Christoffel-berres

From two recent dinners

~ Richard ~ Leave a comment

1995 Christoffel-berres Erdener Pralat Spatlese Riesling 8%
Mosel, germany

A glowing deep yellow with some amber, indicating age (early 2000s). Cumquat, honey, petroleum, camphor, smoke, high residual sugar, low alcohol. German for sure, Spatlese at least, perhaps Auslese? Palate is luxurious, and beautifully balanced. Revealed as older than my guess. It’s a magic site, and the label is charming.

Drink to 2030, 94 points

2021 Ch Suduiraut 14%
Sauterne, France

Vanilla, vitality, rich and pure botrytis. Apricot, citrus, quince, with some very attractive green notes in the mix. Palate is opulent, viscous – all quality here and sublime length. But young – 2017? Unveiled, it turns out even younger, already approachable without guilt, but a long life beckons. Very little was made due to a combination of frost and mildew – but this is brilliantly assembled. 100% semillon, 138 g/l rs.

Drink to 2045, 94 points

2004 Stanton and Killeen fortified 18.5%
Rutherglen, Victoria, 8 gold medals and 4 silvers
30% shiraz, 21% touriga, 19% Durif, 10 tinta cao, 10%tinta roriz, 10%tinta barocca

It seems I reviewed this wine in 2018. Tonight, the cork has done its duty;  the wine is densely coloured with just some trivial ruby bricking on the meniscus; it’s thriving with dark cherry, raspberry, blueberry and sweet spices; it’s soft, civilized, and balanced with a mix of sweet and savoury; talcy tannins, fine spirit and fruitcake spices now with plum and blackberry joining in – combining very satisfactorily. And there’s no rush.

Drink to 2034; 93 points

One dinner – four from Europe

~ Richard ~ Leave a comment

First up, Australian winemaker John Vickery died recently. He was a gentleman, an expert winemaker and had huge influence on winemakers here. Riesling was his forte, with many memorable wines made at Leo Buring,  Richmond Grove and the eponymous Vickery label. He kickstarted my interest in wine, and my early tribute is here.

A recent dinner I attended had a plethora of interesting wines (all served blind), and I will try to describe a few.

1993 christoffel EP

1993 Christoffel-Berres Erdener Pralat Riesling Auslese*** 8.5%
Mosel. Light gold colour- petrol, tropical fruits, blackcurrant. Creamy palate, fresh with terrific balance. Lovely wine from a great site in Mosel. Wines are no longer produced, but there is (or was) a fair stock of wines from 1987-97. This was apparently an auction wine, and the *** indicates greater richness in the style.

Drink to 2033, and 93 points

2011 2013 sauternes

2011 Ch Haut-bergeron 13.5%
Sauternes. Really Interesting to see this after the 2001 tasted recently.

Gold colour, bursting with vanilla, apricot, pineapple rind, Palate is slinky with vanilla bean, marzipan nuttiness and cumquat. Ripe, fresh, dense and dramatic. At least a decade in front of it. Oak plays an important structural role here, but the fruit is winning.

Drink to 2035, and 93 points

2013 Ch Raymond-lafon 13.5%
From half bottles – Slightly duller colour, with nettle and herbal elements. More savoury than the previous wine, palate showing guava, pineapple and passionfruit. Several winemakers present suggested some ignoble rot (aspergillus/penicillium) but in the amount involved won’t affect really enjoyment except for the truly ultra-fastidious.

Drink to 2030, 91 points

2000 Fonseca Vintage Port
Portugal

Sketchy notes made under time pressure “deep ruby colour, almond, spirit a bit hot; red and dark fruits, mellow – Portuguese – early 2000s”. A second bottle was not as good, and the third bottle had vanished before I could assess.

A bit disappointing for Fonseca on the night– drink to 2033, and 90 points