Perth Area Wine Tasters
Previous Tasting
Tuesday 11th December 2012
The Christmas Party
Lachlan presented the following wines as blind tastings, which, of course,we were all able to identify.
Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant
Producer: Mas de Daumas Gassac
Country/ Region: Languedoc
Grape(s): 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Manseng
Supplied by: Exel Wines
Tasting Note
A genuine rose wine - it could almost be a fruit juice - delights the
palate with lively fine bubbles, smooth fruity aromas, freshness. Delicious
red fruit aromas with the scent of Cabernet Sauvignon. Vivacious red fruits
on the palate, with great balance and finesse, with a long, soft finish
General Note:
Mas de Daumas Gassac has been described as 'Languedoc's Lafite'.
Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the younger Daumas Gassac vineyards. Harvested
by hand.
The "free-run" grape juice is then fermented in a closed tank
so as to retain all the fermenting gas. Maturation of 3 to 4 months in
Stainless Steel tanks.
Dom des Lauriers Picpoul de Pinet 2010
Producer: Dom des Lauriers
Country/ Region: Languedoc
Grape(s): Picpoul
Supplied by: l'ArtduVin
Tasting Note
Light gold with green tints. Lovely, expressive & harmonious nose
of peaches & pineapple with notes of acacia and citrus fruits and
a
delicate mineral freshness. Dry, crisp & with a long mineral aftertaste
- superb. . This brilliant wine has won many awards.
General Note
This superb estate is close to the Mediterranean, was created in 1969
and now extends to 40 hectares of vineyard spread through the Mediterranean
garrigue. It is run by Marc Cabrol, who combines winegrowing with selling
agricultural machinery. Eleven grape varieties in total are grown on these
very diverse soils. Half are Picpoul vines, clustered on slopes of
red earth covered with heat reflecting pebbles. The winery was built in
the early 1900's but was thoroughly modernised by the current
owners in 1995. Considerable earth moving was carried out to bury the
east side of the winery, thus improving the humidity, ensuring a
constant temperature within the winery and also allowing for the grapes
to be tipped straight down into the presses within 45 minutes of
picking, so maintaining the freshness essential for Picpoul.
Food match
Perfect with seafood, shellfish and fish dishes.
Esk Valley Pinot Gris 2011
Producer: Esk Valley
Country/ Region: Hawkes Bay
Grape(s): PinotGris
Supplied by: Ellies Wine Cellar
Tasting Note
A rich, full-bodied style of Pinot Gris.
Barrel fermentation has provided the wine with richness without oak characters,
and the early picked sites have provided fresh, natural
acidity to the finished blend.
Aromatics and flavours of stone fruits, honey and pears dominate, with
a hint of spice providing complexity. A dry finish
General Note:
All fruit was hand picked and gently whole cluster pressed in a pneumatic
press. An early pick from the Barber's vineyard has provided natural acidity
and freshness to the finished wine while later picks from the Keltern
and Johnstone's vineyards have provided richness and aromatics. A late
pick from the Barber vineyard with a proportion of noble rot has added
honeyed complexity. The individual vineyard parcels were fermented separately
in a mix of tanks and seasoned oak barriques. The parcels were then left
on lees until November before blending and bottling in December 2011.
Enjoyable as a young wine and will continue to gain complexity and richness
for 2 to 5 years.
Food match
Good with soft cheeses, pork dishes, or seafood.
Firmament 2003
Producer: Domaine la Rouviole Supplied by: Appelation Wines
Country/ Region: Minervois
Grape(s): Carignan, Cinsault & Syrah
Supplied by: Appellation
Wines
Tasting Note
From the hot 2003 vintage, there's a heady 14% alcohol here in a wine
that has equal proportions of Cinsault, Syrah and Carignan. The colour
is a dark, dried-blood red, and the nose offers very rounded, dense and
creamy aromas of plum and dark chocolate. There is a certain pepper and
spice, and just glimpses of a brighter cherry fruit quality. On the palate
this has a rich-textured, solid, spicy fruitiness, with an extra layer
of dense, thick tannin and plenty of stuffing into a long, spicy finish.
A powerhouse style that needs food, but impressively concentrated.
Chateau La Voulte-Gasparets Cuveé Reserveé,
2009
Producer: Chateau La Voulte
Country/ Region: Corbiers -
Grape(s): Carignan, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah
Supplied by: l'ArtduVin
Tasting Note
A full, rich yet elegant modern Corbieres, displaying rich red berry flavours
and a full finish with good balance.
General Note:
Situated in the small village of Gasparets, midway between Carcassone
and Narbonne, Chateau La Voulte Gasparets is an estate which
many critics believe produces the best Corbieres on the market.
The wines are Carignan dominated with some Grenache, Mouvedre and a little
bit of Syrah from very low yields old vines. Carbonic
maceration is usually used for the ferment, and ageing takes place in
a mixture of old and new Merrain oak.
Located on the site of an old river bed, the vineyard's soil has been
enriched by alluvial deposits and round, sorted pebbles that intensify
the heat of the soil during the day, then slowly release heat at night.
The vast quantity of pebbles in the soil does however, tend to lower
yields, thus the work of head winernaker Patrick Reverdy is extremely
challenging, cultivating his vines by embracing the unusual terroir,
and producing a Corbieres that is truly fantastic.
Food match
Lamb
Curatolo Marsala Superiore Riserva
Producer: Curatolo
Country/ Region: Sicily
Grape(s): Grille, Inzolia, Catarato
Supplied by: Woodwinter Wines
Tasting Note
The Superiore is powerful and intense on the nose with honey and wood
smoke. It is richer on the palate and concentrated with loads of depth,
sweet savoury dried fruit and a long honeyed finish.
General Note
Grillo, Inzolia and Cataratto grapes have been fortified with white grape
spirit in the traditional way and have then been cask aged for 2 years
in order to get the superiore classification. The Curatolo family has
been producing excellent Marsala for over a century. Indeed they are the
oldest Marsala house still in family ownership. Their stunning label was
designed by Erneste Basile, a famous architect in Palermo in the latter
part of the 19th century, and is very much in the art deco style.
Food match
Chocolate-based desserts and Roquefort cheese
Wiese & Krohn Colheita Port 2000
Producer: Wiese & Krohn
Country/ Region: Duoro Grape(s):
Supplied by: Woodwinter Wines
Tasting Note
Very smooth, silky and elegant in texture with balanced acidity, has heaps
of black cherry fruit with nuts, dried fruit and spice notes on the nose
and a lovely butter toffee sweetness lingering finish.
General Note
Colheitas are single year Ports of great quality that are aged for a long
time in wood. Similar to a Tawny Port.
Food match
Cheeses, Almond sweets, Nuts
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