Tasting of 2004 Rauzan Segla; 2009 Vina Ardanza Reserva; 2011 San Roman Toro. Updates and photos once the wines have been decanted this evening.
The Limestone Riesling is a really good one for the price, @onlyawino! Fresh notes of lime, with a touch of white peach and a lively acidity holding it all together nicely. We thoroughly enjoyed it a few weeks ago. Let us know what you thinkā¦
Both lovely wines but agree with @Cormski that Musar would be a better match for a beef wellington.
Iāve not tasted the dāAlba though.
If you do decide on the Musar, would suggest a double decant now. The more air time the better!
Oops. Tonked 6-0ā¦
Glad we missed that one. Great match between Netherlands and Australia though!
Yes, the company often makes the wine taste better! Iāll probably forget what we drank after the first few bottles.
Ah yes, always a tricky one when you are going to someone elseās house ā I donāt fancy taking the decanter on the tube! Iāll have to pop it open on arrivalā¦
Opened this today, getting in the festive spiritā¦
https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/HistoricProductDetail.aspx?pd=SG2391
It is a great sparkler if you are not after yeastines, brioche and stuff. Very good indeed, I am loving it. A couple of things however.
(1) TWS says it is vintage 2013, there is no vintage noted on the label. It is simply labelled Kumeu Cremant. The word Cremant does not appear on the TWS site⦠Bottled in 2014, disgorged in 2017 and limited to 2700-ish bottles, I can believe it is 2013 vintageā¦
(2) TWS says champagne cork. Someone should check, as mine is most definitely crown cap. A first for me in wineā¦
Will be sipping this later:-
Update, didnāt really like this wine, too much oak and leather for my palate.
Got some great looking sea bass from the fish man so thought this might fit the bill
Still has a bit of that characteristic struck match note but it adds rather than detracts from the overall package, with all the right things in the right place, butteriness - check
, hazelnuts - check lemon - check and a long layered finish. Sad that this is the last bottle but have some others from more recent vintages.
How lovely.
I too am on the Chardonnay. Slightly less celebrated.
Making some meatballs with a white vegetable and cheese sauce but not sure it will be ready in time, as the Kumeu is slipping down very nicely.
2004 Rauzan Segla
2011 San Roman Toro
2009 Vina Ardanza Reserva
All three sitting in the decanter to let them shine in an hour. More updates later

This Kumeu is very good value. I had one on Monday.
About to tuck into:
https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/HistoricProductDetail.aspx?pd=CM18791
Tally ho!
Last two glasses of this.
https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/HistoricProductDetail.aspx?pd=RH27381
From previously Coravined bottle. Then a glass of this.
https://www.cellartracker.com/label.asp?iWine=335293&iLabel=340957
With Blackface mutton tagine and pomegranate couscous.
The CNdP had a slight whiff of vinegar on the nose when opened. VA or Coravin? Sweet and raisined fruit. Good match with the tagine. Musar was pretty youthful. Bit of the usual on the nose but opened out nicely in the glass with fruit and spice, touch of tannin still.
Then found a stray mini Christmas pudding from last year so had it with a glass of PX. Only 9 months past the ābest beforeā date - the pudding that is! As it was laced with booze and already 9 months aged I think Iām safe!
Youngest child home from uni and wintry weather = roast beef and a decent Southern French grenache.
The wine was one we found on holiday near UzĆØs four years ago, when it was clearly very young. Quite chewy to start with and needed some time in the glass, but really good once it came round - fruity, savoury, just the right amount of tannin and perfect with the meat. Fortunately we have some more to look forward to.
Happy to report that the SendiƤna was the favourite wine of the evening! It really wowed everyone! Iām glad that we decanted it for about 8 hours, then decanted back into the bottle, via a fine sieve. It was worth the faff, because it left the wine clear of sediment and properly aerated.
And what a beautiful wine it was! Luscious black fruit, lavender, leather, clove and cinnamon on the nose; ripe blackberries and damson followed on the palate, with a herbaceous note as well as tingling spice. Tannins were robust, but velvety smooth, and the finish was oh so long! It was utterly delicious and beautifully structured. Went perfectly with the Lebanese cuisine.
Will get a couple more bottles of this for sure.
@inbar had two glasses of the Limestone Rieslingā¦a very acceptable wineā¦at the same time chalky and smooth, with a zippy lemon and lime finishā¦
Well worth a place in a dryish white selection. I think would be a cert if we get another hot spell in 2019
This was not going to be opened until into the Christmas holiday period, but as I have another bottle why not.
The wine came in my annual case from Australia, I send a hopeful list to my oldest friend and he does his best to comply, occasionaly as he is not that wine savvy there are mistakes or substitutes and sometimes I get lucky.
I asked for Rockfords Reserve Shiraz and got that and two bottles of this Rockfords Black Shiraz sparkling, Rockfords in the past were cellar door sales and selective Adelaide outlets only and when I was there the place was packed, but I believe there are one or two retailers stocking Rockfords wines now ?
Winechief warned me that these sparkling wines from Rockfords have a reputation for dodgy corks so it was opened very carefully but all was well.
Difficult to do this justice with a description as it is for us a one off, sparkling Shiraz is not exactly on every supermarket shelf, but I will do my best.
Very rich berried nose with some chocolate, quite fresh in the mouth with a medium mousse, sweet but not cloying because of the spritz and a lot of fruit christmas cake ? very tasty and a definite hit with the wife.
Difficult to compare with Champagne as this is a different animal but at good Champagne prices, very high quality and another bottle to go, a bit of sadness as my friend is quite ill and there will be no more annual cases but over twenty years has been a very good run so no complaints and a lot of bottles unobtainable in the UK.
Glad the Sendiana was popular.
Will probably pick up another bottle when I next order a mixed case and give it another try. See if I missed something first time around.