A lways a pleasure to see what distillers can do "in the St Helena 3 Star Australia NV *** grip o f t he grape," providing a highly spidted grape Rich aromas and a full-flavoured product that has the contraindicat ion of complexity and citrus palate w ith lifted raisined­ like spirit. $25 balance at t he alcohol level of 40 per cent or more. • Amazing! UNDER $ 100 2 TASTED 2 AWARDED FRENCH BRANDY Good result with excellent UNDER $100 flavour concentration and a 5 TASTED touch more barrel age. 5 AWARDED Château duTariquet VSOP Solid, youthful commercial Bas- Arm agnac Armagnac style. "More for blending than NV ****112 Very attractive style showing drinking straight." suggested m ore age and complexity the judges. than previous group. Pleasant, Baroque Brandy NV *** lifted and aromatic nose Very young and simple with with a seamlessly balanced fragrances of lemon peel and flavoursome palate. $59 more ci trus on the palate. $24.99 Château du Tariquet AUSTRALIAN Classique VS Bas­ Armagnac Armagnac BRANDY NV Pa le *go***lden hues with a fresh, UNDER $100 complex and lightly lifted nose. 4 TASTED A tad 'feintsy' after dilution but has sorne nice oily notes. $49 Berville XO French 3 AWARDED Brandy NV ***1/2 Powerful leesy elements to the Clean spirited "authentic" nose with a nice long, smooth styles here that are youthful complexity of !lavours that fill UNDER $100 and balanced without being the mouth. $55 7 TASTED doctored up. 7 AWARDED 18 75 Fine Napoleon StAgnes VSOP 5YO Brandy NV *** Small group of excellent Intense vibran t - South Australia like aromas. Good fire on Brandy NV **** balanced spirits showing more the palate w ith lively Lovely rich tiery and oaky aromatics than the others. bouquet. Simple palate, soft in Chatelle Napoleon concentration. $31 the mou th with plenty of length VSOP Rare French Courvoisier XO Sainte Louise VSOP and good depth of character. $38 Brandy NV *'**1/2 Cognac NV ***** Smooth. soft and commercial Napole.Q!!..B!'andy NV *** A real classic. clean but not Whalebone Cask showing sorne good An elegant spicy nose and soft overly complex with an inviting A ged Australia development and heady stewed flavoursome palate with an cognac nose of fruit and oak. fruit cha racters. $40 ·aniseed-like edge. $30 Brandy NV **** Palate is complex and well­ Fine, ~omp l ex and balanced integrated with sorne attractive with well-integrated aromas and fruit sweetness. $99 a really complex floral/woody flavour profile. $89.99

128 1 The Wine & Spirit INSIDER ~ ~ - BRANDY, COGNAC & ARMAGNAC

OTHER BRANDY ARMAGNAC $1 00+ Château duTariquet XO .J Bas- Armagnac NV *** * $100+ 5 TASTED A younger livelier Armagnac ~ 5 AWARDED and really 1 TASTED with a lifted fiery nose ...:.LJ nice length and depth of simple 1 AWARDED The judges thought these were grape purity on the palate. $129 ,, •• i ~,. of excellent quality offering a An alternative spirit which Chât eau duTariquet Folle · ~~·.·· ''0 match for the best . · created interest. · .~\'···"\,·'"' ' '·•.!/,:,'J " ' ,' Blache 12Years Bas . ·· '•'/ ' ~ l'+l 11 Armagnac NV **** CAMUS 1 Château du Tariquet Folle This Armagnac exhibits lovely Vom Fass Fernandez lUI.>, '' \ Blanche 8Year s Bas­ Brandy de Jerez J.,·~.· .· roundness and complexity. _. · l Armagnac NV ***** Gran Reserva Brandy NV ~... .. ·· Slightly oily nose and pleasant A stylish number; full. softness to the flavoursome (700ml) **** developed and complex with a A lully developed stylish brandy palate. $149 wonderfullift to the complex with a slightly heady bouquet nose and fresh lively flaveurs and nice integration and Vom Fass XO 10YO on the well·balanced palate. complexity to the slightly nutty Camus Borderies XO Armagnac NV Seme nuttiness and nice palate. $104.65 Cognac NV ****1/2 (700ml) ***1/2 A classic style in the more astringency. $129 Big, dark, rich and concentrated restrained mould of cognacs style with seme heady spirit COGNAC $1 00+ with good l ire to the nose and Château duTariquet and attractive smoky peaty 5 TASTED interesting savouriness on the Legendaire Bas- characters. $111.65 well-balanced palate. $275 Armagnac NV ***** 5 AWARDED Not quite the complexity of Vom Fass Napoleon seme but never-the-less it is A great category. 'Fantastic 12 YO Cognac NV still as one judge said. 'A first consistency of quali ty." said one (700ml) **** rate Armagnac•. Has good use of oak, nice freshness. judge. lnteresting fish oil-like characters lifting the nose. Earthy and great concentration and astringency. $179 Martell XO Cognac complex in the mouth w ith a very nice astringency to the NV Deep***** amber hues with clean finish. $181.65 stylish sherry-like characters on the nose with aged nuttiness. J. Painturaud XO STAR RATINGS ***** Palate has seme real length and Cognac NV ***1/2 Three-, four- and five·star ratings are signs of depth with big rich developed A well-balanced product with excellence in fruit quality and w inemaking ski li. of flaveurs. $224.99 nice complexity, plenty Ali wines are judged 'blind' by wine industry fiery spirit and good palate professionals and are compared in peer sweetness. $139.99 ' Martell Cordon Bleu classes by three judges. ac Extra Old Cogn CM Wine is exclusive to Cellarmasters, NV ****1/2 a major mail·order business. Very stylish deep amber CD Cellar door priee. cognac. Big intense spicy nose with a complex and CDO Cellar door only. seamlessly balanced palate SO Sold out. w ith potential for further SN/ A Priee not available at time of printing. development. $199.99 'If Contact information pg 151-152. _., RECOMMENDED cellaring (years). @ BEST VALUE for $20 & und er. For a complete list of what we tasted please refer to www.w inestate.com.au

JUDGES Tim Gneil Bill Hardy Stan Obst Product Manager, Corporate oenologist for Former corporale Alcohol. Tara'c Accolad\_W 1nes (formerly projects manager al Technologies. Constellation). 28 years' distiller Tarac Australia Responsibility lor experience in Pt y Ltd. Has been a blending places such as Mclaren Vale, lecturor on and neuual spirits. Western Australla and France. at the University of Fortified judge at Has judged internationally Adelaide and has Melboume and (France and Japan). and been judged the brandy Rutherglen wine an associale or senior judge at class at tho Adelaide shows. more than 20 stale and regional wine show. wine shows in Australia.

130 1 The Wine & Spirit INSIDER