last ...

chateau fonsalette CDR reserve 2006

of the mohicans, alas ...

long time between

1) azienda vitivinicola rizzi barbaresco boito 2004 (cru rizzi)
garnet, very slight rust rim; floral, sour cherry, strawb, spice ... cinnamon, tobacco, someone said leather?, hit of soy, some tar, good start ...; fruit and spice follow through on the palate, balsamic?, some mineral/chalk; wonderful juicy acid; finely textured tannins very obvious but somehow does not intrude in the proceedings; balanced; svelte, ever so slightly creamy; light/medium bodied; loong; hope i can see it in another few years; BANG!(+) really enjoyed this one. + some beautifully grilled lambchops ... heaven.

2) chateau fonsalette CDR reserve 2006
still excellent ... perhaps more intergrated even ... splitting hairs ... just drink up.
see earlier sample

triple treat, almost

suspects gather

1)saint cosme st. joseph 2007

2)chateau de fonsalette CDR reserve 2006
lovely, see earlier sample

3)chateau lynch-moussas 2000 (pauillic)

later

slim pickins

1)clos mogador 2003 priorat [garnacha based]

dark purplish red; ripe cherry, alcohol (kirsch), prune, fruitcake?,spice/cedar, vanilla; almost sweet on entry, ripe cherry and plum, cedar, licorice?; big, rich, plush; heaps of tannin (to be expected given it's age) and acid which attempt to counterbalance the fruit; 14.5%; long ...hint of raisins at the very end; a struggle to drink now or when you're tired as i was ... half bottle still in the fridge. maybe in five or ten or then again, maybe never. POP!(-) big bob fave?

2)drouhin chablis vaudesir g cru 1999

sample was way over the hill ... sigh

3)fairbank shiraz 2004 (99%shiraz 1%voignier) [mount alexander]

garnet, dark; spicy, cherry, berries, floral?; ripe cherry, bit o cinnamon, clean, mineral, a little fruity, quite lush and soft mouthfeel; very nice furry tannins and juicy acid; medium/big bodied; longish; BANG!(-) that mineral bit was nice for an oz drop but it's a little pricey

4)vergelegen stellenbosch chardonnay 2008

straw; cream/vanilla?, apple, oak hint, yeast/toast hint, someone said citrus ... didn't get none; red delicious, dried pear?, mineral ... yay, a little oak ... yay; juicy acid .. yay; light/medium bodied; longish appley and slightly savoury finish. BANG! good one, especially well priced. not yo typical overblown new world supermarket special.
5)michel colin-deleger chassagne montrachet les vergers 1er cru 2000

light gold; citrus, stone fruit, buttery/vanilla hint, subdued nose ... never really opened up; lime/lemon?, peach, butterscotsh hint, red delicious, mineral; just enough acid left to keep things a little lively; light medium bodied; longish with a slighty woody and appley finish; 13.5%; subtle wine ... this pleb thought it would be a little richer; POP!(+) too pricey.6)furano ... non vintage red, hokkaido

friend brought some back. gave it a go ... overripe/oxidised fruit, could not tell what it was ... errr ... subarus are nice cars. notice the word "experiment" on the label. next!

7)st cosme cdr les deux albion 2006

much much nicer than the last sample ... similar notes to an earlier drop

8)cloudy bay sauvignon blanc 2008

did they dumb down the "in yer face" fruit? ... hmmm ... nice

sad one

chenin des papes cdr "villages" 2006

utter cr*p ... had better from a cardboard carton. deserved it ... giving the nod to a bottle held together by chicken wire ...

quintet

1)chateau cantemerle 2004 (haut-medoc)
ruby; spice ... cinnamon, cardamom?, vanilla hint; blackcurrent, plum, leafy; fruit, a little chalky/mineral, lean; some structure ... furry tannins and acid; medium bodied and length; with food; POP!(-) ... maybe in a coupla years but i'll pass.

2)chateau vilhars 2005 (fronsac)
ruby; dusty spicy nose, cherry?, plum, oak hint; aforesaid fruits and berries?, mineral, spice, dried orange peel?; nicely balanced by soft tannins and juicy acid; light/medium bodied; medium length; BANG!(-) ... thought it was a nice light rhone in a blind some time ago ;-P ... but what do i know? ...

