Presenter: The Committee
|
Paul Raven (1), David Whitaker
(2) Karl Laczko (3 & 7), Geoff Cullen (4&8),
Harry Rose (5), Fred Bell (6).
 March
2013 minutes:
|
| Wines |
Region |
Country |
Source |
Cost |
Comments |
Type |
1.
Cloudy Bay
2007 Wairau Valley Riesling
|
Marlborough
|
New Zealand |
Majestic
|
£24
|
13%. An oily,
waxy character that sat well with the room, and a
sharp acidity that balanced the residual sugar in
the wine, even though it remained noticeable on the
tooth enamel.
|
White |
2.
Château L'Arrivet Haut Brion 2010 Pessac Leognan
|
Bordeaux
|
France |
n/k
|
£22
|
14%.
Floral on the nose there was a sweetness to the
palate and some simple tangerine flavours, finishing
a little austere. Acidity was lacking.
|
|
3.
Château Musar 2001 Blanc
|
Bekaa Valley
|
Lebanon |
Duty Free
|
£12.50
|
12.5%. A
perfumed and clearly oxidative nose, some baked
apple. Quite fresh on the palate at the start though
went a little dry and dusty in the middle before a
creamy finish. Comparisons to old-style White Rioja
were made.
|
|
4.
Clos du Val
2010 Napa Valley Zinfandel
|
California
|
USA |
n/k
|
£22
|
14%. Polish and
white pepper on the nose with a stalky aspect on the
palate, slightly green tannins and a raw oak flavour
which suggests it’s a little young. The alcohol is
unobtrusive and, after a while in the glass, a
cranberry fruit nose developed.
|
Red |
5.
Comenge 2008
|
Ribero del Duero
|
Spain |
The Wine
Chambers
|
£19
|
14%.
A charcoal grilled meat and Chinese spice nose
with a savoury, meaty flavour and clean acidity.
This was a well balanced wine with a serious flavour
profile, “lean and mean” to some, “soft and spicy”
to others, again hiding its 14% alcohol well.
|
|
6.
Domaine of the
Bee 2008 Côtes Catalanes
|
Languedoc-Roussillon
|
France |
Laithewaites
|
£21
|
15%. A roasted
onion nose and the theme continued with roasted sage
and rosemary on the palate. There was a rich,
Port-like aspect with ripe tannins and an ash-dry
finish.
|
|
7. Château
Musar 1999 Rouge
|
Bekaa Valley
|
Lebanon |
Richard Granger
|
£25.85
|
14%.
A smooth, soft wine with tobacco leaf and a
slight strawberry bon-bon component.
|
|
8.
Domain Huet 2003 Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux
|
Loire
|
France |
Cellar Door
|
£18
|
12%. Honeyed,
spiced apple nose, sweet at the front going into a
creamy mid-palate which fills out into honey and
caramel, finishing with a subtle hint of fudge and
caramelised apples.
|
Sweet |
|
20/03/2013 |
Raffle wine: Anfora Shiraz, Turkey
Won by: Alan Holmes |
