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Tasting Notes Printer-Friendly Version
- June, 2004 |
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Wednesday, June 30, 2004 wt063004-01. 2002
HAUTERIVE VIOGNIER, DOMAINE LA BASTIDE
- (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) A fine varietal statement of honeysuckle,
apricot, orange, perfume./ Soft and lightly glycerined in the viognier
manner. Nice structure, depth, and balance. A little astringency
is not unwarranted. Delicious, really. 15.6. wt063004-02. 2003
OC VIOGNIER MEDITATION, DOMAINE DE GOURJO
- (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Riper nose but with less vitality and personality.
Earthier, stronger, duller./ Full. Low acid, high alcohol that burns.
Lacks aromatics and charms. The problems of 2003 without the advantages.
14.0. wt063004-03. 2002
BOURGOGNE PINOT BLANC, HENRI GOUGES -
(FRANCE BURGUNDY) Unique aroma of sweet oak and Cote de Nuits pinot
blanc. Light toast and sweet citrus, especially lime and pink grapefruit.
Vanillin gives plumpness. Mineral and citrus peel-like extracts
give palpable qualities./ Wood, peel, resin, grip. Unique. Dramatic.
16.8. wt063004-04. 2002
BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR VIEILLES VIGNES MAISON DIEU, NICOLAS POTEL - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Bright, lovely, sweet pinot fruit,
floral perfumes, and a generous measure of new oak. And a leather
tone. This needs time to absorb the oak./ Exotic red and black fruit
flavors. Good, full acidity for ‘02. Oak and fruit tannins. Potel
race, Potel style. A lot of class here. I’d like to follow this
a year or two, maybe more. 16.4+. wt063004-05. 2002
COTE DE NUITS VILLAGES VIEILLES VIGNES, NICOLAS POTEL - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Lovely perfume. Cedar and musk. Very
special. Transcends wine aromatics and soars into the realm of fine
perfumes. Dense and serious Cote de Nuits underlayment./ Fine, fine
oak and Cote de Nuits pinot class. Balance and beauty. For clarity
and class, this is one of the finest CDNVs I’ve experienced. Others
have been fuller (I’m recalling Leroy’s in particular), but none
with such special aromatics. 17.0. wt063004-06. 2000
FOLIE A DEUX NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (U.S.) Sweet, chocolatey, and jammy for Napa. Plenty of oak enhancement./
Soft, ripe fruit, spicy oak. Fruit sweetness and acidity form a
reasonable balance. Generous; plenty of body. Oak and fruit tannins
to resolve still. 16.1+.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004 wt062304-01. 2001
SANTA JULIA MENDOZA CHARDONNAY - (ARGENTINA)
Inauspiciously deep color./ Yes, it’s getting tawny./ Tired, flat
palate. Passable though. Could be drunk at dinner with no ill effects.
Why are we tasting this? 13.2. wt062304-02. 2002
SANTA JULIA MENDOZA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (ARGENTINA) Good cabernet black currant and blackberry nose. Bright
and accurate. Some sense of European styling, but softer than Bordeaux./
Softer than nose and not as focused. Cabernet tannins hold it together.
Prefer nose to palate. 15.1. wt062304-03. 2003
SANTA JULIA MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA)
Good, direct, fresh fruit. Deep and purple plum and berry aromas,
spicy and perfumed. More body, depth, and extract than the cabernet./
Fine tannins coat the teeth. Bright, lively, racy, penetrating,
and giving. Good acidity. Fresh, primary, uncomplicated, explicit.
15.6. wt062304-04. 2000
COTES DU RHONE, DOMAINE DU MAILLET - (FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN) @St. Romain en Viennois - Reduction and garrigue.
Spicy, nervy. Black cherry note. Promising./ Confirmed. Reduced,
hermetic, herbal. Fine tannin. Needs more aeration and/or age. I
have faith. 15.8+. wt062304-05. 2001
COTES DU RHONE, E. GUIGAL - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN)
Guigal style, Guigal build. Time in cask but not woody. No garrigue.
