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Tasting Notes Blog - Printer-Friendly Version
- February, 2009
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Wednesday, February 25, 2009 WT022509-01. 07 OAK GROVE CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Fresh red fruits. More cherry than berry. Maraschino, montmorency./ Tasty. The cherries again and also a light raspberry flair. Probably better than the 06. Liked by the group for the price. 15.9. WT022509-02. 06 MONTEVINA CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Bright, sweet berriness. Good, solid framing. The has more of both form and filling./ Rich and right. Thicker than the above. Cassis, berry syrup. And plenty of acidity to counter. The tannins are still a little gritty. Also liked by the group for the price. 16.0+. WT022509-03. 06 RIBERA DEL DUERO MIBAL, BODEGAS HORNILLO BALLESTEROS - (SPAIN) 100% tempranillo. Reduced as usual. Cool and black 06./ Again, reduced, tight, stingy, tart, astringent. This will all work out, of course, but the wine is too young to enjoy at present. Well, maybe a couple days’ aeration would make a difference. 15.4++. WT022509-04. 04 YECLA BARRICA, SENORIO DE BARAHONDA - (SPAIN) 70% mourvedre, 20% cabernet sauvignon. Very ripe and raisiny, but it’s the purple raisin of mourvedre, not the usual table raisin./ Ripe and verging on rancio. There’s also a severity about it, and aggressiveness. Well, which way is this going? 14.0+/-? WT022509-05. 05 D’ARENBERG THE FOOTBOLT MCLAREN VALE SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) Following a series of big time Chateauneufs, this stands proud. Ripe, strong, thick, loaded. Leather and roasted meat./ Rich, lush, and spicy. Sweet, sumptuous dark fruits and plenty of viscosity too. Better than the 04. The complete McLaren Vale shiraz package. 16.8. WT022509-06. 03 WEHLENER SONNENUHR RIESLING SPATLESE ARTIST LABEL, HERIBERT KERPEN - (GERMANY) Wow! Very bright and crisp, especially for 03 and its age. Sonnenuhr flowers, citrus, peach, honeysuckle./ 03 richness but oh so upbeat as well. Great clarity, purity, focus. Good acidity. Fabulous juiciness and class. Will improve for sure. 17.4+.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 WT021809-01. 08 THREE STONES MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Both brisk and full–08 all the way. Sweet citrus aroma. Also tumbo, capsicum. Intense./ Full, chewy, powerful. Bright, ripe acidity and fresh, clean piquance on the finish. Fairly priced. Ready for the table. 16.2. WT021809-02. 08 GIESEN MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Geez, is this cutting to the extreme! Beyond grass; it’s nettles./ Wow! What tangy acidity! Energetic, pulsating gooseberry edge. The most ever for this cuvee. 16.5. WT021809-03. 08 GOATS IN VILLAGES PAARL VIOGNIER - (SOUTH AFRICA) Honeysuckle and lemon blossom. Peach too./ Dry and classic, with plenty of welcome and righteous astringency grasp to foil its innate viscosity. Great viognier palate that’s ready for food. 16.1+. WT021809-04. 07 BEAUCANON EHLERS LANE VINEYARD NAPA VALLEY CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) A pleasing, well tuned oaky character, toasty, treacly, a little on the charry side. Some sweet malo notes too./ Again, the soft, creamy malo padding. Honey and melon fruit touches, as well as the oak aspects. This has good form and reasonable Napa refinement and depth of character. Needs some time for full oak-fruit integration. 15.7+. WT021809-05. 07 GEWURZTRAMINER, HELFRICH - (FRANCE ALSACE) At Marlenheim in the north. Thickly pomaded nose–a classic approach. Rose hip, lychee, honey, botanicals, barbershop, tangerine and peel. Both powerful and pretty./ Sleek and scented. This has plenty of gewurz astringency and glycerol in yin-yang fashion. Fairly priced. I like it. 16.4. WT021809-06. 06 BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR, JOSEPH FAIVELEY - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Very lovely and forward pinot black cherry fruit, especially forward for a young Faiveley rouge. Much more so than the 05 and 04. The vintage is talking. Lively raspberry aspects too./ The palate is more in tune with the young Faiveley style, showing grip and fine tannin rather than confirming the sweet, forward fruitiness of the nose. Tart cherry,
