WT021710-01. 08 NIEDEROSTERREICH GRUNER VELTLINER PEPPER, PFAFFL - (AUSTRIA) None of us could find the ‘pepper’, though I have gotten a peppery nip from gru ves before, a sort of weissbier sensation. This is understated apple and lima./ Soft and easy like the Wachau a couple of weeks ago. Other 08s have been firmer. The finish is cool, brisk, and dry though. 15.8.
Price
each (at time of tasting) $14.99
WT021710-02. 08 COTES DU RHONE BLANC, DOMAINE BERTHET-RAYNE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 45% each clairette and bourboulenc, 10% grenache blanc. Organically grown. That’s a lot of bourboulenc, and it shows its very crisp, green-grape aroma./ Yes, green-fruited bourboulenc makes a strong statement, even adding some astringency. But that’s not all. With aeration, there’s preserved lemon, stone fruits, loquat, almond, smoke, duck fat,
and honeysuckle. Quite a show. All the varieties are chiming in now. Some glycerol on entry, and a stony minerality to the finish. Lots of entertainment. Still on the compact side. Give it more bottle age. 15.6+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $15.99
WT021710-03. 08 VALLEY OF THE MOON SONOMA PINOT BLANC - (U.S.) Oh, yes! Rich as usual yet pinot blanc green-fruited too. Powerful, succulent. Waxy. True./ Rich fruit filling within a solid frame. The moderation in acidity of pinot blanc, especially warmer climate pinot blanc. Great juice. Well, this is fully up to the quality level of the 07 and 06. Well liked by the group. 16.4.
Price each (at time of tasting) $15.99
WT021710-04. 08 KENWOOD SONOMA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Well proportioned measures of oak and fruit. Appley chardonnay; spicy and flattering oak seasonings. Stone fruits and melons too. Gentle on the approach./ Comes on with lots of sweet oak spices and malolactic creaminess. The fruit remains perky though, so the wine has spine as well as flesh. The usual reliability here. 15.9.
Price each (at time of tasting) $12.99
WT021710-05. 09 CALCU COLCHAGUA VALLEY ROSE - (CHILE) 50% malbec, 40% syrah, 10% carmenere. And ‘100% sauvignon blanc’. The desk sample a couple of weeks back showed me red fruit–strawberry candy and cranberry. However today, we all agreed, that if blindfolded we would have guessed sauvignon blanc. Crisp and fresh gooseberry, grapefruit, and orange peel aromas./ Soft and sweetish on entry. Then the acidity shows up. Definitely
sauvignon like. One taster guesses that this was the product of the green harvest, where even red grapes have tart white fruit character. Hard to believe this came from the same batch as the desk sample. 16.0, as an appealing, sauvignon-like wine. But shows no rose character.
Price each (at time of tasting) $9.99
WT021710-06. 07 KENWOOD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Real pinot cherry and strawberry aromas. RRV race and class. Convincing pinot./ Both rich and racy. Mulberry, tea leaf, creamy chocolate. Peels, snap, acid, juice, race. And glycerol to enrich the texture. An out and out bargain in RRV pinot. 16.7.
Price each (at time of tasting) $15.99
WT021710-07. 08 NIEDEROSTERREICH ZWEIGELT CHERRY, PFAFFL - (AUSTRIA) OK, I can find some ‘cherry’ here, unlike the ‘pepper’ in the gru ve. Sweet-smelling and aiming to please./ Yes, cherry, and berries too. Dry and full. Not a bit green-fruited like many an Austrian red. Well constructed. Real depth. One big zweigelt. 16.0.
