"Have the French had their Comeuppance from Down Under?"

Edinburgh Wine Club tasting: Old World (France) v New World (New Zealand/Australia) 18 March 2010

Wine	Grape	Country	Price	Comments	Preference (old/new)	Points & Ranking
1. The Society Exhibition Sancerre, 2007	Sauvignon Blanc	France	£11.95	Domane Serge Laloue, Thauvenay, Sancerre. This wine stands out for its wonderful aromatic freshness and fruit. 12.5%	new
2. Dog Point, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2008	Sauvignon Blanc	NZ	£11.95	"Wonderfully pure and peachy with a hint of minerality." "Intense and elegant with its guava fruit, hints of basil and silky citrus mineral spine is from former Cloudy Bay chief viniculturalist Ivan Sutherland and head winemaker James Healey." 13%	new	5 Best white
					new
3. Chablis Domaine William Fèvre 2008	Chardonnay	France	£13.95	Burgundy. Lovely 2008 Chablis with good density of fruit overlaying a bright acidity. 12.5%
4. Kooyong Clonale, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, 2008	Chardonnay	Australia	£13.95	A stylish and restrained chardonnay from the Mornington Peninsula. Lovely juicy palate and a light touch of oak which adds to the lemony fruit. 13%
					new
5. The Society Exhibition Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Nicolas Potel, Burgundy 2007	Pinot Noir	France	£14.95	This has a delightful, plum, cherry, perfume and the beginnings of silkiness on the palate, thanks in part to the old vines which add richness. One of the leading growers in Côte de Beaune. 13%
6. Craggy Range, Te Muna Road, Martinborough, NZ, 2007	Pinot Noir	NZ	£14.95	From the excellent Te Muna vineyard, the 2007 is perfumed with hints of spice and a fine velvety palate. C.R. notes: Aromas of black fruit, flowers, liquorice, plum and cherry, earth, cocao & spice. Palate full, sweet fruited, flavours of cherries, violets, tar, bark, smoke, spice & liquorice. Fine velvety tannins coat the mouth. Finish long & bright. 13.5%		12 (First)
					old
7. The Society Exhibition Victorian Shiraz, Mt Langi Ghiran, Victoria, Australia, 2005	Syrah/Shiraz	Australia	£12.95	Full bodied, velvety, supple tannins with concentrated blueberry, blackberry & plum fruits and complex spice flavours.18 mths in new French and older American Oak. 14.5%		5
8. Crozes Hermitage, Les Jalets, Paul Jaboulet Aine, 2006	Syrah/Shiraz	France	£12.50	From Tain, L'Hermitage on left bank of Rhône on a pebbly plain. Exceptional cuvÈe that includes a large part of Thalabert Domaine fruit in the blend. Spicy black fruit character, balanced by elegant silky tannins. Drink 1-5 years. 12.5%		5 Best value
					old
9. Craggy Range, "The Quarry", Hawkes Bay, NZ. 2002	Bordeaux Style	New Zealand	£24	Produced on the Gimblett Gravels, Havelock North. 20mths in new and seasoned French oak barrique. Blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Drinking well now. Intense vibrant, deep black/purple colours, almost opaque. Aromas of blackcurrents, ripe black plums, hot stones and hints of aromatic cigar box and floral notes. Palate intense and complex with currant and blueberry flavours. Coffee, dried herbs, mocha and fine leather notes add complexity. 14%.		9 (Third)
10. The Society Exhibition Margaux 2004	Bordeaux Style	France	£23	Fragrant and plump and still quite firm but fine tannins, this has real class, elegance and length. Château Rauzin-Ségla now produces one of the finest wines of the Margaux commune and made exceptionally good wine in 2004. Now to 2015. Red fruits, toast, coffee, truffle aromas. Scottish winemaker John Kolasa. 13%.		11 (Second)