|
||
|
Tasting Notes Printer-Friendly Version
- July, 2004 |
Use your browser print function to print this page. |
|
Wednesday, July 28, 2004 wt072804-01. CRISTALINO
BRUT ROSE CAVA - (SPARKLING) Good combo
of zesty red fruits (cherry, strawberry, red currant) and yeast
autolysis bottle bouquet. Good froth./ Confirmed. Some r.s.–high
brut. That’s flattering and foils the red-peel astringency but detracts
a little from the refreshment. The acidity is decent. Bright and
simple pleasures. And food-worthy. 15.6. wt072804-02. 2003
RIAS BAIXAS ALBARINO, SALNEVAL - (SPAIN)
Aroma shy at first but opens with airing. Bright yellow fruits,
flowers, oolong tea, herbs, and spice. Viognier-like. Good juice
and grip./ Flavors subdued to start too, but again the texture is
full. Earth, wax, almond, bitter orange. Solid. 15.2. wt072804-03. 2003
RIAS BAIXAS ALBARINO, VALMINOR - (SPAIN)
Very fresh. Fermentation aromas still. Flowers and tropics. White
peach, spices. Hint of lentil, as in a gruner veltliner. Promising./
Fermentation flavors still. Tangy and lively lime and orange zest
fruit flavors too. Good race, class, and potential depth. This will
be better for a few months’ aging. 15.9+. wt072804-04. BROOK
HOLLOW CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.)
Breakfast nose: orange peels, coffee grounds, wheat toast. Suggestion
of oak. A little tawny./ Wood and apple notes. Dull, hot, tiring.
Heavy press? 12.0. wt072804-05. 2003
NAVARRA ROSADO VEGA SINDOA, BODEGAS NEKEAS
- (SPAIN) 50% grenache, 50% cabernet sauvignon - Ripe and exuberant.
Certainly fully expressive; lots of red-peel aromatics. Taken to
the limit this sunny vintage./ Very ripe, alcoholic, heavy. But
undeniably generous and flavorful. Not your basic aperitif. Needs
hearty fare. 15.1. wt072804-06. 2003
YECLA MONASTRELL ROSADO, CASTILLO DEL BARON
- (SPAIN) More subtle, controlled, composed. More to my style. Brisk
and nervy. Very good, zesty fruit and peel aromas./ Good fruit flavor
too: delicious red-peel extracts. Dry, vibrant, racy. Well fashioned,
well presented. Take to the table. 15.8. wt072804-07. 2003
UMBRIA ROSATO, VITIANO - (ITALY) Color
and aroma almost beyond rose and into red. Cherry and peel, hints
of melon rind, tar, and tobacco. Full presence./ Ripe and luscious.
Mild sweetness in balance with the full peel extract. Very flavorful;
flavor more intense than aroma. A very full rose that will have
wide mealtime options. 15.6. wt072804-08. 2003
COSTIERES DE NIMES FLEUR D’EGLANTINE ROSE, DOMAINE MOURGUES DU GRES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Super fruit clarity, intensity,
poise, beauty. Just as in ‘01. One of my favorite roses. The intensity
and range of a good Tavel. But not quite the power, which is o.k.
by me./ Full flavor. Comes on like gang-busters. Serious body and
depth. But, most of all, just plain delicious. So much joy to offer.
16.4. wt072804-09. HEARTSWOOD
CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.)
Corked. No rating. wt072804-10. 2003
LA MANCHA TEMPRANILLO, DOMINIO DE FONTANA
- (SPAIN) Brilliant, striking red violet color. Great introduction./
Vividly fresh and fruity. Primary aromas in spades. And past the
fermentation-aromas stage. A young but accomplished red wine. Super
nose./ Again, intensely fresh and vibrant. Fine tannin and extract
give structure and meaning. This is not just a little play thing.
