|
||
|
Tasting Notes Printer-Friendly Version
- August, 2004 |
Use your browser print function to print this page. |
|
Wednesday, August 25, 2004 wt082504-01. 1996
E. BARNAUT BOUZY GRAND CRU BRUT CHAMPAGNE
- (SPARKLING) Whoa! Full, bold expressions of both pinot noir and
bottle bouquet. Lots more in reserve. Lots of ‘96 extract, grip,
calcaire./ Oh, boy! Richness squared! No, cubed! And the acidity
and extract–all proportionately exaggerated, magnified. Gargantuan
palate. The wine just balloons up in the mouth. Massive framework.
Grand Cru class. Great, great potential. 18.6+. wt082504-02. 2003
VAUCLUSE ROSE, DOMAINE MAROTTE - (FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN) Very full as well as fresh and racy. Aromas of strawberry
and white plum. Richness of pulp and peel and power. This really
delivers./ Lots of zesty peel extracts and cracked peppercorn. Dry
and powerful. Big presence. Classic build. Can take on red-wine
fare. 16.1. wt082504-03. 2003
VAUCLUSE LES CALADES, CLOS SAINT JEAN
- (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Wow! Concentration and juicy freshness
together. Raspberry, black cherry, peppercorn, cocoa, sweet briar.
Powerful. Way deep, way concentrated. The fruit is ripe and alluring,
perfumed and classy./ Good frame and rich tannins. Fills the mouth
and lingers long. Balanced, stylish, generous. Best Les Calades
yet. 16.3+. wt082504-04. 2003
VAUCLUSE GRENACHE-SYRAH, DOMAINE DE LA MONARDIERE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Deep and dark. More black fruit.
The syrah shows. Cassis, spices, sandalwood. Intense and classic
to this cuvee./ Chewy tannin. Huge, youthful grip. Firm, full structure.
A lot of poise. Wow! What potential! 16.2++. wt082504-05. 2003
COTES DU VENTOUX, DOMAINE FONT-SANE -
(FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Ripest of the set so far. Lots of grenache.
Deep, dark, sun-dried strawberry. Airs of lavender and bakery./
Ripe and open. Rustic and powerful. Deep and serious. Peppercorn
zestiness. The warmth and power I would expect from an Gigondas
-based estate and from 2003. Fine tannin. Well liked by the group.
16.5+. wt082504-06. 2003
COTES DU RHONE, DOMAINE DU GRAND PRIEUR
- (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Oh, special! Ripe grenache, but not overripe.
Sweet strawberry, with peppercorn and other garrigue notions, and
licorice. Aromas of peels and other grape varieties complex the
matter./ The texture is rich and smooth in a ripe grenache fashion.
The fruit and garrigue flavors are generous and penetrating. Fabulous.
Best yet here. 16.2. wt082504-07. 2003
COTES DU RHONE, DOMAINE LA CABOTTE - (FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN) The coolness bespeaks its origins. A wine of place.
Most concentrated vintage yet. Lovely cool fruit statement. Purple
plum, black cherry./ Yes, cool and racy. Great acidity. Good strength
too. A delicious mealtime selection already. In fact, mouth-watering.
16.0. wt082504-08. 2003
COTES DU RHONE, DOMAINE CHAPOTON - (FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN) Rich. Easily the richest vintage yet here. Real power
too. Sweet berry fruit. Fills the nostrils with sweet fruit appeal.
A complete Chapoton./ The fruit is ripe and sweet yet cool and lively.
