Trying to make up for lost time after a bad bout of flu.....maybe if I drink two bottles every night...would take me acouple of weeks max!
Anyhow,
Chateau Pouget Margaux '96.
A fourth growth that was given to me as a present, and after some enquiries from some of my esteemed wine snobs...er...peers, found out it was not much of a gift.
The wine itself was displaying heat affected characters on the nose, so didn't start of on the right foot, but the colour was still vibrant with little bricking on the edges. The palate seems to have survived whatever affected the nose, showing elegant bright berry notes with some cedar and lightly chewy tannins. There is still some evident acidity on a moderate length of palate. For it's age, nose aside, quite lively for it's age, but not a great wine by any stretch of the means, but not bad.
Paringa Estate Pinot '02.
Cripes, on first opening, this was like a youthfull cool climate shiraz with a bucket of spice thrown in it! Very hard to get past it all, which made me realise it didn't get all it's awards having been tasted freshely opened!
After some time (an hour) in the glass, the spice had settled down considerably to allow quite an attractive masculine pinot nose to come through. Not so much forest floor as more red berries, mushroom and some fragrant plum. The palale likewise had opened up into a smooth, sweet symphony of flavours that although once again masculine, were very nice nonetheless.
A typical Paringa, but a good one, reminicant of the '00 at the same age.
Rory