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Bill S.
 
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Default Pol Roger, Bret, Havens, Atalon, 7 Hills, Meerlust, d'Arche

Some notes from holiday doings:

1998 Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de la Reserve - haven't tasted any 1998
champers yet and was prepared to be lukewarm about a vintage reputed to
be below average, but this wine surprised me. Good mousse, decent nose
of apples and biscuits, quite dry and crisp at the end. Good match
with sushi.

2003 Bret Brothers St. Veran 'Climat En Combe' - St. Veran is
normally a modest but serviceable white burg at a reasonable price.
This example was out of the ordinary in terms of price, but lived up to
expectation as something special as well. Nice clean minerally nose
with some cantaloupe, long sweet smooth finish, went well with a
scallop and prawn course.

1994 Havens Reserve Merlot - the theme was generally
'anti-Sideways', or bring out your merlots, so I hauled out this
one. Slightly warm, ripe cocoa nose, sweet in the mouth and quite full
with excellent mouth feel. Good length and structure, the tannins still
reasonably firm, with a reprise of chocolate in the finish. This may
not yet be at peak.

1998 Seven Hills Walla Walla Merlot Reserve - the odd one out -
more Bordeaux like than the California twins, and it suffered a little
as such wines often do in comparison, until we buckled down and gave it
full attention. Not as much happening in the nose, but less ripe and
more Bordeaux like. More acidic on palate, medium body, medium length,
but tasty.

1997 Atalon Mountain Estates Merlot - for those that do not know this
producer, this was their first vintage of merlot. A refined cocoa nose,
slightly warm, but clean, and the wine was more forward than the Havens
in the mouth, with a few seconds of soft slide before the tannins
kicked in. They were also softer than the Havens, and the finish was
commendably long. While this wine showed as more forward, I think the
Havens will ultimately prove the slightly better wine.

The foregoing were all served with rack of lamb.

1999 Meerlust Merlot - you don't see the merlot from this Cape
producer very much in this market. It had a chalky cocoa nose with nice
berry fruit, was warm and clean and forward initially until the tannins
made themselves known (less tannin than the Havens, and readier to
drink), and it finished with good length. Served with cheese.

1983 Ch. d'Arche - not the most familiar of Sauternes to many, this
apricot coloured wine had honey and orange in the nose, but not
particularly much botrytis, and was only medium sweet, which I rather
liked. Nice finish to a great meal.

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