Albert Mann Pinot Gris

Deb brought home an Albert Mann Pinot Gris Cuvee Albert 2004 much to my surprise and delight (I was expecting a red of some kind). Initially quite sweet, with clean, crisp, lime/lemon aromas that are a contrast to the soft, oily-textured, relatively sweetish, honey and neutral pear-like flavours with white pepper and just a hint of ginger. Nice balanced acidity, good weight and length.
I think one of their Rieslings would be next on my list.

Leonay

Dinner (Thai this time) - Phil and I tried a 2004 Sancerre blanc - Terre de Maimbray - Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy.Very pale, with grapefruit and rose petals hints. A lean citrus palate feel, a focused wine but not overly concentrated. Not what I expect from a Sancerre, but that is comparing it to the great Chateau du Sancerre which I had last Christmas, and somewhat difficult to procure these days.



Also worth noting was a 2003 Leo Buring DW G17 Eden Valley Riesling. An Australian rielsing with an Alsatian feel. Good oak integration, first with lime and lemon on the bouquet, but moves to orange, mandarin and spices on the palate, with a long warming finish. A high class Australian reisling.

Friday wines

Dinner at Cicciolinas again, with some more of the French stuff.



Started with a J. Vidal-Fleury 2001 Cotes-du-Rhone blanc which was a Voigner again, possesing similar oak to the Condrieu we had a few weeks ago, yet without the length or complexity of that wine. It was significantly cheaper than the Condrieu, thus being very good value. On the floral boquet were strong notes of melon, and musk with tinges of apricot and a little pepper. Very nice.



Followed with a Trimbach Guwurtztraminer, 00 or 01 I think. Lovely. Musky, off-dry, apple and spices - perfect with some light baked ricotta cheesecake, better still with bluecheese/Emmenthaler and apple slices. My first Trimbach, and look forward to many more.

Bannockburn

Dinner last night: Went to a new place on King St, Rubyos, which was a relatively stylish restaurant with a hot and cold modern Australian grazing menu.

We did have some nice dishes, which included pate, scallops, mussels, asparagus, squid and some very nice goats cheese and mushroom bruschetta.

Again had a bottle of 2002 Bourillon-Dorleans Vouvray Sec which is a great soft and floral wine, and then to a bottle of 2000 Bannockburn Chardonnay. It seemed that this wine was in a mid to advanced state of ageing, as it was sienna brown in colour, and very, very rich on the palate. We had to hold off on it as it was really moving toward a dessert wine and was inappropriate with savoury dishes, but fantastic none the less.

Rich deep oak, with caramel, butterscotch and tobacco flavours. Went nicely with some brie, fruit and some caramel pannacotta. I can still taste it today. Mmm.