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- February, 2007
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Wednesday, February 28, 2007 WT022807-01. 04 CROZES HERMITAGE BLANC, E. GUIGAL - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Good marsanne-roussanne set. Marsanne wet stone, marl, and lanolin, roussanne flowers and yellow fruits./ Round, creamy marsanne and touch of smoky, toasty oak. Somewhat understated–marsanne in youth–but suggests charm. Hold a year or two for further aroma/flavor development. 16.1+. WT022807-02. 04 SAINT JOSEPH BLANC, E. GUIGAL - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Fabulous scent of roussanne, flowers and lemons. Some stony, nutty marsanne support. Sleek, stylish, sophisticated, vital./ Sweet citrus fruit and flowers. Tropics and vanilla. This is much more expressive at this stage and seems to have the higher percentage of roussanne, which is the more fragrant of the pair. 16.3+. WT022807-03. 01 CHIANTI CLASSICO, SELVA DEL MORRO - (ITALY) Mature aroma of dried fruit, sun-dried tomato and pepper, tobacco. 01 strength, stamina, generosity./ Meat, game, animal warmth. Worchestershire too. Good development. Good acidity. 01 framing and lush texture. Ready to enjoy. 16.2. WT022807-04. 04 BARONS DE ROTHSCHILD RESERVE SPECIALE, BORDEAUX - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Nice, spicy oak plus black pepper and bell pepper. The group was complaining about the bell pepper excess–which is no surprise this vintage–but I didn’t think it was extreme./ Racy and vigorous, spicy and peppery. Fine Lafite style and texture. Good 04 effort. 14.8. WT022807-05. 03 CHATEAU GONIN, BORDEAUX - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Half each cabernet sauvignon, merlot. Sweet and ripe and very spicy. Cabernet bramble fruit./ Yes, the sweet, spicy nature of a ripe vintage. An attractive cowhide component–also a warm-vintage or warm-climate extra. Nice. 16.0. WT022807-06. 03 CHATEAU DE CRUZEAU, PESSAC-LEOGNAN ROUGE - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) 55% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot, 2% cabernet franc. Sweet and smooth fruit, with a nice, suave oak veneer and pencil-box highlight. Sleek, handsome, fashionable. Elegant, poised, well defined. Richness, density, and depth of the vintage./ Sweet and spicy. Lovely soft black fruits and cedar highlight. Polished, full, ripe, nicely tuned. Fine texture, tannin, depth, length. Good Lurton craftsmanship here. Enjoys the ripeness of the vintage and gives it refinement. Well liked by the group. 16.4. WT022807-07. 03 RUTHERFORD RANCH NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) High-toned wood spices, roasted nuts, and smooth vanillin. Nice ripe black currant drive./ Sweet, elegant berry-vanilla flavors. Ripe and rich and energetic fruit, Napa class, and nice oaking. Some residual sweetness. Cleverly crafted. 16.2. WT022807-08. 03 PASCUAL TOSO MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Purple and inky. Firm, woody, nutty, spicy. Handsome purple fruits, game, and licorice./ Sweet and spicy, with licorice and purple fruits. Plenty of alcohol and body. Good acid brace. Lively and generous. 16.0. WT022807-09. 03 METSOVO, AVEROFF - (GREECE) Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc. Nice oak and black fruits. Grip, material, density, power./ Sweet and spicy black fruits. Some brett-dekk complex. Chewy and penetrating. Shows form and grip and quite a bit of tannin yet. These Greeks sure are beginning to make better red wines! 15.7. WT022807-10. 