Great black-fruit and peel extraction. Indeed, the complete presentation
of this estate’s assets. 16.2. wt082504-09. 2003
ROCHEGUDE COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES, DOMAINE CHAPOTON - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Oh, way big! Very dark color
and dark fruit aroma. Black cherry and black olive. Black pepper
and anise. Way deep, way serious. Just the right degree of reduction
in a young rendition of this cuvee./ Firm, solid core for the future
and lots of racy, silk-textured fruit for present enjoyment. It’s
stylish, like a claret. Great power, structure, and poise. Depth
and reserve. Classic to this cuvee and the best yet. 16.6+. A collection
of ‘best yet’ Southern Rhones from 2003. I’m impressed. I had expected
more strident ripeness but got mainly ripe but not overripe, rich
but cool, well composed, and lovely wines. Yes! wt082504-10. 2002
TALLEY ARROYO GRANDE VALLEY CHARDONNAY
- (U.S.) Sleek, mineral-laced, stylish, charming. A very beautiful
nose with fruit suggesting pear and melon and an oak presence (butterscotch,
nuts) that’s well integrated./ Soft and creamy. The oak gives suggestions
of grains and arabica. Hangs together nicely. 16.0.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004 wt081804-01. 2003
COTES DE GASCOGNE, DOMAINE DE SAN DE GUILHEM
- (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Plump, soft, and gently fragrant of apple, quince,
peach. In style with the rest of the series. Perhaps at its ripest
yet in ‘03 but not overly so; there’s a nice, cool citricity too./
Soft on the palate too. Again, there’s adequate acid cut and extract
grip to keep things refreshing. Bright and nicely delineated. Enjoy
over the coming year. 15.9. wt081804-02. 2003
MUSCADET DES COTEAUX DE LA LOIRE LA HAUTE ROCHE, YVES TERRIEN - (FRANCE LOIRE) Clearly the softest, richest, plumpest
Muscadet yet from Terrien. Cool white peach, pear, and quince aromas.The
most fragrant yet. Good, compact, stony core./ On a stony foundation,
soft and inviting fruit. Sure, it’s atypical. Indeed, it’s special.
I love it! 15.9. wt081804-03. LOIRE-ATLANTIQUE
MUSQUE, DOMAINE DU GRAND MOUTON - (FRANCE
LOIRE) Full and fragrant. Green musky aromas like in muscadelle
de bordelaise. Impressively full nose. Far superior in richness
and ripeness to the previous bottling we imported./ Good body. Ripe
acidity. Very alluring, inviting. Very useful at the table. 15.6. wt081804-04. 2003
MUSCADET DE SEVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE PETIT MOUTON, LOUIS METAIREAU - (FRANCE LOIRE) Now we’re getting into something entirely
more intense, complex. Botanicals, terrarium, moss, underbrush,
mint. Prominent sur-lie aromas. This has real character, textural
depth, and elegance./ Confirmed. Certainly a much fuller wine. And
a wine of place. Nothing ‘03 soft about it. It’s classic. 16.2+. wt081804-05. 2002
MUSCADET DE SEVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE GRAND MOUTON VIEILLES VIGNES,
LOUIS METAIREAU - (FRANCE LOIRE) More
grip here. Old vines speaking; ‘02 speaking. Apple and pear peels.
That ‘woody’ impression that comes with old-vines intensity. Good
ripeness. Unique and fine./ Big, bracing grip. ‘02 size, mass, intensity,
complexity. Very impressive, and will improve too. 16.7+. wt081804-06. 2003
MUSCADET DE SEVRE ET MAINE MLM, LOUIS METAIREAU
- (FRANCE LOIRE) Very, very full for muscadet. Big, sturdy, husky.
‘03 ripe. Pear and quince, peels, moss, smoke. Some time in barrel?
Complex./ Yes, this is very full indeed. Again, the terroir, the
character. A muscadet on steroids. Very popular tonight. 16.9+. wt081804-07. 2003
HAHN MONTEREY CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Ripe
and woody. Open-knit. Insistent. Sweet toffee aroma. A bit much
for my tastes. Don’t age very long./ High pH, low acid, superimposed
oak, malolactic thickness. The opposite of refreshing. Even one
glass would be too much for me. If the ‘02 was anything like this,
I can see why it was the leading chardonnay medal winner in 2004.
Show wine for sure. But when to serve? Well, maybe that’s just my
tastes. Others enjoyed it. In fact, it was the favorite white of
one taster. 14.0. wt081804-08. 2003
YALUMBA Y SERIES SOUTH AUSTRALIA RIESLING
- (AUSTRALIA) True riesling tropical fruit and flowers fragrances.
Lime predominating as is the usual tone of Aussie rieslings. And
strength–another Aussie riesling trait. Good fruit ripeness, of
course./ A bit hot and a little earthy. Not an elegant riesling,
but generous and expressive, modest-priced and mealworthy. 15.2. wt081804-09. 2003
COTEAUX D’ANCENIS DE L’AMBASSADEUR GAMAY, YVES TERRIEN - (FRANCE LOIRE) Very fresh, northern style of gamay.
