2000 Sandeman Vau

[djewesbury]

2000 Sandeman Vau (double-mag into single bottle)
A small group gathered at the Bung Hole for a blind tasting, DJ being in town for the evening. We were joined by two guests: AHB being able to join at the last minute, he was accompanied by Mrs B; DJ brought his friend Richard West.

The line-up of bottles was interesting: five were from the same year, three were the same wine and two were decanted from the same bottle.

• Review of the evening
• 2000 Sandeman Vau decanted from double-mag into standard bottle
• 2000 Sandeman Vau from half-bottle
• 2000 Sandeman Vau decanted from double-mag into half-bottle
• 2000 Fonseca
• 2000 Niepoort Secundum
• 1981 Warre LBV
• 1955 Butler Nephew
• 1970 Taylor
• 1980 Taylor
• Placemats
• Planning and arrangements

Decanted at noon.
75%, ruby with a very subtle brown.
Ashy nose, JDAW thought smoky. Underneath, forest fruits coming through very slightly.
This was a mouth rinser: a great feel, smoky with chewy tannins.
Violets at first, but the fruit is not huge, and is overshadowed by dark tannins.

[jdaw1]

SV00, at noon decanted from double mag into 750ml. Dark red, 95% opaque. Smokey nose, but more closely resembling a Davidoff cigarette than a cigar. Daniel said ‟not a woodbine”, and ‟ashy”. Taste a bit closed, big sweet fruit, but shorter than ideal. Biggest flavour of the three taken from the dbl mag.

[Alex Bridgeman]

From a double magnum. Dark red, opaque centre and a narrow transparent rim. Sweet and attractive blackcurrant nose showing some acifity. Sweet and poised entry, very fruit forward. Lovely soft, dray tannins and some lovely floral elements on the mid-palate. Delicious afetrtaste and a lovely finish full of berry fruit and great length. Served blind this was guessed to be Smith Woodhouse 1992. 88/100.