London: July 2020. Tasting notes below.
A chance to drink a chenin blanc from a cult winemaker terrified by electromagnetic waves and a mature vintage port. Noble Rot Wine Bar offers difficult to find and ready to drink wines.
One of such wines is from Nicolas Joly, one of the fathers of natural wines. Inspired by the esoteric mysticism of biodynamics, he bottles a delicious chenin blanc in Loire. His style is very recognizable and is now being replicated by more and more winemakers in Savennieres.
The food was on par with the quality of the wine. Chenin blanc paired well with the smoked eel and the ray wing with samphire. The second main course – pan fried gnocchi with courgettes and chanterelles – was a good summer combination. The attentive and courteous service is always very much appreciated.
Tasting notes:
| Nicolas Joly – Le Vieux Clos 2018 | |
|---|---|
| Nose: | Very clean nose of bruised apples and honey. Very intense and precise aromas. |
| Palate: | On the palate the rich fruit leads to a stony minerality. Slate more than chalky. |
| Structure: | Very high electric acid, dry but not austere, very high alcohol (15.5%!!!) and full bodied. Long finish. |
| Cockburns Vintage Port 1967 | |
|---|---|
| Nose: | Figs, prunes, raisins and walnuts invite us to take a sip. After 53 years the fruit aromas are still there. |
| Palate: | On the palate we also discover graphite notes typical of Touriga Nacional (Port’s main grape variety) and nutty aromas. |
| Structure: | It is medium sweet, with medium powdery tannins tamed by time and crisp acid. Beautiful finish that lingers for minutes. |