Palate Shock

My mouth took a beating on Saturday night with one heavyweight wine after another. It started with a Lebanese effort, the Chateau Kekfraya, Compte de M, 2001. Intense cassis nose with exotic spice, this is a bright fruit bomb that is so intense it "prickles" the mouth. The tannins are easygoing and there is a seam of tobacco to add some complexity. A "good" wine. No value judgement on this wine, I don't know how much it cost, so I can't tell you if I'd buy another at the going price.
Next up was the Rosemount Estate, Mountain Blue, Shiraz/Cabernet, Mudgee, 2001. I had this wine last year and thought it was a "wow". This time around, I got berries, dark chocolate and a hint of beef bouillon on the nose. Full bodied, a balanced wine with black fruit and meat. I rated this bottle as "good", was less impressed than last year. No value judgment either.
Two wines of different vintages from the same vineyard went head to head next. The wine in question was the Miguel Torres, Manso de Velasco, Viejas Vinas. The 1998 was a dirty, beefy, brawny wine with only hints of dark black fruit. Tasted very old world even though it was from Chile. It manages a "good" rating. The 2004 was, as expected, fresher with a bit of a candied nose. Spicy, violets with some beefy notes on the palate. "Good". I prefer my wines in between these styles, so, for a lark, I did the unthinkable - I blended them myself in the glass. The result was not too bad!! Anyways, these wines both cost about $40 a bottle, you can find better value elsewhere.
Last up and drunk with dinner were two Spanish wines. I'll talk about the one I drank most, the Vina Pedrosa, Ribero del Duero, Reserva, 2001. Very much in the old Spanish style, this was my favourite wine of the night. A nose of vanilla, oak and fruit that goes on and on. Full bodied, a good blend of oak and fruit on the palate also. A good wine also, so nothing tonight hit the "wow" level.
Cheers!!