With airing, raspberry and black pepper notes of syrah. And flowers,
spring flowers. More Maritime than Mediterranean. This is Guigal./
Framework of fine tannin and good ‘01 acidity. Needs time for flavor
development and tannin diminution. Best Guigal Cotes du Rhone rouge
since the 1998. 16.0+. wt062304-06. 2002
DAVID BRUCE CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIR -
(U.S.) True, bright Central Coast pinot fruit. Clearly, simply,
and directly stated. All fruit all the time. Exotic, poised, penetrating.
Cherry, candy, gum drop./ Sweet and straightforward pinot statement.
High-strung and explosive aromas of cherry and tea. Some medicinal
astringency at the end. 15.7. wt062304-07. 2001
SAVIGNY LES BEAUNE, DOMAINE MONGEARD-MUGNERET
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Beautiful Savigny cherry. Spicy black cherry.
Nice dusting of oak. Suggestions of flowers, anise, and dark-roast
coffee add complexity. Lots of race, lots of class./ Sweet fruit
and scented oak fully embraced. Tastes of plum, cherry, minerals,
smoked meat. Very Mongeard. Good ‘01 acidity and terroir clarity.
A lovely vintage for Burgundy purists, not for the ‘bigger is better’
crowd. Nice wine. 16.7. wt062304-08. 2001
BEAUNE GREVES 1ER CRU, BERNARD MOREY -
(FRANCE BURGUNDY) Wonderful combo of red-cherry Beaune pinot and
aromatic oak. Once again, Beaune is the gateway to a Burgundy education.
Both oak and fruit nice and zesty-spicy. Airing brings more: mocha,
cocoa, strawberry./ Fruit, oak, and spices again. ‘01 terroir explicitness
and racy fruit acidity. Fine Morey craftsmanship. Crisp and classic.
16.6+. wt062304-09. 2001
MOREY SAINT DENIS LES SORBETS 1ER CRU, VINCENT GIRARDIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Deep, exotic Cote de Nuits purple
fruit qualities. Plum and dark berries. And those lavish Girardin
oak embellishments. Lovely overtone of violets usually found only
in the Grands Crus of MSD./ Power, oak, and Cote de Nuits imperial
purple. Deep and serious. Dense and mouthfilling. Girardin knows
Morey St. Denis. Very Morey St. Denis. It’s difficult to describe
MSD’s qualities, which makes the wines standard bearers for the
entire Cote because they are less village-explicit than the other
villages’ wines. 17.6. wt062304-10. 2000
SAVIGNY LES BEAUNE LA DOMINODE 1ER CRU VIEILLES VIGNES, BRUNO CLAIR - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Very deep, very rich, very old-vines
concentrated, very serious. Fine, well-integrated oak–a Clair signature./
Full, compact, big, and really well-built for the normally more
facile 2000 vintage. This has mass and power. Not showing its full
hand yet. Always one of the top Savignys, if not the very best.
17.4+. wt062304-11. 2003
MUNSTERER DAUTENPFLANZER RIESLING SPATLESE, KRUGER-RUMPF - (GERMANY) Full and rich ‘03 ripe fruit plus ‘02-like
nostril-tingling extract. Yes, the best of both vintages. Has it
all: both richness and grip. And quite aroma range: peach, orange,
pear, apple, fig, anise, and flowers./ Sweet and flowery flavors.
Young still. And baby fat coats the acidity. Will grow and glow.
17.0+. wt062304-12. 2002
SANTA JULIA TARDIO MENDOZA LATE HARVEST TORRONTES half liter - (ARGENTINA) Sweet and seductive. Honey, nectar, candied
orange peel, tropical fruits. Explosive./ Both sweet and zesty.
Very vigorous, very intense. Adequate acidity. This ranks with the
top dessert wines of the world. Resembles a Mediterranean muscat
in aroma and flavor, but without the fortification. I’ve seen several
favorable reviews but scores short of what I think this wine deserves.
