Report – Penfolds Vintage Years Event 2010

The Hospital Club, Covent Garden, London, 3rd November 2010 by Sarah Kerhoat

"OK, confessions first. Having only previously tasted two of Penfolds’ entry level wines, I really didn’t know what to expect of this event. The line up looked good, broadcasting figurehead Greg Dyke was planning to talk about his vintage year, Penfolds’ Chief Winemaker Peter Gago was also going to be there and of course, there were the wines!

Greg Dyke and Peter Gago

There was a glass of wine on arrival and I opted for the Koonunga Hill Autumn Riesling 2008. Already, the venue seemed packed and I discovered that 130 invites had been sent out. We weren’t left standing for long and the movement towards the seating area began and I managed to nab a second row seat. Another confession, I’m one of those people that really doesn’t mind sitting at the front, at least you can see without getting neck ache!

Greg started by explaining that he usually offered 3 subjects when he was asked to speak, Leaderships, Democracy and Weapons of Mass Destruction but as none of these were entirely appropriate, he had opted for his Autobiography and his vintage year of 1991. He had been appointed CEO of LWTV in 1989 and subsequent to the Margaret Thatcher interview around that time, she started a review of how TV programmes were allocated and it was from that point that it then became about money, not about the production of the best quality programmes. Quite topical even today, as we read news reports of how prices for 140 year old bottles of first growth Bordeaux are reaching crazy heights when there is the possibility it tastes like vinegar!

The threat of auction of TV programmes was enough of a catalyst to bring about change so Greg’s aim was to make the franchise as efficient as possible so he could bid as much as possible for the programme allocations and due to ownership restrictions in place at the time, he put together a consortium to bid for TVAM.

He dug around for information on his competitors as to how they were going to finance a bid and went from there. Of course, he won. He never prepared a speech for losing. He thought that his staff would never have forgiven him, as they would have seen it as him playing poker with their jobs. I liked his sense of loyalty to them but also, his focussed, positive outlook – it was as if failure was not an option.

I can also appreciate that it helps when you have an incentive such as shares in the project too. He made millions out of the success.

He stayed on till Granada made a hostile takeover for LWTV and while he liked Granada with its great flair and competitiveness, he didn’t like the people who were running it so he turned the new job down. Nice to have a no mortgage to have the option to do such a thing!

During his time at LWTV, there has been intrigue, drama, great comradeship and not least success, but best part about the journey was that it had always been exciting! It was at the end of his talk that our real excitement for the evening began with a glass of 1991 Bin 28 Shiraz to match Greg’s vintage year. The initial unswirled aromas were caramelly, almost port like, but the black fruit aromas came through later. Beautifully balanced, it was soft in all the corners of your mouth and of had an adorable length. I was left wishing there was more! I’m sure 1991 Bin 28 Shiraz wasn’t quite like the 1991 Grange that Penfolds gave Greg as a present but it was good nevertheless.

Finally, Greg took questions on a number of topics from Politics to the new Daybreak show, the sale of the iconic BBC Television Centre building, the relationship between a chairman and a chief executive, and being a leader. After point, I was expecting Peter Gago to talk for a little while about Penfolds, the wines we were about to taste and how this all married up with Greg’s talk but Peter’s time on the platform was very short, disappointingly so for me.

The Lineup

Then came the wines and Christine, my host for the evening, took me round to each of the wines to taste them all. We tried, Bin 311 Chardonnay 2006, Koonunga Hill Seventy Six Shiraz Cabernet 2008, Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2007, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2006 and the St Henri Shiraz 2006.

Personally, I’m not a fan of big oaky chardonnays and so I was pleasantly surprised by the Thomas Hyland Cool Climate Chardonnay 2009 at this price point. I thought it was far more aromatic than your usual Chardonnay and gave an initial rounded buttery flavour on the palate but I did feel it was a little shorter than I was expecting. The Bin 311 Chardonnay 2006 at a slightly higher price point showed more grapefruit aromas with the sweet vanilla oakiness not overwhelming the fruit.

Out of the reds, my preferences went to the Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2006 and the St Henri Shiraz 2006. I discovered that the Bin 389 was colloquially known as the Baby Grange or the Poor Man’s Grange and as we were talking, the wine was developing the glass. Initially, there were very soft smoky notes but these were closely followed by jammy aromas and black fruits. The palate showed balanced black fruits and I could imagine this getter better with cellaring.