Price each (at time of tasting) $14.99
WT021710-08. 05 TOAD HOLLOW RESERVE RICHARD MCDOWELL VINEYARD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY MERLOT - (U.S.) Dark fruits, smoke, black licorice, brett. A lot of oak over merlot black cherry character./ Moving into a mature phase aromatically, while some manageable 05 tannins remain. Strong elements of oak and brett. Reserve style. 15.8+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $12.99
WT021710-09. 08 LUBERON GRENACHE-SYRAH, LE PARADOU - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Did Luberon drop the ‘Cotes’ like Ventoux? I guess. 60/40. Fresh and crisp, and a bit lean in the 08 way. But this has cool-vintage garrigue! Crisp, sweet berry fruit. Good stuff!/ Oh, yes! A fabulous display of garrigue and cool berry fruit. Good acidity, of course. Some astringency to work out, or to appreciate with food. Another good 08 southern Rhone
discovery. Well liked by the group. 16.3+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $11.99
WT021710-10. 07 COTEAUX DE BESSILLES CUVEE RESERVEE, DOMAINE SAINT MARTIN DE LA GARRIGUE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Starts out surprisingly cool and compact for 07. Licorice laced. Well built. With aeration the 07 fruit ripeness starts to come out. Even a touch of singed fruit./ Bold and full. This is really substantial. But it needs more bottle age to allow all its aromas and flavors to form. Unusually compact for the vintage. 16.4+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $13.99
WT021710-11. 08 COTES DU RHONE L’OMBRE DES FONTAINES, VIGNERONS DE CARACTERE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% cinsault. Sweet fruited nose for 08. Strong too. Sweet licorice./ More sweet licorice. Dark, secretive qualities of 08. Yes, terse and tight on the palate. Needs time. 15.6+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $9.99
WT021710-12. 08 COTES DU RHONE DOMAINE MAS DU BOUQUET, VIGNERONS DE CARACTERE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% carignan. Somewhat reduced to start. Opens to show woodsy tones, spiced meat, and cedar./ Tight on entry, but sweetens up some with warming and aerating in the mouth. No reduction to the palate. Good volume, power, glycerol, especially for the vintage. 15.8+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $11.99
WT021710-13. 07 VALREAS - COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES, DOMAINE DU VAL DES ROIS - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Spicy and powerful (14%). Tight. Much bigger and more forceful than the 04./ Indeed, full body and texture. Much more material richness than the 04. Real strength and depth. Fine acidity here, as always. Yes! The group was impressed. 16.5+.
Price each (at time of tasting)
$15.99
WT021710-14. 07 CALATAYUD GARNACHA OLD VINES ALTOVINUM, EVODIA - (SPAIN) Sweet fruit up front. Powerful (14.5%). Ripe and large. Blackberry, strawberry, cinnamon, bitter chocolate, even flowers./ Sweet and sassy red fruit. Plummy and cohesive. Good acidity. Stylish and seductive. Great price. Popular with the group. 16.2+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $8.99
WT021710-15. 07 CASTILLA TEMPRANILLO GRANROJO, ROJO MOJO - (SPAIN) Very ripe and bold on the approach. Settles down to show good fruit quality. Not too ripe or powerful after all./ Well balanced. The fruit sweetness is attractive and nicely measured. Better than previous versions. 15.8.
Price each (at time of tasting) $9.99
WT021710-16. 07 ESPANA ESTE, BODEGAS ALTO ALMANZORA - (SPAIN) Generous and good fruit, wholesome fruit. Sweet strawberry./ Sweet and flowing. Raspberry, cassis, walnut brownie. Good acidity and richness in balance. Best ever. 16.3.
Price each (at time of tasting) $10.99
WT021710-17. 09 EMILIANA NATURA RAPEL VALLEY GEWURZTRAMINER - (CHILE) Really quite full (14%). Genuine and generous gewurz aroma profile. Lychee, peach, tonic, ginger. Much more to give than the 08. Flashes Alsace power and intensity./ Yes, much larger and more expressive than the 08. Has gewurz astringency. Short of Alsace on the glycerol. Still, well priced and impressive New World take. 16.2.
Price each (at time of tasting) $10.99
WT021710-18. MOLDOVA CAHOR - (MOLDOVA) The Orthodox Church of Moldova used to import wine from Cahors and sweeten it with honey. Thus the origin of the name. Sweet and somewhat raisined and molasses like, which is all attractive. Liquid dates. Cherry blossom highlights. Good power (16%) to keep it from being too sticky./ Raisin, raisinette, honey, spice, power. Port like. Competes well with the cheaper Aussie tawnies. 16.7.
