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Tasting Notes Blog - Printer-Friendly Version
- April, 2008
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Wednesday, April 30, 2008 WT043008-01. 06 SAUMUR BLANC RESERVE DES VIGNERONS, CAVE DE SAUMUR - (FRANCE LOIRE) All chenin blanc. Not a thick chenin; rather, lithe and uplifting. Fine Saumur limestone-born chenin clarity. Spiced apple highlight./ Fresh acidity. Crisp and classic. This is better than the cooperative Saumur blanc we used to get years back. May be the same co-op, but better winemaking today. Nice to see a typical wine of the region, not one that a winemaker has manipulated to make it ‘bigger’. This fully reveals its unique terroir. Well liked by the group. 16.2. WT043008-02. 07 OC CHARDONNAY, LOUIS PIERRE & FILS - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Lots of soft, ripe Golden Delicious apple. A warmer, more southern wine, riper, fuller, stronger./ Ripe apple. Fresh, young, and good. Use it while it’s that way. Liked by the group. 15.3. WT043008-03. 07 BUEHLER RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Full, forthcoming, powerful. Lots of toasty oak. Still some floral fermentation airs. Citrus and other tropical fruits./ The oak adds sweet vanilla and caramel flavors. Green apple malic acidity. Still a little uncoordinated, incoherent, disjointed. No doubt it will become more settled and harmonious as the months pass. 15.4+. WT043008-04. 06 CYCLES GLADIATOR CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) True, cool, fresh cherry and tea pinot aromas. Engaging. Cherries Jubilee suggestions come on after aeration./ Juicy and real pinot. Delicious as well as accurate. Certainly coastal. There’s a freshness and fruit purity to it, absence of heavy oak and alcohol influences. This makes it seem almost non-Californian. But there’s no Burgundian terroir here and no Oregon-New Zealand herbalness, so it kinda fills a niche of its own. I like that. 16.2. WT043008-05. 05 CHATEAU NORBERT, NON FILTRE, COTES DE BOURG - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Ripe and forthcoming for 05. Ripe cherry. Behind that is deep, cool, and black fruit. And tea and tar./ The palate shows more restraint from the start. Very cool, racy. Fine tannin. Well liked by the group. 15.8+. WT043008-06. 06 JUMILLA MONASTRELL, CASA CASTILLO - (SPAIN) Wow! Ripe but cool, southern, high-altitude mourvedre from an ideal setting. Violet-fruited, potpourri spicy, deep./ Yes, deep and cool. Mourvedre’s violet fruit, plus sage, rosemary, and mace. Great acidity; perfect acidity. Light, fine tannin. Fabulous now. I don’t remember any previous vintage coming even close in quality and appeal. Well liked by the group. 16.4. WT043008-07. 06 YECLA MONASTRELL-SYRAH NABUKO, SENORIO DE BARAHONDA - (SPAIN) Half each monastrell and syrah. Sweet and spicy nose. Modern. Loaded./ Again, sweet and strong, full and lush. Whoa! Lots of bells and whistles at this price! Also well liked. 16.8. WT043008-08. 06 MICHAEL POZZAN ANNABELLA SPECIAL SELECT NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Understated blackberry and red currant aromas offer a refined presentation. With aeration the nose becomes deeper and darker in fruit and begins to display some spicy oak. Strong in the delivery./ Well, this is going to need some time. It’s more compact than the nose, and the charry, spicy oak has not yet settled in. Still, there are hints of the same charms offer by the nose. See again in a few months. 15.8+. WT043008-09. 05 LOUIS MARTINI SONOMA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Sweet and fine fruit, spicy and caramel-y oak./ They both reverberate on the palate. There’s an 05 compact core, but the wine’s ripe fruit, power, oak, and time in oak reveal many of its attributes.. Balanced, generous, and well-proportioned 05 that can be enjoyed now and will present more attractions as it ages. 16.5+. WT043008-10. 04 TOSCANA PICCONERO TENUTA MONTEBELLO, TOLAINI - (ITALY) Wow! Expensive! 65% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot. And it’s a Wow! wine too. Powerful, almost to the point of breath-taking, all-new oak nose countered by full fruit concentration. Full bore. Fully extracted. Loaded./ Huge in oak extract, fruit concentration, and power. Some volatile acidity gives relief. Ambitious. 17.5+. WT043008-11. 04 TOSCANA VALDISANTI TENUTA SAN GIOVANNI, TOLAINI - (ITALY) 75% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 5% cabernet franc. Big oak here too, and big cabernet build and fruit darkness. Real cabernet sauvignon, with Bordeaux elegance, nuance./ Better balanced than the former. More acidity and less oak. More claret-like finesse. Less demonstrative, exaggerated, loud. Both were well liked by the group. 16.9+. WT043008-12. 06 COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES VIGNOBLE DE LA VIALLE, CHATEAU BEAUCHENE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Fine, elegant, racy, and floral fruit and garrigue aromas plus zesty oak baking spices. Fresh, dark fruit and good power./ Wow! Lavender and other garrigue lovelies. Fabulous garrigue range, complex. Well liked by the group, especially at the price. 16.7+. WT043008-13. 06 ST. HALLETT FAITH BAROSSA SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) Warm, peppery, strong, ripe, and lovely bramble aroma profile. Fruity and forward. Nice congruence./ Sweet and succulent Barossa style, straightforward, unabashed, generous. Typical Barossa set. Youthfulness and control of 06 too. Shows good frame and acidity. Will earn complexity over the coming months. Liked by the group. 16.0+. WT043008-14. 05 RANCHO ZABACO HERITAGE VINES SONOMA ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Fresh, full, rich Sonoma zinfandel. Real zin qualities of ripe raspberry and peppercorn. The power is marked but under control, as this is packed with sweet fruit enhanced with vanilla and mocha barrel contributions./ Yes, fruit sweetness and power in tune with one another and with the ample oak augmentation. This is total zinfandel, a fully concentrated rendition. Well liked by the group’s zin fans. 16.7+. WT043008-15. 05 NAPA CELLARS NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Well, this is more Napa elegant and 05 drawn in. Lighter oak, more fruit and oak finesse. Less ripe and thick than the 04. Compact and well delineated../ Black raspberry, black cherry, peppercorn, and vanilla flavors. Attractive richness, balance, and finesse, with good 05 restraint. Nonetheless, the fruit is Trinchero sweet, ripe, and generous. Delicious too. Generally preferred by the group to the Zabaco. 17.0+. WT043008-16. 02 CALISTOGA CELLARS NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) There are youthful, vital zin raspberry signs and an elegant Napa approach, plus fine oak, as the nose slips gently into a bouquet of maturity./ The palate is younger still. Good Napa class to both fruit and oak. Great acidity, especially for 02. Well liked by the group. 16.4. WT043008-17. BOONE’S FARM AMERICAN ORIGINAL WILD CHERRY - (FRUIT) 7.5%. Apple wine base. Sweet cherry candy aroma of Mason Dots. Polished and pure./ But it’s just a facade. Behind is a rather dilute apple wine base. Lacks cherry fruit intensity. Not one of the best additions to the Boones range. Count me out though. Both Ric and Jorge rated it 20/20.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 WT042308-01. 01 TOKAY PINOT GRIS, DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK - (FRANCE ALSACE) Totally fresh nose. Lemon, Golden Delicious apple, nut, and a dab of honey./ Palate added peach-apricot, ripe pear, and oolong tea. Rich, vigorous, nutty. Still holding its freshness four days later. I think it will improve. 16.2+. WT042308-02. 06 GRAYSON CENTRAL COAST CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Boy, all you could want in a chardonnay nose at this price. Rich in chardonnay fruit–apple and lemon. Malo creaminess. Vanilla and caramel oak. Complete./ Good acidity to complement the rich fruit. Good body and strength. Ought to do great at the table. Since the wine is really quite large, I’d steer toward feathered, rather than finny, friends. 