TN Christmas holidays drinking thread

Alex Lake said:
Is that an M&S wine? I think it's the same producer as the much-loved Perricone?
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Not from M&S, a local merchant up here in Edinburgh but it seems Bibendum bring it into the UK. I've not heard of Perricone but having looked it up on their website it is the very same producer, will pick some up next time I'm in. Is that your review on the M&S website?
 
I did write a review on the M&S website as it happens. Not sure if I put my name to it, though! (Edit: Oh yeah, thewinelake is me). It is always a star at (non-expert) group tastings.

M&S certainly used to stock that wine of yours, though (Google "frappato nerello mascalese m&s").
 
Tonight a Soave Classico 2014 from Suavia - new to me - but really very good. A slightly herbal nose, perhaps with a hint of thyme with underlying honeyed notes, and then a very attractively medium weighted palate with very good length. There's plenty of lift on the finish and the flavours are persistent. Good to know there's life beyond Pra, Pieropan, Gini, Inama etc.
 
Have had a few over the last few days. Highlights have been:

Inama Soave Foscarino 08 - which reminds me now a little of maturing Northern Rhone. Low acidity and with a lovely floral note to it. No rush on this - and when reduced in Waitrose this strikes me as a pretty good purchase.
Charles Heidsieck Mis en Cave '2001'. Absolutely in the sweet spot for my taste. Custard notes and a lovely pithy apple-core grip.
Mure Riesling Grand Cru Vorbourg 2010. Wow - what a change of style here. Used to be a late harvest style; rich, off-dry wines in the style of eg Burn or Barmes Buecher. Whereas this was like a CFE or Kientzler Geisberg. Rather excellent.

Also checked in on a couple of N Rhone 05s (Benetiere Cote Rotie Cordeloux and Coulet Cornas Terrasses du Serre) - which are not ready, as I suspected.
 
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Tonight's choices. The Akarua was beautiful (with tarragon cream chicken) so limpid and fresh, but with gorgeous pithy grapefruit acidity against the sweet nectarine fruit. Yquem still to be broached, pudding coming up soon.

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  • 2001 Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru (1/3/2016)
    Deep ruby core to a mid garnet rim. Lovely nose, bright red fruit, some caramel, just starting to show some sous bois development and at that point where the finely dense velvet texture is just starting to show some silk. very smooth and harmonious. Good length and plenty of interest here. really very nice indeed. **** (92 pts.)
  • 2005 Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabajà - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (1/2/2016)
    Mid to full garnet. Gently fragrant with floral and forest floor aromas. Bright, with good acidity. Relatively light but flavoursome wine that's structured by its acidity. Finishes well. ***1/2 (90 pts.)
  • 2008 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Côtes du Jura En Barberon - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (1/2/2016)
    A little darker and more oxidative than I remembered it when tasting at the domaine fifteen months ago. Now full straw, a minerally, slightly sweet-scented oxidative nose. Reasonably viscous on the attack. Good acidity. Plenty of mineral-led interest. Finishes positively. Good, but probably not for the long haul unless you like the more oxidative style. *** (88 pts.)
  • 1985 Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (1/1/2016)
    Deep mid ruby. Initially, quite a pretty, red fruited with a slightly lifted strawberry nose, seemed very Volnay. With air, it takes on a deeper, slightly diffuse character and the palate loses clarity. A certain rusticity, even a coarseness. Still lots to enjoy, but it falls a little short of the mark. Lacks the beautifully precise light strawberry fruit of the Caillerets Carnot enjoyed (admittedly) fifteen years ago. Bare *** (86 pts.)
  • 2007 Michel Arnould & Fils Champagne Mémoire de Vignes - France, Champagne, Verzenay, Champagne (12/31/2015)
    Elegant. A nice combination of bright red fruit and clean mineral line. Similar on palate. Decent weight, but very precise. Good line and positive finish. ***1/2 with upside. (90 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
 
A lovely bottle of Clape's Cornas Renaissance 1999 last night which showed in a slightly different register to the last several bottles. This one was a delightfully secondary wine showing subtle pastille black fruits on the nose with a stratum of minerality beneath the fruit. On the palate there is a pleasing touch of Clape austerity, but equally a very attractive texture to the cool fruit. There is plenty of minerality and there are deeper soil tones than usual for the Renaissance wine. The beauty of the Renaissance cuvee is that you get some mature Clape action 10-15 years ahead of the grand vin.
 
Simon, you have been busy!

