendid. We were on the money vintage wise having been in the 1988 to 1990 range but we were almost all leaning towards a Blanc de Blancs - Taittinger and Salon both being put forward. It was lemony with a little biscuitiness in the mix, no nuts, brioche and toast, great energy, delicious now, will age well but I can't imagine liking it more than right now! The magnum size had a positive effect without doubt. We were off and running in style</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With one notable exception we went wine by wine rather than pairs which meant we could concentrate on getting things properly wrong. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Meursault-Charmes 1er Cru 2002 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">from</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Lafon </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">was up next and bang on the money. A little reduction, some petrol, good generosity, very good, focused but proper and perfect from now on, a taut density and easily of Grand Cru quality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I decided to go early and get it wrong next, I said Grand Cru Chablis and from the mid-late 90s. I was, kind of, wrong for the right reasons but mainly because the wine was quite cool. It was a cracking bottle of </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Montrachet Grand Cru 2001 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">from</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Sauzet</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. Once up to temperature it was marmalade, tangerines, rich, with good minerality underneath and opulence (essential in Montrachet I'd say). Lanolin, iodine and full, those that kept a little in their glass just kept getting more and more...lovely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What came next was the - ludicrously generous - focal point, even in this company. First we had </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hermitage La Chapelle 1990 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">then </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hermitage La Chapelle 1978</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">, both these bottles and the next one having come from the estate in original individual wooden cases last year. The 1990 was stinkingly rich on the nose, full, I noted that you could smell the viscosity, whether that is possible or not, I know what I mean, rich bacon fat, so sweet big and bold but balanced and digestible, almost raisined, some soy and aniseed. A brute but a dam good one, mightily good. The 1978 was by contrast all together gentler with a more tender sweet maturity, leaves, forest floor, strawberry leaf and then tea and wood smoke, a delight. A really balanced wine, Burgundian if anything...so poised.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The <b>Hermitage La Chapelle 19</b></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-weight: bold;">61 </span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">that followed managed to combine all the best bits of both these wines. It was perfect to have then in this order. Having a bottle of this in perfect shape is a dream come true. I was laughed down for suggesting that there was a time or mood when I would pick the 1978 over the 1961. I maintain there is, the 1961 has everything you could want. I just loved the tenderness of the 1978 as well. Looking back to the 1990 I see this as having the structure and DNA of the 1961 rather than the 1978, it has that incredibly rich sweetness. My note for the 1961 was easy to write; "Pine, resinous, oils, <i>savage</i>, a brut, wild, uber-concentrated degraded berry fruit, bovril and sweetness...super...wild, hickory smoke, grip...stunning...complete, Indian spices now, ferrous...magnificent!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Where on earth do you go from that? Well one thing is for sure, you get the hell out of the Rhone...Burgundy it was and more specifically </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b>Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru 2000, Dujac </b>from magnum. I really enjoyed this and was pleased it was a magnum as it just begged to be drunk. Degraded sweet and feminine. Waxy with palma violets, and some tangerines rind. We were pretty rubbish trying to get this blind as we were in the 1980s mainly, it had an open knit maturity, attractively so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Another Burgundy mag next, any Rousseau wine is a treat and in magnum even more so - </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques 1988 </b><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">was everything you would want and expect. So good in fact tha</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">t it blew a fuse in the restaurant. This was tightly coiled with red fruit power, poised and persistent and with stunning depth. None of the tougher, acidic nature you can get with 1988. Just a super super wine - a treat. A little bit more about <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/clos-stjacques-masterclass-67-pall-mall.html">Clos Saint.Jacques</a>. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjrB-22CqAxLRjOuivsEpKk6OS8owT02lCO4uoASNTHqXiq_XGxSrZ6P9IOpA4pMccfYFnPAidvFoIsurI2-UTzNCGTGheVHUPAFF2-FgpB3i4wRikOqISCCoDrjkQvbEuhTxb6l-OLtL/s1600/1+PD+50+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBjrB-22CqAxLRjOuivsEpKk6OS8owT02lCO4uoASNTHqXiq_XGxSrZ6P9IOpA4pMccfYFnPAidvFoIsurI2-UTzNCGTGheVHUPAFF2-FgpB3i4wRikOqISCCoDrjkQvbEuhTxb6l-OLtL/s200/1+PD+50+5.jpg" width="86" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As cheese was ordered we went back to white and a crackingly interesting pair of whites. Firstly, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 1991 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">from</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Neillon</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, then the very same wine from the following year - </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: bold;">Chevalier-Montrachet Grand </span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Cru 1992</b>, <b>Neillon</b>. The 1991 has absolutely no right to be this good, none at all. Oyster-shell and a tinge of green serious focus, spicy with a little nuttiness, some stemginger and a little lanolin, the definition of an over-performer. The 1992 was altogether richer and more decadent, a little reduced, unctuous and superb, spot on with the cheese, toffee apples and he</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">donistic maturity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just the perfect time now for a sugar lift. So where better than <b>Yquem </b>and the <b>1953</b> specifically. I've had very few 1953s but those I have had have usually been in verticals courtesy of <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=jordi&max-results=20&by-date=true">Jordi</a>. This had an expressive and fully mature nose, creme brulee with a slightly burnt topping. There is a rancio sweetness to this, lifted like PX sherry but then with a drier more intense middle, slightly burning caramel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next wine - <b>Mehringer Blattenberg 1989er Trockenbeerenauslese</b> from the wonderfully named<b> Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gynasium</b> - was an amazingly good contrast. So incredibly zippy and energetic, intense yet light as a feather, an amazing liquid. Lemon and even line freshness...superb. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then the final bottle, fittingly a birth year wine for Irish - <b>Taylor 1966 </b>- which had been double decanted that morning. Marzipan and full raisined sweetness but a nice medium weight, it just got better and better with air...we had the predictable "why don't we drink more Port" conversation. With that and the sound of a hoover doing its business we managed to depart before anyone arrived for diner!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another splendid few hours spent with great bottles and great people...long may it continue! It is exactly what wine shouldbe about. Here's to the next 50 Irish!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wave to Chewy and Newcastle!!</td></tr>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Food pics as promised!</span></b></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Warm Baked Celeriac, Autumn Truffle, <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Roast Chicken Skin and Hazelnuts</i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Risotto of Cepes with Aged Parmesan</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Fillet of Turbot, Autumn Roots, Iberico Lardo, <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Smoked Potato and Red Wine</i></span></div>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-197758260961489552016-11-07T06:05:00.008-08:002016-11-07T06:05:37.265-08:00Domaine de la Romanee-Conti 2014s - from bottle<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having tasted at <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/bonneau-du-martray-2015s-first-of-three.html">Bonneau du Martray</a> and then <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/domaine-leflaive-2015soh-and-bit-on-my.html">Domaine Leflaive</a> it was time to head north to Vosne-Romanee and to taste the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti 2014s from bottle with Aubert de Villaine. This was his first tasting from bottle. For good measure and as a reference please see my notes from the bottle tastings of <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/drc-2012si-am-biased-but.html">2012s</a> and <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/domaine-de-la-romanee-conti-2013s.html">2013s</a> (both these tastings were in the February following - so just over 3 months later).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Corton </b>- Good deep nose with red and black fruit that is then followed by herbs and Potpourri. There is real purity here, none of the hardness that you can sometimes associate with Corton. On the palate there is a beautiful touch of sweetness but also some nervous energy and some sappiness. All really rather fine, driven with some stemminess, delicious. Good, good wine, not massively Corton in nature but delicious. 17.5-18.5</span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Echezeaux </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Orange rind and a dash of cloves, quite herbal on the nose. Both airy and complete, lifted. There </span>is<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> a little saline and the wine gets deeper and more intense with every swirl. The palate has a lovely attack, sweet and then with that driven element. More richness and texture than the Corton. This is a larger Echezeaux than usual, more zip but also more weight, splendid...loved this. So complete. 18-18.5</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Grands Echezeaux </b>- A little deeper in colour than the Echezeaux. More spice and a darker fruit type, more introvert, more sinister than the Echezeaux. The nose is then almost the opposite, less deep, dark more nervous and with lift. There is a substantial weight in energy here, also quite a bit of tannin. This is a structured Grands Echezzeaux and should the mid-palate flesh out then a potentially special wine. 17.5-18.5 (the former score is the palate the later the nose - one to follow)</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Romanee-Saint-Vivant </b>- A shade deeper again but the differences are genuinely minute. A nose of real intensity but the orange rind character of Echezeaux is there. So pretty, so airy, a very complete nose. A very gentle but proper palate, a sweet attack and then drive. The palate matches the nose perfectly, very complete, elegant but with a certain graceful power, herbal oranges as part of the fruit. There is a certain richness that adds a dimension to this. My note finishes "exactly as it should be". 18-18.5+</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Richebourg </b>- Possibly a shade lighter than RSV for a change. A certain brooding nature to this, a little less complex than the Vivant on the nose, fruit a shade more candied, good focus but less dimensions. The palate has a certain stout power, darker fruit, masses of good tannins. Classy, serious, broader all round. Re-visiting the nose it is now more complex, there is almost indefinite ageing potential here. Not the grace of Echezeaux or RSV but the spice and power is there. Classical Richebourg fans (I tend to be more an RSV man) will be very pleased. Scoring here was difficult 17.5- 19</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>La Tache </b>- Very complex, a herbal edge, a very together wine, much harder to describe than the others for me. More red than black fruit. Saline comes in, a seriously enticing nose. I was surprised when we discussed the wines after (we tasted in silence) that the others found La Tache more muted, I didn't. The palate has lovely depth and sweetness, good weight too. There is a great element of persistent, elegant power here. The power comes from the layers rather than the weight for weights sake. Returning to the nose my note finishes with simply "that nose!!". 19</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Romanee-Conti</b> - At least the colour of La Tache (for a change). Deep nose, more reserved, more power than usual for me. Monumental depth and complexity. More dark fruit than red. Such sucrosity to the palate, intensely primary and redder, driven, spice and a definite herbal edge. Tight, latent, powerful for Romanee-Conti, super-expansive palate. A brilliantly confusing wine, like nailing jelly to a wall when it comes to describing it. "Rather wonderful" is a useless, if moderately accurate, description. 19-19.5</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Montrachet </b>- Pale yet golden colour. Brine and pure saline elements but with pure golden fruit. The definition of delicious. Shortbread and drive, energy. The perfect blend of power, richness and classicism. So, so, so generous yet totally true to young Grand Cru Burgundy. So full but so driven. My note here finishes with "I do not know in what way this could be better!" When I said this to Aubert he, smiled and said yes "we are very happy". Quite simply the greatest young white wine I have had. 19.5-20</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It had been a great and always re-assuring tasting, these are great wines but you feel that they are great rather than trying to be great. I have a feeling that people have underestimated the 2014 reds just as they may do the same with the white 2015s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And with this we were off to Dijon and train back to London.</span><br />
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-89253354762118687542016-11-04T05:51:00.001-07:002016-12-13T02:50:11.154-08:00Domaine Leflaive 2015s...oh and a bit on my "warmer vintage theory"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So having left </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/bonneau-du-martray-2015s-first-of-three.html">Bonneau du Martray</a> we headed south to meet up with Brice and the team at <b>Domaine Leflaive</b>. We discussed the vintage and then straight into the tasting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brice drew some parallels to the 2010s and some elements of 2014 in so far as there was rapid maturity in June and July. As far as harvest goes it was their second earliest start (Friday 28th August) on record at the Domaine. You'd think that the earliest one was 2003, I did, but in fact it was 2011 with 2003 in the bronze medal spot.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bourgogne Blanc 2015 </b>- Some yellow gold, fresh, generous, not overly lean...nice easy to enjoy, good wine. A dash of spice in there...lots of fruit too, decent acidity giving a nice bit of precision. 16.5 - 17.5 out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Puligny-Montrachet 2015 </b>- A glint of green in the colour, nice sweet attack then a grip of acidity, quite bold. There is a richness and weight to this, a shade heavier than the Bourgogne Blanc. Some lemon sherbet, impressive. 17 - 17.5 out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Meursault 1er Cru Sous le Dos d'Ane 2015 </b>- More gold to the colour, more restrained on the nose. Lovely wine, saline in the mix. Yellow fruits but properly subdued, balanced. Lemon, good spice on the palate, a little prickle of energy. Moreish texture with almost a little tannin. The best Meursault yet from this site and I have loved many of them. 18 out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon 2015 </b>- Hints of green again a little like the Puligny Villages. This is tasting the youngest of these, a month behind in evolution, a prickle of gas. A few good nuts and greener fruits, nice depth, spicier and serious. 17.5-18 out of 20 </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Folatieres 2015</b> - Less colour here. Steelier...reminds me of Grand Cru Chablis, very mineral. Good weight of sweeter fruit on the palate. Good wine this, long and moreish. 18-18+ out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes 2015</b> - Limes on the nose and more to show that Folatieres at first, Again good weight and volume, great acidity. Long and Grand Cru like on the palate, some green spice, nice nice wine this. Lovely precision. Rich but in no way clumsy. 18+ out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 2015</b> - Pure light colour, behind Combettes in maturity to my mind. Primary and very focused. Very tight and mineral, a little cheesecloth, fruit character is more lean, less generous. More serious, more for the longer term. Lovely acidity, lively but with real balance, fruit is more on the green/white spectrum than yellow/gold. Strict and very proper. 18-18.5 out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bienvenues-Batard-Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2015 </b>- Pure, Islay nose of brine and saline, very very poised and intense. Delicious palate, there is lively acidity but a sweet fruited nose and delightful richness, all in check and perfectly proportioned. A tiny dash of reduction then a log texture finishes, delicious and serious...pretty special. 18.5 out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2015 </b>- An immediately broader nose, weightier palate. More sun, more gourmand, more flattering. Delicious palate very rich, broader shoulders. Good spice and to a degree more of the character I expected in 2015. This is easy to "get" and easy to like. 18 out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2015 </b>- There is, to me, a line from this to Pucelles straight away. Taut, poised. Delicious weight to the palate. There is an understated confidence to it, even a slight smugness. Some brine but a lovely sweetness on the palate. Waxy and very long. My note ends "splendid". 19 out of 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My warmer vintage theory </b>- this isn't so much a theory as a series of observations from a few tastings. I have seen in more recent warm vintages, often the very same vintages that tend to get a better write-up</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> for reds than whites (so 2003, 2005, 2009 and potentially 2015) that actually, by picking early, the great white Domaines can do just as well if not better than in the more classical years. This was born out to a degree in both of these tastings </span></span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/roulota-good-look.html">Roulot a good look</a> and <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/burgundy-pairs-2009-and-2010coche.html">Burgundy pairs 2009 & 2010</a>. I can hear the cynics saying... "well you would say that as a merchant about to sell exactly that sort of vintage" but I also happen to think it is true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back to Leflaive for a moment and before we headed into Beaune for a very speedy lunch we had a look at the developments in storage they are making and along the way we were shown the two barrels that are talked about in </span><a href="http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/harvest/montrachet-2016-drc-leflaive-lafon-333212/">this story</a>. The two, slightly differently sized, barrels will be raised at Domaine Leflaive. What will happen to the wine is not yet decided.</span></div>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-72420050228239881682016-10-30T03:27:00.001-07:002016-10-30T03:27:48.887-07:00Bonneau du Martray 2015s - the first of three mini blogs from Burgundy, October 2016 <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So last Sunday/Monday, with two colleagues, I made a bit of a "dash in, dash out" visit to Burgundy. Strictly that's not true as Guido stayed there all week. But it is amazing what you can get to taste in 20 hours in the Cote!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We arrived and about 3 minutes later had supper in Puligny. The three bottles in the picture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Puligny-Montrachet 2012</b> from <b>Francois Carillon </b>was drinking deliciously, just PnP and crack on, good intensity. The </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot 2012 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Domaine Ramonet </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is clearly less ready, more focussed, tighter and may be leaner but classy, I didn't really have a favourite right now. Hand carrying a bottle of Bordeaux - </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Roc de Cambes 2009 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- to Burgundy may seen a little odd but actually there are very few occasion when Roc isn't a good idea. The 2009 shows all the promise of never closing down (the 2005 though did)...what's not to like, our guest certainly loved it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Up at the "crack of sparrows" and down to breakfast in the hotel in Puligny at 7am, first tasting, for which we were 1 minute early was 8am at </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=bonneau+du+martray" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Bonneau du Martray</a> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">with the ever charming and often slightly mischievous </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Jean-Charles Le Bault de la Moriniere</b>. We chatted and then went downstairs to the tasting room which is new since I was </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/burgundy-day-2-roty-oleflaive-bonneau.html">last there</a> back in 2009. I'll never leave it this long again!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is lovely to visit this Domaine, almost unique in producing solely Grand Cru wine - even Domaine de la Romanee-Conti sometime does a 1er Cru!! Having just two wines to concentrate on is a blessing when at some producers it can be tens of wines. Red then white (leaves you better placed for the next tasting from a practical</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> standpoint) as the locals prefer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Corton Grand Cru 2015</b> - Good colour, bright and translucent. Very primary and airy on the nose, good wine, nice crunchy fruit and a proper backbone. A good mineral aspect, cherry fruits and a little black fruit but behind the red. Vibrant, freshness. 17-18 out of 20 Drink 2022-2032+ (40% new wood).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then a chance to re-taste the bottled (end of March 2016) 2014 vintage. This was the first certified organic vintage for the estate.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Corton Grand Cru 2014 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Nicely complete, melds together well. Some sweetness to the attack, then structure. A little leaner than sometimes, good structure and a cool fruit character which adds to the crunchy fruit expression. 17 out of 20 Drink 2020-2026+ </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FYI - Jean-Charles likes to always wait 8-10 years before opening the red. About the only exception I have found was the 2007. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015</b> - In many ways this is the crucial wine of the visit. Bonneau du Matray is comfortably the largest landowner in Corton-Charlemagne. Lovely bright colour, waxy with some unctuousness, generous for the wines of this estate but some of that will be the ripeness of youth. A little grapefruit and great depth. Lemons and pears on the finish. This will tighten up and is very promising indeed. 18-18.5 out of 20 Drink 2019-2027</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then the 2014 which I have had in London a couple of times.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2014 </b>- A good whiff of subtle reduction. A little prickle of spice, such supreme tension, this is the archetypal "coiled spring" but not to the degree that means you can't see how good it is now...you can! Savoury, intense, moreish and very long...18.5-19 out of 20 Drink 2020-2030+</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few words about the savageness of the production in 2016 here...well not as bad as many places is the answer. The 2016 Corton-Charlemagne is 40% down, the Corton is 66% down (usually 24 barrels, just 8 in 2016).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bravo J-C!</span>Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-1488067496110964932016-10-28T07:32:00.001-07:002016-10-29T01:18:57.089-07:00Beppe Rinaldi...Brunate-Le Coste a vertical...<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first of a few posts I hope to nail today, a rather large, but good, backlog has built up. I was pretty knackered when this dinner came around but I was equally excited by both the prospect and the chance to see some of my very favourite wine folk - Eric, Mr Burns, Column, Mr Rafferty (jnr) and my favourite, but sadly on sabbatical, pumpkin chef!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The venue was the <a href="http://www.medlarrestaurant.co.uk/">Medlar Restaurant</a> which is seeing a lot of action these days including <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=medlar&max-results=20&by-date=true">these events.</a> It came about through the wish to drink some Rinaldi, or </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Azienda Agricola Giuseppe Rinaldi</b> to give it is full name, wines! Eric kindly co-ordinated this with Chris Delalonde at Medlar and everything was in place for a fun evening - expectation dangerously high.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To start, and after Burnsie had insisted on hugging everyone (is he really English), we had </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Louis Roederer Cristal 1999</b>. It was an amusing choice as I had only been saying in the office that day that of the prestige Champagnes it is the one I see served least at wine dinners. It was mellow and a little honeyed but not OTT at all. More biscuity than nutty and with some citrus. If you had to be critical it could do with a dash more verve and length but that really is nitpicking, lovely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Predictably we then all had the Crab Raviolo, Medlar's signature dish that has to be had. Alongside this we had </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 2011 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Francois Carillon</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, here comes the usual bias warning but this is "a point" right now I think, in common with a lot of white Burgundy 2011s. A slight whiff of reduction then easy yet rich fruit and lemon driven energy, a little spice on the finish...these two led us to the "work" at hand.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.870588); font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are very few estates that I fearlessly buy totally "blind" - by this I mean I would buy more of these these Rinaldi wines than I can afford, at any chance I get. This doesn't mean to say they are all brilliantly faultless and perfect - wine isn't like that and arguably isn't meant to be. However, if I think of the top ten producer labels that lift the spirits immediately then this is one (others include - Soldera, Conterno, Coche, Rousseau, DRC, Chave etc - must do that list one day). I have only visited Rinaldi once but it was memorable in the extreme. Beppe's views and manor is well documented and long may it last. There will be a follow on to this post when we look at <b>Barolo </b></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Cannubi S.Lorenzo-Ravera</b> next month. The Rinaldi estate makes brilliant: Langhe Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera and Freisa</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> but the focus tends to go to the two Barolo which I tried to explain at the end of the post </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/just-lovely-eveningmedlar-with-five.html">here</a>. Essentially from 2010 you can't have two Crus on the same label so in crude terms.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <b style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Barolo Brunate-Le Coste </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(65% Brunate and 35% Le Coste) has</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> become (from and including 2010)</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Barolo Brunate </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(85%Brunate and 15% Le Coste) and...</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cannubi S.Lorenzo-Ravera </b>(a blend of the two named Crus, sorry I don't know the rough balance) is now <b>Barolo Tre Tini</b> (a blend of </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cannubi S.Lorenzo, Ravera and the remaining </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Le Coste that now can't now go in the Brunate).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To add some confusion there have been vintages when a Brunate alone has been made and also q</span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">uite often the magnums have been pure Brunate <span style="font-size: x-small;">(*see notes at end of post for clarity with thanks to Ken Vastola)</span>. Right, enough facts...the wines. We attacked them three by three, deciding not to work by age but my vintage type, often a more fun and logical way to do things.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u><br /></u></span> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>Flight 1 - Brunate-Le Coste - The Warm vintages</u></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>1997</b> - A predictably more evolved and less pure colour than the others in the flight. Saline and deep fruit with some cucumber-water (sorry but I know what I mean). Spice and cherry fruit, deep, a shade powdery in texture which somehow works. Good. Perfect now, will last but in 5 more years will be old and whilst in 20 years it'll be interesting there is, for me, no real upside - enjoy now, degraded hedonism.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>2003</b> - A little more cherry here and an almost candied note (that Monprivato and Cascina Francia both have in 2003 as well). There is a glycerol character here. If I had to draw a parallel with another producer in another region for this 2003 it would be Rayas, there is red fruited, Grenache like purity. When to drink is very tricky. If I had 12 bottles (as if!) I'd have drunk three by now, drink a bottle a year for the next six years or so, hold three just to see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>2007</b> - Tight, focussed, very fine, a shade muted on the nose, brilliantly saline on the palate. I know this wine quite well, a splendid 2007, does not show "warm" at all. Much as I would want to own more of this than any wine in the flight the 1997 is the wine I would drink most of right now. This is a 2007 to buy if you can find it!</span><br />
<u><br /></u> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>Flight 2 - Brunate-Le Coste - The "should be a bit open" vintages.</u></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Brunate Riserva 1986 </b>- Ok so one of the exceptions I mentioned above and a wine I have had, and loved, once before </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/first-of-last-suppers.html">in magnum</a> also with Eric. A clouded texture, some frazzles and red fruit, degraded sweetness followed by a little bitterness. The mid-palate is a little quiet but the finish is super, a little herbal green drive at the end. Lovely. At it's peak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>2000</b> - A bit of a brute. The only wine in the first two flights where I thought this would be good alone but not in this company. It's a good wine, savoury and a bit adolescent right now. I feel I am being harsh but there is just a little sweetness missing. I'd love to try this again in 3-5 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>2004</b> - Superb and universally the "wine of the night", not that one is needed. Power and poise, drive and precision. Not ready to show everything but is appreciably good. My note says "what wine is all about". Bold in density and structure but in no way too much. The nose is just sublime and the palate follows through. Don't open for 5 years I recon because if you do you will just drink the bottles you have.</span><br />
<u><br /></u> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>Brunate-Le Coste - "Classic or closed?"</u></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>1999</b> - Bricky, salt and orange spice, very serious, delicious, good </span>astringency, already in third gear, may be a little more open than I expected. Nervously classical. Hold but try every two years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>2001</b> - In Piedmont I have found quite a few 2001s to be just that bit too serious, too heavy. This is not one of them though Eric was a little disappointed in it. Savoury, serious and dense. Tight, a slightly soupy structure but a good savoury Bovril like finish, a real food wine (aren't they all). I would take the same drinking approach as the 1999.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>2005</b> - I almost didn't mention this, we figured there was some labelling error with this bottle. The juice was not Nebbiolo and was more like 3-5 years old. Nice but not Nebbiolo...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>1998</b> - This bottle was opened at the beginning of the evening and put to one side as it was a shade disappointing but we drank it again at the end and whilst it is a weak link and, on this showing, a lesser wine than the 1997 it is still true to the Nebbiolo grape if a little prematurely aged.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">We had a most bizarre Champagne to finish and clearly the level of conversation deteriorated rapidly but then that that was to be expected.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><u>Conclusions</u></b><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">,<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"> or what auditors always refer to as the "opinion piece". My feelings about this estate are unchanged...I will keep buying. There is so much character to these wines, a lack of compromise that I love. Is there more precision (in the same period of vintages), elsewhere in Piedmont? Yes for sure...but is better always actually better? The daughters are having more and more input and the precision is being refined. Recent bottles from 2008 and 2011 were simply stunning, moreish and </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">intense without being in any way remotely a waste to drink now.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">An iconic man? Yes. Iconic wines? They probably are but the thing is, I am not sure they want to be...drink them whenever you can.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">*The labeling of Brunate with Le Coste began with the 1993 vintage, when Beppe took over the winery from his father, Battista. It was Battista who (in the best vintages) bottled Brunate separately (and usually as a riserva) starting in 1964. I think, but am not sure, that some Le Coste may have been in those old Brunates as well. Ken Vastola </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.finewinegeek.com/">www.finewinegeek.com</a></span>Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-89788647139191710812016-10-16T06:35:00.001-07:002016-10-16T06:35:06.774-07:00Roulot...a good look...<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From the moment this was inked in the diary, and thanks to MS for organising, I had been looking forward to it. The format was a tried and tested one...bring a bottle of a producers wine, Roulot in this case, and we can taste and discuss the wines before breaking for a glass of Champagne then drink the wines with dinner. A few of us had taken a red so that we could move to those bottles once our "work was done".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The whole show was orchestrated in the upstairs of <a href="http://www.medlarrestaurant.co.uk/">Medlar</a> which as </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=medlar&max-results=20&by-date=true">these posts</a> show is a spot I am somewhat familiar with. I just wish it could be nearer work (Tower Bridge) or home (Muswell Hill) but it is worth travelling for.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Those assembled are an experienced and satisfactorily opinionated bunch from the trade. Many of them where at a few of the below tastings, done over the last few years:</span></div>
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<a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/burgundy-2004-ten-years-on.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Burgundy 2004 ten years on</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/white-burgundy-2010s-and-food-at-trinity.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">White Burgundy 2010s</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/two-very-different-vintages-2001-grand.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two very different vintages</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A fun crowd to be amongst, if demanding of wines. I am probably more easily pleased than a few but then that's just one of those things. We tasted the wines in six pairs. Squabbling as we went.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Roulot is not a producer I am overly well versed in. I know of it well, and of it's reputation, I have probably had six or seven of their wines but never done anything like this or visited. The Domaine is actually named <b>Domaine Guy Roulot</b>. Guy died in 1982 and Jean-Marc Roulot took over fully from 1989. This estate was, as far back as the 1970s, the main driving force behind bottling lieux-dits (non classified but specific plots) by themselves rather than everything that was not a 1er cru going into a generic Meursault Village as was the habit at the time. I have listed the Meursault holdings below. This seemed the most conclusive listing I could find, size, site, year of planting:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.26ha 1er Cru <b>Perrieres</b> (1964)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.16ha 1er Cru <b>Boucheres</b> (1980)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.28ha 1er Cru <b>Charmes</b> (1942)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.25ha 1er Cru <b>Porusots </b>(1959)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.85ha <b>Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir</b> (1961)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.49ha <b>Tillets</b> (1974)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.26ha <b>Narvaux</b> (1960)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1.03ha <b>Luchets</b> (1948,'61,'74,'76)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.95ha <b>Meix Chavaux</b> (1929,'47,'57,'75,'83,'96))</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">0.67ha <b>Vireuls</b> (1956)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other holdings: <b>Monthelie</b> 1er Cru <b>Champs Fuillots</b> 0.19ha (1989), <b>Bourgogne Aligote</b> 0.77ha (1922,'96), Bourgogne Blanc 2.64h (1955,'88,'90,'92,'96,'99).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So on with the wines, which I have chosen to score out of 25, just to help set some sort of pecking order:</span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meursault Meix Chavaux 2010 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Deliciously complete nose, very focussed and dynamic but with breadth too. Waxy, textured, white flowers, dashes of both spice and reduction but so complete, so moreish, slightly saline, very fine, long, excellent. <b>23+</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Meursault Meix Chavaux 2011</b> - Very closed, almost muted nose then much broader and more extrovert on the plate, slightly apple fruit (not bruised apples!). The acidity and finish don't really match the nose. A couple of people wondered if this was a perfect bottle, certainly it wasn't corked. It struggled against the 2010 but I'd give it <b>18</b> on its own and on this showing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Meursault Tillets 2009 </b>- Salty, </span>spicy, delicious, rich, quite decadent, generous green (ripe green) and white fruits...almost like a warm vintage but high class Chablis. Impressive. <b>20-21</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Meursault Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir 2009</b>, En Magnum - Lovely lovely wine, easy to enjoy, oily, waxy, long and persistent, a wine to make you smile, ripeness and just a hint of gold and sun. <b>21-22</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Meursault Tesson <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clos Mon Plaisir</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b> 2006 - </b>Butter and lardons, a little lactic and creamy, nuts on the </span>finish, very 2006, gourmande and generous. With the right food this could be a lot of fun, Drink soon though. <b>18</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Meursault 1er Porusot 2009 </b>- Clearly this domaine did very well in 2009. Citrus and zesty energy, lemon rather than lime. Still quite primary and I think there is more to come here. Be excited to own this. <b>20-21</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Meursault Vireuls 2008 </b>- This was very much an '08 to my mind, that dry honey character, old school style, lanolin and wax, cheesecloth, moreish though and my overriding impression was that I could have drunk a lot of it...always a good sign. <b>20</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Meursault Tesson </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clos Mon Plaisir </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>2008 </b>- Toffee'd notes, rich, quite broad, slightly over-dry on the palate, good but more evolved. A little rancio character. Drink. <b>19-20</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Meursault Vireuls 2007</b> - Zip, inviting and very '07 in </span>character, nice focussed length, very pure, some citrus, a little muted. More to come. <b>20</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Meursault Tillets 2007</b> - Apple acidity, lovely palate has an even more '07 crispness to this. An intense wine, may be tense is actually a better word for this. Serious, grown up. Long-lived for sure. <b>21</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Meursault 1er Porusot 2011 </b>- G</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ood crisp drive </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to this, citrus and then some toastiness but all very restrained from its youth. Generous in flavour on the palate, a little green spice, lovely now but clearly quite some future to this. Very good. <b>22</b></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meursault Boucheres 2011 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Just a level behind the Poursots but that's no real </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">criticism, moreishness to the fore, long...my adjectives were clearly used up by now but this was a good to very good wine. <b>20-21</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was one last <b>Roulot</b> and that started dinner after a glass of good Champagne, the name of which I stupidly did not take down, and that was <b>Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru 2013,</b> this was a pure, open Pinot with red fruit to the fore, pretty but not with great depth, simple would be too harsh.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Conclusions</u></b>: The Roulot tasting was fascinating. There were only two wines that I felt disappointed a little and those were </span></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meix Chavaux 2011 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Tesson <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Clos Mon Plaisir</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b> 2006 </b>neither of which were bad and drunk in insolation with food would have been decent bottles but this was not that format. Two out of ten in white Burgundy at the current time, reasons for which I am not getting into now, is a good showing. The general consensus post-tasting was that there weren't quite the highs people had hoped for. I can see this argument and the wines are expensive (we're in the £100-200 a bottle range) but two or three things hit me. Firstly, these are drinkers wines rather than show off wines, very little reduction and new oak so youth is not necessarily going to show them at their very best where age will add layers to the undoubted purity and drive that exists as a real strength. With food I loved them a notch more. Secondly, the one 2010 - <b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meix Chavaux 2010</b> - we had was stunning. Thirdly, the 2009s way outperformed the general </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">perception of the vintage. Both these points are interesting in my view. 2010 is seen as an exceptional vintage with only a few 2005s, some 2012s and then 2014 rivalling it in my view (comments please). The 2009 "victory" is something that more and more producers seem to have done, those that picked early and made sure the winemaking was understated have clearly excelled in a vintage many perceive as three or four star for the whites. Anyway, I now feel I know what to expect and that Roulot is very much worth ageing. The finest white Burgundy producer not to have Grand Cru? If you look back to the </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/burgundy-2004-ten-years-on.html">2004 post</a> mentioned at the start then you'll see the note below which I hope helps my point about maturity and time:</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2004 Meursault Tessons Clos de Mon Plaisir, G. Roulot<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A little bit of brine on the nose, a tight and taut wine. I expected more of the 2004 whites to be like this. Very impressive. There was a grapefruit core with a long finish that had a very classical “proper” profile. Some people were less excited but I thought this had real class. 18.25 (out of 20 then)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Time now for the food and having gone off piste last time I was at Medlar I made sure to return to the straight and narrow and had the Crab Ravoli with several of the whites, it was absolutely perfect with the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meursault Tesson Clos Mon Plaisir 2009 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">which was convenient as that was the only magnum!.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Medlar signature - Crab Ravoli</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I then pretty much insisted on a blind red which was </span></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Contrada Porcaria 2012</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tenuta di Passopisciaro</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. 100% Nerello Mascalese from on Etna it seemed to go down pretty well. I almost hoped there would be more divided opinion but may be we were tired from squabbling over the whites. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux 2006</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Comte Armand </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">followed which was sturdy, in a proper way, a little funk from youth, some spice, a wine to leave a few more years but a good one. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots 2010</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">is one of the very best NSGs I have ever had and certainly shows the vintage, simply delicious, if you don't like this sort of wine then red Burgundy is not for you. Purity combined with density, delicious. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Echezeaux Grand Cru 2012</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Domaine Coquard Loison-Fleurot </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">was lovely too, sadly my note only extends about that far. More intense and tight now being a 2012, a vintage it'll be fascinating to follow, good good wine. Finally </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Flor de Pingus 2009</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, this</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">might seem like an odd choice but it fitted in well at the end. I think the quality and structure of Flor means that other than at age 2-4 years it is best left for ten years, certainly the 2006 is a beauty now. The 2009 showed class in a slightly muted way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A cracking evening all round, generous bottles and a lot of fun...what next for this group?</span></span></span></div>
Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-30326228759713551992016-10-15T03:38:00.005-07:002016-10-15T03:38:41.538-07:00The winning team...magnum mayhem...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXin6oi_5hWpZJjSZY6BAoXkyzGjUwo8gS8-8Yv1jMpbYyX5ScA8fiObVQJ9AKlj73k4g9cqlJ567weloakiqHce7p_h04h6xRTFqB7sqi46A13sQzgMVT4npG07aQEABtxWfORpA5dTcT/s1600/A+winning+team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXin6oi_5hWpZJjSZY6BAoXkyzGjUwo8gS8-8Yv1jMpbYyX5ScA8fiObVQJ9AKlj73k4g9cqlJ567weloakiqHce7p_h04h6xRTFqB7sqi46A13sQzgMVT4npG07aQEABtxWfORpA5dTcT/s400/A+winning+team.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few weeks back I hosted a dinner at </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=67+pall+mall&max-results=20&by-date=false">67 Pall Mall</a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that was a reunion of the "Winning team" from a dinner we threw at work for </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/clos-de-tart-day.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clos de Tart Day</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. I say winning team because this was the table that had correctly tasted and deduced their way to spotting that a mystery vintage of Clos de Tart was indeed the 1988. As the hosts we committed to get a dinner together to drink said wine again. Six out of the eight, 75% being quorum in my view, managed to make it. The brief was a simple if dangerous one - bring a magnum. With a few emails back and forth we ended up with a splendidly balanced spread. At one stage a magnum of Port looked likely but that was sensibly, this was a Thursday night, "turned into" a bottle of Port and a bottle of Sauternes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stories flowed as they do at these things and we were eventually turfed out through a rather empty club. So to the wines.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Salon Le Mesnil
1997</b>, En magnum, many of you will be aware that I know </span></span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=salon&max-results=20&by-date=false">Salon</a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">rather well. Probably my favourite "recent" vintage for drinking right now is the 1997. It just has a lovely blend of freshness with the whiff of maturity, energy but not overly so, all in all a cracking start. Thank you Emlyn. Should all Champagne just come in magnums?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Chateau Laville
Haut Brion 1996</b>, Pessac-Leognan, En magnum was sadly the only victim of the night in terms of condition, ironic given that it came directly, in original individual wooden box, from the cellar of none other than blog stalwart </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=halifax&max-results=20&by-date=true">Halifax</a>. It was not corked and it was not undrinkable but a bright example of that it should be it wasn't either. Halifax being the man he is was straight into the list and got us onto a bottle of <b>Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Baudines 2011</b> from rising/risen star<b> Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey</b>. A nice tie-in as <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=fiscali">Fiscali</a> and I (anonymously in my case) had visited a few year earlier during <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/a-very-special-trip-burgundy-may-2014.html">A very special trip - Burgundy May 2014</a> and the wines this modest man produces are getting every bit of acclaim they should. The wine was a classic example of a 2011 white Burgundy when the winemaking is refined, drinking now, very little oak influence and a lot to like.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sommelier made a call next having tried the wines and suggested we go to Bordeaux with Fiscali's kind contribution, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chateau Leoville Poyferre 1996</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">, Deuxieme Cru Saint Julien, En magnum. I think he was proved correct this is just delicious, certainly developed but not in anyway more than a twenty year old magnum should be. It was gentle and perfectly balanced, the classicism of 1996 with none of the over bearing tannins you can find. It seemed to rather fly down. It's a left bank Chateau that you can pretty much buy blind, never lets you down. If ever you see the 1990 you MUST drink it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We returned to Burgundy next and had the bottle that brought us together - </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clos de Tart 1988</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,
Grand Cru </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Monopole, En magnum - Now it has to be said that the 70s and 80s weren't the sweet spot for Clos de Tart (that's being diplomatic) and the improvements made by Sylvain Pitiot who was in charge from 1996 until 2015 have been well documented especially if you look at 2001 onwards. BUT this was a delicious and "a point" example. There is a bit of everything here, sweet fruit, a little early development with secondary and tertiary elements but a good if melded structure, just spot on for now and as with everything we had this evening very moreish!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And back to Bordeaux but a property that slightly stands apart from the "Shirt and tie brigade". Those that have met Francois Mitjavile will know exactly what I mean. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tertre Roteboeuf
2001</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, Grand Cru Saint Emilion, courtesy of JT is one of those wines you just can't own/drink/buy enough of. It is vibrantly young but also delightfully ready right now. Degraded fruit and a tiny bit of sweet tobacco...a joy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then we were onto two classic examples of wine styles that don't seem to get a fair bite of the cake these days. Both courtesy of MGC. </span><b>Suduiraut 2001</b>, 1er
Cru Sauternes is both young and ready in much the way as TRB 2001 was before it. Energetic but complex, a delight now and will be with increasing richness for the next three to four decades (and beyond). Despite all the glorious wines before I had been almost the most excited about <b>Graham’s 1970</b>. For several reasons really, I love Port, I recently visited (staying at Graham's) as documented in <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/back-to-beginning-port-and-douro-magic.html">Back to beginning Port and Douro magic</a> and also you just don't get to have it as much as one could ("should" in my view). The 1970 is just perfect now, rich but mellow and developed, a little marzipan and some nuts but mainly mulled red and black fruit, balanced and persistent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A splendid evening...thanks to all for their bottles...we need to find another excuse to do this again. Hopefully "Dusty" and "Cross-Channel" can join next time so we can be an Epic Eight...</span></div>
Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-18226717987916122342016-10-09T08:19:00.009-07:002016-10-09T10:54:01.874-07:00Elystan Street - a first evening...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScb5PJlg9ZonmX-yHO5QgHeR-VpVnzqlaDy7vqFeU9fdzc5EkYDnxl_S6UAEnzqMOC_QTtlCp6FEvuPnDhP81YWKfHj37vYYTkriNJ4DXD4LuRNJgpvwCEq5vDN3QdgXX6bkROw2nh29x/s1600/AAA+Elystan+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScb5PJlg9ZonmX-yHO5QgHeR-VpVnzqlaDy7vqFeU9fdzc5EkYDnxl_S6UAEnzqMOC_QTtlCp6FEvuPnDhP81YWKfHj37vYYTkriNJ4DXD4LuRNJgpvwCEq5vDN3QdgXX6bkROw2nh29x/s320/AAA+Elystan+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A rather splendid email arrived from Gary Birchtree (not his real name!) suggesting a dinner in the private room of Philip Howard's new restaurant <a href="http://www.elystanstreet.com/">Elystan Street</a> on opening night. It was not a hard invite to accept. I have loved <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=the+square&max-results=20&by-date=false">The Square</a> (where he is now not involved) and <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=kitchen+w8">Kitchen W8</a> (where he still is). The rest of the crowd was wine trade friends. The only disturbing part of the evening was discovering that I was the second oldest, only Mr Sherwood keeping be from the ultimate seniority. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So we gathered, after a ten-minute stroll from Sloane Square tube for me, in the private room and were "treated" to </span><span style="background-color: #fffffe; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>1992 En Tirage Extra Brut Russian River Valley Sparkling Wine</b>. Our organiser who had sent this did two things one good (for him) and one bad. The good thing was that he arrived late having sent the wine on, the bad thing was sending three bottles. One would have been enough. An enticing nose but a dead palate, may be unfair in this company but probably better a while ago. Certainly not in the same league as the other "sparkler" later.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fffffe; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was an evening about:</span><span style="background-color: #fffffe; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Food, venue, company and wine. So to cover off the food it was all superb! There was no dish I would not have wanted more of (greed) or </span>would<span style="background-color: #fffffe; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> not happily order again many times. The menu is below.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Ravioli of Langoustines with barbecue dressing, hispi Cabbage and sweetcorn.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Roast calf’s sweetbread with truffled autumn slaw, seeded nut butter and mimolette.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Rump of lamb with pesto roasted aubergine, garlic puree, green olives and balsamic vinegar.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Roasted figs with goats milk ice cream, lemon and thyme fritters and olive oil</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>or</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Cheese</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was time now for a flight of whites. The first and last of which were from (two) bottle(s) the Drouhin being a magnum. The </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre 1999</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,</span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> F.Raveneau </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">bottles were both good ones, the first possibly just edging it for energy. Wax and lanolin with a very "proper" Chablis nose, a little of that dry-honey character. Mature on the plate but still with good vibrancy, a cracking wine in a good place. </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Beaune Clos des Mouches 1996</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Drouhin </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was an imposing magnum and one might say a brave one. There was a dash of coffee on the nose, this was broad but not loose, I'd have been in Meursault if blind I think. Mature and with a decadent texture, nice wine. We then switched to the Loire with </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Pur sang 2011, Dagueneau</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. I don't know the Dagueneau wines all that well but have enjoyed what I have tried. This was expressive, quite broad and open, a little tropical but with enough of the nettle character though not sharp nettles, warm ones if that makes any sense. It was a splendid trio all in all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Interestingly we were not "packing any Pinot" on this occasion so we moved straight to Nebbiolo with an intriguing trio, three different sites and three different vintages all in magnum. Young Nebbiolo is something people should not, in my opinion, miss out on. </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Barbaresco Montestefano 2008 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from</span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> Produttori del Barbaresco </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">kicked us off. This had a more open and more warm vintage feel that I expected. It was very easy to enjoy from this underestimated vi</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ntage. These are such good wines. <b>Barolo La Tartufaia 2010 </b>from <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/piedmont-conterno-negri.html"><b>Giulia Negri</b></a> was up next, a blend of Nebbiolo from two crus - Serradenari and Brunate - showing a good degraded fruit and easy drinkability even now though it will age very well. </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Barolo Cannubi Boschis 2011 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from</span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> Sandrone</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> completed the Piedmont trio. There is a tar and texture feel to this, it has a tiny hint of toffee from wood but is ultimately both rich and balanced. Good spices too, a wine with a broad drinking window, as could be said for all these.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three Piedmonteers...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was Bordeaux next and a good threesome.<b> </b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">La Lagune 2001</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> got us started and I have to say La Lagune isn't necessarily an estate that I get excited about, have they made some lovely wines? yes definitely but I mentally file it under "dependable" rather than "exciting". This 2001, in magnum as were the wines that followed, was delicious and certainly exciting. Lifted with a good bit of sappy liveliness and then a driven and energetic, almost red fruited palate...simply lovely. The </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">La Conseillante 1999 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was darker fruited and from a clearly less great vintage, it was good and very true to the house but just a little muddied in comparison to the La Lagune. Tasted and drunk on its own it'd be splendid. The most different of the Bordeaux was </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Palmer 1976 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(a BBR bottling). A very hot vintage, think 2003 but without the heat spikes just consistently hot and dry. The nose had a citrus element, sweet and tarry, mellow in tannin, gently moreish. A wine it was terrific to try and a good drink too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As we moved towards pudding or cheese we had an eclectic last flight. Two bottles of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Clos de Bourg 1989 Moelleux 1er Trie </b>from <b>Huet </b>had that lovely combination of zesty acidity and generous sweetness...a sweet wine I could certainly just drink alone and as an aperitif or with food (both pudding and/or cheese). Zippy apples and a dash of honey. Then Champagne - </span></span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Moet & Chandon 1978 “Grand Vintage Collection“ </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Disgorged 2004) - which reminded me of dry honey and a rancio character with good energy, a little of that "late-disgorgement" cocoa character. A lovely toasty finish, a wine at its peak now I think, well to my style anyway. Champagne later in a meal is a good idea I think. I am not sure why a bottle of </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Ornellaia 2000 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was opened but I am glad it was, quite savoury and bold, a little bit of Bovril, good darker fruits and enough acidity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And that, as they say, was that...a thoroughly enjoyable evening and a lovely restaurant that I will certainly be returning too!! As for the company...well the wine trade remains a place for fun, often opinionated, folk...long may it continue.</span></div>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-10028140909593584122016-10-03T06:03:00.001-07:002016-10-03T06:03:40.185-07:00A gift bottle...Sandhi...<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s1">I was kindly gifted, by a customer who I feel may well start to feature on here, a bottle of </span></span><b>Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2013</b> from <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s1"><a href="http://sandhiwines.com/">Sandhi Wines</a> </span></span>last week. The remit was a simple one, to "try it and report back". Sandhi are an estate I am aware of but have only tried twice, appearing on here <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=sandhi">once</a> but in both previous instances it was the Chardonnays.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The blurb on their site</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> says:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir</b> - </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is our entry level Pinot Noir and is a blend of our
vineyard holdings in the Sta. Rita Hills. Over half the fruit is from 40
year-old vines at Sanford & Benedict vineyard with the rest coming from our
sections and younger vines at Rita’s Crown and Bent Rock. This wine showcases
the exuberance of Sta. Rita Hills with bright, shiny red crunchy raspberry
fruit that is layered with cola spices and tobacco. The wines are delicious now
and will age gracefully for another 5-7 years. The appellation Pinot Noir also
offers a great introduction to the style of our wines and will assuredly
over-deliver for its price.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiishLyoqZ_VEBenSrjBZ_956gkQvsm3hnhsgkGbEr8fgkCkNU2pImKrvlv_LCvX9M6gjHPKekTZhiiGlL-jpv99lytGzjTX9xgBMDr3zMasWIIMVxBGRoZ086lVrdXXoaRVJcLkMK8MgG4/s1600/ray+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiishLyoqZ_VEBenSrjBZ_956gkQvsm3hnhsgkGbEr8fgkCkNU2pImKrvlv_LCvX9M6gjHPKekTZhiiGlL-jpv99lytGzjTX9xgBMDr3zMasWIIMVxBGRoZ086lVrdXXoaRVJcLkMK8MgG4/s320/ray+3.jpg" width="171" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So here's <b><u>my write up</u></b>, I deliberately wanted to try it over 24 hours which was quite hard work as I would have happily drunk it down in one sitting - always a good sign!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1"><br /></span></span></div>
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<u style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b>Opened Saturday 7pm</b></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1">Cool temp, has a mulled
and slightly powdered darker fruit nose with good texture...there is a shade of
overripe citrus rind as well. </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The balance of
richness and freshness is super, deep with an almost softening strawberry
finish...long. Then r</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">aspberry and saline
comes through...t</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">his is moreish.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday from 5pm</u> (half full bottle had been kept cool)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">More purity and red
fruited-ness on day two, strawberries and cream on the nose, drier on the palate. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Rosemary-like
notes...not herbal generally, good grip, a little shorter than yesterday. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1">There is a sappy energy. </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Then with extra air
the nose became more and more balanced and melded..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Certainly rerady to drink but I would agree with the "5-7 years" comment above. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="s1"><b>Verdict</b> - Very good if short of profound at the price a really lovely wine - an exciting estate!</span></span></div>
Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-80769391543424981932016-10-02T02:35:00.005-07:002016-10-02T02:35:55.210-07:00Just a lovely evening…Medlar with five bottles...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was a splendid Thursday evening a couple of weeks ago. </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=mr+magnum&max-results=20&by-date=false">Mr Magnum</a> had organised a dinner for two of his merchants to meet. I always like meeting others in the trade, it's one of the things that sets the wine trade apart. I guess we all compete but really, and especially in this scenario, we agree more than anything. This chap (I am still trying to think up his potential "blog name" - may be that is for next time) has some lovely wines in his quiver none of which directly clash with those I work with anyway…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The venue was <a href="http://www.medlarrestaurant.co.uk/">Medlar Restaurant</a> which I have always enjoyed, if you've not been you should go, it features quite large on this blog, most recently with this </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/1996-dinner.html">1996 dinner</a>. It was apt therefore that Mr Magnum kicked us off with <b>Bollinger RD 1996</b>. This bottle being disgorged (Chris Delalonde the sommelier misses very little!) in 2006. It is a wine that is already on the developed spectrum in terms of the mellow, savoury, yeasty and serious aromas but this does not mean it won't age, it will. If a wine can be both young and tight and savoury and evolved at the same time this is it. Could I drink it every day? No, but then I don't have to stress about that. As a change of pace, serious, Champagne it is delicious. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From there, and as the food arrived, we set about a (predictably) delicious <b>Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 2007 </b>from<b> Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey</b> (<b>PYCM</b> to those in the know). Our fellow diner brings the wines in (so that's his cover blown). I was delighted (and lucky) to visit there once, anonymously as a guest of a customer, during </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/a-very-special-trip-burgundy-may-2014.html">a very special trip to Burgundy</a>. Pierre, it is no secret, is doing some brilliant things and I am delighted to have started buying a few of his more humble bottlings. This Meursault was tight, refined, younger than 9 years but totally true to what 2007 should be, a focussed driven wine. There was a little reduction (which you'll know I love) and an almost total balance. On this showing there is more to come but then I'd drink it again tomorrow if I had some. Spot on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We stayed in Burgundy for <b>Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cherbaudes 2005 </b>from <b>Fourrier</b>. The 2005's in Bordeaux are generally opening out, albeit slowly, there seems to be much less consensus in Red Burgundy. Some remain as muted as ever and others are showing their class. This is more the later than the former. The palate is still a shade meaner than it will be but in all other regards it was delicious. A nice fragant and inviting red fruited nose with the darker fruits in the backbone behind. The finish was a little saline (love it!) and had a severely moreish </span>quality. Delicious wine, may be 2-4 years from peak but then it depends how you like it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Soldera 2008 </b>was the first of my bottles. I love this estate, I am biased as I get to visit a fair bit (we work with the wines in Asia but not here). It is a </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/twice-in-one-yearsolderaalways-pleasure.html">magical place</a> and the wines I think sit slightly outside anything else. They certainly, to me, sit apart from Brunello as a whole. There is a persistent elegance that, to my mind doesn't exist in Sangiovese anywhere else. The 2008 is the last but one release and people often assume that young Sangiovese is unapproachable but that is not the case here. Red fruit elegance with a saline and wet meat mineral quality, it is a wine in balance that you can drink now or in 20 years (same could be said of all the above).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The last red was <b>Barolo Brunate-Le Coste 2008</b> from <b>Guiseppe (Beppe) Rinaldi</b>. This estate is one of those who's wines I simply can't resist (whatever my financial state). It is grippy and savoury but with a terrific intensity of pure yet slightly degraded darker fruits and a good </span>acidity. It was the one wine you "should" rather than "could" definitely be more patient with but what the hell. For those non Barolo-obsessed you won't, from 2010, find this label as the "powers that be" have decided that you can't have two Crus ("Brunate" and "Le Coste" in this instance) on the same label, why? Who knows. So the estate now make a Barolo Brunate (at least 85% Brunate with the rest Le Coste - so a similar wine!) and the other Barolo being called Barolo Tre Tini which has the previous other Barolo wine, Barolo Cannubi S.Lorenzo-Ravera (two crus again), with the remainder of the Le Coste holdings, so again not vastly different. I have had the 2011s and they are predictably stunning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What a splendid evening, good food, good service, cracking company and deliciously vibrant, lively wines... </span><br />
Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-63291241550555877422016-09-25T12:12:00.000-07:002016-09-25T12:12:04.144-07:00Back to the beginning - Port and the Douro a magic couple of days...<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">W</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">hen the alarm went at 3.10 on a Monday morning I can't say I was thinking about drinking Port much, however, this was to be quite a two and a half days. Port is the wine that first really made me investigate wine and start reading and researching it, ironically in nearly 18 years in the trade I had never been to either Porto or up the Douro.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First things first, special thanks must go to Richard Girling and the team at Fells for the invite and to our superb Guide and Symingtons man </span>João Vasconcelos. It followed on in a way from a tremendous few days - <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/maderia-lots-of-hard-workand-odd-ninja.html">Maderia lots of hard work and the odd ninja</a> and <a href="http://Madeira - Blandys tour and tasting">Madeira - Blandys tour and tasting</a> - in Madeira two years earlier. These trips are really great experiences and further re-iterate to me that whilst wine is a result of weather and environment the people involved in the production and selling of it are both crucial and often the most fun part of it all. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My tasting book from the trip took the format I have tried to follow for trips - right hand page for notes and the "wine stuff", lefthand page for amusing observations, anecdotes and quotes - it is amazing how the lefthand page can make on smile months and years later.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So on with the "work"! Having got to Gatwick from north London for the 5.45am meet it was time for coffee. The flight was snug thanks to the easy jet seats but also the presence of Burns on my "loosehead" side and Girling on the "tighthead". We landed in fog and a cool 16 degrees.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From the airport it was a quick 20 minute ride to the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Graham’s 1890 Lodge </b>in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Vila Nova de Gaia where the Port lodges are situated historically. I hadn't realised that, despite now being joined, actually Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia are separate cities.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were met on arrival by João who then gave us a p</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">rivate tour of the Lodge. It's a wonderful spot and you get a real sense for the difficulties and significant challenges of Port storage and logistics as well as hearing some great stories and the colourful history. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">One of the many barrel halls. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is a sizeable place with essentially all the Ports that will be released from Ruby through Vintage and older Tawnies. And all this 2 hours away from the region where the wines are grown and made.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Lovely older vintages lying behind bars...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Having spent about an hour having a really good
look around it was certainly time for a tasting - this was to focus mostly on
the Tawny (wood aged) side of things.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Graham's Six Grapes</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> -
This is a 3 year old wine with no sediment made, essentially, from declassified
vintage wines. It was a good start, rich, full cherry notes with deeper darker
fruit behind that. Creamy texture with a little spice. Juicily pungent!</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Graham's LBV</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US"> 2011</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> - Late Bottled Vintage is a style that is bottled 4-6
years after the vintage, in Graham's case 5 years. Deeper spicier, more savoury
on the nose, the palate has a sweetness followed by savoury grip.</span><!--EndFragment--></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Graham's </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">10 Year old </span></b><span lang="EN-US">-
Redder fruit and a little marzipan, lovely balance, a little spice but in a
more leathery and nutty way.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Graham's </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">20 Year old</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> - A
little dash of leather and some nutty spice. Macadamia nuts, just delicious,
then the nuts get more dark and rich before raisins arrive, very good!</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Graham's </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">30 Year old</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> -
Beautiful colour…much more savoury bite to this, powdered citrus which reminded
me a little of a Verdelho or drier Bual Madeira. Then there was a more savoury
bacon note. Really zippy on the palate with so much life, some wine.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Graham's </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">40 Year old </span></b><span lang="EN-US">- Full
tawny brown colour has a real tang, almost sherried in style. A marmite bite,
less sweetness, less nuts more high toned and harder to describe.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Graham's </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">1972 Single Harvest Tawny</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> - There have only been 9 barrels of this and it is almost all gone,
each barrel was bottled in turn. The wine is delicious. There is still a little
red to the core, a high-toned nose with a rancio note, very complex. There is
real energy and zip here my note finishes with "Lift, lift, lift".</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">We squabbled, entirely ridiculously, for a little bit about which we preferred Demetri probably summed it up best with "I prefer them all", that's what having MW after your name does for you! In honesty I loved the 20 and 30 a shade more than 10 and 40 but then how often are you going to have them side by side and all had serious class about them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">These wines never see new oak of course - I
liked João's quote that they "always see tired wood never new
oak".</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The tasting had served to further awaken our
stomachs (the acidity does this) to the idea of food and we were in for a
treat as we joined <b>Paul Symington</b> for Lunch at <b>Vinum Restaurant</b> that they
have built on site. The view is stunning and with the first White Port and
Tonic, this would become a welcome theme, in hand we were very happy. Paul is about as driven a person as I have come across in wine, passionate but very pragmatic which has a nice openness about it. We spoke at length about the successes they have have had - Dow 2011 being amongst the most recent - but also about how the world of Port has to move with the times. Embracing Tawnies has been one such move, only making the very best vintages another and lastly (of the major moves) looking at the dry wines of the region.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Over a lovely hour and a half we filled up on the lovely local dishes and drank a few good wines. It is a restaurant I firmly advise you to go to. The Symingtons have put together a list of wines there that is not just those they produce and this is a good idea and a good lead. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We started our lunch with the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Altano White 2015</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, this wine was to become a good friend, primary, clean, fresh, wonderfully unpretentious, it is thirst quenching and well focussed.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Post Scriptum 2014</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> from Prats + Symington was next this is essentially the second wine of the joint venture between the two families, more on which later. Dark cherry and almost serious Barbera like fruit, very good, open and ready but with years ahead if you want.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ne Oublie</b> (5cl) - About as serious a tawny as there has ever been. You can read all about it </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.grahams-port.com/wines/wood-aged-ports/ne-oublie">HERE</a>. I have been lucky to taste it once before and found it just as spellbinding on both occasions oranges, polished tables, pungent richness but with zip, there is a wonderful feeling of intense but totally natural reduction and focus, think of almost any natural but intensified by "dessication" flavour and it is there.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Graham's 20 Year Old</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> was to be the last tipple but this time served from a splendid 450cl bottle (6 bottles in one). I've started to see this in restaurants more and more and Tawny served cool has to amongst the oct refreshing yet decadent wines there is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From the table we bid Paul a grateful goodbye and transferred to, it has to be said the eastern block inspired, Porto Campanhã train
station. Mr Girling yet again played the perfect host as he procured a few receptacles of Super Bock beer of the journey whilst our other host, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">João, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">made sure the next two evenings wines travelled in perfect condition by car. This sort of hosting and thought really does make all the difference…what's that thing about devil in the detail?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With a quick change in Regula we eventually arrived in Tua, sounds more Maori than European to me too. About halfway along the journey you suddenly start to really "get" the Douro….the sites are picturesque, the scale rather daunting, it has a natural and uncompromising grace about it, a certain timelessness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mr Girling helped an elderly lady with her potatoes on leaving the train. We then had time for that crucial cleansing beer. If we need to justify it, we didn't, then we could have said it was a chance to compare the two Portuguese beer brands of Super Bock and Sagres…I am firmly a Super Bock man.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">João then arrived in the very smart Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos Landrover and set about rearranging or spinal columns on the short drive to the Quinta. Demetri saw this as an opportunity to lecture us on palmation (look it up, its a little dull). Lawrence did a good job of nodding appropriately.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now I have stayed in some lovely places on wine trips and it has to be said some shockers as well. The one I place I could most get used to is now - <b>Quinta dos
Malvedos</b> - it has wonderfully understates luxury, no frills just the things you need and a sense of space. It wasn't that hot but I could imagine that Malvedos would feel cool even in 40 degrees. We quickly changed, lying down would have been fatal after that early start…a swim was delayed until the following day. It was now time for a second and third Port and Tonic of the day on the terrace under the Portuguese and Union (hung the correct way up unlike some places) flags.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We drank and chatted over looking the splendid view back down the Douro. It had been a long day but a great one and dinner was still to come.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great spot and I had to fight the urge (as did others) to hit golf balls!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We dinned outside hoping that we would not get rained on, there was a good amount due! The breeze was up but the temperature was lovely. In preparation for the day of Port ahead we talked a bit about the holdings in the Douro from a grape variety standpoint. I had always been under the impression (ignorance being bliss) that a large proportion was planted to the most famous Port grape, that of Touriga Nacional. I was therefore a little alarmed to learn that only 4% is so planted. But in amongst the Symington holdings (those that make - Graham, Dow, Warre, Cockburns, Vesuvio etc) there is very impressive 20% Touriga Nacional. Why is there not more than 4% generally? Well, it is difficult to grow and not a massive yielder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back to dinner, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Altano White 2015</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> kicked us off in reassuring comfort before we moved to <b>Quinta do Ataíde DOC 2014 </b>which is a new release, this was pretty, gentle, a nice easy wine to enjoy. The </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Quinta do Vesuvio DOC 2011</b> which is the dry wine from the Vesuvio estate could not be described as gentle or easy, this was rich and </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">concentrated, stopping just short of being OTT. It will be better and better with another 2-5 years of mellowing, good body and spice, showing the quality of fruit that the stunning 2011 season produced. The food was delicious and just what we needed…lovely home cooking.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A delicious line up...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Right, Port time and Demetri got his hat on for the blind tasting…it was a new hat as he seemed to have mislaid his other one. We started with the Graham’s LBV 2011 that we had tasted earlier, it was rich and properly fiery with good spice and married superbly to the intense Chocolate mouse. Port with food, and not just cheese, is a terrific combination. We then had a blind Port and we all made a right old hash of it. We didn't make a mess of enjoying it but we were miles out on age. It was </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Warre’s 1980</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> and Ed claimed to have got close (he did really but we denied hearing him), the wine was so young tasting, rich and bold, just beyond primary but not developed, I can't remember what I guessed but it was certainly no older than 1997. A super wine. I had asked earlier if there was much crusted Port made. There still is and this is what we were served next. Crusted is essentially a multi vintage wine bottled like vintage Port and it therefore throws a sediment (a "crust"). The one we had was the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Graham’s Crusted 1998</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">, this being a blend of 1994/1995/1996. It was figgy, rich but loose and nicely developed, a nice note of bovril…a really good wine with which to economically give people an idea of what vintage is about…I think I'll be tucking some of that aside. We were then, before the cigars came out, blind tasted on the <b>Graham’s 1972 Single Harvest Tawny</b> from earlier in the day, simply lovely again, though I think I guessed it was the 30 year old!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The magician of Malvedos</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cigars were then lit (Kev doing well not to be tempted!) and a tremendous day came to an end. It was probably a good thing that we were tired as it absolutely hoofed it down overnight with 30mm falling, just what the doctor ordered and the potential start of harvest the following day was pushed back a further two days, it will then last about a month.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A more serious looking morning...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After b</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">reakfasting on scrambled eggs and lovely local jams and honeys if was time for a tour of the Malvedos estate. Just down from the Quinta they planted, in 2000, a few rows of each of the main varieties so we had a good look at those on the way down to the winemaking side of things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You get a real sense of history at Malvedos with pictures everywhere showing how little has changed, it must have been some logistical exercise growing and making wine, it still is in truth.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The historical gates to the Quinta...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were shown the electronic lagars at the estate and how all the plots were divided up. Interestingly the planting of which variety where is more related to altitude and exposure than soil type which is so different from many places. The wine making set up was slick and very well thought through. The number of different fermentations done is vast and again the scale of the logistical exercise really hit home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the <b>Malvedos winery </b>we were lucky to taste two single Quinta wines. This is what is released from the estate as a vintage wine when Graham itself is not released. When Graham is released then 30-35% of the wine for that comes from Malvedos.<span lang="PT"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Malvedos 2009</b> - Ripe and full, primary for sure but so juicily balanced with a spice and Christmas herbs, moreish and black fruited…on its own a delicious drink.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Malvedos 2004</b> - This was one of the finds of the trip for me. I have to say the fact that 2004 was not declared had always been a surprise to me. In my simple little mind the fact that Ribera del Duero over the boarder in Spain had such a stunning vintage must have meant that a Vintage declaration was on the cards but with the 2003's having been universally declared it never happened. You might seem something similar with 2015 and 2016 both being very good following two wet and difficult years (2013 and 2014). Back to this wine, more savoury and in a lovely if youthful place, richness but not just of black fruit, almost a little saline…one to buy. We now had a few moments to kill as our boat was on its way up the river so Mr Burns took to even more sunbathing.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burnsie in his natural habitat.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Before long we were heading down to the river and getting ready to travel downstream to </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Prats & Symington’s Quinta de Roriz</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. This is an estate that produces essentially dry wines (there is a little vintage Port from time to time, but rarely).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyA3IHjbSJBzGwHAaGB0e09sR2f1_nUa4rzEn3jRmJ_ijrCp9SjQJjhWadn_paZrJkD8nMhDpShlmAs6jhcAhcS_65hZER5fMx542rfgFpQK4OnSDJPwzAKuu3a8euwI4l3Rp3Vcr6H4B/s1600/AA+Port+visit+26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyA3IHjbSJBzGwHAaGB0e09sR2f1_nUa4rzEn3jRmJ_ijrCp9SjQJjhWadn_paZrJkD8nMhDpShlmAs6jhcAhcS_65hZER5fMx542rfgFpQK4OnSDJPwzAKuu3a8euwI4l3Rp3Vcr6H4B/s400/AA+Port+visit+26.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up the river from Roriz...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The production is less than 200,000bts. The venture that combines the Prats and Symingtons started in 1999 and the first production of the main wine - <b>Chryseia</b> - was 2000 with a first release of the second wine - <b>Post-Scriptum</b> - in 2002. The four main people involved are Charles Symington, Bruno Prats, Luis Coelho (winemaker) and Pedro Correia.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standard transport to a Tuesday lunchtime picnic!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We toured the <b>Roriz </b>(pronounced Horith) estate and got a real sense for the area. Interestingly they made the most of a change in regulations a few years back (since stopped) to plant up and down rather than across the contours making the plantings much easier to work and higher in density.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGenzmx4SczZ03_D3GbL1IzGaUt8WomJHBVO2FnkRLV_UUZYWn4Kqu4KHDFnjA9jbHCYn6xmm6XWmZC94ajkoX7xWrU-gHjZZUQ46DJx0gF5GWgFv1zjRLFlfWWfn2s3AihxnPCprxIR_z/s1600/AA+Port+visit+27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGenzmx4SczZ03_D3GbL1IzGaUt8WomJHBVO2FnkRLV_UUZYWn4Kqu4KHDFnjA9jbHCYn6xmm6XWmZC94ajkoX7xWrU-gHjZZUQ46DJx0gF5GWgFv1zjRLFlfWWfn2s3AihxnPCprxIR_z/s400/AA+Port+visit+27.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Currently the main barrel hall at Roriz</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Luis gave us a brilliant insight into the winemaking and all that goes on, a brand new barrel hall is just being finished and clearly this estate has its sights set very high in quality terms.