16.0. WT042308-03. 06 BERNKASTELER KURFURSTLAY RIESLING KABINETT, J&H SELBACH - (GERMANY) Very cool nose of lime and flowers, green apple, and slate. Classic Bernkasteler style. Lots of lift. Moves into tropics–kiwi, guava, passion fruit./ Delicious lime and tropics flavors. Ethereal, delightful, fresh, grapey, and playful. Dash of spice. Good acidity. Meal-worthy. Easy flowing. 15.8. WT042308-04. 06 FORIS OREGON PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Starts fresh and cool, with tart cherry fruit and tea leaf. Sweet cherry tones come with air./ Cherry, licorice, tea, and tar flavors. Cool nature. But quite robust. Nicely priced. 15.9. WT042308-06. 06 SICILIA NERO D’AVOLA RENOTO, FEUDO MACCARI - (ITALY) First class, modern rosso with lots of bells and whistles for the money. Class oak with cedar, woodsmoke, and spice highlights. Fine, northern fruit qualities (plum, black cherry) suggest high altitude. No southern heat here, no roast./ Good tannin, acid, power, and texture. Fine winemaking. A bargain. 16.3+. WT042308-07. 04 CHIANTI SUPERIORE, CASTELLO DI MONASTERO - (ITALY) Open-hearted and developing a bouquet of sweet, dried cherry, mulberry, grilled herbs, and tobacco./ Plenty of fruit intensity on the palate. Blackberry tea. Good acidity and light tannin. Generous and ready to enjoy. Nice to see some of the 04s coming forward this year. 16.2+. WT042308-08. 05 CHIANTI CLASSICO, CASTELLO DI MONASTERO - (ITALY) Good sangiovese character including some light glycerol. A firmer, younger vintage, clearly, and the slower-developing nature of a Classico./ Lively, with good acidity, fine tannins, and plenty of 05 fruit stuffing. Give it 1-2 years. 16.4+. WT042308-10. 06 MORELLINO DI SCANSANO, MORIS - (ITALY) That nice warmth and comfort of sangiovese (morellino) from southernmost Tuscany, including berry, bramble, and warm spices aromas. Not as compact as the previous two vintages. Larger and riper./ Palate shows more constraint. Needs time. Good acidity and light, fine-grained tannin. I’m eager to follow this. 16.0+. WT042308-11. 05 DOLCETTO D’ALBA VIGNETO DELLA CHIESA, SEGHESIO - (ITALY) Nice red cherry, flowers, and tonic aspects./ Dried fruits and herbs to the flavor profile. Tart and lively. Still a little tannic resistance. 15.7+. WT042308-12. 06 MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO RIPAROSSO, ILLUMINATI - (ITALY) The fine class of montepulciano, a noble variety in the right hands. Cool, racy, pure fruit and flower beauties in the purple style of Illuminati year after year./ Plum, black cherry, chocolate, tobacco, spices. Lush and ripe, large and commanding. Racy, sleek, elegant, and well proportioned too. Fine acidity. A delicious food wine now and ageworthy
to boot. The best since 2001. 16.3+. WT042308-13. 06 DON RODOLFO VINA CORNEJO COSTAS CAFAYATE VALLEY MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Warm and robust, young and powerful. As usual. Dark fruit, soft and ripe, plus peppered meat and dark chocolate./ Do I get some oak vanilla? Rich, warm, round, sweet. Warm climate of Cafayate shows, adding a robust quality. Generous for sure. 15.6+. WT042308-14. 06 DE BORTOLI DB SELECTION SE AUSTRALIA PETITE SIRAH - (AUSTRALIA) Good oak character, plenty of alcohol, and a minty freshness that suggests good acidity. Some dark and intriguing varietal properties./ Yes, fresh and wholesome. Balanced and appealing red wine with a nice touch of oak. One of the best vintages of this rare Aussie petite sirah. 15.0. WT042308-15. 05 D’ARENBERG D’ARRY’S ORIGINAL MCLAREN VALE SHIRAZ-GRENACHE - (AUSTRALIA) Whoa! Total grenache fatness and generosity, with dark, deep, hefty shiraz in the support role. A fine, even sexy, melange with range and harmony. And total give./ Yes, sweet, ripe, glycerined, powerful, intensely fruity (strawberry, raspberry), and lasting. I can see the high rating. This really comes out at you, and gives and gives.
