Category Archives: Wine Tastings

Cabernets that we are recommending

Chateau Coutet

Reviewed: 24th April 2012

I had the pleasure of sitting down to dinner with Aline Baly from Chateau Coutet whilst tasting through a number of vintages back to 1986. It was fantastic to see how the wines evolved over time and also how the different vintage conditions influences the style of a particular wine.

The blend of grapes going into Coutet remains constant; Semillon – 75%, Sauvignon Blanc – 23% and Muscadet 2%. Apparently, the proportion of sauvignon blanc is higher than that used by most other Sauternes producers. The purpose is to make the wine crisp/sharp, even nervy. An energetic Sauternes then? Aline tells the story that the name Coutet means knife, hence they feel obliged to make a sharp wine 🙂

One point that was raised on the night was the amount of bottle to bottle variation with some vintages. Again, the less than perfect cork can be held accountable. We did not try any bad bottles, it is just that with the older wines (’89 in particular), there were differing degrees of development.

Without doubt, the highlight of the evening was tasting the two bottles of Cuvee Madame. Only released in exceptional years and only 100 dozen made in a particular vintage. I believe that there has only been 14 vintages released to date, with the 1997 being the latest. I need to express my gratitude to Bob Winterbottom for supplying both of these wines!

Finally, the 2010 Bordeaux indent has just began, so contact your friendly retailer if you would like to order the latest Coutet.

NB. This was not a blind tasting, so my points are best used as a comparison between vintages rather than in absolute terms. That said, the best wines were outstanding.

Reviewed

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – 2007 (18). Obvious viscosity and sweetness, though the palate is very fine and taut, courtesy of the lovely acidity. The length is superb with honey, grapefruit and apricot fruit characters. Subtle and delicate, this will build in power and intensity with age.

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – 2006 (17.7). Very delicate and fine, with lovely, floral fruit. There is less of the intense apricot/honey characters here, reflecting vintage conditions. Very closed at this stage, the finish is fresh, fine and seamless. An excellent aperitif.

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – 2005 (17.8). Deeper hue than the 2006. More obvious botrytis characters on the nose, with plenty of apricot and orange marmalade. The palate is more intense, with some of the minerals that the house is (apparently) known for. Powerful and structured, with excellent length, the sweetness is more obvious.

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – 2004 (17.5 – 18). Another intense wine that has both bower and balance. More nutty, with more minerality than 2005. Very intense palate with good length. Did not have the carry and depth of the greatest wines, but the wine really developed character with time in the glass. One to watch.

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – 1997 (NR).

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – 1989 (18.8). There was some bottle variation on the night, though none of the bottles were bad. Fantastic nose showing orange marmalade, apricot, floral notes, minerals and nutty fruit. One taster suggested a hint of Madeira. The palate was vibrant, and impressively fresh for a wine of such age. There was a degree of development, but the powerful fruit and superb acidity give the wine great length and penetration.

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – 1988 (18+). Lighter and more feminine than the ’89, this is reserved and oh so subtle. Balanced, long, fine and restrained, with citrus highlights, this is remarkably youthful. A complete wine in a lighter style that will live for many years.

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – Cuvee Madame – 1989 (19). Remarkably fresh, concentrated and powerful, with marmalade and apricot aromas. The palate is incredible. Amazing intensity, but at the same time, elegant and restrained. Perfectly judged sweetness combined with mouth-watering acidity and a touch of viscosity to make this an incredible wine.

Chateau Coutet – Sauternes – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadet – Cuvee Madame – 1986 (18.9). Youthful! This is another incredible wine that has lovely spiced fruit and perfume. The palate is very exciting. It is fine, refined, very long and starting to develop. This is a lighter style than the 1989, but totally delicious all the same.

Lovedale and OP & OH

The Wine And Food Society of Western Australia

Reviewed: 10 October 2011

Hunter semillon is very Sydney. People (and wine critics/judges) in NSW love the stuff. Outside of the state though, the reception is a little mixed. I think the reason for this is the lack of exposure. With the plethora of white wines coming from regions like Margaret River, Adelaide Hills and Marlborough, Hunter semillon gets a little lost in the crowd.

