What the cool kids drink! A dinner at Noble Rot with friends
This was a gathering of 10 friends at Noble Rot, convened by Emily Harman. We all brought a couple of bottles along and served them blind. What was so interesting was the array of wines represented here, covering a wide spectrum of regions. It wasn’t the usual wine trade BYO dinner with lots of Burgundy and Bordeaux, and maybe the occasional foray into the Rhône. Instead this was a remarkable dive into the new fine wine: super-interesting wines often from lesser known regions. I tried my best to make good notes on all the wines! These were tasted blind and notes were as written without knowing what the wines were.
Charlie Herring Legion Chardonnay Brut Nature MV England
This traditional method sparkling wine, made from a perpetual solera, is really good: it’s juicy, vivid and bright with lemony fruit and high acidity. There’s a hint of dairy, but it works, and it’s pithy and energetic. 94/100
R D’Meure Estate Chardonnay 2022 Tasmania, Australia
This was a new wine for almost all of us, and it was great. 8000 vines/hectare (very high density for Australia) with no added sulfites. Weighing in at 11.5% alcohol, this is mineral and slightly nervous with delicate citrus fruit. Fine and mineral with some restraint and tension. 95/100
Domaine Labet Les Chalasses Chardonnay 2016 Jura, France
Linear, honeyed, nutty and saline with a stony, mineral edge and lovely detail. Citrussy and fine. Great acidity and an exploding mineral finish. 97/100
Valentini Trebbiano D’Abruzzo 2020 Italy
Apple, lemon and pear fruit with nice purity. Has a stony, waxy savoury edge. Very refined with lovely presence on the palate. 94/100
Bendito Destino Los Prados Blanco 2021 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Vines planted in 1915, north facing, 920 m altitude. This was fermented in a new François Frères barrel where the staves had been seasoned for 4 years, longer than normal. Young, focused, clean and pure with a bit of oak. Lovely pear and citrus fruit, showing great purity. This should age well. 94/100
Marie-Therese Chappaz Assemblage Blanc 2023 Switzerland
This was hard to guess blind! Chappaz is revered, and this is the first time I’ve tried one of the wines. Rounded, rich and grapey with nice intensity. Fruity and lively with nice texture. Pretty and aromatic. 93/100
Suertes del Marques Vidonia VP Listan Blanco 2022 Orotava, Tenerife, Spain
This is bright, fresh and lively with nice concentration. It’s very pure and lively with citrus and pear fruit and some stony detail. Well integrated oak makes an appearance. So fresh and pure. 96/100
Jable de Tao 2022 Lanzarote, Spain
This is pithy and citrussy with some lemony detail. Vivid and fresh with nice intensity and some stony, salty notes. Lovely purity with nothing sticking out. 95/100
Odyssea 2022 Costa Toscana Ansonica, Italy
Orange colour. Lovely spice, pear, apple and melon notes with some grip, and notes of marmalade and peach. Nice fruit character, too. 94/100
Dard & Ribo Hermitage Blanc 2023 Rhône, France
Fruity, elegant and sipple with sweet pear, a hint of cherry and a saline twist. Aromatic, transparent and really fine. Floral and ethereal. 97/100
Gravner Ribolla 2011 Venezia Giulia, Italy
15.5% alcohol. Full pink red in colour with a hint of copper. Sweet rhubarb and cherry notes with some stewed strawberry and spice. This is really exciting and is developing in interesting ways. Fine and expressive. 96/100
A Pie de Tierra El Surco 2023 Mentrida, Spain
Garnacha. Very elegant, fine, showing sweet red cherries. Super elegant in style with really nice sweet fruit. 95/100
Blank Bottle Retirement at 65 2017 Darling, South Africa
Savoury and spicy with sour cherries and some nice firm structure, as well as some earthy notes. Grippy, earthy and expressive with some plummy richness. 94/100
Praesidium Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva 2020 Italy
Bold, rich, spicy and mineral with some iodine and black cherry fruit, as well as some blackberries and spice. There’s subtle meatiness here. Spicy and detailed with nice complexity. 94/100
Christophe Abbet Syrah Cuvée Spéciale 2018 Switzerland
Meaty and spicy with olive, black pepper and black cherry fruit. Some nice meaty intensity here and notes of iron and blood. Quite beautiful. 96/100
Ferndinando Principiano Barolo Ravere Di Monforte 2020 Italy
Juicy, bright and showing sour cherry and raspberry fruit with a spicy dimension and some good acidity, finishing with sour cherry. Complex, tapered and elegant with nice precision and finesse. 94/100
