TN Saturday Night Live at Magnus' place

Hello, For the firt time, we were invited to Magnus' place. Or, really,his father's place - his Father is apparently 87 years old, and Magnus about 63, so things are not exactly what at frist they seem. The call was, bring something funny - and we all brought reds. Wonder why? It appears people prefer reds if it is just a glbutt of good wine they like to share with friends - happened a lot to us. We were first presented with a short snort in a small glbutt - nose obviously petroleum, citrus, and aa bit of flowers - on palate very charming, well integrated and smooth without appearing oily, an elegant acidity and good length. Fairly unanimously it was declared an Alsace Rielsing, and, in a hit and miss fashion, we decided that it had some age - Hugel Riesling VT 1989.

The wines were presentef blind in one flight - there were only four of them. 1 N Starts merely dusty, but then turns into Smoked ham, mineral, eucalyptus P Black fruit and minerals, evovles with black prunes, black olives, sweet tobacco, spicyness - very rich and with good complexity, a slight frutiy sweetness detectable but agreeable. Initially quite tannic but somehow the tannines are loosening up over time. Overall impression: Young Syrah, from a warm climate - I was fairly certain that it was our wine and it was - Abbaye de Lerins, Cuvée St Honorat 2002, 100% Syrah, from the monastery island of St Honorat where Cistercian monks (I think) run a small vineyard - 3 ha white, 4 ha red. It will keep but it is delightful now, preferrably with some airing.

2 n funny thing, bit smoked cold cuts in this as well. Does not evolve a lot, I get a fleeting impression of volatile acids but they dsappear P Sweetness, softness, agreeable, bit of fruit and what may be eucalyptus but most likely isn't.

This turned out to be Morey St Denis 1996 1er cru Les Millandes Domaine Heresztyn Consensus: should have been kept longer. Too young I realise this is the second time I find similar aromas in MStD - tar one time, smoked ham this.

3 N Smells of green olives with pimentos, and maturity P Animal, barnyardy, light avidity, eucalyptus here too? THose of us less experienced did not recognise this for a Bdx, but it was in fact Ch Cantemerle 1990.

4 N Can something smell dark? This one did. Black even. Prunes, tobacco, honey, and barnyard. P Very powerful tannic structure, also prominent acidity, there are cherries, and cherry pits, and ... eukalyptus. Any koala bears around? This would be their night! This wine oozed style, after a few blind alleys we thought it might be a Merlotdominated Bdx with some age - It was a 4th growth Lafon Rocher 1983, and, in my book, wine of the evening. I'd love to have a case of these in my cellar ... and I would not be afraid to keep them either.

Cheers

Nils Gustaf -- Respond to nils dot lindgren at drchips dot se