And, it’s a bargain. 17.6. wt062304-13. 2000
VOSS NAPA VALLEY SYRAH - (U.S.) Spicy,
perfumed fruit and oak. Sweet, open, New World./ Same. Open-armed,
fruit forward. ‘00 ease, facility. Good acidity and light tannin.
Hearty, honest, unschooled. The alcohol is bared at the end. 15.5. wt062304-14. 1999
VOSS NAPA VALLEY MERLOT - (U.S.) Fine
oak, perfume. Smoke, plum, black currant, eucalyptus. Alcohol tingles
the nostrils. Rich overall./ In a middle-age flavor trough. Good
tannin and extract. Dry and austere in the ‘99 vernacular. Likely
very attractive after another year or two. I have confidence. 16.0+. wt062304-15. DOGFISH
HEAD SHELTER PALE ALE - (BEER) 5% - Delaware-grown
barley and whole-head Willamette and Columbus hops - Golden brown./
Very malty, almost honeyed. Nice gentle tingle of hops without the
assertiveness of an IPA./ Light-medium bodied. Flavor less intense
than aroma. Fluid and refreshing. 12oz wt062304-16. DOGFISH
HEAD 60 MINUTE INDIA PALE ALE - (BEER)
6% - continually hopped, bottle-conditioned - Similar color. Some
haze./ Ah! The kiss of the hops! More body too. Lovely, floral hops
overtones and honeyed malt richness./ Yes, both body and cut. More
flavor interest here. Lovely balance of malt and hops. 12oz wt062304-17. DOGFISH
HEAD 90 MINUTE IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
- (BEER) 9% - single, constant 90-minute hop addition; English two-row
barley; dry-hopped - Deeper color./ Very full, powerful. Deep aromas
of hops and concentrated malt base. Barleywine power with full hops
of IPA./ Thick and strong, but the hops keep it cool and racy. Serve
with sauerbraten. 12oz wt062304-18. DOGFISH
HEAD APRIHOP - (BEER) 7% - IPA brewed
with apricots - Color of dried apricots without sulphuring./ Malt,
hops, and dried apricot aromas. Full./ Sweetness of dried fruit
foiled by full hops bitterness. This works. For IPA fans, not fruit
beer fans. Heavy and cool. 12oz wt062304-19. DOGFISH
HEAD RAISON D’ETRE - (BEER) 8% - deep
mahogany ale brewed with Belgian beet sugars, green raisins - Brown
ale color; not enough red for mahogany./ Dense and sweet. Can sense
the green raisins; it’s a dried-fruit nose without the sunburnt
aspect of a raisined wine./ Body and sweetness. Fully satisfying.
Not a fruit beer. Weight and richness without cloying sweetness.
Well balanced. 12oz wt062304-20. DOGFISH
HEAD CHICORY STOUT - (BEER) 5.2% - touch
of roasted chicory and organic Mexican coffee beneath a bone white
head - Color of bitter chocolate, and the head’s not bone white;
it’s the color of milk chocolate./ Ovaltine aroma. Dense, thick,
bitter, genuine, good./ Chicory, coffee, and malt. Dry. There’s
a bitterness that not defined by hops but by the chicory and coffee
additives. Too non-beer like for me. Might work with Chicken Mole.
12oz
Wednesday, June 16, 2004 wt061604-01. 2003
CASTILLA Y LEON SAUVIGNON BLANC, PENASCAL
- (SPAIN) Fresh. Good sauvignon bite for such a warm region. Gooseberry
and lemon. Vibrant, fresh, and frisky. Bordeaux-like./ Again. Good
acidity, cut. Bright and tangy varietal character. Well crafted.
15.4. wt061604-02. 2003
WITHER HILLS MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC
- (NEW ZEALAND) Softer, fatter NZ style, with characteristic, dual
qualities of both plushness and cut. More varietal character here:
bell pepper, grass, and hard green pear./ Same palate palette. Both
richness and acidity. Lacks the intensity of fruit of the best.
