Tasting Alsace and Pomerol wines
At long last, summer has arrived in Paris. For how long we don’t know. French weather can be as temperamental as our Gallic hosts.
But yesterday was the occasion for a wonderful tasting in Doug’s Parisian garden. Twelve of us were in attendance, including three Aussies – Philip, Peter Scherer and me.
It was Peter Jarrett’s last tasting for the season, prior to his departure for summer holidays in his home of Canada – a wonderful country that is proving that even gentlemen can have remarkable backbone.
If there was one bémol, it was that tropical weather is not ideal for drinking great red wine.
For my money, this was a remarkable tasting.
Here are some plagiarised tasting notes:
Albert Boxler Pinot Gris Grand Cru “Brand” Alsace 2018. Boxler’s regal Pinot Gris captures the essence of Pinot Gris in all of its textural glory. I’ll call it dry, without denying it carries the subtlest hint of tenderness—a splendid richness that provides contrast to its well-defined, toned mineral structure. Reminiscent of Mirabelle plum and rainwater, this classy beauty is ready to go.
Zind-Humbrecht "Rangen de Thann – Clos St. Urbain" Pinot Gris Grand Cru Alsace 2005. Dark golden yellow. White peach, green apple, minerals and botanical herbs on the forward but refined nose, complicated by a hint of spicy botrytis. Sweet, dense and leesy, conveying a compelling, delicately creamy texture and outstanding depth to its lemony noble rot-accented baked apple and herbal flavors. Finishes vibrant and long, with only a hint of residual sweetness.
Vieux Chateau Certan Pomerol 2014. 80 % Merlot and 20 % Cabernet Franc.This is glorious stuff that has more personality and sexiness than just about every other wine in the vintage. Kirsch, black cherries, flowers, forest floor and exotic spice characteristics all emerge from this ethereally textured, elegant, beautifully rich 2014 that has notable acidity, sweet tannin, and a great finish.
Château La Conseillante, Pomerol 2009. 80% merlot, 20% cabernet franc. There’s so much complexity on offer – the natural elegance pumped up with dark chocolate, graphite and liquorice layering up through the damson and blackberry fruits. A gorgeous, delicious wine with a blast of freshly crushed mint leaf on the finish. This was the third vintage since a second wine was launched in 2007, helping the winemaking team to concentrate and refine this main bottling.
Zind Humbrecht " Clos Windsbuhl" Gewürztraminer Vendange Tardive Alsace (375ml) 2005. Fascinating notes of green tea, candied lime peel, peach preserves, passion fruit, and litchi rise from the glass of 2005 Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl Vendange Tardive, almost as though it were mingled with botrytized Sauvignon Blanc. Displaying an uncanny combination of sheer, honeyed richness and intensity of spice with vibrant, juicy, clarity of flavor and transparency to mineral nuance, this stages an amazing performance on the palate even at this early point, and can safely be predicted to age to further complexity over the next quarter century.