Midweek Drinking [8-11 Feb 21]

danchaq · February 9, 2021, 4:54pm

Wine bar (at home!) night last night - cheese, charcuterie, celariac remoulade, bread & oil … and this bottle of Slovenian Blaufrankish bought from a local purveyor of natural wines.

The wine was super fruity, as in closer to punch than wine. All the crushed brambles… Red, black, stems and leaves. Had a hint of “I’ve just made this out back, do you want some” about it, and apparently they only make about 120 bottles of it a year so that’s probably quite accurate. Exactly the sort of wine I was hoping it would be for the evening.

Inbar · February 9, 2021, 6:47pm

My working day has finally ended, and a bottle of Mencía duly opened, to accompany pork ragù and tagliatelle:

This is an entry level wine, and so it goes without saying that it doesn’t have the depth of the heavyweight examples (especially those from Bierzo) – it is lighter, and lacks the savoury, herbaceous edge you often get in those wines. Still, for just over a tenner this is joyful and a perfect wine with which to draw a line under the day.

Medium ruby in the glass, the nose has notes of petit filous strawberry yogurt (or am I being sentimental?), ripe red cherries, a touch of freshly turned soil and a whiff of spice. On the palate – a little like the nose, it’s all about fresh fruit (strawberry, raspberry, cherries), a touch of earthiness and maybe some parma violets. Acidity keeps this fresh and vivacious, and it occurred to both of us that tasted blind, we may have guess this to be a rather nice Beaujolais. Got this from Majestic for £10.99 and will definitely buy again for mid-week cheer.

Happy Tuesday!

NickFoster · February 9, 2021, 7:24pm

This with a Persian pilaf, really great match with the subtle spice and fruit in the dish. Hard to believe its ten years old. Can’t add much to the W/S description apart from the balance achieved here is wonderful, in the goldilocks zone of not too dry or sweet, too floral or spicy. Will certainly put future Mochel wines in my basket as I have also loved their rieslings

EdMcK · February 9, 2021, 8:29pm

Last night, we polished off a couple of bottles of The Society‘s Côtes du Rhône during a Face Wine with a friend, while watching the snow fall.

After a day of sledging and clearing driveways, it’s hearty chorizo risotto, accompanied by The Society’s Gavi.

Happy Tuesday!

Jcbl · February 9, 2021, 10:05pm

In honour of Rhône EP day, plus I’m on my own and frankly this is one for the purists. It was completely closed at first and I can see why bottles opened a couple of years ago might have been underwhelming. But it opens out to a brooding, complex take on Syrah that is almost metallic in its intensity, with chocolate and liquorice in the background. Acetate on the nose and on the finish. It’s an absolute brute. No rush to drink the rest of the case but I do worry the tannin might outpace the fruit in a while. I also have no idea who I know that I could share a bottle with, or frankly what you could pair it with food wise - tartare of woolly mammoth perhaps. I will stick the rest in the eto and see what it’s like tomorrow. I like it anyway.

CCouzens · February 9, 2021, 10:12pm

Good to hear, I have one arriving next week

wine.arbitrageur · February 9, 2021, 10:22pm

A fair and interesting wine from Commando G. With the post Brexit prices pushing this into dubious QPR territory. Bought pre-Brexit.

Enjoyable, light transparent red, garnacha, a slight biodynamic nod to cider. Good red fruit and funky nose.

Think I’d prefer a Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne.

Still contemplating and coming to terms with the order size of 27 Rhône EP cases flagged by another member in an EP thread. I’d be worried about cellar homogeneity at that size unless the cellar is sizeable enough to take it. I am still impressed by it too. Anyways, slowly contemplating that buying strategy and feeling less guilty about my more modest spend.

Happy Tuesday!

Inbar · February 9, 2021, 10:34pm

With a Dodo egg on top? Sounds mighty fine!

NW_passenger · February 10, 2021, 7:04pm

Took what I thought was a lucky dip (and I guess you could say turned out to be a very lucky dip) for a bottle to open and came up with this

I’m sipping the dregs glass before starting on the decanter, but this is easily my wine of the year so far, perfectly balanced but goes on and on. Then I tried to look it up and find it was a one-off made only in 2009. Ah well, just have to enjoy this one I guess.

danchaq · February 10, 2021, 8:42pm

Casual wine Wednesday with a jacket potato and Chardonnay

-*
2012 Jean-Marc Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts; Smoke Haddock and Hollandaise sauce

The wine is nine years in, my 4th bottle and by far the best. Starting to open up, the oak is present but integrated. Lemon oil and chalk. Layers of texture. Lots of length.