05 OC SYRAH LA VIOLETTE, JEAN-LUC COLOMBO - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Wow! A fanfare for syrah! Sweet black raspberry and flowers. And white pepper. Real syrah. In the Colombo New Wave style and well crafted as such./ Yes, pretty much the full northern Rhone syrah set, except the bacon. Sweet and alluring raspberry, peppercorn, flowers. Good acidity. Better than the 03. 16.0. WT022807-11. 05 STEP ROAD BLACKWING MCLAREN VALE-LANGHORNE CREEK SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) Big oak, strapping black fruits, and mint-menthol./ Big, dense, round, lush, spicy, chocolatey. Eager, unrestrained. 15.8. WT022807-12. 05 JIP JIP ROCKS LIMESTONE COAST SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) This is much more refined, sleek, stylish, subtle. That nice Limestone Coast coolness. Very racy, and showing syrah on a calcaire base./ Full fruit elegance and race. Black raspberry, black currant. Good acidity and fine-grained tannin. I can see the Parker 91 here. 16.3. WT022807-13. 04 RENWOOD SIERRA FOOTHILLS ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Sweet Amador zin statement. Raspberry, briar, cocoa. Fine, open-knit fruit ripeness with plenty of power and good form to hold all together./ Wow! Lovely again. Sweet and full and powerful and generous. Best vintage ever? 16.4. WT022807-14. 03 RENWOOD FIDDLETOWN ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Dense and roti-tinged. The Thick One. Really loaded. Full, meaty, hearty, deep, rich./ Sweet and polished. Very attractive oak and toast flavors. This rocks! 16.5+. WT022807-15. 03 RENWOOD GRANDPERE VINEYARD AMADOR ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Wow! Powerful, deep, dense, polished, succulent. Big, round, lovely old-time Amador zinfandel nose. Special aura of class./ Yes, classy, elegant, lovely, special. Black and red raspberry and sassafras. Very expressive, deep-running, long-lasting 17.3+. WT022807-16. 04 LIESER NIEDERBERG HELDEN RIESLING AUSLESE, SCHLOSS LIESER - (GERMANY) Very dense, ripe, and complete Auslese nose. Sleek, classic 04 styling. Subtle peach and citrus elements./ Sweet tangerine and apricot flavors. Sweet and generous Auslese, with the graceful elegance befitting its upper Mittel Mosel origins. A shame to use it now; so much more bouquet to come. 17.0++. Wednesday, February 21, 2007
WT022107-01. 05 MIGUEL TORRES SANTA DIGNA CURICO VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (CHILE) Clean and penetrating sauvignon with light grass and citrus notes. Opens to orange peel, pineapple, passion fruit, lanolin. Plentiful./ Bright, brisk, tangy, almost bracing citricity. Piquant and cleansing acidity. A lot of charm. 15.5. WT022107-02. 05 ALTO ADIGE PINOT BIANCO SAN MARTINO, GIRLAN - (ITALY) Full, fragrant. Well textured–etches nostrils. Refreshing, elegant, intriguing. Sweet vanilla coating too./ Full and suave. Plump, assertive yellow fruits. Fine, racy edge. Nutty touch. Vibrant acidity welcomes food. 16.1. Well liked by the group. WT022107-03. 05 VALDADIGE PINOT GRIGIO, FILADONNA - (ITALY) Full, nutty, tingly. Again, creamy, vanilla coated pear and apple. Very deep penetration./ Nutty flavor too. Good acidity tickles and etches palate. Quite heady. 15.5. WT022107-04. 06 MIGUEL TORRES SANTA DIGNA CENTRAL VALLEY CHARDONNAY - (CHILE) Very fresh and gooseberry scented like a sauvignon blanc. Everyone commented on the same. Mistake at the bottling line? / Same flavor profile. Pungent, brisk, tangy, fresh, lively gooseberry, lemon grass, passion fruit, cat. Very juicy, tasty, and desirable, but chardonnay it ain’t. 15.8. WT022107-05. 05 FOREST GLEN CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Oak gives lovely, soft, sweet, vanilla and smoke aromas. Oak char and oak grain extracts. Tangy citrus and apple./ Clean, sweet, apple-lemon fruit Plenty of oak–a bit strident. But otherwise well made. 14.5. WT022107-06. 