Perth Area Wine Tasters
Last Tasting
Tuesday 9th December 2008
Lachlan's Sparklers
As part of our Christmas festivities we had a blind tasting of the following
sparkling wines selected by Lachlan.
Cava Brut, Mas Macia
This Cava Brut is made from Macabeo, Parelleda and Xarello grapes cultivated
in Jordi Casanova's 60 hectare Mas Macia estate in the Penedes region
near Barcelona.
Tasting Note
A fresh and nicely creamy Cava with complex flavours of apples and stone
fruits with herbal notes and some nutty, yeasty notes from time on the
lees. Good acidity and a long, savoury finish.
£7.25 Woodwinters
Valentin Bianchi Extra Brut
The Bianchi Brut is not only one of Argentina’s most impressive sparkling
wines, but also stands up to the best that the rest of the world has to
offer at this price.
The grapes (50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir), vinified in modern facilities,
are fermented and the wine aged on its lees for a further 12 months before
release.
Tasting Note
It has nice biscuity fruit on the nose and good richness on the palate.
Fresh and clean, it finishes dry.
£8.75 Woodwinters
Santo Stefano, Ruggeri, NV Prosecco DOC (VSQPRD)
Ruggeri does not have its own vineyards but buys the grapes (Prosecco,
with small quantities of Verdiso and Perara) in from the highly acclaimed
vineyards of the best zones of Santo Stefano in the commune of Valdobbiadene.
Tasting Note
This is a classic prosecco with fine bubbles and a fragrant nose of freshly
baked bread and ripe fruit. On the palate it is full with a pleasant vein
of acidity and a very slightly semi-sweet background which balances the
flavours and adds length.
£13.15 Harrisons
Pelorus NV
Pelorus is the sparkling wine label of Cloudy Bay, comprising two styles crafted from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. Sunny skies and the long cool summer days of Marlborough ensure the slow ripening so essential for achieving the elegance, crispness and complexity inherent in a quality sparkling wine.
Tasting Note
Pelorus NV is a chardonnay-predominant blend of selected vintages.
It is a fresh, aperitif style sparkling wine with fresh lemon and apple-crisp
flavours, underpinned by creamy, nutty yeast complexity derived from two
years bottle maturation on lees. Very fine and persistent bubbles.
£14.00 Woodwinters
Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie
This cuvee of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, (55% and 45% respectively), is
produced exclusively from grapes grown at the Folies, picked after the
first “green” harvest, giving the wine optimum sweetness and
aromatic maturity.
Tasting Note
The result is impressive, not forsaking for a moment the famous Taittinger
elegance but adding an intensity of Pinot power, manifested in a toasty
richness, a backdrop of red-berried fruits and a creamy richness.
It is deep yellow in colour with fine delicate bubbles and an intense, highly fruited bouquet of peaches and hints of broche. It is a full bodied Champagne with a long distinctive finish of stone fruits and toasty notes.
£39.00 Woodwinters
Le Mesnil Grand Cru Brut NV
The co-operative was established in 1937 in the heart of the Grand Cru
village of St Mesnil Sur Oger in the Côtes des Blancs, which is
widely regarded as the source of the region's best Chardonnay, much of
which is used to produce this Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
Tasting Note
The wine, 100% Chardonnay, has a generous floral nose, a deliciously refreshing
yet rich palate and a clean satisfying finish.
Sure-fire impressive, stupendous value, pleasingly fruity 100% Chardonnay
Champagne, a wine of outstanding complexity and finesse.
Pale yellow appearance with a lively bead. The nose displays aromas of
lemon peel, orange blossom and brioche. The palate is clean and persistent
with firm acidity and good length. Pure fruit and great finesse.
£24.00 Woodwinters
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Harrisons Fine Wines
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