Kistler McCrea Vineyard Chardonnay 2014
Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Big whiff of lemon, peach, butter, floral, honey, stone, ginger.
Palate: Dry, medium+ bodied, medium+ acidity. Copper, oak, peach, crushed stone, pineapple.
Finish: Medium finish, metallic.
Score: 77+/100
Very Californian in style, did not cheap out on oak, and at the same time too typical. Loads of oak influence, the flavour doesn’t cope well together on the palate, very average. Would cellar for perhaps 1-2 more years to see if the flavour would integrate together in the future.
Domaine Charles Audoin Les Favières Marsannay 2013
Colour: Clear medium- ruby core
Nose: Ripe cherry, cedar, green saplings, meaty, spice.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity, medium grippy tannins. Dominant cherry, plum, crushed stone, spice.
Finish: Medium-long finish, cherry, mineral.
Score: 80+/100
Haven’t had Marsannay wine before, loads of cherries on the nose and palate, got nice minerality and spice to give it more complexity. Great structure for evolution. Would hold off for another 5 years or so.
Louis Jadot Pommard Rugiens 1er Cru 2010
Colour: Light ruby
Nose: Fresh meat/blood(iron), cherry, touch of oak, undertones of cherry and berries.
Palate: Dry, medium body, high acidity, medium tannins. Cherry, crushed stones, plum, integrated oak, raspberry, liquorice.
Finish: Long finish, mineral, oak, white flower.
Score:83+/100
What a nose! Didn’t expect that fresh meat, bloody nose, exceptionally elegant nose. Hard to explain to people how fresh meat and blood leads to elegance, but that irony metallic tone adds extra depth. Decent complexity with a great structure on this still-young Pommard, definitely a lot of room to evolve. Would hold off for at least 5-10 more years!
Rocche Costamagna Rocche dell’Annunziata Barolo 2012
Colour: Clear medium tawny
Nose: Rose pedal, black tea, dried Chinese herbs, aroma of a Chinese dried seafood store, dried cherry.
Palate: Dry, medium bodied, medium acidity, high tannins. Dark chocolate dusted cherry, plum, black raspberry, dried flower.
Finish: Medium+ finish, cherry.
Score: 83+/100
A Barolo with a rather interesting costal and herbal nose. Really reminds me of the smell of a Chinese dried seafood store! Still need a few more years for the tannins to soften on the palate, and the palate is more standard Barolo, would love to see this develop. Approachable now, but would hold for 3-5 more years.