October Lunch notes:
Jean Paul Brun Beaujolais Blanc Domaine des Terres Dorees – showing considerable colour and a hint of oxidation in the nose, with some lemon and vanilla. Decent length and balance. One taster familiar with this wine thought it had seen heat at some point.
1997 Tyrells Vat 1 Semillon – also some colour, cheesy nutty notes in the nose, fairly light weight, pleasant in the mouth with a long citrus acid finish.
1998 Elk Cove Pinot Noir La Boheme – medium colour with a great nose of sweet cherry, ripe, balanced and delicious. A lean style but with good flavour concentration. Good Burgundy ringer possibilities here.
2005 Olivier Leflaive Volnay – purple edges slightly warm nose of fruit, warm in mouth, smooth juicy and long. lean but not mean.
2006 Kosta Brown Sonoma Pinot Nor – lighter colour, with a lightly fruited nose, lighter body, pleasant and fresh. Finishes sweet with a cough drop impression and seemed slightly hot.
1994 Marques de Caceres Rioja Gran Riserva – dusty fruit nose with good depth and a very slight hint of mint, medium hard tannins, good length with an impression of some pepper in the mouth.
1988 Robert Michel Cornas La Geynale – this had been fairly rustic and old style in youth so I’d opted not to take it to a northern Rhone tasting recently but rather try it here. Pale edges, a hint of pepper and green notes in the nose, lots of flavour concentration and soft tannins, this has matured nicely. Drink now.
2001 Falesco Montiano – dark wine, dark chocolate nose with anise elements, huge concentration and excellent length. needs time.
1999 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici – dark, nice nose of some tar and black cherry, very dry finish and decent length.
1999 Kracher #2 Traminer TBA Nouvelle vague – apricot nose and colour, sweet and long with lots of acidity for balance. This should last for years!
1997 Willi Opitz Opitz One Zweigelt Strohwein – odd colour – red brown – warm nose, simpler than the Kracher and sweet, but not too heavy. Given the recioto treatment on mats, this wine wasn’t too hot and had uplifting acidity at the end. Great way to finish with two unusual dessert wines.