From the monthly archives:

March 2011

South Africa Gastro

by Raluca Bauer on 25 March 2011 · 0 comments

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1985 Chateau Lanessan … moldy label, yummy wine !

by Oliver Bauer on 25 March 2011 · 0 comments

Year: Wine: Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies):    Size: Closure: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
1985 cru bourgeois supérieur Chateau Lanessan France Haut Médoc Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (36%), Petit Verdot (4%) 0,75 l natural cork 12.5 vol.% dry red III

Ok, ok ! I admit it. The label looked like hell, the capsule has been corroded and the cork soaked until the last 2 mm. But for people like me, who wants to drink the wine and not to resell it, the .....

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Hartenberg, Nederburg & Co. – mature South African Cabernet Sauvignon

March 23, 2011

Lately with these wines and after we tasted also some mature blends it’s clear to us, that despite a lot of reports to the contrary South African reds can have an excellent aging potential, too. Of course not all of them, but here there’s no difference to other famous regions. Furthermore a lot of younger red wines (blends and single-variety) which we tried during our recent stay in this amazing country encouraged me to reinforced my statement, that some of them are having a lot of in common with traditional Clarets (expression, elegance,structure) without denying their origin. Of course .....

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Langoustines soup

March 22, 2011

Ingredients :
- 20 (precooked) Langoustines
- 750 ml dry white wine
- 200 ml homemade fish stock
- 100 ml Vermouth (Noily Prat, Martini etc.)
- 1 celery
- 1 fennel
- 2 carrots
- 1 Spanish onion
- lemon grass
- citrus thyme
- sage
- 1 lime
- 150 g Crème fraîche
- clarified butter
- salt
- fresh milled white pepper
- a pinch of chili pepper
Preparation :
Cut the lemon grass, the celery, the fennel, the carrots and the onion in very small pieces. The lemon grass becomes more intense if you grind it with a pestle in a mortar. Keep some of the cutted carrots and some of the green parts of .....

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1994 Vina Pomal Reserva vs. 1994 Gran Reserva Carlos Serres – an one-eyed next to a blind …

March 21, 2011

Year: Wine: Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies):  Size: Closure: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
1994 Vina Pomal Reserva Bodega Bilbainas Spain Rioja Tempranillo (85%), Graciano + Mazuelo (15%) 0,75 l natural cork 12 vol.% dry red III

This winery I visited the first time during my study times when we visited several Bodegas in the Rioja region. But this one has been special. In the beginning the majority of our group was quite shocked and disturbed by their old cellars (or better said .....

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Mosel Riesling – pure elegance for the warmer time of the year !

March 21, 2011

Spring approaches, at least according to the calendar. So let’s put the heavy, warming wines a little bit aside and let’s start to pull out and to search the crispy, lighter ones again. Mosel-Riesling is a perfect match if you would like to enjoy lighter (alcohol), pure, fresh and elegant but yet very expressive wines. Here you can find ideal compagnions in different styles for almost every occasion. From uncomplicated young, fruity and very fresh wines up to very demanding and rich TBA’s (Trockenbeerenauslese ). Most of them are having especially one thing in common : concerning their .....

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Robertson – part I

March 20, 2011

We are moving on
After such a marathon in Stellenbosh, it has been about time for us to change the location and  to drive to our next destination: Robertson
Signs on the roads like “Don’t feed the baboons” seemed nonsense to us, but in not even 200 m, the first baboons already stared at us, yet minding their own business.
While driving dusty gravel roads, Oliver has been forced (by me ) to stopp every time I saw a bird, an ostrich, an antelope, or other living creature.  What a beautiful, fascinating landscape !
Our accommodation for 2 nights has been the .....

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2002 Meursault “Les Grands Charrons” Michel Bouzereau vs. 1985 1er cru “Clos des Bouches Chères” Labouré-Roi : the beauty of age …

March 18, 2011

Year: Wine:   Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies): Size: Closure: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
2002 Meursault “Les Grands Charrons”Michel BouzereauFrance Burgundy Chardonnay 0,75 l natural cork 13.0 vol.% dry white IV

We discovered this winery a couple of years ago by “accident” and I am happy that we did because back then they vinified a real classic burgundy, mineral Chardonnay for a reasonable price. I said “back then” because today, just a few years later, they are very popular and they are still offering .....

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1981 Chateau Phélan Ségur vs. 1981 Chasse-Spleen : packaging matters !

March 17, 2011

Year: Wine: Producer: Country: Region: Variety(-ies):    Size: Closure: Alcohol: Taste: Colour: Group:
1981 cru bourgeois exceptionnel Chateau Phélan Ségur France Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (46%), Cabernet Franc (4%) 0,75 l natural cork 12.5 vol.% dry red IV

After a very nice experience with an outstanding Giscours ‘81 I wanted to know, if there are more of such affordable, classic treasures out of this year. This actual wine has been very promising in the beginning with a filling level almost .....

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CellarTales International Wineroundtable Edition No. 5

March 16, 2011

After a longer period of time we managed finally to meet again with some other wine lovers and to enjoy a couple of wines at the CellarTales International WineRoundTable Edition No. 5. The scoop of this evening was to try and to compare 3 different styles of Champagne, 3 Austrian Riesling wines from famous producers and to see, how BDX wines developed over 3 decades in taste and style. Last but not least we have had in the end a Sauternes wine from a smaller vintage but out of a bigger bottle ! So let’s see, what ran .....

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