The Mount Mary Chardonnay from Yarra Valley was definitely a cool climate style Chardonnay, now in its 7th year, showing notes of lemon, ripe pear and apple, lightly ginger-spiced, and the faintest hint of oak influence (30% new oak and the rest in older or larger barrels). A linear structure, beautifully balanced and precise, nice weight on the palate, without being heavy, and a minerally finish. Still very much in its youth....can be enjoyed now and over the next 8 - 10+ years. 17/20 (The label of this bottle specially added a note of commemoration of Dr. John Middleton, the founder of Mount Mary Vineyard who died in 2006.)
We continued with starters of lobster salad, 63 degree egg with sauteed mushroom, crab meat and bellota ham. Then for our main courses, we had the two 2000 Bordeaux side by side.
2000 Montrose (opened and double-decanted 4.5 hours earlier )
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 12.5% abv.
Deep ruby. Cassis, dried herbs, blackberry, cedar, violet, hint of smoke, lead pencil, stoney, cool minerality, initially a hint of herbaceousness. Firm tannin, sense of freshness and coolness dominates the robust structure, powerful but not fleshy. Medium bodied. Muscular, firm and classic St Estephe. Still very youthful. Needs time to resolve. Continued to develop in the glass, took on more weight and the flavours more concentrated. Drink 2018+. A long life ahead. At least 20 years. 18/20
2000 Pavie (opened and double-decanted 2.5 hours earlier)
60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.5% abv.
Deep ruby. Seductive nose of plump blackberry fruit, dark chocolate, hint of cedar over the liquorice and vanilla notes. Almost port-like. Fleshy and opulent, lush fruit and ripe but firm tannin dominating the texture, viscous and concentrated, still retaining a good level of balancing freshness. This is a wine generous in every sense! You can enjoy it now but I would wait 5 - 6 more years for a more harmonious experience. A very very long life ahead! Tonight, I preferred the less over-powering and more harmonious Montrose, as the Pavie seemed a bit too full-on! I do think the Pavie has an extremely long life ahead and will live up to its legendary status with the right amount of bottle age. 18+/20
We finished with Jeremy's selection of cheese, washed down with a half bottle of 2001 Suduiraut from the restaurant's wine list. Jeremy Evrard never fails to impress with his incredible knowledge of cheese and his stories about individual cheesemakers......For me, this is always a highlight at Upper Modern Bistro!
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