Other than the 1991 Bin 28 we were given earlier at the Q&A, the St Henri Shiraz 2006 was my favourite of the night. Sitting a gorgeous, thick ruby colour in the glass, the aromas of chocolate and cherry were definitely inviting and I thought it was actually one of the more perfumed reds I have tasted. I discovered that they used 50+ year old barrels to age this wine and consequently the barrier built up between the barrel and the wine from years of use slows down the transfer of some of the oak flavours to the new wine. I liked this element of the wine a lot and overall thought it was an elegant wine.

Looking back, I did prefer the more expensive end of the range that I tasted that night (that makes me wonder if I am now being spoilt with tasting all the fantastic wines that are out there or whether wine tastes are getting more expensive….?!). After finishing another taste of the St Henri Shiraz 2006 while chatting, I noticed that the room had thinned out quite considerably and I was soon on my way back to my hotel.

A big thank you to Penfolds and Treasury Wine Estates for the invitation and what was a superb event!

Myself and Christine

The American Feast at Feast, Gorey 21st October 2010

We have been very busy recently with various different events and it has not been possible for Neil to be in two different places at the same so we are very fortunate that our newest member of staff, Sarah Kerhoat, who is currently studying for her Wine and Spirit Certificate was more than willing to step in and present at The American Feast Food and Wine Dinner at Feast, Gorey last Thursday. She has very kindly written a report on the event. Here it is:

"Arriving at Feast at mid-preparation time was actually a great time to arrive. I was able to see the restaurant slowly being turned into a scene in North America at Fall. Branches with beautiful Autumn-coloured leaves were carefully placed around the restaurant and the different colours were highlighted by candlelight. While all this preparation was going on, I was opening the bottles to make sure that all the bottles that were to be served were showing well.

Guests ready for their American Feast arrived in small groups and were served a glass of bubbles on arrival. The small bubbles of the Valentin Bianchi Extra Brut Sparkling N.V. were delicate on the tongue and the biscuit aromas came through strongly. Finishing dry, it was such a great complement to the corn fritters (they were soft pancakes style but had a great crunch to them when you bit into them) and the crunchy, mild pepperiness of the chicken wings. With positive reactions all round, it was a good note to start the evening on.

Laurraine from Feast introduced the evening and gave the diners some background as to where the inspiration for the food had come from and why. As the guests were served their next wine, the Frog’s Leap Chardonnay 2007, and their starters of classic Caesar Salad, I started to lead them on their wine journey through the Americas. Starting in Argentina for the bubbles, we moved north to America, California specifically, for the Chardonnay. With this Chardonnay - considered to be the best that Frog’s Leap have made - you could really see their philosophy of letting the wine show itself rather than the winemakers trying to impose characteristics on the wine. It was a bold Chardonnay, perfect to match the dressing and complement the acidity of the anchovies!

Our journey stayed in California for our next two wines. The Seghesio Zinfandel “Sonoma County” 2008 was simply gorgeous! Touching on how challenging 2008 had been for the Seghesio winery weather wise and how they had spent time and energy on reducing the impact of the unevenly-ripening zinfandel grapes at various stages in the whole wine making process, we tasted and could see how their dedication had paid off in the form of numerous awards. The big, fruitiness of this wine was definitely set to enhance our main course of Loin of Venison with American black cherry and chocolate sauce.

The other red wine served to match this main course was the Lyeth Merlot “L de Lyeth” 2007. This wine is primarily a Merlot but also has a portion of Cabernet Franc to boost fruit flavour and Malbec to give structure and tannins. One of my favourites in this price bracket, it certainly showed more of its tannins than the Seghesio on the night but its fruitiness still came through and worked amazingly with the sauce.
Overall, there appeared to be more fans of the Seghesio than the Merlot in the room but there were also a few true Merlot fans who just loved the Lyeth!

The final leg of our journey took us south to Chile where the Valdivieso Botrytis Semillon “Eclat” 2007 is made. The Central Valley in Chile has perfect condition for the development of Noble Rot – moist atmosphere, right temperature – on the 100% Semillon grapes that are used to make this wine. I thought that the golden colour and sweet honey aromas made this wine incredibly inviting and the grapefruit and gentle lemon on the palate came through well to make this a perfect accompaniment for the walnut and pecan praline pumpkin pie with whipped maple cream. I knew I had been in food & wine heaven for the evening and I was sure everyone else had been too!

