White wines from whenever… Whites from the cellar, pulled out
more or less randomly recently. The inspiration was a 2000 Le Faite Saint-Mont
that I thought was a 2006 when I chose it (the other six bottles were). The 2000
turned out to be stunning. If it goes on like this I'll give up drinking young whites. And reds.
2004 Millton Gisborne Chenin Blanc, Te Arai
Vineyard, Gisborne, New Zealand
Buttercup yellow.
Honeyed pineapple and grapefruit. Unctuous texture. Thrilling, fresh,
lemon-sherbet acidity. Long. 12.5%.
94/100
1990 Mitchelton Marsanne, Gouburn Valley, Victoria , Australia
A museum release, but I don’t know when from.
Golden in colour. Honeyed but fresh nose. Intense, honeyed citrus and green
fruit on the palate. Some spice and the gentlest of rancio notes. Concentrated,
dry, fresh, very long. No abv
given. 93/100
1994 Muré Clos St Landelin Tokay-Pinot Gris Grand Cru Vorbourg, Alsace,
France
Pale, very clear buttercup yellow. Rich, honey
and smoke nose with savoury touches of dried cèp and truffle. Opulent lychee
and peach fruit, unctuous texture. Very concentrated, with dazzling, bright
acidity. Very long, rich, concentrated and fresh. 13%. 95/100
1999 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Heimbourg, Alsace, France
Rich, ripe, tropical fruit salad aromas and
flavours. Spicy ginger notes. Very full, dense and unctuous, but has acidity to
balance it. Quite a lot of residual sugar – medium-sweet. No clue as to alcohol
or style. Tatty label, so may have lost abv. 93/100
1988 Weingut Brundlmayer Zöbinger Heiligenstein Riesling Kabinett,
Kamptal, Austria
Mid-gold. Candied peel, lemon and delicate
honey together with intense mineral flavour – almost petrol but not quite.
Light-bodied, high acid, medium dry. Still very much alive, but not as complex
as it might be; very slightly tinny. 11.6% abv. 89/100
1994 Muré Clos St Landelin Tokay-Pinot Gris grand Cru Vorbourg, Alsace,
France
Pale, very clear buttercup yellow. Rich,
honey, smoky nose with savoury dried cèp and truffle notes. Opulent lychee and
peach fruit, unctuous texture. Very concentrated, with dazzling, bright
acidity. Very long, rich, concentrated and fresh. 13%. 95/100
2007 Les Crêtes Petite Arvine, Valle d’Aosta, Italy
This has acquired some colour – medium
primrose, but still completely bright and clear. Intriguing nose – fresh but
slightly bruised apples, cooked pears, fennel seed and grapefruit.
Medium-bodied, smooth-textured, high acid with apple and pear fruit and
minerally, green tapenade notes. 12.5%.
91/100
Not particularly old but no longer available.
Les Caves de Pyrène has the 2009. AG Wines has the 2010.