The most intense yet. The fruit is even more intense than the 2002's,
which was a beauty. Gorgeous apple-raspberry strongly stated but
not overbearing./ Lots of extract and grip as well as fruit flavor
and substance. Notes of cherry, berry, spices, flowers.This will
improve over the coming months. 16.0+ wt081804-10. 2001
LOUIS MARTINI NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (U.S.) Big, powerful, oaky. Sweet, well-integrated ripe black
fruits and oak. The ripeness and the fennel note gives an Italianate
sort of style appropriate to the Martini and Gallo heritages. Ample
but not overbearing. Good stuff./ The palate shows more control,
more framing, more Napa reserve and elegance. Great ‘01 fruit acidity
and race. A generous value. 17.0. wt081804-11. 2002
HAHN CENTRAL COAST MERITAGE - (U.S.) Very
sweet and seductive. Full of Asian spices and sandalwood. Cunningly
crafted./ Rich but truly dry. All the sexy allure of the nose. No
wonder this got more golds and double golds than any other wine
of any variety on the 2004 judging circuit. It’s cleverly crafted
to win the hearts and minds of judges and all lovers of the modern,
‘international’ style of red wine. This should sell like hot-cakes.
16.8. wt081804-12. 2002
HAHN CENTRAL COAST SYRAH - (U.S.) California
rich and thick, but there’s some northern Rhone fragrance here too.
That always saves it for my tastes. And attractive American oak
scents and seasonings./ Both rich and cool aspects. Fruit and oak
in good harmony. Another red-wine winner from Hahn. No wonder this
was by far the leading syrah medal winner in 2004. 16.0. wt081804-13. EXTRA
VIRGIN OLIVE OIL DE TUNISIA, DOMAINES PERRIN liter - (POTPOURRI) I guess the Perrins (Chateau de Beaucastel,
La Vieille Ferme) have some olive groves in Tunisia. An exceptionally
light and delicate oil. Very clean, refined, and fruity. Boy, I
could see a lot of applications for this, especially in salads.
A beautiful olive expression, not in the least overbearing. An olive
oil with charm. How many can claim that attribute? wt081804-14. 2001
CHIANTI CLASSICO OLIO EXTRA VERGINE DE RIVA, TENUTA CAPARZO - (POTPOURRI) Classic ‘grassy’ aroma and flavor of fine
Tuscan oil. A much darker, heavier, more pungent oil than the Perrin.
This has its place too. Very popular with the group, which bought
an entire case on the spot.
Wednesday, August 11, 2004 wt081104-01. 2003
CHATEAU MENAUT, GRAVES BLANC - (FRANCE
BORDEAUX) Wow! Really rich and really lively—both! Surpasses the
‘02. Less oak, more fruit. Bright, elegant, penetrating citricity./
Fat for sure, but also good and brisk. Not as much grip and minerality
as the ‘02. Fruit remains fat to the end. Good fun. No need to cellar.
16.0. wt081104-02. 2003
SANCERRE, ETIENNE DAULNY - (FRANCE LOIRE)
Still some youthful fermentation aromas of pear drops and flowers.
And Loire sauvignon aromas of peach, gooseberry, citrus, grass,
and stones. Ripe and wholesome in the ‘03 vernacular./ Good acidity
as well as richness. Packs a good flavor punch. Pretty fair grip
too. Better by fall, when it’s become a real, grown-up wine. 16.3+. wt081104-03. 2002
SANCERRE CLOS DE CHAUDENAY, ETIENNE DAULNY
- (FRANCE LOIRE) A real, grown-up wine. Indeed! Body, warmth, power,
full extraction. Palpable aroma. Very, very big and old-vines intense./
Yeah! Way big! Powerful, loaded. Rich in honey and pollen as well
as ripe gooseberry. Concentrated, expansive, complex, racy, succulent.
Clos de Chaudenay taken to the max. 17.2. wt081104-04. 2002
SANCERRE ROUGE, ETIENNE DAULNY - (FRANCE
LOIRE) Good dark-cherry northern pinot, with a complex of animal,
tea, cola, and licorice./ Stylish, balanced, flavorful. Great acidity
of the north. Meaty, chewy constitution. Fine tannin. All one could
ask for from a Loire pinot. Very popular this evening. 16.4+. wt081104-05. 1996
ANJOU VILLAGES, CLOS DE COULAINE - (FRANCE
LOIRE) Very dark, heavy, and rich. Cassis, Campari, buckwheat honey,
tar. Prominent gamy tones of mature cabernet franc./ Sweet and very
developed animal complex. Garrulous, powerful. Northern cabernet
franc taken to the mature max. 15.2. wt081104-06. 2001
CHATEAU ROQUETAILLADE LA GRANGE, GRAVES
- (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Good Graves complex of animal, sur-bois, flowers,
olives, spices, dark fruit. Ripe enough ‘01. Stylish and fragrant./
Yes, rich and ripe enough, unlike some of the greener ‘01 cabernets.