Yes! 16.0. wt072804-11. 2001
YECLA CRIANZA, CASTILLO DEL BARON - (SPAIN)
Wow! What a noseful! Blackberry, currant, olive, and pitch. Loads
of oak and fruit-peel extract. Good grip. This is loaded in all
respects. Depth, class, generosity./ Rich and intense fruit and
oak flavors, with spicy tobacco nuances. Needs time for more oak
absorption and bouquet development. Very frisky young crianza at
this stage. Beautiful material here in ‘01, with the vintage’s fine
acidity and ripe tannins. Dense, substantial, and important. 16.4+. wt072804-12. 2000
RIOJA CRIANZA CONDE DE VALDEMAR, BODEGAS BUJANDA - (SPAIN) Wood vanilla, olive, strawberry, blackberry,
cassis, oak smoke, dill, bell pepper, celery, and buttered greens./
High-pitched fruit, good acidity, oak, coconut oil. Oak well integrated
with sweet core fruits. Needs time to mellow, to flesh out. 15.3+. wt072804-13. 1998
RIOJA RESERVA CONDE DE VALDEMAR, BODEGAS BUJANDA - (SPAIN) Reserva richness and suavity, time-in-barrel
maturity. Warm, burnished fruit savor. Tea, olive, violets, menthol,
oak char./ Sweet fruit leather, oak, leather, olive. Rich, savory,
nicely matured fruit and oak marriage. But there’s still a tannic
grip. Age further. 15.7+. wt072804-14. 2001
TOSCANA GUIDALBERTO, TENUTA SAN GUIDO
- (ITALY) Very cool. Certainly Tuscan Coast (Bolgheri) and ‘01 in
style. Subtle oak vanilla and toast, mocha and milk chocolate. Cool-climate
merlot composure. Focus, density, panache, finesse. Very mannerly,
confident, sophisticated./ Sweet oak and fruit in balance. Nice
polished, glycerined sheen. Very fine tannins. Fine craftsmanship
here. Not an eager, demonstrative wine. Has too much class and self-assurance
for that. Claret-like lines. Will enjoy following its age curve.
17.3+. wt072804-15. 1999
GIGONDAS BEAUCHAMP, CHATEAU DE MONTMIRAIL
- (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Solid, smoky black fruits. Tres grenache.
Full, deep, warm./ The palate is sweetly fruity and nutty. Good
richness, good bouquet formation. Nice and chewy constitution. Well
balanced. Good now and will improve further. 16.5. wt072804-16. 2002
D’ARENBERG THE DERELICT VINEYARD MCLAREN VALE GRENACHE - (AUSTRALIA) Wow! Powerful and black. Tar, black licorice,
and roasted strawberry and raspberry. Everything about it is black.
Big, perfumed, exotic sandalwood aura grows with airing./ Strong
and rich but also ‘02 cool and clear. Tarragon, coriander, eucalyptus,
and green tobacco add a complex of cool aromatics to the roasted
ones. A lot of body and grip. Complete Aussie grenache. Certainly
speaks of old vines. 17.0+.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004 wt072104-01. 2002
DONA SOL CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.)
Rather heavy, plodding, and aging. For 02? Already?/ But the palate’s
more impressive. Fresh enough, surprisingly full for this price
category. Substantial and satisfying. Palate carries it. 13.4. wt072104-02. 2001
CHASSAGNE MONTRACHET LA MALTROIE 1ER CRU, BERNARD MOREY - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) As it should be. You get the Morey
and Chassagne fruit richness and generous, classy oak embellishments
all in a nice, tight, still-confined ‘01 style. Toasty oak, lemon-chiffon
fruit, minerality, finesse. Wine of maker, place, vintage./ Yes,
again the balance of richness and race. That quality will be appreciated
at the dinner table. Fullness and depth, oak and fruit, power and
subtlety. Useful now; more expansive with 1-3 years’ more aging.
17.5+. wt072104-03. 2002
DONA SOL CALIFORNIA MERLOT - (U.S.) Very
ripe. Rather over the top. Lacks composure./ Yes, very ripe and
sweet. Jug wine in a bottle. Good jug wine though. Honest. 13.3. wt072104-04. 2001
DONA SOL CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (U.S.) Sweet, nutty, anchovy nose of good Valley cabernet. And
nicely cool and composed thanks to ‘01./ Slimmer, more diffuse than
the nose suggests. Easy-going. Likely from high tonnage per acre.
First cheapie cabernet I’ve preferred to the corresponding merlot.
13.9. wt072104-05. 1999
SICILIA NERO D’AVOLA, ROMOLO BUCCELLATO
- (ITALY) Roasted fruit, bottle bouquet, ripe sweetness. Warm and
spicy. Notes of clove, olive, tobacco. Intriguing and attractive
nose./ Sweet fruit still present along with nicely developed flavors.
At a good stage. Very useful and generous. Fleshy and fully-packed.
Commendable value. 15.6. wt072104-06. 2002
D’ARENBERG THE DEAD ARM MCLAREN VALE SHIRAZ
- (AUSTRALIA) Strong but not muscle-bound, concentrated, confident,
poised. Beautiful oak complex that seasons rather than dominates
the fruit. Rhonish varietal notes of berry, bacon fat, lavender.
2002 coolness, composure, joy. Not a show wine; not demonstrative,
eager, blowsy./ Lovely harmony of oak and fruit, plus some game,
leather, tobacco, and anise notes on the palate. The acidity, minerality,
and old-vines extract give a compact, composed impression. No excess
ripeness and alcohol as in some vintages, and the degree of oak
embellishment is measured. This all fits together right. I was lucky
enough to taste 2001 Grace Family Cabernet Sauvignon next to this.