It was with this in mind that I arranged this tasting. I wanted to get to know a little more about the style and what better way to do it than with a vertical tasting of Lovedale. This is an iconic wine with a show record that every other white wine in the country would aspire to.

The grape resources available to McWilliams are fantastic. Whilst the Lovedale is their top white and the Maurice O’Shea their top red, they also produce the OP & OH shiraz. This is a truly amazing Old Vines shiraz at a bargain price.

The Old Paddock (OP) vineyard dates back to the 1920’s and the Old Hill (OH) vineyard the 1880’s. That’s right, 90 and 120 year old vines! This counts for nothing if the wine is not made well though. The vertical tasting of OP & OH showed a gradual evolution in style. The latest wines are modern, though with hints of their Hunter origin showing through.

I would like to thank Greg West from McWilliams for kindly arranging the wines for this tasting.

As the tasting was not blind, my points are a guide only.

Reviewed

Mount Pleasant – Semillon – Lovedale – 1998 (18.5). Lanolin, lovely lemon curd and a developed richness. The palate is taut with plenty of lemony acid. Amazing length driven by fine acidity. A refined and elegant wine that, while aged, has a degree of freshness.

Mount Pleasant – Semillon – Lovedale – 1999 (18). Actually darker than the 98. Richer and more complex on the nose. The palate is fantastic, with honey and lemon. Falls away a touch before building to a very long finish. Balanced. Classic Hunter semillon with a lovely mouth-feel.

Mount Pleasant – Semillon – Lovedale – 2001 (18.1). More zest to the citrus nose here. Oily, but again with purity of fruit. The length is again a standout. This is still a baby and will probably open up with another year or two in bottle.

Mount Pleasant – Semillon – Lovedale – 2003 (18.3). Again, richer with more body than the last. Incredibly intense, yet beautifully balanced. Develops some toasty/caramel notes on the finish. The acid here is actually softer than in some of the earlier wines, but super fruit carries the finish.

Mount Pleasant – Semillon – Lovedale – 2005 (18.5). Wow, this is spectacular, with so much going on. Lemon zest, lime, vanilla and lemon all vie for attention. The palate is juicy, textured and very long. An amazing wine of real structure and poise. A star and perhaps more powerful than the rest.

Mount Pleasant – Semillon – Lovedale – 2011 (18.5). Restrained and taut. Lemon zest and lime juice to the fore. This is reserved, but totally seamless. Has amazing presence in the mouth for what is a fairly neutral wine at the moment. The acidity and length define this wine.

Mount Pleasant – Shiraz – OH & OH – 1996 (17.5). Wow, lovely nose. Developed, rich fruit. Think plum, mulberry, leather and spice. Very complex and intriguing. The palate is drying out a touch with dried herbs and spice and there is plummy fruit to close, with a touch of dark chocolate. Smelly but lovely. An old fashioned wine and the finish is not as long as some here.

Mount Pleasant – Shiraz – OH & OH – 2002 (18.2). Much fresher, with cherry and plum fruit notes. Wow, the fruit on the palate is fantastic. Cherry, but with tar and almost floral flavours. Very long and dense, this is just a baby. Fruit, dark cherries and chocolate carry the finish. A satisfying wine that has some earthy notes starting to show.

Mount Pleasant – Shiraz – OH & OH – 2005 (17.8). Closed. This is super fine and refined. Plum, mulberry, raspberry, cherry and tar all on display. Acidity freshens the finish and there is leathery fruit to close.

Mount Pleasant – Shiraz – OH & OH – 2006 (18). Fresh fruit here, but quite closed. Super long and refined, it is easy to dismiss this wine as it lacks the weight of the earlier wines. That would be a shame, as the length and persistence are spot on. Builds intensity in the mouth, with white pepper to close. A more feminine wine.

Mount Pleasant – Shiraz – OH & OH – 2007 (18 – 18.5). Amazing colour, nose and palate. This has it all. Super fruit and winemaking. The length of flavour is superb. The finish fans out and evolves. An evolution in style.