Price each (at time of tasting) $8.99
|
||
|
Tasting Notes Blog - Printer-Friendly Version
- April, 2010
|
Use your browser print function to print this page. |
|
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 WT042810-01. 09 RUEDA VERDEJO, MARQUES DE IRUN - (SPAIN) This small bodega is owned by Emilio Lustau. Some youthful fizz still. Boy, this is the freshest Rueda verdejo ever! Aromatic apples and tropical fruits. Piquant and penetrating./ Whoa! Does not quit! Verdejo on steroids. Grass, lime, grapefruit, cat. Great acidity. Natural dryness accented by the light fizz. A brisk and refreshing white for a spring-summer eve. Well liked by the group. 16.2. WT042810-02. 08 MUSCADET SEVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE VIEILLES VIGNES HERMINE D’OR, DOMAINE DES DORICES - (FRANCE LOIRE) A special reserve assemblage of the best cuvees bottled after 6 months and held an additional year before release to allow the development of more body and complexity. Hermine d’Or is an award bestowed by an independent blind-tasting panel of wine experts. Intense apple, quince, and a touch of walnut husk I get in the best, old vines versions./ Crisp and dry. And at the same time, large in the mouth. Very long on texture. This is 08; this is old vines. This will age famously. 16.5+. WT042810-03. 08 CASTLE ROCK LAKE COUNTY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (U.S.) Light, with soft sauvignon grass./ Simple, but proper form and fruits. 14.0. WT042810-04. 09 QUINCY, DOMAINE MARDON - (FRANCE LOIRE) Vines up to 65 years old. The best estate of Quincy. Fresh, concise, penetrating. Apple and walnut. Calcaire, minerals, citrus. And, yes, some quince./ Juicy. 09 plump and easy, fleshy fruit around a good calcareous skeleton. Finishes with taut, green-fruit Loire sauvignon zestiness. 16.1+. WT042810-05. 09 JOET GOTT COLUMBIA VALLEY RIESLING - (U.S.) Peach-apricot nose Fresh. Easy./ A peach peel bitterness joins the set. Dry but gentle. The peach peel thing supplies edge that the wine would otherwise lack due to mild acidity. 16.2. WT042810-06. 09 COTES DE PROVENCE ROSE ESTRELLE, CHATEAU DU ROUET - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 50% carignan, 20% each grenache and cinsault, and 10% tibouren from vineyards at the base of the Esterel mountain range near Frejus. Plump and easy. The light, subtle berry charm of Provence rose./ Fresh, soft, gentle, accommodating. Expressive of red fruits. Mild acidity. Light grip of youth. A very pretty Provence rose. 15.7+ WT042810-07. 07 MICHAEL SULLBERG RESERVE CALIFORNIA MERLOT - (U.S.) Lovely 07 fruit display. Dark and bright. Great 07 fruit quality, vitality, verve. Berry creme and black cherry./ Some oak seasoning to the bountiful fruit feels and flavors. Upscale for the price. Joyous. Well crafted. 16.3. WT042810-08. 09 CAMPO DE BORJA GARNACHA SELECCION, SANTO CRISTO - (SPAIN) From old vines. Oh! Fresh strawberry aroma of young grenache. With darker berry extras. Cranberry. And flowers. Both rich and racy./ Delicious old vines grenache flavor and intensity. A spot-on grenache, juicy, joyous, precise, primary. Great acidity. I want it NOW! Well liked by the group. 16.4. WT042810-09. 09 RIOJA TEMPRANILLO, VINA HERMINIA - (SPAIN) Owned by Emilio Lustau. The vineyards are in Rioja Baja. Now this has power, vitality, enticing fruit. Dark, ripe tempranillo elements. Tobacco note. Fine and serious young tempranillo disposition, with the meaty fruit concentration of a Rioja Baja wine./ Meaty and juicy. Full grip and extract. Fine concentration. And balance. Kudos. Liked by the group. 16.2+. WT042810-10. 06 RIOJA CRIANZA, VINA HERMINIA - (SPAIN) 85% tempranillo, 15% garnacha. 12 months in barrel. Ample signs of oak and time in oak. That dill note of American oak. Fine fruit too./ The oak shows more restraint on the palate. No dill. Well balanced. Fruit and oak tannins to shed yet. 16.0+. WT042810-11. 04 RIOJA RESERVA, VINA HERMINIA - (SPAIN) 85% tempranillo, 10% garnacha, 5% graciano. 18 months in barrel This really sings. It’s hit a sweet spot on its development curve. Abundant oak and fruit, in balance. A classic Rioja reserva from better fruit material than the crianza./ Black fruits, tar, tobacco. Very meaty, substantial. Nicely developed after long barrel aging. Well balanced. All the qualities of 04 vintage fruit and reserva upbringing are readily apparent. Fabulous. Well liked by the group. 17.1+. WT042810-12. 07 RIOJA EXCELSUS, VINA HERMINIA - (SPAIN) 40% tempranillo, 60% garnacha. Wow! That’s a switch! And boy, does the grenache show. Really pushes this wine forward, especially in the fruity 07 vintage. Little or no oak./ Yes, sweet grenache up front and in command. Easy and fruity. Rich in grenache strawberry and tempranillo raspberry. Good acidity makes it nice and juicy. I applaud the effort. Well liked by the group. 16.7+. WT042810-13. 08 RIBERA DEL DUERO 5 MESES EN BARRICA, BODEGAS MONTE - (SPAIN) All tempranillo. A large, modern style of RDD. Blackberry, vanilla, raisinettes. This has RDD written all over it./ The palate is welcoming. Both fruit and oak are sweet, easy, and balanced. Lots of ease already for an 08. Has its 08 dark side too. Will improve. 15.8+. WT042810-14. 08 COTES DE ROUSSILLON LA SARDA, DOMAINE SARDA MALLET - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 40% grenache, 35% carignan, 20% syrah, and 5% macabeo. Surely a Grand Cru of Roussillon, the wine is aged in new and lightly seasoned oak barrels. Solid, dark, sweet fruited. Burnished fruits, raspberries and dark cherries. Hot stone, smoke, and roasted meat too. Real Roussillon./ Great 08 acidity and vigor. Very fine tannin. Has both body and edge. Tightly wound still. Will improve. 