It was similarly proportioned. Some attendees commented that neither
wine was as ‘big’ as they had expected. Try another vintage, guys.
2002 Australia and 2001 California are all about balance, not show.
These wines will be around long after the superripe, low acid ‘01
Aussie and ‘97 Californian fruit bombs have run their courses. My
style. 17.8+. wt072104-07. 2002
ERBACHER STEINMORGEN RIESLING KABINETT, BARON KNYPHAUSEN - (GERMANY) Spicy-nutty, Rheingau-golden ripe fruit.
Fresh and aromatic, bright fruit and flowers. Peach and lemon meringue.
Lots of range and extract of ‘02. And that Knyphausen flair for
stylishness. Nothing else like it./ Kabinett richness. Sprightly
and energetic. Harmonious and good. Will appreciate another year
or two in bottle to sweeten up, broaden out. 16.3+. wt072104-08. 2000
OC (PIC ST. LOUP) LES ROQUES, JEAN-MARC BOILLOT
- (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Cool, plummy, creamy fruit for ‘00. Shows
its Pic St. Loup origins. Nice oak. Very sophisticated impression.
What a value!/ Cool black fruits. Lively and elegant. Fine Pic St.
Loup acidity. Definitely from one of the best terroirs of the Midi.
Good, fine-grained tannin. This will get better still. 16.1+. wt072104-09. 2001
BOURGOGNE HAUTES COTES DE NUITS, DOMAINE MONGEARD-MUGNERET - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Sweet northern pinot nose. Ripe cherry
and plum. Good oak embellishment. Ripeness, gaminess, and nuttiness
of Mongeard pinot. A fine example of Hautes Cotes de Nuits./ Juicy
fruit; fine ‘01 acidity. Lively, tangy, and charming. This will
keep and improve. 16.2+. wt072104-10. 2001
SANTENAY VIEILLES VIGNES, BERNARD MOREY
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Generous, complex, and exotic oak seasonings
and old vines fruit concentration. Great pinot expression. Very
lively, very aromatic. Fabulously rangy and generous value!/ Flavorful.
Wonderfully concentrated black cherry pinot fruit. Alluring oak
exotica. And there’s a good reserve of fine-grained tannin too.
So very much to offer for the price. A steal. 16.8. wt072104-11. 2002
GEVREY CHAMBERTIN, NICOLAS POTEL - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Goodness, such a sweet, polished approach for a Gevrey!
Wow! What craftsmanship! Demonstrates the best qualities of 2002.
Nothing brawny and aggressive about this Gevrey. Exceptionally well-tailored./
Yes, gorgeously pure fruit. Gevrey Tamed. Exceptionally stylish,
sophisticated. But there lurking in the background is true Gevrey
power, grip, musculature. And fine tannin. 17.4+. wt072104-12. 2002
VOSNE ROMANEE, NICOLAS POTEL - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Like the Gevrey, the initial impression is of rich, sweet
pinot fruit. Then the lacings of oak seasoning come forth. Then
that Vosne Oriental-spice exotica./ Racy and spicy. Unique fruit
expression of ‘02. Don’t remember any vintage quite like this since
1985. Just the right measure of oak seasonings. And decidedly Vosne
in sophistication. 17.3+. wt072104-13. 2002
VOLNAY VIEILLES VIGNES, NICOLAS POTEL
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) More charm peeking through tonight than on Monday.
Volnay grace showing through all that old vines grip and concentration,
firm lid of oak, and white-dwarf fruit compaction./ Yes, this certainly
has mass and grip for Volnay. One loaded Volnay. High-toned, nervy,
sleek, and penetrating. Great future, especially now that I’ve now
heard the grace note play too. 17.2++. wt072104-14. 2000
VOLNAY, JEAN-MARC BOILLOT half bottle
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Good bottle bouquet forming, and sweet fruit
in deep reserve. Good oak seasoning. Nice now, but can be cellared
too./ Still some crispness to the palate. That’s Boillot rouges.
That will round out. Balanced and tasty. Nicely delineated. Already
mealworthy; the acidity would prove welcome in the right context.
16.8. wt072104-15. 2002
BEAUNE CLOS DES VIGNES FRANCHES 1ER CRU, NICOLAS POTEL - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Wow! Great, purple, noble pinot old
vines character. Exotic, sophisticated oak embellishments. Refined,
silky, floral, gorgeous. More like a Chambolle than a Beaune./ Again,
the refinement, the finesse. No entry-level Beaune. This is a good
as it gets. Fine, fine tannin. A dazzling, glorious mouthful of
flavor complexity. 17.5+. wt072104-16. 2001
CLOS DE VOUGEOT GRAND CRU VIEILLES VIGNES, VINCENT GIRARDIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Oh! There’s charm here, and breed,
and sophistication. Fine, fine Clos Vougeot singularity. Like Morey,
its qualities are difficult to describe compared to the rest of
the Cote de Nuits appellations. Nonetheless, immediately recognizable.
