A friday of...

This friday my girlfriend and I took the day of - a long walk in fresh autumn air and then some time in front of an open fire before making some dinner. First of some New Zeeland Chardonnay:

2009 Neudorf Nelson Chardonnay

A fine, open, fruity nose with notes of white peaches, butter flowers, sweet lemons and a nice minerality. Very good. A fine buttery note when it gets a little warmer. A touch of smoke as well.

The taste is cool, fresh and crisp with lemon, peach and star fruit notes with a nice acidity backing the fruit. Medium long and with a nice warm feeling in the end. Very nice.

87p   (tasted 2011/11)

Continued to sip the Neudorf Chardonnay while preparing dinner and letting the Pinot I had opened to breathe.

2009 Volnay, Camille Giroud

Very restrained when I pulled the cork, but after two hours in a big decanter it really opened up.

It has a deep, earthy, spicy nose with lovely notes of red currants, lingonberries, licorice and christmas spicies. After a while some meaty notes. Deep and earthy. Very, very good, although very young.

The taste is tight and focused with nice notes of sweet lingonberries, red currants and nearly mature rasberries. Cool and fresh. Very good structure. The finish is medium long with a lovely, fresh acidity. Needs some years in the cellar though. Went perfectly with a deeply flavoured mushroom sauce (from hand picked mushroom by yours truly) with pasta and 24 month reggiano.

92p   (tasted 2011/11)