December lunch notes:

1994 Witness Tree Chardonnay (Willamette Valley) - prominent oak in nose and
palate, but the wine isn't a flaccid, bloated Calchard or Ozchard - puzzling,
and we danced around the globe a couple of time trying to figure out where it
could be from. Oregon was NOT our first guess. Not showing its age.


2002 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc - I have to say that this was the best (and
most atypical) CB I have tasted! In the nose was a lush passionfruit and mown
grass that could have come from the Loire. Clean and long, and showing much
more ripeness than usual for this wine.

2002 Girardin Emotion de Terroirs - the story behind this white Burg is that it
is blended from grapes from declassified Meursault, Puligny and Chassagne,
given this 'brand' name and marketed as AOC Bourgogne. In any case, the result,
at $20 US is astoundingly good value. I got peach notes in the nose with some
spice, and then apples and mineral on palate. Wish they had this here!

1993 Rodet Aloxe-Corton - a mature Pinot nose placed this in Burgundy almost
immediately. The bottle was cool, and the wine came across as lean and a tad
thin, on palate, with medium long finish. We figured it might open up as it
warmed in the glass, so I (and a couple of others) kept it around in the glass
for awhile, but I can't honestly say it changed much. That said, it went well
with the food.

1978 Jaboulet Domaine Thalabert Crozes Hermitage - while I tend to give more
attention (and cellar space) to Jaboulet's Hermitage, La Chapelle, I also enjoy
their two Crozes, although I tend to ignore their early drinking version, Les
Jalets in favour of this cuvee. I suggested that this was a Rhone wine based on
the nose, which was cherries and earth, but the surrounding tasters all said I
was way off base. I stuck to my guns in spite of the heckling and was pleased
that I was right, but also amazed when I heard the vintage, for I'd been
suggesting it was about 10 years younger! Smooth and complex on palate with a
give-away touch of black pepper at the end, this drinks beautifully now, but
should continue to do so for many years. Excellent!

1982 Leoville Barton - excellent mature claret nose with some cedar and
mushroom. The wine was amazingly elegant and smooth, with the tannins soft and
with good length, all of which surprised me, as the last time I had this it was
an unruly brute. I'd never have believed it would come around so far so soon.

1990 Les Forts de Latour - this one was no darker than the Barton, but showed
more complexity in the nose, and sweeter fruit in both the nose and on palate.
It was perfectly ready to drink, and I doubt it will get any better with
further cellaring, but it should hold a long time. It had a nice silky feel on
palate. I am not generally a fan of second wines and figure that buying seconds
of anything but a top wine like Latour or some of the other first growths (with
the exception of Mouton, the second wine of which has never failed to
underwhelm me - more like Mouton Cadet Reserve) is a waste of money - you can
get a very good first wine from another 3rd or 4th growth for the same money as
most of the second wines, so why bother. This one was very good however.

1990 Bourgneuf - in contrast to the refined St. Julien and Pauillac, this
Pomerol was a bit of a ruffian. Quite dark, with a slightly hot nose of ripe
fruit (I actually was thinking California until the nose opened up a bit), and
on palate a more highly extracted wine with big sweet fruit and significant
remaining tannins. Our host had the tasting order right - this would have
killed either of the previous Bordeaux.

2000 Tormaresca Masseria Maime IGT - OK, this is the discovery of the day - an
unknown (to most of us) wine with obvious merit and modest price. Here's the
story - think Negroamaro (if that means anything to you). Think 'heel of the
boot'. Big rich hot nose gives away the hot climate origin, and a sweet entry
and well balanced medium long wine follow. Excellent value. A Gambero tre
bichierri.

1975 Grahams - while I have enjoyed many 1975 Ports (Noval and Fonseca are
among my favourites) while waiting for the 1977s to mature, I haven't had this
one in years. It was so pale and hot I was guessing it could be a 63, and the
lack of sweetness prompted me to comment sagely - "Whatever it is, it can't be
Grahams'. Oh well. Not among the better 75s, but nonetheless an enjoyable
luncheon Port.

Bill, like the claret notes

> 2002 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc -
Last drunk at the vineyard and I agree, almost a P.Blanc Fume. CB seems to
have regained its old style after the poor years after comercialisation.

1978 Jaboulet Domaine Thalabert Crozes Hermitage ->
I had two cases en primeur and it is up there with Chapelle. I have 3
bottles left. The last at Rhone tasting, hint of brown, unctous syrah and
long, no rough edges, try again 3 years.

A happy Christmas to you amd SWMBO and your Vancouver oenophiles.

John

>A happy Christmas to you amd SWMBO and your Vancouver oenophiles.

And the same to those in the 'old country'.

>1982 Leoville Barton - excellent mature claret nose with some cedar and
>mushroom. The wine was amazingly elegant and smooth, with
>the tannins soft and
>with good length, all of which surprised me, as the last time I had this it
>was
>an unruly brute. I'd never have believed it would come around so far so soon.

Not to repeat the obvious Bill, but older clarets exhibit a lot of bottle
variation, with some bottles being more forward than others. So the short
passage of time may not be the only factor in the difference in the two
bottles.

Thanks for the notes.

Tom Schellberg