Dinner at my friends Sergio and Bela, who made excellent pasta with mushrooms and rare roast beef with madeira sauce. An opportunity to try a south african white that was given to me a few weeks ago and contrast two vintages of Michel Gros Hautes Cotes de Nuits.
2005 Steenberg Semillon South Africa 14.0%
Strident gold yellow with a touch of bronze, reminiscent of sauternes. Nose of apricot and, curiously, smoked ham. Taste confirms the apricot and the strange smoked ham, so Sergio brings out some salami. Also citrus and capsicum. With time, the ham recedes and the capsicum becomes overwhelming and distasteful. Always interested in trying something different, but no thanks.
2005 Michel Gros Hautes Cotes de Nuits 13.0%
Attractive nose of cherry, leather and green stems. High acidity, making the tongue tingle, but with sweetness to match. Good body, good fruit, simple but satisfying.
2003 Michel Gros Hautes Cotes de Nuits 12.5%
Same cherry nose, except darker, with less leather. Also less acidity tingle, reflecting the vintage. More tannic, surprisingly (to me). Fruit is more dense and serious, but that may be a reflection of the extra two years in the bottle. Marcia preferred this but I preferred the 05.
