WanderCurtis Wine

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Category Archives: wine of the month


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La Chapelle Hermitage Domaine Jaboulet 2005

A memorable wine dinner moment was when Marcel Orford-Williams, the then Wine Society buyer for the Rhone, turned up to our Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aine dinner with two bottles of the 1991 La Chapelle, from his own cellar, to generously share.  At 22 years old the wine was amazingly vigorous and layered and has stayed in the memory ever since.  So I was excited to take the 2005 La Chapelle along to a recent blind tasting dinner and see what it was like.

The colour was very deep garnet with a brick rim. On the nose: violets in bloom, red & black cherry, baked blackberry tart and toast. A touch of classic ground black pepper, then earth, dried Iberico ham and a whiff of polish.

In the mouth it was bone dry, with bags of refreshing acidity, plenty of ripe fine grained tannin.  These were felt on the gums and cheeks but also as a knot on the tongue. There was subtle oak so probably mostly old oak with a smaller proportion of new.  The wine was concentrated and the fruit fresh and still prominent after 20 years. There were more dried herbs and pepper corns on palate and hints of loamy earth and chestnut mushrooms seemed to only grudgingly speak of the wine’s maturity. The finish was long and savoury.

What balance! even with 14.5% alcohol the wine remained cool and classy. This wine has developed at a glacial pace, earlier bottles only opening up after many hours of decanting and only now is it reaching maturity.  Still the core of fruit and abundant freshness and tannic grip mean it should happily go on for another decade.  

It’s widely reported that the quality of La Chapelle diminished after the 1991 vintage but then gradually recovered once Caroline Frey of Chateau La Lagune took over in 2006.  The 2005 must have still been in barrel so perhaps benefited from Frey’s hand in the final blend if not the subsequent conversion of the vineyards to organic and biodynamic practices and the change to Bordeaux style French oak barrels in later vintages. Whatever the case the 2005 wine is superb!

By the way you won’t find La Chapelle under the Jaboulet name any more it has now been turned into a separate winery called Domaine de la Chapelle.


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Crémant d’Alsace Brut NV, Frédéric Mochel

On a recent trip to Alsace the main focus was of course the ‘noble varieties’ (as they call them there) Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris along with the excellent Pinot Noirs also produced. However it also switched me onto the often excellent Crémants coming from this region.

Image by Domaine Frédéric Mochel

These sparkling wines are made by the same traditional method as used in Champagne. Much of it though tends to be made using Pinot Blanc from less exciting vineyards on the valley floor and spends the minimum time of 9 months on the lees before disgorgement, leading to enjoyable but unremarkable fizz.

This wine on the other hand is an example of Alsatian Crémant made with greater ambition. From a small biodynamic estate it is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir and has been aged for over three years on the lees.

There is fine stream of persistent bubbles and a nose of orchard fruit, lemon tart, bread and a pleasing struck match note.

Its dry with crisp acidity, mid weight body and moderate 12% alcohol.  In the mouth more lemon, ripe apple, lemon tart, pastry and that struck match note, enough to keep you interested. The finish is extended and ends on a nice lemon, brioche and slightly caramelised note from the long aging.

It is moreish and really delivers a lot for the price. Available at The Wine Society


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Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2013

The last bottle of a case bought on release which I’ve held onto just to see how it evolved.  I suspect that the Kumeu River Estate has been wine of the month before but on the basis of this delicious bottle it fully deserves to be again.

On the nose, baked lemon, tart citron (lemon, custard and pastry) vanilla, toast, smoke, both ripe and preserved fruit.

Dry, with a firm persistent freshness the wine is full bodied with a creamy texture but wears its 13.5% alcohol well. The new oak is now nicely integrated and the fruit remains pronounced with ripe citrus and pineapple. Lees aging and malolactic fermentation are evidenced by the yummy custard and pastry notes that combine with the lemon to come across as a baked lemon tart. All this now overlayed with honey and preserved lemon. The finish is complex and super long.

Still going strong at 12 years this is at a lovely point now but will hold for several years more. These wines drink well on release and so it’s hard to resist polishing them off in their youth, but a decade or so of bottle age has really brought all the elements together beautifully.


