Tonight, we invited a number of our colleauges over for our annual
"cellar clearance party" to celebrate (?) the upcoming start of the
academic year. Unlike pervious years, we didn't actually have that many
wines in the cellar that we wanted to unload.

The whites were a selection of NZ SBs and Grüner Veltliners purchased
locally, the class of which were the 2006 Matua "Paretai" Sauvignon
Blanc and the 2004 Allram Strassertaler GV, the former of which was
pungent, herbal and mineral-laden and the latter of which also displayed
good minerality, along with an appealing green pea character.

Among the reds we

1995 Hamel Syrah Russian River Valley
nose: pine needles, black fruit
palate: acidic, dark berry fruit, resinous

1999 Babcock "Black Label" Syrah
nose: black fruit, meaty
palate: deep fruit, rich, good acidity, black berries, meat

2000 Cline "Los Carneros" Syrah
nose: eucalyptus, spice, oak
palate: medium body, acids, butterscotch, berries

1994 Galante "Red Rose Hill" Cabernet Sauvignon
nose: oak, pencil lead
palate: medium-full body, acids, atypical flavors

1995 Beaulieu Vineyards "Georges de la Tour" Cabernet Sauvignon
nose: classic, pencil lead, cedar, cassis
palate: medium body, balanced, black fruit, herbal

1998 Raymond Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
nose: restrained, black fruit, pencil lead, oak
palate: medium body, balance, oak, black fruit

Of the red wines, the standouts were the Babcock Syrah and the '95 BV
GdL, which were also the first ones finished. The Hamel, Cline and
Raymond were all purchased after tasting them whereas most of the others
were gifts. It's a sign of our changing tastes that we won't miss many
of these bottles from our cellar.

Mark Lipton
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alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On Aug 24, 1:45�am, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> Tonight, we invited a number of our colleauges over for our annual
> "cellar clearance party" to celebrate (?) the upcoming start of the
> academic year. �Unlike pervious years, we didn't actually have that many
> wines in the cellar that we wanted to unload.
>
> The whites were a selection of NZ SBs and Gr�ner Veltliners purchased
> locally, the class of which were the 2006 Matua "Paretai" Sauvignon
> Blanc and the 2004 Allram Strassertaler GV, the former of which was
> pungent, herbal and mineral-laden and the latter of which also displayed
> good minerality, along with an appealing green pea character.
>
> Among the reds we
>
> 1995 Hamel Syrah Russian River Valley
> nose: pine needles, black fruit
> palate: acidic, dark berry fruit, resinous
>
> 1999 Babcock "Black Label" Syrah
> nose: black fruit, meaty
> palate: deep fruit, rich, good acidity, black berries, meat
>
> 2000 Cline "Los Carneros" Syrah
> nose: eucalyptus, spice, oak
> palate: medium body, acids, butterscotch, berries
>
> 1994 Galante "Red Rose Hill" Cabernet Sauvignon
> nose: oak, pencil lead
> palate: medium-full body, acids, atypical flavors
>
> 1995 Beaulieu Vineyards "Georges de la Tour" Cabernet Sauvignon
> nose: classic, pencil lead, cedar, cassis
> palate: medium body, balanced, black fruit, herbal
>
> 1998 Raymond Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
> nose: restrained, black fruit, pencil lead, oak
> palate: medium body, balance, oak, black fruit
>
> Of the red wines, the standouts were the Babcock Syrah and the '95 BV
> GdL, which were also the first ones finished. �The Hamel, Cline and
> Raymond were all purchased after tasting them whereas most of the others
> were gifts. �It's a sign of our changing tastes that we won't miss many
> of these bottles from our cellar.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: �http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

thanks for notes. All of the wines sound at least interesting (well,
except the Cline, I can live with a little eucalyptus, but
butterscotch in a red.....)

DaleW wrote:

> thanks for notes. All of the wines sound at least interesting (well,
> except the Cline, I can live with a little eucalyptus, but
> butterscotch in a red.....)

When red wines showing lots of new oak age, they often take on a
butterscotch note to me. Coincidentally, this was the bottle that had
the most left at the end of the party (the Babcock Syrah was the grand
winner, followed closely by the BV GdL).


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alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net