16.5+. WT042810-15. 07 CASTLE ROCK MENDOCINO ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Sweet and dark raspberry expression. Good Mendocino zin character at a good price./ Soft and sweet, with mild acidity and light grip. 15.2. WT042810-16. 07 CASTLE ROCK RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY PETITE SIRAH - (U.S.) You can sense that boysenberry character of the better pets. Upscale pet nose./ Yes, a wine with ardor. Dark fruits, olives, cigar box, tar. Good power. Sweet with good oak quality, class, and integration. Chewy constitution, lingering, fruity finish. Will improve with bottle age. 15.9+. WT042810-17. 09 MEDITERRANEE BLANC L’APOSTROPHE, CHANTE CIGALE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Fresh and largely vinous. No sense of any aromatic Med varieties. Mostly the low key ones. 09 plumpness./ Yeah, mainly vinous rather than grapey. A typical Med white. Mild acidity in this warm vintage. 15.4.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 WT042110-01. 08 TERRE DEGLI OSCI PINOT GRIGIO, CANTINA TOLLO - (ITALY) Plenty fresh still. Light, ethereal. Lemon curd. Fine example of a central Italy grigio./ Light bodied. Lean and racy. Wants food. 15.4. WT042110-02. 08 CHATEAU TERTRE DE LAUNAY, ENTRE DEUX MERS - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Much more freshness than the 07 of late. And more bulk. 08 grip, form, material. Lemon, lime, minerals, spring grass./ Good volume and extract. Bold, full. Good sauvignon zing too. Great now. 16.4. WT042110-03. 09 CHATEAU FONTENILLE, ENTRE DEUX MERS - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) 35% sauvignon blanc, 15% sauvignon gris, 25% each muscadelle and semillon. Starts out fresh, with lots of lift. Bright, new fruit of 09. Piquant sauvignon gooseberry and muscadelle green fruit, plus the bolder, fuller makings of sauvignon gris and semillon./ Yes, lots of 09 ease, lift, freshness, and brightness. Ripe acid carriage. With aeration, this
fills out. Now the sauvignon gris and semillon body and texture come into play. All the varietals begin to sort themselves out and put on a show. It’s a barbershop quartet of Bordeaux white grapes. True showmanship, true harmony. Impressive. 16.3+. WT042110-04. 08 CHABLIS, GILBERT PICQ - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Oh, boy! No oak but lots of toast all the same. And struck flint. Good fruit presence too. And clear, racy lineage./ Yes! Huge old vines type grip. Huge volume, extract. 08 style, material, potential. I’ll put this up against a rival’s Premier Cru (even a Montee de Tonnerre) any day. 17.4+. WT042110-05. 09 VINA ROBLES HUERHUERO PASO ROBLES WHITE - (U.S.) Vermentino, verdelho, viognier, sauvignon blanc. Wow! This is wild! Even flashier and more complex than the fine 08. Some neat perfumes in here. Flowers, peaches./ Yes! Vermentino and verdelho take the lead. Well assembled cuvee. 16.6. WT042110-06. 07 MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO ROCCA VENTOSA, CANTINA TOLLO - (ITALY) Lots of dark fruit and peels. Firm and fully packed. As impressive as the 06. Warm blackberries, underbrush, tobacco. Toasty extras./ Yeah, elegant and ripe in the 07 style. And as fully packed as the 06. Chewy, in fact. Wow! Loaded. Bring on the Italian country fare. 16.3+. WT042110-07. 08 HEXAGONE, BORDEAUX - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Merlot and cabernet sauvignon. By Luc Thienpoint from purchased grapes. Gorgeous fruit purity./ Again, the fruit beauties. There’s 08 grip, but it’s not harsh. Even more impressive than last week’s sample, which had been standing longer. In fact, very nice. 16.2. WT042110-08. 08 Z, BORDEAUX - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) From that section of the Margaux commune close by the estuary (the palus, the heavier soil), so not entitled to the Margaux appellation. Good oak plus the charm of Margaux. Margaux lift and good flair and penetration. Fabulous./ Oh, yes! Great Margaux like claret beauty. Great acidity. Perfect Margaux weight. 16.6. WT042110-09. 06 CHATEAU BONNEAU, HAUT MEDOC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Owned by Luc Thienpoint. Whoa! Hearty, full, oaky. Plums, violets and other flowers, touch of fennel. Forward vintage style. A showboat of an 06./ The palate’s not as accommodating yet. The cabernet component is still a little tough, the peels extracts tarry and tannic. Wants more bottle age. 16.1+. WT042110-10. 07 GRAVETTE DE VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN, POMEROL - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Second wine of Vieux Chateau Certan, the keystone Thienpoint family property. Class act. Full for 07. Still, it has the 07 fruit freshness and buoyancy. And Pomerol velvet. And good oak./ Yes, both 07 uplift and Pomerol velvet. Oak vanilla. Real VCC class. Lots of length. Will improve 3-4 years. Well liked by the group. 17.1+. WT042110-11. 07 CLOS DES QUATRE VENTS, MARGAUX - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Owned by Luc Thienpoint. Lots of Margaux perfume and new oak. Complex, sleek, fragrant, stylish, pretty. 07 lift without 07 lightness./ Flavors of damson plum and raspberries. Elegance of 07 and Margaux. Well balanced. Fine-grained tannins. Very stylish and upbeat 07 Margaux–the way 07 Margaux should be. Worth cellaring 3-4 years, though it’s not obligatory.
