Non Festive Drinking

Anything but Port, this includes all wines other than fortified wines (which have their own section) even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
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Anything but Port, this includes all non-Port fortified wines even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
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nac
Fonseca 1980
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

Post by nac »

Saturday 19th March - final bottle of Blanc de Lynch-Bages 2010. Still plenty of freshness.
Sunday 20th March - friends over for lunch, so a magnum of 2003 Chateau Batailley - nicely mature, no sign of any 2003 “burn” - and a half of 2003 Bastor-Lamontagne to finish. The Sauternes still very fresh and nowhere near mature. Both bottles EP purchases.
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

Post by winesecretary »

A series of whites over a dinner that called for them

Heart and Hands Verve Chardonnay 2019 - wonderfully taut and precise, with only the merest hint of peach betraying the New World origin.
Francois Cotat Mont Damnes 2013 - barely ready, but lovely fruit and line.
Blanc de Lynch Bages 2015 - extraordinarily exotic nose, but the more austere palate a wonderful foil for some roast halibut.

Then a Fonseca 1977 with the cheese. Absolutely splendid full rich port with so much going on. Four hour decant about right. It evaporated.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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What’s this?
What’s this?
3526832F-6944-4EA0-AA1D-1F71E1C7363B.jpeg (21.76 KiB) Viewed 4780 times

As far as I can tell, this is a negociant blend put together by Gabriel Meffre. It has acquired a lovely roundness over the years and is drinking beautifully today. Not bad value considering I bought it in Marks & Spencer in 2004 for £4.99.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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An astonishingly complex bottle of Cheval Blanc 1966 with a generous wine-collecting friend last night.

As he watched me decant it, he said thoughtfully, 'you know, I think I bought this before you were born'.

Level base of neck. Cork mainly came out whole.

Still a full deep colour, browning only slightly at the rim. Nose of roses, oolong, blackcurrant, forest floor. Congruent palate. Like Sunday's Fonseca 1977, benefits from you just sitting and paying attention, almost sort of listening, to what's going on in the mouth. Still got some tannin although pretty much fully resolved. At the end of its plateau? Probably. But still wonderful drinking from a properly stored bottle.

Held up over the full hour we spent with it.
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Doggett
Morgan 1991
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

Post by Doggett »

Great note George, and I am sure a wonderful and not to be forgotten experience.
winesecretary
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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@SCD - in truth it was very special. WOTY and likely to be pretty tough to beat.
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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winesecretary wrote: 09:14 Thu 24 Mar 2022 An astonishingly complex bottle of Cheval Blanc 1966 with a generous wine-collecting friend last night.

As he watched me decant it, he said thoughtfully, 'you know, I think I bought this before you were born'.

Level base of neck. Cork mainly came out whole.

Still a full deep colour, browning only slightly at the rim. Nose of roses, oolong, blackcurrant, forest floor. Congruent palate. Like Sunday's Fonseca 1977, benefits from you just sitting and paying attention, almost sort of listening, to what's going on in the mouth. Still got some tannin although pretty much fully resolved. At the end of its plateau? Probably. But still wonderful drinking from a properly stored bottle.

Held up over the full hour we spent with it.
How wonderful to be able to drink a well stored bottle of mature top class claret. And thank you for sharing your impressions with us.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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nac
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Compared magnums of Ribera ~ Flor de Pingus 2006 & Vega Sicilia Alion 2007.
Both had about 4 hrs in decanter before drinking commenced.
Both very good. Pingus more delicate with evident fruit; Alion more brooding with plenty of tannin still. Will probably drink the Pingus first, but many years left for both.
winesecretary
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Two lovely evenings with friends

Pol Roger NV, Pernand Vergelesses Les Belle Files 2018 Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard (lovely now, don't keep it too long), Gevrey-Chambertin 2012 Domaine Odoul-Coquard (characteristic slightly licorice note of the village, the 2012 village wines have finally come round), 2015 Jurancon Montesquiou Grappe D'Or (ridiculously good wine with perfect balance of sharp-sweet) Vesuvio 1992 (good rich port but slightly below par).

Delamotte 2002 (really remarkably lovely, with ultra-fine bubbles, almost worth the current market rate), Puligny Montrachet Les Tremblots 2014 Domaine Albert Joly (walking the line of the edge of over-mature, with some surprisingly exotic notes), Gevrey Chambertin 2014 Domaine Henri Audiffred (haunting perfume, tasted lovely too) Suduiraut 2001 (from half - lovely rich fruit notes now, don't keep it much longer as the balance will fail) and Warre 1977 (again, slightly under par, under-decanted at 2 hours).
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nac
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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A weekend without Mrs NAC, so an opportunity to open a couple of bottles of Alsace Riesling (she's not a fan...).

Domaine Trapet, Beblenheim 2007. EP purchase from C&B. Last bottle :( .

Lovely kerosene nose, but not overly developed. Definitely some residual sugar, and has the marvellous simultaneously dry and sweet Riesling taste. Refreshing acidity. More please.
Last edited by nac on 19:55 Sun 03 Apr 2022, edited 2 times in total.
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nac
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Second bottle of Riesling being despatched is Hugel "Tradition" 2005. EP from The Wine Society. A few bottles remain :D.

Nose only marginally more developed than the Trapet but you get the sense that there's more to come (hence the Trapet being finished up well before this).