Mount Pleasant Shiraz OP & OH – 2009 (18 – 18.5). Almost purple in colour. A very tight/closed nose, but the palate is spectacular. Sweet, high quality fruit, and skilled winemaking combine to make superb wine. Very youthful and closed, this will be excellent. Delicate and perfumed, yet there is incredible intensity and complexity. Superb wine!

Grosset Riesling

Vertical Tasting

Reviewed: 1 March 2012

Grosset Riesling Vertical Tasting

It is a real treat to be able to taste a great wine. To be able to taste more than a dozen vintages is a rare privilege! My good friend John Ranger must be applauded for putting this event on. It took a great deal of organising to get all the wines there on the night.

The tasting could be broken down into a number of stories. The first is the story of cork versus screw cap closure. The 97-99 Polish Hills all had corks and they were all quite developed, with one showing overt oxidative characters. From the 2000 vintage, all wines were sealed with a screw cap and the comparison was startling. Even the 2000 vintage was tinged with green and full of vitality. Yes they were showing signs of development, but this was controlled and predictable. Why would we ever go back to cork with these wines.

Another story was the evolution in style of the wines. It was apparent that the Polish Hill took a step up with the 2002 vintage. Every wine from this point on was exceptional. There was some discussion about what changes may have taken place in the vineyard/winery to account for the dramatic lift in quality.

The Watervale (now called Springvale) lagged the Polish Hill, with the Polish Hill having the “wow” factor. From 2005 though, the same lift in quality could be seen in the Springvale. Indeed, by 2009, it was apparent that this wine should be considered a superstar in its own right. In general., the Springvale had more of the citrus note on the nose and palate as compared to the minerals of the Polish Hill.

Another story could be the lack of overt kerosene aromas on any of the wines. There is some debate whether this is a good character or not on old rieslings, but I for one think the wines are better when it is not present.

Ultimately, the Polish Hill continues to have the edge, possessing an ethereal quality that keeps it at the pinnacle of Australian riesling. As one taster described, it is an exemplar of the style.

Wines Reviewed

Watervale

(Springvale)

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2000 (17.7). Lovely nose with real life and vitality, displaying hints of citrus. Interesting to see that the colour of all wines in this bracket are still tinged with green. Fresh and tight, with tingling acidity, there is an appealing talc-like quality on the finish. Very smart.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2001 (18). Closed in comparison to the 2000, with more assertive acid and, again, a touch of talc and citrus to close. Very long and fine, this still needs a few years to fully develop.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2002 (18.2). Tighter and more refined, with fresh lime characters. The palate started off quite austere and closed, but developed in the glass. This is very fine and long and the acid, whilst taut, is very polished.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2003 (17.8). Delicate and very fine, with superb acid and structure. Falls away on the finish initially, though this builds with time. May need a few years to show its best.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2004 (18.4). Lovely nose here. This is the best Watervale to date, with superb length and structure. More minerals here and steely acidity. Very youthful and very fresh.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2005 (18.5). A tight and exhilarating wine, this is spectacular. Amazing intensity and structure here. Minerals and lemony acid to burn.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2006 (18.5). Very floral and pretty, with lovely lime juice characters and steely acid. Superb structure, but very unrewarding at present. The wines are now entering into that dumb phase making them hard to read. Really opened up when it warmed up. A fine wine.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2007 (18). Very attractive nose that has more floral notes over lime juice and a slightly nutty edge to the fruit on the finish.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2008. (18.4). Very austere and tight, but extraordinarily fine and long. This is all potential. Seamless and with superb structure.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2009. (18.6). Has youthful appeal and real charm. This is a spectacular wine, that has everything in place, yet is totally gorgeous to drink now. The best Watervale today and a spectacular wine.

Grosset – Riesling – Watervale – 2010. (18.5). This is so pretty. Floral and fresh with subtle mineral notes. Bubblegum. This is an evolution of the style. The palate is very tight and a touch zesty. Great length and intensity, yet surprisingly subtle and fine.

