2001 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Fuder 7, Fritz Haag
As a starter, while prepearing the food, this nice Riesling was opened. A fine, elegant, racy, somewhat mature nose with notes of white peaches, lemon curd, fennel, grass and white chocolate. Very fine. The hint of maturity adds to the complexity.
The taste is tight, elegant and fresh with notes of dried apricots, lemon cream, summer flowers and some gas stations notes. A fresh acidity. Long, fine and ends semi dry. Very, very good.
89p (tasted 2012/12)
With the starter - fried ricotta balls - tasting even better second time around, we opened a bottle of bubbly.
1999 Gosset Grand Millésime
A fine, fresh, deep nose with lovely notes of freshly baked bread, orange peel, cap gun smoke and lots of sweet red apples. Very yummy.
The taste is pure, deep and still young with persistent bubbles and notes of red apples, toasted bread, slate and gravel. Very long and fine. This is drinking great now but will keep for 8+ years.
92p (tasted 2012/12)
We put forward four bottles of white wines to go with a Canapée Charlemagne. Since we bring the wines we are keen to drink, and not a set theme, it becomes a interesting array of combinations and flavours.
2001 Schönenburg Riesling, Bott-Geyl
A cool, fine, elegant nose with notes of lemon peel, dried tropical fruit, almonds and lots of sweet minerals. A laid back elegance. Very, very good.
The taste is pure, fresh and dry with notes of tangerines, lemon peel and crushed rocks. Cool and fine. A refreshing acidity. Drinking perfect now, I think, and won´t get any better.
90p (tasted 2012/12)
2002 Clos de Coulée de Serrant, N. Joly
This is the reason why I wait to compose my list of the most memorable wines of the year to after new years eve. If I had done so before, I would have missed to add this masterpiece.
As with Coulée de Serrant it opens a bit funky and we even, for a short time, suspected it was slightly corked. But no, no, when the evening was over we has shared one of the best wines of the year.
When the nose evolves it displays notes of white pears, smoke, lobster shells, nutmeg, dried honey, minerals, just to name some of the scents. The intensity and complexity is off the charts. This is just breathtaking. So, so deep.
Could the taste match that divine nose? Oh yes! It is so intense, so pure, so perfectly composed, that I get tears in my eyes. Fascinating and intoxicating. Gorgeous notes of grilled lemons, smoke, pears, almond paste and freshly cut grass. The finish is counted in several minutes. It is still young, but boy, would I like to drink this in about 5 years time, and 10, and 15... This is what dreams, mine anyway..., are made of.
98p (tasted 2012/12)
1996 Clos Ste Hune, Trimbach
I started to salivate when I saw this bottle hit the table. But, alas, although a fine bottle of wine, it didn´t reach the height of other vintages of Clos Ste Hune, like the 1983 or 1979, which are almost perfect wines in my view.
A deep, elegant, pure nose with notes of tangerines, almond paste, clam shells and lots of minerals. Cool and withdrawn, a bit too much I would say.
The taste is intense, tight and focused with lots of nice things going on. Notes of lemon peel, minced almonds, clams and minerals. A long, tight finish with lots of acidity. Still young. It has finesse, it has breed, but it doesn´t have much charm. Not now anyway. Maybe in 10 years time?
90p (tasted 2012/12)
1996 Corton-Charlemagne, Bruno Clair
And you can´t eat a Canapée Charlemagne without a Charlemagne to go with it, right? A very deep, mature, lovely nose with notes of butter fried yellow apples, melted butter, pine nuts, mushroom cream and dried flowers. Very open, outwardly and luscious.
The taste is big, fresh although voluptuous and mature with notes of yellow apples, butter cookies, smoke and lobster broth. A lovely sweetness to the fruit. This is perfectly mature. After a (big) sip you just want to take another one.
94p (tasted 2012/12)
Before the main course we had a small interlude with a Jerusalem artichoke cream with a brunoise of serrano and carrots. This dish needed some power and acidity, and the perfect match turned out to be a bottle of
1951 Fine Sercial, H. M. Borges
A deep, intense, penetrating nose with notes of salted nuts, cured ham, tea leaves, dry hay and some fine leathary notes. Very, very good.
The taste is tight, pure and semi dry with notes of dried orange peel, minced almonds, mushrooms and dry butter fudge. The finish is long and persistent. With the artichoke cream one and one became three!
89p (tasted 2012/12)
For main course we had whole reindeer filets in a mushroom coating with oven potatoes and a red wine sauce with a hint of orange and peppar flavour. A stunning dish, if I might say so myself...:-)
We had beforehand agreed on Tuscan wines for the main course and four great bottles was suddenly on the table.
1993 Le Pergole Torte, Montevertine
A lovely, deep, mature nose with notes of chocolate covered cherries, licorice, old leather, dried flowers and a fine bonfire note. This is lovingly mature, sweet and fine.
The taste is round, mature and ripe with lots of sweet cherries and notes of autumn leaves, chocolate, dried flowers and leather. The tannins are soft but noticable. Drinking perfect now.
91p (tasted 2012/12)
1993 Flaccianello, Fontodi
It is no surprise that one of my favourite Super Tuscans is Flaccianello, and this was my debut with the 1993 vintage. And what a wine! The nose is stunningly deep, fresh and sweet with notes of cherries, lingonberries, pipe tobacco, moist undergrowth and a Tuscan gravel road. Incredibly fresh for its age and vintage. Really stunning.
The taste is tight, intense and just lovely with sweet cherry fruit, still perky tannins and a minute long finish. Notes of black cherries, tobacco, autumn leaves, violets and letaher. So, so fresh. This is on top of its game but you could drink this with enjoyment over the next 8-10 years. Great wine!
95p (tasted 2012/12)
2004 Saffredi, Le Pupille
A young, upfront, intense nose with notes of cherry candy, rosemary, dark chocolate, new leather and violets. Very sweet and fine, almost a caramelly tone to the fruit. Still very young.
The taste is big, sturdy and intense with notes of sweet cherries, chocolate, almond paste, licorice and new leather. A very long, tight finish that ends a bit foursquare. A very good wine that needs to settle for some years in the cellar.
90p (tasted 2012/12)
2006 Dedicato a Walter, Poggio Al Tesoro
This 100% Cabernet Franc opens with a deep, warm, fine nose with notes of cherry pie, tobacco, warm herbs and a green peppar note, that is really nice. Fresh and fine.
The taste is tight and young and with a real grip. Notes of lingonberries, red cherries, tobacco, herbs and some mushroom notes. Still very young. It has a really likeable character with that green note that goes through the wine. This could turn out really fine 5-7 years down the line.
91p (tasted 2012/12)
We ended the dinner part of the evening with an assortment of cheese and a bottle of port.
1964 Taylor´s Quinta de Vargellas
A mature, sweet, open and yummy nose with notes of raisins, nuts, chocolate cake and cloves. Upfront, sweet and good, but not that deep. Fully mature.
The taste is warm, seedy and sweet with notes of chocolate covered cherries, raisins, dry leather and figs. The finish is medium long and it ends semi sweet. This is nice to drink to end such an evening but it lacks in complexity, which many of the other vintages of de Vargellas have.
86p (tasted 2012/12)
The evening ended with fireworks and the rest of the Gosset.
A Happy New Year to everyone!
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