taylors

Impressions – 2010 Sauternes (in half bottles) plus an amazing VP

~ Richard ~ Leave a comment

2010 Ch Guiraud 13.5%
generally 65% semillon, 35% sauvignon blanc; lots of new oak

Half-bottle (a different half-bottle was fatally oxidised). Deep gold colour; marmalade and citrus, apricots and spices, vanilla bean; texture, and persistence, user-friendly, authentic, straightforward, and looks ready.

Drink to 2033; 91 points

2010 Ch Rieussec 14%
92% Sémillon 5% Sauvignon Blanc 3% Muscadelle, 160 g/l rs

Tropical fruits, dark vanilla, spices, texture, some VA/floor polish, and just lacks the class of the wine below – it seems a bit clumsy.
Drink to 2032

2010 Ch Suduiraut 14%
90 semillon, 10% Sauvignon blanc , 145 g/l rs

Greater citrus drive and impact; brighter, supple and superbly poised.
Drink to 2040, 95 points

2017 Taylors Vintage Port 20%
Portugal

Served blind and looked very youthful; vivid, bright and deep purple – I was guessing 2011. And from a terrific producer. It’s no sin to put on a youngster that can continue merrily for decades; the mix of coloured fruits instantly led me to Portugal – dark cherry, blueberry, red plum and violets, plus a melange of assorted spices; the palate is densely, powerfully fruited, but fine tannins, and immaculately judged spirit are present; the wine is superbly fresh but has the stuffing to keep for decades. This is a “wow” wine, and I am lucky to have two bottles tucked away for future pleasure.

Drink to 2046, 96 points

Two countries, and less familiar fortifieds

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2013 Clonakilla Vintage (fortified) 18%
Canberra district, Shiraz

One of the curio Clonakilla small batch releases – I never knew this one existed, until I found it at auction recently. No surprise that it quality all through; good fruit and very well made.

Blackberry, very clean spirit and designed for balance not brute force; seductive chalky/ talcy tannins; palate has red fruits veering into black; not a blockbusting tannic monster; yet with the authority and gravitas of super-ripe shiraz with clever skilful spirit.

So its relatively soft but a delight; but maybe more in an LBVP style. I see a long holding pattern but no real improvement.

Drink to 2032, 91 points.

2001 Taylors quinta Vargellas Vintage Port 20.5%
A vintage port from a single site in Portugal, from a (generally) undeclared year. These can be terrific bargains.

Very crumbly cork (alas) and plentiful sediment when filtered (albeit no drama). Deep ruby colour, with some bricking. There’s the appropriate complex Portuguese mix of red, dark and more here, especially blueberry plus some dried green herbs too. Spirit is mellow, integrated and the wine is approachable. Palate is relatively soft, savoury and simpler than expected; dark cherries and blueberry (some of my weaknesses) with sweet spices. Easy, pleasurable drinking, and no need to wait – its on a holding pattern and I cannot see improvement ahead. But VFM and fun even though I purchased it many years ago.

Drink to 2030, 91 points

Catching up with some wines

~ Richard ~ Leave a comment

2012 felton rd riesling

2012 Felton Road Riesling 8.5%
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand. Screwcap, 64 g/l residual sugar. Lemon/gold colour, lime cordial and nectarine scents, red apple with a dusting of icing sugar; red apple again with some grippiness on the palate; flinty and convincing, even though the sweetness is spatlese-level.

Drink to 2025, 90 points

old ch gilette

1996 and 1997 Ch Gilette Crème de tete  (sauternes)90% semiilon,8% sav blanc, 2% muscadelle.  A curio, as the chateau ages the wines in concrete tanks for around twenty years prior to bottling. I will seek help from the boffins to understand how the wine remains sound under the circumstances. No oak!

These were served as a blind pair, and I was confident that they were Sauternes from the late 1990s. Both gold in colour, I found the 1997 to be a bit cloying, medicinal and varnishy. Relatively light-bodied, grapey with muscat-like overtones, and some stonefruit beneath. The 1996 had more depth, and more acidity, with marzipan, marmalade and mixed nuts over ripe stonefruit and citrus.

Very different wines, with the “other” bottles of the 1997 apparently better. I went in search but found the contents had “evaporated”. Curios certainly, but still an exercise in intrigue.

Drink soon; I rated the 1996 at 92 points; the 1997 at 86 points.

2001 Taylors Vargellas Vintage Port 20%
Served blind, this was obviously Portuguese, with its floral rose, violet, and spice notes, backed up by dark plum and berry flavours and a dry, long, chalky profile on the palate. It didn’t quite have the finesse of a truly serious VP, so my thoughts ran to a “lesser vintage or house”, and I was speculating on a year in the 1980s. Wrong! Much younger, but a terrific result from an undeclared year.

Drink to 2030 and 92 points.