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Other Wines

Themed tastings around other select wine regions. Although I have my 'specialist subjects', tasting widely is vital in order to keep some context. Here I look at Champagne, Port, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Rioja, Germany...the list goes on. There are also 'mixed bag' tastings - those that are impossible to classify in any meaningful way - as well as links to all my other 'odd bottle' tasting notes.

• Aged NV Champagne (7/5/03) NV Champagnes demand time in the cellar.
• Bollinger: 2009 Update (7/10/09) A selection of wines presented by Bollinger.
• Champagne Information Bureau Tasting 2009 Part 1 (21/4/09) Non-vintage wines.
• Champagne Information Bureau Tasting 2009 Part 2 (23/4/09) The vintage wines.
• Champagne Information Bureau Tasting 2008 Part 1 (13/5/08) Non-vintage wines.
• Champagne Information Bureau Tasting 2008 Part 2 (15/5/08) Vintage wines.
• Champagne Information Bureau Tasting 2007 Part 1 (12/4/07) Non-vintage wines.
• Champagne Information Bureau Tasting 2007 Part 2 (13/4/07) Vintage wines.
• Champagne Information Bureau Tasting 2006 Part 1 (21/3/06) Vintage wines.
• Champagne Information Bureau Tasting 2006 Part 2 (22/3/06) Rosé and demi-sec.
• Champagne 1989 (26/6/00) Great wines from an excellent vintage.
• Champagne 1995 (3/8/07) A relief after four disappointing vintages.
• Champagne 1996 (10/8/07) An incredible vintage.
• Prestige Cuvée Champagne (28/9/04) A splendid tasting of Champagne's top wines.

• New Producers, New Wines (16/1/01) Rhône producers and cuvées new to me.
• Northern Rhône 2001 (12/3/03) Good but not great.
• Northern Rhône 1996 (19/7/01) A vintage often criticised for its acidity.
• Northern Rhône 1995 (19/3/03) Allemand and Jaboulet, among others.
• Northern Rhône 1994 (12/2/02) Good value and nearing maturity.
• Northern Rhône 1991 (6/11/02) A great vintage in Côte-Rôtie and Cornas.
• Northern Rhône 1990 (9/5/01) Wines both stunning and disappointing.
• Northern Rhône 1988 (31/7/02) Another great vintage in the Rhône.
• Older Northern Rhône: 1980 - 1986 (11/10/01) Chave, Jaboulet and more.
• Southern Rhône & Languedoc 2001 (13/3/03) Fabulous vintage.
• Southern Rhône & Languedoc 2000 (8/9/09) Fine, fresh and full wines.
• Southern Rhône & Languedoc 1998 (19/2/08) Failure or success?
• Southern Rhône & Languedoc 1996 (19/7/01) Some very good wines.
• Southern Rhône 1995 (2/3/04) A lovely vintage for Châteauneuf du Pape.
• Southern Rhône 1994 (12/2/02) More wonderful wines from the top estates.
• Châteauneuf du Pape 1989 (10/700) A great vintage in the Southern Rhône.
• Vignobles Brunier Tasting 2007 (7/2/08) Vieux Télégraphe and more.

• Albert Bichot 2007 Chablis (3/6/09) Plus other vintages of the grands crus.
• Albert Bichot 2007 Côte d'Or Whites (28/5/09) Very good wines at all levels.
• Albert Bichot 2007 Côte d'Or Reds (4/6/09) From Bourgogne up to the grands crus.
• Around Beaujolais with 1752 (9/9/08) I taste a selection of Beaujolais crus.
• Burgundy at The Ledbury, 2010 (19/1/10) Fourteen wines tasted with Eric LeVine.

• Germany 2007 Part 1 (24/6/08) A review of the vintage, and wines from the Nahe.
• Germany 2007 Part 2 (26/6/08) The wines of the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer.
• Germany 2005 (14/12/06) A review of a great vintage, with tasting notes.
• Germany: Sommelier's Choice (9/9/05) Six wines chosen by top sommeliers.
• Great German Riesling (23/6/05) Three wines; part of a series on German wine.

