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+--- Thread: Tasting (/thread-12745.html)
- brappy - 12-09-2006
I've got to make this quick because BUZ is settling in.......
3 of us; 8 bottles
1. Vasse Felix "Heytsbury" chardonnay
2. St. John's Road Julia Greenock Shiraz
3. 2 Hands "No Secrets Pinot" pinot noir
4. Mont Gras reserva merlot '04
5. Montezuma reserve merlot '04
6. Casta Diva "La Diva" nv
7. Bodega Toro Albala Sl. Gran Reserva PX '71
8. Don PX reserva especial PX '66
Quick notes:
Lovely Chardonnay; but not up to strength with what this winery is able to produce. Still, the complexity is there, I wonder if this bottle is off in any way...
For the reds, I'll put them in order of finished bottles.
The Pinot Noir finished first with with St. John's coming in a close second.
We move a bit further and reach the Montezuma Merlot; Beyond that is the Mont Gras merlot reserva.
Then the desert wines:
1. Casta Diva "La Diva" nv
2. The '71 PX
3. The '66 PX
I could go on further..... Or maybe not... I'm out.....
[This message has been edited by brappy (edited 12-09-2006).]
- Innkeeper - 12-09-2006
Can't say I'm familiar with any of the above. Glad you enjoyed most of them.
- Bucko - 12-09-2006
I don't know about the "buz" either....
- brappy - 12-10-2006
Sorry..... was falling asleep when typing that.
Vasse Felix "Heytsbury" chardonnay '03
This chardonnay is burgundian in style. The fruit was first and foremost with the oak and malo characters sitting in the background. The wine exhibited beatiful balance. I've enjoyed this wine for several years now. the '02s and '04s are a bit more impressive but I believe those vintages for Western Australia to be better ones.
The order for the reds:
1. 2 Hands "No Secrets Pinot" pinot noir '04
From Australia. medium to full body; nose has tons of cherry fruit with a touch of blue and black fruit. The palate has much of the same with a bit of earth coming through. With a lengthy finish making one beg for more. It's odd that I'd pick a pinot noir as the WOtN but it just happened to be the best by far.
2. St. John's Road Julia Greenock Shiraz '03
This one took awhile to open up. I thought at first it was a bit disjointed. An hour later and I was tasting something completely different. This is a big Aussie shiraz without being "jammy", if that makes any sense. Next bottle I'll decant for an hour or two.
3. Montezuma reserve merlot '04
This was my throw in from New York. This is a full bodied merlot. Great concentration and a pleasant finish. I would enjoy this wine again but have found better wines from New York for the same price. The winery is also out of the way sitting at the top of Lake Cayuga(sp).
4. Mont Gras reserva merlot '04
Another southern hemisphere wine. Though Chili is coming out with some great wines, this one didn't hit it. There was some stewed fruit in the nose and the palate. I believe with better vineyard management, this vineyard could produce some great wines. The fruit had some concentration and the tannins at the back end were pleasantly sweet. But the balance was a touch off (and that stewed fruit thing). Oh well....
One more quick note: The '66 Don PX was an eye-opener for me. I usually enjoy px sherries but this one was extremely impressive. I expected something overly oxidized to the point of falling away. What I got was a wine that had turned black and poured like syrup. The flavors were a bit like having a nut infused honey. The acid was in perfect balance with the sweetness. This wine was no where near dying. On the contrary, I would guess it has another 30 to 40 years left in it.
Thanks for putting up with my drunk typing and babble in the first post.
mark
- winoweenie - 12-10-2006
Heck Fire there Brapps I unnerstood ebbery word of the 1st post. Made perfect sense to moi. WW [img]http://wines.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img]