Hello;
The friendly neighbourhood eating and drinking society, a k a the French Shelf, met Saturday in our respective homes (consecutively). Theme: shellfish (and, I´ll tell you, that was one hard theme for us who did the dessert!). Monsieur Rutger served his wine blind - wrapped in alu foil. [C] Pale yellow, no fizz. [N] SLightly shy, due to low temperature, but evolved obvious slate and petroleum character (Hey, lot´s of kerosene in this one! as the host exclaimed). Possibly a bit floral. [P] Very exuberant, dried pineapples, petroleum, good and elegant acidity, lingering fruity RS, ends on an unexpected note of black currant leaves. OVerall impression: We were in total agreement that this was a Riesling, also, that it was not European (but made in a European style, somebody said) - not the light elegance of Mosel, neither the robust alcoholic bombs of Alsace. Self suggested Australia, which was voted down on grounds of most likely coming from a chillier clima. Xina pinpointed it as NZ, and it was: Stoneleigh 2002. SEK 94 (EU 10+). Good QPR. Possibly we´ll lay down 3 bottles and save for a few years to see what comes out of it.
Engels Brut Alsace Cremant THis was the entry of our neighbours the Garage Wine Importers. [C] Fairly pale. Mousse flighty. [N] First sniff cognacy oak, then turns to saffron and bees wax. [P] Rather fresh acidity, quite dry, light weight. Overall impression: Very good cremant that does not try to be anything else - no nods in a champagne-y direction. SEK 120 and I´ll have 6 bottles for New Year, thank you, Svend.
Xina had made a PAvlova (wrong: she made two pavlovas) and with this we served the next entry
[C] Medium gold [N] Fresh muscat aromas, elderberry blossom, tropical fruits [P] Sweet but not cloying, a bit of acidity to back it up, not obviously alcoholic. OVerall impression: THe gang was by now a bit organoleptically challenged, Svend recognised it for a fortified wine, but, sadly, no one recognised the varietal. Inf act, it was George Duboeuf Muscat beaume-de-Venise 2002. I tend to consider MBDV a bit uninteresting, without much personality, but this was rather good - not so cloyingly sweet as amny of them are.
The last one was served with coffee and dark chocolate and, really, no blame attaches for anyone for not recognising that: [C] Very dark purple red, close to black [N] Dark fruits, jammyness, perhaps cherry pits [P] Again, dark frutis, tannines, young and muscular, with good length Overall impression: This was, in fact, the sweet fortified wine from the great Bandol producer Tour du Bon. It is made from Grenache and Marc, and is called "d´ou?", which is a pune or play on words - as written it means "from where?", but pronounced, it sounds like "doux", i e, sweet. My guess is that this wine could sleep the sleep of the just in the cave for a few years and may possibly evovle - when we tasted the prototype at the producers back in
2001, it had as I remember a much more mineral nose. This was the 2000 vintage.
And the next theme, in November, will be game. Aaaaah.
Cheers!
Nils Gsutaf