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Leoville Barton 2005

The second half of a recently Coravin’d 75cl bottle, decanted for an hour before trying. The first half was magical, hoping for the same again…

Mid ruby, hint of orange around the rim. Legs abundantly coating the glass telling me there is more fun ahead!

Nose is dark cherry, macerated strawberry, ripe blackberry, really ripe to overripe plum and cassis syrup encompassed in a lightly mushroomy, damp forest floor and cedar envelope. There are accents of spicy clove, menthol, vanilla pod, burnt toast and some newly sawn wood providing beautiful contrast between the ripe dark fruit and the lifted spiciness. I could just sit and inhale this all day (but that would defeat the purpose of the tasting note…)

The first thing you experience on the palate is bright red and black fruit, tart acidity and very refined yet abundant mouth filling tannins. The lingering flavours deepen into a menthol covered dark cherry, black currant and plum coulis with a hint of smokey dark chocolate. The finish is long, approaching the 45 second mark to still get the fruit elements and well beyond to still feel the structural aftermath of this very complete wine. As the wine continues to open, the fruit sweetens and darkens further in the mouth while the tannins are ever present and lingering. The bright acidity keeps this whole wine perfectly in balance. My estimation is this wine will easily go another 25 years if stored well.

A true Bordeaux classic from a top notch Chateau.


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Madeira Malmsey 1995, Cossart Gordon.

Tasted from numbered magnum at Fells’ annual portfolio tasting. Fells always open a selection of mature examples of the fine wines on their list which is a fantastic way of experiencing how well they develop with bottle age.

Malmsey signifies that this fortified wine was made with at least 85% Malvasia grapes (also used in white Port) and also means that this will be sweet and rich in style.

Bottled two years ago from the 1995 vintage the wine has spent 28 years maturing in large old oak barrels.  Some head space is left in the barrels to allow oxidation and the wine is subject to the seasonal range of temperatures within the storage loft over the years.

This ‘Canteiro’ method of maturation was originally developed to mimic the ‘beneficial’ effect on the wine that transporting it, in wooden barrels in the warm hold of a sailing ship, was found to have back in the 18th C.

The wine is pale and the colour of burnt sugar. Appropriately aromas of caramel and demerara sugar jump right out of the glass, but there are layers upon layers here of dried orange peel and figs, blackened banana, walnuts, honey, and a savoury note of beef stock and olive brine. It is a super complex wine.

The high acidity cuts through the sweetness and viscous texture and although coming in at 20% ABV the alcohol is nicely integrated and there are no harsh notes at all. The finish is bright and uplifting with a lovely citrus and nutty lingering note. Amazing!


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In Signo Sagittarii 2013 Blaufränkisch Neckenmarkter Hochberg, Mittelburgenland DAC, WG Herbert Bayer

In spite of its 12 years in bottle this Blaufränkisch, from 70 plus year old vines in the warmer middle part of Burgenland, needed time to open up in a decanter.  In fact left in the decanter for 24 hours the next day it remained incredibly vital with no hint of any oxidation.

On the nose the oak is immediately apparent expressing itself as sandalwood and toasted sawdust. However, underlying this plenty of black fruit remains and lovely notes of dried cherries, forest floor, tobacco and loam are present. Great intensity and balance and persistent finish.

A wine to savour now but with many years left in it. Pretty good value for a mature wine and back vintages are still available from the winery.


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Kumeu River Cremant Blanc de Blancs

Made by the superb Kiwi winery Kumeu (Koo-may-oo) River where the Brajkovich family are famous for their stunning Chardonnays.

100% chardonnay, creamy and toasty in style with lemon, ripe apple and peach, flaky pastry, pastel de nata and roasted nuts. Its fresh and very long in the finish.

This has been kept on the lees for 5 years adding lovely yeasty notes and they have used 2008 Coddington single vineyard chardonnay for the dosage to add complexity and those nutty notes.

For those subscribers who took part in our recent offer enjoy – this stuff is delicious!


