DECEMBER 2003/JANUARY 2004
ALL'S WELL THAT BLENDS WELL.
The extended holiday period led to a higher level of wine consumption. In volume terms much of this was recent new world varietals, mainly from Chile and Australia. Most were quite acceptable wines with lots of fruit and a little structure but after drinking a succession of these, and especially with food, they seemed to lack any real zip. In contrast a number of (perhaps slightly more expensive) wines did hold interest, glass after glass. The difference was that these wines were blends, following the Bordeaux practice of adding a proportion of one or two other varieties, often termed a "Bordeaux mix" although the grapes in the mix were not necessarily all Bordeaux types. The following were all enjoyed.
+ Sebastiani 1998 - Sonoma County Merlot.
   (with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc)
   Held its own with a range of Christmas fayre.
+ Te Mata Hawkes Bay New Zealand 1998 
   (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot)
    Excellent and good value. Like all Claret should be but rarely is. 
+ Graham Beck Antony's Yard 1999 Western Cape S.Africa
   (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc)
   A full wine with structure and complexity

These wines make enjoyable drinking at reasonable cost. I look forward to indulging in more Bordeaux mix wines in 2004.

A COUPLE OF REAL HOLIDAY TREATS
The Christmas and New Year period was a good reason to open a couple of wines that I have been keeping for too long. First was the very highly rated Beaucastel 1989. I had enjoyed the 1985 recently (see below) but 1989 really lived up to all that Parker has written about it. Magical! And on NYEve I finally opened my one and only Grange, a Grange 1982. I have read varied reports about the 1982. Some suggested that it was over the top but the consensus seemed to be that it was still OK but beginning to fade. Well, if you have one, I would drink it at the next major occasion you have as I doubt that it will "improve" further and could soon fade - but - this bottle was like a beautiful composition to use a musical term, that's how it struck me. Each mouthful revealed more character, structure and overwhelming enjoyment. I had expected a blockbuster, an extremely full bodied wine but it was not. It was medium to full (as perhaps I should have expected after 22 years) but with a superb refined texture. A truly great way to end 2003.

AND A COUPLE OF REAL DISAPPOINTMENT
Since the New Year I have sorted my wine stock and, as usual, have found several bottles that should have been opened long ago.  I tried a couple with hopes that they might be OK still, even a bit special. After enjoying a 1985 Chianti in November last (see below) I opened a long overlooked Pertinali 1985 Brunello, one actually purchased in Montalcino, expecting it to be at least reasonable for such a good vintage. It was not - it was more brown than red with little fruit left. I now worry about the state of my 1985 Tignanello.
The other disappointment was Alain Graillot 1989 Crozes Hermitage. Expecting 15 years from a Crozes might be foolish but this wine was made like a Hermitage and several bottles have been enjoyed over the years. But this wine, although still strong in colour, had developed a "farmyard" taint in both nose and taste. I don't think it was corked but who Knows. 

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2003 
Over the last few weeks I have been making a real effort to find and drink up some of the 80's vintage bottles sitting around my wine store that should probably have been drunk a year or two earlier. This exercise has resulted in some enjoyable drinking and has also given me confidence that my rather makeshift storage arrangements are suitable for medium term laying down.

The following wines were still drinking well although some were no doubt past their best. I should say that when tasting, the wines were 'drunk' with an appropriate meal.  

Ornellaia 1988 Super Tuscan
Tignanello 1988 Super Tuscan
Fontodi Vigna del Serbo Chianti Classico 1985
Pesquera 1987 Ribera de Duero
Torres Mas La Plana 1985 Penedes
Ch. de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1985

The fact that these wines were still drinking well should not be a surprise as they were all excellent wines, from good vintages, and were made to age well. But, a Chianti drinking so well, even a 1985, after 18 years was a surprise. But the very best wine of this bunch was the Ornellaia, 15 years old and drinking to perfection.

Some delights from the 90's
Many wines from the 90s are now a delight to drink. An exception is Bordeaux, where there were those poor vintages in the early post 1990 years and the reluctance, as yet, of later vintages to come round nicely. However, 90's wines from many regions are now a delight to drink. 

New world wines are drinking well, having got past that dip I find they have after a couple of years when the fruit begins to fade somewhat, exposing the not fully softened tannin. A good example recently enjoyed was Chapel Hill's 1995 McLaren Vale / Coonawarra Cabernet, a superb wine with a good few more years of excellent drinking for anyone lucky enough to have some. A Chapoutier 1995 Cornas was marvelous, reinforcing my view that Cornas can still deliver full Northern Rhone character at a reasonable price. A 1998 Te Mata Cabernet / Merlot in Bordeaux style from Hawkes Bay must have been at it's peak for it delivered everything a good claret should have (but rarely seem to these days). The bargain of the month was the Vina Albali 1995 Gran Reserva from Valdepenas; Tempranillo in a Rioja style which would be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone brought up on the traditional style Rioja's of the 60's and 70's - but at a third of the price!