17.3+. WT042110-12. 08 OC CINSAULT, TERRES FALMET - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 100% cinsault from Saint Chinian. Oh! Fine charm and blackberry beauties./ Bright, fruity, elegant, and deep. Unique and exotic purple berries flavor. Not too tart. 08 gets riper as you go west. A worthy successor to the 07. Plenty of power. Fabulous cinsault. Well liked by the group. Holds its own surprisingly well after the expensive, wooded Margaux.
16.3. WT042110-13. 08 VENTOUX VIEILLES VIGNES, DOMAINE FONT SANE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Soars. Garrigue all over the place. Elegant. 08 race and lift without the tartness./ Medium bodied. Flows nicely. Not as bountiful as the 07, but mighty attractive in its own way. 16.0. WT042110-14. 07 PLAN DE DIEU - COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES, DOMAINE DES PASQUIERS - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Silver Medal - Orange. Deep and dark and spicy. Not as fruit forward and heart on sleeve as many 07s. Deep, and licorice laced. With aeration, the fruit becomes richer, riper, and rounder, while maintaining elegance and discretion./ Peppercorn and other spices. Fine acidity and grip. Still tight, as is the style of this
estate’s young wines. Grows lovelier as it airs. 16.8+. WT042110-15. 07 SABLET - COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES, DOMAINE DES PASQUIERS - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Gold Medal - Avignon. Bright, with good 07 fruit richness bound by some restraints in youth that characterize the estate’s style. After aeration, this too demonstrates more fruit warmth and spiciness. Damson plum, and game notes./ Ripe tannic grip. Tar and licorice elements. Large and bold. Good volume, power, vigor, and potential.
Will improve for at least 2-3 years. 17.0+. WT042110-16. 07 CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE VIGNE DU REGENT, CHATEAU GIGOGNAN - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Openly fruity 07. Lots of grenache. Big, warm, dense red and black fruits. Smoke, game, licorice, pitch, roasted pine nuts./ Again, grenache in the lead, warm, savory, ripe, and nutty. Sweet, open armed, powerful. Not without the tannic resolve though to improve in the cellar for at least 5 years. 17.5+. WT042110-17. 07 BUCKLIN BAMBINO OLD HILL RANCH SONOMA VALLEY ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) 11 varieties in addition to zinfandel, promiscuously planted generations ago, have been identified and mapped in the Old Hill Ranch vineyard. These support zinfandel in this cuvee. Aromas of framboise, charred oak, and cedar./ Raspberry, oak, cedar, and vanilla flavors. The other varieties contribute additional aromatic and textural dimensions.
