1977 Seppelt Keppoch Rhine [sic] Riesling (Padthaway)
11.5%. Mid gold. Complex melange of butterscotch, vanilla, honey, primary lemons. Palate is very Semillon-like, with just a bit of excess acid poking through on the finish. Good length and still retains zesty fruit characters. Exceptional condition, outstanding wine.
90 / 100
1988 Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsuler (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer)
7.5%. Deep gold. Rich honey and burnt apricots, with an eggy finish. Perhaps lacks a little finesse and complexity. Palate is moderately sweet (lacking intensity) unlike the nose. Bit short due to fruit dilution. Developing caramelised flavours suggesting on decline. Still very nice, but pretty much one-dimensionally sweet.
88 / 100
2000 Domaine William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
13%. Light straw. Rich and powerful pears, minerals, slate, seaweed. Really bloody good. Palate has excellent structure, fine chalky acidity providing the backbone and is quite dry. Outstanding wine that needs time, at least 5-8 years.
91 / 100
1996 Egly-Ouriet Brut Grand Cru Millésime Champagne
12.5%. Disgorged September 2004. 87 months on lees. Light gold. Reeks of brioche, aldehydes, toast, and a touch of sulphur. Very oxidative style. Fabulous length that goes on and on. Mature yet fresh. Much more developed than any other 1996 champagne I have had and would prefer a little more racy acidity. Gorgeous wine, but perfect drinking now and over next few years. Cannot see this improving much, especially against the equally brilliant NV Ugly-Idiot Blanc de Noirs.
94 / 100
1997 Domaine François Raveneau Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre Chablis
13%. Mid straw. Nose slightly mute, but with time revealed margarine, unripe grapefruit, lanolin, all of which predominate. Very, very eggy too which put me off. Palate is elegant, soft and mature, with little residual acid. After 15 minutes, palate was like a lemon sherbet bomb! Youthful and acidic, and not on par with the Fevre.
87 / 100
1995 Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Chaumes
13%. Mid red, with hints of brown, but clarity of colour. Bouquet has ripe raspberries, is stalky and youthful still. Palate is unbalanced by obvious acidity that makes the wine seem grippy (noticeable tannins too), short and broad.
85 / 100
1982 Château Le Gay (Pomerol)
Mid red. Great colour. Beautiful nose, full of fartiness, wood and evolved fruit. Palate drinking very well, balanced and punching well above its weight. This wine is all about texture, and I love Pomerols for this every reason. Outstanding wine with many years to go.
91 / 100
1985 Château Cheval Blanc (St.-Emilion)
Mid red, but lighter than the previous Le Gay. Much fleshier than the Le Gay too. Bouquet is exotic and sexy with lovely perfume and a creamy, espresso nose with a touch of earth that is beguiling. Palate is all class and textbook stuff: lovely structure, fine tannins augment the long length, spicy cassis. Just a beautiful wine, with many years to go and showing no signs of decline. One of the best 1985s I have had, with impeccable balance. Equal WOTN with the Egly-Ouriet.
94 / 100
1988 Château Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape
14%. Jinxed nose of liquorice, roasted nuts, caramel, spicy blackcurrants. Palate is all sweet molasses, thick and unctuous. Not sure what to make of this. A couple thought bacterial spoilage but to me the wine was cooked, given the heightened stewed flavours. Still drinkableÂ…just.
84 / 100
1982 Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz (Eden Valley)
Light red. Far too bretty for me! Worse compost aromas then the Rayas! Noticeable A/V heat on the nose too. Palate shows fresh, ripe fruit, vanilla oak, Penfolds-type style and red fruits. Very good no doubt, and better than the 1984 and 1987 Mount Edelstones I had last year.
88 / 100
1982 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon
Believe it or not, one of those wines that I was destined to have never tried as it always seemed to avoid me! But thanks to DLole’s generosity….finally!!!! Nose far too green and capsicum. With some A/V. Palate is short, tannic and lacking wow. Not a lot of fruit evident and the memory remains of a green and stalky Coonawarra – so typical of the 1980s. I hope one day I get a great bottle of this, but at the moment this is not even a shadow on the sensational 1986 John Riddoch.
84 / 100
1981 Château d’Yquem (Sauternes)
Deep gold. Spicy marmalade and vanilla bean on the nose. Palate is rich and chewy, with dried apricots. Balance is torpedoed by bitter finish that leaves a resin-like taste in mouth. Not bad for the year.
90 /100
1994 Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling-Trockenbeerenauslese (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer)
9%. 375ml bottle. Amazing burnt orange colour! Incredibly intoxicating and rich nose that makes the d’Yquem appear anaemic! Honey galore, clean acid, lovely length, very advanced already. Luscious and indulgent wine – almost, very much almost too much of a good thing. What makes this wine short of great is that it scampers very close to cloying, requiring a touch more acidity to provide the balance. Still outstanding, resplendent wine.
93 / 100
NV Penfolds Great Grandfather Fine Old Liqueur Limited Release 2 Tawny Port
19%. Whoa! Tawny brown/orange hues. Massive wood, heat and shrill, complex flavours swirl round the palate and bouquet. Very walnutty, powerful and aggressive. Too much so. Very idiosyncratic, akin to a liqueured 1971 Grange!
86 / 100
Menu
Fruits of the Summer au naturale
A duo of grilled Sydney Rock Oysters – Kilpatrick and Thai
Steamed Banana Prawns wrapped in Smoked Tasmanian Salmon filled with sour cream, chives and a dash of tabasco over a mescalin salad with capers, red onion and topped with slivers of ripe avocado doused in extra virgin avocado oil and lemon juice.
Medallions of marinated char grilled prime Beef Eye Fillet atop baked spiced eggplant served with roasted vegetables and a Turkish Coban salad.
A Selection of fine Cheeses
The MayorÂ’s (now even more famous) Bread and Butter Pudding
Coffee and Bruno's Truffles
