2008 Ulysse Collin Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Roises – France, Champagne
October 2012 disgorgement. One of my favourite grower-producers. Touched by nutty oak, with honey, vanilla, apple, pear and chalk. The minerality and acidity cut a path through the honey tinged fruit, with fantastic balance for my taste. 92/100
2003 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos – France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis
Toasty lemon, with sesame, honeycomb and florals. This took time to open up but was really very pleasant once it had. Rich on the palate but has control as well. Medium length and good flow. 90/100
2011 Coche-Dury Meursault – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Lot #3. Lemon scented, with flint, ginger, grapefruit and musky florals. Initially feels slightly broad on the palate but it focusses back in quite superbly toward the mid palate and finish – ending up with a feeling of precision. Plenty going on with this wine. 91/100
2006 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
Complex aromas of spice, graphite, meat, floral and truffle notes. The tannins are ultra fine and they prop up the delicious red fruit. Composed and has fantastic length. Really lovely already. 93/100
2004 Domaine Rossignol Trapet Chambertin – France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin
Served blind. Vanilla oak, cinnamon, rhubarb and plum with a herbal edge to it. Black cherry fruit on the palate provides a certain roundness and while the herbal notes come through too they are interesting rather than distracting. Medium length, good texture, nice wine! 91/100
2006 Domaine Yves Cuilleron Côte-Rôtie La Madinière – France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Menthol/eucalyptus, kirsch, some bretty type notes with plenty of oak and licorice. Rich on the palate with nice spice interwoven. The tannin is prominent and works well with the richness of the fruit. Very good. 90/100
2008 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Lovely perfume – garrigue, strawberry, earthy and peppery spice with a touch of stem and perfumed red fruits. Very restrained palate, has very fine acidity with the light red fruit. A serious wine is here behind all the perfume and appeal. Came back to a small glass after two hours and it was singing. 93/100
2006 Azienda Agricola Valentini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
What an idiosyncratic wine. Coffee, musk, licorice, blackcurrant, some herbs and cola. Superb energy, there is sweet black fruit that is cut through by sizzling acidity. Had great length and interest, really shining with food. Constantly changed and evolved in the glass. A great experience. 92/100
1999 Paolo Scavino Barolo Carobric – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Five spice, rose, licorice, tar and light chocolate aromas. Like the initial intensity on the palate, it is bold and the fruit has a tinge of richness to it, but it feels very well balanced. Excellent even now and has potential to develop for another 10 years or so. 93/100
1994 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva – Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
A fantastic nose – smoke, black tea leaves, rich red cherry, five spice, graphite and iron. The palate is brilliant, I wished my glass would never end. The detail and texture is outrageously good. Lovely balance between fruit and tannin – it is really drinking superbly well. Fantastic!! 96/100
2006 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia – Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore
Mint, truffle, camphor, raspberry, kirsch and raspberry aromas – building layer upon layer each time you go back to it. Powerful, driven palate with acidity keeping it bright. Really needs another 10 years as it is all power and only slight nuance on the palate at the moment. 92/100
1995 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese – Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Lemon, orange, grapefruit and even some sulphur still remains. Very dry feeling for an Auslese, there is great fruit purity and freshness. Not really showing any development, this is good but very very young. 90/100
My favourite two dishes on the night (The Bentley restaurant in Sydney);
Scampi + Shaved Lettuce + Avocado
Pork Cheek + Garlic and Yoghurt Puree + Radicchio + Jamon
