What we had to drink with what (In the UK)

[Carlovski]

This is a new topic I am expecting to grow.

In the spirit of the what we had for dinner thread, I would like people to post what they had to drink. Not expecting copious wine tasting notes - if you had something REALLY special, then it deserves it's own topic! What I think would be good is recommendations for something a bit different or good everyday weekday drinking.

I'd like to keep it region specific (This stemmed from a discussion about having a UK region wine board), be great if we had a whole host of topics for different countries, so each one is of a readable length, and those interested stand a reasonable chance of obtaining the wine.

I'd like to kick things off, but unfortunately all I had last night was an 'Emergency nip to the petrol station' bottle of Arniston Bay Shiraz/something blend. It was err, palatable

Actually that could be a thread on it's own - Best wines from dodgy off licenses!

[Suzi Edwards]

last night i started my wine appreciated course, so i am hoping to be able to contribute more and more to this thread. i mean, i've always drunk wine, but i am not sure i've ever really had much to say about it other than "i liked or didn't like it"

if anyone is interested in a week by week overview of what i am learning, let me know and i could start a new thread about it.

[oldschooltie]

Remainder of Meursault Charmes 1995 Remoissenet

When originally opened, this had been quite impressive - good balance of fruit and acidity, taut with a developing richness. Last night, it was showing its age a bit and had oxidised slightly.

Remainder of Vacqueyras Cuvee des Templiers 1995 Clos des Cazaux

Bit disappointed with this - lacked body and fruit; over the hill?

[Winot]

1997 Gigondas St. Cosme (£6 from cellar door in 1999).

Drinking well now -- tannins have softened but still quite well structured bordering on the severe.

[Carlovski]

One more point - Be good if people can say where they got it from (If applicable/they can remember - I know many people here keep a bit more of an extensive cellar than me!) and a rough cost - help give people drinking ideas.

We may even be able to collate a 'What to get from xxxxx' guide at some point.

[oldschooltie]

Remainder of Meursault Charmes 1995 Remoissenet

When originally opened, this had been quite impressive - good balance of fruit and acidity, taut with a developing richness. Last night, it was showing its age a bit and had oxidised slightly.

Remainder of Vacqueyras Cuvee des Templiers 1995 Clos des Cazaux

Bit disappointed with this - lacked body and fruit; over the hill?

Meursault Charmes from Wine Society (en Primeur)

cost about £15

Vacqueyras Wine Society (en Primeur)

cost about £6

[Scott]

about 40 diff red and white 2002 burg's

great, great vintage.

same again tonight.

[Chris Kissack]

Two nights ago Musar 96 - one of the lighter Musars of recent years.

Last night Musar 95 - absolutely classic Musar, and therefore for Musar lovers only - great nose domminated by volatile acidity at first (polystyrene cement and acetone aromas) but then more sweet and leathery.

Tonight - nothing I'm working.

Tomorrow night - Musar 94 - the richest Musar of recent years, and quite atypical. I'm looking forward to trying it again.

I buy Musar either from The Wine Society or Majestic, depending on various circumstances. Price usually £11-12 for current vintage (the 97, which I drank last week).

I like drinking different cuvees/vintages/vineyards from the same producer in a run like this. Very educational for the palate I find. Helps to crystallise my opinions of the individual wines as well.

BWs

Chris Kissack

[LOS]

Two nights ago Musar 96 - one of the lighter Musars of recent years.

Last night Musar 95 - absolutely classic Musar, and therefore for Musar lovers only - great nose domminated by volatile acidity at first (polystyrene cement and acetone aromas) but then more sweet and leathery.

Chris,

Have you had 91 Musar recently? I have a case coming across the pond from Farr, and was wondering how soon to drink one. The US price of this stuff has taken a skyward turn in the last few years.

thanks

[Chris Kissack]

LOS

I haven't had Musar 91 since a ten-year-on tasting - so that was just over two years ago now. It is one of the better Musars of recent years, in fact probably the best of the 1990s. I though it was drinking beautifully at that time although I think Serge Hochar says it is best drunk from 15 years of age onwards. If I had a case coming my way I would definitely open one ASAP - I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off it!

BWs

Chris

[MobyP]

Last night a lovely Italian wine, but I don't know anything about the grape or style (maybe Craig can help). It says:

San Leonardo (1999)

Vallagarina

(Imbottigliato all'origine da Marchese Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga Tenuta di San Leonardo Borghetto all'Adige • TN • Italia)

[Carema]

Excuse me for jumping in here, but I am thinking your wine was white and if it were it was most probably Chardonnay grown near the Adige River, along with asparagus crops and kiwis (the fruits, not New Zealanders!) This property is located in the Bolzano area.

[Chris Kissack]

Wouldn't you know it - the 94 Musar was corked. The other bottles of the 94 are well buried in the cellar, so I went Musar-less.

Never mind, I opened a Pic St Loup from Chateau de Cazeneuve. This subregion of the Coteaux du Languedoc is sure to be the next to achieve appellation status. I had the Roc des Mates cuvee, which is mostly Syrah with a dash of Grenache and Mourvedre - although you would think there was more of the latter judging by the meaty, farmyardy nose. It was, in fact, lovely. Can't wait to finish the bottle tonight.