05 CHABLIS, JOSEPH DROUHIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Crisp citrus and calcaire. Just a hint of oak nutty-woody complex. Full and vigorous, large in fact./ Nice and crisp and classic Chablis for which Drouhin is famous. Very clear, clean, elegant Drouhin lines. The wood is well managed–just a delicate seasoning. 16.5. Very well liked by the group. WT022107-07. 05 CHABLIS PREMIER CRU, JOSEPH DROUHIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Great fruit class and clarity. Sweet Meyer lemon. Apple, quince, kumquat. Special 05 ripe fruit qualities. Totally transparent./ Both ripe and snappy–that’s 05. Lovely Drouhin sense of equilibrium. All hangs together just right. Premier Cru class, scope, depth, refinement. Good future. 17.0+. Also well liked by the group. WT022107-08. 05 CATALUNYA ROSADO DE CASTA, TORRES - (SPAIN) Grenache and carignan. Plenty of red fruit (cherry, cranberry) and lots of power./ Bright tart strawberry flavors. Refreshing astringency of underripe strawberry. Full dryness. Plenty of power. This works. 15.8. WT022107-09. 05 BARDOLINO, CAVALCHINA - (ITALY) Full, tart, and fresh, with nice peels astringency. Vivid, high-strung primary fruits. Plum and licorice./ Dazzling spiced plum and cherry flavors. Very rich fruit presentation, while maintaining Bardolino freshness, levity. Perky, nervy, racy. One dynamic Bardolino. 16.2. WT022107-10. 03 ISIDOR’S CHOICE LEELANAU PENINSULA PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Made at Black Star Farms. Very pinot and very ripe for 03 and northern Michigan. Wow! Kudos! Smooth, creamy milk chocolate, plenty of oak, nice core of red cherry fruit. / Very lively, spicy pinot flavors. Clove, cinnamon, cherry, oolong tea. Plenty of oak. But the fruit richness and ripeness is not to be denied. 16.3. WT022107-11. 04 BARBERA D’ALBA TORRIGLIONE, RENATO RATTI - (ITALY) Sweet and voluminous. Very ripe for 04. Cherry, tar, fur. Ripe, juicy, large, very black-fruited. Sweet, cooked plum and blackberry./ Yes, sweet and plummy, with great barbera acidity. Chewy, dense, savory, old-style, mouthfilling. Ripe and ready now, with more bouquet to come. Lots of flavor, lots of mass. 16.7+. WT022107-12. 04 DOLCETTO D’ALBA COLOMBE, RENATO RATTI - (ITALY) Ripe and racy. Cool, bright, stylish, fragrances of plum, blackberry, currant, fennel and that distinctive dolcetto cherry-coke nature./ Fresh, juicy, plummy, perky. Good dolcetto acidity and , again, the cherry coke aromatics. Good and bold body, extract, texture, strength, and even tannin to carry it long. Enjoy now or later. 16.5+. WT022107-13. 03 MIGUEL TORRES SANTA DIGNA RESERVE CURICO VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (CHILE) Heady, hearty, deep, dense, ripe, juicy. Black fruits galore. Animal warmth, licorice, very ripe red currant. Well-stood and traditional./ Full, flavorful. Peels, bitter chocolate, and licorice. Ripe and gamy. Very generous, old-time sort of Chilean cabernet. 15.8. WT022107-14. 03 FOREST GLEN CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Sweet, ripe fruit. Age brings some feral notes. Oak present but not overdone./ Oak and oak vanillin heavier on palate, and, as in the case of the chardonnay, a bit strident. Good fruit material. Blackberry and chocolate flavors. 15.2. WT022107-15. 04 NOVELTY HILL COLUMBIA VALLEY MERLOT - (U.S.) Sweet and powerful. Vanilla oak and burly, spicy, ripe fruit, especially ripe for Columbia Valley. Black cherry, chocolate, flowers./ Vanilla, American oak, and ripe black and red fruits. Great depth and solidity. Some wood tannin matched by well-wrought fruit richness. Will improve. 