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Before lunch we had a cracking chance to taste the estates three wines from 2014. <span lang="PT"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Prazo de Roriz 2014 </b>- From a blend of Touriga Nacional (10%), Touriga Franca (35%), Tinta Roriz (24%) and Tinta Barroca (31%) this is the entry to the estates wines offering red cherry fruit and a moreish dryness, good grip and acidity at the price it sells for this is spot-on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Post Scriptum DOC 2014</b> - from a blend of the same four varieties. Darker fruit, less cherry more blackberry, more depth and a little bit of understandable oak showing. Violets also and dry stones on the finish…a year or two will only improve this already impressive wine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Chryseia DOC 2014 </b>- From just </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. Vibrant, full, rich has a violet and dark cherry lift. The texture has richness and grip but no hardness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To be abel to do the tasting with the wines alone but then try them with the food as well was great. It was all a little too much for out MW who decided to have a very brief power-nap, not that he released he would be dressed as the invisible man for doing so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With the sun gloriously out on display it was back to the boat for the trip down to </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. I have always felt a real affinity to Dow's Port…I have no obvious reason for this. It is no different from why we pick one team over another in a Sport when you don't have a reason to support a certain side but it is what it is. Bomfim produces around 80% of the port that goes into a Vintage of Dow. The Quinta is also the site of the only Symington's branded visitor centre, they have others but they are all focussed on one particular house not the "whole".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As we looked around you got a real sense for the history of this great region and the sacrifices (sometimes of life) that were needed to pick and make the wine and then get it down the river to Vila Nova di Gaia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We had a real treat at the Quinta just before we tasted two wines and that treat was getting to see (no photos for obvious reasons) the entire harvest plan for the Symington estates…let's just say it was some spreadsheet and some exercise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The two wines we tasted were:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Cockburn’s Canais </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2006</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> - This showed a touch of eucalyptus and some menthol following to a focussed very fruited and a spicy palate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Quinta do Bomfim 2005</b> - Nice nose with good development, a little savoury and rancio with some leather. Pure but bold spicy fruits and lots of damson and black cherry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A fast walk down to Pinhao</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> train station then followed and a 10 minute journey to Tua and on by Landrover back </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to Quinta dos Malvedos and a swim with a bottle of Super Bock or two.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-dinner team picture!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second dinner at Malvedos was inside and a splendid occasion. Henry Shotton, the winemaker at Malvedos and a key cog in the Symingtons machine joined us for dinner. The food was again splendid and after we had explained to Ed that "Duck and Rice" was Duck with Rice we all settled in for the evening. Pre-dinner Port and Tonics with the superb Almonds gave way to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Altano White 2015 </b>and then </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chryseia DOC 2013</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. In the dining room there are some wonderful oars on the wall, almost as wonderful as the next question was silly…"what's with the rowing theme?" clearly one of us hadn't noticed the rather large river we had been on for the last 48hrs. The </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chryseia DOC 2013 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was a good </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">opportunity to think back to the morning's tasting, I had the 2013 as more savoury and darker than the same wine from 2014. From here it was time for the real work to start. <b>Blind Port tasting</b>. A notoriously fun but difficult game... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We actually did pretty well. The one of the below that confused us most was the 1983 Graham that we all judged to be older as it was less forceful (in a good way).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First came the <b>Dow’s 1985 </b>- raisin fruit, dates and prunes a little demerara, tar and savoury edges, a delicious glass of Port that will continue to age but is lovely now. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Graham’s 1983 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">was delightful with fresh mint and then a really elegant palate and a charming weight. I don't feel my notes are doing these justice but then harmonius wines with such finesse and drive are always harder to write about. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Graham’s 1966 </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was a star of a wine, super elegant with soy and sweet balsamic like </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">decadence but so much perfect degraded sweet fruit, awesome length. All these wine disappeared down our greedy little throats but then that is exactly what they are made for. It is also important to note that our heads were as clear as a bell the next morning after both the dinners. Post meal we had a lovely relaxed chat outside over a few glasses of the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Graham's 20 Year Old Tawny </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Graham's 30 Year Old Tawny</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. These must be amongst the most incredibly drinkable but complex wines at there respective levels.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely dinner to round off the two days.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The following morning it was an early start as we left the Quinta at 5.45am and made tracks back to Porto airport. All that was left was to have a coffee and a Pastel de Nata as we waited for our plane.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A magic couple of days and a massive thank you again to Richard, João, Henry, Paul and all the Symington team…all I can say is keep up the good work and this legendary wine producing area will only go from strength to strength…long may that happen.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone for a Tappit Hen? Three bottles in one…yum!</td></tr>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-16724810935129095112016-09-10T11:31:00.003-07:002016-09-10T11:31:47.901-07:00Newcastle with "Newcastle" & "Halifax"<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you look back through this blog there are many people I have been very privileged to drink a lot of great wine with…right up there (easily in "Europe" and probably fighting for the title are two gentlemen who go by the monikers on here of <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Newcastle">"Newcastle"</a> and <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=halifax&max-results=20&by-date=true">"Halifax"</a>. Last week I made the remarkably easy - this could become a dangerous habit - trip to Newcastle for a cracking dinner. Both gents were joined by their splendid other halves and much fun was had, as much with the wine as the chat - rugby, racing, golf etc...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We were very well looked after by the team at <a href="http://www.21newcastle.co.uk/">21 Newcastle</a> with a lovely menu of; Lobster, Turbot, Beef and Cheeses. The scene need some setting so a few G&T's were used to hydrate before we made our way to the table.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Salon 1988 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was a lovely starting place, fully mature now (like some of us) with a orange-rind and yeasty richness, interest</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ingly this got fresher in glass with a bit of air. </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=salon+" style="font-weight: bold;">Salon</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b>is always a very vinous Champagne and so it was here, this reminded me a little of a recent bottle of 1983 mentioned at the end of this </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/conternotasting-and-dinner.html">post</a>. The slightly oxidative and powder elements gave way to freshness. Its an interesting Salon as it is the only one where malolactic fermentation started what makes it more widely interesting is that it never completed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Next up with the lovely Lobster dish and then a cracking bit of turbot was, that rarest of beasts, a "<b>double monty</b>" with Ramonet and DRC on display. <b>Montrachet 2002 </b>from<b> Ramonet </b>is one of those wines you know you will not get to drink more than once unless your very lucky. I have a little experience of the wines from <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/double-birthday-bonanza.html"><b>Ramonet</b></a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b>now and love the style. I like to think it is a touch individual, stem ginger seeming t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">o be a bit of a signature.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> This was a big wine, though I don't know for sure, but I would say both this and the 1986 that followed had a good bit of that Montrachet botrytis richness. We choose, wisely I think, to have this 2002 decanted. It has a slight toffee aroma to start, this coming from the richness and the oak but with only a tiny bit of air the ginger started to come out as did layer upon layer of rich fruit. Absolutely cracking and greater and greater with air, some wine. From there we were onto <b>Montrachet 1986 </b>from <b>DRC</b>. I am lucky to try </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Montrachet+DRC">Montrachet from DRC</a> </b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">on release each year and through others generosity to have had it a few times with some age but I have never had the 1986 or even a vintage within 4 or 5 years of that. It was instantly a good bottle. We decided there was no need to </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">decant this. The full textural richness was perfect again the totally mature, decadent fruit, really lovely balanced, a wine you couldn't help but wallow in really. We tried to keen a little bit of each going for a while to try alongside the reds. They were both more just great wines rather than great white wines if that makes any sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Time for red now as a vast amount of beef appeared. <b>Soldera 2008</b> kicked us off, I am biased but this is one hell of an estate. Visits to </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=soldera" style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Soldera</a><b> </b>are always magical, </span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">controversial, inspiring and never dull. I find the wine so easy to enjoy but at the same time as wonderfully complex, as much as the man who makes it. Like so many of the great mono-varietal red wines (Burgundy and Barolo spring to mind but others too) it strikes me as such an error to not enjoy these wines young as well as with age. There is always a note of wet meat (just think of how great raw cool beef smells) as well as a floral red fruit edge before a darker core. Yum!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The next red was</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <b>Volnay Santenots du Milieu 1993</b> from </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Lafon</b><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">, a great wine to get to try but (and sorry there is a "b</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ut") it was just a little overshadowed in this league. Now, I can hear a few readers here saying "it's not a wine Will sells" and they are correct, but I like to think bias and all, I say what I think. This was a good medium weight wine with good balance, well made, nice nose, the "but" and it was the same when I did a tasting - <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/burgundy-pairs-2009-and-2010coche.html">Burgundy pairs 2009 and 2010</a> - with trade mates a while back is all round whether it is Volnay. I think Lafon makes seriously great whites in many different years and with a great richness. The estate doesn't seem to make great reds, good yes, but true to the Volnay elegance? This is nothing new, D'Angerville and Lafarge are producers I love and they make great Volnay but never hit the heights with the whites they make, nice though they often are. Anne-Claude Leflaive gave up making red…it is just not an easy thing - to do both. <b>Comments welcome on my thoughts here</b>…I can't make red of white so I am a fine one to talk!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So to the last red - <b>Latour 1964</b> - now this is Pauillac and so mighty fine. Rich but not remotely heavy, blacker fruit but with iron and power, absolutely perfect now. May be tasting a little younger than 52 years but so graceful, so Latour. The only vintage, as we discussed, that you might have confused it with is Latour's very good 1970. It was everything to should have been and frankly so was the whole evening, lots of wine, great chat, a chance to catch up and to laugh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">No evening would ever be complete with a few Negronis would it…chaps, and ladies, I thank you…until next time!</span>Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-47034783420936096712016-09-03T04:45:00.000-07:002016-09-03T04:45:38.398-07:00OS Wine Lunch and my first "Chez Bruce"... <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was actually th</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e second gathering of </span><a href="http://oldshirburnian.org.uk/">Old Shirburnians</a> who find themselves in the wine trade! The first being at the now no more, Zucca (wipes tear from eye). We managed to span all the years from 1977 to 1995 with the except</span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">ion of the academic year '82-'83 but this is under control for the next "meeting".Those present are listed at the bottom of this post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The venue was chosen and co-ordinated by, organiser-in-chief, Meels and was </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to be </span><a href="http://www.chezbruce.co.uk/">"Chez Bruce"</a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">which has long been on my "must visit" list! I was not disappointed one bit, delicious food, well balanced with an emphasis on what I am going to call gentle proper</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ness. My only gripe, entirely unjustified, is the location. I desperately need - in a "first world problem" sort of way - a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">restaurant like this or Kitchen W8, Medlar, La Trompette in North London.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, once "Larry" had made the long trek from practically next door to the restaurant and only been 25 minutes late we were off and running. No theme just bring a bottle or two...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We kicked off with <b>Nyetimber </b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: bold;">Tillington Single Vineyard 2009 </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- first time I have had this and I have to say I was very impressed, good bit of toasty richness but nicely refined and very balanced. No more biscuity than a perfect bit of shortbread, very nice start (well for 8 of us...).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As we cracked on with the starters it was time for some Chardonnay with Californian leading the way before two Burgs. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: bold;">Ha</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>pgood Chardonnay 2012, Brewer-Clifton </b>was lovely, rich and full but not smokey, more about the intensity of rich tropical yet mellow fruit. There is acidity there but behind the richness, waxy. Went very well with my C<i>urried smoked haddock with spiced fish pastilla, crisp onions and coriander</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Burgs were - <b>Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 2007 </b>from <b>E.Sauzet </b>and <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes 2009 </b>from<b> Domaine
M.Niellon</b>. Not that it's a competition but the Sauzet pipped it for me here, probably more down to the drive of the 2007 vintage than producer. The Sauzet was crisp with a little richness there but had good energy and is spot on, to my taste, right now. The Niellon, and I am getting to know <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=niellon">this producer</a> a little through recent experience, was good but needs drinking and had a slightly looser feel. I am being picky though, it was lovely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our "</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">compulsory" middle course of Crab Ravoli worked well with the magnum of <b>Cassis 2014, Clos St.Magdeleine</b>. Clean fresh and wonderfully unpretentious this just flew down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And so to the reds </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Spur Ranch Grenache 2014, La Marea </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">kicked us off, another selection from our American evangelist, a very elegant Pinot-like feel to the texture and weight but contrasted by an al</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">most northern Rhone pencil shavings and graphite scenario, nicely done. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Corton Grand Cru Clos des Cortons 2008, Faiveley </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">then followed, a very gently handled Burgundy, more Cote de Beaune in feel than the grittiness of Corton. I really like the 2008 reds they have an elegant leanness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Time for some Rhone as the conversation continued its predicted decline.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: bold;">Chateauneuf</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois 2003</b>,<b> Domaine
de la Mordorée </b>and </span></span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1990</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Vieux Telegraph </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">were the pair and I have to say I really enjoyed both. The Vieux Telegraph is in a lovely place, degraded and mellowed but still together, no real upside to keeping it I imagine but lovely now. The Mordoree had all the good characteristics of 2003, richness, ripeness and slightly dry fruit b</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ut none of the over extraction or over ripeness. Love the Rhone more and more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Off to Italy for <b>Biserno 2010 </b>by<b> </b></span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/bisernoa-bibbona-beauty.html">Tenuta di Biserno</a> (I am biased), I possibly miss-judged this by having it decanted for quite a while. It might have been better with less air as it had tightened up, still lovely though. Rich full and decadent!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Rieussec 1976 </b>was a very thoughtful selection with a handful of those present born in this warm (hot) vintage. It was just like the top of a creme brulee, rich, decadent and lovely with the tart and the cheese. I had brought along another bottle that i love showing people and had no intention of carrying it all the way home - </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">Barolo Serradenari 2011 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from</span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"> </b><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/white-red-and-orange-guilia-comes-to.html">Giulia Negri</a> </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">was the wine in question. From the highest Cru site in the Barolo region, elegant and poised, lovely young Barolo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A splendid afternoon (early evening if you include the beers) that made it all rather obvious why we'd all ended up in the trade…we like wearing pink shirts and talking (mostly) nonsense…onwards to round 3 which may aptly be held on 1st April... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Present:</u> (age order, ladies first!)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amelia Jukes (Pinsent) SSG (89-94)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jo Thompson (Haycock) SSG (89-94)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Julian Chamberlen (77-82)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tom Ashworth (83-88)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rory Benham (86-91)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Peter Richards (89-94)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Will Hargrove (89-94)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">James Mason (89-94)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">David Porter (90-95)</span></span><br />
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-22801200871536055602016-08-25T07:30:00.001-07:002016-08-25T07:30:29.165-07:00Domaine Labruyere 2014's and Rouget 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Time seems to have flown by as it is over 18 months since I wrote a post entitled - </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/famille-labruyerea-new-and-exciting.html">Famille Labruyere a new and exciting relationship</a>. Working with the wines from the three - <b>Domaine Jacques Prieur</b>, <b>Domaine Labruyere</b> and <b>Chateau Rouget</b>, soon to be four with <b>Champagne Labruyere</b> coming soon - estates has been a lot of fun.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This particular tasting was to focus on the <b>Moulin-a-Vent </b>wines from Domaine Labruyere and was very well led by Nicolas Mielly who got the balance between information and passion just right (not always easy!).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few key dates for Domaine Labruyere.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1850</b> - The estate started</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2001</b> - They took after the monopole of "Les Clos"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2008 </b>- Edouard Labruyere took over the running of the families wine estates</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A run through of some recent vintages was then summed up as follows:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2009</b> - mature fruits</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2010</b> - Serious</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2011</b> - balanced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2012</b> - 50% lost...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The 2014 vintage</b>: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Budbreak was early, suggesting an early vintage but
