Great bunch of wines to start of the first blind tasting lunch of the
new year!

1998 Tyrell’s Vat 1 Semillon – medium colour, waxy slightly sweet
nose, with a hint of lemon, medium body, lemon coming back at end.
Pleasant.

2007 Gibbsten Highgate Dreammaker Pinot Gris (central Otago) – grassy
nose, but it said Chard on palate. Well made and crisp.

2005 Jos. Dubois Bourgogne Grande Reserve – this was a curiosity – a
red Pinot Noir made in Chablis! Unfortunately it was corked.

2002 Dom. Parent Pommard 1er cru Les Rugiens – very light colour with
purple edges, lots of tannin and acid, very dry finish, only adequate
fruit. Bit disappointing.

1995 Dom. Le Clos de Cazaux Cuvee de la Tour Sarrazine Gigondas –
medium colour, big black pepper nose which seemed to switch to white
pepper after awhile, and lots of pepper on palate as well. Nice,
balanced and with good length.

1998 St. Cosme Valbelle Gigondas – a little funk in the nose and a lot
of fruit, with some coffee, very good length and balance – excellent
showing!

2000 Grand Veneur CNduP – dark, with an older colour, more muted nose,
pruny and ripe, with tomato soup, sweet in the mouth.

1996 Clape Cornas – closed a bit at first, some berry and child’s
white library paste in the nose, and very dry at the end. Intend to
retaste soon.

1998 Harlan ‘The Maiden” – excellent right from the fist whiff – big
ripe sweet nose, slightly hot, smooth and tarry in the mouth, with a
nice feel, very dark, long.

1977 Taylors Port – slighty closed nose at first and very slight whiff
of TCA, but decent complexity , a bit sharp at the end.

1983 Taylors Port – simpler nose sweet smooth and very pleasant,
though without the complexity of the 1977.

Alvear PX Solera 1927 – nose of oily fish, brown in colour, very sweet
and viscous. Interesting but not my choice of style.