Last night had supper with two mates from our wine club and spouses. A simple evening!
Apart from the fizz and white wine, all blind.
Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 1996, our English "Champagne" and one of the Queen's faves. Champagne encepage. A light restrained bisquity nose with floral hints. Good fruit but somewhat hollow and acidic, long. Needed more weight, I seem to remember the 93 was fatter.
With Parma ham peaches and roast almonds. d'Arenburg. The Hermit Crab. Marsanne, Viognier. 2004. Maclaren Vale, South Oz. Bright and golden, heady nose of peaches and tropical fruit. Wonderful soft entrance with fat fruit, yet some spice. Alcohol+ Bit of a coincidence after the Marsanne thread and food.
With tradtional English braised pheasant with all the trimmings.
Croze Hermitage Thalabert 2000. A liitle dull, and hint of age. Dumb nose, though did open up to reveal tinned tomatoes. Soft with fruit and spice. short. A reasonable glugging restaurant wine but not a patch on its partner served at the same time. Croze Hermitage Thalabert, 1990, chalk and cheese. Bright wonderful robe with no hint of age. Just looking at it screamed class. Rampant nose of menthol, spice tomatoes. Soft entrance with fat centre, fruit and tannin all in balance. Long. Wonderful....if this is Thalabert, what about..La Chappelle 90, I have six bottles. ( do I sell or drink?, buy a bit of 2005 claret with the proceeds)
With Spanish cheese Hermitage La Chapelle 1978, one of the finest Rhones of the last century. Paler than the previous Thalabert, almost Burgundian robe, an organic margaux nose yet obvious syrah, complex spice. Soft entrance then Bang, still huge chewy tannins masking the cinnamon fruit. Long I raised the question of whether this is like 75 Lascases? Still hard after almost thirty years. Will they come round?
With Bakewell tart Gaston Huet Le Mont 1976, bright gold with classic Riesling nose!!!!, no hint of sweetness, just a delicate mouthful. Most pleasant. I pronounced it was a good German Riesling from 76, when told "No", I went back and got it right, old chenin and even the producer. I'll never learn. Rieussec 1976, from a half bottle. Nothing looks like 76 Rieussec, dark gold, and bright, no hint of oxidisation and bot up your nose, still fine balancing acidity and very long. A wonderful stickie to finish. A simple evening, but a joy to drink fine wines and feast on simple food with one's mates. Heaven.