TN: Nothing but Chardonnay Dinner, NZ, Oz, Boillot, Dauvissat and Leflaive GCs

Brief notes and comments from a dinner we organised to compare the “best” of Australia and NZ with benchmark French wines and a few ringers from the USA. Howard will chip in with detailed TNs no doubt, but I thought I would get the ball rolling with general discussion and impressions.

All wines were served double blind, and people voted on WOTF after each flight of three and before the reveal – except the last (flight 7) which was popped and poured with no disguise. I think the votes for favourites reflect the tasters and the conditions at least as much as the quality of the wines. It was fascinating for me (as one of the organisers) knowing what each bottle was, and watching the discussions on the wines unfold. A lesson seems to be that the French wines show better when you know what they are, or when compared with each other! For me personally, knowing what I’m drinking made several wines much more enjoyable – because I knew what I was expecting and looking for. It’s one step to understanding my own biases, label bias / anchoring, and palate preferences.
In the notes below, N : N : N gives the number of votes for WOTF for each set of three wines, non-blind organisers not participating in the voting.

Flight 1
• Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2009 (France)
• Bell Hill Chardonnay 2009 (Waipara, New Zealand)
• Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2010 (France)
0 : 6 : 3 with the Bell Hill the overwhelming favourite. It was generally recognised as New World and Kiwi – I had placed it with Chablis given some reviewers’ comments about similarities, with Raveneau in particular. 2009 was a riper season for Bell Hill, and this showed richness and fruit sweetness that was quite different from the two others. It also had lovely sulphur-compound complexity. The Dauvissat was locked up and blocky, some good minerality, bit burnished, high-solids flavours but unclear where this is going. It was the darkest wine of the flight. The Raveneau started even more closed than the Dauvissat but quickly became prettier, also showing that sulphur-compound complexity. Easily picked as a 2010 by the table, it was leaner and racier than the Bell Hill.

Flight 2
• Hyde de Villaine (HDV) Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard 2011 (Carneros, USA)
• Martinborough Vineyards Chardonnay 2012 (Martinborough, New Zealand)
• Blain-Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Caillerets 2010 (France)
1 : 6 : 2 with the Martinborough wine the strong crowd favourite. Sadly, the HDV was corked, making the creamy fresh fruit hard to appreciate. The Martinborough was a study in what New World Chardonnay should be about – just beautiful and clear fruit with a minimum of mucking about. Perhaps lacking depth and finish to be “great” or age a long time. The Chassagne was blocky, some reduction, white flowers and pears. I quite liked this but it wants more time. This started the trend of having the French wine in completely the wrong position in the flights (or indeed, in the wrong flights) because the more overt charms preceding really did little for showing good WB. The table had no trouble spotting the 2 x New World followed by Old World, though wide-ranging guesses re the Chassagne’s commune before reveal.

Flight 3
• Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2007 (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand)
• Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay 2007 (Nelson, New Zealand)
• Sauzet Puligny Montrachet Les Referts 2007 (France)
5 : 4 : 0 to the Sacred Hill. I found it smooth and mellowing, at peak (under screwcap), very nice to drink but little complexity or energy. It was generally recognised as New World, unlike the Moutere that had the majority of the table reaching for varying levels of serious Burgundy. I thought the Moutere quite massive with loads of fruit extract, strong acidity and structure, still in need of time (also under screwcap) and a clear step up from the previous – depth, energy & structure, breadth and power. This will be great to follow and have in other blind line-ups for many years. The poor Sauzet was thought “too acidic” by the blinded, suggestions of “Pouilly Fuisse”. I feel it was textbook Referts with salt and citrus, but also lovely light fruit and floral notes, truffle and papaya.

Flight 4
• Giaconda Chardonnay 2004 (Beechworth, Australia)
• Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2008 (Kumeu, New Zealand)
• Girardin Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres 2007 (France)
1.5 : 4.5 : 3 to the Kumeu, but the flight was completely the wrong way around (i.e. should have started with the Meursault). This was placed as Perrieres or Charmes, so no surprise that it should be a Genevrieres. Lovely, with some crystalline acidity and sulphur-compound complexity. I found the Kumeu plain sour and not integrated, being in the clear minority of opinion there. The Giaconda was big and evolved – nothing like a Meursault of course – with burnt nougat and coconut a distraction for me from what would otherwise have been a lovely wine.