Definitely less residual sugar than the Trapet, and less refreshing but much more complex. Petrol aromas transfer to the palate plus exotic fruit. Almost tannic.

Trapet was 12.5% but would have guessed less. This is 13% but seems like more.

This is very very good but needs food with it.
winesecretary
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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A really rather lovely bottle of Dom Perignon 2012 at the Royal Yacht hotel in Jersey. Vinous but not over rich. Compelling drinking enjoyed, not too cold, between two over 90 minutes.
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nac
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005. Distracted whilst drinking it, so no proper note, but was really quite nice and starting to show some maturity.
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nac
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Guidalberto 2013 - the 2nd wine of Tenuta San Guido after Sassicaia (the 3rd is La Difese). Significantly cheaper than it's more illustrious sibling and meant to be drunk much earlier.

Lots of nice cherry fruit and soft tannin. Drinking perfectly now. Sadly my last bottle so will have to move on to the 2015s.
winesecretary
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Kooyong Haven Pinot Noir 2019 - colour is not a function of pinot noir, but this really is pretty pale, and very high toned. Given 75 minutes to settle down, however, and you have what, blind, I would swear was a good red Rully from someone like Dureuil-Janthial - sappy, fruity, pinot with a really nice fine-grained tannin finish. The problem is I can buy that Rully for £29 and this Haven was £33... and is now showing cheapest worldwide price at £43 in Aus. This is the problem with good NZ Pinot Noir in Europe. It still costs more than its French equivalent.
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nac
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Gilles Jourdan Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes Pinot Noir 2006.

An EP purchase from Laithwaites in 2008 (?). First bottle horribly corked, so opened another (the last of 12) and was beautifully mature. Proper PN Burgundy farmyard and meaty aromas that followed through to the palate. Lovely. Drink soon.
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nac
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Vina Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva 2010.
This is pretty rare/unusual and the first time I've tried it. Fortunately managed to secure a few bottles of this and the 2011.
One of the darker roses, almost a deep orange. Nose is pretty intense - blind you might mistake it for a red. Maybe a bit of deliberate VA, certainly some oak, black berry fruits.
In the mouth, some tannin to balance the high acidity. Very dry. Full bodied.
Most definitely a food rose. Very good.
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nac
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Earlier this week a Musar 1999 and HdV Napa Valley Belle Cousine 2009 (60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon). No detailed notes, but both showed well with no rush to drink up either.

Tonight, 2005 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas.
EP purchase from The Wine Society and one of last couple of bottles.
Nose quite closed - probably needs longer in the decanter - but palate more developed. Still some very obvious tannin (as evidenced by the very healthy ruby tone and zero sediment), but balanced with good acidity. Quite long, with farmyard and dark fruit notes.
Pretty good, but not convinced it's ever going to properly come round. Drink up?
winesecretary
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Chateau St Pierre 2012 - that now apparently vanished thing, 'proper claret'.

Restrained nose, not lush, which nevertheless promises what the palate delivers - blackcurrant, graphite, geranium leaf, cedar.

Delicious wine. Benefits from a 90 minute decant but drinkable after 30.
winesecretary
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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A celebratory dinner at Chez Bruce

Pierre Peters Les Chetillons 2014 BdB - a champagne of genuinely astonishing purity. Worthy of the hype. Price in restaurant 120% of UK retail - extremely reasonable.

Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes 2009 Domaine Cecile Tremblay - splendid Chambolle nose, but a remarkably hedonistic, even soft, pinot palate. Very happy to have tried it; but lovely, not great; not really worthy of the hype. Price in restaurant about 33% of UK retail on winesearcher non-pro. About what it was worth.
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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winesecretary wrote: 23:26 Thu 28 Apr 2022 …at Chez Bruce.
I was browsing for a dining venue the other day and Chez Bruce was an option. Only been there a couple of times before but recall it being very good. Still the same?
winesecretary
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

Post by winesecretary »

Good. Not amazing. The world has moved on, it hasn't.
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

flash_uk wrote: 09:33 Sat 30 Apr 2022
winesecretary wrote: 23:26 Thu 28 Apr 2022 …at Chez Bruce.
I was browsing for a dining venue the other day and Chez Bruce was an option. Only been there a couple of times before but recall it being very good. Still the same?
Why go anywhere other than to Otto’s?
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

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Alex Bridgeman wrote: 07:20 Sun 01 May 2022
flash_uk wrote: 09:33 Sat 30 Apr 2022
winesecretary wrote: 23:26 Thu 28 Apr 2022 …at Chez Bruce.
I was browsing for a dining venue the other day and Chez Bruce was an option. Only been there a couple of times before but recall it being very good. Still the same?
Why go anywhere other than to Otto’s?
:D Indeed! I will be going there later in May. Again.
winesecretary
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Re: Non Festive Drinking

Post by winesecretary »

Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2011 - beautifully chalky.
Chassagne Montrachet 2017, Domaine Ramonet - white flowers and steel, perfect white burgundy, the type that keeps you chasing that particular will-o-the-wisp.
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 2007 - wonderful cedar and violets on the nose and blackcurrant on the palate. Recalibrates one's expectations of what Ribera can become.
Fonseca 1985 - a superlative bottle of this outstanding port of the vintage. Rich ripe black cherries. Excellent even without a decant.

It was a jolly good lunch.
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