Notes from a Southern French dinner.

2003 Dom. de Vieux Lazaret CNduP blanc - dry pear and ginger nose,
bright going in with good balance and length. More refined than the
next wine.

2004 Chapoutier Dom. des Granges de Mirabel Viognier de l'Ardeche -
more colour, a nose of apricot and tropical fruit, lush and soft in the
mouth with peach flavours and good length. Low acid and will not
improve.

1985 Fonsalette Syrah CduR - at first there was a little spritz on
this one which was worrying, but it settled down. Not much funk in the
nose, slight pepper, still decent fruit.

1990 Deydier Les Clefs d'Or CNduP - mature with medium colour,
smooth fruit and vanilla nose, well integrated with some heat and
tannin. Black pepper at start and more at end. As good as it will ever
be.

2000 Dom. de Trevallon VDP de Bouches de Rhone - darker wine with up
front sweetness and a bit of earthiness. Good acidity and some anise at
end. Cab syrah blend.

2003 Teuser Avatar (Barossa GSM) - interesting small production,
sweet and jammy nose with cassis and some heat but not too sweet at
end. Soft tannins. Someone kept calling this 'Tosser'.

1998 Bosquet des Papes - mushrooms wax and a hint of cloves in this
nose, and some leather. Medium bodied and a bit atypical. I buy this
wine only in exceptional vintages - the 1989 is still very nice.

1999 Bouachon La Tiare du Pape CNduP - a negotiant wine with light
colour, cheesy funky nose and only fair length. Simple.

2003 Vieux Donjon CNduP - I bought 2 cases of the 1998 (a better wine
) at about $35 C. The 2003 now sells for more than $50C! A beam of
clear pure fruit in the nose, fair bit of up front tannin, becoming
quite dry at the end. Needs time - will be interesting to see how this
develops.

1999 Clos Montirius Vacqueyras - decent sweaty cassis nose, good
entry, becoming a tad lean toward the finish.

Dom. For=E7a Real Rivesaltes Hors d'Age - interesting not too sweet
wine with pinkish colour, very toasty (11 years in wood will do that)
with almond flavours, finishing reasonably dry. Interesting curiosity.

2003 Teuser Avatar (Barossa GSM) -

.. Someone kept calling this 'Tosser'.

does Tosser have the same colloquial meaning in Vancouver as here?

John
UK

Yup ;-)~