Flight 5
• Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2005 (Margaret River, Australia)
• Hyde de Villaine (HDV) Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard 2008 (Carneros, USA)
• Church Road “Tom” Chardonnay 2010 (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand)
4 : 1 : 4 so tied between the LEAS and Tom. Sadly, this 2008 HDV was also corked, seemed richer fruited than the 2011 but I was uninclined to taste for detailed comparison. The Leeuwin was full on with stacks of fruit and structure, just starting its drinking window for me (I find the Leeuwins quite pointless and unenjoyable when young). The Tom had a few strong supporters, including thoughts of Burgundy briefly, but for me it had that young-big-wine-boringness – buttery smooth, but I want some development here. Might have very good potential (under screwcap).

Flight 6
• Henri Boillot Criots Batard Montrachet 2009 (France)
• Henri Boillot Montrachet 2009 (France)
• Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet 2006 (France)
2 : 2 : 4 for the Leflaive but people were extremely reluctant to vote and pick between these wines at all, which highlighted that generally they were all thought excellent. Interestingly, little to pick between the CBM and the M unless you were non-blind. They both had excellent young flavours, only starting to open (both decanted earlier), the CBM not easily identifiable through honeycomb etc. The Montrachet was much more distinguished on the finish for me – greater complexity, clarity and carry. Sadly, I think the Leflaive was below par and “advanced”. I had opened that afternoon to check on it – no ox or cork problems at that point (though the cork was soaked) with good high-solids and minerality. I had gently put the cork back in partway, not wanting to take a risk and seeing no reason to decant. By the time we served it at dinner it was clearly further along, richer, more tropical and quite a bit darker than the ‘09s. The table guessed its age as somewhere from the late 90s to early 00s – it was enjoyed and liked because of the evolution, but really wasn’t what I would seek from Leflaive Chevalier. Upon reveal and vintage, people were most accommodating in suggesting that “it’s just the 2006 vintage” but I would disagree, having had a couple of dozen very sound WB village and 1ers in the last year that were less evolved and not fading.

Flight 7
• Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay 1995 (Margaret River, Australia)
• Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2000 (Kumeu, New Zealand)
• Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2001 (France)
• Giaconda Chardonnay 2001 (Beechworth, Australia)
All served non-blind, with our thinking that we would open bottles from a broad range of “old” candidates on a pot-luck basis to go with cheese and dessert. LEAS and Kumeu were corked. Interestingly, I had opened another 1995 LEAS during the week earlier in prep for this dinner – it was not oxidised at all, still some good fruit (fading and definitely secondary now) and a lovely wine. A sort of hint of “spirity” perfume similar to some old Sauternes which others might see as a fault. The Kumeu was very oxidative, though would have been drinkable without the TCA. The Les Clos redeemed Dauvissat big time in this flight – evolved in a good way, generous fruit and lovely balance making it the favourite. There was a fair bit of discussion about the ’01 Giaconda: it was funky (in a good way) and far less tropical than the ’04, the better wine IMHO.

So overall impressions? At the end of the evening, there was no consensus on “best NZ wine” with at least four having strong support. I think it simply comes down to individual preference, and certainly the Kiwis spanned quite a broad stylistic spectrum (which was interesting). We were collectively amazed that after all-Chards-all-night we had not (yet) become thoroughly sick of that darn grape – again, testament to the breadth and variety on offer. The “best” Australian wine was the Leeuwin, though Giaconda’s style certainly has fans. There’s no right or wrong, just palate and flavour profile preferences. In my experience, the LEASs age for a very long time. Giaconda is no slouch, but with a less consistent application of its “style” can be a bit more hit and miss (like the '04). As such an individualistic and highly-worked wine, it’s probably also far better on its own than in a line up like this dinner. As for the French, there’s no competing or comparison at that very top level from the New World. If this CBM is indicative of the Boillot style and quality I would highly recommend it as an alternative to the Montrachet (three for one?) coming quite close in quality. As for that next tier down, well, they didn’t perform for the crowd, but each wine was a good representative for its origin IMHO.

‘NOTHING BUT CHARDONNAY’ DINNER WITH PETER ROSBACK - (4/21/2015)

Peter Rosback of Sineann in Oregon makes wine in Central Otago and Marlborough, as well as in California and Washington. As he was visiting NZ for vintage, we thought it’d be interesting to organise an international Chardonnay tasting, with particular emphasis on France and (of course) NZ in his honour, here in Wellington.