Andy999 · February 10, 2021, 9:13pm

In a definite chardonnay mood this evening and went for a Kings Legacy Marlborough Chardonnay 2015, an old Majestic buy, which I thought needed drinking. First impression on opening and sniffing was “this is too much”.

Greenish lemon colour, with a creamy, oaky, fruity aroma. In fact it’s quite balanced and pleasant enough enough to drink, just more powerful than I expected. It makes me wonder if my taste has changed over the last 5 years, or whether my covid vaccine is manifesting one of the “possible side effects”. On tonight’s sampling I’m happy enough to drink it but wouldn’t buy it again.

strawpig · February 10, 2021, 9:21pm

Equal parts Vault Vermouth, East London Liquor Company Gin and Campari.

It’s been a bit of a day.

Embee · February 11, 2021, 10:08am

Possibly a bit OTT for midweek but what the heck…

…these were opened on Tuesday and will be finished tonight.

The Gewurztraminer Roche Calcaire 2016 from Zind-Humbrecht is made from declassified grapes from GC Goldert that almost met the potential ripeness criteria for Vendange Tardive ( 11% ABV, 77 g/l residual sugar, indice 5 ). Powerful and typical nose, it could only be gewurz, rosewater, lychee and some earthy spice. To my surprise, it tasted a lot drier than the numbers might suggest due to its fresh acidity which cut through the rich fruit like a blade. Similar flavours to the nose, a smooth and supple texture, lovely balance, good length of flavour. A thoroughly satisfying wine.

The Fino is from Waitrose’s ‘On the QT’ range, made by Gonzalez Byass, it’s a single barrel wine from the 2010 vintage. Elegantly powerful with flor. preserved lemon, green apple skin and almond notes on the nose and palate. The balance between its fresh fruity flavours and savoury flor borders on perfection. I can’t remember drinking a better Fino, that said, the ones I usually drink are half the price.

I’ve posted before about the Exhbition Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2018 but in a nutshell it delivers authentic savoury pinot flavours at a very good price ( even more so when the substantial case rate discount is taken into account ).

For some reason I’m struggling to find the motivation to carry on decorating today though

GannetKeith · February 11, 2021, 10:57am

Opened this last night.

Didn’t wow me but that could have been reduction from the screwcap. I do find some NZ chardonnay needs a day or so to open up when young.

Less intense that the single vineyards such as Hunting Hill. Softer. Some green apples and flint notes. About 2/3 of the bottle left to retry tonight,

peterm · February 11, 2021, 12:07pm

I can see it’s red and 2009, but what is it?

NW_passenger · February 11, 2021, 12:21pm

Clos de Trisas “Hesiod” Ventoux. Grenache “harvested from 45yr old ines rested for 48 hours in a cool cellar before 1/2 destemmed & fermented in a small upright tank. Aged 6 years before bottling” (from bottle). It’s pretty high altitude for Rhoneish and is pretty fresh and avoids the stewed fruit flavours you sometimes get with S Rhone Grenache.

peterm · February 11, 2021, 12:45pm

Thanks. “Aged 6 years before bottling”! Unusual!

So bottled in 2015, and in bottle for another 5-6 years. I admire your restraint.

And it obviously wasn’t over the hill. I tend to buy wine highly praised on this forum with the result I have run out of room to store them and the overflow is in this room, and there’s yet more on their way, so I am somewhat relieved that you wine was a rare one-off and so I won’t look for it

winechief · February 11, 2021, 1:37pm

Had this last night with the plan to sample over a couple of nights… Nope!
Too good, so therefore got demolished.

2 bottles left (bought in 2013/4 for the princely sum of £13.60/btl) - now that’s good shooting

Rafa · February 11, 2021, 2:50pm

Looks like a great pairing!

Rafa · February 11, 2021, 2:53pm

Completely agree on the PN! Case resting in reserves at the moment.
I’m intrigued to try the fino and compare with what I’m drinking currently. I might have to add one to my Waitrose order