BWs

Chris

Edited January 23, 2004 by Chris Kissack (log)

[Scott]

so I went Musar-less.

See there's a bright side to everything

[Andre]

Last night a lovely Italian wine, but I don't know anything about the grape or style (maybe Craig can help). It says:

San Leonardo (1999)

Vallagarina

(Imbottigliato all'origine da Marchese Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga Tenuta di San Leonardo Borghetto all'Adige • TN • Italia)

I know og only two wines produced by Tenuta San Leonardo:

Merlot di San Leonardo and San Leonardo [ blend ].

The San Leonardo is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc with a long aging potential.

[ctgm]

1993 Ch. Malescasse (Cru B.) imported through my old company and think was selling for about £10.

Never was a great fan of this wine but as my old boss gave it to me for doing him a favour I am not going to complain. having said that of the 7 bottles that I have had this was by far the best and really quite enjoyable.

[Chris Kissack]

See there's a bright side to everything 

Now, Scott, just because you don't have the necessary sophistication of palate to enjoy Musar, don't take it out on me.

Or should that be "because you don't like wine stuffed with volatile acidity to the point where the nose resembles a blend of polystyrene cement and nail-polish remover..."

I was actually a little peeved at finding this wine corked as I was really looking forward to it following the 95, 96 and 97. But I quickly cheered when I imagined the fun I might have sending it back in a restaurant: "This wine is corked". Response "No sir, Musar always smells like that". Which reminded me of a local restaurant I visited a couple of years ago. I spotted the current vintage of Musar on the list - the 95 I think - and ordered a bottle. The waiter returned to explain they had no Musar: "There was a problem with it - we opened several and they were all the same - we had to send them all back". I chuckled the rest of the evening as I imagined a restaurateur with little wine knowledge smelling bottle after bottle of very typical Musar, with its prominent volatile acidity, and commenting "yeuch" each time.

I ended up drinking some Chilean Syrah. So going Musar-less isn't always a good thing!

BWs

Chris

[balex]

Chateauneuf du Pape : clos de l'oratoire des papes 2000.

This is a really nice wine: excellent balance, nice flavours, not too concentrated.

. I got 6 bottles of this for Xmas, and my wife especially liked it so I got some more. From Majestic.

[ctgm]

2001 Mercurey, Colin Deleger.

Mercurey is not a village that particularly has ever caught my attention but this wine was drinking really well. Still had a lovely acidity and a good amount of buttery tones. Perfect with wild (rather than farmed) salmon.

[Winot]

2001 Dr Loosen Riesling - £5.99 from Oddbins.

A glass with Nigel Slater's Moroccan sardines (filled with chermoula and deep fried) and couscous salad.

Zingy appley/floral flavours but not a lot of depth. Very drinkable with the food.

W.

[Winot]

2001 Domaine Lalande Pouilly Fuisse.

£35 in Court Restaurant, British Museum with pheasant terrine then teriyaki salmon with noodles and bok choi. Intense Burgundy depth; quite oily; good balance fruit/acidity.

Available from Bibendum for £12.77/bottle which would be good value.

[ctgm]

1990 Ch. Beausite (Cru B.) St. Estephe

Had with roast chicken. Seemed to have lost quite a lot of fruit since I last had it a year or so ago. Result was a quite nice bottle but lacking in any surprises.

[Marco_Polo]

Sampled an astonishing wine last night: Sagrantino di Montefalco passito 1999 from the Antica Azienda Paolo Bea. This wine is made from selected Sagrantino grapes laid out to dry in airy lofts for upwards of three months (similar process to making Recioto or Amarone della Valpolicella). Gorgeous deep blackberry and wild fruits nose, hugely sweet in the mouth, yet with an underlying, almost rasping edge of tannin and grip that is a characteristic of the Sagrantino and which kept the wine from cloying. Very long, voluptuous, lingering aftertaste that I can still almost taste now...

Like other passiti wines, Sagrantino is considered a vino da meditazione best enjoyed without food, but this remarkable rarity, because of its exceptional concentrated balance between sweetness and tannin can indeed accompany food. I had tasted the bottle the night before without food (well, with just a nugget of Montgomery farmhouse cheddar); since the bottle was open last night, I tried it with what we were already having for dinner, skinless chicken thighs roasted with olive oil, garlic and lots of fresh rosemary together with some pan-roasted butternut squash. The match was not perfect, but the layers of luscious sweetness with that hard edge of tannin made it an unusual and very interesting wine to accompany food -- the sweetness of the roasted squash particularly complemented the richly flavoured wine.

But really, to drink such a wine with food would be a waste. Traditional Sagrantino passito is rarely encountered and is likely to be expensive, so this gorgeous and voluptuous wine really is one to sip and savour slowly in front of a fire...shared with a partner or likeminded wine lover or lover.

This is not, by the way, a wine you're likely to encounter at your local Tescos (only 4000 bottles were produced in 1999). Here's a picture of the bottle.

[slacker]

Eben Sadie Palladius 2002 with Quicke's cheddar. Boxing Day 2003.

Nice thread.