Amongst random
Vinomofo quaffers, the following were had the AC household over the past week:
- Domaine William Fevre Chablis 1er Cru Montmains 2011 - ah, so this is what Chablis tastes like. So unlike Australian chardonnary (or even other stuff I've had from Burgundy). Full of earthy, minerality - even flinty flavours, with an underlay of fruit, without the buttery-ness you see in Aussie stuff.
- Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga d'Alba 2008 - great Barolo - probably my second favourite so far (since I started my epic journey a couple of months ago! I guess all journeys start with single steps). Ruby red with bright fruits like strawberries and sweetish cherries. Medium- tannins. Quite smooth on the palate. A joy to drink with some Italian that evening
- Kanonkop Estate Stellanbosch Pinotage 2013 - I haven't had a bottle of pinotage since leaving Singapore ~4 years ago, and just started looking around for some on a whim. Deep-red colour. Medium bodied, with plum fruits and spice. Vanillan oak in the background. Medium+ tannins starting to smooth. A bit of a sharp aftertaste. Something that I think will improve with age. A 2013 is still a baby
- Yeringberg Cabernet blend 2004 - everything I love about Bordeaux style blends. Cork still in excellent condition, and the drinking is "oh so smooth" now. Fruit still present but receding, exposing the other flavours - woodiness, earthiness, some mustiness. Tannins very well integrated - velvety on the palate.
Tonight ended being, by coincidence a Margaret River Cabernet taste-off. Both 2010, both 95 Halliday points. Both Margaret River straight Cabernet. Even the bottle heights were only a couple of mm apart:
Capel Vale The Scholar Single Vineyard 2010 vs. Sandalford Estate Reserve 2010. For mine the Capel Vale was more earthy, with the fruit still quite tight, and grippy tannins. The Sandalford opened quicker, to expose the dark fruits, and had smoother tannins. Both could probably do with more airing time before drinking, and both definitely with more years in cellaring. Sandalford probably more approachable at this stage.
Edit: the Sandalford has definitely opened more over the evening - there's more sweetness, which are obscuring the tannins. Definitely an interesting development. It's been good to have the two side-by-side.