Good acid and tannin underpinnings too. A wonderfully delicious take on the ‘Original’, always one of d’Arenberg’s best wines. 16.9+. WT042308-16. 06 BALATONI SEMI SWEET MERLOT, MARIKA - (HUNGARY) Sweetish indeed. Dark, deep, rich, generous fruit, if not specifically merlot related./ Sweet taste, like many Eastern Europeans like their red wines. Hint of merlot black cherry and tea. A distinctive and intriguing textural appeal. Easy, simple, generous. Will have followers. 15.5. WT042308-17. 07 CAGNINA DI ROMAGNA ADESSO, ENIO OTTAVIANNI - (ITALY) Aromas of cherries, berries, and flowers. Sweet and spicy as usual. Not unlike Lambrusco./ Fresh, bright, and ready to use. There are some tones that recall Beaujolais. Sweet, soft, and right. This is cagnina. 15.5. WT042308-18. 06 ALBANA DI ROMAGNA BACIAMI, LE ROCCHE - (ITALY) Young, brassy, nutty, waxy. Pinot gris like. Some flowers too though. A correct albana./ Fresh and appley like an Orvieto. Yes, a proper albana, and the price is right. I’d like to see this again with a little more age. That should enhance its depth and complexity. 15.5+. Wednesday, April 16, 2008 WT041608-01. 06 EVANS & TATE MARGARET RIVER SAUVIGNON BLANC - (AUSTRALIA) Very grassy and zesty. Also fat and ripe. Peach, pear, bubblegum. Nice show. My be the best Evans sauvignon we’ve tried./ Flavors of grass, bell pepper, and capsicum. Lithe, with cleansing herbaceouness and bitter edge. 15.0. WT041608-02. 07 SPINYBACK NELSON SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Crisp and bright, fresh, fragrant, penetrating. Tropical fruits, especially lime. More volume and roundness as it airs. / Plump and juicy. Lusher and riper than a Marlborough sauvignon. Still, nice form, briskness, bite, and vigor. 16.5. WT041608-03. 07 ELK COVE WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT GRIS - (U.S.) Full, young, nutty, appley. With air, peach and tropical fruits. Pears galore. Even an agave notes. Rich, weighty, buxom, and right. They’ve got this down./ Yes, round, rich fruit, sweet cream, and varietal high glycerol level. Enough acidity and juiciness to counter. Delicious, and will get even better over the coming months. 16.7+. WT041608-04. 05 CHATEAU GUIRAUD CHEVAL BLANC, COTES DE BOURG - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Rich, youthful merlot fruit. Black fruits, cigar box; some earth, barnyard, reduction. The 03 was great, the 05 seems likewise generous./ Good richness and promise. Surprisingly soft and fleshy. Still some reductive notes that will time for resolution. Well formed and promising. 16.2+. WT041608-05. 05 PRINCE DE TABOURG, COTES DE BOURG - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Rich and right. Bourg amplitude, meatiness, solidity, generosity, ripeness. Plum, blackberry, cassis. Nice fanfare of oak spices./ Rich fruit, fine-grained tannin. Dense and well proportioned. 05 finesse. Plus Bourg bounties. 16.0+. WT041608-06. 04 CHATEAU L’ENCLOS BONIS, SAINT ESTEPHE - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Solid cabernet sauvignon dried fruits. Rich layer of leather and tobacco./ Big and rustic with muscular angularity and lots of smoke and leather. Needs time to resolve its tannins. 15.7+. WT041608-07. 05 MADIRAN, CHATEAU BOUSCASSE - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) 65% tannat, 25% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc. Firm, with fine 05 fruit elegance, beauty. Fragrant oak spices. Compact young tannat form./ Fine oak contributions: vanilla, chocolate, toast, brown spices. And much, much more. Rich and persistent creamy black fruits and cassis. Silky and graceful, nuanced 05 side to it too. So complex, so much to