Still some tannin to shed. 16.0+. WT042110-18. 06 BUCKLIN OLD HILL RANCH SONOMA VALLEY ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) More bottle development, less apparent oak. More straight zinfandel character than the Bambino. Fat, sassy, demonstrative. Says ‘Pay attention!’/ Cool aspects: boysenberry and mint. Quite a lot of tannin still. Will improve another 3 years in the cellar. 15.8+. WT042110-19. 07 VINA ROBLES JARDIN PASO ROBLES PETITE SIRAH - (U.S.) Fresh, fruity, floral, stylish. Raspberries, currants, oak, and vanillin./ Has that purple fruit flavor and astringency of the best pets. Cool and classy. Enticing. Well crafted. And will improve. 16.2+.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 WT041410-01. 09 CONCHA Y TORO XPLORADOR CENTRAL VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (CHILE) Fresh, dry, crisp, penetrating. Light, breezy, lifted. Pear and apple./ Good sauvignon pungency. Fresh and citrus-fruity. Great acidity. Plus richness and suppleness of texture too. Lots to offer for the price. 16.0. WT041410-02. 09 VERAMONTE RESERVA CASABLANCA SAUVIGNON BLANC - (CHILE) Richer. Less spontaneous. Much more lifted than the 08 though. Grass, peach, pear, apple./ Tart, grassy, still austere. Should improve. 15.7+. WT041410-03. 09 LOS VASCOS CASABLANCA VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (CHILE) Very fruity, flowery. Lemon blossom, citrus zest, grass, gooseberry, quince. Very, very pretty./ Dry, fresh, balanced, elegant. A lot of race. Grapefruit tartness, gooseberry flavor. Good tautness, depth, pungency, balance. Sooo juicy. A totally cleansing experience. Unique. As it was in the 07 vintage. 16.4. WT041410-04. 09 KIM CRAWFORD MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Forward, with plenty of lime, lemon, zest, grass, minerality./ Refined and aromatic perfumes. Deep and lasting. Lots of gooseberry and grass flavors. Full, heady, deep. 16.4. WT041410-05. 09 MAN VINTNERS COASTAL REGION CHENIN BLANC - (SOUTH AFRICA) Some sulphur to start. Be sure to aerate. Thereafter, lots of melon, honeydew particularly. Stone fruits. Speaks loud./ Statuesque chenin. All the energy and generosity the nose promised. A deal at the price. 15.9. WT041410-06. 09 MULDERBOSCH WESTERN CAPE CHENIN BLANC - (SOUTH AFRICA) Clean and bracing. Very crisp. Apple, green fig, lime, nuts. Tingles./ Sleek, elegant, classy, balanced. Good acidity and form. Not much flavor forthcoming yet, but shows good concentration deep down inside. It’s young still–surprisingly young. Juicy acidity for food. Loire chenin without the calcaire. Best Mulderbosch chenin I’ve tasted...and the freshest.
16.4+. WT041410-07. 08 MACON CHARDONNAY, DOMAINE TALMARD - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Some sulphur to start. Be sure to aerate. Seems like some wood char too, but I’m often fooled by Maconnais blancs. Good richness and density./ 08 form, grip. Well tuned, fresh acid carriage. Fruit sweetness beneath. This just needs aeration, and/or more bottle age. 15.9+. WT041410-08. 08 MACON VILLAGES TRADITION, COLLOVRAY & TERRIER - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Ah! Fresher than the 07 of late. Sleek, penetrating, reserved, refined, elegant. Good 08 grip, form, peels. Apple, pear, mineral. That ‘woody’ sensation too. Fabulous extract. Tingles the nostrils./ Yes, 08 form, youth, extract. Racy, fresh, crisp, cleansing. Fruit sweetness, integrity, balance, length. Good at the table now. Will improve
for several months and will likely retain its vigor longer than the 07. 16.4+. WT041410-09. 08 CHABLIS CHAMPS ROYAUX, WILLIAM FEVRE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Oh, boy! Now we’re in the big leagues! Both roundly fruity (white peach, loquat, flowers) and piercing (fruit pips, calcaire). The consummate 08 Chablis. Large framed and well filled./ Ripe, tangy acidity. Comes on strong in Chablis chardonnay character: flint, calcaire, wet stone, apple. Mr. Big. Huge Chablis for the price. Better than the 07. Amazing
village Chablis, totally classy. 17.1+. WT041410-10. 08 BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY LES MURELLES, ROUX PERE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Sweet apple and pear and plenty of ‘woody’ peel. Or maybe it’s toasty oak talking. A great successor to the nice 07. Sweet and concentrated fruit, well etched too./ Round and lush. Most mouth-filling. Dense, voluminous, swelling. Positively balloons up as you hold it in your mouth. Fabulous extract. Brings it all on home.16.4+. WT041410-11. 07 BOURGOGNE LES SETILLES, OLIVIER LEFLAIVE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Oh, nice tight oak and fruit. Really fine grained. The oak is not heavy in char, toast, or gaudy sweet and spicy stuff. It’s like opening a new cabinet or chest and getting that refined hardwood smell. Really well crafted. Is winemaker Franck Grux still here? His style./ Freshness and frame. Full and fine oak of the best sort. Appropriate to the