Rauno and I drew up the tasting schedule (all from wines participants offered). Andrew liaised with the Hippopotamus restaurant and they provided an excellent accompanying menu.

The wines were served rigorously double blind (except flight 7) and the flight rankings are only from those who tasted blind. My TNs and scores are individual and non-blind.
Two Chablis and a NZ equivalent?

• 2009 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
  A deeper colour than the other two wines, giving an impression of maturity. A restrained nose of pear, peach, wet river boulder and limes. Surprising rich and powerful on palate. Citric flavours with an underlying minerality and touches of tropical fruit. Very dense with serious fruit weight but good acidity to provide adequate precision and focus. I could understand why tasters had the somewhat monolithic wine as New World Chardonnay. Overall, I thought this was a serious but very closed Grand Cru Chablis that just needs time. I’d expect a higher score with time. Rated by group 3/3. (92 pts.)
• 2009 Bell Hill Chardonnay - New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury
  Under screwcap. The bouquet of the Bell Hill seemed luxuriant beside the Dauvissat. A nose of bright orchard and citrus fruit, particularly grapefruit, white flowers, but the aromas of limestone, chalk and particularly the sulphide complexity seemed signature Bell Hill. I’d hope I would pick this wine blind as on palate those sulphides were classic Bell Hill. ‘Screaming sulphides’, said one taster. Peter also added that the wine had ‘a lot of French oak’. He thought it was, ‘great French oak, well used’, that prevented the wine from being a New World over-scaled wine. For me, the fruit weight and concentration were present to offset the elevage and balance the wine. A detailed palate with citric, mineral, nutty, sulphide and oak combining to add great interest. Perhaps my top NZ Chardonnay of the tasting. No hurry to drink this wine. 1/3. (93 pts.)
• 2010 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
  Decanted 2-3 hours before serving. A clear, pure colour. A fairly austere mineral nose with citrus and yellow orchard fruit nuances. But much richer on palate than you would expect from the nose. As with the Dauvissat, the wine had real concentration and power. I thought that the acids were bright and sparkling but others thought that they finished a little bitterly. Some also saw the Raveneau’s upfront power but thought that the wine fell away on the back palate. As with the Dauvissat, I thought that this wine was very closed and a little raw, but had the matière to carry it through. Again, in time I’d expect a better score. 2/3. (92 pts.)

US v NZ v France

• 2011 Hyde De Villaine Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
  Deep gold colour. Sadly, this wine was corked, with the TCA overpowering the spiciness on bouquet. The wine seemed a buttery, big scaled Chardonnay with a quite sweet entry and reasonable acidity. However, the TCA made it impossible to draw any definitive conclusions. 3/3. NR (flawed)
• 2012 Martinborough Vineyard Chardonnay - New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough
  Under screwcap. In its March 2015 edition, Decanter named this wine as ‘the World’s best Chardonnay (outside of Burgundy)’ (so it was a must for this tasting). And you can see what the Decanter critics liked … An attractive nose of spices, limes and yellow apples. On palate, this wine is all about balance. Paul Mason had excellent fruit quality here. The fruit weight perfectly matches the gorgeous acidity of the wine, to provide good focus and precision. The oak treatment is sympathetic. The flavour profile is also well poised and non-linear: citrus, mineral and pear flavours, without a hint of the tropical or lactic. It is quite nuanced but I did not find quite the detail or complexity of the Bell Hill. Perhaps more of that will come with time? (give it 3+ years). 1/3. (92 pts.)
• 2010 Blain-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Decanted 2-3 hours before serving. A rich bouquet of tropical fruits and baking spices. On palate, this wine is quite raw and primary. It is presently a bit clunky and broad with a major, somewhat jarring, oak influence. Peter also picked up a little alcohol burn on the back palate, although I did not see it. The room was divided between Old and New World here, with some tasters suggesting Meursault. A lactic and spicy flavour profile. This wine has serious dry extract and power and good acidity. It may come together in 3+ years into something really good, but I’m less convinced than for some of the other white Burgundies in the line up. 2/3. (91 pts.)