Huge thanks to Anne and the wonderful team at Feast for a wonderful evening!

Sarah

Starting to get back into blogging??

I'll hold my hands up and say that I haven't been very good at updating our blog this year as I have been spending quite a bit of time, alongside the daily work on the Dunell's website, learning the virtues of other forms of Social Media as well as concentrating on the setting up and running of our new Corks Crew Wine Club. All three are really starting to gather momentum. As of this morning we have 419 members on our Facebook page, 562 followers on our Twitter page and almost 100 paid up members of our Corks Crew Wine Club which I am very pleased with so far.

However, I am also conscious that there are many customers that are not members of Facebook or Twitter (and do not want to venture into these social networks) so what I should be doing is allowing you to also read about our news on a more regular basis on this blog page. What do you think? Has anyone missed my blog updates?

Jane

Just tasted this wine with Raymond and we are very impressed.

Ciconia 2009 from Alentejano, Portugal

This wine is named after 'Ciconia,' after the Latin for 'white storks' that return from migration in Africa every December to make their nests in Portugal, in the forests and woods of Alentejo, with their one chosen lifetime partner. The winery also has a donkey sanctuary on their estate to protect endangered local breeds. So, apart from being animal mad, this Portuguese winery are proud of their delicious native grape varieties, and so they absolutely should be with a wonderful bottle like this!

Tasting Notes : The wine possess a complexity of aromas alive with spices and red and black berries, with some gentle toasted notes. A very rounded wine in the mouth and perfectly balanced. An amazing length that lasts over 3 minutes in the mouth. 14.5% Alc

Wine Spectator wrote: "Broad and ripe tasting showing focused flavours of berry and red cherry, with a touch of currant. Fresh and juicy on the finish with includes notes of molten chocolate. Aragonês, Touriga Nacional, Syrah Drink now through 2013. 62,000 bottles produced.

This wine has obtained a 'Best Value' Award from Wine Spectator. I'm not surprised.We will be stocking this wine very soon. Interesting point to note is that this wine comes from the Alentejano region of Spain that produces 2/3rds of the world cork but this wine has a screw-cap closure. What is this saying? Anyway, the wine is brilliant and the storks will be landing here shortly!

Wines of Portugal and Port Tasting with Raymond Reynolds - 20th October 2010

A great line up of wines and ports were selected for our Wines of Portugal and Port Tasting (from Niepoort) with Raymond Reynolds from Raymond Reynolds Ltd last night. Delighted to be showcasing to another full house, Raymond, who has over 20 years of experience in this field, talked everyone through each of the wines imparting his passion and knowledge. We also decided, having recently experienced a great food and wine match at home with Niepoort Tawny Port and a chocolate recipe I have been working on, that we would serve each person a portion of choccy brownie with espesso chocolate sauce and also some stilton chunks and walnuts to accompany the Ports.

Here are our tasting notes on each of the wines: (Prices are all for 75cl bottles and are all available to purchase in-store)

Quinta do Ameal Loreiro 2008 (£11.95) - A lovely white wine, a wine that many would normally bypass in the shop. The 2008 combines structure and poise, with sensational definition on the palate. Proof that great wines do not need high alcohol (this is only 11.5abv)! 100% unoaked and tank fermented. Clear, pale lemon in colour with very gooseberry/grannysmith nose. Very Sauvignon Blanc in style. Bone dry with lots of acidity. Will be ideal with seafood.

Quinta do Correio Tinto 2008 (£6.95) - This Quinta dos Roques' second label. The name is taken from one of the vineyards which folklore says belonged to the local postman, so it translates humouristically as the posty’s tipple! It has a stunning ripe, plummy, herby nose with some exotic caramel and menthol notes from the new oak. The palate is rich, warm and tannic with spicy oak and a dry finish. Attractive, but a touch firm at the moment. Very good. Raymond suggested that this wine would be lovely slightly chilled in the summer. Serve with lamb or beef steaks.

Niepoort Drink Me 2007 (£9.95) - The 2007 is the second edition of this Douro wine produced for the UK market. The idea behind DRINK ME is the creation of a pleasant, easy drinking red wine, yet retaining complexity, mineral notes and great depth found in the classic Douro wines. DRINK ME is produced from vineyards from the Cima Corgo, the main grape varieties being: Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca. It's an intense wine, full of Douro character but with great freshness showing smooth tannins and fruity aromas. On the palate it is young and dense with good dusty tannins, good acidity and attractive structure.

