Monday Tasting

We always have our monthly tastings in our tasting group on Mondays - a perfect way to start the week! This Monday HW poured the following.

Tasted double blind

2007 Faro Palari, Salvatore Geraci

It was many years since I tasted a bottle of Faro Palari. This shows of a nose with a hint of maturity and notes of ripe cherries, Finnish licorice, tobacco and lots of ripe flowers. Very, very good.

The taste is medium bodied and warm with notes of vanilla cooked cherries, dried flowers, undergrowth and tobacco. Soft tannins. Ready to drink.

89p   (tasted 2020/10)

2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Le Vieux Donjon

The Ch-du-Pape´s (except for the Pegau) I guessed were hot and alcoholdriven Priorat bottles. But no, they were hot and alcoholdriven Châteauneuf bottles...

I am usually a fan of Le Vieux Donjon but this wine jumps out of the glass with notes of ripe plums, plywood, scorched earth and lighter fluid. Falls apart in the glass.

The taste is spicy and hot with notes of plums, fried herbs and hot asphalt. Long and fiery. Not for me.

82p   (tasted 2020/10)

1997 Michael Shiraz, Wynn´s

This this stood out at the oldest wine in the line up but I still managed to guess that it was a part of a coherent theme... A very fine bottle, this mature Shiraz offered up a big, open nose with notes of ripe blackberries, tobacco, pepper and a fine oak vanilla scent.

The taste is mature and velvety with notes of ripe black currants, blackberries, tobacco and pepper. A very good structure. Perfectly mature.

91p   (tasted 2020/10)

2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chaupin, Domaine de la Janasse

A big, forward, hot nose with notes of scorched earth, red currant jam, chocolate and diesel oil. As with the Donjon, implodes in the glass.

The taste is dry and seedy with notes of overripe red fruit, ink, fried herbs and earth. Long and fiery.

84p   (tasted 2020/10)

2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuveée Reservée, Pegau

A very fine, somewhat restrained nose with notes of red currants, fresh herbs, smoke and some stable aromas. A understated elegance. Very fine.

The taste is sandy and fine with a mix of red and black fruits and additional notes of herbs, dry chocolate and smoke. Very long with a fine warmth. Lovely.

94p   (tasted 2020/10)

2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château Beaucastel

A big, ripe nose with notes if ink, model clay, earth and blackberries. Very deep. There is lot of warmth here also but it keeps it in check. Very, very good.

The taste is big and steady with notes of plums, raisins, bonfire smoke and fried herbs. Very long and very warm. This is much better than the Janasse and the Donjon but the aftertaste still is fiery and very warm.

90p   (tasted 2020/10)