Horizontal of some 2007s

• 2007 Sacred Hill Chardonnay Riflemans - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay
  Under screwcap. The Riflemans had a lovely, exotic fruit dominated nose, with peach and vanilla elements. In the mouth, this is a rich, large scaled wine, with some acidity. Peter described it as ‘fluffy, with more initial sweetness than other wines in the flight’. A lower acid, reasonably fresh, not unbalanced wine, showing some evolution. The flavours were pear, nectarine, grapefruit, whipped cream and some more exotic fruit elements. The tasters all had the Riflemans as New World. A very pleasant Chardonnay now, perhaps a little too straightforward in its flavour profile. It won’t improve from what it is now. I’ll drink my remaining bottles in the next 2-3 years. 2/3. (91 pts.)
• 2007 Neudorf Chardonnay Moutere - New Zealand, South Island, Nelson, Moutere
  An attractive bouquet of lemons, yellow orchard fruit and blanched almonds. On palate, this is a top quality NZ Chardonnay which, as is typical for this label, tasters were commonly picking as white Burgundy. Nuanced and detailed, with citric, pear, nutty and some lactic elements. Gorgeous, vigorous acidity, it paired beautifully with my seafood course. A food wine. Good fruit weight and structure but, most of all, excellent poise and proportion. And surprising primary for a 2007 … drinking beautifully now but, safe under its screw cap, I’d have no problem with holding this wine for 5+ more years. The Neudorf competed with the Bell Hill for my NZ WoTN. 1/3. (93 pts.)
• 2007 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Decanted 5-6 hours before tasting. Aromatic with notes of blanched nuts, yellow apples, pears, limes and a touch of the tropical. On palate, the wine was tight and a little closed, seemingly at a bit of an awkward stage. Serious fruit weight and architecture. I liked the bright acids here, which gave cut and focus, but Peter had the wine as ‘too acidic, with too much green acidity’. To me that was typical 2007 white Burgundy, and a positive. Although the flavours were restrained and austere next to the flavourful New Zealanders, I enjoyed the hints of bauxite, salinity and tropical elements I found. I’m confident that the elements here will come together in 3-4 years. 3/3. (93 pts.)

A Meursault and two fuller bodied New World wines

• 2004 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
  The deepest gold colour so far. A deep, rich nose of blanched cashews, toasty oak and old orchard fruit. In the mouth, rich and luxuriant with fruit flavours more tropical than orchard fruit, also with a slightly confected, caramelised component. The Giaconda is a full on, concentrated Chardonnay with a big structure and a dense mid palate. I thought the acidity was acceptable but Peter was blunt in his assessment saying ‘the acidity was too low and the fruit overripe’. This 2004 was not as good as Rauno’s recent 2002 Giaconda. This wine is not really my style but I seemed to like it more than the group. 3/3. (92 pts.)
• 2008 Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington - New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Kumeu
  A lovely nose of fresh citrus, baking spices, pears, minerals and a little vanillin oak and tropical fruit nuance. On palate, fresh as a daisy, open and accessible. Beside the Giaconda, lovely, bright acidity (although some in the room thought it over-acidic). Not as dense as the Giaconda but good fruit weight and very well balanced and focused. Flavours of white peach, pear, lemon juice and minerals, with tropical fruit hints. There is also oak present but the handling is sympathetic and in proportion. Good length. Under its screwcap, it should easily handle 3-5 more years. 1/3. (92 pts.)
• 2007 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
  A big expressive nose of vanilla bean oak and clotted cream with notes of citrus, peaches and spices. On palate, very tight and but with great purity and focus. Creamy and citric with spices and a hint of honey. Concentrated with serious fruit weight, power, structure and length. Good 2007 acids provide some tension and cut. However, this wine needs another 3+ years cellar time to be at its best, I suspect. 2/3. (92 pts.)

Larger scaled New World wines

• 2005 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Under screwcap. Decanted 5-6 hours before tasting. Beating the 2001 Giaconda for my Australian WoTN. A big, powerful, sweetish nose of white peaches, apricots, grapefruits, musk and nutmeg, with a generous slug of vanillin oak. On palate, this is a deeply concentrated, big boned wine. It has Grand Cru Burgundy fruit weight and all of the tasters were picking it as Old World. It has the scale but with sufficient refinement, subtlety and detail of flavours, to retain your interest. Lactic and lower acid with a flavour profile matching the bouquet. Still fairly primary, this wine should still be improving over the next 5-10 years. 1=/3. (94 pts.)
• 2008 Hyde De Villaine Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
  The second HdV in the lineup was also corked. Below the TCA there were some nice limey, citric aromas and, on palate, the suggestion of rich, sweetish, weighty fruit, but it was not possible to make any proper assessment. 3/3. NR (flawed)
• 2010 Church Road Chardonnay Tom Hawkes Bay - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay
  Under screwcap. This is Church Road’s top Chardonnay, only produced in exceptional years. For sheer scale, the Tom put all of the Australians, including the Giacondas, into the shade, making them look petite by comparison. A rich and powdery bouquet of fully ripe golden peaches, apricots, bread dough and baking spices with a lot of vanillin oak, yet to integrate. In the mouth, a ripe, rich, open textured, seemingly leesy wine, packed with plenty of fruit and prominent oaky flavour. A butterscotch finish. Huge fruit weight. Thierry had the best descriptor of the wine: ‘Baroque’. Some of our group liked it on the night but, to me, it was overdone. 1=/3. (89 pts.)