• Rioja Tasting (11/7/02) From basic Rioja to Gran Reserva.
• The Wines of Navarra Part 1 (23/12/08) An introduction, with whites and rosados.
• The Wines of Navarra Part 2 (7/1/09) Thoughts and notes on the red wines.

• Ancient Port Tasting (27/10/06) Ports from the 20th Century, mostly.
• Fifty Great Portuguese Wines 2009: Part 1 (9/6/09) Jamie Goode's picks.
• Fifty Great Portuguese Wines 2009: Part 2 (10/6/09) And no Port to be seen!
• The Styles of Port (29/4/08) Commonly encountered styles, with Dow's & Taylor's.
• Vintage Port 2003 (27/5/05) I taste the wines of a great vintage.
• Vintage Port 1997 (19/2/03) Two wines from this vintage.
• Vintage Port 1985 (11/10/00, updated 6/3/09) Delightful Fonseca in particular.
• Vintage Port 1983 (14/2/04) Great value wines, drinking now.

• Australia Day Tasting 2009 Part 1 (3/2/09) I start with some white wines.
• Australia Day Tasting 2009 Part 2 (5/2/09) And now the reds.
• Australian Shiraz (6/3/01) Featuring Penfolds Grange and Jim Barry's Armagh.
• Australian Shiraz (8/9/04) Another tasting, with Jasper Hill and Tatachilla.
• Australian Cabernet (26/2/03) Cape Mentelle, Redbank and more.
• Australian Cabernet (9/9/04) Howard Park, Moss Wood, Petaluma and more.

• New Zealand Wine Annual Tasting 2008 Part 1 (21/10/08) White wines.
• New Zealand Wine Annual Tasting 2008 Part 2 (23/10/08) Red wines.
• New Zealand Wine Annual Tasting 2007 Part 1 (4/12/07) Sauvignon, and more.
• New Zealand Wine Annual Tasting 2007 Part 2 (13/12/07) Pinot Noir, mostly.

• A Taste of South Africa with Richard Kelley (10/11/09) Ten wines over lunch.
• Wines of South Africa 2008 Part 1 (3/6/08) White wines.
• Wines of South Africa 2008 Part 2 (5/6/08) Red wines.
• South African Red (21/5/00) Some of South Africa's top reds.

• English Sparkling Wine (6/8/00) Featuring Nyetimber & Ridgeview.

• Birthday Treats (24/3/06) Nice wines from 2006.
• Christmas Wine (8/1/09) Festive wine notes from 2008.
• Christmas Wine (4/1/08) Festive wine notes from 2007.
• Christmas Wine (3/1/07) Festive wine notes from 2006.
• Christmas Wine (5/1/06) Festive wine notes from 2005.
• Christmas Wine (4/1/05) Festive wine notes from 2004.
• Edinburgh Tasting: After the Port (22/11/06) A mixed bag of wines.
• Edinburgh Tasting at La Concha (17/5/05) Old Rioja and more.
• Female Winemakers (12/1/05) Wines from Claire Villars, Vanya Cullen and more.
• France Under One Roof 2008 (22/7/08)
• Liverpool Wine Tasting (10/9/03) A mixed bag of wines.
• Liverpool Wine Tasting (23/6/04) Another mixed bag of wines.
• Three Tasting Groups Converge (12/6/02) Good food and wine.
• Blind assessment (18/10/01) A tasting of 'off the shelf' wines.
• Syrah and Shiraz (4/7/01) Syrah from Old and New Worlds.
• Wine Society Syrah and Shiraz (1/5/07) Wines from the 2007 list.
• Odd Bottles (24/5/01) A mixed selection of wines.
• Odd Bottles (7/2/02) Another mixed selection of wines.