#256 Peter picked a pair of ports

When you have a new bloke start working for you in your shop you need to adopt the mantra of New Labour and focus on "education, education, education".  I've recently had an Aussie join my jolly ranks of employees, and unlike many bright young hopefuls wanting to work for a cool shop and enjoy the staff discount on booze, this fella has worked in alcohol shops back home, so knows that it is about lugging boxes about and dealing with annoying customers.... before you enjoy the staff discount!

So as he has a lot of experience in Australian wine, I thought I'd start to mould his European palate with some port!  A basic introduction to ruby and tawny port, showing the influence that time in a barrel has on this fortified wine.  So I opened up two ports and discovered that these two, well, entry level(ish) wines were absolutely fantastic.

First up was Grahams The Tawny.  I've been subsequently informed that this is mostly 15 year old tawny port (I am open to being corrected on that one), and expecting a pretty young style, but was really impressed when I found that it showed hints of age!  There were lots of lovely raisin characters on the nose, old, slightly dried honey mixed with a bit of honey and a touch of soft leather - baseball mitt!  Palate is dry, some really nice leathery elements, sweet caramel coated nuts, a little dried apricots and some very nice heat on the finish. A tasty tawny port.  8/10

Next up was the original organic port, Fonseca Terra Prima.  I'd remembered liking this port when I last tried it, but that was such a long time ago the details have escaped me!  This had a lovely cassis and bramble on the nose, a little cracked coffee bean mixed with dark chocolate. The palate is soft, juicy dark berry fruit, a little heat up front and then some really tasty savoury elements creeping through.  Lots of coffee on the finish.... minty notes too with some more of the coffee bean flavour.  A long end, a touch of alcohol heat, but essentially a cracking cracking bottle of port.  8.5/10

So my newbie got his first insight into port and I got to revisit two wines I'd long since abandoned and found them to be real gems.  Great wines, the pair of them.

#255 Sorry I've been away....

Over two months have gone by since my last post, so sorry about that, but there has been a load going on since then!  After my birthday week, I’ve been focusing on other projects and been selling whisky to Americans visiting St Andrews for the Open Golf Championship.  But the main reason I haven't written about my life, albeit through my wine eyes, is that I have fallen hopelessly in love.

I'm not going to go into any detail, that is private, but this girl has opened up a whole new world to me, and I've realised that my writing has sometimes been bitter, resentful and, on occasion, nasty.  I thought I was doing it for comedic effect, but with reflection, I don't think that is the case.  I've know that I can be honest, funny and entertaining - even about terrible wines - without being mean, and that is entirely her doing. She is making me a better person, and hopefully, a better writer.

And to show that I have changed my ways, I am starting with a real challenge, a plastic 'glass' filled with wine and sealed with a yogurt top.

The Italian Job Sangiovese Merlot
Smells like a bit of sweet slightly meaty, balsamic aroma... it is a bit like when you chuck some port in the frying pan to de-glaze the burnt on meat juices, and with a sweet beetroot like element too.  The palate... well, it tastes like plastic with watered down wine and that has had plasticine dunked in it.  It is really bad, but (and here is the positive spin!) if you were in a nightclub and wanted a glass of wine and really didn't care what you were drinking, this is a great idea for a zero waste and zero breakages (as the glass is made from recycled plastic and therefore is also recyclable) and it also means, as an on trade manager, you don't have any washing up to do.  They will cost around £2.50 (retail) and anything above that in a bar or club.  If you like wine, don't buy it, if you want some wine-like liquid, it is ok.  2/10

#254 Parker slams Bordelais

A quick one - on Twitter today, Robert Parker slammed the Bordelais.

"The Bordelais are indeed killing the golden goose.  The ridiculous and painfully slow release of prices for the 2009s is both stupid and arrogant.... moreover, expect sticker shock.... dumb and dumber"

Nuff said really!

#253 Birthday week booze

I turned 32 this week, and entered the year where it would be legally possible for me to become a grandfather, if I'd had a child when I was 16.  Which I didn't.  But still, it reminds me that although I may be getting older, my life is still great and I get to try some super wines, with some really good friends.

I haven't really celebrated my birthday (the photo above is a random one I've nicked from the internet!) but I decided that I wanted to try some more interesting wines this year - expanding my palate and trying new things.  So, to start, an Aussie Touriga Nacional, two Zinfandels that come from old and new vines, a late harvest Syrah and a Scheurebe.  Is that strange enough?