flowering was about average, beginning early April. Cooler weather in July and
August slowed down véraison which started at the end of July. The conditions in
July and August, predominantly cooler than average, brought the risk of
disease. September, happily, was sunny, hot and dry with higher than average
temperatures and very little rain. Picking began on the 11th September, all
harvested by hand into small cagettes. The bunches were small, the grapes, big,
ripe, healthy and juicy. Harvest lasted 10 days.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>A note on scoring...</b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Recently I have been slightly "mucking about" with scoring a few tastings/wines out of 25 rather than 20 as I tend to find that the 16-18 range gets used the whole time when scoring out of 20 and therefore the differentiation is less. I used the 25 point scale for this tasting. There is something of a threshold to the 20 out of 25 level but I feel it is a more useful threshold than the 90 out of 100 mark.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Moulin-a-Vent Coeur de Terroir 2014</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is from a selection of 5 plots, matured 50% in vats 50%
in barrel – only 3% of which is new wood. Bottled back in December. Good acidity, lifted, cool red fruits and a slightly ferrous note, a little spice also. Really balanced, strong start. 17/25<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Moulin-a-Vent Champ de Cour 2014</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Interestingly, this is the only wine where 100% whole bunches are
used, lifting the style of a wine which originates from heavy
clay. At the estate they often compare this to Clos Vougeot. There is more depth, spice too, some good greener notes of freshness and then a wave of darker more serious fruit. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is good mineral
drive and a persistent tension – this warrants patience. 18/25</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Moulin-a-Vent Le Carquelin 2014</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is very different in style, after the Champ de Cour. This is
from vines on sandy, granite soils, just near the famous windmill. 5-6% new oak, this was first made in 2011 and is 100% de-stemmed. More lifted, almost orange citrus notes. Then depth on the palate, richer texture but less spice showing. More fruit generally as a balance to the iron that is in there. 18+/25</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Moulin-a-Vent Clos du Moulin-a-Vent Monopole Domaine Labruyere 2014</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A beautiful colour, Le Clos is aged in barrels, 15% of which are
new, others 1 to 2 years old – all coming from Domaine Jacques
Prieur. These vines are grown on more sandy soils. This is a very "grown up" wine, serious, superbly concentrated with a wonderful texture, complexity and an iron like grip – rather northern Rhône-esque. 20-21/25</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was a very good tasting. I am the first to admit that I had rather dismissed the wines of Beaujolais (much to the frustration of mates in the trade) until I came across these.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was too good an opportunity not to re-taste the Rouget 2015, last tasted in Bordeaux during <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/tasting-bordeaux-2015s-picture-mostly.html">this tasting trip.</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Chateau Rouget 2015</b> - 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc with 30% new oak. In 2015 60% of the wine made it to the <i>Grand Vin </i>the remaining 40% being designated as "Le Carillon de Rouget". It is a superb wine, arguably one of the very best value buys of the whole campaign at about £350 a dozen (well I bought it). Rich and full but not without balance it is wine I intend to leave a good while!</span></span>Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-7855268873845896252016-08-21T04:27:00.001-07:002016-08-31T05:46:29.112-07:00Bandol, Tardieu-Laurent 2012 & 2013<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, I got back from holiday exactly a week ago and having been down to a little village in Provence called Correns (near Brignoles) I felt a bit silly that I hadn't made it to <b>Bandol</b> (only an hour down the road). The good news is that we're almost certainly going back next year and I will make the trip for sure. Hopefully co-ordinated with another visit to the Stade Mayol to see Toulon play in a pre-season friendly as we did this year (vs Stade Francais) and last (vs Clermont). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Getting back to the office this week it was time to take an early look at the Rhone 2015 offer we do with Tardieu-luarent (about whom more below) and quickly Bandol popped up in conversation with Mr Hartley…so what better thing to do than follow two tastings I did on holiday - </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/chablis-1er-cru-vaillons-three-ways-two.html">Chablis 1er cru Vaillons three ways</a> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/barolo-threeways-in-france-three.html">Barolo threeways in France</a> - by having a look at Bandol 2012 and 2013. I bought a bottle of each, got them home, cooled then down a little, did not decant and then tasted (drunk that is) the wines over Friday and Saturday making notes as I went.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's a little <a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-bandol">generic background</a> on Bandol itself. There is a good page on it in "The World Atlas of Wine" as well. In short it is the type of place that makes wines the way I tend to like them made: Old vines, low yields, minimum intervention (but stopping short of what might be called "crafted", "natural" or "beardy") and most importantly not raised in lots of new oak. The supplier that Michel and Bastien Tardieu source from looks very like Spike Milligan from the few pics I have seen. This specific</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> wine is </span>95% Mourvèdre and 5% Grenache (the vines in both being well over 50 years old) on Clay-limestone soils in the "Le Castellet" sub region.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>Some words on Tardieu-Laurent</u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Established in 1996,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Michel Tardieu is a négociant-éleveur, buying wines selected </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">according to the quality of the vineyard, in their raw, fermented state.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The wines, from many different but not all communes of the Rhone (and sometimes slightly beyond, as in this case) undergo malolactic fermentation, generally </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">under the watchful eye of Michel and increasingly by </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">his oenologist son, Bastien. They look after the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">maturation process, blending and sale of the wines. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Logically, given that the accurate translation of terroir and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">vintage is fundamental to the Tardieu-Laurent mind-set, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">intervention is minimal. None of the wines are fined and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">only a few receive a very light filtration. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Top quality ingredients are, however, absolutely essential. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To that end, a huge part of Michel’s and Bastien’s work </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">involves building long-term, mutually beneficial </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">relationships with a network of low-yield producers (who's identities are never revealed or referenced), </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">who own specific, top quality parcels of largely old </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">vines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Michel and Bastien </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">know, by heart, both the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">vineyards and the specific parcels within those vineyards, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">which are of interest to them. (Note to self: don't buy a car from either of them - Bandol to Cote Rotie is a long way!) </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most of the vines selected are naturally low-yielding old </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">vines of 50 years of age, regularly older. Often the size of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the individual parcels is too small to be independently </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">viable, but, by buying a number of them, there is the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">wherewithal to produce a workable blend. The naturally restricted </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">volumes result in increased complexity and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">intensity. There have been times when the supplier in a certain area has been changed, most recently with Crozes-Hermitage which was good but is now (from 2012 or 2013 - I can't remember exactly which) is truly exceptional.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On a purely personal note, two of the wines from Tardieu that I always look to buy each year are the Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CNDP) Cuvee Speciale and the CNDP Blanc VV. Of the latter I </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">have a four vintage tasting, 2011-2014, that I will be doing soon and writing up.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Click <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/rhone-epic-en-parallel.html">HERE</a> for an account of a recent and rather epic recent Rhone trip...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Right, on with the business at hand, "the tasting":</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>7pm Friday night</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2012</b> - Deep fully colour with saturation but not a glossy appeal to be honest both wines at this young stage have a similar look with a very outer rim of cherry. The initial reaction on the nose is of savoury density balanced with freshness from slightly muted black cherry fruit. There is a taught-ness and good complexity. Moving to the palate, which is largely consistent with the nose, there is a density but not a heaviness, the fruit is dark but with a hint of cranberry freshness in there. The tannic structure is very proper by which I mean the tannins are not polished and caressed with new oak or glossiness, quite the opposite they are ripe but properly grippy and just a shade drier that one is used to. This is a good uncompromising characteristic. Good start. Young but bold.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2013 </b>- As mentioned the colour is largely constant with the 2012. The fruit here is just a shade redder but still in essence dark, there is a similar crunchy and proper tannic structure. This is less muted from a fruit perspective than the 2012 which often leads one to say it is less serious but lets wait and see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If after tasting at this stage someone said "right you can only drink one bottle this evening" it would be the 2013…just.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>11.30 Saturday morning</i> </b>(both bottles are still 2/3 full)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2012 </b>- Still the more serious of the pair, a little saline, darker fruit than the 2013. This has a slight sternness as well as the structure having mellowed a little. I get the impression this will repay cellaring and then be a lovely middle-aged and older wine. Still quite tight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2103 </b>- A crunchier fruit now, more focusing acidity too, still big but not as dense. The tannins are less dry and more powdery (which I like), there is more vibrancy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am starting to find a definite similarity here in the fruit profile to both Gamay (when serious and with more structure here) but also serious Barbera when made with low yields and no new oak. Looking forward to drinking the rest later...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>6pm Saturday night</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As you might expect the differences are more pronounced by now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2012</b> - Far more the "animal" of these wines, more grip and grit and more obvious ferrous character, more oxidative and "grunty". This is crying out for rich food in a sauce, cassoulet would be superb, I like this. It makes me think of northern Rhone as much as anything.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2013</b> - There is also a slightly ferrous feel here but in a very gentle way and there is a cool fruited element. Much more minerality in a "crushed rocks" fashion. The fruit is a sort of deep red and the tannins have that moreish powdery quality. I find it fascinatingly moreish and complex.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><u>Conclusions</u>:</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I can see a good line between the wines, especially on opening. What is good though is that the differences started to appear. I certainly see the 2012 as a wine to leave for 4-5 years and see where it is then...I think it will be cracking as a winter wine with grip and savoury richness. The 2013 is probably worth leaving for 2 more years or so as it did evolve. I am inclined to think the 2013 is, by a shade, the better wine which might not be what vintage character (or perceived quality) might have suggested. Anyhow at under £20 on your table this is a wine packed with character and a nice lack of compromise...</span><br />
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-1994887646735230352016-08-20T06:28:00.002-07:002016-08-20T06:28:20.599-07:00Correns 2016 - a holiday picture blog…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A wonderful two weeks in Correns with a stop over in Beaune…follows on from last year - </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/holidays-bottles-and-travels.html">Holidays - bottles and travels.</a> Just pics this time...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rather special place to stop en route to Hotel in Beaune...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hargrove Special "Sausage pasta" for arrival dinner.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First night wines…keeping it real...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Could get used to this…and oh did we?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One on the left please!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmYB6qR7_DBmuJIPJsvoVGNA8a90KwHb_P4ucX4WoJ7pUvLd3-FxfaL7tuyMG2M6THhH8fx18DGnmR4oquOGucUrlIC_jCBfKsMBWllOpRDwcdSdtrCdC1-kXXZrnYCM_QCT26h8h3mYT/s1600/Correns+2016+-+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmYB6qR7_DBmuJIPJsvoVGNA8a90KwHb_P4ucX4WoJ7pUvLd3-FxfaL7tuyMG2M6THhH8fx18DGnmR4oquOGucUrlIC_jCBfKsMBWllOpRDwcdSdtrCdC1-kXXZrnYCM_QCT26h8h3mYT/s400/Correns+2016+-+6.jpg" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italians in France...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6916LaMo-UAFE-pMdGeKebI8j1kOKJ4GopVq5tzMsTIWgWoxEBUwB3rPEWpbI9ZUes3r2LmveSTut7UnG_HU0YmL3B0KC7MjDtUt-wXEp17nsJ3782sRpOCVTqqRMBDjz9jbGlSqHfLZi/s1600/Correns+2016+-+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6916LaMo-UAFE-pMdGeKebI8j1kOKJ4GopVq5tzMsTIWgWoxEBUwB3rPEWpbI9ZUes3r2LmveSTut7UnG_HU0YmL3B0KC7MjDtUt-wXEp17nsJ3782sRpOCVTqqRMBDjz9jbGlSqHfLZi/s400/Correns+2016+-+7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad when can I stop holding this?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6kw1r2FH5XdUTv7evhav6ucD_1f8jsu-__rweFN6g0wsUdKxBjbjSXoLNHGYpMi0GqHfVm_oE0BDdSkhokuI3VkgVmBEHZ4J8txqJpMV3sK0U_PB44JUCzVi7K7QWk7KSvVgs3sIoMrx/s1600/Correns+2016+-+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6kw1r2FH5XdUTv7evhav6ucD_1f8jsu-__rweFN6g0wsUdKxBjbjSXoLNHGYpMi0GqHfVm_oE0BDdSkhokuI3VkgVmBEHZ4J8txqJpMV3sK0U_PB44JUCzVi7K7QWk7KSvVgs3sIoMrx/s400/Correns+2016+-+8.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of town in Cotignac, lovely place.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVIDF3HV4HdOfihkyZMrdVwwXJlrcW7o5pVCM5zkfLZkDY-AMBhylN0MFUZTRW8Y39TJKovm_wyTvZK03lbsU-DDmMiG8MYCusX13zhG26pEJCpD91QzWJYRimcwSDfkavgbERKSCThAS/s1600/Correns+2016+-+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVIDF3HV4HdOfihkyZMrdVwwXJlrcW7o5pVCM5zkfLZkDY-AMBhylN0MFUZTRW8Y39TJKovm_wyTvZK03lbsU-DDmMiG8MYCusX13zhG26pEJCpD91QzWJYRimcwSDfkavgbERKSCThAS/s400/Correns+2016+-+9.jpg" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A respectable family pic...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2n-QoOrDYkqwUaMG7iEwC65XeBgCcRmbLwCMZ0vNvnxqDdwlhN9Xah2n5vpigsC-P0-qt8NjjHTW-PuDFBboLNaYozQsyQFDRSx_XifAqoM69ACTDW7k586y2fLngmGjFMelgtheE5gxY/s1600/Correns+2016+-+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2n-QoOrDYkqwUaMG7iEwC65XeBgCcRmbLwCMZ0vNvnxqDdwlhN9Xah2n5vpigsC-P0-qt8NjjHTW-PuDFBboLNaYozQsyQFDRSx_XifAqoM69ACTDW7k586y2fLngmGjFMelgtheE5gxY/s400/Correns+2016+-+10.jpg" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Vaillons" line up, read about it <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/chablis-1er-cru-vaillons-three-ways-two.html">HERE</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40V8OKhMGM9YxxZrP8YMvtPC8IZkTaytabjBSF7bAg8Ub5JIz78FOnoObh0ygjdighCkxe0ShLwIzWwVu2Z1Pcc0YJWVV7A0UCMaV1vP7tVkR0vZrFFDSnQGGxjQ-FUXvuWpR9_WfcgOw/s1600/Correns+2016+-+43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40V8OKhMGM9YxxZrP8YMvtPC8IZkTaytabjBSF7bAg8Ub5JIz78FOnoObh0ygjdighCkxe0ShLwIzWwVu2Z1Pcc0YJWVV7A0UCMaV1vP7tVkR0vZrFFDSnQGGxjQ-FUXvuWpR9_WfcgOw/s400/Correns+2016+-+43.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast time…outside...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Auz15AHsmqDINsepD7qJBGlU0Dur7rj4E84PsTeTfsuR9Bak3FTDkoSHSn_G_4H32Ale5vsu0xpEyRD19oH5pqWSKI9T_8d_PnhtFhjqlU1Ot97gtSXWTzticjZ_Hfk_msQ1Wo-k_t_4/s1600/Correns+2016+-+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Auz15AHsmqDINsepD7qJBGlU0Dur7rj4E84PsTeTfsuR9Bak3FTDkoSHSn_G_4H32Ale5vsu0xpEyRD19oH5pqWSKI9T_8d_PnhtFhjqlU1Ot97gtSXWTzticjZ_Hfk_msQ1Wo-k_t_4/s400/Correns+2016+-+11.jpg" width="361" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A good tasting at Aspras…a nice welcome...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-nLOQbDl96NeB8dOwFAG3uQr4DkaRPtpwpLuv278Lwiv2aUP761PgukKu9_u7HhsOPOgk2LBcBzHquKHmOs6mSaFeb1WmdBk2zzVk0QU0uNtHoEUo_1QDOhBebbQ229u9Po2rKv9Zstk/s1600/Correns+2016+-+44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-nLOQbDl96NeB8dOwFAG3uQr4DkaRPtpwpLuv278Lwiv2aUP761PgukKu9_u7HhsOPOgk2LBcBzHquKHmOs6mSaFeb1WmdBk2zzVk0QU0uNtHoEUo_1QDOhBebbQ229u9Po2rKv9Zstk/s400/Correns+2016+-+44.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ladies in Barjols.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAZqvnUc-d3_q6_ujxJ5Ld65BbNdlcVwskZUAqPwxXeNG-EWbAkM_fLswk76HZMdhVGssIWc4QyomHztNq4D7Amw_DPqS614DtPejPhQie9N2zkzJZYh7wfqWNCdN_v3kktS2bfTvXiF-/s1600/Correns+2016+-+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAZqvnUc-d3_q6_ujxJ5Ld65BbNdlcVwskZUAqPwxXeNG-EWbAkM_fLswk76HZMdhVGssIWc4QyomHztNq4D7Amw_DPqS614DtPejPhQie9N2zkzJZYh7wfqWNCdN_v3kktS2bfTvXiF-/s400/Correns+2016+-+13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great Monday morning at Saint Endreol...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAQxr4N-TCGgFrTeICZY9PPGmWgKRD91kz6Hq6tWHz1lXbBpRtz3EMS-EpJW2T0Gwi80GRYBPUO6o0rB_wYWOFwIvWbqt5L-p2UkL_qKnV_2Qde5a0JfdB9ZGmyweZ5ZEXZeoNMe2v_gU/s1600/Correns+2016+-+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAQxr4N-TCGgFrTeICZY9PPGmWgKRD91kz6Hq6tWHz1lXbBpRtz3EMS-EpJW2T0Gwi80GRYBPUO6o0rB_wYWOFwIvWbqt5L-p2UkL_qKnV_2Qde5a0JfdB9ZGmyweZ5ZEXZeoNMe2v_gU/s400/Correns+2016+-+14.jpg" width="368" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A first stab at black truffle pasta…6 out of 10…work to do...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmelt8o5V97BA-MgQEfBfr7_ZA5Hr2c2ZjemEWurM8rzYFm4yZn4IHN-K9BCcLpppgLumW-zSevkQ4EcT-TniG7H6qMEhzmngKoncLfxmkr1Y8I_C3HIi5rCqVOH6zVoc2pNql4edjsPst/s1600/Correns+2016+-+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmelt8o5V97BA-MgQEfBfr7_ZA5Hr2c2ZjemEWurM8rzYFm4yZn4IHN-K9BCcLpppgLumW-zSevkQ4EcT-TniG7H6qMEhzmngKoncLfxmkr1Y8I_C3HIi5rCqVOH6zVoc2pNql4edjsPst/s400/Correns+2016+-+15.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stu on BBQ duty...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttPjxVYwHmYe-AURUkeqXNosaxe-PCtz7VwK8RHtX8KCLBaO5ob7eFPneuPdPUIs2SmgsVaSLYDBDp54M_QU4k-HNuJyeSTVuOjW0CsWOVB_qcEtideSJ2eD2wTwNXAikxUBdnsAz60ys/s1600/Correns+2016+-+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttPjxVYwHmYe-AURUkeqXNosaxe-PCtz7VwK8RHtX8KCLBaO5ob7eFPneuPdPUIs2SmgsVaSLYDBDp54M_QU4k-HNuJyeSTVuOjW0CsWOVB_qcEtideSJ2eD2wTwNXAikxUBdnsAz60ys/s400/Correns+2016+-+16.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Superb!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMm2WsZFDBgCGnfrXu6v6ryRmMRYPxeKLio_cOPrSq9dsAu0nFONmOPB7WfHYocTWtQT9YmmJWW6LmFBHRiNozRzm31D3924Jj5XxH3pK1e-oQqXTq6mEjhU_Hp0nh1LegdlJaOum0bUV/s1600/Correns+2016+-+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMm2WsZFDBgCGnfrXu6v6ryRmMRYPxeKLio_cOPrSq9dsAu0nFONmOPB7WfHYocTWtQT9YmmJWW6LmFBHRiNozRzm31D3924Jj5XxH3pK1e-oQqXTq6mEjhU_Hp0nh1LegdlJaOum0bUV/s400/Correns+2016+-+17.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another day another breakfast…this time in Carces.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1SsHwPEsZmopSMRPKnc83DBXbvp0AdCL6C9kgO9Im6WntwUSrztlflMC9m4oyxSxlygEt2LYIrMirIsmKK8zpbY2RUHBe-Xqi_F4yCm3S2Dl13_p8lcFD3e-9bZE_NTYlALWcFsZDOXd/s1600/Correns+2016+-+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1SsHwPEsZmopSMRPKnc83DBXbvp0AdCL6C9kgO9Im6WntwUSrztlflMC9m4oyxSxlygEt2LYIrMirIsmKK8zpbY2RUHBe-Xqi_F4yCm3S2Dl13_p8lcFD3e-9bZE_NTYlALWcFsZDOXd/s400/Correns+2016+-+18.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-season friendly at Stade Mayol…Toulon vs Stade Francais.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLldlut7L7fp6hlT8mASUZywEQ0D9WS1NE2sIAba9tRpkj6JLc_0RR8oOE8qAVYIvxnmRcOjBppvBzOrrYS-McKHmUbLMViEiuOR4dsY_Nw5aG2U_xZlwGvEyEBsDER3oSyuAioe7hcFEr/s1600/Correns+2016+-+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLldlut7L7fp6hlT8mASUZywEQ0D9WS1NE2sIAba9tRpkj6JLc_0RR8oOE8qAVYIvxnmRcOjBppvBzOrrYS-McKHmUbLMViEiuOR4dsY_Nw5aG2U_xZlwGvEyEBsDER3oSyuAioe7hcFEr/s400/Correns+2016+-+19.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our team…a good win for Toulon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCsiT7wFxx70n8hD0GbK5yWu4zUVrXd6E7M_FZP7cw43hFWNqix1mhhL56K28d6DSjU85QlfNWuJzbOkOLq0HTu9amhONtmGILSX65Ufp8UsmeiCfK8vzQNWuQ5hlb7CyDG4Nk34Mk3vD/s1600/Correns+2016+-+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCsiT7wFxx70n8hD0GbK5yWu4zUVrXd6E7M_FZP7cw43hFWNqix1mhhL56K28d6DSjU85QlfNWuJzbOkOLq0HTu9amhONtmGILSX65Ufp8UsmeiCfK8vzQNWuQ5hlb7CyDG4Nk34Mk3vD/s400/Correns+2016+-+20.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boy in Collobrieres.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgqpLSGXVqAdxtWUmA6biboY7A7EY-aGPOdspa-FOcvB5FWDDyZjElA-l8EEtGc_cJ4hrDN8tIi0yJxvmU_VfnqS9TLWDgS01UIeI6JaZmpix9nUAfE3tTJUJdpl-oykeUQCI9fdMn15_/s1600/Correns+2016+-+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgqpLSGXVqAdxtWUmA6biboY7A7EY-aGPOdspa-FOcvB5FWDDyZjElA-l8EEtGc_cJ4hrDN8tIi0yJxvmU_VfnqS9TLWDgS01UIeI6JaZmpix9nUAfE3tTJUJdpl-oykeUQCI9fdMn15_/s400/Correns+2016+-+21.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">being "photo bombed" by some creep...