Quinta do Macedos Pinga do Toro 2005 (£12.95) - This wine is made by Raymond and his brother Paul so this wine is particularly close to Raymond's heart. It includes a healthy proportion of barrel aged  ‘domaine’ fruit – ancient vines, trodden, with the next door neighbour’s Touriga Nacional vineyard (not oaked), from the heart of the Torto Valley. It is showing well right now with a thick, deep plummy colour and ripe blackcurrant nose.  It is spicy with good medium tannins followed by a sweet-fruited and robust body. I have always liked this wine and it seems many others also loved it!

Right, moving on to the Ports. We decided to concentrate on Niepoort (made by the most respected Dirk Niepoort). See their website

Dry White (£11.95) - A rare style of dry white port, made with lengthy skin maceration and wood ageing. Best served chilled as an aperitif or you can also have it as a long drink with tonic water, ice and a twist of lemon (Although Dirk ONLY recommends Fever Tree Tonic which unfortunately, we don't sell). It is regularly reported that Dirk makes the best dry white port going, with atypical elegance and freshness. It is golden in colour with a delightful aroma of nuts and almonds which comes through on the palate with a fresh concentrated spirit finish, from extended ageing in small old oak barrels. This was a real surprise for me personally, having not tried this port for over 8 years. My palate for ports has changed over that time and back then would not have really appealed to me but as I age (gracefully I hope) I am really enjoying all the different styles available. This is no exception and would be perfect to drink with smoked mackeral for example, Wensleydale cheese or some salted almonds. Delicious!

Ruby Dum (£11.95) - This Port is one Half of the Niepoortland story.....see also Tawny Dee.  It encapsulates all the Niepoort ethos for hand crafted Ports and drinkable complexity, this is created by careful maturation in large wooden vats. Ruby Dum is fresh and youthful and elegantly spirited. Good rich fruit coming through. Great value at £11.95 a bottle for a ruby of this quality.

Tawny Dee (£11.95) - The other half of the Niepoortland story. This Tawny Dee is created by careful maturation in pipas (600 Litre casks) and shows a mellow subtleness of dried fruits, figs and all spice. This was the wine we matched at home with my chocolate brownie dessert. Really yummy, even if I do say so myself!

Late-Bottled-Vintage 2005 (£14.95) - Having now given everyone a portion of brownie and a plate of stilton chunks and walnuts it was time to show off Dirk's LBV. LBV is a wine produced from a single vintage, and is made like a true Vintage Port in every way save one: instead of being bottled two years after harvest, LBVs are bottled after a minimum of four years and a maximum of six years of aging in cask. The 2005 is deep red colour with very vivacious aromas of fresh dark plums, cherries and a hint of chocolate along with a great silky texture. Fabulous extraction on the palate with a tight grainy texture intertwined with fresh dark fruits and a mellow spirity finish. The wine can be enjoyed now, and will become more complex with further cellaring for a couple of decades. This was one of the favourites of the tasting. It was excellent with three of the food types.


10 Year Old Tawny (£26.95) - 8000 bottles produced. Beautiful tawny colour, with aromas of dried apricots and crystalised tangerine peel well integrated with a nutty character. The palate reveals dried fruits with a fiery finish. With a great structure and long finish. I absolutely loved this port. Loads of honeyed nuttiness and caramel. Very tangy with a lovely soft finish. Highly recommended!

20 Year Old Tawny (£43.95) - 2500 bottles produced. Only very slightly deeper in colour in comparison to the 10 year old but lots more crystallized fruit and dried apricots on the palate. To me it seemed more alcoholic in style. I preferred the 10 year old as it was more approachable (to me anyway).

Moving on to the Vintage Ports....

Vintage 'Secundum' 1999 (£34.95)  and Vintage 2000 (£59.95) - 1999 was a cool year and was not fully declared but Dirk was still able to produce a powerful and seductive Port from small parcels of top quality fruit and was happy to bottle. 12,000 bottles produced. A beautiful, firm port but we highly recommend that purchasers decant and filter it as it is throwing a huge sediment.

