Delightful afternoon with Kent Comley and family and friends. After kicking the footy with the boys for a while we had indeed worked up quite a thirst of which two particular white Burgs were destined not to satiate. The 2004 Maison Leroy Meursault ‘Perrieres’ was oxidised (a recent purchase from Premier Cru in the States, a sad ending after an epic journey for this particular bott) and a 2004 Billaud-Simon Chablis ‘Preuses’ was fresh in every respect but marred by a little tca. We did have a fabulous line-up of reds however;
2001 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Echezeaux: Smells like a veritable rose garden with all its sweet, floral scents. There’s also a touch of beef stock and smoke to the aroma. Wonderful poise in the mouth with crisp red fruits, perfumed floral notes and some earthy development. Lacy and relatively fine-boned and terrific cut to the finish.
2009 Chandon de Briailles Corton-Bressandes: Super ripe, plush and creamy. There are purple and black fruits on the nose that are one degree short of confiture and also quite an engaging waft of flora (think lavender and violets). The waves of creamy fruits lap over a base of scorched earth and cherry stone and acidity is relatively low. It finishes with chewy tannins and has good drive. A wine that should be peaking several decades down the track.
2005 Francois Lamarche Clos de Vougeot: Beguiling perfume of violets, red berries, aniseed, grated ginger and freshly tilled earth. This is a big, broad shouldered wine but it has exquisite poise and balance. Tannins are sweet and spherical and the dense fruit is majestically underpinned by minerally acidity. Certainly many years from its apogee but if you own a few of these absolutely no crime in checking in on one now.
2000 Aldo Conterno Barolo ‘Bussia’: Just about in the perfect place right now. I have had a couple of these where the cork has failed and the wine was a tad oxidised but this bott was as fresh as a trout. There’s some tar and roses to the aroma along with milk chocolate and leather. It is full and rich in the mouth with a nice balance between sweet and savoury elements. Tannins are relatively supple but it still has enough grip to support the over-all package.
1994 Wendouree Shiraz Malbec: Plenty of mint on the nose along with cassis, iron, tobacco and sweet earth. Dense and chewy in the mouth with powerful, briary fruits trimmed by plenty of savoury nuance. There’s a little chocolate development and it finishes with good grip.
2010 Pressing Matters Riesling R139: A pre-release sample from this most excellent producer from Tasmania’s Coal River Valley (a full report on these wines to follow in the next few weeks). Australia’s answer to Auslese from the Mosel, this is sweet Riesling of great purity, focus and clarity. There are notes of preserved lime, cumquat and minerals and it is rich but disciplined and held in check by a thread of acidity that is perfectly wound into the wine. Worked brilliantly with a piece of Bleu d’Auvergne.
Thanks for the great day Kent.
Cheers
Jeremy