February seems both long ago, yet only recent, with both the rhythm of seasons and life partly frozen and confused by lockdowns. This tasting took place in Napa in February 2020. Writing in September 2020, in Melbourne, we remain in lockdown. In our city, this means being permitted only to travel up to 5 kilometres…Continue readingBordeaux 2015 tasting in Napa
Tag: Sauternes
Last weekend, the annual Institute of Masters of Wine Bordeaux tasting in bottle of the 2014 vintage took place in Sydney. I expected this to be a much more popular event than the previous year’s tasting of the 2013s (you can read my reviews of that tasting here) which was a poor vintage. But in…Continue readingInstitute of Masters of Wine Bordeaux 2014 in bottle Sydney tasting
Held in Sydney by the Institute of Masters of Wine on the weekend, this was a first close local look at the 2013 vintage of Bordeaux. The 2013 vintage in Bordeaux was, of course, rather dire. It saw a dismal spring, an early summer and catastrophic flowering. The vintage culminated with tropical weather at the…Continue readingIMW Annual Bordeaux tasting – 2013 vintage
The rather fortunate opportunity arose to taste two Sauternes wines blind together from two grand estates – Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Rieussec. The results were very interesting. Would the d’Yquem be an unassailable beacon of Sauternes quality? Would it justify being five times the price of the Rieussec? Does label matter? Would the vintage make…Continue readingd’Yquem v Rieussec; Chateau d’Yquem 1989 and Chateau Rieussec 1988
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A vinous round up
Here is a vinous round up of wine notes that I, for one reason or another, have not been quick enough to type out individual posts on, but nonetheless ought to be commented upon. There are some very good wines among these. In re-reading them, it is a bit of vinous Noah’s Ark which, more…Continue readingA vinous round up
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Chateau de Suberne Loupiac 2006
Loupiac is one of the “acks” that surround Sauternes where much very good dessert wine can be had at remarkably fair prices considering the cost and effort it takes to produce high quality wines in this region. The 2006 Chateau de Suberne can be picked up for a song at under $40 for a 750ml…Continue readingChateau de Suberne Loupiac 2006
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Château Guiraud 1989
I don’t tend to drink dessert style wines, and I don’t eat a lot of foie gras, the culinary match of Sauternes. Wines like this make me wonder whether that’s a substantial error. The Sauternes region in Bordeaux produces one of the great sweet wine styles of the world with the best examples combining length,…Continue readingChâteau Guiraud 1989
This is an unusual Sauternes from Domaine de Rousset Peyraguey. Biodynamically tended and from the heatwave 2003 Bordeaux vintage, it presents (tasted blind) with a richness that is almost intoxicatingly voluptuous. Almost Rutherglen like. Aromatics of marmalade, orange peel and brown sugar give way to a rich and long caramel infused palate. Rating: Very GoodAbv:…Continue readingDomaine de Rousset-Peyraguey Délicatesse d’Or 2003
The 1989 from Chateau Climens is one of the more complete botyrtis style wines I have tasted. It is a superb wine, with aromatics of marmalade and orange skins. The palate sings, with long length, viscous apricot, honey and botrytis characters, and a certain generosity of fruit flavour that is balanced by good acidity. This…Continue readingChateau Climens Sauternes Barsac 1989
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A weekly wrap; 16 March 2014
It’s not every week that I can look through a number of subregions in the Languedoc-Roussillon, some stellar old white Burgundies from Chassagne-Montrachet dating from the 1980s and early 1990s, some old Bordeaux from 1986 and 1989, and one of the best vintages of Mount Mary’s cabernet that I’ve tasted. Being routinely time poor, it…Continue readingA weekly wrap; 16 March 2014
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Château Guiraud 1996
Château Guiraud’s 1996 Sauternes has aromatics reminding of peach, apricot and some orange rind. The palate has high acid, and flavours of lemon, orange rind and not a lot of botrytis. The length is between medium and long. Overall, a good Sauternes due to the length and complexity of flavours, but not a great one.…Continue readingChâteau Guiraud 1996
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Chateau de Mauvin Sauternes 2006
There are some good Sauternes out there that aren’t from the well known names. Even though this wine will be difficult to find in Australia, I thought it worth writing up, as it presents very well and illustrates this point. The Australian trilogy of distance, high taxes and small market size as ever…Continue readingChateau de Mauvin Sauternes 2006