The 2000 is incredible and worthy of its £60 price tag. Dirk has used the exceptional potential of 2000 to recreate the style of the legendary ports produced by his grandfather in the 1940's and 1950's.  Very little Niepoort 2000 has been made, as a result of not only the tiny yields from ancient vines but it is Dirk's most strict selection he has ever practised. 'A definite candidate for wine of the vintage. A brooding, velvety nose with hints of violets is followed by an intensely sweet, yet fresh, ultra-rich palate with mineral hints. This is exquisitely balanced with layers of flavour supported by ripe tannins and an extremely long finish. Drink 2010-2035'

We found this Port to be rich, ripe and soft. Perfect in many ways with loads of chocolate flavours. It has the most enticing nose with a real wow factor. The palate does not disappoint. Very highly recommended for that special occasion!

Thanks

Huge thanks to Raymond for hosting the evening, to everyone who came and to our wonderful staff members who made the evening run so smoothly. It was a very enjoyable evening with many noting that it was the first chance they had had to try out a good number of different port styles in one evening. It was also very interesting to try some great Portuguese wines that many would usually bypass in the shop. Portuguese wines are well worth trying and shouldn't be overlooked. The winemakers are now very well travelled and experienced and are producing world class wines.  Just because it doesn't have Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon etc on the label does not mean they are less delicious. Give them a go, you'll be surprised, we promise!

Testimonial: "Fabulous evening, especially the accompanying nibbles! Very good to concentrate on 1 producer (for Port) and the varying styles."

The Aftermath!

Dunell's 1st Iconic Wine Tasting - 22nd September 2010

Report by Tim Wildman MW (again please accept my apologies for not having posted this earlier. Huge thanks to Tim for writing this)

"Last night the tasting room at Dunell's was transformed into the Oscars of wine, the red carpet rolled out to greet some of the world's most papped and praised celebrity bottles. Neil and the team had put together one of the most impressive arrays of fine wine I’ve ever had the privilege to taste in one sitting. In Hollywood terms this was pure A list.

At the start of the tasting I warned people that despite the eye watering prices that these wines sell for nowadays, not all of them would be everybody’s cup of tea. Elevated wines often have extreme styles and can divide opinion. Tasting at this level often leaves us lacking the words and vocabulary that can do justice to the quality and complexity of the wines. That said, iconic wines do not always live up to their celebrity billing. This promised to be a real adventure, expectations were great, and some impressive reputations were about to be put on the line

As well as my tasting notes below, which concentrate as much on texture, perfume and structure as fruit flavours, I have taken the liberty to have some fun and describe the wines in terms of which Hollywood star they personify. I explained to the tasters on the night, that as one of 289 Masters of Wine in the world, I am officially licensed to be a wine bore. In addition you may have to grant me a poetic license for the comparisons below. If you don’t like your wine, fine or otherwise, to be anthropomorphized, then please look away now.

Wine # 1

Hermitage La Chapelle 1990, Paul Jaboulet, Northern Rhone (£375)
If it were an actor: Sean Connery

There is a saying in the wine world that as wines age they become like mountaineers climbing a peak. They all start off from different locations, but end up tending towards the same place. In wine terms this means that old Barolo, or old Rhone, can start to look a lot like old Bordeaux and old Burgundy, and visa versa. The primary fruit of youth gives many clues to grape variety, and once this has faded, you are left with the structure and other more ethereal qualities to go on. So it was with these thoughts in mind that I opened the first bottle of twenty year old Hermitage La Chapelle. Despite the age, there was no mistaking this was 100% Syrah - red in tooth and claw. Gamey, reduced, balsamic, meaty aromas, and a soft, open, pliable palate, all pointing to a beautifully aged Northern Rhone Syrah. The 1990 La Chapelle is often cited as the best since the legendary 1961. Aged wine it may be, but like Sean Connery’s accent as the Russian submarine commander in The Hunt for Red October, there was no mistaking its provenance.

Wine # 2

Vega Sicilia “Unico” 1999, Ribeira del Duero, Spain (£225)
If it were an actor: Cate Blanchett

For many, including myself, this was the wine of the night. Not because it was the most polished, or most intense, powerful or complex. It wasn’t. But it had character. And great drinkability. I suggested at the time that if we were at a dinner party not a tasting, this would be the first empty bottle. Mid weight, russet ruddy garnet colour, showing age at the edges, haunting aromatics, supple, refreshing, energetic palate. I said to a good friend recently that the older I get the attribute I look for most in wine is character not quality. This wine had it in spades. Hugh Johnson once said that truly great wine does not make statements, it asks questions. Profound, quietly beautiful, and enigmatic.