Black currant, tobacco, licorice. Well balanced. Good, fine-grained
tannin. This will do. What good ‘01 is about. 16.2+. wt081104-07. 2003
BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO VOLPULVA, VICARA
- (ITALY) Whoa! Full-throttle! ‘03 ripe, sexy, velvety, plummy,
floral, fresh, juicy. The works. Lush and dee-lish!/ Again, all
the glories that super-ripe fruit can give. Also grip, acid support,
fine tannin. A bombshell of a barbera! Isn’t this ‘03 vintage fun?!
16.1+. wt081104-08. 2001
WILSON CALIFORNIA PETITE SIRAH - (U.S.)
Valley nose, slick and frosted with oak sweetness. The fruit beneath
is dark and bright. Big, four-square, forthright, demonstrative
petite sirah blackness./ The palate is cooler and shows coastal
form and tannin. Layered flavors, including sweet black cherry.
15.0.
Wednesday, August 4, 2004 wt080404-01. 2003
FOLIE A DEUX MENAGE A TROIS CALIFORNIA WHITE
- (U.S.) chardonnay, muscat, chenin blanc - The muscat dominates,
of course. And it’s nice. Peach, melon, orange, tropics./ Sweetish,
mild, musky. The inherent bitterness of muscat saves it from becoming
cloying, and the mildness of the acidity leaves a soft finish. 15.8. wt080404-02. 2003
TRINCHERO NAPA VALLEY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.)
Very young and vinous. Identifiably pinot noir (cherry, tea) but
still dominated by aromas of fermentation and youth./ Young and
a bit aggressive still. No pinot smoothness yet. Good acidity and
minerality. Can be enjoyed with food, but really needs more time
to settle in. 15.5+. wt080404-03. 2002
MONTEVINA AMADOR TEROLDEGO - (U.S.) Brilliant
purple fruits (plum and blackberry) laced with vanilla and violets.
Winemaker Jeff Meyers was right; this is better than it was in May
at the winemaker’s dinner. It did need a couple more months of bottle
age before release. Has more to offer now./ Very floral. Lovely
vanilla bean flavor. Good acidity. Balance of vanilla richness and
racy acidity. 16.4. wt080404-04. 2002
FOLIE A DEUX MENAGE A TROIS CALIFORNIA RED
- (U.S.) zinfandel, merlot, cabernet franc - Zesty fruit, including
some white fruits. Red currant of cabernet franc./ Yes, fresh and
zesty. White-wine styling. Certainly could enjoy this cool, if not
chilled. That would suppress some of its residual sugar too. Like
the white, popularly styled. 15.4. wt080404-05. 2001
TRINCHERO CHICKEN RANCH RUTHERFORD CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Brilliant. Black currant cabernet and barrel
aromas of cookie dough, toast, vanilla, and brown sugar./ Strong
and still a bit aggressive. It is Rutherford, after all. Fine-textured,
chewy extract and tannin. Time will assuage its rough edges. Better
than the ‘99. 16.9. wt080404-06. 2000
FOLIE A DEUX NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (U.S.) Oak spices and vanillin, green ‘00 fruit. Hot and strong./
Complex melange of spices, berries, currants, oak, and briar in
fine harmony. Well balanced presentation. The palate wins me over.
16.2. wt080404-07. 2000
FOLIE A DEUX PRIVATE RESERVE NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Fine French oak aromatic range. Lots of alluring
brown spices. Fruit richness matches its reserve oak and power.
Certainly a denser and more-extracted wine./ Sweet fruit and woody-spicy
oak flavors in balance. Brown sugar nuances. A bit hot and aggressive
on the aftertaste. 16.8. wt080404-08. 2001
FOLIE A DEUX AMADOR ZINFANDEL - (U.S.)
Ripe zinfandel aromas of apple-raspberry and berry jam. Brambly
and spicy./ Spicy, full, complex, and generous mouthful of zinfandel
flavors. Great acidity, texture, grip, balance. Super. 17.0. wt080404-09. 2002
MONTEVINA TERRA D’ORO AMADOR ZINFANDEL
- (U.S.) Pungent, roasted apple-raspberry. An anchovy note I like
in warm-climate reds. A big, bold Montevina classic. Wow!/ Bright
ripe fruit. Berries and anchovies. Strong and thorough. My favorite
straight-TDO zinfandel to date. 17.1. September release. wt080404-10. 2000
MONTEVINA TERRA D’ORO SCHOOL HOUSE ROAD AMADOR ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Deep-seated mix of varietal aromas as always
here. Complex, balanced, meaty, spicy, nicely formed bouquet./ Rich
and ready fruit bouquet in the mouth. Strong, broad, and balanced.
