Decanter Panel Tasting: Vintage Champagne - Pierre Paillard, Bouzy Grand Cru 2004

This month our Pierre Paillard Bouzy Grand Cru 2004 is mentioned as 'recommended' in the Decanter Vintage Champagne Panel Tasting - January 2014 Edition, p.70...

The panel of tasters - Michael Edwards, Nancy Gilchrist MW and Ronan Sayburn MS, give the Paillard Bouzy Grand Cru '04 the following tasting notes:

"Very fruit forward with notes of lemon curd and zest. The palate has melon flavours and is clean and youthful."

Points awarded: 16 (86)

Drink: 2016-2020

91+ Parker Points for De Stefani 1624

eRobertParker.com awards the 2008 De Stefani Stefen 1624 with 91+ points.







Here's what the review from eRobertParker.com said:

"The 2008 Stefen 1624 pays homage to the winery's founding De Stefani family (spelled "Stefen" in old Italian) that traces its lineage back to the year 1642. This is an exciting and impressive effort. Marzemio grapes are harvested at the end of October and subsequently air-dired to increase their sugar concentration. After fermentation, the wine is aged in barrique for 36 months. It opens to a bright garnet-ruby colour and pristine aromas of small berry, dried currant and cherry cola. Drink 2015-2022.

De Stefani's wines offer new tastes from an eccentric selection of mostly indigenous Italian grapes. Today. Alessandro De Stefani manages the estate and represents the fourth generation of this winemaking family to do so. If you are passionate about Italian native grapes like Raboso and Marzemino these are definitely worth seeking out."

Cederberg Private Cellar scoops top awards at SAWi (South African Wine Index)

Peter du Toit from Cederberg reports:

 

During holiday season, you might find yourself around the dinner table discussing your favourite wine of the year. Soon enough discussions will become heated and propensity to agree will wane.

Day 3 Southern Rhone, By Jason Busby

Just two estates but quite far apart and another two favourites of mine as well as Bancroft for over a decade.

Yves Gras of Domaine Santa Duc, Gigondas and other appellations. What can I say? Biting wind whistling down the valley when we arrived (maybe the Mistral) at the quaint homestead on the outskirts of Gigondas with Yves's new Eco friendly tasting room and office looking more like a space station next to the 18th century farm house, actually doesn't look out of place.

Day 2 in the Rhone - The South, By Jason Busby

As always an early start with emails at 6am and breakfast at 7.30am then our first tasting at Grand Veneur with Christophe Jaume, the charming joint owner of the estate with an array of Chateauneuf du Pape (CNP for future reference) Blanc and Rouge amongst many other appellations. To mirror the north, quantities may well be down on the norm, but quality is definitely fine. My sort of vintage where there is power but with elegance and pretty fruit, quite often blue fruits which shows the brilliance of our growers and winemakers and a good growing season.