peels, dab of pitch. Good acidity. Nice burst of floral sachet on the finish. This could be useful now with food and will certainly improve in the cellar. 16.2+. WT021809-07. 07 MONTOYA MONTEREY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) I was wrong about Montoya’s connection with Talley. Talley’s other brand is Bishops Peak. Montoya comes out of Arroyo Seco Vineyards, one of Monterey’s biggest winegrowers. Bright and open and easy to like true pinot fruit suggestive of cool Monterey. Yes, a good sense of acidity even on the nose. And what’s this? Some oak? I don’t remember this in the 05 and 06./
Yes, indeed. There much more significant oak presence than in previous vintages, and it’s all to the good, making for a more complex presentation without any sacrifice of fruit ID. Toast, vanilla, caramel. The expected good acidity. Best vintage yet. 16.3+. WT021809-08. 05 CHATEAU HAUT GAZEAU, LUSSAC SAINT EMILION - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Wow! Sweet and smoky, forceful, and big-time. Fine Lussac ripeness. Dark berries, cassis, licorice. / Full, ripe, powerful even. And quite tannic, though the tannins are fine. Not much 05 refinement showing, but this compensates with stuffing, build, power. Young, large, well balanced, well poised. Some underlying 05 elegance evident on the
finish, which reveals that coveted suggestion of violets. This is going to develop into something awesome. Liked by the group. 16.5+. WT021809-09. 06 MADIRAN TORUS, ALAIN BRUMONT - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) We had this less than a month back. Today’s experience is the same. Reductive to start, but not offensive in any way, just hermetic. As before, I gave it a good shaking, and it helped. But I didn’t have time to follow it long enough to achieve enough give to rate it 16.0++ like before. It opened up only to a 15.0++. Will be a good wine someday, like the
04. WT021809-10. 06 CAHORS, CLOS LA COUTALE - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) 80% malbec, 20% merlot. Soft and juicy. Polished, deep, ripe black cherry, cassis, and chocolate. Some peels-extract firmness yet./ Nicely constituted but still young and restrained. Needs 2-3 years. 15.8+. WT021809-11. 07 HERAULT LES HERETIQUES, CHATEAU D’OUPIA - (FRANCE MEDITERRAEAN) Sweet carbonic maceration style of fruitiness. Accompanying reduction of youth. Black and purple fruits./ Compact still, but not without an engaging sense of prettiness, charm. Give it a chance to evolve and open. 15.7+. WT021809-12. 06 COTES DU RHONE ROULEPIERRE, PIERRE AMADIEU - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Dark fruit, dried fruit, green olive, cayenne, tobacco. Intriguing, old style./ Dried fruits and leather. Old World acidity and styling. Old time rusticity. 15.6. WT021809-13. 05 RIOJA CRIANZA, MARQUES DE CACERES - (SPAIN) Compact and well framed. Dark fruit, brown sugar, and clove-like spiciness. / Palate adds ripe red raspberry and wood spices. Has body, depth, and poise. Give it a few months of aging. 15.5+. WT021809-14. 06 MICHAEL POZZAN DANTE RESERVE CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Potent. Some cassis and big wood smoke./ Dill, bell pepper, dark berries. Powerful. A wine that pushes the buttons. Will have many fans at this price. 15.5. WT021809-15. 07 TAMARI RESERVA MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Boy, is this tight to start. Right though. Elegant oak and fruit, in harmony. With aeration, it softens and sweetens some, becomes more revealing. A class act as usual./ Dark berries, chocolate, licorice, oak spices.Yes, this is starting to fill out some but definitely retains a lot of youthful tightness. No problem; will be fine within months. 16.1+. WT021809-16. 07 EASTON AMADOR ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Fresh and sweet, with the fine Amador roast. Upbeat, juicy, raspberry scented, complete. Best vintage yet./ Fine light oak touch to complement the good fruit quality. Good acidity and power. Bodes well for 07 Amador zins. Good future. 16.7+. WT021809-17. 03 TAYLOR, FLADGATE LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT - (FORTIFIED) Wow! Very large and powerful. Taylor black. Vintage power if not quite Vintage grip of the gob thickness./ Sweet and plummy. Black fig, pitch, wood, nuts. The power is well reined. Balanced, ample, luscious, complete. A treat. One of the best in the series and reflective of the style and quality of 03 Vintage port. 17.3+.
