A taste of Europe
May 2008

My early winemaking days were filled with travelling around the world’s great winemaking regions, including beautiful wineries in Europe. And last Saturday, I  relived my European memories, attending the European Wine Experience organised by The Wine Bunch (Caro’s Wines, Maison Vauron and Wine Direct).

This was a fantastic tasting, with chance to taste through 150 wines from Europe’s leading wine producing countries all in one sitting. i had a good crack at most of the wines though! However, my trustry palate did start to waiver near the end. Its a bit unfair to share all my notes of the 101 wines with you since that might make you jealous but here are top picks.

GERMANY

Wili Schaefer Graacher Domprosbst Riesling Spatlese 2006 (18.5/20) - "Gorgeous lifted aromatics of lime, citrus fruits. Palate shows great concentration and purity of ripe stone fruits with underlying flinty minerality. Nice balance of acidity and sugar with a long lingering finish."

FRANCE

Bouquent Nuits St Georges 2004 (18.5/20)  "Ripe generous fruits on the palate, with lovely integrated oak tannin and length.Quite a powerful concentrated wine fruits and fleshy mid palate. Nice weight and length with refined acidity at back of palate. Great value for $25.00"

Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2005 (19/20) "Dark ripe berry fruits, lifted aromatics of liquorice and earthy notes. Great concentration and richness on palate with soft succulent tannins."

Feraud- Brunel Gigondas 2004 (18.5/20) "Bright perfumed fruit aromatics, nice concentration and complexity of chary oak."

ITALY

Felsina Fontallora 2004 (18.5/20) " Lifted bright fruit aromatics. Ripe full rich tannin structure. Lingering length."

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