sense, to observe. A three-ring circus. And the acts will get better too. 16.7+. WT041608-08. 06 SHOOTING STAR WASHINGTON BLUE FRANC - (U.S.) Nice, soft, blue fruits–what a lemberger is all about. Nice dab of oak./ Again, ripe and soft, but also cool and racy in the Pac NW mode. Lithe, sweet, cohesive, playful. Clean acid carriage. Fine tannin. Good form and balance. Light oak complex with a chocolate nuance. 16.1. WT041608-09. 06 FAUGERES RESERVE, DOMAINE DE LA CHATAIGNEREE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 60% syrah, 20% each grenache and mourvedre. Young and unresolved conflict between ripeness and herbalness. Not much in the way of aromatics yet. This will need some time./ Palate shows dried cranberry, new shoe leather, and tobacco. Not yet ready for prime time. 14.4++. WT041608-10. 06 OC MARSELAN, CHATEAU CAMPLAZENS - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) The grape is a cabernet sauvignon-grenache cross. Fresh and new blueberry like nose with undertones of game and leather./ Fine complex of garrigue nuances and blue fruits. Warm and exotic notes of citron, orange peel, fruit syrup, and fruit cake. Unique. 15.9. WT041608-11. 04 LA CLAPE - COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC LA GARRIGUE, CHATEAU CAMPLAZENS - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Yes! Blue and black fruits and berries and plenty of the eponymous garrigue./ Oh, boy! Lots of garrigue notes, including flowers. Great fresh acidity and fine tannins of 04. Plenty of flavor and texture verve and interest. And range. 16.7. WT041608-12. 05 COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC BRONZINELLE, CHATEAU SAINT MARTIN DE LA GARRIGUE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Rich and racy, dense and savory. Full of garrigue, summer sausage, fruits, flowers, and perfumed riches. Wow!/ Yes, rich and rangy. Full fruit and garrigue display. Richer and headier, less racy and detailed, than the 04. The style and generosity of 05. Will benefit from some aging. 16.8+. WT041608-13. 05 LIRAC, CHATEAU BOUCARUT - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Nice Gard race and sweet 05 fruit. Young and fresh. Dried cherry, flowers, beef jerky. Coming forth some./ Plenty of grip, form, tannin. And the sweet fruitiness of the vintage. Plus smoked meat, black earth, bulb flowers, and spices. Total keeper. 16.5+. WT041608-14. 06 MONTES ALPHA APALTA VINEYARD COLCHAGUA VALLEY SYRAH - (CHILE) Rich in syrah raspberry and flowers, and oak warm spices and vanilla./ Full in respect to both the fruit and the oak. Berries, flowers, pipe tobacco, vanilla, toast, mocha, toffee. Dense, concentrated, well proportioned, stylish. Montes style. Popular and useful now, better in 1-2 years. 17.0+. WT041608-15. 05 NAPA CELLARS NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Powerful for 05 (14.2%), with vanilla and nutmeg oakiness. Fruit and flowers beauties too. Bright cabernet blackberry black cherry, and black currant. Full, large, complex. Real pizzazz./ Rich, seamless, complete fruit-and-oak Napa cabernet package. None of the contrite qualities of some young 05s. But certainly has good 05 acidity, style, control.
Well balanced. 17.0+. WT041608-16. 05 FOLIE A DEUX AMADOR ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) The freshness of 05. Less warmth and ripeness than 04, and perhaps even 03, though the alcohol is 14.5%. Nice oak vanilla./ Juicy and fresh, uplifting. Spices and flowers. Well under control this vintage. I like it. 16.5. WT041608-17. 07 BURG LAYER SCHLOSSKAPELLE SPATLESE, JOHANNES EGBERTS - (GERMANY) Fresh and fruity with some of the grassiness and bulb flower aromas of a German cross varietal like huxel. Good and sweet nose./ And palate. Spatlese sweet. Flavors of peach, apple, honey, chamomile, talc, and tea. Soft, fresh, and very pleasant indeed. 15.8. Wednesday, April 9, 2008 WT040908-01. 06 OAK GROVE RESERVE CALIFORNIA SAUVIGNON BLANC - (U.S.) Varietal charms the likes of quince and lemongrass, even some tropical fruits./ Sweet, candied fruitiness cut by acid bite. Some alcohol heat. OK for the price. 14.8. WT040908-02. 06 OAK GROVE RESERVE CALFORNIA PINOT GRIGIO - (U.S.) This is better. More delineated. Fuller. And varietally expressive. Nut, apple. Lightly floral overtones./ Yes, good apple and melon grigio character. Soft, creamy, and rich texture. Glides across the palate eased by some natural grigio glycerol. Liked by the group. 15.4. WT040908-03. 06 OAK GROVE RESERVE CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Oaky, but not too oaky. Nice fruit perfume. Some chardonnay musque?/ Plump and appley fruit. Rich, creamy, vanilla bean, oak-derived taste. French vanilla ice cream. Egg custard. Seductive palate. 15.2. WT040908-04. 06 BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY LAFORET, JOSEPH DROUHIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Nice. Good, mellow oak influence, and plenty of it. Loaded, actually. With air come citrus peel, oak spices, and elegant, lightly floral highlights./ Full, with the large frame and filling of a Chalonnais wine. Has real terroir oomph, plenty enough to handle the oak. Well, I think this has more substance to it than the 05 even. Seems more