Wednesday. Febriary 11. 2009 WT021109-01. 06 NACKENHEIMER RIESLING KABINETT TROCKEN, BINZ - (GERMANY) Just enough plumpness plus trocken briskness. Tingles the nostrils. This is very racy for Rheinhessen and 06. With air, it fills to peach, loquat, and apple. Turns fat and sassy like a proper 06. Impressive, really./ Dry but with the largesse of spatlese. Both very racy fruit acidity and a nice touch of tenderness–not a stark trocken, well padded.
Zingy and
fine finish. Great value on closeout. Very well liked by the group. 16.3. WT021109-02. 05 WURZBURGER STEIN SILVANER KABINETT TROCKEN, STAATLICHER HOFKELLER WURZBURG - (GERMANY) Silver Kammerpreis. This has body and race. Brisk crispness of good Main silvaner./ Good fruit juiciness. Quince, apple, almond, flowers. Nice feel. Dry yet kinda sexy too; yeah, pillowy. Useful at the table now. 16.2+. WT021109-03. 07 PIEMONTE CORTESE, BRICCO DEI TATI - (ITALY) Tenderness and finesse. Proper frame, with a simple but pretty mein. Pear and flowers, melon and nuts./ Crisp and cool to start. Becoming fuller and more seductive with airing. Dry, nutty, peachy. Not up to the class and sophistication of a good Gavi, but certainly a nice cortese for the money. 15.6+. WT021109-04. 07 COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES BLANC CUVEE DES SEIGNEURS, DOMAINE DU VIEUX CHENE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 1/3 each roussanne, marsanne, and viognier. And a good complex of all three fruit characters. Viognier flower, roussanne peach, marsanne apple-melon. Rocks and gravel too./ Plenty of viognier astringency to cut through the more ponderous roussanne and marsanne, resulting in a juicy, racy wine as well as
a full bodied
one. This will fill out more over the coming months (in fact, it continues to blossom with aeration). But will work with the right food choices now. 16.3+. WT021109-05. 07 SANCERRE, FRANCK MILLET - (FRANCE LOIRE) @Bue. Penetrating, grassy sauvignon with a pungent edge. Citrus, zest, spice, minerality./ Even more spiel on the palate. Lots of gooseberry. Good acidity. Vigorous, assertive, pungent, hearty. Will gain even more personality over the next 6 months. 16.0+. WT021109-06. 06 VENEZIA GUILIA CHARDONNAY, JERMANN - (ITALY) Rich, voluminous, open, polished, maturing./ Apple, pear, quince, citrus. Good depth and clarity. No overt oak. Expensive. 16.2. WT021109-07. 07 PINE RIDGE CALIFORNIA CHENIN BLANC-VIOGNIER - (U.S.) 80/20. Plenty of chenin melon plus the peach, pear, and honeysuckle scents of viognier. Plump and layered./ Very floral in the mouth. Orange blossom. Plus honey, honeydew, peach, and mango. Fine acidity and a nice, soft chenin center to the whole matter. Lots of depth. Dry and dinner ready for spring fare. This is special. One of the best in the series.
