a small Christmas lunch with mates

[Ken Gargett]

 

a few of us got together for a Chrissy lunch. couple of mates flew up from the Hunter. sadly, as per normal on this dismal site, the photos are not showing. will post in case the photo fairy arrives.

kicked off with two of the wines of the year - 

salon 2002 

Taittinger comtes 2002 magnum

four vintages of Giaconda between 11 and 22 (i had some for a piece i am doing so did the tasting and notes first and then took them to lunch - the 22 was mine and what an astonishing wine it is).

a pair of Burgs - 

de Vogue Chambolle Musigny 2022

dujac clos de la roche 2016

a trio of shiraz/grenache etc -

penfolds grange 2022

guigal la landonne 2007

henri bonneeau celestins 2004

then a single Amarone - 

quinterelli alzero 2015

a trio of sweeties - 

layon 1959 (mine and corked - very unhappy)

Guiraud 1962

Climens 1973 (the last pair were stunning).

taylors vargelas VVV 2007 (way too young but also marred by taint).  

 

[Ford2112]

@JohnS 

[Ken Gargett]

10 minutes ago, Ford2112 said:

@JohnS 

i did not want to impose on John - he is always so kind. 

[Jack]

Not that you should need to do this in order to post - 'tis an option though.

To change your iPhone from HEIC to JPG, you can: 

 

• Change your camera settings: 
   
  1. Open the Settings app 
      
  2. Tap Camera 
      
  3. Under Formats, select Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency 

[Ken Gargett]

43 minutes ago, Jack said:

Not that you should need to do this in order to post - 'tis an option though.

To change your iPhone from HEIC to JPG, you can: 

 

• Change your camera settings: 
   
  1. Open the Settings app 
      
  2. Tap Camera 
      
  3. Under Formats, select Most Compatible instead of High Efficiency 

much appreciated. i will give it a go. 

done. will see how we go - i am assuming it will never make a call again because i have done something wrong. 

[SirVantes]

6 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

then a single Amarone - 

quinterelli alzero 2015

Interesting that you class Alzero as an Amarone. Although it's appassimento, it's usually Cab/Cab/Merlot so some would say it's something else altogether. Bet it was spectacular though. 

[Ken Gargett]

3 hours ago, SirVantes said:

Interesting that you class Alzero as an Amarone.  Although it's appassimento, it's usually Cab/Cab/Merlot so some would say it's something else altogether. Bet it was spectacular though. 

correct of course. 

force of habit and the bloke bringing it kept referring to it as an Amarone and i have been doing some stuff on Amarone of late so apols. slipped through. and yes, spectacular. 

[SirVantes]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

correct of course. 

force of habit and the bloke bringing it kept referring to it as an Amarone and i have been doing some stuff on Amarone of late so apols. slipped through. and yes, spectacular. 

No worries. Some of us pore over every wine post from the guru 😆

[Ken Gargett]

26 minutes ago, SirVantes said:

No worries. Some of us pore over every wine post from the guru 😆

it is also more than possible i had drunk sufficient to make my notes a little scrambled. 

[JohnS]

Great wines as usual, Ken! 👍

[BrightonCorgi]

I hope my mini case of '11 Taylor VVV is not cork tainted. 😞

One of my favorite wines you had on there, the Guigal La Ladonne. Any "La La" wine is a special moment. We used to be able to buy older Guigal wines for a song locally. Their first importer to the US was local.

Are there any sub-par Cote Rotie wines made? I've never had one, regardless of producer.

[ha_banos]

I'm never looking up your wines ever again! Pointless!  

[RDB]

Sounds like a tough gig Ken. Clearly you had worked so hard by the end of it that you needed a bottle of Port to recover your strength…

[Fugu]

16 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

taylors vargelas VVV 2007 (way too young but also marred by taint). 

A shame to hear - got some 2007 cellared. Cork you think?

[BrightonCorgi]

26 minutes ago, Fugu said:

A shame to hear - got some 2007 cellared. Cork you think?

I think 2007 was the first vintage of VVV.  

[Fugu]

2 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

I think 2007 was the first vintage of VVV.  

5th since 1995. 3,600 bottles made. But not their best achievement as it seems (time will tell...).

[Ken Gargett]

14 hours ago, JohnS said:

Great wines as usual, Ken! 👍

john, as ever, thanks so much for your tech skills. i'd look like the dinosaur i am without them. 

[Ken Gargett]

4 hours ago, Fugu said:

A shame to hear - got some 2007 cellared. Cork you think?

we argued endlessly over it and one of the guys in attendance is Australia's most senior wine judge. the cork/taint had basically scalped it to a degree. how bad you thought it really depended on your tolerance for it. i hate it so it ruined the wine for me. had a few of these over the years. still way too young. the 07 - still have 3-4 left and in no rush at all - has been brilliant. i think they are great ports, but more time necessary. 

[Fugu]

Thanks Ken, that restores some hope!

[BrightonCorgi]

21 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

we argued endlessly over it and one of the guys in attendance is Australia's most senior wine judge. the cork/taint had basically scalped it to a degree. how bad you thought it really depended on your tolerance for it. i hate it so it ruined the wine for me. had a few of these over the years. still way too young. the 07 - still have 3-4 left and in no rush at all - has been brilliant. i think they are great ports, but more time necessary. 

I have several Vargellas vintages, but only 2011 VVV. I generally don't find the SQVP's to be as good outside of Noval and Ferreira. I bought VVV more as a novelty as I doubt I'll ever drink them. By the time I they're ready to drink, will I remember I even have them? I hope so. Same with Stone Terraces. Could've pick up some at a song. Vesuvio released a similar product. Hope that one doesn't have Douro bake.

I am sensitive to TCA. Have you tried the cellophane method to remove it before? I haven't tried, but I know some diehard port friends say it works. 

[Ken Gargett]

7 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

I have several Vargellas vintages, but only 2011 VVV. I generally don't find the SQVP's to be as good outside of Noval and Ferreira. I bought VVV more as a novelty as I doubt I'll ever drink them. By the time I they're ready to drink, will I remember I even have them? I hope so. Same with Stone Terraces. Could've pick up some at a song. Vesuvio released a similar product. Hope that one doesn't have Douro bake.

I am sensitive to TCA. Have you tried the cellophane method to remove it before? I haven't tried, but I know some diehard port friends say it works. 

in all honesty, by the time those VVVs are ready to drink, no one on this forum will still be alive. I've never tried the stone terraces. chased it but now it is horrendously expensive and so hard to find. have a mate from Grahams. next time he is headed this way, might see if he'll bring one. last time he brought the 63 Grahams so i can't complain. 

have tried the cellophane thing on table wines. i think it does seem to work a little but then you have a mess and the wine will still show some taint so i don't bother. what i find interesting is that i have a few mates who swear by it, and yet i never see them use it.