Wine dinner with friends (Wines: B. Faurie, G. Mascarello et al)

After more than half a year (due to the covid restrictions) the ‘wine club’ finally got together again for a lovely wine dinner. We had a wonderful time, and it was great to meet again.
It was a casual dinner with great food and very good wines. I did not write any notes, so below are only brief notes.

De Sousa Blanc des Blancs Grand Cru Réserve Extra Brut (Dégorgement 15 01 2020)
Crisp and citrusy. Nice acidity and medium bodied. A slightly bitter note which was very enjoable.

2017 Bitouzet-Prieur Meursault 1. cru Perrières
Initially quite reductive with notes of struck matchstick. After a little time in the glass, a very mineral driven nose and only a hint of fatness. Not a lot of citrus fruits on the nose. The palate is powerful and mineral driven, quite long aftertaste, well judged but mild acidity. Beautiful wine!

2016 Servin Chablis Crand Cru les Preuses
Surprisingly exotic nose of passion fruit, pineapple and citrus fruit. The palate is perplexingly different from the aromas with green and crisp fruit and quite mineral driven and almost lean palate. A very nice wine, though it was surpassed by the Perrières.

1987 Bernard Faurie Hermitage
Library release from Bernard Faurie. Beautiful deep ruby colour, with surprisingly little bricking/browning.
Nose is initially a little bit ‘rustic’ with some brown and mature notes, but that blows off after a few minutes, and the wine evolves into an aromatically complex and intriguing wine with notes of leather, forest floor, a lot of black pepper and some very discreet animal notes.
The palate is silky smooth, with a nice fresh acidity and delicate red fruit and forest floor notes. I was very surprised by the quality of this wine given the so-so vintage.

2006 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato
Beautiful ruby colour with bricking at the edge. The nose is wonderful with rose petals, red cherry fruit, balsamic notes.
The palate is smooth and dominated by red fruit, floral notes and a wonderful silky tannic structure. Some roasted spices and quite a long aftertaste. Drinking well now!

2005 Henri Boillot Volnay 1. Cru Les Fremiets
This wine had a hard time sandwiched in between the above two wines. I reserve judgement on the wine, as it was unfortunately served too hot…

2004 Elderton Command Single Vineyard Shiraz
Nose of crème de cassis, grilled meat and smoke.
The palate is dominated by a combination of red and black fruit - black currants, spices, some sweetness combined with quite a lot of acidity.

2004 Colgin IX estate
Nose of pencil shavings, graphite, some sweetness and more red fruit than black or blue fruit.
The palate is dominated by mostly red but also some blue fruit, abundant but silky smooth tannins, a core of sweet fruit although i did not find it overmature. The alcohol is definitely present, but i did not find it overdone. It is drinking rather well at present.

2016 Pax Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah
Very red fruit driven nose - raspberries, red sweet cherries. Spicy notes and a hint of funk.
The palate is again dominated by red fruit and there is an almost ‘natural wine’ funkyness lurking in the background. Good length, quite spicy and nice acidity. A very good wine, but i was surprised to hear that Galloni had given this wine a perfect score…

2016 Continuum Propriety Red
Dense nose of primarily black fruit and graphite. Extremely powerful palate! Very young. A lot of dark berry fruit, very mineral driven, a lot of dense and powerful tannins, though not grainy tannins. Very long finish, but boy, this is young!!!

2015 Gracia Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Nose is dominated by exotic red and sweet fruit, but combined with some herbal cab. franc like notes. A very enjoyable nose.
The palate is smooth, chocolatey with sweet dark red fruit, smooth tannins and some leather notes. A more ‘succulent’ style of Saint-Emilion.

2010 Rieussec Sauternes
Beautiful golden colour with no browning. Nose of botrytis, honey and saffron.
Palate is voluptuous and creamy, sweet and well balanced between the sweetness, fruit, oak and just enough acidity to keep some freshness.

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