Quay lunch

BYO bottle occasion, the wines were deposited at the restaurant several days prior.

• 2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 96 Points

  France, Champagne

  Pale yellow. Everything about this wine is a display of balance and finesse. Energetic fine bubbles that burst delightfully in the mouth. Slight autolysis notes, green apple and lemon curd flavours, chalky and mineral, fine persistent acid spine, length for days, the thing that stands out is how none of the notes overpowers another - it's just seamless and harmonious.

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A good contrast to see some top Chardonnay from different parts of the world.

• 2006 Mount Mary Chardonnay 90 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley

  Deep yellow. Butter, toast and white nectarine aromatics and palate, medium bodied with fine acid spine and length. Just the right amount of oak seasoning, any more would have overburdened the wine. Likely not much more to be gained from further cellaring.

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• 2011 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 91 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  In contrast to the Mount Mary Chardonnay 2006, the Leeuwin Estate had a slight grassy note to the nose. Oak on the nose less dominating, palate texture richer and more viscous, prominent phenolics and oak, powerful and driving. Sealed under screwcap.

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• 2014 Jean Noel Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  The grassy topnote on the nose threw me off (almost a similar note to an unripe Hunter Semillon character), some herb and lemon curd. High acidity on entry, grassy, saline and mineral with good length. Unsure how representative this bottle was.

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• 2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  Melted ruby colour. Seductive red fruits, has a carnal barnyard note; light to medium bodied with ripe red fruits, minerals and smoke, fine grippy tannins with good length. Fruit character on the palate perhaps a touch stodgier than I'd prefer in an aged red Burgundy, unsure if serving temperature contributed to this. In a good spot at the moment, however will look to hold remaining bottles for another 5 years with the hope of further tertiary development. Sufficient fruit and structure to hold if provenance is sound.

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• 2007 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Typical CdP nose, dark herb twist; medium to full bodied, dark fruit and a touch of smoke, quite elegant with a wisp of acid on the finish to keep things balanced and refreshing. Very good.

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• 1996 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

  This one has shed most of its primary fruits and exotic tertiary notes of Chinese medicine, leather and prunes have emerged; black olives and dried black fruits on the palate, good acid spine and length, medium-plus bodied. This is probably a point at the moment if you enjoy the tertiary spectrum, those preferring more Barossa/Eden fruit likely should have drunk this a few years ago. Wonderful, elegant and complex.

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• 2011 Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon Alex 92 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Cedar and capsicum nose; elegant on the palate - light to medium bodied, red fruits with bold yet filigreed tannins, persistent and with great length. Promising, comfortably cellar for further positive development. I'd guess this would start to become very special with another 6-8 years in the cellar.

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A very hot day. The pre-work in dropping the wines off clearly allowed the wines to present themselves in top form, with all wines in good shape. Excellent range of glassware, lovely company and conversation. Subtle and delicate food which the wines matched well with.