... we have to endure while learning about the 6 major varieties of the grape. It was the next to last meeting in our evening class concerning the 6 major grape varieties (Riesling, Sauv Blanc, Chardonnay, Cab Sauv, Syrah, and Pinot Noir). Wine came in three flights (blind), on of three whites, one of three reds, and, as a bonus run, two further reds. The frist white was rahter light yellow, almost colorless. [N] Yellow ripe apples and a sniff of honey [P] Mildly acidic attack, unelegant, bit of fruit, and slightly oaky accroding to some. My take was a chardonnay from some less exalted part of Bourgogne, possibly a Macon - in fact it was Leflaive´s Les Setilles, some sort of entry level Chard, a generic Bourgogne - would ahve been accceptable on a Thursday at a price of c. SEK
65, but it is, in fact, SEK 125 which simply is highway robbery. Shame! The second was as pale as the frist. [N] Invasive elderberry blossom, posssibly with a hint of mineral and fruit.- [P Boring elderberry blossom juice with some length but littel to recommend it. Proved to be a Bx SB, Sauvignon de Lurton. This is broadcast as a warning to ye all. Cost SEK 79 whh is about 15% too much. The third: ah, here comes a wine ... Color stands out immediately in gold and buttercup yellow. [N]Petroleum mixed with more petroleum, a dash of honey, and some petroleum for good measure. [P] Considerable sweetness in attack, followed by good acidity, slate-y mineral, and continued sweetness tending towars the mildly cloying, obviously of low alcohol, and, to noone´s surprise, a German Riesling: Rauenthaler Baiken Auslese 1990 from Kloster Eberbach. Price is going ballistic for these older, ripe Rielsings: this one is SEK 269. Now come the reds ... First out is a very dark red wine with tendency to purple highlights [N Round, soft, accomodating, cedar, walnut wood, smoke, touch of roast, tarry, raw meat, and something my fellows identified as pepper, although it doesn´t smell like pepper to ME. [P] Attack is quite acidic, dominating the taste palette, following up with tobacco I was stumped by the acidity inot believing this to be a Cab Sauv. More fool me, it was a Croze Hermitage "Les Launes" from Delas, priced SEK 139. ight be good in a few years. Now, to raw and unpolished. The second red had a very pale red color, identifying it (within context) as a Pinot Noir. [N]Leather, some said strawberries - if so, I don´t want that kind of strawberries ... [P] Atack is very mild, it has some sweetness, and, is totally lacking in style ... some jokes were made about red wine for Hell´s Angels, but the jokes weren´t particularly funny, besides, some of my best friends prefer this kind of PN to reds from Bourgogne ... A Chilean, Errazuriz Estate PN, price SEK 79. LAst out, as dark and purplish as the first. [N] Minerals, dark fruit, evolving into black currants, jammy, jammy black currants, a smell from the black currant syrup my mother used to make in my childhood ... [P] Sweetness, thin and undecided acids, meaty tannines, a taste om mint and eucalyptus. A very Oz Cab Sauvignon from Coonawarra, Hollick 2002 (apparently it contains some Merlot as well), at SEK 129. Some people will really like this one. I´m the other kind.
After these two flights everybody, not least the isntructor, looked severely depressed. He had little trouble getting us into a third flight of two bonus wines ... Both were slightly aged, with brick colored edges. [N] Chocolate is the immediate impression, followed by a dank cellary kind of smell, and finishing, unexpectedly, on new baked bread. [P] ACidity in the attack, but little fruti and tannines. PAs its prime, at least, this bottle was past its prime, even though it comes from what apaprently is a good vintage: Beauregard 1990, a POmerol, from the Western edge of the region. Could possibly be aquired for the sum of SEK 300.
Second: [N] Smells like a Chinese food store. Notes od stable, and blackberry jam in the mix. [P] Retains a strong tannic structure and smay be good for some years yet, I would hazard that this wine may keep evolving. The wine must be starving, because it screams for food! A Madiran, Montus from 1995. It could be bought fro SEK 200.
1 USD = 6.90 SEK, 1 EU = SEK 9.10
Not one of my favorite tastings.
Cheers
Nils Gustaf