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXHr8WnX0_YJCTCph7NJsBgXLGF8wykUnJFZy9L_DzssP2LbY8Njv94EDU0O5v2HzCoOgLfsfrwfHYyJVYydUUaICFwWNAarZ-QBQXCC_Y7FpWouE49JXI-XVTcVkdmeoa_pnveC5Qjvv/s1600/Correns+2016+-+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXHr8WnX0_YJCTCph7NJsBgXLGF8wykUnJFZy9L_DzssP2LbY8Njv94EDU0O5v2HzCoOgLfsfrwfHYyJVYydUUaICFwWNAarZ-QBQXCC_Y7FpWouE49JXI-XVTcVkdmeoa_pnveC5Qjvv/s400/Correns+2016+-+22.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved this "pimped-up" sound system...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5ygNCpDdS4KQGtVt6YuqB627vc8vvVBRQ21T7kmEPadZYEBklZfeBDpDHmuJzug7LvROOrBUL6zQGYBT1SMfMPW4-jkViFkf9oDqk7zfJLTDEfW3m0TNO04kIyXKEQuy_XXSR46UgNyE/s1600/Correns+2016+-+23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5ygNCpDdS4KQGtVt6YuqB627vc8vvVBRQ21T7kmEPadZYEBklZfeBDpDHmuJzug7LvROOrBUL6zQGYBT1SMfMPW4-jkViFkf9oDqk7zfJLTDEfW3m0TNO04kIyXKEQuy_XXSR46UgNyE/s400/Correns+2016+-+23.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Superbly looked after here in Collobrieres…will go back...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRj1sGe3S3ULawVZVfxepNo5DJbtsQp0DZY47Oip3FYaw8P9BmPxkGasdmP57nYsUiBhcUo9IESbiw187ZapqZlcxTqvO2I9mS7eGdXbtvi5nLZ-yyVLhKXhUM5d3Thxbu5wvOjkxiZn2/s1600/Correns+2016+-+24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRj1sGe3S3ULawVZVfxepNo5DJbtsQp0DZY47Oip3FYaw8P9BmPxkGasdmP57nYsUiBhcUo9IESbiw187ZapqZlcxTqvO2I9mS7eGdXbtvi5nLZ-yyVLhKXhUM5d3Thxbu5wvOjkxiZn2/s400/Correns+2016+-+24.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ecclectic.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYyV_QtktxVCJMl_pXfcPrPQYDWqZSzka1IBlLHfu-ANKvLiNnnGB-L-O2XoVFyf9Wd3leoEv_dniJY09Ih7DOCGd7322KdmW4VmncDu56fdDhAT0fOV-kdMrn-3quznd7Dsrx3JLsNK7/s1600/Correns+2016+-+25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYyV_QtktxVCJMl_pXfcPrPQYDWqZSzka1IBlLHfu-ANKvLiNnnGB-L-O2XoVFyf9Wd3leoEv_dniJY09Ih7DOCGd7322KdmW4VmncDu56fdDhAT0fOV-kdMrn-3quznd7Dsrx3JLsNK7/s400/Correns+2016+-+25.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something of a favourite food wise, especially after a hot round of golf...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHyA5VaNvRNnLf3S6XzR4RlIPjjmOe23zf-shOO3iYp-XXqtEb5CheJf_RxpFfI9qs7IZUZ-bd5x7g49S_c4NrCef5E4VDMUSEf_GbqeybPmnacDUai5B9SMJZ_1F_m9ZKLTCRiljfQ1k/s1600/Correns+2016+-+26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHyA5VaNvRNnLf3S6XzR4RlIPjjmOe23zf-shOO3iYp-XXqtEb5CheJf_RxpFfI9qs7IZUZ-bd5x7g49S_c4NrCef5E4VDMUSEf_GbqeybPmnacDUai5B9SMJZ_1F_m9ZKLTCRiljfQ1k/s400/Correns+2016+-+26.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barolo threeways - <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/barolo-threeways-in-france-three.html">Duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk - Barolo threeways</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4xtZSaOsR1ZPTCSwY1BLFzJuaBNaIGTljiOCFX_1gADeBUY3gJ1wL3detbYQFtVN4aBBRW3DCjQeCkhiagwXwoTq6E1FxMIoJiuD3QypTSgk79P4U56mTMzQOE1kn-3zDHmAYMH5171-/s1600/Correns+2016+-+45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4xtZSaOsR1ZPTCSwY1BLFzJuaBNaIGTljiOCFX_1gADeBUY3gJ1wL3detbYQFtVN4aBBRW3DCjQeCkhiagwXwoTq6E1FxMIoJiuD3QypTSgk79P4U56mTMzQOE1kn-3zDHmAYMH5171-/s400/Correns+2016+-+45.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr and Mrs B - tanning up nicely...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUhMbKXJ0ucLnQavIEZxrCc71Mb8JJispvkOtVrEKutr_ny3IWtzqQg7D5x8DLl5T5thyXwC8ise75LdA97imba8ldwjYpvTVpU_Pj9Fk_KS-3xfEv7IP52ady1rYsSJuWon3ykzf1Ofd/s1600/Correns+2016+-+27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUhMbKXJ0ucLnQavIEZxrCc71Mb8JJispvkOtVrEKutr_ny3IWtzqQg7D5x8DLl5T5thyXwC8ise75LdA97imba8ldwjYpvTVpU_Pj9Fk_KS-3xfEv7IP52ady1rYsSJuWon3ykzf1Ofd/s400/Correns+2016+-+27.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To be repeated next year</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1AjHKFPpMe1gTtUYNOQcdqMOluLxdo6fT1uCd5K_5hAEHBZWa-Z_UeGIAGq4epAOA-FINayfV4rciGwUu5KXejRH02hyphenhyphenPYZVPesA7ZhvD0ns0fpltPTvtfuax6fDeYk6XI0EQxuGVQTs/s1600/Correns+2016+-+28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1AjHKFPpMe1gTtUYNOQcdqMOluLxdo6fT1uCd5K_5hAEHBZWa-Z_UeGIAGq4epAOA-FINayfV4rciGwUu5KXejRH02hyphenhyphenPYZVPesA7ZhvD0ns0fpltPTvtfuax6fDeYk6XI0EQxuGVQTs/s400/Correns+2016+-+28.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great pic by Amelia...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3OUPfQupleJl4yrspJDTjOBzXKUuTrDRZGRRkaNNni-QOorft_4iKTMlkCV-R0neAIii-BUTXsPNED3pAlmIVbM_C3EhMzdO11TfJk1ZsLTdBLQ7fSAOhrt_UvMKI1KQ1uy-W9PELVeQ/s1600/Correns+2016+-+29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3OUPfQupleJl4yrspJDTjOBzXKUuTrDRZGRRkaNNni-QOorft_4iKTMlkCV-R0neAIii-BUTXsPNED3pAlmIVbM_C3EhMzdO11TfJk1ZsLTdBLQ7fSAOhrt_UvMKI1KQ1uy-W9PELVeQ/s400/Correns+2016+-+29.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had to get some boule in...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrn2MaYf2c7kiVbkaFkgNrJ7EuVnGKSVbLXXvIJfwUd2ayiUK2kF5sLPBzQoe68CiZATPOlleJw_cyg6PASmZLvPkLHEkobS3E0DC18hlVtWY5130jxNCxtH3tKt249bndPXnhVn8SX-F/s1600/Correns+2016+-+30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrn2MaYf2c7kiVbkaFkgNrJ7EuVnGKSVbLXXvIJfwUd2ayiUK2kF5sLPBzQoe68CiZATPOlleJw_cyg6PASmZLvPkLHEkobS3E0DC18hlVtWY5130jxNCxtH3tKt249bndPXnhVn8SX-F/s400/Correns+2016+-+30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieW5QmfWubmknr-7MsDQw4bgpm9nse4z3KZwi5T4mfm2dMtqIu7U7aIIWgplZeHsGzVtBALP2mvsxPQOMzG0madfTk3sxrGItDjvOUZN45qBnndonmzMyP-V5GXKdvr4rrTaqEXx4ajbEt/s1600/Correns+2016+-+32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieW5QmfWubmknr-7MsDQw4bgpm9nse4z3KZwi5T4mfm2dMtqIu7U7aIIWgplZeHsGzVtBALP2mvsxPQOMzG0madfTk3sxrGItDjvOUZN45qBnndonmzMyP-V5GXKdvr4rrTaqEXx4ajbEt/s400/Correns+2016+-+32.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great morning at Saint Maiximin with tasting at Triennes afterwards.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIbzsc12VAjEWoqLz37xOAH9e0os4gMkXEJHCEIJR6UgY2p6dGWQIaFWwGywjIa2EvPmseLqZeBAeLo5ZhqNVLiTvM5Gy62lb1SqVNp8htdq49MNyrbghEXE-A_hbn7Z5UM3jRqpGBnr_/s1600/Correns+2016+-+33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIbzsc12VAjEWoqLz37xOAH9e0os4gMkXEJHCEIJR6UgY2p6dGWQIaFWwGywjIa2EvPmseLqZeBAeLo5ZhqNVLiTvM5Gy62lb1SqVNp8htdq49MNyrbghEXE-A_hbn7Z5UM3jRqpGBnr_/s400/Correns+2016+-+33.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely, very mixed, line-up.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWiOGPv20N_o6a7e7AAdtVTQnyxdm38KdNq9EjmxxvFythcLnUz4BAKfzHwNOdP3ZfD3-fPAYTjKI0RjyUdANndoaOETtqqoFhA2RkKiSdrf2Dev376u7vp6X63pUgXwQlxJg4cB0F3Lp/s1600/Correns+2016+-+34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWiOGPv20N_o6a7e7AAdtVTQnyxdm38KdNq9EjmxxvFythcLnUz4BAKfzHwNOdP3ZfD3-fPAYTjKI0RjyUdANndoaOETtqqoFhA2RkKiSdrf2Dev376u7vp6X63pUgXwQlxJg4cB0F3Lp/s400/Correns+2016+-+34.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little creepy there Annabelle...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLdkhHKTlJH4KCPdsfVDb1l6LfVKJ9TxN6VEqKHhmAtON0JglxMrmbfCslswMiDnfmdyIC7pjKi3DA11W1ix7zxCCEGMcZuw3Sc3krVrZGKr47tFbdSEg8YHYq2qnDn5FTVGk8WqdiyGg/s1600/Correns+2016+-+35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLdkhHKTlJH4KCPdsfVDb1l6LfVKJ9TxN6VEqKHhmAtON0JglxMrmbfCslswMiDnfmdyIC7pjKi3DA11W1ix7zxCCEGMcZuw3Sc3krVrZGKr47tFbdSEg8YHYq2qnDn5FTVGk8WqdiyGg/s400/Correns+2016+-+35.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxed lunch at Chateau Fontainebleu</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzBJP3BCJTPukY3RzdPfQZ2hfcEKpNhpTgp2AjutjeLrEV5bWhP4_tSn6-n5xG0LPjihGXzTHBymywF0GTAOBVY8Sm8Dpff8PEJEbEN0ClKoHc7_UKJp9In2-wpBPN9gkX_s26NTE5zBf/s1600/Correns+2016+-+36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzBJP3BCJTPukY3RzdPfQZ2hfcEKpNhpTgp2AjutjeLrEV5bWhP4_tSn6-n5xG0LPjihGXzTHBymywF0GTAOBVY8Sm8Dpff8PEJEbEN0ClKoHc7_UKJp9In2-wpBPN9gkX_s26NTE5zBf/s400/Correns+2016+-+36.jpg" width="390" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proper job...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcPB22gvmF3DWXd_gBoIwdLD4dqPkwhwnxNMAvJ1x38RXKXQ0N6f09mEaT_VGPVjekLJD78B9zoaFF9rWU40oVPp_tZp9yGIsiDyEoFpifJBpQz_PhNj_r-nD2AIDsfsztmApZnDAN-39/s1600/Correns+2016+-+38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcPB22gvmF3DWXd_gBoIwdLD4dqPkwhwnxNMAvJ1x38RXKXQ0N6f09mEaT_VGPVjekLJD78B9zoaFF9rWU40oVPp_tZp9yGIsiDyEoFpifJBpQz_PhNj_r-nD2AIDsfsztmApZnDAN-39/s400/Correns+2016+-+38.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good job we didn't have to pay corkage!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPVsHByIIebnziLe_KkGZc-6dUJoMrlrOx-AckPGoqZ15vPpupgBCu_7M0sRYSCB79ymUvsByxyhPLABhhyHa-5Fy2pQ2wvaCbJ4id8vBLNDZtUI6eayrgobJLAZireHWC5RzmsETK5wU/s1600/Correns+2016+-+40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPVsHByIIebnziLe_KkGZc-6dUJoMrlrOx-AckPGoqZ15vPpupgBCu_7M0sRYSCB79ymUvsByxyhPLABhhyHa-5Fy2pQ2wvaCbJ4id8vBLNDZtUI6eayrgobJLAZireHWC5RzmsETK5wU/s400/Correns+2016+-+40.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last night "throw it all in" Tortilla…<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZi3d1-Ib_TOYzPCBp5GTIrxJrUssDs1iStZ9aqZwId0-gUeMgal3AoIOTFRvfDczBxjn7t6t6KG_Pbie8dFEWmqgT5li248eQBeyBrAYCIEHJJVqpN5GnT69wxV-hHSvzowPbJbKx-KRa/s1600/Correns+2016+-+42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZi3d1-Ib_TOYzPCBp5GTIrxJrUssDs1iStZ9aqZwId0-gUeMgal3AoIOTFRvfDczBxjn7t6t6KG_Pbie8dFEWmqgT5li248eQBeyBrAYCIEHJJVqpN5GnT69wxV-hHSvzowPbJbKx-KRa/s400/Correns+2016+-+42.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last bottle…lovely...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOl_XXwCd28rdTcRKwTxBZOfIjqnX60b2iIFST58VzHLgX_nZCqT9ER8AqOhxVBE8Ob-_qSsnYiVmVoSNmclJC_DSNsNsAEpI61JqZx7SN6E37jMM4CJNaxibitKO2hLhLT6-LBS26Hka/s1600/Correns+2016+-+39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOl_XXwCd28rdTcRKwTxBZOfIjqnX60b2iIFST58VzHLgX_nZCqT9ER8AqOhxVBE8Ob-_qSsnYiVmVoSNmclJC_DSNsNsAEpI61JqZx7SN6E37jMM4CJNaxibitKO2hLhLT6-LBS26Hka/s400/Correns+2016+-+39.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Job done!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tDRB8dtxP4eRapWVrREs-VTVdtwwEaP_7FWYXwp9MZFFD4BhRetv6T2UP8LSiMQ5N_3_c5bz3dxklBnqK48zyAwsVJsrGnHUY2oqMvjGnLLvK7BW5fsmSu1NVr2tsSqjPFXdRJ0TrQxW/s1600/Correns+2016+-+41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tDRB8dtxP4eRapWVrREs-VTVdtwwEaP_7FWYXwp9MZFFD4BhRetv6T2UP8LSiMQ5N_3_c5bz3dxklBnqK48zyAwsVJsrGnHUY2oqMvjGnLLvK7BW5fsmSu1NVr2tsSqjPFXdRJ0TrQxW/s400/Correns+2016+-+41.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking forward to next year...</td></tr>
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Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-42678030016059537322016-08-09T07:12:00.004-07:002016-08-09T07:12:51.278-07:00Barolo threeways in France - three producers and three vintages...<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the same vein as the last blog - </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.fr/2016/08/chablis-1er-cru-vaillons-three-ways-two.html">Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons threeways</a> - I took a few bottles of Barolo with me on holiday and decided that opening them all together was the way forward...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The trio di Barolo...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The three wines are ones I know well and that I buy every vintage:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.fr/search?q=marcarini&max-results=20&by-date=true">Marcarini</a> - is a slightly more commercial producer that the other two who could be classed as artisanal and cult in similar ways. All are traditional in terms of their non-use of new oak but there are differences too. Marcarini also makes a La Serra which, to me, is a little less structured but good.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.fr/search?q=bartolo&max-results=20&by-date=true">Bartolo Mascarello</a> - A producer whose wines I have loved for a while, old bottles can be variable but from 2005 I believe these are firmly at the top of the tree. The 2005 and 2008 being exc</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">eptional in vintages (especially 2005) where not everyone shone. The attitude is traditional in wood use but also the blending of vineyards (Cannubi - San Lorenzo , Rue and Rocche di La Morra - as per the label). Ken Vastola's site - </span><a href="http://www.finewinegeek.com/">www.finewinegeek.com</a> - has a great section on Bartolo - <a href="http://www.finewinegeek.com/mascarellob/">info can be found here</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.fr/search?q=cappellano&max-results=20&by-date=true">Cappellano</a> - My experience is a little less here than the others but both the Pie Rupestris and Pie Franco are serious. Whenever I have had the wines I have found them to be powerfully poised and elegant as well as built to last. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The same site as above has Cappellano info </span><a href="http://www.finewinegeek.com/cappellano/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">HERE</a>. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Chinato is not to be overlooked if you can find it!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">---</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Protocol"</i> - all wines were cool and just opened and tasted (PNP = popped 'n' poured). Then double decanted (DD) before the second tasting and thereafter served from bottle nice and cool.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Brunate 2004</b>,<b> Marcarini</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">PNP - Clean, heady, slightly spiced nose with red fruits and some black backbone. Full, rich and intense. The palate is more structured and drier. Quite bold structure and good grip, nice tannins that are big but not hard, good length. Good wine.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Post DD + 2 hours - Still a little heady and hi-toned, good though. This is a wine that is not either young or mature and possibly suffers as a result. The tannins are certainly the boldest of the three. This is good, very good even, but not stacking up on pure quality with the other two.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">20 hours after first opening - Holding up very well and whilst still a little "hi" it has a good balance of fruit and tannin with nice acidity. I think I'll try to leave the last bottles and a magnum of this that I have for at least 5 years, as I feel it will age very well and mellowness might be a good thing. 19/25.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Pie Rupestris 2008</b>,<b> Cappellano</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">PNP - Clean, more animal than the Marcarini. Richness? Yes, but also with lovely farmyard character but then more leather aromas, tea and lots of complexity. The fruit is nicely bruised in places, the acidity is more a feature of the wine than the tannin, which is there, but not overpowering. Nice start.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Post DD + 2 hours - Very good, somewhere between the other two in terms of profile, not the fruit purity of the Bartolo, not the tannin of the Marcarini. The sweet leather and tan element are superb, the fruit has tightened up a bit, clearly young but with an old soul. I like this, for the purists for sure.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">20 hours after first opening - Lovely lifted </span>nose<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, still on the leather side but also cured meats and saline, a serious wine that has </span>good<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> degraded sweetness and a great ability to age, I foresee this being a tertiary style of wine. Despite all these "animal" descriptors there is a red berry fruit lurking as well. Really lovely. 20-21+/25</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo 2009</b>,<b> Bartolo Mascarello</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">PNP - Such lovely poise, this has real precision and is more on the fruit than the others, there is a little spice there, the palate is a little softer and lighter but still true, this smacks of a tender attitude to a vintage that is not a blockbuster, good start.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Post DD + 2 hours - This saw comfortably the biggest change of the wines, the elegant but slightly scrawny, almost light red fruit has gone, replaced by a darker, sweeter and fuller character. I hate lazy analogies of red Burgundy but here's one coming; it is like a lesser vintage Volnay that has turned into a young Morey-Saint-Denis from a great year. The only possible criticism I might be able to make is that it is not so obviously Barolo. The wine is just a different animal post the double-decant and time. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">20 hours after first opening - The only wine to be tighter now than after DD+2hours, the nose is classy but a touch subdued, the extravagance of the second tasting has gone on the nose but there is a lovely rich tarry-ness to the palate with a good, marked acidity too. Somehow it is less of a showstopper now but more of a Barolo. 21-22/25</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Conclusion</b>: This was a really fun way to do things and I look forward to just drinking the last third of each later without making notes. The styles are different as well as the vintages. I will certainly continue to buy all three.</span></span>Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-75320374870417281872016-08-05T03:05:00.010-07:002016-08-05T03:05:38.210-07:00Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons three ways - two producers, three vintages...<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, as I stand in the kitchen on summer holidays in the town of Correns in Provenance a little Chablis tasting has been lined up. Interestingly it is about one site - Vaillons - and two Vincents - Dampt and Dauvissat. The only variable across the three wines is vintage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The wines were just "popped and poured" at 7pm and then re-assessed the following afternoon and evening...no decanting and just fridge storage in between times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2005, Vincent Dampt</u></b> - last but one bottle from a case, bought on release.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7pm - Citrus attack that mellows quickly. Slightly milky texture but with zip. There is a definite richness. A little mellow honey, dry honey if that is possible. A little resinous character, delicious and consistent with the other bottles I have had over the years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3pm next day - Still with a good acidity and precision, limey nose, lovely textured palate, a little dry honey and a tiny bit of sweet nuttiness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Overall</b>: A cracking wine made all the more impressive by essentially being Vincent's first stand alone vintage. There is generosity but it is in total balance. I really wish I had bought two cases not one and at £150 a dozen IB I should have!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons </u></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>2007, Vincent Dampt</u></b> - 2 bottles left after this, bought on release.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7pm - Darker colour by two shades, not madeirised but evolved. Greek yoghurt and nuts, I love the palate's complexity. Lacks citrus, more bruised fruits and a yeasty complexity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3pm next day - Richer and more intense but not as fresh, a definite yeastiness, the more air the better this gets. It is a tricky wine to nail down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Overall</b>: This wine really ebbed and flowed, I was worried on first opening as it looked a little prematurely developed especially alongside the 2005 but both colour and aromas lifted and the wine was, whilst not as balanced as the 2005, very enjoyable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons </u></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>2011, Vincent Dauvissat</u></b> - bought in Cotignac as a loose bottle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7pm - This does show more opulence and richness, the fact they use wood does show but the Chablis character and acidity is not missing, although it is behind the rest of the unctuousness. This is focused but broad at the same time. Very good wine, more "foody" than the Dampts, arguably this is more harmonious but it is less fresh. There is wet stones in the background but with that dry honey appearing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3pm next day - This has opened out but not necessarily in the best way it seems a little incomplete. The texture isn't as fresh as it was.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Overall</b>: It might be a little unfair to compare 2011 with 2007 and 2005 although most white Burgundy 2011s I have had recently have been very good if not amazingly serious. This was probably only just behind the 2005 on opening but the following day it had not progressed and some freshness had gone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">This was a nice little experiment of a tasting. Chablis remains a wine I like a great deal, it is so easily drinkable but capable of proper complexity at the same time. I do find tasting notes for Chablis as big a challenge as any wines, they are not easily described.</span>Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-56422485607272387392016-08-04T03:13:00.009-07:002016-08-04T03:13:18.566-07:00Olivier Leflaive 2015's with Franck Grux...<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each year we are delighted to welcome <u><b>Franck Grux</b></u> to London to do a tasting of the, just to be released, vintage from Olivier Leflaive, last year it was the <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.fr/2015/05/olivier-leflaive-2014s-with-franck-grux.html">2014s</a> so of course this year it follows that it is the 2015s. Franck speaks with incredible passion and has been at Olivier's right hand for many many years now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year we started with a new project, a Champagne. This is a Blanc de Blancs from Avize made as a joint project between Olivier and Erick de Sousa in so much as Erick is a shareholder. The name comes from the fact that both men have sons called Valentin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Champagne Valentin, Olivier Leflaive</b> - This sees 4 years on the lees and is a minute production of only about 7000 bottles. The dosage is low, but not painfully so, at 4.5g. I liked the style. Good richness, butter, toast and shortbread but with freshness and drive. The plate finished with a little cashew nut. I really look forward to following this wine and project over the years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now we were onto the 2015 vintage tasting. There is a very thorough and opinionated vintage report by </span>Franck and Philippe Grillet to be found <a href="http://www.olivier-leflaive.com/en/wines/harvest-reports/">HERE</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bourgogne Aligoté Récolte du Domaine</b> - Very primary, pear then really quite rasping but not acidic, the palate is more open and easy with a clean, if indistinct, finish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles</b> - Citrus, rich nose but not OTT, good salty bite, nice volume to the palate, almost ready to go. This comes from as many as 75 vineyards, split roughly 60/40 between Puligny and Meursault.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Montagny 1er Cru Bonneveaux</b> - from a parcel with vines in the 40-45 years old range. 90% Barrel aged and 10% tank. Very light colour, good generous palate with less easily defined aromas. Lime rather than lemon, a good wine, less volume that the Les Setilles right now. Good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé</b> - Ripe lemon and rounded citrus, good acidity and drive, lovely wine. Always comes from the same four vineyards. 85</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">% Barrel aged and 15% tank.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Pernand-Vergelesses</b> - 6 different suppliers contribute here. 100% barrel. Very classy nose, complex, gives off the impression of a cooler site (which it is). Steely with a classy length...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Auxey-Duresses la Macabrée</b> - An interesting combination of 60% old vines and 40% younger vines. 