Nine BA lounge whites, a bit of a mixed bunch, but some surprises

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Nine BA lounge whites, a bit of a mixed bunch, but some surprises

lounge wine

There are quite a few bottles open in the BA lounge (I’m off travelling again…), so I did a tasting. I’m following the example of one of my wine heroes, Oz Clarke. Whenever he’s in an airport, or on a plane, he makes a point of trying all the wines. I admire his dedication, and the fact that he clearly loves to taste all the wines. I liked some of them, while others were a bit less impressive. There were only five reds and none of them looked interesting, so I stuck with whites.

Vincent Girardin Pernand Vergelesses Vieilles Vignes 2014 Burgundy, France
Wild ferment, 15% new oak, mix of 500 and 228 litre barrels. This is crisp and decisive, with a good concentration of bright, clean citrus fruit and a hint of cedar, vanilla and toast from the oak. But the oak is well integrated, and there’s lots of linear fruit here to balance it out. This is direct and focused, just as white Burgundy should be. Give it a year or two to start developing a bit more complexity, and it will be lovely. Nice lemony acidity. 91/100

Bouchard Pere et Fils Pouilly-Fuissé Vignes Romanes 2015 Burgundy, France
This has a rich pear and apple edge to the citrus fruit palate. It’s ripe and generous, and there’s even a bit of table grape sweetness here. Nicely rounded in the mouth with a seductive depth to it, and some canteloup melon on the finish. Much riper than I was expecting, but with balancing freshness. 89/100

Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis 2009 Burgundy, France
This has a distinct dairy/creamy richness on the palate which dominates the citrus and pear fruit. I think it’s a distraction, and this wine is past its best, from a warmer vintage. There’s an appealing mineral character, too, if you can get past the cheese and cream. 85/100

Yalumba Viognier 2015 Eden Valley, Australia
There’s a lovely density to this wine, with rich apricot and melon fruit, and a peach stone bitterness adding an interesting edge. It’s a varietally true wine, showing the richer side of Viognier, yet capturing its personality fully. Some subtle pithy notes on the finish, giving an added contrast to the ripe yet restrained fruit. 92/100

Domaine de Fontenille Pouilly-Fumé 2014 Loire, France
There’s cabbage and mushroom here, with some citrus and pear fruit. Quite lively, but there’s a bit of cork taint here. Would have been OK I reckon.

Seifried Chardonnay 2014 Nelson, New Zealand
Powerful and lively with some grapefruit and lemon characters, as well as a bit of peach and citrus pith. Lots of flavour here. Rich and fruit driven with a wide range of flavours, from keen and citrussy to rich and peachy. Slightly bitter on the finish. 89/100

Inama Soave Classico 2015 Italy
This is really fresh with a citrus core, but also some lively ripe apple, melon and tangerine notes. Lots of flavour here, with a bit of fruit sweetness and a lively, fresh, lemony finish. It’s a little bit edgy, but in the best way. 90/100

Elk Cove Pinot Gris 2015 Willamette Valley, Oregon
Ripe, sweet and grapey with a slightly bitter, pithy edge to the rich pear and apple fruit. Broad and generous with nice weight to the fruit. 88/100

Wakefield St Andrews Riesling 2012 Clare Valley, Australia
Intense and limey with a touch of creamy, dairy character. There’s some pithiness here, and just a hint of petrol character. Juicy and lively with some bright focus, but it’s not really working for me: the petrol and dairy characters just don’t mesh. 87/100

 

6 Comments on Nine BA lounge whites, a bit of a mixed bunch, but some surprises
wine journalist and flavour obsessive

6 thoughts on “Nine BA lounge whites, a bit of a mixed bunch, but some surprises

  1. I seem to recall Heston doing a program on our sense of taste in flight, and how altitude Zumba the senses. Doubtless they would have tasted different if you’d been in the air. A tasting of wine in flight and then back on terra firma,?

  2. Hi Jamie, thanks for the insight – I fly from terminal 3 on Saturday with the choice of BA first or Cathy first lounge, any thoughts on which one to beeline to?

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