Well liked
by the group. 16.4. WT021109-08. 07 VAUCLUSE CUVEE DE LA DAME VIEILLE, DOMAINE DU VIEUX CHENE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Half each grenache and syrah. Fresh, dense, rich. Blackberries galore. And violets! Very fleshy./ Young and taut. If I remember right, this used to be an all old-vines grenache cuvee. The syrah entry adds darkness and firm framing, suggesting–in this vintage at least–that the wine would be better kept 6 months to a year
to appreciate
its full virtues. 16.1+. WT021109-09. 06 RIBATEJANO, QUINTA DA ALORNA - (PORTUGAL) Roriz, castelao, syrah, and alicante bouschet. Oh, boy! Deep and rich in purple and black fruits. Some wood extras too? Yes, the brandied cherry impression speaks of some oak influence. Fabulous intensity and clarity./ Purple flowers, black currants, dark chocolate. A dark-complexioned beauty. Not too pushy, not too shy; just the right intensity. Fine extract,
fine tannin.
16.5+. WT021109-10. 06 CHIANTI DEI COLLI SENESI CASPAGNOLO, VILLA POGGIO SALVI - (ITALY) Fresh and dark and crisp. More like a northern Chianti than a Colli Senesi. I guess that’s partly due to the nature of the vintage. Yes, lovely, showing lots of plum, florals, and intense black cherry. Just the right amount of power./ Shows northern Chianti restraint and elegance. Crisp, fresh, racy acidity. Tremendous value. Well liked
by the group.
16.6+. WT021109-11. 04 BARBARESCO, STEFANO FARINA - (ITALY) Tight, elegant 04 styling. Blackberry and black currant–rather unusual traits for nebbiolo. Still on the austere side, which is not alien to young Farina wines. All the same, there are sweet perfumes getting through, showing Barbaresco charm and finesse./ Lots of tar and licorice. Flashes of Barbaresco flair, refinement, style. Promising. Give it a chance to blossom.
16.8+. WT021109-12. 07 LAETITIA ESTATE ARROYO GRANDE VALLEY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Oh! Another great one in the series! Though painfully young and still on the reductive side. Fresh, bright, deep. Fabulous material and potential./ Wow! An intense and complex melange of flavors: oak, fruit peel, cherry, and tea. Lots of extract. With aeration, it becomes a lush, stylish treat. Has it all. Will prove one of the best. 17.0+. WT021109-13. 07 VILA MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Fresh, cool, deep, dark, and secretive. Chocolate and toast empyreumatic notes./ Fruity, but very tight and tannic, stingy. Needs time for sure. 15.2++. WT021109-14. 07 GRAYSON PASO ROBLES CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Paso Robles ripeness and softness. Ample black fruits, vanilla, mocha, chocolate. Paso cab all the way./ Black currant flavor. Paso richness cut by good acidity. Attractive measure of charm. Will improve. 15.2+. WT021109-15. 07 PAVILION RESERVE NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) This is decidedly darker fruited and more northern. Young cabernet tightness and good Napa class and beauty. This vintage is coming in for high praise, and its red wines look like keepers./ Yes, young and tight cabernet. Cabernet cassis shows. Again, there’s a lot of class here. Good ager for sure. 16.2+. WT021109-16. 06 KILIKANOON THE LACKEY SOUTH AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) Open, sweet American oak. Rich and juicy fruit. Dill, coconut, vanilla, blackberry./ Palate confirms the brawny, generous oak and fruit melange. For hearty fare. 15.8. WT021109-17. 05 BRASSFIELD VOLCANO RIDGE HIGH VALLEY PETITE SIRAH - (U.S.) Firm, deep, racy. Closed up but clearly well built. Black fruit, tar, olive, spices, black coffee. Has panache and potential./ Yes, very large volume. True pet size and material. But still very tight. Good future. 