Domaine Robert-Denogent

Tried this at Xmas...it got lost in the mix of wine and food...
Decided this time to decant 3 hours before...poured back into the bottle shortly before drinking.
The grower is in Fuisse..but this cuvée is from Meursault...100% Chardonnay
Domaine Robert-Denogent, Jean-Jacques Robert-Denogent, Fuisse, Maconnais Bourgogne 'Murgey de Limozin' Ultime, 2004
Pale colour; mineraly nose, trace of pineapple; elegant, slightly reserved at the moment, altho decanting helped enormously, still found something in glass, a wine to work on, nutty and creamy..a soft explosion of flavour at the end..fine wine..
Points 17 (needs a few years)

Schmitts Kinder Domina & Spätburgunder

Wines that win prizes are usually sold out by the time you find out that they won!!
Every December in Germany there is a Pinot Noir Cup...with top European wines entering the competition.
I decided to find out the winner before it appears in Wine Gourmet in February.
First places went to a Swiss company(sold out) and
Weingut Schmitts Kinder Spätburgunder 'S' Trocken 2004 in Franconia.
I called the Vineyard and spoke to Karl Martin Schmitt and asked if I could buy the wine..'How many'? he asked. 'Twelve bottles please' I replied. His reply was 'I can let you have three'.....
BUT..and here we come to this posting...he has a '2nd' wine..Spätburgunder mixed with a German cloned grape(Portugieser & Spätburgunder) called Domina..Vintage 2005..I ordered 3 bottles to try.
Schmitts Kinder Domina & Spätburgunder Trocken, Franken, Germany 2005
Red brick colour, pale rim; lovely aroma of ripe Pinot and a slight 'masculine' touch which is the Domina; soft flavoured, lovely sweetness of the Pinot, creamy..a real treat.
Points 17

PS..I have ordered some more

Can't wait to try the Spätburgunder 'S'

Cool Barbara

Back in the late 70's/early 80's..the only wines you got from Spain were gorgeous, cheap Riojas...
Because of the success..Spain then forgot about quality and streched their wines...into the 90's they were back on track..and nowadays the whole of Spain seems to be producing good to great wines.
Bàrbara Forés Negre, Terra Alta, Spain 2002
The thing I like most about the new Spanish wines..they smell...like they taste...like they are....
Perfect restaurant wines I would think...
This one is from the lighter 2002 vintage..Grenache, Syrah & Carignan are the grapes: spicy flavour, cool and elegant, with nice juicy fruits.
Points 15.5

Italian Wines at La Villa

Visited an Italian Restaurant 'La Villa' in the town..with 2 visitors from the U.S.A.
It was their treat..but I got to choose the wines.
Panizzi di San Gimignano Vernaccia Riserva 2001 Toscana
San Gimignano has recently realised that its Vernaccia does have an ability to age. Previously it had always been considered a wine for early drinking, within a couple of years, but recent tastings of some older bottles have proved otherwise.
Twelve months in barrel.
Gold colour; nose reserved at first...
airing opened it to show medium oak aromas;
sweetish opening flavour with the oak
and acidity nicely balanced, a touch of
botrytis...again improved with airing,
has taken on weight with age and is
certainly a very interesting wine.
A tip..decant 2 hours before drinking..
16




Chose the Strozzi Sodole 1999 but it was sold out..
so decided on the Millanni, a wine the
vineyard first produced in 1994
Strozzi Millanni 1999 RossoToscana San Gimignano
A Sangiovese-Cabernet-Merlot blend
Superb deep colour,a dark brooding wine;
herbaceous aromas, berries, plums;
a lean entry leads to a rounded,
medium-bodied palate with drying, grainy tannins.
Porty..needs a few years..and softened with airing
Again..2 hours in a decanter would have helped.
16.5....more with a few years in bottle






More information on the back label

Rebstock Spätburgunder 'R' 2000 Rheinland Pfalz

Rebstock Spätburgunder 'R' 2000 Rheinland Pfalz
This has only just been released...
and my question is..WHY?
Medium colour, light rim;
smokey, slightly burnt aroma;
soft medium flavour but dryness apparent...
which begs the question..
why not release it earlier so
we could try the fruit that was obviously
there in it's youth.
Strange decision by the grower..
doesn't work for me.
15

Seeger Blauer Spätburgunder 'R' Baden 2004

Seeger Blauer Spätburgunder 'R' 2004
Heidelberger Herrenberg
Baden, Germany



Good medium deep colour;
big meaty nose, reserved,
sweetness not yet developed;
full mouthfull, velvety, soft & juicy,
elegant style..needs a year or two..
flavour better than nose but it's all there
waiting...very good wine.
Points 17.5 (probably a point more in future)

Quinta De La Rosa Reserva 2004

Quinta De La Rosa Douro Tinto Reserva 2004
Grapes:Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional & Tinta Cao.