nature of this cuvee. Peachy, Chassagne like chardonnay fruit. Good acidity, texture. Good now; will improve at least another year. 16.5+. WT041410-12. 08 SOUVERAIN ALEXANDER VALLEY CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) The usual good oak character of recent bottlings. It’s not overwhelming, as it used to be. 08's fruit structure complements it. The oak has a pleasant sweetness too. It’s plump and creamy./ Yes, good oak characteristics: vanilla and toast. Little or no malolactic softness, creaminess. ALV power under control. Good acid support. The fruit forms a sound base,
but the oak’s the show, and it’s worth the price of admission 16.2. WT041410-13. 09 PRINCIPAUTE D’ORANGE ROSE, DOMAINE DE LA JANASSE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Crisp, buoyant, focused and fine, bright, fresh strawberry and raspberry fruit. Hints of red cherry and blood orange too. Just as pretty as can been, and alluringly sweet-edged./ Lightly padded with fruit sweetness and laced with crisp acidity. Most flavorful, accomplished, pure, lovely. 16.3. WT041410-14. 08 CHIANTI, CASTELLO DI QUERCETO - (ITALY) Plump, with ripe, plentiful, sweet, and expressive 08 black fruits. Cherry peel concentrate. Licorice./ Plenty of dark 08 fruit. Rich up front, with a firm core of sangiovese fruit concentrate reserve. And some tannin to shed still, although food would likely absorb it presently. 15.8+. WT041410-15. 08 MORELLINO DI SCANSANO, MORIS FARMS - (ITALY) Oh, boy! Like the Chablis, this one just jumps right out of the glass! Special. Cherry cordial plus candied fruits, panettone, and exotic oak spices. Pure and penetrating. Complex aromatic presentation. Very spicy./ Ripe and forthcoming Morellino. Benefits from the warmth of the south; no 08 toughness here. Liqueur-like flavor intensity. Bright, alert, eager
to please. A super-spicy 08. 16.8+. WT041410-16. 07 VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE RIPASSO SOLANE, SANTI - (ITALY) Subtly sweet, smoky, cherry oriented. No ripasso dried fruit, just extra ripe fruit. Well mannered./ Yes, even handed, rich, flavorful. Warm, burnished berry fruit, black plum, cigar box. Good acidity. Some ripasso viscosity. Good power too. More to come. 16.4+. WT041410-17. 06 ROTHBERG CELLARS PAARL PINOTAGE - (SOUTH AFRICA) Well, you can detect the good acidity right from the start on the nose. Deep and smoky. No horse. Crisp edged fruit. Smoky aspects, like toasted oak, nuts, bacon. Some bottle bouquet forming./ Yes, developing bottle-aged character. Powerful. Great acidity indeed. There’s a gaminess that comes with age, but no cowhide or horseflesh. Untamed by the kosher process,
this has real textural interest instead of glossy smoothness. The most talked about wine of the evening. Controversial. Won’t be denied. 16.2. WT041410-18. 08 ROSEMOUNT SE AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) Sweet, soft, ripe berry fruit and dark chocolate. There’s briar, seed, and real raspberry flair. Dark 08 fruit core./ Sweet fruited for sure, but there’s that briary edge also, so it’s not slick. Fine tannins too. And a very pure raspberry fruit center. Ultimately, the best version in years. Simply delicious. 16.2.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 WT040710-01. 08 COLLI PIACENTINI ORTRUGO, SANTA GIUSTINA - (ITALY) Taut and brittle. Discreet dried fruit with mineral brace. Fresh, with lively spritz./ Bracing acidity carries light, dry red and yellow berry and fig flavors. Hint of sage. Distinctive. 15.8. WT040710-02. 08 MORANDE PIONERO CURICO SAUVIGNON BLANC - (CHILE) Soft sauvignon aroma with some grassiness. Good minerality./ Richer on the palate. Bright, zesty, limey. 15.6. WT040710-03. 08 TAHBILK NAGAMBIE LAKES CENTRAL VICTORIA MARSANNE - (AUSTRALIA) Well, this is something! First time we’ve had a relatively young one in a long time. It’s that classic combo of oak, time in barrel, and citrus peel edge. Fat, figgy stuff too. Stone fruits, melon rind. Great clarity this vintage./ Dense, robust, Powerful. Waxy, nutty, woody, minty. This is good now with something daring, even hyper-spicy Indian
preparations. 16.2. WT040710-04. 08 BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR, ROUX PERE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) In tune with January’s desk sample only more opened up thanks to the additional bottle age. Very pretty and pure, lifted pinot. Crisp, crunchy pinot cherry with unmistakable Burgundy terroir./ Yes, very crisp and bright, vivacious. Fresh red berries and cherries. Juicy acidity. Hint of pinot animal. Racy, angular, mouth-watering. Time will mellow, but