Polish Hill

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 1997 (16.5). Golden, but a touch lighter in colour than the 98 and 99. Honey and hints of flowers on the nose. The palate is drying and quite austere. Good length, but without excitement.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 1998. (18). Complex, rich and enticing. Gorgeous nose and palate. Vibrant ripe fruit and fresh acid. Excellent length and mouth-feel.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 1999. (18). More toast than honey here. Complete and complex, with texture and richness, with superb length to close. Perhaps a touch advanced, but very complex and long.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2000. (18.3). More mineral here. The palate is fleshy and pulpy, with very fine structure and texture. Superb length, this is very fine and bears no resemblance to the wines under cork. Noticeably different to the 2000 Watervale stylistically.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2001. (18). A touch of flowers and minerals on a warmer, more inviting nose. Very fresh and fine, the structure is, again, superb. More mid palate weight and texture. This has great power and balance.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2002. (18.7). Opens with a touch of mineral oil. Superb wine that is tight and fresh. The acid here is searing, yet very compelling. Minerals to close. A great wine.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2003. (17.7). A touch flabby in comparison and a touch broad. A bit hard to follow on from the 02, this is actually very smart and quite rich, but with out the minerality of 02.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2004. (18.3). Minerals +++. This is very taut and closed, needing ten years to show its best. Another excellent wine.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2005. (18.6). Wow. This is a spectacular wine. So fresh and bright, but there is so much more. Very cool vintage. The mineral notes take precedence over fruit (grapefruit) notes. Very steely to close with a seamless palate of very great length. Grapefruit.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2006. (18.7). Wow. Steely and very tight, this remains extraordinarily fine. Super mouth-feel and excellent texture, this has a great future.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2007 (17.5). A touch more forward and developed, with a hint of oiliness and richness. A nice wine for earlier consumption.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2008. (18.7). More richness and character than the Watervale. Has a degree of intensity that separates it from the ordinary. The wine is also seamless, but has superb structure and amazing intensity.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2009 (19). Complete, seamless and incredibly long! Currently showing fresh lime juice over minerals and superb structure. This is a truly great wine and, quite possibly the best young riesling I have tasted. This wine is actually very accessible and in the very attractive, youthful end of the development spectrum.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2010 (18.5). Another very fine wine and very tight. Minerals, and zesty citrus with pink grapefruit overtones.

Grosset – Riesling – Polish Hill – 2011. (18.7). This is all potential. Spectacular palate again, though the nose is very subdued at present. There are beautiful floral notes and seamless structure. This will be a great wine, though, perhaps in a different style.

Other Reds – New Release

Reviewed: 25 October 2011

Not many of the wines made it through to this review, but the wines that did are all worthy of a look. The Angove – Butterfly Ridge is nothing more than a pleasant quaff. At RRP of $6.99 however, this is a great entry level wine.

The Grant Burge is a very good wine that, whilst not cheap, is good value all the same. Finally, The Hidden Cave by Devil’s Lair is a new label to me, but the wine is very smart.

Reviewed

Grant Burge – Grenache/Shiraz/Mouvedre – The Holy Trinity – 2008 (17.8). This wine has excellent (old vine?) fruit quality. The nose is packed with bright fruit, though there is a dusty/savoury note that adds complexity. The palate has ripe fruit that is not over done. Powerful, dense and rich, the length is very good. The palate is shut down by fine tannins, but this is a wine of some potential. Chocolate fruit with mulberry, cherry and cedary spice to close.

Devil’s Lair – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – The Hidden Cave – 2010 (17.5). Pretty smart wine this. The cabernet fruit provides the structure and body to this wine, whilst the shiraz provides fruit lift on the finish and hints of plum and spice. Silky tannins and good length make this an excellent short term drinker. Round and soft palate.

Purple Hands Wines – Grenache – Old Vines – 2010 (17.5). Pretty wine, with floral aromas over subtle savoury notes. Really silky and fine, this has excellent length and persistence. The palate really goes on and on. Impressive, dense, old vine fruit with latent power.

Koltz – Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – The Etruscan – 2009 (17.2). Dense, though with some dusty, savoury notes that add a degree of authenticity. Cherry, plum and vibrant fruit with a long and savoury finish. This is smart, though relatively uncomplicated at the moment. Chewy texture to close and creamy oak adds to the finish.