15.8+. WT022107-16. 04 NOVELTY HILL COLUMBIA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Ripe, with animal warmth and gaminess. Cassis, black cherry, caramel, milk chocolate./ Plump, ripe, smooth, juicy. Large flavor profile. Vanilla, chocolate, mocha, oak, oak tannin. Harmonious and expansive. Good acidity, solid framework. 16.2+. WT022107-17. 06 MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER ESTATE RIESLING, ST. URBANS-HOF - (GERMANY) Fresh peach and mineola. Bright, very penetrating, lively, and lovely ripe citrus. Brisk and bracing young Mosel riesling./ Sweet, with pear nectar flavor. Apple, lemon, and flowers too. Fine acidity and texture. 16.8. Wednesday, February 14, 2007
WT021407-01. 03 SANDHILL CRANE MOULIN ROUGE MICHIGAN RED - (U.S.) Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and chancellor. Good oak and sweet berry fruit. Well done. Balanced and appealing./ Sweet and polished fruit. Cranberry, red cherry. Just enough American oak. Long and flavorful. The acidity is nice and ripe for a cool climate. 15.8. WT021407-02. 05 CHIANTI, CODIROSSO - (ITALY) Rich and ripe, with bright red cherry, sweet berries, stewed plums. Floral highlights./ Bright, fresh red fruit. Game and tobacco extras. Great acidity. Well delineated. Balanced and well textured for current use; will improve over the coming months. 15.5. WT021407-03. 05 BARBERA DEL PIEMONTE, BRUNO PORRO - (ITALY) Wow! Real Barbera! Black Dalmatian cherries and sweet creme. Touch of charred wood./ Great, big mouthful of fruit extract, racy barbera acidity, fine tannin, flavors, textures. Complete Barbera, and not trying to get too uppity–the emphasis is on the grape. 16.4+. WT021407-04. 04 DOLCETTO DI DOGLIANI VIGNA RIBOTE, BRUNO PORRO - (ITALY) Dark, intense 04 style. Flowers, something balsamic-minty, and animal hide./ Tight and tannic for dolcetto. Ambitious, hearty, authoritative even. Fine depth and balance. Needs time for aromatic release. 15.7+. WT021407-05. 05 LA MANCHA TEMPRANILLO, CAMPOS REALES - (SPAIN) Big, fresh, round, and juicy. Tempranillo dark berries and cherries./ Immediate, up-front, hedonistic, ripe fruits. Brisk and bright and well balanced Euro take on a warm-climate wine. Features both grip and smoothness. 15.4. WT021407-06. 05 JUMILLA MONASTRELL, CASA CASTILLO - (SPAIN) Dense, slightly reduced, and compact young mourvedre. Sleek, pleasant, fine textured black fruits with light oak patina. Nervy, vivid./ Ripe, sweet, smooth-textured. Good feel, depth, richness, largeness, meatiness. 15.8. WT021407-07. 05 COTES DU RHONE VIEILLES VIGNES, DOMAINE BERTHET-RAYNE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Delightful grenache nose of soft red fruits, especially strawberry. Garrigue and nut elements. Solid and powerful yet not without grace./ Firm and well structured, with grenache strength and glycerol smoothness, fine-grained tannins, and good acid backbone. Yes, there’s a lot of class here. Aromatically, there lots more waiting
in the wings to come on stage as the wine matures. 16.1+. WT021407-08. 04 CAUX CARIGNAN VIEILLES VIGNES, DOMAINE DE NIZAS - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Intense blackberry and bramble. Spicy-zesty, peppery. Big, ripe, bold, and very handsome. Very, very vigorous on the attack./ Delicious berries and flowers flavors. Very fine, smooth glycerol coating with great, fresh acidity slicing through. Fine structured. Forthcoming. Just super. Better than the 03. 16.4. WT021407-09. SANDHILL CRANE MICHIGAN TRAMINETTE - (U.S.) Rose, bergamot, tonic. Orange peel, pear, and peach nuances. Very clean and clear varietal character./ Yes, the pure flavor of the varietal nicely conveyed by the winemaker. Ideal traminette. 16.2. WT021407-10. SANDHILL CRANE MICHIGAN VIDAL BLANC ICE WINE half bottle - (U.S.) Wow! Total ice wine concentration! Pineapple, honey, guava, papaya./ Total again. Pineapple and honey essence. Thick and full-sweet, with great ice-wine acid cut and extract edge. 18.2. Wednesday, February 7, 2007
