Wine Tasting: Small Selection of Fine Wines (3rd Jun 1999)
Some very enjoyable bottles shared over an excellent meal.
1. 1998 Krebs-Grode Gau-Odernheimer Herrgottspfad Riesling Auslese Trocken
3rd Jun 1999 Germany Table White
Even butter/gold in colour.
Limey, bready nose with hints of rose petals - slightly flat but attractive.
Medium bodied with tangy honey/toast note, fresh acidity and good length.
Buttery, oily notes come through on the finish.
Excellent but not quite there yet - it has lost some of the lime freshness without picking up all of the petrolly complexity.
2. 1973 Chanson Corton
3rd Jun 1999 Burgundy Table White
[Tasted Blind]
Bright yellow/gold, fairly viscous.
Oxidised with lots of oak and nutty, fleshy, perfumed, candied notes - intriguing but can't place variety.
Medium bodied with a touch of dryness/oakiness. Oxidised, tangy flavours of oranges and quince, decent acidity, long finish.
Attractive but tired.
[Guess: Certainly Old World, Not Chardonnay, Rhone or Mediterranean ???]
3. 1993 Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz
3rd Jun 1999 Australia Table Red
Deep brown/red to brick red.
Perfumed with cassis and vanilla aromas - gorgeous nose with some volatile notes, alcohol and new oak.
Full bodied, spicy, warm, peppery and alcoholic with a lovely soft texture, tart acidity and strong oak flavours.
Much fresher and lighter than most of its counterparts but amazing, with a long tobacco and herb finish.
Outstanding - a five star wine.
4. 1994 Heggies Merlot
3rd Jun 1999 Australia Table Red
Deep garnet to brick red with high viscosity.
Quite dumb and simple at the moment, with red berry fruit, herbs and alcohol.
Medium to full bodied with grippy, stalky, green tannins to the fore. Spicy plum and tobacco flavours with nicely judged oak and excellent depth. Good finish with tobacco/plum notes carrying through.
Very good (inspite of being overshadowed by the Edelstone) - needs 5+ years.
5. 1990 Penfolds Botrytis Riesling/Traminer
3rd Jun 1999 Australia Dessert White
Ochre/brown to ochre at rim, bright.
Opulent nose of toffee apples and that sticky, pink bubble-blowing stuff that came out of tubes in the eighties! (If anyone can name it I'd be grateful!)
Very full and intensely sweet. Thickly textured with fruity acidity and tangy, orange flavours that last through a long finish.
Gorgeous now, should last for years.
[I was advised that it had picked up a great deal of colour over the past few years, so you should probably just drink it now if you have some]