Deep colour; chocolate on the nose,
even porty; spicy tannis, backward still,
slight bitterness of youth spoiled it for me;
needs time and at the moment not a
wine I would return to.
Points 15 (more later)

White Grapes

Three Whites from the New World...all with the grape origens in France.
Tasted on different days.....
1. Fairview Viognier 2004
Paarl South Africa
Yellow gold colour; first sniff before my wife took a sip; quite good....half an hour later..gone.. just winey...very strange; decent enough fruit with dryness at the end.
Points 14.5
The grape at it's best is in France..in the Rhone..
called Condrieu...memories of a Hotel/Restaurant 'Beau Rivage'..on a hot summer evening with the Rhone river just 50 yards away..and a wine list of local Condrieu to choose from. Bliss!






2. Louisvale Chardonnay 2004
Stellenbosch South Africa
Rich golden colour; butterscotch nose at first, faded with airing, burnt aroma: medium weight, nice balance; as I went back to it..it bacame very one-dimensional.

Points 15.5

Chardonnay, of course, is best from Burgundy in France. Expensive, but the great wines Meursault,
Puligny Montrachet & Chassagne Montrachet..along with Chablis are at the top of the Chardonnay tree.





3. Gravitas Sauvignon Blanc 2004
Marlborough New Zealand
Nice reserved nose, some others from NZ have been to upfront with the gooseberry and Cat's Piss smell!(believe me..that is what they can smell like).
This is much better tho, melons and passionfruits..lovely juicy wine..herbs..
and a good balance and nice finish.
Points 17

Sauvignon Blanc best known in the Loire.. Sancerre..
but my favourite comes from Italy from
Vie di Romans..the Piere Sauvignon.

Menu For Four

No..this will not turn into a food blog & don't go thinking I eat like this every day!
I eat well because my wife is a great cook. The reason for the menu was a visit from my wife's oldest friend and her partner.

















Selbstgemachte Feigensauce
Gänsestopfleber Kalt
Gänsestopfleber Warm


Homemade Fig Sauce
Foie gras d'oie (Cold Goose Liver)
Foie gras d'oie (Warm Goose Liver)


































Shrimps und Jakobsmuscheln mit
Cocos-Chili-Zitronengras-Ingwer Sauce
Grüner Spargel-Mango Salat

Shrimps and Coquille St. Jacques(Mussels)
in Coconut-Chili-Lemon Grass-Ginger Sauce
Green Asparagus-Mango Salad

















Frische Pasta mit brauner Butter und
frisch gehobelten weißen Trüffeln

Freshly Made Pasta with
Brown Butter and
Freshly Grated White Truffel
















Wachtelbrüstchen in Cognacsauce mit
Kräuterseitlingen und
Kartoffeln 'Dauphinoise'

Breast of Quail in Cognac Sauce
with 'Pleurotus eryngii' Mushrooms in Herbs
and Potato 'Dauphinoise'


















Schaumeier in Vanille-Creme mit
frischem Kirschenkompott

Oeuf a la Nage(classic dessert from France)
with Cherry compote

And the wines..well..as the gentleman visitor was a grower from the Pfalz..we drank
Knipser Steinbuckel
Riesling Spätlese
Trocken 2003

&

Knipser Cuvée X Trocken
Barriqueausbau 2003

Click on wine name to see previous posts for tasting notes

New World Pinot Noir 2004

New World Pinot..both grown in cool climate areas of their
respective countries and tasted on different days.





Nautilus Pinot Noir 2004
Marlborough. New Zealand
Light colour, age at rim; raspberry & plum aromas;
cool climate style, juicy flavour, cherry toned, ripe and sweet, reminded me of a good Cote Chalonnais from Burgundy.
Points 17

Now..this wine was what is smelled like until it's finish..unlike the following one.






Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2004
Walker Bay.South Africa
Medium colour; strawberries and dark fruits on the nose;
medium full mouthful, sweet at first then dry tannins..
style?..well..
Old World restraint,
New World fruit...
certainly better with food..
what was left in the bottle later was losing fruit...
I do have problems with wines like this..
they are not sure what they want to be..
will try again with guests..
maybe I am being to hard on it
Points 15.5

Knipser Vineyards Rheinland Pfalz Part 3

Continuing the Knipser tastings..here is the final flight

Knipser Steinbuckel Riesling Spätlese Trocken 2003
Now here is the exact opposite to the South African Chardonnay...taste the difference...
Already traces of petroleum(it's what I smell & love in aged Riesling), mineraly & flinty; medium weight in the mouth, perfect balance, acidity integrated with the fruit..long finish.
Points 17.5


This is the perfect wine for
1. Mild Curries
2. Sauerkraut with Leberwurst
3. Sushi..which is what I ate with this excellent Riesling
and just about anything really..a most flexible grape!
PS..for all those who think of Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese as grades of sweetness..forget it..it is a sign of the quality!




