#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!

By Peter Wood with No comments

#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

By Peter Wood with No comments

#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

By Peter Wood with 4 comments

#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

By Peter Wood with 4 comments

#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.

By Peter Wood with No comments

#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.

By Peter Wood with No comments