3)domaine dugat-py gevrey chanbertin les evocelles 2007
ruby, purplish tint; blueberries, hint strawb, floral, damp earth; aforesaid berries, mineral/chalky; tannins firm, acid a little tart; light/medium bodied; ...bit lean ... not really ready? POP! expensive

4)yarra yering dry red no.1 1999

5)st cosme cote du rhone les duex albion 2006
this sample had a very "medicinal" sour nose initially ... someone said paracetamol(?!)... ow ...blew away somewhat after 30 mins, but this sample was still a little too funkeee (see earlier sample)... methinks that the said sour note was an extention of chinese spices and the "cow pat" on the palate ... yes, bull doo doo ... an extreme incarnation of wet clay. not a very pleasent bottle this.

odd one out

1)domaine j l chave CDR 2007

duh ... not very interesting ...

2)onellaia le volte 2007 (merlot, cab sav and sangiovese)

base model in their lineup.

ruby dark; floral?, ripe plum, cherry, hint of vanilla, someone said leather ... i didn't get no handbags here; off dry feel on entry, rich ripe fruit (but not over ripe), rasp, mineral/chalk, fruit cake, some firm but fine tannins, juicy acid; rich, smooth but not overblown; medium bodied and length; for both, big bob fans and the rest of us ... uncanny balancing act; BANG! good price, drink up.

revisits

3)roger sabon cdp reserve 2006

4)graillot crozes hermitage 2007

no surprises here ... good stuff as before ...

double take

chateau fonsalette cotes du rhone reserve 2007

not your normal mouthfeel ... like a burg, this ...

ruby; cherry, spice ... cinnamon, long pepper,cedary, err ... raw pork?, hint of wet clay, floral, herbal?, complex if you take yo time; cherry, mineral, again ... complex; fine tannins, nice bit of acid; balanced smooth streamlined mouthfeel; medium bodied; long; BANG!

hard labour day

1)ricasoli rocca guicciarda chianti classico riserva 2005
ruby; plum, cherry, violet?; cherry, raspberry, plum, bright?; fine tannins and very nice refreshing acidity; medium bodied; longish; 13.5%; BANG!

2)st cosme cote du rhone les duex albion 2006
consistent with earlier notes

3)morgenhof premier selection 2001
consistent with earlier notes

4)loosen graacher himmelreich kabinett 2007
consistent with earlier notes

... ok.... i'm just lazy today

nothing new but still nice plonk and nice company ... BANG!

not two

st cosme cote du rhone les duex albion 2006 (s,g,m,carignan and a white, clairette)
dark ruby; plum, raspberry, whiff of cinnamon, pepper, a little gilled meat, wet clay; ripe plum, fleshy? and fresh, mineral; firm but fine tannins; nice juicy balancing acidity; medium body and length; BANG! good stuff for the price.

misty

stuck at the hotel and freezing me ass off . . . could not go trekking as the place was fog bound . . . had a basic cotes du rhone with dinner . . . hey, not bad with some food . . . later . . . bummer doin this on the mobile.cellier des dauphins cotes du rhone 2006
ruby; cherry, plum, some grilled meat, earth; cherry, plum, bit of soy; fine tannins and a nice level of acidity; medium bodied and length; BANG!

far north

out of town till new years eve. lunch in a cafe ... basic stuff only. could not finish the bottle, stuffed the cork back in and got them to leave it in the fridge till i came back for tea.

perrins cote du rhone 2006
ruby, purple tinge; cherry, some smoke, nougat; cherry, plum; little fine tannins; just enough acidity; medium bodied and length; nice, easy drinking; BANG!

the rhones to ruin

hope drinking on weekdays doesn't become a habit. this is bad, man.

lucien barrot et fils chateaunuef du pape 2005 (Gsm+)

ruby; initially dried flowers (rose?), cherry, plum, blackcurrant, alcohol, herbs, on the nose then about 15 mins. later it went dumb but developed soy sauce, vegemite/marmite/bovril, grilled meat, mushroom nuances; plum, ripe cherry (kirsch?), chinese herbs, chalk/stone like; lots of chalky, drying and firm tannins, sufficient acid; medium length; bit lean overall; too alcoholic; lots ot interesting bits here albeit not intergrated but then it's young and obviously needs more time; 15% boom boom ... any more and i'll switch to brandy; [cf. the roger sabon reserve earlier, which was more approachable at this stage]. BANG!

chapoutier belleruche cote du rhone 2006 (g:s)
light cherry; fruity, cherry, plum, pepper? on nose; follows onto palate, raisins?; lots of chalky tannins, crisp acid; light/medium bodied; lean and tart; with food. BANG!

roast pork and ribs.