15.5++. WT021109-18. 08 MOSCATO D’ASTI, BRICCO RIELLA - (ITALY) Fresh and perky. The usual loveliness. Plenty of apple, lucuma, and even cherry./ Light hearted and joyous. Consistent with past vintages, and, likewise, will show more comfort, confidence, and maturity into spring-summer. 16.2+.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009 WT020409-01. 08 GREENHOUGH NELSON SAUVIGNON BLANC - Loved the 07 at a fall trade tasting. This is even better. Full bodied and rich in gooseberry, citrus, and tropical delights. Complete./ Yes, very full and rich, and also very racy. Nutty too–walnut. And lime peel, lemon grass, apple, pear, capsicum. These 08 NZ sauvignons rock! Incredibly mouthfilling and long aftertaste with welcome cling. One of the best of a great
vintage. The group was in awe. 17.0+. WT020409-02. 07 PINOT BLANC, PAUL ZINCK - Rich and rightful auxerrois side of pinot blanc (both grapes are permitted); so rich and full of apple, melon, and paraffin that it’s practically dialed up to pinot gris volume. Lovely besides./ Dry and full and crisp. The palate shows the pinot blanc side. Great acidity, juiciness, vigor. This is special! Very well liked by the group. 16.8+. WT020409-03. 04 TOKAY PINOT GRIS, RINGENBACH MOSER - Aging gracefully. Baked apple, tropical fruits, dried apricot. Very 04 crisp./ Yes, still singing. Lots of pinot gris nuttiness on the palate. Unique. Use over the next six months. 15.8. WT020409-04. 07 ST. INNOCENT VITAE SPRINGS VINEYARD WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT GRIS - Sweet, rich, full fruit. With a fine, racy, kumquat-like edge too./ Yes, this is racy. While the nose suggests more plumpness, the palate shows youthful confinement. Purple plum and peel. Good acidity. Will need time to fatten up. Promises to deliver. 16.2+. WT020409-05. 05 BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR DOMAINE DU MOULIN NEUF, DANJEAN-BERTHOUX - Loved this at a fall trade tasting, and I’m even more engaged by it now. Ripe and racy. Strong Burgundian build, frame, power, youth, form, presence, size–well, how many more words are there to express its heft?/ Wow! Has race and vigor. And richness too. Has it all. Aeration brings kirsch and fraise allures. Some game as well as fruit tones.
Great acidity and tannin. A bit raffish for 05–not a refined wine at this stage. But, boy, does it deliver range and depth and promise! A bargain cellar candidate. 16.8+. WT020409-06. 06 SOQUEL DEVERY VINEYARD SANT CRUZ MOUNTAINS PINOT NOIR - Fresh, large, open, New World. Bright fruit–both black and tart cherries, plus raspberry. And toasty oak./ Large, powerful. But also cool and composed. Peels astringency. Good acidity. Well crafted. 16.5. WT020409-07. 06 CHATEAU KSARA RESERVE DU COUVENT BEKAA VALLEY RED - Markedly different from past vintages and from the 06 Chateau Kafraya. Wow! Great, sweet, dark fruit. Flowers, berries, freshness, joy. This is not Med-like as are the others, which show their cinsaut component. This is darker, more northern, fruitier, more modern./ Again, the fruit plushness complemented by soft and engaging acidity. Peels extract
