Meeting 370 - -"Chateau Ste Michelle"
Friday 24th January 2014 Neville Hall, Waltham St Lawrence
Duncan Ross from Berkmann Wine Cellars kindly organised for one of their key importers
to join us once again. This tme it was Clemens who is the European representative of
Chateau St Michelle in Washington State USA.
As Berkmann Wines do not import sparkling wine from Ch. St Michelle,
Duncan started our evening with a glasss of Brut Chardonnay/Pinot Noir
from the Deakin Estate in South Australia. Easy drinking and fresh, this 50:50 blend was a promising opener for the evening.
Tasted a selection of four white and four red wines from the Chateau Ste Michelle collection - Pinot Gris,
Gewürtztraminer, Riesling and Chardonnay, followed by the 4 reds - a Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The final wine was a 2007 Col Solare which is described as a joint venture between Marchesi Antinori
and Ch Ste Michelle; perhaps one of the reasons why Duncan had chosen it.
Charlotte provided a filling winter feast of chicken,
leek and bacon pie followed by tiramisu.
| Aperitif: Deakin Estate Brut Chardonnay/Pinot Noir, Australia
Light, fruity and easy drinking for a summer picnic |
9.20 | 6+ |
| (1) Ch Ste Michelle Pinot Gris, 2012
Off dry, good fruity body with clean and full finish |
9.54 | 6 |
| (2) Ch Ste Michelle Gewürztraminer, 2011
Light pepper with only a hint of diesel on the nose. Tropical fruit with refreshing acid finish |
9.54 | 7 |
| (3) Eroica Riesling, 2011
Pale green, witj hint of pepper on the nose, fresh tropical fruit, light acid finish | 16.61 | 7 |
| (4) Canoe Ridge Chardonnay, 2010
Lemon and butter on the nose but bland and uninteresting palate | 17.66 | 6* |
| (5) Ch Ste Michelle Syrah, 2011
Spicy nose, godd plumm fruit with soft tannins, lonf fruity finish. Needs ageing. |
11.57 | 7 |
| (6) Ch Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
Full damson fruit but less tannin that the Syrah |
9.54 | 7 |
| (7) Canoe Ridge Merlot, 2011
Rich leathery mature plum nose, balanced fruit. Good tannic but cleansing acid finish |
17.66 | 7+ |
| (8) Col Solare, 2007
Bordeaux blend (60%CS/20%M + others) Rich and fruity as it should be!!! |
41.66 | 8 |
| The supper wine : Ch Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 |
* Average of a wide range of scores!!