Tasting Notes - The Wanderer Moscato 2006

Andrew Marks has a good record with aromatic whites from the Yarra Valley and this wine is, mostly, no exception. Very pale sherbet white in colour. Nose is full of lifted sweet, grapey fruits, albeit in a restrained style when compared to most sugar laden mass produced peers. More sweetness apparent to taste, fruits are very soft and wrap comfortably around the tongue. Tails off at the finish, leaving me wanting me a bit more in terms of complexity and length. Just a tad one-dimensional (perhaps I'm being a bit tough given the style); nearly but not quite. Quite acceptable value at ~$11 for a 375ml.

Tasting Notes - Coldstream Hills Briaston Cab Merlot 2000 - Recommended

I only bought this at CD to be nice due to the very good service we received. But...2000 was a very good VY cabernet vintage so it seemed worth a punt.Good vibrant blood red, looks very complete and not at all representative of 7 years in age. Elegant and classy nose of soft blackberry fruits and a 'milky' sweetness from the oak. A touch of acid zing perhaps. The palate was a bit disappointing early, rendered almost disjointed through a fierce astringency in the front palate, but this settled substantially over time to confirm the initial promise in the bouquet. More blackberry, a touch thick, some mild pongy notes, and a hint of the acid and astringency evident upon opening. Medium weight right through the palate and finish. I wonder if Fosters can still make $20 wines like this that look this elegent at 7 years?

Loire Master Class - Bibendum Trade Tasting

A rare chance to see a bunch of quality Loire wines in a single setting. The key take away was the superb ability of the Sauvignon Blanc's to age over a 3 - 6 year time frame.

Domaine Bernard Baudry (Chinon) Les Granges 2005 Cabernet Franc ($25)
Line and length dry red for mine. Balanced nose. Good drying length with tabacco and a touch of leaf. Looks like a cool climate cabernet in the Australian context.

Domaine Bernard Baudry Les Croix Boisee 2004 Cabernet Franc ($52)
Greener tighter style with plenty of tabacco leaf although this may have been slightly corked. Very 'dusty' at least.

Domaine Bernard Baudry Les Domaine 2004 Caberenet Franc ($30)
Dry herbal nose. Settled and balanced to taste; looks quite mature as a 3yr old. Generic dry red style done well although the finish is a little uninspiring. The pick of the 3 Baudry wines tasted.

Domaine De L'Ecu (Guy Bossard) Muscadet Classique Serve Et Maine 2005 Muscadet($30)
Dry palate with hints of lemon. A touch of daggy musty fruit. Minerally finish.

Domaine De L'Ecu (Guy Bossard) Muscadet Classique Serve Et Maine Granite 2005 Muscadet ($35)- Recommended
Tight flinty style. Riesling-like with hard edges. Long finish. Will be long lived.

Alphonse Melloy Sancerre Domaine de La Moussiere 2005 ($48)
Citurs, tight, long, with a smokey flinty underlay. Stone-fruits on the finish.

Alphonse Melloy Sancerre Generation XIX 2004 ($110)
Slightly hot nose but has appeal. Settles down substantially in the palate. Again this wine is linear and tight but lacks obvious appeal.

Alphonse Melloy Sancerre Cuvee Edmond 2002 ($110) - Recommended
Massive worked chardonnay-like nose - some brett perhaps? Flattens considerably in the mouth. Very dry, raspy, plenty of acid. Looks great at 5 years old.

Francois Chidaine Les Argiles Vouray 2004 Chenin Blanc ($45)- Recommended
Soft nose, friendly, musky, gris-like. Classy palate, broad flavours but well constructed. Underpinned with a spicy finish.

Francois Chidaine Les Tuffeaux Montlouis 2004 Chenin Blanc ($45)
Softer and more obvious sweet fruits. A bit pedestrian as the wine travels through the palate. Finishes a touch short. Not distinguished.

Francois Chidaine Les Bournais Montlouis 2005 Chenin Blanc - Recommended ($65)
Thick ripe nose with a hint of kero. Residual sugar makes its presence felt but the contribution is done well. Complex gris-like characters are very well integrated. Surprisingly finishes quite dry at the very end of the palate.

Didier Dagueneau Pouilly Fume Buisson Renard 2004
Very dry and tart early. Shapr acid. Minerals, chalk, lemon, unyielding despite its age. Lean but well structured.

Didier Dagueneau Pouilly Fume Silex 2002 - Recommended
Softer than the 2004 but retains the citrus and long dry length. Underpinned with old world daggy wet hession-like notes (not corked) that adds plenty of complexity. Quite special.

Didier Dagueneau Pouilly Fume Pur Sang 2003
Obvious fruit sweetness on the nose. Alsation-like with musk early but fruit get linear and drys out quickly. May have seen a touch of old wood.