Chalonnais than Maconnais. 16.4+. WT040908-05. 06 PETIT CHABLIS, DOMAINE ALAIN PAUTRE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) @ Prehy. The richness of 06 fruit (lemon, peach, pineapple, papaya) kept at home by Chablis terroir, flint, and calcaire foundations, even a walnut suggestion./ Great acidity, especially for 06. Full body and vigor. Deep, lasting, and positively DRENCHED with terroir. A ‘petit’ Raveneau. Very popular with the group. 16.9+. WT040908-06. 06 BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR LAFORET, JOSEPH DROUHIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Good, well defined Burgundy pinot pie cherry and cherry blossom nose. Nice, crisp, neat 06 pinot style./ Yes, fresh and crisp, and not unlike the 05 at the same stage, and later too. Just a little less material here than in the 05. Commendable value all the same. 16.2+. WT040908-07. 05 OAK GROVE RESERVE CALIFORNIA MERLOT - (U.S.) Snappy merlot nose with licorice nip, concentrated berry core, and light oak patina./ Spicy oak, briary fruit. Good acidity to foil the nicely plump merlot fruit. Well liked by the group. 15.8. WT040908-08. 05 OAK GROVE RESERVE CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Good blackberry-cassis cabernet character with attractive oak toastiness./ Seems riper and softer than the merlot so less texturally stimulating. Good cabernet clarity, body, depth, and tannin though, balancing the fruit amplitude. 15.6. WT040908-09. 06 LA CLAPE - COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC DES KARANTES, DOMAINE DES KARANTES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Rich and sweet and fulfilled quality-vintage fruit. Plus the cut, the cool, the licorice foil. Peppercorn and flowers extras./ Dark and plump, fresh and boisterous. A burst of fruit flavors, really. Great acidity, ripe and vibrant. Firm core of tannin. Still some austerity of youth. Promising. Good price for La
Clape. 15.9+. WT040908-10. 06 VAUCLUSE VIEILLES VIGNES CUVEE DE LA DAME VIEILLE, DOMAINE DU VIEUX CHENE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Lush, fleshy, sassy, and demonstrative old vines grenache aromatic and textural intensity. Dried strawberry, sweet cherry, plum, and fig. Baking aromas, especially mace./ Palate adds white pepper, lavender, game, orris root, and tar. Bright acid carriage. Reserves a tight core of fruit substance yet. 15.6+. WT040908-11. 06 COTES DU RHONE, KERMIT LYNCH - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Vignerons Reunis Terres d’Avignon. Real grenache ripe strawberry plumpness and power. Peppercorn extras./ Strawberry, blackberry, orange peel, tea, licorice, and game. Rich and sweet but short of jammy. Plump and polished fruit padding around a firm tannic core. Good power, grip. I prefer this to the 05. Enjoyed by the group. 16.0+. WT040908-12. 06 COTES DU RHONE, DOMAINE DE LA TOURADE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Fresh, black, and very peppery. Garrigue perfumes./ Yes, very snappy, peppery taste. Black cherry and garrigue exotica. Spicy-gamy. Fine tannin. Plenty of grip. Well tuned. This will reward some aging.. 16.0+. WT040908-13. 04 COTES DU RHONE LES DEUX ALBION, SAINT COSME - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Full and ripe for 04. Showing attractive nuances of bottle bouquet development. Nicely opened out, substantial, and rich. House style./ Yes, this is big, open, strong. In fact, Gigondas like. Rosemary and other garrigue notions. Pepper jerky. Full, dense, chewy, and lasting. Delivers. 16.3+. WT040908-14. 05 LIRAC, DOMAINE DU JONCIER - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Oh, fine and racy Gard coolness and Lirac extra body. That special refinement and elegance of Right Bank rouge. Black cherry fruit and floral airs. Bitter chocolate, mincemeat./ Rich and full and amply textured. A big mass of fruit at the core, especially for a Gard rouge. Stately, well framed, deep. Plenty of texture, fine Gard acidity, long aftertaste.