Now offering its best. 17.0. wt080404-11. 2003
TOSCANA LE RIME, BANFI - (ITALY) chardonnay,
pinot grigio - Fine and fresh apple-citrus chardonnay display. Tangy
yellow berries, lemon drops, white pepper. Fine acidity for a hot
vintage and climate./ Yes, very brisk. Picked early? Lively astringency
gives further lift and refreshment. Nice summer quaffer. 15.6. wt080404-12. BROOK
HOLLOW CALIFORNIA MERLOT - (U.S.) Good
merlot juicy black-cherry fruit and a light, sophisticated oak patina.
Fine nose./ Again. The fruit is exemplary and the oak offers sexy,
spicy embellishments. As good as a lot of the $12-$15 stuff. The
cheapy merlots have done well in general, but I think this is the
best I’ve tasted. 15.5. wt080404-13. BROOK
HOLLOW CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON -
(U.S.) Good Valley anchovy, plus cabernet currant and cassis. Fresh
and snappy. Nice!/ Light-medium bodied. Good sweetness-tannin balance.
Strong in both cabernet form and flavor. 15.2. wt080404-14. BROOK
HOLLOW CALIFORNIA SYRAH - (U.S.) Corked.
Given the quality of the other reds, it’s probably worth getting
another bottle of this one to taste. No rating. wt080404-15. 2001
TOSCANA CENTINE, BANFI - (ITALY) sangiovese,
cabernet, merlot - Very ripe for ‘01. And full. Deep, purple, and
powerful. The biggest, most ambitious Centine yet./ Firm, tannic,
serious, ambitious. Great ‘01 fruit acidity. I’m impressed! 16.0+. wt080404-16. 2001
ROSSO DI MONTALCINO, CASTELLO BANFI -
(ITALY) Grand brunello aroma. Class varietal, class wine. Without
all the meddling that long barrel aging brings. Berry-cherry-currant
clarity, precision. Fine French oak seasonings. Corpulent and complex.
Exemplary of all I like about Rosso di Montalcino./ ‘01 race, acidity,
fine form. Contrite on the palate still. Needs time to fill out.
Undoubtedly fine. 16.9+. wt080404-17. 1999
CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA TEUZZO, CECCHI
- (ITALY) Old style, long-in-oak riserva. Lots of maraschino and
citron, fruit-cake riserva qualities. Tobacco and tarragon highlights./
Rich in glycerol, tannin. Has both generosity and reserve. Full,
balanced, complete CCR. Worth the price. 17.4. wt080404-18. 1998
VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO FATTORIA DI GRACCIANO, CALVANO - (ITALY) True finesse and elegance of Vino Nobile. Wins
with charm instead of Montalcino power. Fine and youthful dark-fruit
qualities of ‘98. Violets! The best quality of VNdM! And black currants./
Cool, contained, confident, noble qualities of DOC and vintage.
Purple, regal. Body and power under control. A class wine, exemplary
of the name. 17.2+. wt080404-19. 2001
WHITEHALL LANE NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (U.S.) Fabulous display of cabernet cassis, fine oak, ‘01 race,
Napa elegance. Has it all./ Fruit, oak, sexy spices. Fine, full
tannin. Chewy extract. Full, complete. I’m sure this would have
competed with the best of them at our May Tasters Guild ‘01 cabernet
tasting. 17.8. wt080404-20. 2001
CHATEAU MONTELENA NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL
- (U.S.) Wow! Napa zinfandel elegance leaps from the glass! Great
oak too. Most, if not all, American oak, but refined in manner.
Vanilla laced./ Full and strong, but under control. Great race and
acidity of Napa zinfandel. Napa all the way, with the added power
of Calistoga. 17.5. wt080404-21. 2002
SOBON ESTATE LUBENKO VINEYARD FIDDLETOWN ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Wonderful wood and roasted raspberry aromas
of a first-rate Amador zinfandel. Strong and generous./ Rich. Very,
very warm-spicy. Chocolate-covered raisins. Fine full tannin, extract,
power. Super. I can see the high ratings. 17.2.
|
|
|
|
