Weekend drinking thread 15 - 17 September 2023

Thank you @Inbar and my apologies for my typo howler; which I have now corrected.
Oh and Elena Walch and Alois Lageder are tip top as well.

2 Likes

Couldn’t agree more! Top producers! :ok_hand:

1 Like

Their Gewurztraminer is good too, if that’s your thing.

1 Like

Thanks Clive
I am always on the look out for Gewurtz…will order some…

I think PX can make good fino/amontillado etc but I don’t think it is an interesting still wine grape. Nothing wrong with it, just a bit ordinary.

17 Likes

I’m getting a dangerous taste for this Pinot Noir stuff

21 Likes

These 2 over the weekend for us. Firstly the garnacha over 2 nights. First night the nose was lovely and ethereal, full of strawberries, freshly tilled earth and flowers (roses?). However, the palate was quite a shock. Really bracing acidity coupled with garnacha’s high alcohol made this almost painful to drink. However, night 2 it had settled down and was really lovely. I enjoy this style, but I think they need a bit of time to settle down a bit, maybe 3 - 5 years before I broach the next bottle.
The GG Riesling was lovely. It’s made in a very ripe style (I think 2015 was hot?), so it was verging on tropical on the nose, with a hint of petrol and lime just poking through. Broad and honeyed on the palate with just enough acidity to keep it fresh. I love German Riesling, I normally go for Kabinett, but this was great.

17 Likes

This weekend’s drinking:


An old favourite that needs little introduction. This is something like my 14th or 15th bottle and only 3 more left. I just love the contrast between the sweetly perfumed nose and the savoury complexity of the palate. I will miss these when they’re gone.

Fontodi was opened on impulse last night to go with some pasta and could have done with some more time to breath. Much less evolved than the ‘17 Filetta di Lamole from the same producer, this is quite full, rich and spicy. Looking forward to the remaining 2/3 with some lamb shoulder later.

22 Likes

Tonight we tried a super tuscan… just a glass mind you. Lovely wine, very Bordeaux like in taste. Not worth the price tag in my humble opinion but each to their own.

For a more sensible wine choice we drank chianti classico with our dinner: beef tartare with truffle followed by pici pasta in a tomato and garlic sauce.

22 Likes

My issue with Sassicaia was always the Cabernet franc… it just dropped a touch of chalk dust into the wine

1 Like

Had a glass of '20 Tignanello recently. Obviously far too young, but surprisingly approachable. Despite being 85% (I think) sangiovese, it would have been very difficult to identify as such. Obviously well made and plenty of room for development, but we thought it a bit blandly ‘international’ and lacking character.

9 Likes

Well had a brilliant 30th wedding anniversary. As mentioned on other threads completely lost with the choice in the Quellen Hof wine menu so chose based on community comments on Brudlmayer. Had this 2019 which was beautifully crisp, linear, balanced with slight petrol aroma with limes. Delicious with the hotel food particularly the pork. I can take no credit for the food other than booking the hotel 30 years after last coming here.





Should mention wine price crazy from what I can see for retail costs. Only €42 for the bottle.

28 Likes

@robertd - whatever caused Mrs Robert to undertake a journey like that at such short notice sounds worrying so, somewhat blandly but sincerely, all the best for what caused it.

Incidentally, your meatball dish looked next level ! :yum:

More mundanely, this here tonight, from a self mixed case of 2018 Beaujolais Cru pulled from reserves yesterday.

A Fleurie ‘Les Moriers’ 2018, Gregoire Hoppenot.

The deep purple red colour was deceptive, in that I half expected something heavier, as to what the nose and palate actually delivered. So, first and foremost, a fragrant floral nose with deep and savoury red berry aromas plus a slate and graphite undertow. Similar notes on the fresh and savoury, medium bodied palate. Although deep in flavour its Teflon slippery texture leaves an impression of lightness and gives it an easy drinking, but nevertheless complex, structure. Needless to say, it’s meeting little resistance from me right now !

For context only, it was also a pleasing match to my, er, sizeable dinner.

In my defence, it was my first meal of the day and after a heavy workout too. :innocent:

24 Likes

A couple of bottles opened over the weekend. First, this Vacqueyras to accompany a pepperoni pizza.

Château des Roques Cuvée du Château Vacqueyras 2017, bought last year from Wine Affairs. A 4.5* review from JL-L and still available at this highly recommended merchant I believe.

Quite a decent amount of sediment left in the bottle after decanting (for a couple of hours). Plums, red fruits and more plums, a lovely savoury southern Rhône . This is in a good place now, and not just in my belly :grin:

With a smoked haddock and salmon kedgeree, this Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Muros Antigos 2022.

Bought in an Auchan in Portugal for less than €10. Lovely citrus flavours, plenty of acidity. It has spent 3 or 4 months on its lees apparently, and with that knowledge I’ve convinced myself I can detect some creaminess. Would I have known otherwise? Probably not. Great accompaniment to the buttery Indian dish though.

Cheers :wine_glass:

17 Likes

Opened the first of these yesterday, Grabenwerkstatt Grabenwerk Gruner Veltliner 2020

Very mineral, and almost charged with electricity. Pretty austere with the initial acid kick, but then settled with lovely green persistent flavours. I really enjoyed, other family members at the table found it a bit serious. Fine by me, I’m happy to have a larger share of the rest of the case. Definitely an interesting one to see how this matures.

23 Likes

Having a case in reserves myself, your thoughts are appreciated. And exactly what I would have hoped for had I opened one myself. Many thanks. :+1:

3 Likes

Ditto!

1 Like

Valladolid in the sun. Two glass of an excellent Cigales Rosado and a few olives, makes the moment!

18 Likes

On Sunday I opened the second and my last bottle of Bonarda that we brought back from the Il Casello winery a few years ago. Slightly sweet, a bit fizzy, low alcohol, very refreshing although the weather wasn’t qute right!
A reminder of a lovely part of Emilia-Romagna.

5 Likes

A fairly simple affair here this weekend. Having resorted the understairs wine cupboard I managed to get access to a half case of Ronan 2015 which I’d been able to see but not access for a couple of years, As a result, we went for a mini vertical. The 2015 was resolved with great acid and tannin and lovely dark fruit. This is a very nice glass for sub £15 on the table.

The 2018 will need a year or two yet, still a little rough round the edges, but a perfectly good midweeker (even though it was the weekend)

Off to the showroom this weekend to collect some reserves and a couple of impulse purchases!!

12 Likes