June 23, 2012

Huff Estates 2007 South Bay Chardonnay



(Re-Tasted June 2012) ... I think the original review this is linked up to (the audio portion anyway) has been lost in the ether of the internet; but the score, 4 stars (out of 5) has not; and on this Saturday afternoon with plenty of friends in attendance I thought it might be time to re-try this bottle.  Now granted I'm not far from the original review (two and a half years), but this really shows it has what it takes to stand the test of time.  The nose is pungently vanilla with loads of butter and some lovely baked apricot, while the palate is nicely spiced, especially on the finish with pretty baked apple notes - complete with cinnamon ... and it's that spicy note that just keeps on giving and giving ... plus there's some real good acidity to round it off nicely.  I still have one bottle left and I'm looking forward to giving it another couple of years to see where it ends up.  Something tells me I'm going to enjoy it.

June 7, 2012

Inniskillin 2003 Late Autumn Riesling


(Re-Tasted June 2012) ... It's been close to nine years in bottle and at least seven years in my cellar - it is the oldest bottle of white wine I have, or had, and so I held to it like a drowning man to a life raft.  But tonight I finally took the plunge with this bottle of Late Autumn Riesling and in truth, I was blown away by it.  The colour was golden in the glass and the nose had a mix of honeyed and poached pears and peaches with just the merest hint of petrol and some candied lime peels - as it sat in the glass the peach turned more into apricots and the poached part disappeared.  Now for the tasting ... and what a fabulous wine it was, especially on the palate.  The flavours were an odd dichotomy of dry and honeyed, switching as it glided through the mouth, apricots, creamed honey, spiced-peaches all balanced off by some really great acidity.  This was a stunning wine and I am glad I held onto it, but now is the time to drink.  It'll hold ten, but not sure it'll see eleven.