Wine # 3

Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2001, Comte de Vogüe, Burgundy (£135)
If it were an actor: Gwyneth Paltrow

Only one bottle out of the four we had was really singing, the others were affected to a greater or lesser extent by their cork. Not necessarily corked (ie suffering from actual chemical cork taint, TCA or associated compounds) but flattened, dull and not at their best. So most likely either slightly oxidised, or suffering from very low levels of cork taint that has stripped the fruit and the soul out of the wine. I was careful to make the distinction between a wine being faulty (corked, undrinkable) or flawed (drinkable, but with quality degraded).

But oh! That one bottle. Light, in both colour and body, insubstantial, but perfumed, alluring, filling the sense, a wine that appeals to the heart not the head, as all good Burgundy does. And Gwyneth Paltrow? A beguiling, classical beauty, ethereal and talented but probably quite high maintenance.

Wine # 4

Sassicaia 2001, Bolgari, Tuscany, Italy (£145)
If it were an actor: Robert de Niro

The marmite wine. Some loved it, others, myself included were slightly impervious to its charms. Two out of the four bottles were so badly cork affected that we couldn’t show them (one extremely corked, the other simply out of condition). Sassicaia is rightly famous as Italy’s first “Super Tuscan”, eschewing the native Sangiovese it is a blend of the Bordeaux grape varieties (Cabernet, Merlot, some Cab Franc). This is very much Bordeaux with an Italian accent, powerfully structured Cabernet, but with slightly gentler, but no less dry tannins, and slightly more pronounced acidity, balanced by the richer fruit of its more southerly location.

And Robert de Niro? Because he has played some definitive roles as an Italian, but his later career has been marked by inconsistency and some occasional duffers, although his reputation remains intact.

Wine # 5

Chateau Haut Brion 1er Cru Classe 1995, Graves, Bordeaux (£269.50)
If it were an actor: Paul Giamatti

For a number of people I spoke to this was one of the more disappointing bottles of the night. For me, it was up there with the best. In no way showy, and possibly going through the well recognised closed down “teenage years” that can chatacterise the evolution of Bordeaux. Restraint not withstanding, the beauty and breed of this wine was to be found in its composition and structure, its internal construction if you like. The texture and detail of the wine had me transfixed. Every rivet in its coachwork was immaculately placed. A Swiss watch, a Rolls Royce. The Actor’s Actor.

Wine # 6

Opus One 2005, Napa Valley, California (£165)
If it were an actor: George Clooney / Cary Grant

Opus One is the kind of wine that people often have an opinion about having never drunk it. The most common is the misapprehension that it is some sort of super-rich, overblown Californian Frankenwine, a monstrous creation of fruit, oak and alcohol. Nothing could be further from the truth. The 2005 that we tasted seduced even those who said they never drank Californian wine. It was full of class, breed and distinction; the fruit was ripe certainly, but not overblown, with firm, elegant tannins, fresh balancing acidity and great presence and texture in the mouth. This wine was created by the coming together of two great wine families, the Mondavis of California, and the Rothschilds of Bordeaux. Their vision is well represented by this elegant expression of Californian Cabernet that nods towards the great left bank Bordeauxs. Like George Clooney and Cary Grant, it wears its maturity well, and although it is a formal suited-and-booted style, still has plenty of sex appeal.

Wine # 7

Shiraz “Hill of Grace” 2004, Henschke, Eden Valley, Barossa, South Australia (£265)
If it were an actor: Al Pacino / Johnny Depp

Very much the odd man out of this evenings tasting. Australian wine always has a generosity of fruit, often verging on the sweet, and for some this stylistic step change jarred after the less overt, savoury styles of the preceding wines. But what a wine for a finale! This wine demanded to be judged on its own merits, and they are considerable. As Australia’s most famous, and expensive single vineyard wine (remember Grange is a multi regional blend) Hill of Grace never fails to impress with its power, complexity and - in its Australian context - elegance. Yes, its youth, fruit weight and style may have appeared to some as a bit loud and brash. It’s true that switching between Australia and France requires a re-setting of the stylistic compass. But as a performance this was Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, or Al Pacino in, well, most things. Over the top? Slightly. Hugely enjoyable? Definitely!

