On holiday in Jersey 28/09/2003 (TNB)
Two Italian Estates 27/09/2003 (TNB)
- Pinot Grigio 2002, Colli Orientale del Friuli (Ronco delle Betulle)
Young wine peardrop nose with a touch of perfume and a hint of bacon fat. Balanced palate and good length with a very slight but attractive touch of bitterness.
- Tocai Friulano 2002, Colli Orientale del Friuli (Ronco delle Betulle)
Closed at first but things emerge.
Full-bodied and with a touch more of the bitterness on the finish.
- Sauvignon blanc 2002, Colli Orientale del Friuli (Ronco delle Betulle)
Lovely pure varietal character.
- Ribolla Gialla 2001, Colli Orientale del Friuli (Ronco delle Betulle)
A touch of complexity from barriques. Trades the purity of the others for complexity. Hard to say much about the variety. Top
- Franconia Rosso 1996, della Venezia Guilia (Ronco delle Betulle)
I like the high-toned fruit - somewhere between Loire and Burgundy. Leafy, brambley. Surprisingly young-tasting.
- Chianti Classico 2001 (Casaloste)
Appetising - juicy, hinting at chocolate, good acidity and long. A good
- Chianti Classico 2000 (Casaloste)
ripe and forward easy - good effort in what may be a more difficult vintage. For drinking.
- Chianti Classico Riserva 2000 (Casaloste)
Spiced up by barriques - and very well too. Succulent and attractive.
- Chianti Classico Riserva 1999 (Casaloste)
Back to grippy 99 - a more ageworthy vintage. New oak just about in control. A reasonable
- Chianti Classico Riserva Don Vincenzo 1999 (Casaloste)
Quite herby, labouring under its oak but scented - more will emerge. Top
- Chianti Classico Riserva Don Vincenzo 1995 (Casaloste)
Quite interesting - herby, farmyardy - but drying out a bit.
Recent dry whites 13/09/2003 (TNB)
- Riesling Herrenweg Cuvee Speciale 1990 (C. Schleret)
Very petrolly nose. Very dry - a bit of an enigma: at times there seemed to be something hiding but more often it seemed a bit weak, whether because of having not aged so well or because it was a bit lacking in the first place I am not sure.
- Cotes du Rhone Reserve blanc 1989 (Chateau de Fonsalette)
Absolutely lovely - herb-infused waxy (or is it as Jancis says gluey) Southern Rhone, completely fresh with decent length and just oozing character. This was even better on day two and after agonising, why shouldn't I give four stars to a cotes du Rhone blanc if it is this pleasurable to drink?
- Riesling Saering 1989 (Schlumberger)
The fruit here has expanded from its tight youth and now fills the mouth with mature riesling and a streak of chalky minerality. Absolutely at peak now I think and very good drinking.
- Chassagne Montrachet Caillerets 1999 (Girardin)
I'm getting the hang of Girardin - this is straight-down-the-middle Chassagne, very good, but it doesn't have the grip to make me think it is a very long-term prospect.
- Brauneberger Juffer Auslese 1983 (Licht-Bergweiler)
Fresh, reasonably spicy complexity, very refreshing and attractive. Very pleasant easy drinking
- Chavignol La Grande Cote 1991 (Cotat)
Fresh, very mineral and with the nose and palate concentrated around a surpriing flavour that our upstairs neighbour pointed out is elderberry.
Very attractive wine. Top
- Riesling Le Kottabe 1999 (Josmeyer)
My first impression was that this was a bit thin, and while it is appetisingly dry and even has decent length, the feeling remains that it lacks real substance. A top
- Pernand-Vergelesses blanc 1988 (Rollin)
Lots of bottle stink, most of which blows off to reveal excellent mineral fruit that has aged rather well. But it remains a bit unattractive - almost a suggestion thast it isn't quite clean (or is it just that the 88's are in an odd phase). While I could enjoy what is underneath it is not great drinking right now.
- L'Arrivet Haut Brion 2000
Tropical pineapple fruit - rich but finishes a touch flat. Not a long keeper I suspect but could do with a year or two to integrate.
- Rully blanc 2000 (J H Jonnier)
Really good village wine with plenty of fruit, decent balance and some length. Probably be at its best in a year or so. Not ambitious but well made - I've had worse village Chassagnes! Perhaps even merits
- Tokay Vieille Vignes 1990 (Zind-Huimbrecht)
This slips down a treat with its luscious texture despite its slight sweetness. Oddly, it seems to have aged very well but on the other hand nothing very exciting seems to have emerged from the fruit. From a half. On this showing a top
Wine group at Duggie's 07/09/2003 (TNB)