Brunch and a Bunch of Aussies
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:50 am
Had a few folks over for brunch on Sunday to celebrate the (almost) final installation of a new deck and landscaping of the backyard from jungle to something approaching the Gardens of Babylon. Miranda was definitely cracking the whip and had the deck company guys working until 10pm the night before! And I was still cleaning up when the first guests arrived – much earlier than requested. Fortunately I’d already opened up the reds and made sure they were OK. So it just a matter of extracting a few bottles of c-thru from the cellar, twisting a screw cap, pulling a cork, quick sniff and taste, and putting the bottles out before heading of to make myself presentable.
Such polite guests! With Miranda busy playing catch up with the food and descriptions of how California Dream Decks had seemed to believe that the deck would dream itself into existence no one had poured any wine. So as the appetizers were laid out I get to do my spiel on the two Rieslings, and make sure that everyone knows that itÂ’s the Petaluma in Australia.
Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2003 (Screwcap). Light straw. Initially very herbaceous, opening to notes of citrus and apple. A little below medium weight with a flinty character and a clean acid finish. Very good retronasal. From the nose I would initially have confused this with a sauvignon blanc. 2, 2, 3.7, 9.8, = 17.5. 13% alcohol.
Petaluma Hanlin Hill Vineyard Clare Riesling 2003. Light straw. Note of kerosene. Lighter in the mouth than the Pewsey Vale with hollowness to the midpalate, but a crisp apple acid finish. Excellent retronasal. Developed what I can only describe as a Mentholyptus-like note with time. 2, 2, 3.5, 9.5 = 17.0. 13% alcohol.
There was agreement that the Pewsey Vale was the better wine on the day.
The meal was Jose's authentic Huevos Rancheros and we had the Jim Barry Lodge Hill Clare Valley Shiraz 2002 and the Thorn-Clarke William Randell Barossa Valley Shiraz 2002. Quite different wines but IÂ’d given them very similar scores when IÂ’d tasted them separately and I wanted to see how they would go side by side. Also they have quite different alcohol levels and I wanted to see if anyone could pick which wine had the most alcohol. To allow people to vote for the wines I provide them with a slip of paper with the names of the two wines and once they decide they simply tear off the appropriate name and place it into a bowl on the table and I tally the vote at the end of the meal. When I pulled the corks the JB was very open with blackberry and spices but the Thorn-Clarke was a little closed. A few hours later, with the food, the JB was clearly the more approachable with the T-C beginning to open up but still a little restrained. Voting was 6/3 in favor of the JB. I voted for the JB but after everyone had left I took what little remained of the two wines and tasted them side by side and the T-C was now more open and showing its stuff. The JB showed more sweetness on the nose, but lighter mouthfeel with a little more acid to the finish. The T-C was more full bodied, better balanced with a solid backbone of tannins and a clean palate clearing acid finish. Both have excellent lingering finishes. Can I change my vote? (JB was 18.4 now 18.1, T-C was 18.5 now 18.4/20). Interestingly the opinions on which wine had the most alcohol were very divided and there was no consensus.
Dessert was Pavlova with passion fruit and blueberries. Seeing as how Miranda is quite proud of her ability to make this quintessential Australian treat I decided to serve a 1999 Miranda Golden Botrytis, 375 ml. This was a honey gold with loads of raisins, toffee, and ripe apricots. Luscious, rich, and full bodied. All it lacked was right degree of crisp acidity needed to clean the palate so that we could better appreciate the Pavlova. (2, 2, 4.3, 10.0 = 18.3, 10% alcohol).
Mike
Such polite guests! With Miranda busy playing catch up with the food and descriptions of how California Dream Decks had seemed to believe that the deck would dream itself into existence no one had poured any wine. So as the appetizers were laid out I get to do my spiel on the two Rieslings, and make sure that everyone knows that itÂ’s the Petaluma in Australia.
Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2003 (Screwcap). Light straw. Initially very herbaceous, opening to notes of citrus and apple. A little below medium weight with a flinty character and a clean acid finish. Very good retronasal. From the nose I would initially have confused this with a sauvignon blanc. 2, 2, 3.7, 9.8, = 17.5. 13% alcohol.
Petaluma Hanlin Hill Vineyard Clare Riesling 2003. Light straw. Note of kerosene. Lighter in the mouth than the Pewsey Vale with hollowness to the midpalate, but a crisp apple acid finish. Excellent retronasal. Developed what I can only describe as a Mentholyptus-like note with time. 2, 2, 3.5, 9.5 = 17.0. 13% alcohol.
There was agreement that the Pewsey Vale was the better wine on the day.
The meal was Jose's authentic Huevos Rancheros and we had the Jim Barry Lodge Hill Clare Valley Shiraz 2002 and the Thorn-Clarke William Randell Barossa Valley Shiraz 2002. Quite different wines but IÂ’d given them very similar scores when IÂ’d tasted them separately and I wanted to see how they would go side by side. Also they have quite different alcohol levels and I wanted to see if anyone could pick which wine had the most alcohol. To allow people to vote for the wines I provide them with a slip of paper with the names of the two wines and once they decide they simply tear off the appropriate name and place it into a bowl on the table and I tally the vote at the end of the meal. When I pulled the corks the JB was very open with blackberry and spices but the Thorn-Clarke was a little closed. A few hours later, with the food, the JB was clearly the more approachable with the T-C beginning to open up but still a little restrained. Voting was 6/3 in favor of the JB. I voted for the JB but after everyone had left I took what little remained of the two wines and tasted them side by side and the T-C was now more open and showing its stuff. The JB showed more sweetness on the nose, but lighter mouthfeel with a little more acid to the finish. The T-C was more full bodied, better balanced with a solid backbone of tannins and a clean palate clearing acid finish. Both have excellent lingering finishes. Can I change my vote? (JB was 18.4 now 18.1, T-C was 18.5 now 18.4/20). Interestingly the opinions on which wine had the most alcohol were very divided and there was no consensus.
Dessert was Pavlova with passion fruit and blueberries. Seeing as how Miranda is quite proud of her ability to make this quintessential Australian treat I decided to serve a 1999 Miranda Golden Botrytis, 375 ml. This was a honey gold with loads of raisins, toffee, and ripe apricots. Luscious, rich, and full bodied. All it lacked was right degree of crisp acidity needed to clean the palate so that we could better appreciate the Pavlova. (2, 2, 4.3, 10.0 = 18.3, 10% alcohol).
Mike