5.6.40
Fine Wine Diary The Bailey brothers have now tasted 12082 wines in 28 years 6 months and 14 days
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Diary index

Gang of Three at Mark's 29/05/1996 (RJB)

28/05/1996 (TNB)

27/05/1996 (RJB)

26/05/1996 (TNB)

24/05/1996 (RJB)

Oddbins FW Red burgundy tasting 23/05/1996 (TNB)

19/05/1996 (TNB)

Lay and Wheeler Californian tasting at Noel Young Wines 18/05/1996 (RJB)

At Lionel's 18/05/1996 (RJB)

Noel Young Wines presents a tasting of Simi Wines with Zelma Long 15/05/1996 (RJB)

12/05/1996 (TNB)

11/05/1996 (RJB)

Riesling tutored by John Hoskins, Cambridge Food & Wine Society 09/05/1996 (RJB)

05/05/1996 (TNB)

04/05/1996 (RJB)

The Diary - May 1996

Gang of Three at Mark's 29/05/1996 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 29/05/1996   Return to top

28/05/1996 (TNB)

  • Vouvray, Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec 88 (Huet) From a half. Huge grass and honey nose, lovely weight in the mouth, long finish. Just starting to open out into maturity - deliciouss. If one had to criticise, it's a bit of a monolith. 90.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 28/05/1996   Return to top

27/05/1996 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 27/05/1996   Return to top

26/05/1996 (TNB)

  • Ch. Rousset (Cotes de Bourg) 83 Taken to a party, but turned out to be remarkably drinkable mature lightweight Bordeaux! 84.
  • Bollinger NV At least five years in cellar. Nice mature flavours, heading slightly towards oxidative(?). Pleasant though. 87.
  • Ch Coufrn 82 From a half, good plummy fruitcake fruit, but a shade one-dimensional. 86.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 26/05/1996   Return to top

24/05/1996 (RJB)

  • Barolo 1991, Giacomo Borgogno Light to medium weight Barolo with a beautifully vibrant orange-tinged colour. Light cherry, leather and wood aromas with flavours to match (although presently masked by tannin). It will never be stunning, but in five years or so it should be a very pleasant bottle. 87
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 24/05/1996   Return to top

Oddbins FW Red burgundy tasting 23/05/1996 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 23/05/1996   Return to top

19/05/1996 (TNB)

  • Barbera d'Alba 93 (Sandrone) Crushed blackberries and something animal -- lamb fat perhaps. Reasonable concentration. I'd like to taste this in a first rate vintage. 86.
  • Mas de Daumas Gassac 93 I remember wines from this property as quite fat and sweet. In fact, it strikes me know as very claret like, quite dry, pure Cabernet fruit with cigarry overtones. Nice structure without harshness. Like a reasonable second growth from a goodish vintage, rather good value at about a tenner! 89+
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 19/05/1996   Return to top

Lay and Wheeler Californian tasting at Noel Young Wines 18/05/1996 (RJB)

Also tasted a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc from Frog's Leap, but failed to take a note of exactly what. It smelt of bacon.

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 18/05/1996   Return to top

At Lionel's 18/05/1996 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 18/05/1996   Return to top

Noel Young Wines presents a tasting of Simi Wines with Zelma Long 15/05/1996 (RJB)

As Zelma Long said, Simi try to make wines that can be drunk straight from the shop, and, to me, this results in a style of wine (especially with the reds) that I'm not particularly fond of - soft and medium bodied.
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 15/05/1996   Return to top

12/05/1996 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 12/05/1996   Return to top

11/05/1996 (RJB)

  • Domaine des Baumelles 1992, Cotes du Luberon Not a complicated wine, but it does have good berry fruit and balance. Surprisingly drinkable at this level. 83
  • Gewurztraminer Herrenweg 1990, Zind-Humbrecht From a half. A huge wine that has lost some of its extrovert fruit. At present it gives the impression of being too big for its own good. It will be interesting to see how it ages, and whether this is just a slightly disappointing stage in its evolution. 87
Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 11/05/1996   Return to top

Riesling tutored by John Hoskins, Cambridge Food & Wine Society 09/05/1996 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 09/05/1996   Return to top

05/05/1996 (TNB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 05/05/1996   Return to top

04/05/1996 (RJB)

Tasting notes added to Fine Wine Diary 04/05/1996   Return to top