The night was just fantastic. Although it is winter we have been having some fantastic weather lately in Adelaide. It was just perfect, gathering on the front lawn, listening to the gentle lap of the lake, watching a wonderful sunset sink into the ocean and sipping champagne. (We were lucky, the atmosphere could have been spoiled by the neighbor as he is infamous for his racket but we were in luck as he is in the USA on some tour or other).
We started the evening with a bottle of 1996 Moet ET Chandon Dom Perignon Champagne. Simply marvellous, a creamy textured, zesty, full bodied wine that offered up intense but tightly wound fruit flavours, hints of nuts, dough and earth that lingered on the palate for minutes afterwards.. wow.
Next the boys moved indoors to start opening the wine for the evening. After much ceremony the reds were opened, checked for faults and decanted. Meanwhile we were informed that entree was on its way and a white wine needed to be selected for it.
Gary chose wisely and opened a bottle of 2001 Cullen chardonnay to have with the prawns and Moreton bay bugs. Wow, teriffic seafood from Chris and this is one fantastic chardonnay. A wonderful light amber color with a rich nose of pineapple, candied honey, butter, fruit salad and roasted nuts. On the palate it is medium to full bodied, with rich, concentrated fruits, apple, cucumber, melon, vanilla and roasted hazelnut. Excellent length and good structure.
The table was cleared and it was time to try the reds.
1986 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
This was one of the anticipated highlights of the evening. With much ceremony going into the opening and much ooohing and aaahing over the careful decanting and some comments made about the long, soaked through cork. It had an absolutely gorgeous nose that leapt from the glass; sandalwood, cinnamon, light musk, blackcurrents and redcurrent. The palate was in direct contrast though with ultra fine and subtle blackcurrent flavours, furry tannins and rather a short finish. Maybye my palate requires a sledgehammer rather than a silver spoon but I must admit to being quite disappointed with the palate in general.
1991 Jasper Hill, Emilys Paddock, Shiraz Cabernet Franc
I thought this was a very interesting wine, a spicy nose of tobacco and leather that came through on the palate accompanied by massive tannins and nuances of freshly cut hay. Gavin wasn't quite sure he liked this wine or not, he thought the tannins overwhelmed the fruits, however, Gary and I thought the fruits would finally push through given enough time. We did come back to it a few hours later but the tannins were still too dominant.
1990 Wendouree Shiraz
Hmmm... A gorgeous, rich nose of black cherry, mushroom, nutmeg and creamy coconut. A big stiff backbone of tannins, excellent concentration and intensity of fruits, wonderful structure and a complex lingering finish of black pepper, licorice and coffee.
1991 Wendouree Cabernet Malbec
A nose of mushrooms, chocolate and licorice. A very tight palate with gripping tannins and flavours of rasberry, licorice and chocolate on the finish. The table was divided on this one. I wasn't quite sure if I liked it or not and Gary and Chris loved it.
1997 Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz
Absolutely outstanding... This wine is worth every single penny. I must admit that I was a bit wary of it at first thinking that it may be one of those thick and syrupy glug-fests so much like vintage port that a finer line could not be drawn. However, it was not port-like at all and had a complex nose of blackberry liquer, fine chocolate, mushroom, exotic spice and an underlying lift of blueberries that I couldn't get enough of. Massive intensity and concentration on the palate with layers and layers of pure fruits, cinnamon, cardamon and chocolates with an underlying elegance and finely structured tannins that were in contrast to such a powerhouse of a wine. I now have my sights set on aquiring a 1995 and a 1996, perhaps with the view of a vertical tasting sometime in the future.
The roennfeldt Road went absolutely speko with the main course, a saltbush lamb pie. Rich, dark meat and sauces that complimented the wine superbly.
Then it was on to the main highlight of the evening, the table cleared, the creme brule served and each of us nursing quite a large glass of 1976 Chateau D'Yquem, served from a bottle. A dark, golden honey color with a nose of oranges and marmalade that literally leapt from the glass. A magnificent, full bodied, richly flavoured dessert wine with layers of quince, orange marmalade, apricot, fruit salad and passionfruit that lingered and danced around the palate for an eternity. A masterpiece..
A wonderful time had by all... Thank you to Gary and Chris for hosting such a wonderful dinner, it was certainly one to remember.
