It is a little like cykling through a museum, you don´t really get a good look at the art in question but you do get a short glimpse of it, and can decide if its worth checking out more properly.
I tasted through 40 wines, these were the highlights. Short notes with a approximate score since I spent only one minute or so with each wine.
BlankBottle - first a few words about this idiosyncratic, charming, talkative producer in the shape of Pieter Walser. I could have stand there listening to him for hours, the drive, the energy and the love of his work is so obvious. And the wines! They really have a character of their own, with unortodox blends and single varietal wine, not to mention their names, but in Pieters words - "judge my wines on what´s in the bottle, not the varietal on the label". Read more here.
2015 Moment of Silence, BlankBottle
Very floral and rich with a lovely fruit driven nose. A long, distinct taste with a fine acidity. Really good.
~90p (tasted 2016/09)
2015 Limbic, BlankBottle
A Neuro wine...do you know what that is? Pieter was hooked up to a computer that measured his brain, and in this case the subconscious part of his brain while tasting the different varietals, and the blend was determined by what his brain had reacted positive to while tasting. That´s one way of doing it... Read all about it here.
And the result? A gorgeous wine with a light creaminess, lots of restrained yellow fruit and a refined floral note. The taste is tight, pure and energetic. Mostly Chenin Blanc in the blend. This is goood!
~93p (tasted 2016/09)
2015 Orbifrontal Cortex, BlankBottle
This was made using the same possibly varietal ingredients as the Limbic above, but the blend for this one was Pieters conscious mind. And guess what, no Chenin Blanc made the blend...
This is more floral and richer than the Limbic on the nose and the taste is broader, dryer and more ample. Very, very good.
~90p (tasted 2016/09)
2015 Koffer, Blankbottle
On to the reds. This 100% Cinsault shows a cool, earthy nose with tobacco and dirt, and the taste is medium bodied and generous with notes of earth, cinnamon and tobacco.
~89p (tasted 2016/09)
2015 Familiemoord, BlankBottle
One Swedish minister said many years ago that Norway was the last "Soviet" state in the world. He was wrong, I´m living in it... Because of an amusing story, Pieter has called this wine Familiemoord (Family murder) and what does the Swedish state monoply do? Refusing it. I am sure that the name alone would have lead to the demise of this country if it had been sold to an unknowing public... Cretins!
Anyway, the wine is a interesting blend of Grenache, Pinot Noir and Cinsault. The nose is blueberry rich and open with a warm, dusty aroma. The taste is seedy and dry with a fine blueberry and damson note. Really good.
~90p (tasted 2016/09)
2015 100.000 Shiraz, BlankBottle
A single vineyard Shiraz, released only in magnums - I´m buying! Not only beacause of that, but beacause this is a gorgeous wine. The nose is spicy and rich with a silky feeling about it, and the taste is concentrated and focused with a deep core of blueberry and blackberry fruit. Great wine.
~93p (tasted 2016/09)
NV Method Traditionelle, Quartz Reef
A very fine nose with notes of lemon cream and red apples, showing both the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir in the blend. A dry, persistent finish with a fine acidity. Given this blind I´m not sure I would have been outside Champagne in my guess.
~90p (tasted 2016/09)
2013 Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir, Quartz Reef
An extraordinay Central Otago Pinot from selected parcels, this beauty shows of dark raspberries, liquorice and forest floor on the nose and a silky yet steady grip on the palate. This is a keeper! It was really nice to get to meet and talk to Rudi Bauer from the estate.
~94p (tasted 2016/09)
2015 Ladois Blanc, D´Ardhuy
A blend of 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Blanc. I have always liked this wine but this vintage is the best yet - spicy, creamy and with a stern core, promising a long, healthy life.
~91p (tasted 2016/09)
2013 Russian River Chardonnay, Lynmar
This large scaled Chard displays a great stucture underneath the big, sweet fruit. Me like!
~92p (tasted 2016/09)
2014 Puerta del Mar Chardonnay, Ojai
This behaved just like a couple of months ago - a fine bottle of Chardonnay.
~91p (tasted 2016/09)
2014 Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Felton Road
A fine, cool Pinot with lots of ripening raspberries, lingonberries and a hint of smoke. The taste is caressing and textured with a medium long finish and a really nice grip.
~91p (tasted 2016/09)
2014 Russian River Pinot Noir, Lynmar
The Lynmar has a deep, meaty Pinot nose and a warm, spicy, flavourful finish.
~90p (tasted 2016/09)
2013 Estate Pinot Noir, Melville
A deep, extrovert nose with sweet/sour raspberries, cigarr smoke and bay leaves. The taste shows a great framework and a fine intensity to the fruit. Really, really good.
~93p (tasted 2016/09)
2014 Shea Pinot Noir, Ken Wright
This gorgeous Pinot oozes up from the glass with finesse and exquisite notes of wild strawberries, tobacco and spices. The taste is pure and concentrated and of pure class. This is a buy!
~94p (tasted 2016/09)
2015 Tamarius, Mas Cremant
Last but not least, this Syrah/Grenache bargain from Côtes du Catalanes gives you an earthy, deep nose with black fruit and Christmas spices while the taste is young, perky and somewhat rustic in a old school way, for only 15 Euro. A great every day drinker!
~90p (tasted 2016/09)
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