15.6. wt061604-03. 2000
SAINT PERAY NOBLES RIVES, CAVE DE TAIN L’HERMITAGE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Marly mid-life marsanne nose.
Brie and apple. Typical of marsanne at this age. Some peach and
honeydew show off the roussanne component./ Marsanne at a marly,
mineraly stage. Dry, austere. Will open back up in a year or so.
14.3+. wt061604-04. 2000
SAINT VERAN, OLIVER MERLIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY)
Full, lush, and creamy. The oak is well integrated./ Round and juicy
fruit and spicy-nutty oak complex. Great acidity, great body. 2000
frame and form. As big as Saint Veran gets. This is fulfilling.
Can take to the table or cellar further. 16.4. wt061604-05. 2000
POUILLY FUISSE TERROIR DE VERGISSON, OLIVER MERLIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Wow! This is mega-big for Pouilly.
Bold, smoky, nutty, oaky, fabulous./ Fine, racy oak and mineral,
vibrant lemon fruit. Huge presence on the palate. Full and toasty
oak statement on a appley chardonnay pad. Rich and creamy finish.
Grand-scaled. 17.2. wt061604-06. 2003
DUCK POND OREGON PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Fresh,
tart-cherry pinot fruit. And strawberry. Very Oregon./ Fluid, easy,
brisk, tart, light-bodied, charming. Will take a chill. A seafood
pinot for summer. 14.8. wt061604-07. 2002
COOPERS CREEK MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR -
(NEW ZEALAND) Good rich fruit and oak in harmony. Cherry, sage,
tobacco, spice./ NZ pinot acidity. Some malic bite. But plump fruit
too. Dark fruit and peel. Chewy constitution but plenty of charm.
Good now. 15.2. wt061604-08. 2001
CARMEN RESERVE MAIPO VALLEY CARMENERE-CABERNET
- (CHILE) Pungent nose of berries, oak, barnyard, shoe polish, and
shoe leather. Brooding, smoky, meaty, tarry. Cooling mint-menthol
overtones. Rich and assertive. Decisive, powerful; packs a punch./
Claret style, weight, panache. Good oak. Richness, acidity, and
strength in equilibrium. Real oomph. Great value. 16.5. wt061604-09. 2002
COTES DU RHONE, CHATEAU DE SEGRIES - (FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN) Hints of underripe and rotten fruit. Cheesy./ Light
and greenish on palate but clear of any rot. Maybe I read the nose
wrong. Fruit and acidity in balance. The fruit sweetens up with
breathing. Gard style; less alcohol and more acidity than Vaucluse
rouges. Good craftsmanship under difficult conditions. A nice mealtime
wine right now. Good value. Popular with the group. 14.5. wt061604-10. 2001
LIRAC, CHATEAU DE SEGRIES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN)
Peppery, strong, assertive, animal. But still Gard cool. Smoke,
anise, black fruits. Sweet and seductive, plummy, with suggestions
of chantilly and loam./ Spicy. Full of garrigue nuances, especially
flowers of the Gard. Spicy, stylish, charming Lirac classic. Fine
acidity and tannin for fruitful development. Well balanced middleweight
like the 2000 of Mejan-Taulier but a year younger. Good value. 16.2+.
Wednesday, June 9, 2004 wt060904-01. 2003
SICILIA ANTHILIA, DONNA FUGATA - (ITALY)
Very lightly fragrant; canned peaches. More about body and strength
than aroma. Good, full, plump presentation. Plump but also stony./
Yes, and very much like one of the superior Mediterranean France
dry whites. I wonder if there’s a grape variety in common. Good
body. Again, more about fullness than fragrance. An attractive dinner
selection. 15.4. wt060904-02. 2002
FLEMLINGER BISCHOFSKREUZ RIESLING HALBTROCKEN, THEO MINGES liter - (GERMANY) Full and crisp. Suggestions of quince, pear,
peach, citrus and peel. Lots of tropics, nectars./ Flavor, body,
and extract all generous. Light sweetness. Great acidity. Well balanced.
