Here is the second of our three detailed reports on the wines tasted at the Read it and weep – Len Evans Tutorial 2013. Tasting notes from the Monday night's dinner, Tuesday judging, and Wednesday's Chardonnays can be found in Part 1.
Sommelier Franck Moreau MS (pictured left) writes:
PINOT NOIR JUDGING
2002 Dom de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-St-Vivant GC
Sousbois and perfume nose. Medium bodied, elegant, fine and long finish, fruits, oak spice all well together with a very delicate tannin structure and still so fresh. Loved this wine. 96
2004 Martinborough Vineyard Martinborough
Sweeter red-fruits nose, with a medium-bodied palate, vanilla spice quite dominant. Raspberry and strawberry core, medium tannin structure. 91
2004 Bannockburn Pinot Noir Geelong
Soft attack, showing evolution of the PN, delicate with a shorter finish. 93
2005 Coldstream Hills Reserve Yarra Valley
Round, with acidity pretty high, beautiful perfume and red fruits intensity. Finish quite a good tannin structure and touch drying. Well balanced. 95
2006 Cristom Louise Vineyard Willamette Valley
Fuller structure, with some oak flavours, well-balanced acidity with ripe structure wine. Fine red fruits with grainy tannin on the finish. 93
2006 Villa Maria Taylors Pass Vineyard Marlborough
Commercial, touch bourgeon de cassis, red floral and red and dark fruits intensity. Touch vegetal for me too. Fresh and spice finish. 92
2007 Maude, Mt Maude Family Vineyard Central Otago
Pretty, with plenty of crunchy red fruits, sweeter core in the middle palate. Medium bodied and simple. Balanced tannin with oak and acidity, medium finish. 94
2007 Flowers Sea View Ridge Sonoma Coast
Power, more masculine Pinot Noir with tight, earthy flavours, oak spice very well present. Wine very well balanced, finish ok. 92
2007 Dom Robert Arnoux Échezeaux Grand Cru
Touch bretty nose. Power, earthy, dirty, minerality, great tannin structure, huge potential of longevity. Brett taking over the fruits of the wine, with long finish. (Too much brett for the judges!) 86
2007 Chehalem Reserve Willamette Valley
Powerful Pinot with some whole-bunch flavours, really firm structure and tannin. Not so well balanced. Finish ok. 92
2007 Dom Dujac Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Soft and powerful, well balanced, fine red-fruits structure, fresh with some whole bunch flavours. Very fine tannin composition. 95
2008 Ata Rangi Martinborough
A bit disappointed with the sweet and intense raspberry fruits spectrum. Well balanced but finish too sweet for my liking! 91
2008 Dom de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru
Round, fine and power structure, complexity, plenty of fresh red fruits, all well balanced with some peppery spice and touch of whole-bunch characters, great tannin structure with fantastic longevity. 97
2008 Dom Bruno Clair Clos-St-Jacques Premier Cru Gevrey-Chambertin
Plum and cherry maraschino flavours, well balanced, tight with oak spice, drying structure tannin finish. 92
2008 Adelsheim Elizabeth’s Reserve Willamette Valley
Sweeter fruits spectrum, purple flower fragrance, all well together with a good acidity. Medium finish with some oak spice dominant. 93
2008 Dom Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Pure and still very young, perfume, delicate with good tannin structure. Acidity very crunchy with delicate red fruits. Tannin touch drying on finish. 95
2008 Dom du Comte Liger-Belair Aux Reignots Premier Cru Vosne-Romanée
Quite bretty with some reduction Very good structure, balance and tannin pretty fine. 90
2009 Bindi Block 5 Macedon Ranges
Red cherry, plum, spice with some sweeter red fruits on middle palate. Very approachable, with some dry spice, fresh and a crowd pleaser! 94
2009 Dom Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru
Depth, concentration, complexity, with ripe red fruits spectrum, bright fruits, all well balanced, oak spice and tannin structure give a tight but fine finish. Good ageing potential. 97
2009 Dom Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru
Touch bretty, earthy, round structure with layers of complexity. Power and long finish. 96
2009 Dom Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru
Ripe red and dark fruits, lovely red floral fragrance, depth, medium finish with fine tannin. Still very young and showing a huge potential. But not so well together yet. 94+
2010 Yabby Lake Vineyard Block 6 Mornington Peninsula
Crunchy red-fruits flavours, very perfumed, sweeter red berries spectrum. The oak is quite dominant, will please the crowd! All well balanced. 93
2010 Dom Bouchard Père et Fils Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus Premier Cru Beaune-Grèves
Touch bretty nose, Fresh red berries, minerality, soft, elegant and fresh. Well balanced, fine with pretty tannin. Shorter finish. 93
2010 Bass Phillip Premium Gippsland
Fresh cranberry juice, oak, vanilla spice quite persistent, touch sweeter middle palate. Balance, with a good acidity, savoury finish with medium tannin. 95
2010 Dawson & James Derwent Valley, Tasmania
Plenty of red fruits, very juicy and simple red floral, quite fresh and short finish. 94+
2010 Dom Dugat-Py La Levrière Pommard Vieilles Vignes
Controversy! Touch bretty, POWER, Tight, HUGE structure and depth, good acidity. Very young wine with a good potential of longevity. Massive and tight tannin. Judges 88. Me: 94+
2010 Charteris The Winter Vineyard Central Otago
Red and plum fruits, quite juicy with some oak flavours that overpower the wine. Simple and touch whole-bunch flavours. 94
2010 Dom de la Vougeraie Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
Quite earthy, Beautiful balance, pure, round and mouthfeel, smooth tannin with freshness. Really complex and long finish. 97
2010 Dom Bonneau du Martray Corton Grand Cru
Good structure, minerality, refined red fruits flavours, quite pure, delicate tannin. Good acidity, medium finish. 93+
2011 Felton Road Block 5 Bannockburn
Dark red fruits, juicy plum, oak spice, sweet fruits spectrum in middle palate with velvety and bright mouthfeel. Real crowd-pleaser. All well balanced with medium tannin structure. 95
RIESLING MASTERCLASS WITH SAM CONNEW
(I did not request tasting notes on the Germans as we have tasting notes aplenty on them – JR)
2011 Castle Rock A & W Reserve Riesling Great Southern
Quite close attack, with pure lime, citrus flavours, chalky and really tight. VERY high acidity. Need a lot of time. Finish too dry. 90 + (judges 97)
2012 Logan Weemala Riesling Orange
Simple, fresh and balanced, really approachable and great value. Touch of orange blossom and citrus. Touch of sweetness but really well balanced with acidity. Dry, clean and short finish. 94
2013 Eden Road Canberra Riesling Off Dry Canberra
Soapy nose, not so well balanced with acidy and sugar. Really white nectarine and peachy. Short finish. 90
2013 Mac Forbes RS37 Riesling Strathbogie Ranges
Green apple and green pear skin. Lovely zesty, lime flavours, quite phenolic, sugar and acidity quite well balanced. With ginger spice and crisp finish. 93
2012 Wines by KT Melva Riesling Watervale, Clare Valley
Textural, simple, fresh with some yeasty flavours, crisp, lemon, candied fruits. 92
2012 Mac Forbes EB04 Tradition Riesling Strathbogie Ranges
Oxidative, lemon peel, red-apple skin, oxidised apple, chewy and textural. Not for everyone. Pure acidity, yeasty, lees, skin contact, medium finish and fresh. 90
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