TV's - various (bubbles, Sauternes, white Burg, GV, Zin etc)

[Phil Shorten]

Brief notes from a function last night - wines matched with traditional Xmas food....

Charles Ellner NV (Champagne, France)

Pleasant enough - nice and biscuity but a tad too much residual sugar for my palate - reminds me of Moet, but slightly better.

Ch de Malle 1997 (Bordeaux, France)

A very good year for Sauternes, and this one was certainly sweet. Not a huge amount of botrytis character, but full, rich and voluptuous - vanilla and honey overlay subtle citrus peel. Needs time.

Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 1998 Freie Weingartner Wachau (Wachau, Austria)

Floral and slightly spicy nose, only palate elegant, slightly creamy nashi pear, baked apple fruit. Good wine.

Pouilly Fuisse "Les Chailloux" 2000, Domaine Seve (Maconnais, France)

Nice creamy buttery stonefruit - could do with slightly greater fruit intensity. Well judged oak. Good wine.

Berry's Own Zinfandel 1998, Cartlidge & Browne (California, USA)

When initially poured was tired bordering on maderized - leather and aniseed with spiky acidity. Came around after a double decant to show some pleasant mature redfruits (cranberry, sour cherry), but a wine to be drunk within 12-24 months of release methinks.

Ch Laroque 1998 St Emilion Grand Cru (Bordeaux, France)

Initially tighter than a fishes proverbial, but opened up to show some promise of a good future and typical St Emilion richness - somewhat dominated by the Cab Franc at this stage though. Hold for a few years before trying again.

Hunter's Merlot 1999 (Marlborough, New Zealand)

More in the red fruit (plum) spectrum than the St Emilion. Pleasant enough, but was outshone by the St Emilion when matched with food.

Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 1993, Disznoko (Tokaj, Hungary)

Unanimous wine of the night! I love Tokaji (more complex and interesting than Sauternes IMHO) and this is a good example - wonderful wine that is perfect with Xmas pud or a chunk of Stilton - yum - more please!

Quinta do Vargelllas 1998, Taylors (Douro Valley, Portugal)

A single Quinta wine - nice round rich plum/prune fruit with touches of spice. Nice, but I prefer the cheaper 1997 Quinta do Noval LBV as a drink now wine, and if I was to splurge on a wine for laying down it would be the 2000 Quinta do Noval, a single quinta wine that isn't treated as a second wine. BTW, Quinta do Noval and Disznoko are both owned by AXA Millesimes.

The Macallan 10 year old (Speyside, Scotland)

Matured in Sherry barrels and for my palate, too sweet. I'm not a big whisky drinker, but when I do indulge I prefer the peaty ones from Islay.

Cheers
Phil

[Attila]

I too love Tokaji, Phil. Right now I am in the middle of organizing a great Tokaji tasting in Sydney, that will be held in February. I was asked to be the presenter of these great wines which will include the mighty PAJZOS Esszencia 1993, a wine rated 99 points by WP and it is a wine that absolutely blew me away when I first tasted it last year. Have you tried this one?
Cheers,
Attila

[Phil Shorten]

Atilla

I must admit that I have not tried this wine. While in Hungary, I managed to get to meet 4 producers - Disznoko, Oremus, Royal Tokaj and Kiralyudvar/Szepsy. Also tried the Degenfeld (hope I spelt this correctly) 5 Putts in the middle of the village of Tokaj. Sensational wines (especially the Szepsy and Disznoko lines) and a beautiful part of the world.

Cheers
Phil

[Phil Shorten]

Attila

BTW, my apologies for spelling your name incorrectly!

Regards
Phil