Preamble Tasting November
2000
Wines of the Week of the Year
John Heavey
John has chosen from the Wines of the Week published by the wine correspondents in the national press during the past year. We don't always agree with them :)
1. Graacher dom Pobst Riesling Kabinett, Von Kesseltat Estate, 1997
Pleasant nose of sweetness and petrol. Very minerally, seems peachy, slightly
sweet. Quite fizzy. easy drinking, a bit too sweet for my palate. 8.5%.
£8.99
2. Lugano San Benedeto Zenato, 1999. 
Very fresh nose. Smooth, fruity, ends with a pile of sugr. Lychees? Trebbiano
(but says Lugana grape on the bottle; apparently a clone of Trebbiano).
13%, though it doesn't feel it..
£7.95
3. Wolf Blass, Australia, 1999
(Presented blind) Nice yellow-green. Some oak. Very fruity. This is the
Wendy Stucky (?) white wine of the year 2000, and said to be a move to
a more European style by WB. Apparently uses a malolactic fermentation
for softness. Too apply, pear-drops for me. I certainly wouldn't give
it white wine of the year. Doorly.
£8.99
4. Tyrrell's Old Winery Pinot Noir, Australia, 1999
Light colour. Lovely earthy nose. Good grip, a hint of bitterness. Pleasant,
might improve, don't really like it. Chosen by Doorly ('97)and Whelehan
('98).
£7.99
5. Tesco Chilean Merlot Reserve, 1999 
Made by Valdivieso. Cherry red.Nice at the price. A quite velvety
mouthful, not quite together yet but has the hallmarks of a decent Merlot.
Chosen by Dowey and Doorly. Might buy a few at this price and see how
it tastes in a year or five.
£6.49
6. Dom de Bisconte, Cote du Roussilon, 1998
Deep, elegant red. Beriously meaty with great warmth and good acidity,
very soft tannins, hint of herbs. Will improve. Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre.
Aged in new oak. Doorly and Dowey.
Searsons £7.99
7. Torrelongares Reserva, Spain, 1994
Light, some brick. Amaro nose. Some jam but bitter cherry behind. At this
price, excellent. Good with food. Garnacha and Tempranillo.
Dunnes Stores £5.99
8. San Pedro Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, Chile, 1998
Deep, dark, rich red. Very blackcurrant nose. Quite astringent mouth feel,
but mostly blackcurrant juice. Not together yet but give it a year or
two. Doorly.
Dunnes Stores £7.29
9. Altos de Temporado Malbec Reserva, Argentine, 1996
Dark purple. Jammy, damsons, spice. Good grip, but not sharp. Needs more
time. Different, very good. Whelehan.
Dunnes Stores £9.99
10. Negro Davola, Pasqua, Sicily,
Presented Blind. Light, almost pink. Burnt rubber nose. Very earthy.
Light and fruity but with a bitter background. Interesting but not stellar.
£7.99 (but £6.99 in Mitchells)
11. Miguel Torres Cordillera, Chile, 1998
Elegant, deep, hint of orange. Huge jammy nose, blackcurrant/redcurrant,
but something harder at the back. In the mouth jam and alcohol, with clean
tannins. Carignan, 60%, Syrah 30%, Merlot 10%. Nice but no cigar. Doorly.
SuperValu, Tesco, Mitchells £14.99
12. Jim Barry, McRae Wood Syrah, 1995
Dark murky brown red. Nose huge, fruit and eucalyptus, mint. Eucalyptus
at the end. Very long. Fruit pastilles with quite a good bitterness, acid,
some tannin. Very complex. Huge jamminess. 13.5% Whelehan.
£14.99 (You can pay £20 on the Southside!)