Gourmet Food and Wine show...

Thursday night opening night was ostensibly the VIP night...but there was nothing exclusive about it; It was packed. The food wasn't particularly gourmet either; the risotto sucked, the pork on a bun sucked, but the prime rib on a bun was really good. I tasted quite a bit of wine as well but nothing really blew me away. Though to be fair I didn't spend $50 for a taste of the '06 Mouton Rothschild. The bottle costs $850, but still that's a bit steep.

here's a few wines I did like:

Domaine Du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf Du Pape 2007, $76.95

92 (now) - 92+? (later)
Like many great wines this is deceptively great. A novice could easily dismiss this wine because it has clearly shut down. But you can sense it's potential. Loads of flavour buried in tannin. I found it almost a bit thin on the palate which is weird because it's not (a gustatory illusion?). I suspect it's because it's nose it so closed & subtle right now. But take a mouthful and swish it around for a while, you'll taste all sorts of complexities dying to get out. I wouldn't touch this for at least 5 years..though 10-20 would be better.

Sigalas Santorini 2008, $21.95

90
From my favorite island comes a tight, flinty, serious Assyrtiko with a very clean, precise nose. Quite austere but in a refreshing sort of way. Like an angry mating of Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Not as much of a crowd-pleaser or sipper as some softer Assyrtikos (like Boutari) but a wine made tailor made for Greek food: grilled squid, eggplant, caviar & garlic dips, lamb souvlaki. Heaven.

D'arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2007, $49.95

90 (now) - 92 (later)
Great nose on this; blackberries, herbal, a bit smokey. Classic Aussie Shiraz. Full bodied and well balanced, if a tad hot in spite of it's great concentration. Long finish. Still very young, needs several years at least, at which point I suspect I'd give it an extra point or two.

Hardys Bankside Shiraz (V) 2008, $13.95

88+
Another great value from Hardys. Medium-full bodied with plenty of Shiraz flavour without being over-extracted or having too much mass-produced sweetness as some inexpensive Aussie wines are prone. This was most excellent with prime rib on a bun. 


And these next two were great, i didn't try it at the show but the next day at dinner party, (pork tenderloin with proper mushroom rissoto)

Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru 1999, $26.99

 

90

This is a blend from many 1er Cru vineyards, but what it lacks in specific character it makes up in value.
'99 was a good year in Beaune. This would have spent about 12-18 months in wood before bottling so it has around 9 years of age on it.
Pale red with the pretty, telltale bricking of age. Young wines have aromas, aged wines develop a bouquet and even in this modest Burgundy you get a sense of that; sweet strawberries, earthy black truffles, leather...
Very little sediment (was this re-bottled?)
Sweet & savory, well balanced, smooth tannins, good finish.
Well worth the price.

De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2007, $29.95

 

95

Way to go Australia!
I'm a lover of dessert wines and this is great one. An after-dinner crowd-pleaser this is beautiful golden-yellow with a tinge of amber. Outstanding nose: loads of apricot, fresh peaches, lemon, honey and earthy notes. Just great. Thick, but not quite as mouth-coating as some icewines and Sauternes can be. Loads of complex flavours. Very sweet but with acidity and tang so it's not cloying. Very well balanced. I'd love to taste this in 10 years. A good value for a sweet Semillon of this quality, especially when compared it to similarly styled Sauternes at $10-$40+ more.

grab 'em if you can find 'em.