100% barrel of which 20% is new. A little more battonage too. Lemon and some honey, good depth and weight which hints towards the mini-Meursault that this is. It comes from three contracts and the sites are next to Meursault Les Luchets and Les Vireuils. A good buy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir</b> - A little "good greenness", stones and limes. This does see barrel fermentation but no new wood at all. This is a shade neutral at this early stage but then that is no surprise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Meursault Clos du Cromin</b> - 11 barrels go into making this. 100% barrel, of which 20% are new. No battonage. A little toasty character and a whiff of reduction. Delicious, generous, a little butter, the palate has just enough "zip" to keep this "honest". Cracking wine in 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Meursault 1er Cru Poruzots</b> - This is owned by Olivier Leflaive, the first wine from here for them was 1990. 8 barrels in total. Less, if any, reduction, more focus than the Cromin. More steely, good if a little muted, needs time, got better with air.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Chassagne-Montrachet Les Blanchots </b>- Lime and lemon richness, good balance, nice bit of green drive. The palate has a tautness, nicely done...<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Puligny-Montrachet Les Meix </b>- <span style="background-color: white;"> Always a f</span>avourite of mine, this lieu-dit is near both Les Pucelles and Les Enseigneres. A nice bit of toast, more lemon in character, good generosity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts </b>- Classy, tighter, good refined minerality, serious wine this, focused citrus. An obvious candidate for some ageing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot Récolte du Domaine</b> - Lovely clean freshness here, less non-fruit flavours, good purity. Really lovely length.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A really great tasting with good insights all the way through. The 2015s are clearly good wines. posibly without the poise and drive of the more classic years like 2010 and 2014 but very good and will be lovely to drink while the 2014s are waited for, clearly there is more richness than the nice (in a good way) 2011s and 2013s. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The previous night Rebecca, Margaux, Robbie and I had taken Franck to </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.fr/search?q=67+pall+mall&max-results=20&by-date=true" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">67 Pall Mall</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> for a relaxed dinner with 4 wines all served blind. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay 2011</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Guru 2011 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wine & Soul</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Contrada "P" (Porcaria) 2012 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Tenuta di Passopisciaro </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Barolo Serradenari 2011 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Giulia Negri</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was a cracking time spent discussing the wines and much more. Open minded winemakers are certainly the best. I think the wines that surprised Franck the most were the Hyde Chardonnay for its coolness and the Barolo for</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> its elegance. I am looking forward to Francks visit next year already, although it is too long since I have seen him in Puligny so I should do that first. </span></div>
Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-17821751511033440172016-07-18T08:34:00.002-07:002016-07-18T08:34:41.661-07:00Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay. A mini vertical, 2010-2013...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not long ago I did a tasting at 67 Pall Mall of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/eleven-2013-chardonnays-from-around.html">Eleven 2013 Chardonnays from around the globe</a> and the standard, as the blog suggests, was very high.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When the chance came round about 2 weeks later to do a <b>Skype Chardonnay Master Class tasting </b>with <b>Stephane Vivier</b>, winemaker,<b> </b>of <b>Hyde de Villaine,</b> I was very keen. </span>Hyde de Villaine owes its name to the coming together of two great names in the wine world: <b>Larry Hyde</b>, celebrated Californian viticulturist and <b>Aubert de </b><b>Villaine</b>, best known as co-gérant of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Aubert’s wife Pamela is Larry Hyde’s cousin. The estate as a whole, across it's five wines, only makes 4000 cases.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This specific tasting covered the 2</span>010-2013 vintages. The wines are made in a lovely blend of styles between the Californian and Burgundian. This is not to say they aim to make Burgundy in California but they interpret things that way. For those who fear big and oaky Chardonnay there is no need to worry - this only sees one year in barrel, of which only 20% is new (the rest is mix of 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill), before 3
months in stainless steel prior to bottling. The Chardonnay comes from 10 different parcels which are in turn from 5 distinct blocks. The vast majority was planted in 1979. The site is 35-40 miles from the bay and typically sees fog in the mornings. There is a small amount, only 5%, of a "second" Chardonnay released as "De La Guerra Chardonnay". So, to the wines:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay 2010</b> - The second and third weeks in September saw quite a heat spike in what had already been a warm vintage. The wine exhibits an oily richness, some brioche, full, quite rounded and opulent, perfect now but no mad rush. <b>17+</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hyde de Villaine</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Chardonnay</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><b>2011</b> - No heat spike here, the latest picked of all the Chardonnays they have made, October the 4th. Cool, lovely minerality, citrus, some saline too, white fruits and a splendid long finish. 18</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hyde de Villaine</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Chardonnay</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><b>2012</b> - A really "easy" vintage, consistent conditions. This makes me think of a combination of 2010 and 2011. Floral but with more richness. <b>17.5+</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hyde de Villaine</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Chardonnay</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><b>2013</b> - The 2013 vintage is, climatically, the very best since 1974 with richness from a good amount of drought, just the right amount of stress you see, cool ripeness and great acidity. This has an easy citrus backbone, expressive yet streamlined at the same time. Difficult not to drink it now but will repay patience very well. Very impressive. <b>18-18.5(+)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On this last point Stephane remarked how the wines age superbly, clearly he is biased, but a recent tasting at the estate went back to the early 2000s and all the wines were in great shape.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The estate's own <a href="https://www.hdvwines.com/">website</a> is a good one especially the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.hdvwines.com/winery-vineyard">interactive map</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have always loved showing this Chardonnay and the same estate's Merlot/Cab blend ("Belle Cousine") blind and will continue to do so. Superb wines at prices that compete with anywhere else in the world.</span>Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335691608672808004.post-19818867794625053462016-07-16T12:24:00.002-07:002016-07-16T12:24:29.961-07:00Conterno...tasting and dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With Roberto Conterno coming to London next week and the new releases about to be offered I felt I must get this blog posted. The visit took place back in mid May.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is no estate that I visit to taste more often than <b>Cantina Giacomo Conterno</b> in Monforte d'Alba. It is a place I get very excited about every single time. The wines are wonderful and I always learn a lot. I am biased of course but I think it is the same for almost anyone who visits, My trips there from the following years are documented here </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/giacomo-conternotasting-wines.html">2011</a>, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/cantina-giacomo-conterno-tasting-with.html">2012</a>, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/tasting-and-dinner-with-roberto.html">2013</a> and </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/piedmont-conterno-negri.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2015</a>)<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. If you search "</span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Conterno&max-results=20&by-date=true" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Conterno</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">" on here you get rather a lot of results!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The tasting was, as is usual, of the wines about to hit the market:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barbera Francia 2014</b> - Full crimson colour to the edge, deep at the core. Rich and full dark cherry nose with stones, minerality and a saline edge that is not quite as marked as usual for Francia, very good nose, all round balance. The tannins are delicious and moreish this is a brooding wine but not a heavy one, the fruit lifts on the finish to an almost cranberry freshness. I wonder how Roberto does this every year. 17.5+</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barbera Cerretta 2014 </b>- Half a shade lighter in colour than the Francia but essentially very similar. The nose if more lifted, more obviously fruity, more opulent may be. The fruit character is redder, strawberry and raspberry but actually deeper than either of those fruits suggest. The palate has a tang to it, moreish tannins. This, as usual, has more approachability and lift than the more serious Francia. 17.5</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before moving on to the 2012 Barolos, Roberto thought it would be useful to taste the Barolo Francia 2009 as he sees similarities with the 2012's.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Francia 2009</b> - Colour is lightening more than evolving, a lovely hue. There is a touch of red strawberry fruit then more floral notes before a little iodine and some good, ripe grip. Drinking well but obviously no rush at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Francia 2012</b> - There will be no Monfortino from the 2012 vintage (as was the case in 2007, 2009 & 2011) so the botti that would have been Monfortino (there is a section about Monfortino at the very bottom of this post) has been blended into the Francia (this happened back in January). Lovely bright and complex colour. Ever so slightly muted just now but a lovely red fruited sweetness comes through behind, very fine. Tobacco leaf and tea then appear, a little leather also. The palate is then more fruited again but with good, proper tannins, mellow but persistent. The overriding impression is of a wine in balance with gentle fruit and a lovely complexity of silky tannins. 18-18.5+</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo Cerretta 2012</b> - Paler in colour but only just, more obviously fruited and lifted, strawberry leaf. This is a wine more easily understood by the uninitiated Neb-head (as us Nebbiolo fiends are sometimes know). The texture is deeper the fruit is more pronounced and therefore the tannins less obvious. There is a real freshness and a certain rich elegance. It's quite a wine, a perfect foil to the classicism of the Francia. 18+</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We then moved on two taste two more wines.</span><br />
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</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Monfortino Barolo Riserva 2010</b> - this is a possibly the most eagerly awaited Italian wine release of all time. I have now tasted it three or four times with equally profound results. There is impeccable balance incredible poise and an almost effortless weight to the wine...Very exciting and now in bottle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolo from Cascina Francia vineyard 2013</b> - With the final decision on this wine not yet made it was great to taste the 2013 Francia or to give it it's correct name, Nebbiolo di Barolo Francia. It was a vibrant and expansive nose, rich, opulent and bold. There is iron and a grainy saline elegance to the texture...quite something.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is always a special cellar in which to taste...</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each year in the evening before or after tasting we have a dinner with Roberto and his assistant Stephanie. We usually go to one of the lovely local restaurants - which were the inspiration for most of the meals we had during this epic trip - <a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/foxes-behind-ears-piedmont-2015-epic.html">"Foxes behind ears"</a>. This year though was different as we ate a wonderful meal at the Cantina with Roberto, family and friends. A real honour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Standing in the kitchen while Meyumi prepared the dinner and gave us amazing pizza and cured meats we started with </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gaston Chicquet 2007</b>. Not a wine I know but the Italians love Champagne. This was bright, clean and nicely focused, a dash of yeastiness, worth seeking out. Then a wine I know rather well - </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Salon 1995 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- this is really in the zone now from bottle, toasty, refined with lemon shortbread and mellow fruits, just lovely. For white we went to a bottle we had sent ahead - </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Folatieres 2009, Domaine Leflaive </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- a little reduction but essentially a generously fruited Puligny which is true to the vintage without being too much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now time for the reds, all of which Roberto decanted delicately just before serving. First up - </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Barbera d'Alba 2001 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- I have tasted this before but never drunk it. Barbera at this age is interesting. A tiny bit of iron and iodine, stones, savoury blacker fruit and richness but not heaviness. Now a wine I have been lucky enough to have had a few times - </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Barolo Cascina Francia 1990 </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- soy, ginger, bacon fat and a little creosote, delicious. Sweet decay with some good volatile life. There is a sense of teriyaki flavours and a little Bual Madeira. Decadent and lovely. It sounds silly to say that this has a real "1990" feel but it does, so many 1990s are generous and decadent, this is just that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Monfortino Barolo Riserva 1985 </b>- a wine I think I have only had once and then from magnum at this tasting - </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/monfortino-magnum-monday-1970-2006.html" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Monfortino magnum Monday 1970-2006</a>. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tiny bit of orange to the rim here, this is a mature wine but has a lovely sweet decay about it, a wine with tea character and super poise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It had been quite a night. Having had a massive m</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">eal of wonderful dishes and so much great conversation we headed back to our lodgings, the unique </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.saracca.com/Default-en.htm">Le Case della Saracca</a> - if you find yourself in Monforte you must stop by, great rooms and a terrific bar where we had one last drink </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Barolo Chinato, Dr Giulio Perin </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(who owns the Saracca) made with Nebbiolo from</span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> Conterno Fantino</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. I am a big fan of Chinato!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">----</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the bottom of this post I have put three exerts from a recent offer I wrote, they might be of interest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>A word on corks</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Monfortino – What is it? What is next?</span></span><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The previous releases - When, how and what to drink now?</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">----</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On getting back to London the following evening I then had a dinner at <a href="http://www.kitchenw8.com/">Kitchen W8</a> with a customer and friend. Kitchen W8 I think is as good a place to go as anywhere to enjoy food and wine, they have a great attitude to corkage as well as a good list. They will easily tweak things for you, we had three bottles and wanted two starters and two mains, they adjusted portions a bit (not too much thank fully) and it was a very enjoyable evening.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Salon 1983 </b>- This is fully mature and deliciousness, a little orange rind and zestiness with a hint of mellow ginger too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkap 2003</b> - I love this wine and would never have it as a 2003 served blind. There is warm vintage richness but nothing that doesn't suggest it is refined and will age very well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2005, Rousseau </b>- I am very lucky in so much as I get a fair bit of exposure to the wines of </span><a href="http://duvaultblochet.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=rousseau&max-results=20&by-date=true">Rousseau</a> but Clos de la Roche I know less well. This is quite brooding but not a waste to have this early, quite rich it got better and better with air. The fruit is a little darker than the CSJ would be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A cracking evening!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">EXERTS form a , soon to be released, Conterno offer as mentioned above.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>A
word on corks</u></b>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
words “perfectionist“ and “fanatical” are amongst the most overused in the wine
world but both apply here to an extraordinary degree. You could, literally, eat
your dinner of the floor of this winery. In fact I would if only Roberto would
allow it! When the topic of corks arise with Roberto there is always something
new to discuss. He just does not accept that corks should be less than perfect.
In fact one of his favourite phrases is “with my wines you are not opening a
bottle of Barbera or Barolo or Monfortino you are opening a bottle of
“CONTERNO””. It is a point made with no wink or half smile, it is heartfelt.
The corks are of the same standard in all the wines. More and more the
great producers say “you don’t ever negotiate prices with cork suppliers, you
get what you pay for”. All these corks are inspected by an optical sorter with
the view to answering two questions; 1) is the cork good enough? If yes, then
on to question 2, if not the bin. Question 2) which is the better end? The
vintage is then laser etched on the “lesser” end so the perfect end faces the
wine with no etching having been added. I have video evidence should you
require it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Monfortino
– What is it? What is next?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I
am often asked how Roberto decides whether there will be a Monfortino in a
given year and where the wine comes from. Monfortino is a selection from the
Cascina Francia vineyard based on the absolute quality of the fruit. It is not
a specific site though there is of course significant crossover from one
Monfortino to another in terms of the area used. There is always an initial
intention to make a Monfortino. The large barrels (<i>botti</i> as they are
called) that are selected to be “Monfortino”, and it may be one (usually), two,
or more that are then tasted as time passes and if they are significantly high
in quality and, importantly, significantly different in character from the
Barolo Francia then a Riserva Monfortino will be bottled. The ageing for
Monfortino is 5-7 years, in other words 1-3 years longer than for Barolo
Francia. If the Monfortino is not to be made separately then it is blended in
with the Barolo 6 months to a year before that is bottled. Recent vintages
where Monfortino was not made – 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007 and 2003. The only time,
to date, when there has been a Monfortino and no Barolo Francia was the 2002
vintage, a very small vintage but one where, against the odds, the quality was
superb. The next Monfortino to be released will be the 2010, this time next
year. Arguably the most eagerly awaited release ever from the region, it is a
wine I have tasted several times from botti and which lives up to all the hype
that surrounds it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
previous releases - When, how and what to drink now?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barberas
</b>–
I feel that in most vintages the Barbera wines show best in the 4-8 years
window. They become more savoury over time and continue to age (a recent 2001
with Roberto was superb) but as you would expect have a less defined character.
The 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages are very good now. As these are unfiltered and
Barbera is a thicker skinned grape variety I would recommend decanting 15-30
minutes before serving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Barolos</b> – The warmer years
drink very well when younger and served a shade cooler (14-15 degrees). The
vintages I would put in this bracket are 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2011. These will
all improve but are ready to drink. I recommend continuing to cellar the 2004,
2006, 2008 and 2010 vintages. Those wines from 2001 and before are ready to
drink though 2001 and 1999 are still youthful and evolving gracefully. Sediment
is less of an issue than with Barbera so I would either allow the wine to
breathe standing up with half a glass removed (and drunk!) or decant gently
before serving. I far prefer the wine to evolve in the glass so, personally, do
not advocate extended decanting though some people do.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Barolo
Riserva Monfortino</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
– Monfortino is a wine with a vast drinking window, one of the most long-lived
of all wines. The youngest vintages that I feel are drinking well now are 1997
and 1998. I would never put someone off drinking a younger vintage as the
enjoyment of watching a wine develop, bottle by bottle from youth to full
maturity is one of the real joys of wine. Younger vintages will require more
time in decanter, I recommend 1-2 hours. I would decant mature vintages but as
with the Barolos above not for extended time so the wine can evolve in glass.</span></div>
Will Hargrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211723768446675380noreply@blogger.com0