2006 Yarra Yering Dry Wine No. 5 (Touriga Nacional)
This Portuguese grape, grown in Australia, was going to be wonderful or horrific.  But being Yarra Yering it was a pretty safe bet that it would be the former.  Beautiful rich, chewy fruit - lots of cassis and bramble, then some herbal, rosemary and thyme with just a bit of fresh mint.  Dustings of cocoa powder come through too.

Soft, with that lovely tobacco, liquorice and cherry stone flavour, peeking through a cherry, date (?) and green pepper flavour.  Soft, a touch of tannin, but delivered so softly.  A little liquorice on the finish, some warming alcohol with bonfire toffee just before the long, dry, cherry stone finish.  8.5/10

1988 Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill Magnum
A little lemony and very gentle thai curry aroma, some salty elements mixed with some biscuit and lemon zest.  A long aroma - a  mixture of fresh and aged champagne.

I think that the palate is a touch corked, but still with some honeyed elements, a little lemon pith and some grapefruit pith too.  A little honey on the finish with a nice structure of lemon, lime marmalade and burnt toast.  Shame about the taint!  A disjointed wine - my pal Rich says it is changing from young to old and is a bit reductive.  I think it is a bit corked.... who is right? Who is wrong?!!!

2007 Cervaro della Sala Antinori
A big oaky mo-fo, but balanced with a lovely citrussy element on the nose.  Smoky hints, a lot of honey and balanced toasty elements.  The palate is again some oak, with some tannin and a bit of grapefruit citrus and then some dirty lemon skin.  Despite the oak fest, it has a really nice balance of citrus and acid, so you are not getting a weighty wine.  Also you have sweetness, without the cloying element you get from some wines.  This is tasty.  8/10

2007 Consolation Armistice Late Harvest Syrah
Lots of blueberries and a sweet, compote aroma on the nose, a little alcohol and a touch of dark tobacco.  The palate is all about chocolate & toffee with loads of blueberries, and whilst it is sweet, it is a very natural sweetness.  Alcohol creeps in with more savoury elements and a bit of spice, but then the finish is back to good quality milk chocolate and berries again. 8.5/10 Seriously - BUY SOME CONSOLATION WINES, they are funky and different.

2007 Turley Juvenile Zinfandel
Vibrant, light raspberry fruit, loads of glace cherry and acidic berries.  White chocolate too on the nose,  with some really nice, simple fruit.  The palate is very sweet with jammy and fresh fruit, loads of alcohol, chocolate covered cherries and some cinnamon.  A big brash wine, far too big for me, but fun.  Very vanilla-y! 6/10

2007 Turley Old Vine Zinfandel
Richer, darker fruit than the Juvenile, liqueur steeped cherries and some milk chocolate, herbs and some coconut on the nose.  A lot of sweet berries, brambles and again, a LOAD of alcohol.  Quite acidic but with loads of black forest gateaux and an oak fest of biblical proportions.  Far too boozy.  6.5/10

2008 Schloss Proschwitz Scheurebe Kabinett Trocken
Blackcurrants, a little nettle and some lemon.  A soft, flowery aroma, very very pretty.  The palate has a touch more citrus, some nice berry and light tropical fruit - maybe lavender too?  Quite pretty, a lovely blackcurrant on the finish too, with a grapefruit pith on the finish.  I really like this.  9/10

#252 Crap or Christmas list? Whiskey Stones

I have put a few "Crap of the week...." articles that have received, well, a degree of totally unpleasant comments from people who have taken umbrage at comments I've made about some of the unbelievable crap that is made in this world to try and extract money from people.  So, no longer will I pass comment, I am giving you the chance to decide if whatever product I put here is worthy of going on the Crap List or your Christmas List.

First up, 'Whiskey Stones'.  Although it sounds like an infection from drinking too much scotch, these Whiskey (sic) Stones are intended to replace ice if you want your whisky 'on the rocks'.  You freeze these stone cubes for a few hours before you want your drink, and then you pop them in the glass and it cools your whisky without diluting it.

Now to all you readers, don't start a debate as to whether you should or shouldn't chill whisky, and for the love of God, don't start an argument on the merits of drinking it with Coke, but comment below on whether these are a great idea or a monumental waste of $20.

They are available from Think Geek

#251 A midnight brandy tasting...

After a long day at work, a late dinner and half a bottle of wine, the last thing you need to do is say "I know, lets have a brandy tasting", but that is exactly what happened and we raided our, rather well stocked, drinks cupboard and hauled out a selection of spirits.  Now remember that we were a little... errrr... not too sober, so our slightly silly comments about pretty girls should only be taken with a light heart!

