Anton Bauer Gmörk Gruner Veltliner 2011

Very attractive sweet clementine and under-ripe melon on the nose, touched with fennel seed, cool cucumber and lime. And yes, it is slightly white peppery, which I don't find in all gruners. The cool and calm approach continues on the palate, which carries a touch of that clementine sweetness, with vermouth-like herbs and some peppery savour. It's not hugely complex or driving on the palate, and I have a question in my notes as to whether it feels a bit lacking in acidic zip. It's good, in quite a laid-back way.

Niepoort LBV 2004

This was one of the first wines I bought from the Bottle Apostle, my local wine shop in Hackney, back in 2009. Previous experiences of this wine had indicated that it would enjoy a bit of time somewhere cool and quiet, and since we had just acquired the use of a cellar, I put it down there for a few years. I have had a Niepoort LBV that was aged too long post-bottling before, and I've also had one that was almost like drinking a young vintage port, so 8 years from harvest seemed to be a decent compromise.
It came up at first all animals and cooked blueberries, but this is not a wine to pop and pour....after a couple of hours it came to life with big roasted walnuts, dried cherries and more blueberry and prune sweetness, dusted in nutmeg. There's lovely presence to the palate, which still says 'young' wine with its forward fruit character, yet the warmth of walnut and fudge is just creeping in. This is a LBV in a different league to most!