Wine # 8

Chateau D'Yquem 1er Cru Classe, Sauternes, Bordeaux 1996 (£184.95)
If it were an actor: Marilyn Monroe / James Dean

There are only two types of people in the world. Those who love Chateau D'Yquem, and those who are wrong.

Lets make no mistake, unlike a number of the wines in tonight’s tasting, this isn’t about your own personal taste. This is one of the worlds greatest wines, full stop. Its history, consistently high quality over centuries (not decades), its painstaking method of production, all of this makes it the blue-est of blue chip wines. If you drank a bit too much of the preceding seven wines to truly enjoy the considerable charms of the Sauternes, then consider it a lesson learnt for next time.

Good Sauternes in general, and Chateau D'Yquem in particular, transcend any argument about personal preferences for sweet wine. This is a great wine, however you want to measure that term. Complexity, length, aromatic intensity and persistence, ability to age and develop over the long term. One taster on the night commented “It makes me want to curl up and cry, its that good”

Any why choose Marilyn Monroe and James Dean? Because having died young, and long enough ago for history to have judged them, they have passed into a level of stardom that goes beyond mere celebrity. They are beyond reproach, firmly established as cultural icons, immortals if you like. And so it is with Chateau D'Yquem. Disagree at your peril!

A note on cork taint: As the above notes indicate, we experienced a fault or flaw in the wines as a result of their cork closures of approximately one in three. The globally agreed average is 7%, so we were way above that. The wines were sourced for the most part directly from the importers, so there is no question of poor storage. Luckily Dunell's had sourced four bottles, and we only required three for tasting, and in the case of the Sassicaia, had to stretch out two bottles. The only wines that showed no fault or flaw in all four bottles were Hill Of Grace (screwcap), Vega Sicilia and D'Yquem."


end

Testimonials:

"What an excellent way to taste wines not normally on one's shopping list. Excellent commentary (and sensible too!) Thank you"

"Fantastic. Have been looking forward to this was ages and wasn't disappointed. Please sign me up for February."

"Absolutely brilliant evening!! Tim was terrific - I learned a tremendous amount. It was serious and fun. Superb range/selection of wines, attested to the fact that my 'favourite' kept changing over the course of the evening. Thank you - a memorable evening. Sign me up for February."

"Thank you for organising such a splendid tasting. I very much appreciated the pains you took to present the wines at their best and the notes guiding us. The tame MW was also very good value and the food much appreciated."

"The evening was very enjoyable, with a cracking selection of wines. Tim as one would have expected was very knowledgeable but also presented himself in very amusing and friendly way."

Our next Iconic tasting will be held on 10th February 2011. We are currently fully booked. Please call the office to be added to the waiting list.

Jane

Shaun Corrigan's 'Pinot Family' Food and Wine Matching Event at Tassili - 14th October 2010

Last night, Shaun Corrigan, The Grand Jersey's Restaurant Manager, hosted the first in the series of their new Tassili Wine Dinners showcasing new and exciting wines accompanied by complimentary menus created by their, have to be said quite brilliant, Executive Head Chef, Richard Allen.


This first evening was based on the Pinot Family with a selection of six wines (inclusive of aperitif) from different countries including Italy and France and five courses to accompany each wine. The evening promised the perfect treat for any food or wine connoisseur.

Take a look at the menu to the left. I personally felt that this menu was going to push the boundaries of food and wine matching. There were some particularly difficult challenges but I have to say and everyone who attended will also agree that this was probably one of the best food and wine matching events experienced for a very long time.

Shaun has worked all over the world as a restaurant manager as well as a sommelier in many top hotels and restaurants and is most definitely passionate and knowledgeable in his field. He has been working at the Grand Jersey for 7 months now.

The evening started with a lovely 2008 Pinot Bianco from  Elena Walch in Alto-Adige, Italy. Very classic in style with ripe fruit and elegant acidity. It was extremely drinkable, a perfect apertif but boy was it good with the delicate fish goujons that were served. We joked that this wine was perfect for fish fingers! It was also great with the squid ink tapioca.

We then moved through to the restaurant to begin the journey of flavours. First up was the Goat's Cheese and Truffle Sandwich with a 2005 Pinot Blanc Auxerrois 'Les Princes Abbés' from Domaine Schlumberger, Alsace. I was in heaven. The best goat's cheese dish I have ever had and with a wine that complemented perfectly. The acidity was so finely balanced and it cut through the cheese really well. The palate of butter, brioche, almond and jasmine was delicious. I could really go on and on about this match!