Good strength and level of dryness for mealtime applications. Delicious
on its own too. 16.0. wt060904-03. 2002
PFALZ ESTATE RIESLING HALBTROCKEN, HERBERT MESSMER liter - (GERMANY) More pungent riesling aromatics. Peach, orange,
lime, peel, spruce./ Bright, tangy, lively. Rich and full. More
extract here. Zing, verve, flavor intensity, and length all impressive.
Subtle complexities. Great class and depth. A commanding halbtrocken,
and refreshing to boot. Very useful. 16.3. wt060904-04. 2002
BARNARD GRIFFIN CAROWAY VINEYARD COLUMBIA VALLEY WHITE RIESLING - (U.S.) Sweet nectarine aroma of riesling. Lovely, smooth,
accomplished./ Cool, lightly sweet. Citrus and apple. Good strength,
dryness, balance, composition, poise. The acidity is milder than
in the Germans. Parallel 45 versus 50. A strong effort. 15.6. wt060904-05. 2002
PFALZ BIRD LABEL RIESLING, H&R LINGENFELDER
- (GERMANY) Sweet, citrusy Clone 90 riesling nose–a Lingenfelder
signature. Tangerine, mainly. Suggestions of pineapple and clove
too. Stylish, elegant, dedicated./ Plump and smooth yet with plenty
of zing. Nicely delineated fruit with ripe acid carriage and soft
mineral accents. Racy and well balanced. Delicious. A quaffer. 16.1. wt060904-06. 2003
RUDESHEIMER DRACHENSTEIN DRAGONSTONE RIESLING, JOSEF LEITZ - (GERMANY) Full, racy, tingly. Complete. This saturates
the nostrils. A step up here./ Swells up in the mouth too. Succulent..
A concentrate. Thorough. It’s not sweetness; it’s umami. Wow! 17.0. wt060904-07. 2003
RUDESHEIMER KLOSTERLAY RIESLING KABINETT, JOSEF LEITZ - (GERMANY) Commanding range of fruit juices, pulps,
and peels. Lots of tropics, especially citrus fruits and papaya.
Also black and red currants, peach, pineapple, and pastry frosting.
Pungent./ Big and bombastic. Exceptionally rich for a kabinett,
and quite sweet in the old Leitz style. Or is it ‘03 talking? Fine
acidity and depth. Long finish. 17.2+. wt060904-08. 2001
NIERSTEINER ORBEL RIESLING KABINETT, J&H STRUB - (GERMANY) ‘01 grip, minerality, race, austerity. ‘01
all the way. Aloof. Nectar, honey, and rare earths. Both ripeness
and verve./ Fat and full and strong. Size here; real presence. Dense
and deep. Huge, dumbfounding. Honey and cake frosting on finish.
More ‘01s are always welcome! 16.5+. wt060904-09. 2002
SICILIA NERO D’AVOLA SEDARA, DONNA FUGATA
- (ITALY) Fresh, racy, warm berry. Cranberry, cherry, cocoa. Deep
and dark class and nature of nero d’avola./ Tarry, sappy. Grip and
length. Good power and balance. Dinner wine. 15.3. wt060904-10. 2003
MONTES SPECIAL CUVEE COLCHAGUA VALLEY MERLOT
- (CHILE) Full, sweet, dark, and sassy. Black cherry and chocolate.
Ripe and generous. Allure, appeal./ A lot of power, acid, and tannin
for merlot. ‘03 freshness. Steadily swelling up. Grip here too.
Quite the ambitious merlot! 15.8+. wt060904-11. 1999
SALENTO NOTAPANARO, DR TAURINO - (ITALY)
Fully roasted, torrefied, rustic, rancio./ Less roasted on palate.
Rich, savory, pungent. smoky, barny. BBQ choice? 15.6
Wednesday, June 2, 2004 wt060204-01. 2001
CHABLIS PARGUES VIEILLES VIGNES, MOREAU-NAUDET
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Rich and nutty. Solid, pungent, intense, and
plump. Creamy malolactic aspects. A good vintage to apply the malo.
