Len Evans Tutorial - Thursday

A great tasting of Pinot Noirs/Red Burgundies started the day’s judging class on Thursday, with many great wines, Burgundy with seven gold medals (see key below), Australia five, New Zealand and Oregon one each. As with the Chardonnays, the cork issue struck Burgundy, most notably the 2009 de Vogue Musigny, oxidised and bretty – normally a superb wine, likewise the 2011 Mongeard Mugneret Grands Echezeaux.

1. 2002 Domaine De la Romanée Conti Echezeaux GC (Flagey-Echezeaux) - 95
2. 2006 Curly Flat (Macedon Ranges) - 93
3. 2006 Villa Maria Taylors Pass Vineyard (Marlbourough) - 92
4. 2007 Maude Mt Maude Family Vineyard (Central Otago) - 95
5. 2007 Bindi Original Vineyard (Macedon Ranges) - 91
6. 2008 Domaine de la Romanée Conti Richebourg  GC (0osne-Romanée) - 96
7. 2008 Mondillo (Central Otago) - 91
8. 2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze GC (Gevrey- Chambertin) - 96
9. 2009 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Vieilles Vignes GC (Chambolle-Musigny) - 83
10. 2009 Domaine Hudelot Noellat Romanée-Saint-Vivant GC (Vosne-Romanée) - 95
11. 2010 Ata Rangi (Martinborough) - 93
12. 2010 Dawson and James (Derwent Valley) - 95
13. 2010 Domaine Confuron Cotetidot Charmes Chambertin GC ( Gevery-Chambertin) - 89
14. 2010 Elk Cove Roosevelt (Williamette Valley) - 95
15. 2010 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Grands Echezeaux GC (Flagey-Echezeaux) - 96
16. 2010 Domaine de la Vougeraie Bonnes-Mares GC (Chambolle-Musigny) - 95
17. 2010 Kusuda (Martinborough) - 94
18. 2010 Charteris Winter Vineyard (Central Otago) - 94
19. 2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin GC (Gevrey-Chambertin) - 85
20. 2011 Domaine Mommessin Clos de Tart GC (Morey –Saint-Denis) - 93
21. 2011 Beaux Freres The Vineyard (Williamette Valley) - 89
22. 2011 Domaine Dujac Clos Saint-Denis GC (Morey –Saint-Denis) - 95
23. 2012 Coldstream Hills Reserve (Yarra Valley) - 95
24. 2012 Home Hill Kelly’s Reserve (Huon Valley) - 93
25. 2012 Mount Mary (Yarra Valley) - 92
26. 2012 Yabby Lake Single Block Release Block 1 (Mornington Peninsula) - 95
27. 2012 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard (Yarra Valley) - 95
28. 2012 Felton Road Block 5 (Bannockburn) - 94
29. 2012 Circe Hillcrest Road Vineyard (Mornington Peninsula) - 89
30. 2012 Farrside by Farr (Geelong) - 95

Points conversion key:
85-89 Bronze
90-94 Silver
95-99 Gold

The afternoon Riesling Masterclass was pure pleasure, the Bordeaux Masterclass sheer heel. The ludicrous extraction, high alcohol, dead fruit, and mouth-ripping tannins (compounded by brettanomyces in several instances) came from left field. These wines are priced from $350 to $3300 retails (except for wines 1 ($100) and 2 ($150)). The 2009 vintage caused controversy, most saying St Emilion did far better than Pomerol, and some stratospheric points awarded. The two wines to offer the hope of some drinking pleasure down the track were Chateau Ausone ($3300) and Chateau Cheval Blanc ($2500). It’s a lot of money to spend on a hope.

The Riesling Masterclass wines were:

1. 2013 Pikes The Merle Reserve Riesling (Clare Valley)
2. 2013 Stargazer Riesling (Derwent valley)
3. 2013 Howard Park Riesling (Great Southern)
4. 2013 Harewood Estate Reserve Riesling (Denmark)
5. 2012 Paulett Wines Antonia Riesling (Polish Hill)
6. 2013 Crawford River Riesling (Henty)
7. 2013 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling (Polish Hill)
8. 2012 KT Peglids Watervale Riesling (Watervale)
9. 2011 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Kabinett (Mosel)
10. 2011 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Spatlese (Mosel)
11. 2011 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Auslese (Mosel)
12. 2012 Joh. Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett (Mosel)
13. 2012 Joh. Jos Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett (Mosel)
14. 2012 Joh. Jos Prum Riesling Kabinett (Mosel)
15. 2009 Domaine Weinbach Faller Kaysersberg Riesling Schlossberg Cuvee St Catherine L'Inedit Grand Cru (Schlossberg)

The Bordeaux Masterclass wines were:
 

1. 2009     Château Monbousquet (St-Èmillion)
2. 2009     Château Bellevue (St-Èmillion)
3. 2009     Château Bellevue Mondotte (St-Èmillion)
4. 2009     Château Figeac (St-Èmillion)
5. 2009     Château Canon (St-Èmillion)
6. 2009     Château Mondotte (St-Èmillion)
7. 2009     Château Valandraud (St-Èmillion)
8. 2009     Château Angelus (St-Èmillion)
9. 2009     Château Ausone (St-Èmillion)
10. 2009     Château Cheval Blanc (St-Èmillion)
11. 2009     Château Pavie (St-Èmillion)

                                              
The day ended with the following wines, and matched with the menu below:

Pre-Dinner Options

1. 1966 St Ursula Goldener Oktober Rheinhessen (Rheinhessen)
2. 1968 Bernkastel Bernkasteler Schlossberg Mosel (Mosel)

Dry White

1. 2012 Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Chardonnay (Mornington Peninsula)
2. 2012 Penfolds Bin 12A Chardonnay (Tasmania)
3. 2012 Giaconda Chardonnay (Beechworth)
4. 2012 Seville Estate Reserve Chardonnay (Yarra Valley)
5. 2012 Brokenwood Indigo Vineyard Chardonnay (Beechworth)
6. 2012 Heemskerk Coal River Chardonnay (Tasmania)

Dry Red

1. 1995 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru (Vosne-Romanée)
2. 1996 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru (Vosne-Romanée)
3. 2008 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru (Vosne-Romanée)
4. 2009 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru (Vosne-Romanée)
5. 2010 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru (Vosne-Romanée)
6. 2011 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru (Vosne-Romanée)
7. 2012 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru (Vosne-Romanée)

Dry Red

1. 1986 Chateau Cheval Blanc (St-Emilion)
2. 1986 Lindemans St George (Coonawarra)
3. 1986 Chateau Lafite (Pauillac)
4. 1986 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Limited Release (Coonawarra)
5. 1986 Chateau Cos d’Estournel

Options

1. 1945 Chateau de la Guimoniere Coteaux du Layon Chaume (Loire)
2. 1938 Chateau d’Yquem (Sauternes)

Sweet Bracket

1. 1976 Erbacher Honigberg Riesling Beerenauslese (Rheingau)
2. 1966 Yalumba Private Bin Sauternes (Barossa Valley)
3. 1944 Chateau Filhot (Sauternes)

Thursday

1st Entrée
Twice Baked Gruyere Cheese Soufflé, with fresh chervil

2nd Entrée
Roasted Fillet of Murray Cod, with baby red radish, pea puree, pea shoots and fresh peas

Main
Braised Lamb Shanks, with creamy polenta, capsicum relish, aioli and gremolata

Dessert
Caramelised Pineapple and Passionfruit Crème Brulee Napoleon

Cheese
Holy Goat La Luna (Sutton Grange, Victoria)