My notes from the period below:

  • 2009 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée (1/4/2016)
    Medium ruby core, pale garnet rim. Aromatic, pure red fruits, florals. medium bodied, pure strawberry fruit, touch of cream, florals, very attractive, florals, soft, refined tannins just showing a touch still of the good length finish. Excellent. (91 pts.)
  • 2005 Weingut von Othegraven Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (1/2/2016)
    Medium straw. On the nose an initial aroma of kerosene, then peachy, grapey, slightly floral. Light/medium bodied, off dry, attractive oily texture, kerosene, peaches and cream, balanced acidity, good length finish. Decent, probably time to drink up. (86 pts.)
  • 2004 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (12/31/2015)
    One glass coravined. Deep/opaque ruby core, pale narrow ruby rim. Brooding, dark, purple and black fruit, touch of smoke. Full bodied, juicy blackberry and bilberry fruit, black olive, quite dense with firm but fine tannins, touch of meat, decent, tangy acidity and a long if slightly chewy finish. Needs more time but should be excellent. Next bottle 2 years. (91 pts.)
  • 2013 Jean-Marie Fourrier Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (12/29/2015)
    Pale/medium ruby. On the nose youthful red cherry, touch of cranberry, trademark Fourrier flamboyance without the intensity of the more serious wines. Medium bodied, red cherry, touch of cream and soil, firm but perhaps slightly rustic tannin, decent depth but fades a touch on the medium length finish which shows a touch of iron. Decent for this level. (87 pts.)
  • 2012 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Clos de la Chateniere - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru (12/25/2015)
    Pale lemon. Nose shows creamy grapefruit, vanilla, touch of lemon. Quite rich but fresh. Medium/full, tropical fruit - grapefruit, touch of creamy vanilla, lovely vibrant acidity, Lemony, grapefruit, zesty, creamy long finish. Excellent. (92 pts.)
  • 1996 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (12/25/2015)
    Deep ruby/garnet. Intense nose, smoky, beefy blackcurrant fruit, cedar. Medium/full, smoky, meaty blackcurrant fruit, intense, deep, fine but firm tannins, long, powerful, lingering finish. Should improve. (91 pts.)
  • 2013 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling The Wine Society's Saar Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (12/24/2015)
    Pale, water-white, green tints. Fresh, vibrant, inviting nose green apple, slate. Off dry, light/medium bodied, intense green apple, slate, thrilling acidity, notes of lime on the good length, crisp finish. Delicious and excellent value for money. (89 pts.)
  • 2010 Domaine Darviot-Perrin Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru (12/23/2015)
    Pale lemon/straw. Fairly restrained, peach, vanilla, medicinal notes. Medium/full bodied, creamy stone fruit, touch of sesame, fresh acidity, some soil and medicinal notes on the long, lightly creamy finish. Decent but on this showing nothing particularly special. (89 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
 
I've just been writing about what will likely remain the oddest alcy beverage of the year, despite only drinking it on 2nd January. Tongba (or Tongpa sometimes) is a millet "beer" from Eastern Nepal. Millet is fermented and the grains are put into a pot, then boiled water is added. After steeping like tea for five minutes a strangely pleasant liquid of just about 2% alcohol is produced. The container can be topped up three or four times. You drink it via a crimped metal straw (so that you don't imbibe the grains)

The adventure is not so much one in alcoholic inebriation, but whatever else is going on in your head (the ferment is brought about by a mixture of yeasts and bacteria). Not exactly hallucinogenic, but it does make you feel a bit odd. Like floating down a meandering river or wallowing on a puffy cloud. It engenders a desire, no, more an acute need, to assume the prone position. It has been described as potentially treacherous. Well worth seeking out if you are in Nepal...and I've another helping left so don't despair...
 
An end of holidays / early birthday treat with a lovely lunch at Chez Bruce today:

  • 2007 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru (1/4/2016)
    Pale to mid straw in the decanter with a glint of green. Very precise nose, a touch saline, but mainly delicately floral. Similar on attack, very harmonious and balanced; good weight, some early development, but mainly a beautifully fresh and silky wine with lots of mineral interest. This is all about balance — it's not a 'grip the throat' salinity, it's not particularly full, but nor is it light, lean or inconsequential. Very fine and very moreish. Poised. **** (93 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
 
My last 1990 Clos des Papes over the festive period. Here she is:

clos des papes 1990.jpg

Note the extensive, pre-Eurocave, mouse damage. We had some classy mice back then, really discerning - thank goodness they couldn't wield a corkscrew.

Nose on this one was tremendous. Wine seems fully resolved, plenty of fruit, quite high acid plus the sweetness of old Grenache. Quiet alcohol. Best with food.

Sorry to see this go, even though this one lacked some complexity. Looking back, my favourite bottles of this were from about 10 years ago, when the fruit was singing in a primary way.
 
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