Olivier Dauga's Ukraine and Bordeaux Tasting

Notes from Olivier Dauga's Kolonist and Rollan de By tasting

The Ukrainian wines at this tasting were the more interesting but less technically adept; the Bordeaux wines showed flawless typicity and precisely reflected the conditions of their vintage.

Kolinist was founded around 15 years ago and is located on the Romanian border; Rollan de By is a modern Médoc estate that has expanded since 1989 to 70 hectares.

Kolonist
Bisser Sparkling NV (100% Chardonnay) significant bottle variation, but the better of the two showed fresh elegance with yeasty brioche

Sukholymanske white 2015 (100% Sukholymanske) fresh and light with green apple and a Jura-esque florality-nuttiness

Cabernet Merlot 2011 ripe and supple with dried green herbs, bramble and cherries; light and fresh

Cabernet Merlot 2012 soft, supple and elegant with good bramble fruit and dried herbs

Cabernet Merlot 2015 in magnum and from a better year, this has a little more oomph

Odesa Black 2015 (Cab, Alicante Bouschet) ripe bramble and berry fruits, dried herbs; fresh supple and spicy - big and full but balanced

Riesling 2015 full and fresh with ripe yellow stone fruit, spiciness and minerality; slightly off-dry

Domaines Rollan de By
Ch Haut Condissas 1999 dried fruits, dried bell peppers and rosehips with a muscular mineral core; long, substantial and supple but tiring. Drink up now. Good.

Ch Haut Condissas 2010 expressive, vibrant and fresh with bramble fruit, dried green herbs and mintiness. Wonderful wine from a wonderful vintage. Very Good.

Ch Haut Condissas 2014 sits somewhere between the light 2012 and the substance of the 2010; Good.

Ch Greysac 2012 light, fine and elegant with bramble fruit and mint; can't hide the inherent weakness of its vintage