Wine Update August

Ch. de BASTET 2003 cotes de Rhone
Cuvee St.Jean
Another winner from Mary Pawle. Lovely fresh flavours. No info on the label but presumably mainly Viognier. Entirely non-cloying & lovely.
e12.10

PALLISER ESTATE MARTINBOROUGH Sauvignon Blanc 2002 NZ
Undoubtedly classy, but lost a bit of its zip. Getting away from where I want SB to be, but most people will absolutely love this.

CHABLIS 2002 Domaine William Fevre
The bog-standard base Chablis from a very smart wunderkind, Didier Seguier.
Superb stuff and knocks spots off certain other peoples’ PC and GC. Fragrant, fresh, refreshing, I could drink 3 botts with or without food!

MEDOC 2002. Not much else on the label.
Someone brought this to my party but I’ll get them back one day! Mean as gnat shite, all that’s bad about anonymous Bordeaux chemical plants. Simply awful.

DOMAINE DU MAS ROUGE 1999
After the previous wine a big hooray for this surprisingly elegant Cabernet Sauvignon Vin de Pays Catalan. Oak aged, proud and worthy of it, the tannins have resolved to give firm, supple wine with an abundance of cassis fruit. Great value for the money – better than many a Frenchie.
e13.99, Le Caveau, Kilkenny

LYNCH BAGES 1999 GCC PAUILLAC
Fellow ‘Roamin’ Goats’ Petanque Team member Sean Bennett generously sent me this one in an attempt to convince me that 1999 Bordeaux isn’t totally pants. Okay, Sean, you’re right – up to a point. Nice weight of fruit, some complexity, but still a bit green and stalky and personally I don’t think it gets any better than this. My advice for what it’s worth is, if you have a cellar full of ’99 Claret start drinking it now. John D Rockefeller, when asked how he made his fortune, said “By always selling short” – a philosophy wine collectors should try and emulate.

DOMAINE DE CLOSEL, SAVENNIERES 1997 Clos du Papillon
Managed to locate a few bottles of this gem at a supermarket in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. Wonderful, honeyed, elegant, complex, nuts, nutmeg, cinnamon all sorts of Christmassy things going on as well as spring flowers. Yet with a bone dry finish. Substantial mouthfeel, altogether brilliant wine making and so different and distinctive. I love this style, this wine.
e19.19 and worth every damn cent.

CHABLIS DOMAINE DE LA MEULIERE 2002
Top dollar price for non “Cru” Chablis but this one is rather good and puts many a Premier Cru to shame. It says “Vendanges Manuelles” , presumably hand-picked. Full, lemony and zesty it would repay keping a year or two. Liked a lot.
e20.99 , The Vintage and various indeps.

CHABLIS PREMIER CRU Jean Marc Brocard
e17 from those hardworking lads at Dunnes Stores and worth every penny and a bit more. Weighty, substantial, serious.
Mary’s said it, Raymond’s said it, I’ve siad it. J.M Brocard is A Good Thing.

LABOURE-ROI Chablis 1er Cru 1998
In contrast, all the tired fady nonsense I’ve come to expect from this negotiant-eleveur who needs a bloody good shaking imo. Unsound and unenjoyable. 3/10 could try much harder. Can’t remember where I got it, don’t much care.

BROWN BROTHERS SEMILLON 1999
Citrus, mangoes and yes…pumpkin pie benefitting from oak ageing. Complex, stylish, all I’ve come to expect from this engaging company who are definitely listed among the talented mavericks of the Aussie wine establishment. In the words of the sage Kevin Keegan – “Simply love it!”

ALBET i NOYA PINOT NOIR-MERLOT Classic 2003
“What!” you say. That’s right a Borgundy, or is at a Burdeaux. No matter, it sort of works, because the wine making’s restrained enough to let the fruit shine through and they had the good sense to call at halt at 12.5% ABV. I’ve learned to expect a lot from Albet i Noya and this combo in no way disappointed, it was soft, sunny and utterly user-friendly. Another organic tour de force from my hero Mary Pawle, available at around e11.50. Try Quay Co-op, Cork; Connemara Hamper, Clifden or Listons, Camden St, Dublin.

CONCHA Y TORO “TERRUNYO” 2000
An attempt to make a ‘terroir’ wine by selecting grapes fom various plots in the vineyard. A good idea from a top Chilean maker. Unfortunately the grape is “here today/gone tomorrow” Sauvignon Blanc so as it’s four years old it lacks a bit of zip. I’d love to taste the 2003 version. Still, at around e13, very decent winemaking. Oddbins

BON COURAGE NOBLE LATE HARVEST 2002. One of a brace of stickies I picked up at the vineyard in Robertson, SA. Probably drunk a bit young but Paolo Tullio and I both thought it gorgeous. As well as decent Syrah, Bon C make rather good dessert wine. Look for the ‘Weisser Riesling’ too.

CARMEN RESERVE CARMENERE-CABERNET 2000
Chilean winemaking at its best. Skilful, thoughtful, elegant berry fruit, cassis, mint, violets all fusing nicely as the holding tannins recede. Keeping properties too, I’d say.
Should be readily available, I’ll check price.