Hints of oak and tropical fruit./ Fat and full. Balanced by lively,
citrusy fruit and fine acidity. Classic Chablis terroir statement.
Complete, thorough. These ‘01s continue to surprise us. 16.4+. wt060204-02. 2001
BUENA VISTA RESERVE CARNEROS PINOT NOIR
- (U.S.) Fresh cherry juice. Carneros acidity meets sweet fruit.
Strawberry, black cherry, peppercorn, clove, oak./ Sweet and sassy
again. Alluring, engaging. Nice effort. 16.0. wt060204-03. 2001
OC PINOT NOIR LES SALICES, LURTON - (FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN) It’s pinot all right! Cherry Mason Dots. Cherry cough
drop. Rock and rye. Sweet and smoky Med pinot. Good./ Good acidity,
zing, and texture of ‘01. Eager to please. Rather decadent, really.
Long, flavorful finish. Good job. 15.4. wt060204-04. 1998
SAVIGNY LES BEAUNE CLOS DES GODEAUX, DOMAINE D’ARDHUY - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) A bit reluctant and confused at this
stage, which is not unusual for a ‘98 red burgundy. It’s as if we’ve
asked it to speak before it’s had time to finish preparing its speech.
Nonetheless, a good and valid Burgundy pinot expression. Fun to
taste the three pinots from different climes, all valid, all entertaining,
all different, all pinot. Fruit clarifying now. Spicy oak and spicy
fruit peels. Good value./ Flavorful. Tannic yet. Good acidity. Will
improve. 15.7+. wt060204-05. 2002
PENINSULA CELLARS OLD MISSION PENINSULA CABERNET FRANC - (U.S.) Cool, bright, tangy fruit. Cool berries, plum,
sweet pea, cola, oak spices./ Cool and racy. Quite tart. Northern
Michigan cabernet, for sure. Kool Aid without the sugar. Dill, oak,
and oak tannin. Sweet peas. Not up to their vaunted Cabernet-Merlot,
but costs half the price. 14.2. wt060204-06. 2002
PETER LEHMANN CLANCYS BAROSSA SHIRAZ-CABERNET SAUVIGNON-MERLOT-CABERNET
FRANC - (AUSTRALIA) Oak, alcohol, dark
fruit. Ripe, smooth, almost porty blackberry. Cooling menthol-eucalyptus./
Rich and sweet fruit and alcohol. Less finesse than the ‘01, which
is a surprise. Usually the ‘02s have more finesse. Maybe we tasted
the ‘01 at a later stage. Garrulous. This seems eager to impress
rather than to charm. 16.0+. wt060204-07. 2001
CHATEAU REYNELLA BASKET PRESSED MCLAREN VALE SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) As always, very roasted, port-like, and
old-time Aussie red.Awesome power, chocolate, leather, tar. Lively
black fruits and oak. Bakery spices and dried berries./ Roasted,
porty, strong. Handsome black raspberry fruit, cedar, bitter chocolate,
meat. Full and luscious. Modest acidity and tannin. Good to drink
now. 16.5. wt060204-08. 2003
PENINSULA CELLARS SEMI DRY OLD MISSION PENINSULA RIESLING - (U.S.) Fragrant and intense. Complex: apple, pear,
peach, citrus, flowers, talc. Big frame and extract like the ‘02
Germans. This could easily pass for an ‘02 Mosel. Wow!/ Full, balanced,
well extracted, Germanic. Perfumed, peachy, and pretty...and pretty
serious! Grip and length. Fabulous. 16.6. wt060204-09. 1997
ROMARIZ VINTAGE PORTO - (FORTIFIED) Thick,
superripe and dark, with some developing nut, licorice, and well-hung
game. Smoky and deep. Manly./ Palate younger and more composed.
Taut plum and some tarry grip. Glimpses of cigar and licorice. Even
though it’s at an awkward adolescent stage, one can perceive its
potential. 16.7+.
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