Serious Grand Crus

• 2009 Henri Boillot Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
  Decanted 4 hours earlier (on opening it was very raw and aggressive). A gorgeous bouquet, multi-dimensional bouquet of spices, citrus, crushed river boulders, honey glazing, pears and other orchard fruit, minerals and gun flint. On palate, a clear step up on anything tasted earlier. Complex and nuanced with layers of flavours including citric, honeyed and stone and tropical fruit. Also real minerality in the mouth and an attractive saline element. Well integrated, spicy oak. Lovely, silky, creamy mouth feel and texture. Superb fruit weight. Very good acidity, showing no stereotypical 2009 overripeness. A long, mineral finish. The wine is very young, but it showed very well on the night, as compared with many of the other Burgundies. However, if it survives premox, I don’t doubt it has a long life ahead of it. It was not outclassed by the Montrachet but I rated it lower due to its more overt fruit flavour. 2=/3. (95 pts.)
• 2009 Henri Boillot Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
  Decanted 4 hours earlier. An ethereal nose, more subtle than the Criots, but more complex. The nuances included exotic spices, lemons, pears, tropical fruit, meadow flowers, minerals, bush honey etc etc. On palate, an extraordinary wine in beautiful harmony. Obviously young but surprisingly accessible. The flavour profile is more stone fruit than exotic although there are touches of pineapple with wet granite, mineral, citric and lactic flavours. Up a notch in detail from the Criots. Gorgeous texture, rich and glycerol across the palate. Excellent acidity, but not quite as good as (and riper than) the 2007 Boillot Montrachet I recently had. A long, mineral finish. Ideally, give this wine at least 5+ years. Superb! 2=/3. (96 pts.)
• 2006 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
  Opened 4 hours earlier. (Rauno reported this opened quite fresh and said, with hindsight, he should have pop and poured). Deep gold colour. A nose, to me, dominated by Époisses and other lactic aromas, but also with peach, quince and honey elements. Clearly oxidated. On palate, clearly advanced and oxidated but the consensus was that the Leflaive was not premoxed. Good weight and an interesting flavour profile, with marzipan and lactic elements. It had no Chevalier typicity. Tasters had it as 1999 to 2003 vintage but were clearly enjoying it (more than me). Peter mentioned what he saw as a ‘remarkable second after-taste’ to this wine. I don’t know, but I doubt that this bottle would be representative of this wine. Still, this bottle was interesting and enjoyable. 1/3. (92 pts.)

Rauno’s mature wines and a Sineann to finish …

• 1995 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
  Pop and pour. Badly corked. NR (flawed)
• 2000 Kumeu River Chardonnay Maté’s Vineyard - New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Kumeu
  Pop and pour. Undrinkable. Either or both corked and oxidised. NR (flawed)
• 2001 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
  Pop and pour. At last, an attractive Chablis-typical bouquet of seashells, sea spray, citrus and a little tropical fruit. On palate, the wine was surprisingly primary, with talcy, chalky flavours. Also lovely citric, mineral, pear, quince and saline elements, with a suggestion of herbal tea (per Thierry). Superb, sparkling acidity. Excellent balance and focus and all of the elements still in place for the future. This bottle would have been even better in 5 years. Excellent! (94 pts.)
• 2001 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard - Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth
  Pop and pour. Deep colour. A big, rich bouquet, like the 2004, but with a funky, sous bois note I really liked. Rich and ripe on palate, with tropical and stone fruit flavours, particularly golden peaches and apricots. The oak was well integrated and there was a clear MLF element to the taste. Still decent acidity. Serious fruit weight, structure and length. Broad shouldered. Peter and I both preferred it to the 2004 (but I still rate the 2002 I had last year higher). (93 pts.)
• 2013 Sineann Pinot Noir Yates Conwill Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Pop and pour. Peter made 500 cases of this wine in 2013. Bright garnet. A lovely spicy, savoury nose of fruit largely in the red fruit spectrum with dry underbrush. On palate, the wine is juicy, ripe and mellow. A lovely wine and a great way to finish the tasting!

