My last bottle of the Block 5 2007

It’s been over a month since my last update of “what I have been drinking” and it’s not because I have been abstaining from drinking, far from it, there have been some spectacular wines this past month and a couple of wines that should have been left in the vineyard or better still have somebody rip the vines out so a future travesty is avoided.
Focus though is on a couple of spectacular wines that have been drunk recently the first one is a bottle of

Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir 2007
Now if you want a ballerina dancing across your tongue to the tune of Led Zeppelin’s Rock n Roll this is a wine that’s got a good chance of achieving it. The wine has great structure subtle flavours that build up and deliver that Rock n Roll punch. If you don’t believe me, The Gardner will confirm I was dancing across the patio singing its praises while trying not to spill any. Drunk at Cookies house while cooking the BBQ so there are no notes, but will be taking a bottle to P’tite Ardoise next time I go there and will make sure a more comprehensive review is written at the time.

From my cellar purchased from Langtons $115.00

Felton Road

The other standout wine was Champagne

NV J.L. Vergnon Conversation Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
First off I think just the name needs a little explanation; not being an expert this is a very layman like explanation.

NV – Non-Vintage usually a blend of a number of different vintages with one of those vintages making up the bulk of the wine.

J.L. Vergnon the wine grower who in this case is also the wine maker, unlike the large Champagne Houses which even if they own the vines, will outsource the growing of the grapes.

Conversation would not have a clue why they slipped that into the name, my guess is that it’s a wine that starts a conversation, so the next question would be, do they have a Champagne called Blogger.

Brut a drier style of Champagne not to everyone’s taste and can be viewed either as a warning or as a selling point.

Blanc de Blancs (White of Whites) Champagne made only from Chardonnay Grapes, which are the King of white wine grapes.

Grand Cru the ranking of the vineyard, Grand Cru being the top ranking.

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger the two Grand Cru vineyards the grapes come from, Le Mesnil and Oger

If you have got this far, well done and bet you will never look at another bottle of Champagne in the same way again.

The wine itself has a very light straw colour with a vigorous but fine mousse (bubbles) the nose is full of a wonderful yeast and apple like scents which follow onto the palate. There is a tight refreshing dryness on the palate, which is well balanced with the fruit, there maybe just a tad shortness on the palate as was suggested by Acepfv’s wife but a wonderful example of what a small Champagne Grower can produce with good vines and a lot of passion.

From the cellar purchased from Ross Duke for $44.00

J.L. Vergnon