Perth Area Wine Tasters

Tuesday 10th December 2013

Christmas Tasting

Lachlan presented a selection of wines for the Christmas table

White

Phillipe Michel Cremant Du Jura
Producer: Maison de Vigneron
Supplied by: Aldi
Country/ Region: France, Crancot
Grape: Chardonnay
Tasting Note:
Lemony in colour, it has a hint of apple and lemon in the aroma. Course bubbles give a course foam which does not last but bubbles for a reasonable time. It has a slight lemon and which fruit taste but without the sharper zing you might expect at this price, and leaves a long, cleansing finish.
Food match:
Great as an aperitif

Menetou Salon Morogues 2012 (Pellé)
Producer: Domaine Henri Pellé
Supplied by: The Wine Society
Country/ Region: Loire
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Drink Dates: Now to 2015
Tasting Note:
Fresh saline, mouth-watering crisp freshness balanced by elegant and delicate healthy ripe fruit with some minerality.
Food match:
Goats cheese, asparagus, avocado with seafood, whitebait, fritto misto, grilled mackerel, oysters, fruits de mer.

Lugana Cà dei Frati 2012
Producer: Dal Cero
Supplied by: The Wine Society
Country/ Region: Trentino,Veneto
Grape: Trebbiano
Drink Dates: Now to 2016
Tasting Note
The wine has a perfume of white flowers, peaches and ripe lemons. On the palate it has excellent depth and balance, with a trademark richness and a lovely crisp, lively finish.
Food match
Cold meats, quiche, salads or fish dishes.

Heggies Chardonnay, 2011, Eden Valley
Producer: Heggies Vineyard
Supplied by: The Wine Society
Country/ Region: Eden Valley, South Australia
Grape: Chardonnay
Drink Dates: Now to 2014
Tasting Note:
Careful handling of French oak means this wine has a subtle toasty character which mingles well with the ripe apple and pear fruits, refined minerality while richly structured and complex. A creamy roundness completes the finish. Food match:
Scallops in cream sauce, turbot, halibut, Dover sole, monkfish, roast chicken, veal chops.

Red

Norman Hardie County Pinot Noir Unfiltered 2011
Producer: Norman Hardie
Supplied by: The Wine Society
Country/ Region: Prince Edward County, Ontario
Grape: Pinot Noir
Drink Dates: Now to 2016
Tasting Note:
There will be no mistaking the grape. It is bewitching, subtle, finely tuned and very pretty indeed. A taut, complex, mineral-driven wine. Food match:
A wonderful partner for grouse, or other feathered game of the season, and very good too with wild mushroom risotto.

La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva, Rioja 2004
Producer: La Rioja Alta
Supplied by: The Wine Society
Country/ Region: Rioja
Grapes: 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha
Drink Dates: Now to 2020
Tasting Note:
Evolved brick red colour at the rim, an intense bouquet of leather and tobacco and soft tannins. A combination of savoury, mature flavours and sweet, fleshy fruit, which lasts and lasts on the palate.
Food match:
Enjoy now with lamb or over the next few years as the richness and power will soften to spice and earth, augmenting game casserole or wild duck.

Château Fourcas Dupré 2005 Listrac-Médoc
Producer: Château Fourcas Dupré
Supplied by: The Wine Society
Country/ Region: Bordeaux
Grapes: 44% merlot, 44% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot Drink Dates: Now to 2020
Tasting Note:
Expressive and attractive with early hints of cedar and tobacco both, substance and balance that will reward generously over the next few years.
Food match:
Roast beef or lamb, partridge or grouse.

Bleasdale, The Wise One Tawny, 10 Year Old
Producer: Bleasdale Vineyards
Supplied by: The Wine Society
Country/ Region: Langhorne Creek, South Australia
Grapes: A 10-year-old fortified Australian blend of grenache, shiraz and verdelho wines
Tasting Note:
Complex nutty and chocolate flavours combine with the silky texture developed during the ageing process culminating in a gorgeous aperitif or after-dinner beverage.
Food match:
Can be considered with Christmas pudding, strong coffee or chocolate desserts, or just sipped with nuts after a meal.