certainly useful now with food. 16.4+. WT040710-05. 07 NAPA CELLARS NAPA VALLEY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Bold and sweet, hefty and oaky, but with less obvious alcohol and oak than the 05 and 06. Maybe it’s because we’re tasting it later in life, and those elements have settled into the whole. Or the 07 fruit comes up to the challenge./ Juicy, ripe cherry fruit–American pinot and proud. Black currant, raspberry, tea, and game too. Good strength, chewy texture, and
full presence. Packs plenty of punch. For hearty fare. 16.7+. WT040710-06. 08 TOSCANA REMOLE, MARCHESI DI FRESCOBALDI - (ITALY) 85% sangiovese; 15% cabernet sauvignon. Dark and hearty, peels oriented 08 style. Sangiovese licorice and dried orange peel. Cabernet dark berry lurking in the background./ Firm, young 08. Dark plum, fig, wheat germ. Good acidity creates a nice flow. Adequate depth. Well positioned as well as already useful at the table. 16.0+. WT040710-07. 07 FRIULI AQUILEA REFOSCO DEL PEDUNCOLO ROSSO, MERK - (ITALY) Intense, full, classic. Sweet cherry and peel, plus fresh orange peel. That’s refosco! Ripe and concentrated. One of the best./ Intense indeed! Firm, dark fruit exterior with sweet core fruit flavors of raspberry, cherry, and plum. Sleek, complex, lovely, giving. Some walnut husk blackness I hadn’t noticed before. Clarity and balance. Age-worthy
as well as meal-worthy. 16.5+. WT040710-08. 07 DOURO BARCO NEGRO, LURTON - (PORTUGAL) Extra ripeness, boldness, and power of 07 compared to the tighter-structured, cooler, more elegant 05 and 06. But not at all overblown. This retains the fine, firm framing of Portugal’s reds and deep, dark, hidden secrets./ Bright black and purple fruits right in tune with the series and country of origin. Plum, plum peel, and pitch. Rich and full in 07, with light,
fine-grained tannin that offers little resistance to current consumption. Fresh, pleasing, mouth-filling. I think more bottle age with broaden the wine’s aromatic range. 16.3+. WT040710-09. 07 TERRA ALTA LUDOVICUS, CELLER PINOL - (SPAIN) 35% garnacha, 30% tempranillo, 25% syrah, 10% cabernet sauvignon. Pretty heady, ripe, and woody for Terra Alta. Big, ripe, thick, warm, lumbering. Modern cuvee, modern style. / Very smooth and ripe. Black and red berries, spice, and cola. Holds something in reserve, while already complimentary. 16.0+. WT040710-10. 05 CORTONA SYRAH, D’ALESSANDRO - (ITALY) Dry and heady, dark and taut. Lots of peel extracts. Aeration brings up black fruits galore. Black plum, black raspberry, tar, clove, and floral elements./ Discernable and convincing Tuscan syrah, but without a lot of give at this stage. Needs lots more bottle age. 16.5+. WT040710-11. 07 ROSSO DI MONTALCINO, IL POGGIONE - (ITALY) Ripe and open armed (stocky, hairy arms), and generous. A big wine of the brunello clone with less barrel time than a Brunello di Montalcino. Fragrant of cherry, plum, fresh sage, and hot stones. Large and classic Rosso./ Yes, power, presence, acidity, vigor, and very well managed tannins. Breath-taking. A group favorite. I wouldn’t shy away from recommending this
to customers who got jilted on the Parker-praised 06. 17.0+. WT040710-12. 07 SANTA EMA BARREL SELECT RESERVE PEUMO CARMENERE - (CHILE) Nice and rich and ripe 07 carmenere approach. Good reserve characteristics: both well integrated oak extracts and time-in-barrel bouquet formation./ The palate confirms fruit and reserve offerings. Firm core tannins coated with plump, sweet, plentiful 07 carmenere fruit. Well, yes, a tremendous value! 16.0+. WT040710-13. 07 CYCLES GLADIATOR CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Sweet ripe fruit and oak classic from Cycles. Saucy. 07 fruit quality elevates it to the top of the series./ Again, the sexy, spicy oak, offering exotic Byzantine auras. The ripe, wholesome fruit of 07 soaking it all up. The usual seductive presentation carried to logical conclusion this vintage. 16.1+. WT040710-14. 08 VISTA DEL SUR HIGH NOTE ELEVATED UCO VALLEY MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Lift, freshness, and beauty of malbec from the high Uco Valley. Plus that lush, open, expressive fruit display of 08 More fun than the 07./ Dark cherry-berry fruit plus chocolate, vanilla, and mocha barrel contributions. Sweet, soft, and forward. The ultimate in 08 styling. Just drop-dead irresistible. Pretty and stylish Uco traits too. 16.3+. WT040710-15. 08 SAMOS MUSCAT, UWCS - (GREECE) From the Union of Winemaking Cooperatives of Samos. Heady, sweet orange rind aroma of muscat alexandria. Less heady howeveer than many southern Italian renditions. Likely not fortified. Very sweet indeed. Unique to Samos./ Sweet and full. Orange rind, apricot, fig, sultana, honey, nutmeg, chamomile. Stylish, silky, spirited, distinguished. Lingers long. Very popular with the
group. One of the best of its genre. 18.0.
|
|
|