Next up, the Lemon Sole with Lobster and Clams with 2009 Grauer Burgunder 'Schlossgarten' Trocken Grosses Gewächs from Weingut Bercher, Baden, Germany (don't ask me to say it). Unfortunately I have developed an allergy to lobster so I only ate the lemon sole but it was stunning. The wine made by the Bercher family (currently in ninth and tenth generation) was of the highest quality, lemony with great acidity and great minerality. This was Pinot Gris in all its glory and it was a very good match with the dish.

The next course was one I feared. Pot roast squab pigeon, boudin noir, cep espuma (foam) and dry roasted pumpkin seeds. I have eaten pigeon before and I do like it (sort of) but with boudin noir (black pudding) I wasn't so sure. I am not a fan of black pudding at all but when the dish appeared it smelt so good I just had to try it out, especially when Shaun had matched it with a straight Pinot Meunier (a mutation of the Pinot Noir grape) from Eyrie Vineyards, Oregon, USA. I haven't tried a straight Pinot Meunier for a very long time. Sometimes described as 'Foxy', this grape variety can often express quite unattractive animal type aromas, earthiness and mustiness. It is usually used when blending Champagne or sparkling wines. When used in the Champagne or sparkling wine process, the juice is usually pressed with no skin contact (it is a red grape) during fermentation and creates essentially a dry and highly acidic base wine but when making red wine, the grapes are usually cold soaked (same process of Pinot Noir) to extract pigmentation and tannins.

Indeed, this particular Pinot Meunier did have a slightly unattractive nose but it had a lovely palate of morello cherry with herbaceaous undertones. The finish was of strawberries. Not exceptional on its own but gosh did it totally come alive with the dish. All I can say was the match wowed us all and was perfectly executed. The food flavours totally made this wine sing from the roof tops. Neil said "If you're going to drink Pinot Meunier, this is the dish to have it with". It was revelational.....and the black pudding, stunning! I'll eat black pudding but from now on, only if Richard is cooking it!

Next up was the 2008 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir from Martinborough, New Zealand. This is one of Shaun's favourite wines of the moment made by Clive Paton, one of a handful of winemaking pioneers in Martinborough. This was served with best end of lamb, aubergine caviar boulangere and braised shoulder. I have eaten a lot of lamb (it's my favourite meat) but I have never eaten lamb so tender. It cut like butter and the boulangere potato stack was gorgeous. The wine, one we have been selling for a while now, was deep, rich and spicy and had a luxuriously silky texture. It complemented the food superbly. Shaun also explained that he had decided to serve the wine slightly chilled (15 mins in the fridge) to emphasise the fruit and the quality. He also mentioned that glassware also makes a dramatic difference to the quality and the taste of the wine. We agreed.

The final course, the dessert, was on paper, one that really should not have worked. Toasted hazelnuts with liquorice meringue with, wait for it, a 2007 Pinotage Steytler from Kaapzicht, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Don't get me wrong, if you are going to drink this 'love it or hate it' cross blend of Pinot Noir and Cinsault then Zaapzicht is one of the best producers, but with hazelnuts and liquorice? Well I have now eaten my proverbial hat because it was GENIUS! The liquorice was very subtle and the meringue so light and fluffy. The toasted hazelnuts were a perfect addition. The wine was deep, with layer upon layer of rich black fruit intertwined with perfectly balanced oak. The fruit was so rich and ever ever so slightly sweet that it matched incredibly with the sweet fluffy meringue and delicately scented liquorice base and then after eating the hazelnuts completely wowed the finish. It was a complete dish and a real journey of the senses!

All in all it was an amazing and very enjoyable evening. The staff were highly professional (as always) and did not faulter. Shaun and Richard did an amazing job of putting this challenging menu together and executing it to such perfection. We actually tweeted the fact that Michelin should seriously take note of this chef. Totally unassuming but really deserves a huge amount of credit. Jersey is lucky to have a chef of this quality.

The next event is on 11th November entitled 'Emerging wines from Italy' and will be introduced by Michael Palij, Master of Wine. He will introduce some of the more unusual styles of Italy's wines and some 'lost' varieties from far afield as Piedmont to Sicily. It is priced at £80 per head. If last night was anything to go by, you do not want to miss the next one!

See their website for more details or call 722301 to book.

Thank you

Jane

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