Château Fonbadet 1966: a true gem; unexpected but beautiful; an old bottle from a little-known Pauillac estate turned out to be absolutely delicious; yummy harmonious fully mature and yet totally together.
1988 Château Lafleur; a somewhat controversial wine; lovely supple fruit, still very youthful, but lots of it, and lots of oak too; it all comes together in a very delicious way, but it is not exactly classic Bordeaux.
Château Musar is a property that divides opinions: some love it, some it. Full credit to them for their pioneering work making intriguing wines in Lebanon. The white is, in my opinion slightly more odd than the red; but it works better. The flavours come together in a way that only a few old white wines can achieve; nutty, oxidative, but still with a lively freshness and harmony. It is delicious in its own off beat way; at least, this bottle of 2001 was.
A beautiful example of a contemporary, new-wave German Riesling. Some of the ‘new’ style dry wines from Germany don’t pull off the right balance; but this bottle of 2007 Schäfer-Fröhlich Felsenberg Grosses Gewachs (GG) seemed to come together nicely: the weight and texture were well integrated, and there was a good balance bewteen minerality and delicate tightly knit fruit. Being from the Nahe, and with the ripeness and body, it is not the raciest of Rieslings; but typically the dry styles are not. Nor was it particularly flashy and exciting: it still seemed somewhat closed and young, but was certainly enjoyable, and seemed to have the balance and density to age well for years to come. A nice example of contemporary dry German Riesling.
Krug Grand Cuvée is always a classic, and a beauty; full and rich, yet creamy and elegant. Delicious, for a solid, full sort of luxury Champagne.
The classics are are the classics for good reason; ‘79 Château Margaux, for example. So dense and fresh, so elegant yet so concentrated; classic cedary nose, perfumed fragrant beautiful complex; a true beauty.
Providence 2005; here’s an intriguing bottle: very elegant, smooth, sophisticated; lovely fresh acid, hint of herbal, but juicy soft clean fruit. Good leafy crunchy berry fruit. Delicious Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec from Matakana, near Auckland.
I can see why this wine has ‘cult’ status; and why Bordeaux-lovers looking for a taste of the new world are drawn to this; lovely classic proportions, great harmony, beautiful length; a delicious bottle.
Always a treat to try Bollinger’s Vielles Vignes Francaises: a very special bottle of bubbles. And the 2000 lives up to the delicious wackiness I expect. Made from very old, un-grafted Pinot Noir vines from two tiny spots on the Bollinger estate, this wine has a unique density and flavour-profile; the old vine Pinot Noir add to the solidity one expects from Bollinger; and the profundity of the fruit gives even greater leeway for the funky off-beat weirdness that I love about the nose and palate of Bollinger’s wines. Perhaps not a bottle for somebody searching for clean-cut, pure, fresh Champagne; but if you want to see off-beat quirkiness done the old-fashioned way, and with amazing quality base-wine, this is an unique experience. Incredibly profound, complex, long, and with all its technical quirks coming together perfectly. I love it.
Vina Villana terra incognita 2004 - wonderful tempranillo from 100 year old vines in Ribera del Duero - fun wine!
llanllyr source - looks like vodka - is in fact ‘natural PURE spring water drawn from beneath the ORGANIC fields of LLANLYR for over 800 years’