WT020707-01. 05 CHATEAU HAUT PASQUET, BORDEAUX BLANC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Nice fragrance. Sweet grass of sauvignon, lemon rind and nuttiness of semillon. Semillon roundness and girth, sauvignon incisiveness. Persistent and nostril-swelling./ Yes, the smooth texture of semillon and the grassy vigor of sauvignon. Semillon glycerol smooths out the experience. Balanced and appealing overall. Popular with the group. 15.7. WT020707-02. 05 POUILLY FUME, DENIS GAUDRY - (FRANCE LOIRE) Unique amidst a wave of flashier Pouilly Fumes; traditional, classic. Smoke, green olive, and olive oil richness cut by a nice sauvignon tingle and gunflint nasal assault. Boldly stated, pungent, catty./ Crisp, juicy, stony, flinty. Plenty of acidity and extract etch the inside of the mouth. The way Pouilly Fume used to be. Classic. 16.1. WT020707-03. 05 DONAULAND GRUNER VELTLINER, DANUBIO - (AUSTRIA) Soft, shy, typical lentil aroma that gains more fruity exuberance as it airs: peach, pear, melon./ Lush fruit contained in a firm structure. Prickly acidity. Growth to go. 13.5+. WT020707-04. 05 KAMPTAL KIES GRUNER VELTLINER, KURT ANGERER - (AUSTRIA) Oh, boy! Much more fragrant. Sweet citrus juice and citrus oil. Apple too. And lima bean./ Satin smooth, nicely ripe, in fact, complete. Yes, a degree of ripeness not often seen at this price. Long, flavorful aftertaste adding white pepper, underbrush and flowers to the aromatic profile. 16.2. WT020707-05. 05 BOURGOGNE ROUGE, DOMAINE ROUX - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Sweet 05 fruit approach with good Burgundian stem-peel, tarry Formosan tea. Sweet, ripe, dark cherry. Really vivid burgundy pinot./ Rich fruit plus plenty of acid, grip, extract, juice. The fruit is admirable ripe. 16.0+. WT020707-06. 05 COUSINO-MACUL MAIPO VALLEY MERLOT - (CHILE) Wow! Cherry and spice and everything nice. Fine wood spices, potpourri airs./ Again, maraschino cherry and spice-box, Cavendish. Satin-smooth, with just the right degree of wood seasonings. Good acidity. Well balanced overall. Good aftertaste. 16.1. WT020707-07. 04 COUSINO-MACUL FINIS TERRAE MAIPO VALLEY CABERNET-MERLOT - (CHILE) 60/40. Fine, deep, and 04 dark. Sweet oak toffee and brown spices. Black fruits galore. Really rich and 3-dimensional. Explosive. Great oak extras./ Sweet and bold and smooth. Cabernet framing, merlot filling. Ripe fruit and oak glycerol, nice acid foil. Class, complexity, and style here. Very round, mouth-filling, and delicious. 17.0+. WT020707-08. 04 SAINT NICOLAS DE BOURGUEIL DOMAINE DU FRENE, COULY-DUTHEIL - (FRANCE LOIRE) Fresh, black fruit of Saint Nic and 04. Blackberry instead of raspberry. Bright, charming, zesty, and in character. Ripe enough./ Racy, herbal 04 style. Like an 04 claret. Plenty of 04 acidity modulated by adequate alcohol presence. Lively, pretty, accomplished, well crafted. 15.8. WT020707-09. 03 CHATEAU LA CLARE, CRU BOURGEOIS, MEDOC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Jean Guyon @Begaden. Ripe black fruit. Black currant and blackberry concentrate. Smoky fruit and oak. The way 03 claret should be: neither over- nor under-ripe. Spicy briar, cedar, and oak notes. Large-scaled and rambunctious./ Sweet and smooth. Accomplished already. Texturally well balanced. Lovely. Plenty of both aromatic and textural appeal.