Plenty of material, goodies, richness, expressiveness. Will improve for 3-5 years plus. 17.2+. WT040908-15. 05 OAK GROVE RESERVE CALIFORNIA SHIRAZ - (U.S.) Fragrant, uplifting aromas of flowers, oak, berries, peppercorn. Some real syrah notions./ Some reductive funk to the palate yet. Oak and syrah get through though. Soft. Nose better than palate. But give it a few weeks. 14.3+. WT040908-16. 05 OAK GROVE RESERVE CALIFORNIA PETITE SIRAH - (U.S.) Cool and racy. Lots of peppercorn. Nice, light oak involvement./ Ripe and soft. Tannin gives some textural play. Good flavor intensity for pet. A lavender highlight–touch of class. 15.1. WT040908-17. 05 OAK GROVE RESERVE CALIFORNIA ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Kinda juggy Valley zinfandel. Simple fare./ Shows some grip, but mainly sweet, direct, warm-climate jamminess. 14.0. WT040908-18. 01 TAYLOR FLADGATE LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT - (FORTIFIED) Powerful and insistent on the approach. Taylor blackness, grip of the gob, concentration. Tar and black pepper./ Black plum, black cherry, raisin, vanilla, nut, and mocha flavors. Sweet and dense and deep. The relative LBV ease compared to Vintage. A fresher style than the 00. Well balanced. 16.6+. Wednesday, April 2, 2008 WT040208-01. 06 VINHO VERDE, ARCA NOVA - (PORTUGAL) Some dried fruits and straw./ Medium weight. Beyond the fizzy stage. An appealing, burnished richness. Some straw-nut elements. A limestone tang to the finish. 14.8. WT040208-02. ITALIA BIANCO REALE, CANTINA SOCIALE DEL CANAVESE - (ITALY) @Cuceglio northeast of Turin. Founded in 1960. Fresh. Very good, crisp, young fruit statement. Rich too./ Yes, plump, rich, plentiful fruit with great acid race. Bright lemon and calcaire notes. A great food wine all the way. 16.0. WT040208-03. 05 ERBALUCE DI CALUSO ELISA, CANTINA SOCIALE DEL CANAVESE - (ITALY) Wow! Lifted airs of flowers and fine, fresh fruits: citrus, melon, nectarine./ Floral essences, spiced pear, and quince. Great texture. Fine grip and juiciness. Lots of presence. And finesse. Erbaluce really is a class varietal. 16.3. WT040208-04. 05 ERBALUCE DI CALUSO CRIO, CANTINA SOCIALE DEL CANAVESE - (ITALY) Made by alternating layers of grape bunches and dry ice, the pressing undertaken after the dry ice has transpired. Scented. Floral. A sachet of flowers, aromatic barks, and brown spices. The process seems to draw extra aromatics from the grape peels./ Apples, nuts, and flowers. Vibrant, stylish, classy, intriguing, and delightful. Large,
round, rich, flavorful, lasting. 16.7+. WT040208-05. 05 CANAVESE ROSATO CONVENTO, CANTINA SOCIALE DEL CANAVESE - (ITALY) Pleasing strawberry and watermelon sweet fruit aromas. Fresh enough yet. Will some pleasant tones of bottle development too./ Flavors not as intense as aromas, but this makes a good mouthful thanks to body and power. Would prefer it younger though. 15.7. WT040208-06. 01 RIESLING COTEAU DU BLETTIG, J-C RUHLMANN - (FRANCE ALSACE) One thing we’ve sure learned tasting these older German and Alsace wines from inventory lately is that the cold VC cellar makes for great storage conditions. Most of these wines have aged admirably. Like this one. Lovely, silky, edel nose. Just a beauty in the 01 vernacular: discreet, delineated, measured, stylish, classy./ Yes, great finesse.
