A wine dinner based on Bordeaux1997

The last PWC wine dinner this year feature half a dozen bottles of Bordeaux 1997. I didn't have 1997 champagne, or white on hand and could not find Sauternes of that year, so an NV champagne and other whites and dessert wine have to stand duty in their stead. (If I had more people and I have all those wines of the same 1997 vintage, 7 clarets with one each of champagne, dry and sweet white Bordeaux would make a nice 2-century line-up, but that was not to be.)

Although 1997 was not regarded as a good year, and got awarded scores in the high 80s to low 90s range (those I could find scores for ranged between 87 and 90), the wines actually drank better on the night than their scores suggest. I had a port to finish, to go with Xmas pudding; so I also got some Stilton for the cheese course, but that's another story and another tidbit!

Wither Hills Pinot Noir Rose 2015

I got to know the Wither Hills winery through its Suavignon Blanc many moons ago, but I cannot remember tasting anything else from them. So it was a  surprise to see this Pinot Noir Rose on a supermarket shelf just a little while back (I don't even think I had tried their regular Pinot Noir either). Apparently Wither Hills now make two different Rose wines, this regular one and an early light version, with lower alcohol and a slightly higher residual sugar. This regular version is fermented dry and spent a little time on light yeast lees for better palate and structure (like the Muscadet sur lie, I suppose). This wine was a pale rose pink with an acid fruity nose. The palate was off-dry with prominent strawberry, well supported by an acid backbone. A delightful drink, especially for summer!

Another unexpected wine tasting

We went to a concert at the Cathedral over the weekend and were invited to the Reception beforehand. There is usually a red and a white wine at these events, but the surprise was the display of Italian wines at one end of the drinks section. It turned out that someone had bought some wine at auction and donated a sample of these for tasting that evening.

There was a good selection of wines from Piedmont and Veneto, but a cocktail reception before a concert is not the best time to taste a large array of wines. I managed to taste some half a dozen wines, including some pale but powerful Nebbiolos (in the old style). The wines themselves merit their own entries; it was certainly a pleasant surprise for the evening.

Expiry dates on wines

OK the best by date is not exactly an expiry date, but consumer legislation has pushed for a time limit for everything. I can understand that drugs deteriorate and the sterility of various consumables for invasive procedures cannot be guaranteed for a long time, but some of the new expiry or best by dates really logic. Canned food can sometimes last a surprisingly long time, well past the supposed 3 to 5 years time limit used for setting best by dates (an interesting article about testing decades old canned food can be found here).

Wines are another puzzle. I have personally tasted a Madeira over 2 centuries old and it was wonderful, as were all those old wines of over 50 years I have tasted during a two week period in early summer of 2014. Coming back to this German wine, I found that I have different bottles of this Rieslings from this vineyard, all from the same vintner. This 2016 Spatlese has the same best before date of end of 2045 as a 2012 Auslese. However the longest life was assigned to the 2010 Auslese, which was reckoned to be good until the end of 2059! Vintage variations?!?

Madeiras from the 1970s

I had to move my wines out of the place I had been storing them, as the building management company need access to carry out some repairs. In the process I rediscovered where the wines which have been "misplaced" had gone. I remembered that I should have a bottle each of Madeira from 1976 to 1978. Of course they were all over the places in different parts of my storage area.

Gathering them together, I found that I have two from Blandy's and two bottles of Terrantez. I knew about the 1977, but was surprised to find that the 1976 was also Terrantez. Now I must carefully note where I am keeping them. It would be nice to have the 1978 Malmsey in a wine dinner nect year.

Half bottles at the Club's Sports Shop

I recently found out that they were selling these half bottles at the Sports Shop in the Club. Although it is called the Sports Shop, they have always sold other things including wine there. I remember in the good old days, there was a good selection of half bottles of very respectable wines at the wine shop in the Police Officers' Club; now that Club has been demolished in the various construction works of the harbour front.

There are only two varieties on sale now, and I don't expect that they will have more varieties in the foreseeable future. At present the two varieties are a Bordeaux and a Barbera d'Alba. They seem pleasant enough for solo drinking, but of course if they can get better bottles it would be nice. Then again, maybe the other place selling wines in the Club, the Pavillion will take up the half bottle idea.

Leeuwin Estate Arts Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

I mentioned this wine in a post last month and how it did not show up well when tasted after the Sarget de Gruaud Larose 2000. Art Series is the flagship line for the Margaret River winery Leeuwin Estate, with two of its member finding their way into the Langton Classification. The Chardonnay is in the top class, whilst the Cabernet Sauvignon is in the third class. For the latter, it is often possible to find wines of good quality at very reasonable prices. For both these wines, the art label changes every year, and the picture on the label  is Forwards Backwards by Geoffrey Ricardo.

As for the wine, it was ruby red with a slightly cardboardy sweet acid nose with a hint of fruit. There was a sweet vanilla wood acid fruity palate, supported by an acid woody backbone.