Notes from the Wines and Spirits Club Concha y Toro dinner at Cafe Ysabel and sponsored by the importer - Fly Ace.
Frontera Chardonnay 2008 - Just a bit of stink on the nose Slightly metallic with lots of acidity and flavor. A rather aggressive style with lots of flavor but not one that works for me.
Frontera Carmenere 2007 - Lots of berry on the nose. Lightish and dryish. Easy but a real nice wine for quaffing. A great choice for those on a budget.
Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2005 - Melon on the nose. Sweet, ripe fruit but not at all cloying. Rather elegant, with a dry finish. There's oak but it's very unobtrussive. Orange, pineapple and marshmallow. Fleshy. Good length. Very good.
Amelia Chardonay 2006 - Muted nose. Lots of acidity and bitter on the finish. A disappointment after the lovely Casa Concha Chardonnay, even if the Amelia is higher up the heirarchy.
Casillero del Diablo Pinot Noir 2008 - Smoky and earthy overlapping sweet berries. Not bad but not for those who like barnyard in their wine. It was, however, a surprisingly succesful match with the fish in beurre blanc.
Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2005 - Very dark. Good fragance. Coffee and milk chocolate. Spicy and tannic but looks like it has some upside potential with short term cellaring. Good.
The sponsors brought the top end Don Melchor 2006 while Arnie and I brought the 2002 and 2005 vintages of the same wine so we could have a mini-vertical.
Don Melchor 2002 - The most accesible. Already showing soft tannins. Dry and medium-bodied. Some tea-like character as well.
Don Melchor 2005 - A bit of a dishrag smell which blew off after a bit. Very closed and difficult to appreciate at first. After 30 minutes, much better. Meaty, plump ripe fruit, plums. Very flavorful but still primary. At first, the least impressive Don Melchor but ended up my favorite after letting it sit in the glass for a bit.
Don Melchor 2006 - Caramel and high roast, almost burnt coffee. Otherwise, pretty tight.
All the Don Melchors need ageing, with the 2005 and 2006 probably needing to be left alone for at least 5 years. The 2002 can actually be enjoyed now but has a bt more upside over the short term.
Many thanks to Cafe Ysabel and the folks at Fly Ace for the great event.