The best I’ve tasted from this Chateau. 16.5. WT020707-10. 03 CHATEAU D’AURILHAC, CRU BOURGEOIS, HAUT MEDOC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Lovely, as usual. 03 fruit ripeness meets subtle oak toast and brown spices. Strong in cabernet sauvignon, black, sweet, and stalwart./ Rich flavors of cassis and black cherry fill the palate, and pencil-box wood extras. Fine tannin, structure, depth. Well bred, well balanced, well poised. A charming and entertaining 03 Haut Medoc with
additional bouquet and textural complexities to come. 16.6+. WT020707-11. 03 CHATEAU CISSAC, CRU BOURGEOIS SUPERIEUR, HAUT MEDOC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Wow! This continues to be modeled after Latour. It’s a big, solid, broad-beamed, cabernet sauvignon-dominated Haut Medoc. Hard, massive, lots of fruit concentration. Classic Left Bank claret, no 03 idiosyncracies./ Large-scaled, compact, purple fruit. Firm, spicy oak. Fabulous fruit breadth, depth, mass, solidity. Chewy, balanced,
well-toned, long. 17.1+. WT020707-12. 03 CHATEAU BELLE-VUE, CRU BOURGEOIS, HAUT MEDOC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Whoa! Big, sexy, smoky, spicy oak, cigar box, plum, and cassis. The consummate New Wave Left Bank claret. Fabulous range and complexity. Both fruit and oak make full contributions./ Black-hole darkness and depth. Round and polished. Ripe acidity and melted tannins. Certainly has plenty to offer now, and no rough edges. And structurally
right for 5+ years of cellar development. 17.0+. WT020707-13. 05 SOUTHERN RIGHT WALKER BAY PINOTAGE - (SOUTH AFRICA) Ripe, tangy, dusty, plentiful black fruits. Smoky and meaty; bacon fat./ Chewy black fruits and tobacco. Good acidity, balance. Texturally right. Large, modern, and generous pinotage. 15.9. WT020707-14. 05 STEPHEN VINCENT CRIMSON CALIFORNIA RED - (U.S.) Sweet and sassy apple-cranberry. Also plum, red raspberry, pomegranate, and tea. Gushes ripe fruits. Speaks coastal./ Flavors confirm aromas and add strawberry jam to the range. And subtle oak-contributed suggestions of chocolate and coconut. Good acidity. As alluring as the 04. And drier, with juicy fruit acidity. So it’s rangier at the table, more serious
too. 16.0 WT020707-15. 03 THORNY DEVIL GUNDAGAI SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) Dense, smoky oak and black fruits. Dark berries, plum, dark chocolate, bitters./ Both tart and jammy-ripe fruits. Both lean and smooth feels. Some tannin to shed. 15.2. WT020707-16. SANDHILL CRANEBERRY MICHIGAN RASPBERRY-BLUEBERRY half bottle - (FRUIT) Big berry extraction. Good combo. The blueberry comes through, which is quite an achievement given its relative aromatic intensity. Spicy and tingly. / Again, both berry characters are clear. Bright, ripe acid piquance. Spicy, sweet, flavorful, powerful, and long. 17.8 WT020707-17. SANDHILL CRANE MICHIGAN RASPBERRY half bottle - (FRUIT) Pure, unequivocal raspberry./ Sweet and spicy. Pippy, zesty raspberry flavors. Good balance of acid, sweetness, alcohol. 17.0. |
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