Penfolds – Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon – Koonunga Hill – Seventy Six – 2010 (17.2+). There is a core of sweet fruit running through the nose. Plum, strawberry and hints of vanilla courtesy of the oak. Chocolate fruit on the palate with fine, though firm, tannins to close and good texture. Smart wine that will benefit from a few years in the cellar.

Angove – Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon – Butterfly Ridge – 2010 (16.3). Fresh plum fruit that is simple yet appealing. Soft fruit with enough structure to keep the palate fresh. A well made commercial wine.

Barossa Red Blends

Last Sunday Tasting Group

Reviewed: 25 June 2011

For regular readers of this column, you will know that this tasting is the highlight of my tasting month. The combination of good friends, fine wine and lovely food is very compelling.

The theme this month was Barossa blends from 2004 or earlier. In my mind, I was thinking GSM type blends, but in retrospect, these blends have become a lot more common in recent years. So the tasting had a fair smattering of cabernet/shiraz blends.

The tasting served to remind me of just how good these blends are, delivering the structure of cabernet, with the richness of shiraz. I am not sure why we have become fixated on single vineyard wines from a single variety. This uniquely Australian blend is fantastic.

Thanks to Kerry and Norbert for a lovely meal!

Reviewed

Rockford – Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro – Moppa Springs 1998 (18.5). Superb nose on this. Leather, spice, plum, chocolate and coffee bean add up to a complex and alluring nose. The palate is velvety and long. Fully mature and drinking an absolute treat.

Spinifex – Grenache/Shiraz/Cinsault/Mataro – Esprit – 2002. (18.5). Very dense, old vine fruit. Rich and textured, the nose shows Christmas cake, coffee and chocolate pudding. The superb fruit is evident on the palate. This is textured, complex and very long. There is a savoury spiciness to close. Lovely wine.

Yalumba – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – The Reserve – 1990 (18.3). Like The Signature, shows plenty of earth and leather, with just enough barnyard characters to add real interest. The palate is very powerful and shows lovely dense fruit of real quality. The fruit is remarkably tight for a 21 year old wine.

Deisen – Shiraz/Mouvedre – Winter Sun – 2003/2004 (18+). Really complex wine with earthy components, leather, spice and sweet plummy fruit. Long, dense, fine and textured, the palate is quite superb. I have not seen any Deisen wines before, but this unorthodox blend of vintages works a treat.

Rosemount – Grenache/Shiraz/Mouvedre – 2001 (18). Fragrant and floral, with a hint of raspberry jam to the sweet ripe fruit. The palate is spicy, supple, textured and very long, with a core of ripe fruit running the length of the palate. Not quite on theme as this is a three region blend.

Grant Burge – Shiraz/Viognier – Balthasar – 2002 (17.8). Earthy/meaty notes to open, with a lovely floral/candied lift coming from the viognier and the vanillin oak. The palate shows licorice, spice, cinnamon and plum. Good mouth-feel, balance and texture. Good acidity to close.

Penfolds – Mouvedre/Grenache/Shiraz – Old Vines – 1992 (17.8). Aged and leathery with developed tarry notes. Lovely mouth-feel, texture and excellent length. This has thrown a big crust.

Yalumba – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – The Signature – 2001 (17.8). Fragrant, floral and quite delicious. The perfumed fruit is really quite fantastic. Again, there are the leather and earthy notes, but this is more medium bodied than some here. Cabernet adds to the structure and provides some tobacco and eucalypt notes.

Yalumba – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – The Signature – 1990 (17.7). Supple and silky, showing tar and leather with hints of spice and plum. The palate is earthy and complex, with a touch of herbal/tobacco leaf flavours courtesy of the cabernet. A savoury wine that has plenty of life left in it.

Charles Melton – Grenache/Shiraz/Mouvedre – Nine Popes – 1997 (17.5). Mature and developed, though the palate is still quite lively. An excellent drink.

