We met for a Sock Party at Ann & John’s (thanks for the hospitality) on Friday March 28th.
Here is the Wine List with some, comments from me…
“Marksman” Blanc de Blancs 2010 (Ridegeview) (Welcome Wine)
Citrus nose, a slight yeasty note and a herbal hint. Very dry palate, with grapefruit and lip-smacking acidity. Pure Chardonnay with a steely quality that demands food. Very good.
“Roc de l’Abbaye” Sancerre 2012 (Mollet) (Kathryn)
Herby and slatey nose, with a grassy hint. Warm Sauvignon Blanc acidity on the palate, but quite restrained, hints of peach and gooseberry acidity, though not gooseberry flavour. Quite like the April Wine-of-the-Month… Good.
“Talhão 1” 2012 (Quinta da Lagoalva) (Yvonne)
This is an Alentejo wine made from Alvarinho, Arinto, Fernão Pires, Sauvignon Blanc & Verdelho. Quite an oily nose with a nutty hint and a dark citrus elemnet. Palate is rich with a warm bitter twist and a herby finish, an interesting package of depth and food-friendliness.
Palma Nero Grillo 2012 (IGT Sicily) (Sue T)
Apricot and pear nose with hints of nuts, soda and vanilla, and then blossom! Quite an oily palate but with surprisingly high pithy citric acidity. A warm-climate balance of richness and acidity, similar in structure to the previous wine. Food friendly and interesting, would work wonderfully with grilled sardines beside the sea!
Chablis 1ere; Cru Fourchaume “Les Valorents” 1997 (Les Chablisienne) (Laurie)
A rediscovered forgotten bottle you’d expect to be past its best. Caramel and butter on the nose with orange citrus notes, quite dark but no sherry notes. The palate is surprisingly dry given the sweetness in the nose, smokey notes and nutty flavours – a little over-age astringency but mostly the acid is grapefruit – reminiscent of that in the first, bubbly wine. Interesting?
Château Grange Neuve Pomerol 2001 (Rob)
Germoline and damsons (a Merlot give-away sign?), minty and herby notes, later floral tomnes (violets?) and spirity cherry… a lovely complex typically Right Bank Claret nose. Palate has leathery elements, dry-ish mocha tannins, mouth-watering acidity and dried plum fruit flavours. Very classy.
Karasì 2011 (Zorah Armenia) (Mike)
Made from Areni Noir, this has a composty first nose then spirity cherry fruit. There are elements of wood on the palate, but sweet – slightly jammy – fruit. Quite a soft Pinot Noir-ish overall balance.
“cab franc” 2011 Colli Berici DOC (Marcato) (Veneto) (John)
Pungent nose with hints of aniseed and plums – lightening to grainy cherry. Palate is plummy too – with sour cherry (rather Italianish) acidity, and a warm tannic finish. Supple and mouthwatering – without much of the green-ness which sometimes appears in this variety. Good.
St Emilion 2009 (Moueix) (Ann)
Dark fruit nose – heavy flavours but a higher note of resins and cherry. A very prunes and mocha palate – with damson-tinged acidity… a little grainy but quite well balanced.
Sainsbury’s TTD 12 year old Pedro Ximénez Sherry (Dessert Wine – J&A)
Didn’t make a note on this – but you know the drill? “Sweet, fig and prune, molasses yummy unctuousness!”
For me the night marked with rich whites masking good food friendly structure (the last 3 whites), and 3 reds of right bank style showing varying degrees of complexity! Very enjoyable.
Thank you again Ann and John, for hosting and for the photographs posted here.
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