Chateau de Beaulon Folle Blanche 7 Year Old Cognac
Light and lemony aroma, a little white chocolate and spearmint, then a menthol aroma coming off.  A small alcohol prickle on the nose too.  The palate is quite tannic, got some spice, some tasty dried fruit, a little leather and pepper.  Quite clean, but pretty simple.  This is like your first girlfriend - you glad you had it, but it isn't the one you are going to spend the rest of your life with!  7/10

Remy Martin XO Cognac
Sweet chocolate, lots of raisins and a rich fruit cake aroma.  A little sweet tobacco too, and a bit of basil.  Rich, dry palate with drier honey elements and lots of herbs on the finish.  Definitely just a one night stand!  7.5/10

Jacopo Poli Arzente Wine Brandy
Oh dear - this is the sweet, Italian mistake you made at University!  Pear drops, some chemical element coming through with dirty elements.  Very sweet with a lot of banana, and an oily texture!  A good idea at the time, but, dear lord, when you look back it really wasn't your greatest call. 6/10

Hennessy Paradis Cognac
A supermodel.  Beautiful, gentle aroma with some citrus elements, peel and some sweeet tobacco aromas.  The palate is gorgeous with a little grippy tannin, and loads of sweet fruit and honey on the finish.  It is gorgeous, but when you explore further, it is just a bit too thin and a bit of an alcoholic!  They you realise that when you are done with it, it has taken all your money and you are left with an empty feeling inside. 7.5/10

Laubade 1985 Bas Armagnac
Soft, really soft with a herbal and minty aroma, mixed with dried fruit.  The palate is fruitier, sweet with some gorgeous creamy texture and a spice and honey finish.  A rich mouthful, and I really like this.  This is the perfect girl you fall in love with that you want to marry. 8.5/10

#250 A disappointing (but very good) 26 year old whisky

First the good bit.  The taste of this 26 year old Linkwood!

The whisky has a marmaladey character on the nose, some marzipan and just a hint of rum soaked Christmas pudding, but then has some sweet, almost confected elements.  I immediately thought jelly beans but after doing some research into the whisky I noticed that Royal Mile Whiskies said Jelly Babies, and they really did hit the nail on the head!  There is a lovely aniseed coming through, just gently, with a slight alcohol burn when you really sniff the whisky.

The palate, at 54.5%, is obviously quite alcoholic, but you get bombarded with spiced fruit, a lot of raisin and sweet fruit.  Then you get a lot of dry, woody elements, tannin galore and then with some barky spice elements creeping through.  White pepper on the finish.

This Speyside whisky, one of 1260 50cl bottles, is not so much rum finished, but rum casked for the majority of its life, some 14 years in total.  Retailing at £110 per bottle, remember that this isn't even a full bottle, is a bit over the top.  Don't get me wrong, it is a very tasty whisky, but this would be expensive even if it was a 70cl bottle.  I'd pass.

#249 An old German

It is not often that you get the chance to try an older German wine, but we had that chance with this 1995 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Auslese. 

The colour is a dark copper - quite oxidised Rich old honey with burnt lemon zest and a dark, bitter aroma coming off the nose.  A little caramel, some lovely oily elements - maybe even a little peppery olive oil!  Palate has a very very gentle spritz, with a bit of very old honey, a little alcohol believe it or not.  Then there is a meatier element, almost like pork chops glazed in calvados with caramalised meat juices. It is a bit old, but still holding up pretty damn well! 7.5/10

A great opportunity and a pretty tasty wine.

#248 Constolation Catala Blanc

Disclaimer - I'm pals with Andy Cook who makes this.

This wine is a single vineyard Grenache Gris and has spent 14 months in oak and has soft woody elements up front with hints of grapefruit pith, some lemon and a little white pepper element mixed with some cedar and just a little undercooked vanilla rice pudding on the aroma.  The palate is woody, with a touch of sweet vanilla, some tropical fruit too.  A little heat, but no more than you would get from good Burgundy, and then with a lovely minerally, and slightly steely, finish.  I think this is cracking.  Andy, you have made a goodun!


Coume del Mas Website
Cook Wines Website

#247 Better late than never - The other Bordeaux from Lords

Apologies that I have been not posting recently, been moving house and I don't currently have internet in my house!  How come it takes SO long to get a router sent to you when you move?!  Anyway, for anyone who really cares, here are a load of the other Bordeaux that I tried at Lords last month.