Posted from CellarTracker

Dear Rauno and Howard,

If you cross the ditch and are in Melbourne on the first Monday of the month let me know and you can meet Jeremy and the other Monday table members.

Great notes,

thanks

Anthony.

Anthony, thanks very much for your offer, I do get to Australia sometimes, so it may be possible one day…

Just a further thought from the tasting about screw cap v cork …

I’m not saying that this is any way scientific and the wines under cork in the tasting were many of the older ones … but in case you weren’t adding … of the 22 Chardonnays we had on the night, of the:

• 7 under screw cap, all were in perfect condition, showing the appropriate level of evolution;

• 15 under cork, 5 were sub-optimal in some way.

Just sayin’ …

Cheers, Howard

Rauno and Howard, thanks for the notes on what sounds like a great evening. Interesting results and not what I would expect from what I know of your palate preferences…

Interesting format, not sure I could have gone that long without more rd burgs or other PN!

Cheers Brodie

Brodie, we are dedicated to the cause! I did leave with the feeling that we had missed on anything. We are even talking of a Riesling dinner next time in December. Will you be around?

As both Howard and Rauno signal in their notes, the sequence of wines had a significant influence on our appreciation of the wines. The Sauzet looked distinctly austere compared to the two other wines that preceded it.

On another note, this was another great showing of a Girardin wine.

Great notes guys, always enjoy seeing these new vs old world tastings. Agree with your views on many of the NZ and Oz labels. LEAS needs age, Moutere consistently great, Tom too ‘big’ etc The Giaconda 2002 can be amazing, but is variable. Their 2008 was wonderful too a few years ago.

Hippopotamus food looks good too, planning a night there in August, do they do BYO normally, or was that by special arrangement?

I’m sure the romantic, traditional experience of pulling out those corks would have compensated for them being undrinkable.

Tim, the Hippo don’t typically do BYO but it should be possible. I’ll PM you the details later today.

Hi Thierry, should be able to do a Riesling dinner in December, current plan to is get back to NZ on July. Should have the cellar organized by December which means able to find things!

I’m available for moving, finding… and “QA” !!

Brodie - the “results” aren’t necessarily indicative of Howard’s and my palate preferences, and our notes show there was a fair amount of dissent (which is good )! As I indicated in my lead off comments, it’s interesting how the format changes things - moderate pours, wide variety, etc would all have had an influence on preference. Would Howard rate the LEAS 94pts if he had a whole bottle for dinner? Possibly not.
Tim - as for the romance of cork, it probably took a team of three 5 minutes to get the cork out of the '95 LEAS. By then, it was completely cored through the middle. It was lucky there was no serious physical injury dealing with that level of “romance”…

Thanks Anthony - Mondays might just be reason enough to fly over
Similarly, if you find yourself blown off course to Wellington let us know.

Great notes and nicely-structured flights! I’ll be back in July-half-Aug for skiing, with some days in WLG, and then in WLG again for a couple of months from mid-Dec. If you have a spare seat at the table for your August night at Hippo or your Riesling night in Dec, let me know. And speaking of Riesling, any notes posted yet from the Magnum tasting? [Apologies for drift.]

Hi Barbara - I have been meaning to write up the minerality exercise we did at the Magnum Riesling tasting, but I was worried it was too geeky, even for this forum. BTW I’m in Rome in June. Would you be prepared to PM me some restaurant recommendations?

Getting back to the Chardonnays, it was a surprise to most of us, given our stated preference for old world wine, that the NZ examples were the favourites of their flights, although the Grand Cru Burgs were unsurprisingly preferred overall. I was particularly impressed by the Martinborough Vineyard 2012, which Decanter names best Chardonnay outside Burgundy in the March issue. I opened a bottle earlier in the week and my impressions were confirmed. It dances effortlessly on the palate, yet has considerable depth and power. It showed well the next day, which might augur well for ageing potential. The hand of the winemaker seems (deceptively) inapparent.