Knipser Syrah Auslese Trocken 2003

Twenty months in new oak;deep colour; meaty and animal aromas(it's how I describe this grape at it's best);plenty of ripe juicy fruits in the mouth, no 'corners'..this is just about ready to drink..but is so well put togther it will certainly improve and develope more and will merit maybe a point more with age.
Points 17.5

Old Labels #2

Xmas Day Evening ..December 25th 1989..at home..wines all from my cellar.. I forget who was there..but it certainly wasn't any beer drinkers.
The 4 wines were
1. Meursault Michelot-Garnier 1973 Points 18
2. Le Corton Domaines Du Chateau De Beaune 1959 Points 19
3. Leoville Barton 1945 St Julian Bordeaux Points 19.5
4. Solera Schultz Malaga 1885 Points 18
Here is the Corton label and the tasting notes.

Le Corton Domaines Du Chateau De Beaune 1959
Very fine colour, 1959 was a GREAT vintage; elegant nose, one you could work on..every time you went to it it had developed other characters; medium weight, not the blockbuster type that many think Burgundy are..superb flavour, class, exquisite balance and a long long finish, classic..and the Bordeaux was better?
Points 19

Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2005

Now..South African Wines and myself haven't yet fallen in love..we have had the odd affair..but nothing that made the earth move! My first experience was about 15 years ago..and a 'Dieu Donné' Chardonnay was impressive and very reasonably priced. Back then though, my tastes were different. Which brings me to this wine and style.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2005
Oaky nose, lime, but closed and reserved; disjointed at the moment...trying to be elegant but the oak is hovering...it needs a year or two maybe..but would I go back and want to drink it?..I doubt it..mainly because my tastes have changed (an age thing)..and I search for 'natural' wines and not the Chard with oak style. Others may love it..
Points 15

Bistro Tasting

Met up with 2 friends, Robert & Volker, at a local Bistro where we take our own wine and pay corkage. First up was a bottle Robert had brought with him.
Domaine Yves Cuilleron 'Les Chaillets' Vieilles Vignes 2005
Buttery nose, traces of peaches and honey; not as 'heavy' as previous vintages, a slim-line model and all the better for it, good acidity makes this a fine drink. Condrieu of this quality will age but tends to fill out and become 'voluptuous' and too much for one man! We ate chopped cuttlefish in garlic sauce(the cook is in love maybe...cos it was a GOOD dose)...but the wine combatted the food and we came out unskaved. Condrieu is about the only style of wine that could cope with menus 'al la' El Bulli in Spain.
Points 18



The two bottles I had brought were covered up so the other two had to puzzle over land, grape etc...nothing like it to build up an appetite.
ConoSur Ocio Pinot Noir 2003
Casablanca Valley Chile
Purple colour, medium deep; the nose reminded me of a children's drink 'Ribena' which is very strong cassis, wild strawberries as well; juicy flavour, with the cassis touch continuing, no tannins, easy drinking and a good length. This wine spends 12 months in French oak and the grapes foot-trodden by young Chilean woman
(last bit is not true..but the alcohol is taking over by now)
Points 17






Ziereisen Jaspis Pinot Noir Alte Reben 2004 Baden Germany
I first encountered this Vineyard a year ago..and drank the 'Rhini' 2002 over a period. It had won a gold medal in Decanter magazine. I recently ordered some half bottles of 2004 'Rhini' and some bottles of this.This is the next step up..and was top of a flight of Spätburgunder wines tasted in Germany.
The vines are 45 years old and the wine spends
22 months in oak.
We realised as we drank..this needs decanting..after every visit to the glass it had changed, opened and improved. Full, classy Pinot, cranberries; excellent weight, meaty wine but elegant and with perfect balance. This is super now but will improve over the next few years.We stayed with this one until it was empty before returning to the previous wine.
Points 18

Both wines went well with the lamb in mustard sauce and a good havana and a Latte Machiatto ended the usual excellent evening.

Finca Sandoval 2003 Manchuela Spain

Finca Sandoval 2003 Manchuela
This cuvee of 80% Syrah, 9% Mourvedre, 7% Bobal, and 4% Tempranillo was bottled unfiltered having spent eleven months in French oak.
Dark colour; blackberries, pepper, licorice, cassis, and chocolate on the nose;
soft 'brittle' tannins..which will keep the wine top for 10 years..but so beautifully balanced that it can be drunk now; velvety mouthful with an enticing long finish
Points 18