Veritas – Shiraz/Mataro (pressings) – Bulls Blood – 2002 (17.5). Fresh red berries on a lovely nose that is dense and complex. Wafts of American oak in no way detract from the fruit. The palate highlights the excellent quality fruit. This is a generous and rich wine that is textured and long. Youthful tannins to close.

Grenache Master Class

Reviewed: 5 April 2013

Following on from the recent grenache discoveries I wrote up last week, I was very pleased to attend a grenache tasting held by a local wine group. Grenache is a variety that is commonly blended with other varieties (typically shiraz), so straight grenache based wines can be overlooked as a source of fine wines. Confusingly, where it is produced can affect what it is called. In France and Australia, it is referred to as grenache, whereas in Spain, it is typically referred to as garnacha.

This tasting looked at grenache based wines and grenache blends, looking at how different countries and regions handle the fruit, as well as how well the wines can age. After all, it is not only the climate that effects the finished wine, it is how it is treated in the winery. A few wines did not make it to these pages as there was considered to be an unacceptable degree of Brettanomycis evident. In small amounts, this can add complexity, but in large amounts, it can make the wine smell like a barnyard.

Reviewed

Baltasar – Garnacha – Gracians – Vinas Viejas – 2003 (17.5). Ripe, fragrant fruit that combines red fruit characters with cherry and a touch of tar. At 10 years of age, this is still quite dense and chewy. The palate has excellent length and mouth-feel. Great now, but may still improve.

Guigal – Cotes du Rhone – 1995 (17.5). Remarkable wine in that this is made in very large quantities, is relatively inexpensive and has aged superbly over its 18 year life. On the nose, there is still a degree of ripe fruit, but with a lovely savoury lift adding complexity. There is obvious age on the palate, with earthy characters, forest floor and supple, though savoury tannins. A complete drink now.

La Bruja Averia – Grenache – 2011 (17.5). Pretty, spicy grenache fruit with bright red berries. The palate has cherry, tar, spice and red fruits and a finish that is long, supple and savoury. Lovely balance, with souring acidity that cuts through to the finish leaving the palate refreshed. From Madrid!

The Willows – Grenache – 2010 (17). An interesting wine that shows mint and eucalyptus over herbal notes. With air, the floral fruit really comes through with soft, textured tannins driving the finish. There is good length of flavours on the close.

La Fiole – Cotes du Rhone – 2010 (17.3). I liked this wine. There was a surprising level of density to the fruit and even some fresh oak characters in a balanced package. The palate on this gets really floral and perfumed, while the fine tannins make their presence felt on a finish that is drying and textured. Really needs food to shine.

Clos Des Papes РCh̢teauneuf du Pape Р2004 (17.5). Sweet fruit on the nose with a lovely savoury lick that imparts gentle spice to the wine. The palate is textured, chewy and long, with a degree of fleshy fruit and a savoury edge. Excellent length and persistence.

Cirello – Grenache – 1850 – 2006 (18+). The adjectives flowed in my tasting notes for this wine. Dense, textured, long, chewy, savoury and earthy. Tremendous length and latent power to the fruit. Superb quality fruit has been matched to quality oak, the old bush vines providing real concentration and penetration, especially on the palate. Bravo. (From the Barossa).

Roger Sabon РCh̢teauneuf du Pape РCuvee Prestige Р2000 (17.5). This has dense fruit, with attractive, savoury complexity. The palate is long and supple, yet there are chewy textural components on the finish. Robust fruit, but with a degree of finesse.

Clos Mogador – Grenache – 1997 (18). A beautiful wine that has delicious ripe fruit. Supple and juicy sweet fruit leads on to chewy, texturing tannins and quality oak. From Priorat.

Rayas РCh̢teauneuf du Pape РPignan Р1998 (17.8). Really showing its age, the wine is silky, supple, long and quite seamless. Really needs food to complement the less obvious fruit characters.

Charles Melton – Grenache – 1997 (17.5). Much fresher than the Rayas, with dense, ripe fruit that has chocolate overtones. The palate is defined by floral fruit, that is supple and long. This is balanced by lovely pepper and cedar spice characters.