Jasper Morris MWs Ultimate Tasting

Japser Morris MW (pictured) of Berry Brothers and Rudd wine merchants wowed us with his hand selected 'Ultimate Tasting'. Brought to the museum for his final annual presentation after a 20 year association with John Richardson of the official wine society at the museum, we all gathered to face a 13 wine (unlucky for some) tasting delivered by Jasper with characteristic charm, wit and wisdom. With a tear in the eye and by the end, a raucous song in our hearts, the chink of glasses resounded around the room as we swirled and swallowed under Jaspers tutorledge for the last time. A few of the monthly wine clubbers were there to make sure that notes were taken. Share those notes below.


Grüner Veltliner Spiegel 2005, Weingut Heidler 12%alc

Appearance: A greenish tinge to this one.
Nose: latex, gum arabic
Palate: Aromatic yet full bodied despite only being 12% alcohol. It is dry with distinct pear drops. Here comes that latex, gum Arabic taste that I associate with Gruner Veltliner and a firm streak of minerality. Medium finish.
Conclusion: Costs £8.95 and so you cant complain at that price. Jasper tells us that the Grüner Veltliner grape is Austria’s darling and just too cool for school right now. It is selling like hotcakes in every fashionable New York bar and the wine to be seen with. Thought it was fairly good and gave it a healthy 12.5/20. That price means that we may be having this one again.


Isabel Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Marlborough NZ 12.5%alc

Appearance: A little viscous in the glass.
Nose: Mown grass and gooseberry with a splash of sort of melon and peach.
Palate:The acidity gives you a hell of a lashing and there is that gooseberry and fresh cut grass. This is crunchy with good body and wet slate (minerality)..
Conclusion: Medium to long finish. We like this but have had better from New Zealand. It got a respectable 12/20 and will set you back £12.95.


Riesling Muenchberg Grand Cru 2003, Domaine Ostertag 12.5%alc

Appearance: Gold in colour
Nose: Citric Blossom
Palate: Acidity lower than expected and fruit riper than expected due to that hot year in Europe. This is rounded with the medium to full body. Found it rounded, had nectarines and other stone fruit. Got a juicy grapefruit in there too.
Conclusion: A biodynamically produced lovely from Alsace. As a rule, we don’t normally comment on the labels but this one was produced by the wife of the proprietor and very beautiful it is too. Based solely on what is INSIDE the bottle, it got a 15/20. However, at £23.95, this is really a steep price. Had we known that before we scored it, the score would have dropped like a stone fruit!


Bourgogne Blanc Oligocene 2004, Patrick Javillier 13%alc

Appearance: A pale wine
Nose: Low nose intensity
Palate: Strange artificial toffee taste. Rounded and soft. A simple wine but very drinkable.
Conclusion: This is produced from chardonnay grown on the brown chalky slopes below Meurseult. A a result, it is not classified as in the Meurseult appellation. The producer leaves the wine in the barrel on its lees for 12 months, then in a cement tank with lees for months which gives body and a smokiness to the wine. Liked the modern capsule avec vise (screwcap). Others liked this more than we did. Gave it a 12/20. At £17.95, there is no way we will be revisiting this one. Try something from 2005 at a better price from the same region.


Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 2004 1er Cru, Domaine Droin 13%alc

Appearance: Pale gold
Nose: Intense pretzel smell.
Palate: A little brioche, apple and slate. Much sharper minerality and higher acidity than last as is expected. I like the balance of butter and fruit here. The acidity cuts through the butter but the minerality is a little too pronounced for us.
Conclusion: Producer ages in new oak, old oak as well as the expected steel barrels. It gives a good complexity and is a good one for ageing. Got itself a 14/20. Will cost you £19.95 and there are only 16 bottles left at Berry Bros & Rudd. If you are feeling a bit flush, go ahead.


Beaujolais Vieilles vignes 2005, Domaine Alain Chatoux 12.5%alc

Appearance: Wonderful bruised purple velvet.
Nose: Blackcurrant and a weird rubber smell (the latter means that there has been some reduction going on. Drop a copper coin in the glass and it reverses it. Clever!)
Palate: Soft blackcurrant, residual sugar and rounded light tannin.
Conclusion Better than some from this region. It got a 12/20. It is pretty simple gamay raised on acidic sandstone soils. £7.75 a bottle. Cheap as chips.


Beaune Pertuisots 1er Cru 2002, Jean-Yves Devevey 13%alc

Appearance: This Pinot Noir is garnet in colour indicating some age and semi opaque.
Nose: Typical wild strawberry. Not overripe.
Palate: Strawberry but dominated by earthy notes. Tobacco, humus, medium acidity but tannins taste surprisingly young.
Conclusion: 14/20 because we love the gentility of Beaune pinots. £24.95, however. Not one for the student budget.


Pulenta Gran Corte 2004, Argentina 14%alc

Appearance: Rich dark colour.
Nose: Black cherry and plum jam.
Palate: Black cherry and rounded with gentle vanilla. A little rubber lurking (reduction? Try the coin trick). Still plum jam in the taste and a bit of pencil?
Conclusion: £15.50 for a bottle of Bordeaux blend. You can get a good Bordeaux for less, however. But we like its muscles and gave it 14/20 but don’t like the price so much.


*Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre, 2003 Barossa Valley 15%alc*

*STAR WINE*

Appearance:Bluey purple and opaque. Inky. Yum!
Nose: Blueberry and plum.
Palate: Gosh this is yummy. Can taste the fruit on the nose but there is earthy truffle in there too . The fruit is bursting through and there is a chocolate streak. Tannins are just a supple joy and will allow ageing too.
Conclusion: There is a 100% mourvedre from the oldest mourvedre vines in Australia (from 1833). The price is £18.50 and to be perfectly honest, we would pay up without complaint. 17/20. Big fans. STAR WINE OF THE TASTING. The sort of wine that Robert Parker would like.


Quinta de la Rosa Reserva, Douro 15%alc

Appearance: Rich and dark.
Nose: Menthol. A sort of Vick’s Vapour Rub to it. Burnt wood.
Palate: Smoked currants, a touch of red fruit and good acidity, more tannin than last with some oak.
Conclusion: Needs a bit of food to manage the tannin and Jasper says that it goes well with grilled sardines. Got a generous 16/20. £19.75.


Pintia 2003, Toro 14%alc

Appearance: Completely opaque.
Nose: Coffee and blueberry.
Palate: Coffee, chocolate and violets. There is superb blueberry up front. Nutmeg in there too. Tannins are high but ripe and a touch of banana too.
Conclusion: Lovely. 16.5/20. £23.95 makes this temperanillo silly expensive. You could fly to Spain for that!


Jurançon Séléction des Terrasses Domaine Larredya Moelleux, 2004

Appearance:Gold in colour and legs.
Nose: Pineapple and apricot flowers.
Palate: Tamarind at the front of the taste. Acidity is high and balances the sugar beautifully. Medium bodied and a good finish.
Conclusion: Liked this as did Henry the IV, apparently. It is a late harvest wine with manseng grapes picked in November. Love the fact that it is just 11% alc. Can lay it down for more complexity but we liked it there and then. £11.95 per bottle.


Berry Brothers 1999 Gran Cru Champagne 12%alc

Appearance: Fine bubbles and all that good stuff.
Nose: Ripe red apple,nut and toast.
Palate: As on nose with some wild white flowers. Heavy pinot noir body. Bit of a Bollinger copy.
Conclusion: Its ok if you like Bollinger styles of champers. £24.95 per bottle makes it cheaper than non vintage bottle which is a bargain. Gave it 14/20. Just notgreat fans of the style.