Vingruppen arranged their semi annual sortiment tasting last Monday. I managed to taste 74 wines (out of several hundreds). These were my highlights.
Vasse Felix always fashions a great Chardonnay, and the
2016 Heytesbury joins a long line of great wines (
93p). The
2016 Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling, Yalumba showed a crisp, diesel scented nose and a fresh, stony taste (
91p).
From
Faiveley the
2017 Rully Les Villeranges was cool and refreshing (
89p) while the regular
2017 Meursault impressed with a nutty, spicy character with a long lasting taste (
92p). The
2017 Meursault Charmes was more withdrawn but the quality is there with notes of grilled lemons and lavender soap, very structured (
93p).
From USA these performed well -
2017 Karia Chardonnay, Stag´s Leap always delivers the goods, creamy and inviting (
90p). From
Sandhi the
2016 Bentrock Chardonnay displayed a racy, stony nose and a luscious, fresh taste (
92p). The youngish
2018 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, Kutch was my favourite with a deep, refined nose and a high, intense taste with a lovely lemon and pear note (
93p)
When I poured the
2011 Casalferro I
immediately noticed that the wine was cooked. It was swiftly replaced and it was singing with ripe cherries, Tuscan gravel and fresh rosemary (94p). The sad part was that one third of the first bottle had already been consumed... The 2016 Castello di Brolio displayed a cool, elegant character with serious stuffing for 6+ years of cellaring (92p).
Up next - Brunello! The
2013 Fuligni has a gorgeous sweetness to the fruit and a sturdy backbone of tannins and acidity (
93p) while the
2014 Mastrojanni is willful, refined and just lovely (
93p).
From USA, I was impressed by the 2016 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir, Sandhi which has a lovely strawberry fruit, a fine acidity and elegance (91p). The 2018 Sonoma County Pinot Noir, Kutch was equally good a fine concentration and ripe strawberry fruit (91p).
The two wines from Dana Estates really pleased my palate. The 2015 Vaso is rich and concentrated and keeping it all together in a tight package (94p). The 2014 Onda is a stunner and a truly great wine. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and 100% pleasure (96p),
I finished things of with some nice Burgundies. From
Lucien Le Moine I thoroughly enjoyed the
2016 Pommard Les Rugiens with its sturdy structure and a fine mix of red and black fruits (
92p). The
2013 Clos de la Roche displayed a more refined Pinot character with lovely strawberryfruit, forest floor and fresh herbs (
94p).
The
2015 Clos des Lambrays has a lovely sweetness to the fruit, a silky mouthfeel and a great length (
94p).
I tasted two wines from
Domaine Perrot-Minot. The
2013 Charmes-Chambertin is a deep, structured Grand Cru with dark fruit, violets and moist earth. Very long and fine (
93p). Last but definitely not least, the
2017 Vosne-Romanée Orme des Chalandins is a beauty. Really handsome and silky with perfectly ripe wild strawberries, cranberries, earth and tobacco. A lovely balance. Really fine (
96p).