2006 Chateau Camensac (Haut Medoc)
Light, fruity with a fresh raspberry, strawberry and cream flavour.  Some herby elements but the palate is a bit thin, watery and needs some fruit that it simply doesn't have.  6/10

2000 Chateau Chasse Spleen (Moulis)
A gorgous aroma, lush ripe fruit, a lot of cassis and raspberry with a silky tannin and lots of cocoa.  A good, no, a lovely Bordeaux.  8/10

2000 Chateau Sociando Mallet (Haut Medoc)
Lots of green pepper, massive amounts of sour cherry, mint and liquorice.  The palate is restrained, cherry hints and cassis.  Green peppers are throughout the nose and palate!  A minty finish.  8/10

2007 Chateau Cantemerle (Haut Medoc)
Very minty, a lot of cherry and pomegranate.  A little thin on the palate, with a bit too much tannin.  6/10

2006 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge (Pessac Leognan)
Voluptuous chocolate and tobacco, with lots of fruit.  Not at all showy on the palate, subtle with fruit notes on a leathery finish.  8/10

2006 Chateau Brane Cantenac (Margaux)
Lovely, light fruit, a shedload of cherry on the nose.  The palate is nice, light and softly spiced with berries and leather.  8/10

2004 Chateau Dufort Vivens (Margaux)
Minty with sweet cherry and a touch of pithy red fruit.  Nice structure, good fruit and a touch too much tannin on the finish.  7/10

2006 Chateau Ferriere (Margaux)
Sweet cherry, lots of light berries and a bit of fuzzy plum skin.  Not bad.  7.5/10

2007 Chateau Haut Bages Liberal (Pauillac)
Perfumy, herbaceous with good fruit on the nose, but this thinly disguises the fact that it is far too thin on the palate.  6/10

2002 Chateau Rauzan Segla (Margaux)
Soft herbal aromas with a bundle of fruit on the nose.  The palate is a bit thin at first, but fattens up and comes back with lovely fruit and nice veggie flavours.  7/10

2004 Chateau Canon (St Emilion)
Mint, a fresh style of wine, plum and raspberries with a bit of leather.  It is all light and simple with an element of berry stalk on the finish.  7/10

1999 Chateau Langoa Barton (St Julien)
A lovely rich fruit aroma, nice cocoa and tobacco.  The palate is structured, some light fruit and then tight cherry and plum with gorgeous sweet tobacco elements.

2005 Clos du Marquis (St Julien)
Herby with a lovely meaty element, good fruit and an abundance of sour cherry and polished wood.  The palate is balanced, with liquorice and spice.  8/10

2006 Chateau Leoville las Cases (St Julien)
Perfumy, with a lot of interesting fruit, cherries and cranberries.  A nice balance on the palate, some cherry stone and a lovely dried fruit element coming through.  I like this. 8/10

2004 Chateau Lagrange (St Julien)
Meaty, some herbal elements, liquorice and tobacco.  OK balance but a bit powerful.  7.5/10

1997 Chateau Gruaud Larose Magnum (St Julien)
Perfumy with a nice wood element, some fresh fruit and a little veggie element.  Fruit stones and a touch of spice on the finish.  Very tasty.  7/10

2004 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou (St Julien)
Soft aroma which has a floral element to it.  Cherry stones and freeze dried raspberries mixed with a tobacco element on the palate.  Great stuff.  9/10

2004 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Pauillac)
Very fresh, hints of violets, pomegranate and plum.  The palate is gentle, elegant and with some gorgeous fruit.  The finish just is a bit thin, letting the wine down a touch.  7.5/10

1998 Chateau Lynch Bages (Pauillac)
A little boot polish, some thin fruit on the nose.  This is quite a savoury and mentholly wine, with lots of cherry stone on the finish.  7.5/10

2006 Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse (Pauillac)
Not keen, very thin and not much fruit.  5/10

2004 Chateau Poujeaux (Moulis)
Rich and meaty, then the veggies come in with some cherry, cassis and cocoa.  8/10

2004 Chateau Cheval Blanc (St Emilion)
Soft and elegant with a lovely plum skin and cherry aroma.  The palate is classic Bordeaux with a vegetal, stony fruit and a lot of woodland elements.  A touch of heat on the finish, but it doesn't spoil it.  8/10

2001 Chateau Figeac (St Emilion)
Soft, juicy fruit on the nose, but also a bit of wet dog.  No ta.  4/10

2006 Chateau Angelus (St Emilion)
Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, with tobacco and cherry.  The palate is dry, subtle fruit and a lovely chocolatey element.  8/10

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