Tasting of Abbotts & Delaunay Wines, represented by Azureau, Wine Bar Nov 6/12

The Date and Time: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 Noon to 2:30 PM
The Event: Tasting of Abbotts & Delaunay Wines, represented by Azureau
Wine Agency.
The Venue: Wine Bar, Church Street
The Target Audience: wine press
The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are available in six-packs,
either by consignment(C) or by private order (PO)
The Quote/Background: Abbotts & Delaunay is a boutique winery
specializing in AOC Languedoc wines. The Australian Nerida Abbott
created the winery, but Laurent Delaunay from Badet Clement acquired it
in 2005. M. Delaunay led the tasting which was complemented by a paired
tasting menu.
The Wines: We tasted the Reserve range and the Nuages et Vents range
(old vines in high altitudes), as well as two entry levels.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Abbotts & Delaunay Minervois 2010 [syrah, grenache, carignan],$18.95 C
-Abbotts & Delaunay Minervois Cumulo Nimbus 2010 [syrah,carignan],
$27.95 C
-Abbotts & Delaunay Alto Stratus Pays d'Oc 2010 [carignan], $27.95 C

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price
Rating terms):
-Abbotts & Delaunay Chardonnay Pays d'Oc 2010, $18.95 C
-Abbotts & Delaunay Corbieres 2010 [syrah,grenache,mourvedre],$18.95 PO
-Abbotts & Delaunay Cotes de Roussillon 2010 [syrah, grenache,
carignan], $18.95 C
-Abbotts & Delaunay Zephyr Chardonnay Limoux 2011, $30.95 PO
-Abbotts & Delaunay Boreas 2010 [syrah, grenache, mourvedre], $30.95 PO

*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Abbotts & Delaunay Merlot Pays d'Oc 2010, $15.95 C

The Food: We began with an amuse bouche of white truffle and wild
mushroom croquette before moving on to a cheddar and apple salad. Of
course, the wines (all food wines) went well. I saved all of mine for
cross-comparisons. Then we had a plate of duck confit and smoked duck
breast, and this was followed by a wild sustainable fish ragout
(salmon, sea scallops, shrimp). I'm not sure why we had dessert
(apricot and almond cream tart) since there was no wine to match. I
thought maybe a cheese platter? I adjusted my ratings of the wines
after I matched them with the food. Thus, the Minervois and carignan
ones rose higher.
The Downside: we started late as writers kept arriving.
The Upside: good show, interesting commentary on the wines.
The Contact Person: dan@azureau.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade):
91.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com