In some years, I splash out on Christmas drinks. This year, we had good quality wine, but nothing outrageous pricewise. The 2016 Juniper Estate Tempranillo went well with some ham. The cherry flavours were fresh and very lively, although there is not much depth to this wine.
The highlights on Christmas Day were two wines from the not very special 2007 vintage. The 2007 Kreglinger (formerly Pipers Brook) Vintage Sparkling was a perfect complement to the prawns with good depth and yeasty notes matching the effervescence of this Sparkling. This is a top quality Sparkling, matching high quality Champagne. But the real highlight was a 2007 Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon. If I am not mistaken, this is the most highly decorated wine in Australia. Not that I am a big advocate for wine shows and medals as a guide for quality. The wine was still fresh, but started to develop hazelnut and honey notes which went perfectly with the white fish and rich salad.
On Boxing Day, it was time for more red wine. The choices were a 2009 Thomas Wines Kiss Shiraz from the Hunter Valley and a special 2004 Henschke Tappa Pass Shiraz from Magnum. The former started to display beautiful velvety tannins, and the latter the typical Henschke Shiraz profile of mulberry and aniseed.
Now, more importantly, what did you drink for Christmas? I have readers from all over the world. Don't be shy. What did you enjoy, what was disappointing? I want you all to write in.
3 comments:
Relatively tame affair this year Thomas
Christmas Lunch started with 2014 Serrat Chardonnay, 2014 Vickery Riesling, followed by Sami Odi Little Wine 4, 09 Chateau Lanessan, 08 Noon Eclipse (huge wine), Samuels Gorge 2016 Gamay (Pinata series?) and finished off with a Campbells Merchant Prince Muscat.
We also dipped our toes into some old 79 armagnac which worked out rather well.
Dinner included a 04 Greenock Creek Apricot Block Shiraz, 05 Hobbs Shiraz, 06 Noon Shiraz, 2011 Golding Francis John Pinot Noir, 02 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot, 03 Fratelli Revelo Barolo, 07 Arrivo Lunga Macerazione Nebbiolo and Noon Solaire Grenache.
Lunch was a Bollinger special cuvee and a 2015 Tyrells Belford chardonnay with prawns and ham, dinner was a 2013 Serafino magnitude shiraz and later a 2014 Rob Dolan yarra valley pinot noir
Thank you both for sharing your experiences. kr1, you certainly experienced some full bodied wines. I enjoyed some Noon many years ago, but have not had any lately. The 15 year old Bass Phillip and the Barolo would have been an interesting pair.
Tony, you can never go wrong with Bollinger, I reckon. Rob Dolan is not at all familiar to me.
I would have been happy at both your tables.
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