The riesling bouquet that has formed is in the evergreen family but much more subtle and elegant than pine resin. It’s more like cedar. Dry, and rich in extract. Fine, racy acidity. Ideal balance. Best this has ever tasted. It wanted the age! Two days later, it was more beautiful still. 17.1. WT040208-07. 02 RIESLING CLOS DE CAPUCINS RESERVE PERSONNELLE, DOMAINE WEINBACH - (FRANCE ALSACE) Wow! A beauty. This too has cedar airs. Plus tangelo peel. Offers a deep, spicy-floral complex./ Good tawny-peach ripeness and development. 02 glycerol and extract interplay. Large and rounded. There’s a peach-apricot-honey complex here that suggests some botrytis. 17.0+. WT040208-08. 00 RIESLING MUHLFORST, DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK - (FRANCE ALSACE) Good freshness yet. It’s just thriving with age!/ Rich flavors of honey, grain, and flowers. Muhlforst always has a grainy-mealy element. Really great acidity, especially in a relatively soft vintage. Best it’s ever tasted. Two days later, just as lovely and well formed. 17.2. WT040208-09. 00 RIESLING ROSACKER GRAND CRU, DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK - (FRANCE ALSACE) Surprisingly, the Grand Cru is more advanced. Getting a little rusty. Grain bin, grain dust, dry-roasted nuts./ Lightly sweetish and smooth. Less acidity apparent but good strength to stand in for it. I wouldn’t keep this much longer. Some in the group favored it though. 16.2. WT040208-10. 01 GEWURZTRAMINER SPOREN GRAND CRU, DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK - (FRANCE ALSACE) Wow! Intensely tonic, spicy, evolved. Large and dark qualities of Sporen. Lychee, peach, apricot, papaya, honey, black tea./ Aromatic barks, star anise, orange peel, and ginger. Sweet and honeyed, auslese like in richness and concentration. Hefty gewurz. Two days later, even bigger, darker, deeper, broader. Grand experience. 17.7. WT040208-11. 01 GEWURZTRAMINER KAEFFERKOPF GRAND CRU, MARTIN SCHAETZEL - (FRANCE ALSACE) Wow! Lychee and orange zest. Rose and orange blossom. A spicy, peppery nip too./ Honey-centered , with good framing and acidity for balance. Eases itself across the palate. Long, rosy, spicy aftertaste. Two days later, even richer, more succulent, and more expressive. 17.0+. WT040208-12. ITALIA ROSSO REALE, CANTINA SOCIALE DEL CANAVESE - (ITALY) Good, vigorous, young fruit with lots of cherry, peel, and licorice./ Cool climate. Peels oriented. Spicy peels extracts. Full acidity, texture, grip. Fine tannin. Lasting. 16.0. WT040208-13. 05 CANAVESE ROSSO IMAGINE, CANTINA SOCIALE DEL CANAVESE - (ITALY) Of nebbiolo, barbera, freisa, and neretto. Medicinal. Astringent. Like Islay Scotch, it smells of iodine./ Similar in taste but less pronounced. Good acidity and grip. Medium bodied. Lasting. Two days later: out of its medicinal stage. Attractive almond note. I’m keener on it now. 15.5++. WT040208-14. 06 CHIANTI, CASTELLO DI QUERCETO - (ITALY) As at my Tuesday Art Center class, classic sangiovese aromas of dried cherry, orange peel, and anise. Tight, as it was then. With airing, polished and dense, with ample sweet mulberry, plum, and pipe tobacco notes./ Racy acidity and good glycerol counterpoint. Opening some now; richer and rounder than it was the evening before. Real core substance here. Bright,
fresh, and attractive aspects too. Great future. Lovely intro to the fine 06 Tuscan vintage; one of the best Querceto Chiantis we’ve tasted. 15.9+. WT040208-15. 04 CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA, FATTORIA MONSANTO - (ITALY) The usual fresh, fetching, dark, sweet fruit of Monsanto, with riserva time in wood burnish but not woody expressions. Time in wood has mellowed and broadened it to more than a simply woody experience./ Racy, high altitude acidity and form. Nice Chianti glycerol and finely etched tannin. 04 fruit darkness and compactness quite a contrast from the
lusty style of the 03. Graceful, classically drawn Monsanto. Perfectly balanced and poised for a great future. 16.8+. WT040208-16. ERBALUCE DI CALUSO DELL’ ARCIPRETO BRUT SPUMANTE, CANTINA SOCIALE DEL CANAVESE - (ITALY) Exotic fruits and flowers, with a touch of sweetness./ Pretty fruit and flower flavors, and nice, spicy accents on the finish. 16.3. WT040208-17. 00 PECHE DE SYLVANER, J-C RUHLMANN half liter - (FRANCE ALSACE) Whoa! Total BA City! Honey, peach, apricot, tea, and citrus peel./ Orange, other tropical fruits, and dried peach. Sweet and soft. A beerenauslese for sure. As lovely as it’s always been. 17.5. WT040208-18. 99 ERBALUCE DI CALUSO PASSITO MORENCIO, CANTINA SOCIALE DEL CANAVESE half bottle - (ITALY) Smoky, nutty, tawny, woody. Dried black fig, mocha. A medicinal, bitters sort of concentration, essence./ Distinctive, even unique. Rich, burnished, sweet, and lovely. Not without some of the attributes of old oloroso. Alcohol fills in for the low or masked acidity. Wouldn’t hurt to age it further. There were many
big fans in the Wednesday group. 17.0+.
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