gives structure. Complexing hints of gaminess and Cavendish tobacco. Good show. Liked by the group. 16.4+. WT020409-08. 07 MAN VINTNERS COASTAL REGION PINOTAGE - Fine and fragrant fruit. Sweet berry fruit. Hint of game./ Some game on the palate also, but here too the dominating aspect is sweet and good fruit. Well rendered. Liked by the group. 15.6. WT020409-09. 07 MAN VINTNERS COASTAL REGION CABERNET SAUVIGNON - Inky dark, spicy, really intense black fruit cabernet nose. Some tar and licorice too. This is very black indeed./ Nicely polished and true to the varietal. Hints of mint, pepper, and olive. Liked by the group. 15.1+. WT020409-10. 05 BARBERA D’ALBA SUPERIORE, GOVONE - Big, rambunctious, obscene. Smoky, leathery, old time. I like it./ Palate more compact, prim and proper. Will fill out with more aeration and aging. A rightful young barbera at an attractive price. Hugely popular with the group. 16.2+. WT020409-11. 08 MAIPE MENDOZA BONARDA - Very dark and reductive in a positive way. Intense and real young bonarda./ Dark, sweet, plummy, rich. Peels and bitter cherry. Real bonarda. Race, lift, character, intensity. Great acidity and soft, gentle tannins. A wine for the table. One of the best on the market, and well priced. 16.1+. WT020409-12. 05 EOS PASO ROBLES ZINFANDEL - While 05 tight at the start, nice candied raspberry fruit impressions come with aeration. Plenty of American oak too, sweet and vanilla/coconut laced./ Rich and engaging–Paso Robles all the way. Sweet, spicy fruit and frank, patriotic American oakiness. Good acidity to complement. The EOS style. An All American zinfandel devoid of snobbery. 16.1. WT020409-13. 04 DIENHEIMER KREUZ RIESLING SPATLESE, MARIENHOF - Rich Rheinfront sweet citrus bouquet–orange, tangerine. Vital and charming./ Soft and easy for an 04. It’s always been like that. Very flavorful range of citrus fruits, peach, and grain bin. Best it’s tasted. 16.2. WT020409-14. 04 OPPENHEIMER SACKTRAGER RIESLING SPATLESE, DR. HEYDEN - Wow! Full richness and beauty. Great purity. Lots of stone fruit. The class of Sacktrager–best vineyard of Oppenheim. A perfect representative./ The flavor is not as focused and forthcoming yet. The acidity is still coated, the wine chubby. Has the goods but they’re still under wraps. More bottle age, please. 16.5+. WT020409-15. 04 DURKHEIMER ABTSFRONHOF RIESLING SPATLESE HALBTROCKEN, FITZ-RITTER - Floral, uplifting, crisp, dry. Tea, dried apricot./ Yes, fresh and floral, even some tonic relief. Now pineapple. Unique. Well liked by the group. 16.4. WT020409-16. 03 RUDESHEIMER BERG ROTTLAND RIESLING SPATLESE, JOHANNISHOF - Nice and sweet 03. Honey and botrytis. Really fat and powerful in the 03 vernacular./ Rich and thick. Coats the palate; feel luscious. This is surely auslese material. The acidity remains coated. Big-time future. Well liked by the group, which bought it all. 17.1+. WT020409-17. 04 BECHTHEIMER STEIN GEWURZTRAMINER SPATLESE, MACHMER - Flowers, barbershop, citrus peel. A lovely expression of gewurz. Wow! Very popular with the group, which bought it all. 17.0. WT020409-18. 07 JOHANNISBERGER KLAUS RIESLING AUSLESE, KRAYER - Full, spicy, minerally, sweet, ripe, golden./ Yes full bodied auslese stuff. Good strength and presence. The acidity remains coated, so this doesn’t deliver the fruit-juiciness so many of the 07 kabinetts and spatleses have shown us, especially the Mosels. No problem. Just needs time. Well liked by the group, some of whom commented this was the best Krayer
wine they’d tasted. Actually, I think this is the first time we’ve done one of his ausleses. 16.7+. WT020409-19. 04 JARDIN STELLENBOSCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON - This is the vintage that got a Wine Enthusiast 93/100 rating. I’ve admired the wine before, and I liked it very much this evening too. Has filled out nicely since last tasted over a year ago. Generous cabernet fruit and discreet, well integrated oak. Rich and ripe. Lots of class. 16.8.
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