Four of us gathered to cheer the memory of the Hungarian Freedom fighters that fought the communists and Soviets in October 1956. We all became honorary Hungarians for the night, which was pretty easy to do for me.
Please note that I don’t score wines that in my view fall below 90 points.
1998 LARK HILL Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay
Imressive sparkling first up. Reserved mineral nose and tight dry palate. Food friendly stuff that could compare to Champagne. Will keep for many more years. Enjoyed this. 92 points.
GOSSET Grande Reserve NV Champagne
Floral nose. Delicate but interesting and complex palate. Satisfying and elegant with really good complexity. 93 points.
LOUIS ROEDERER NV Champagne
A step up again. Sublime nose of acacia flowers and vanilla beans. Seamless palate and perfect balance. Superb Champagne that was purchased in 2003 and “kept under the bed†to get better, which it did. Loved it. 94 points.
2002 GATINOIS Vintage Champagne
Our evening started to slide with this. Just like Gosset, it comes from Äy but didn’t perform. Chunky unpolished, rich palate but oddly finished green. Fairly good to drink but lacking elegance and length, all things that I prefer in my Champagne.
2006 JEAN-MARC BROCARD Chablis 1er Cru “Montée de Tonnerreâ€Â
I wanted to impress Adair with this, but he initially thought it was an NSW Pinot Gris!
Ripe melons on the palate. Round and slightly fat. Lacking varietal definition, acid structure, length and drive. The “anti†Chablis has arrived.
2007 HERZOG Marlborough Chardonnay-NZ
Earlier this year I noted that this was the most sublime chardonnay after the 2005 Leeuwin Estate. Tonight it looked sick and undrinkable with an unexplainable bitter finish. Under diam cork and we could not explain what has happened to this bottle.
2001 IMRE GYÖRGYKOVÃÂCS Somlói Barrique Furmint
The token Hungarian that failed like the other two whites before it. The botrytis influence overtook this dry wine in 7 years. Pity.
2001 CLONAKILLA Shiraz Viognier
I love this wine. Slightly oxidised (due to a soaked cork) but still fabulously silky and delicious. Perfect drinking now. Smooth operator that gets me every time. 94 points.
1989 THE ROTHBURY ESTATE Konan Block Syrah
I thought it was a Cabernet. A Hunter classic. Smoky, full and delicious. Excellent mature drinking with an easily another 10 years to go. Serious and complex. Full bodied success with 11.8% alc. 92 points.
1995 D’ARENBERG “The Coppermine Road†Cabernet Sauvignon
I thought it was a Shiraz. Savoury and long with fierce tannins and heady alcohol. Slightly disjointed and rustic. I loved the 2000 vintage but not this.
…and so it came to an end. There was a bottle of Grosset botrytis dessert wine as well that we couldn’t be bothered opening. David’s cooking was fabulous and we all had a good time. Watched a bit of “Shoot ‘em up†on DVD then went home.
52 years on, most of the freedom fighters scattered all over the world are dead, yet recognition in their homeland still eludes them. They fought hard for many days but they were no match for the Soviet hardware and enemy communist countrymen. Hungary is a free country today but the Socialists are still in power because some things don’t change.
Cheers,
Attila