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Mt. Brave Mt. Veeder 2019

We were lucky enough to try this at our recent wine dinner with Jackson’s family wines. Rather young but truly delicious even at this youthful stage. Tasting notes courtesy of Stuart Grostern who generated these over several hours of decanting in the afternoon prior to our dinner. Such was his excitement he arrived with the wines at 6.50pm for a 7pm Kick off!

Tasting note – after opening with double decant – 30 mins

Deep crimson and ruby with lively viscous legs denoting the 14.5% ABV

Nose is superb: Ripe blackcurrant, blackberry liqueur, a lingering savoury meaty element with a bright red plum and cherry lift, followed by perfumed cedar, blackcurrant leaf, sandalwood, fresh vanilla pod, a hint of milk chocolate, a bit of pencil shavings, and lifted tones of violets encompassed by new oak.

Stunningly elegant and evocatively haunting palate: Fruit is all ripe not overripe with a strong surge of acidity highlighting the red cherry and plum and a long finish tending to concentrated blackcurrant with a hint of savoury meatiness.

Tannins are fine but very abundant and a bit grippy, with oak not feeling quite fully integrated. Warm finish denoting the ABV level. Super balance and elegance with an undercurrent of power supported by the structure. Will transform to a magnificent example of Napa elegance balanced with power.

Available from various retailers. Not a weekday wine!


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Zuccardi Serie A Malbec 2021

This wine comes from grapes selected from a range of vineyards in the Uco Valley in Mendoza. Here vineyards are ranged on terraces in the Andes at altitudes of between 850 and 1500, with cold nights and warm days that lead to wines with fresh acidity.  The intense sunlight at these altitudes really concentrates flavours in the grape skins so that wines have the potential to display super ripe fruit but still retain great freshness and moderate levels of alcohol.

The wine is really dark purple colour with a blue glint across the surface.

Immediately on the nose; ripe black cherry and blue berry, some dried herbs and a touch of black pepper, smoke and coffee grounds.  The wine has spent some time in oak barriques unlike many of Familia Zuccardi’s wines which are matured in concrete eggs.

The wine is really dry with fresh acidity and lots of nice fine grained tannins the body is medium, the alcohol at 14% is well integrated and everything finely balanced. In the mouth it is at first a little closed but with some swirling begins to open up with those ripe but crunchy fruits, spices, black pepper, liquorice, tomato leaf and a touch of biltong dried meat. 

This is really quite elegant and has a long finish. Its quite tight but further complexity should develop with some more bottle age. A really good value wine which is widely available.

Look out for our planned Familia Zuccardi Wine Dinner early next year.


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Meerlust Rubicon 2017

From vineyards close to False Bay in Stellenbosch, South Africa. There is a noticeable cooling effect from breezes, in this part of the region, that push inland from the cold waters of the Bay really slowing the ripening season down and allowing concentrated and flavourful grapes to grow.

Founded in 1756 Meerlust Estate does call into question the use of the term ‘New World’ when comes to the wines of South Africa (see our review of Constancia which tells the story of how wine growing started in the country). On the other hand it is fair to say that the birth, or probably rebirth, of quality wine production only properly got under way after the fall of apartheid in 1994.

The idea of ‘crossing the Rubicon’, at which point there was no turning back for Julius Ceasar, inspired the name of the wine. Nico Myburgh, part of the founding family, created the wine from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, inspired by the use of blending in Bordeaux crossing the line and helping to establish the style in South Africa.

Indeed this wine is easy to mistake for a classic right back Bordeaux when tasted blind, there is something about the way that the growing conditions in Stellenbosch allow restrained and elegant wines to be made that whilst ripe retain notes of capsicum and black currant leaf characteristic of classic Claret.

This wine already shows some bricking on the garnet rim. The nose is expressive with ripe black currant, capsicum, black pepper, baked blackcurrant tart, smoke, toast and coffee grounds, signifying use of French Oak. It also has nice notes of earth and leather from the years in bottle.

In the mouth it is fresh, with ripe but firm tannin, the body is full but the alcohol well integrated. Elegant and well balanced with a very long tasty finish. This wine is widely available and great value for a wine showing enough maturity to drink now but with capacity to develop further.