This is regal in stature, old-vines intense in delivery. Fruit,
oak, and terroir beauties are seamlessly interwoven./ Black cherry,
blackberry, oak toast, Girardin creaminess. Fruit sweetness enjoys
its complement of ‘01 fruit acidity. Balanced, poised. All about
grace rather than pomposity. Lovely future. 17.8+. wt072104-17. 2001
ECHEZEAUX GRAND CRU, VINCENT GIRARDIN
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Young and very tight. Refined, elegant fruit
and oak presentation. The fruit is very dark and compact, especially
for Echezeaux, which is usually more open-knit and accessible. Liqueur-like:
Cassis, Cherry Heering. Grand Cru bearing and complexity./ Again,
the darkness, the density, the grip of Cote de Nuits pinot. And
the racy ‘01 fruit acidity. Big, deep, latent, majestic. But much
to young to appreciate now. I like this better than the 2002. 17.7++. wt072104-18. 2001
CHARMES CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU, NICOLAS POTEL
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Big Gevrey Grand Cru! Belies its name. Power
instead of charm. Great complex of exotic oak, game, terroir sophistication,
barrel-developed fruit transformation. Massive, really./ Yes! What
a mouthful! It’s too unforgiving to enjoy at this stage; daunting
and demanding, really. But, wow! What potential!! 18.0++.
Wednesday, July 14, 2004 wt071404-01. JOSHUA
HILL CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Identifiably
chardonnay: appley, steely, clean lines. No oak showing on nose./
The fruit nature echoes on the palate. Here I think I detect a hint
of oak. Certainly not obtrusive. Again, the clean, crisp fruit definition.
Good value. 14.0. wt071404-02. 2000
SEBASTIANI SONOMA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.)
Lots of oak, vanilla, coconut. Caramelized sweetness of bouquet
development of fruit and oak. Minerals./ Soft and mellow fruit and
oak development. Nutty. Ready to go. 14.5. wt071404-03. 2002
POUILLY VINZELLES EN PARADIS, LOUIS LATOUR
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Tight and right. Floral overtones, light oak
touch. Really sings. The fruit is sweetly ripe but not overblown.
Just the right sort of daintiness for a chardonnay of this appellation.
Good compactness of ‘02./ Lively and fresh. Good form, good calcaire.
Yes, tight and right. A proper ‘02. The bouquet will blossom with
air and moderate aging. It’s nice to take to the table now though.
16.0+. wt071404-04. 2002
MARSANNAY, LOUIS LATOUR - (FRANCE BURGUNDY)
Cool and racy northern Cote de Nuits white. Maybe all chardonnay,
maybe some pinot blanc. Aroma of green pear and apple. Light oak
toast. A textbook Marsannay blanc./ Good peel extract and vinosity–true
to form from this appellation. The acidity seems a little on the
mild side at first but rallies to form good balance. Time will allow
the bouquet to blossom. 16.1.+ wt071404-05. 2002
RULLY, LOUIS LATOUR - (FRANCE BURGUNDY)
Full, strong, insistent nose. Oak and alcohol make for a large Chalonnaise
wine, flexing its muscles like Boillot’s Mont Palais did at Monday’s
Tasters Guild dinner. A little much to take to the table at this
stage. Would overpower most courses. Needs time to settle in. Nutty
and generous, to be sure./ Both crisp and rich. Plenty of power.
The fruit will fill out to harmonize the oak and alcohol with some
bottle age. Well poised. This is big, loaded. Just a little too
forceful for use now. 16.4+. wt071404-06. 2002
SANTENAY, LOUIS LATOUR - (FRANCE BURGUNDY)
Good Santenay blanc calcaire. Sort of Saint Aubin like but fuller.
Good, firm oak. Like Girardin’s, this is a fine example of its appellation.
Santenay blanc is the coming thing, rightly so. We’re on the Cote
de Beaune now./ Again, there’s the terroir statement and the harmonious
choice of oak for this wine. Solid, substantial fruit, good weight,
well-tuned, elegant fruit acidity, and fine depth. Handsome; well-appointed.
Latour’s 2002 whites show a savvy negociant’s skill at matching
oak to fruit and to terroir. 16.8+. wt071404-07. 2002
PERNAND VERGELESSES, LOUIS LATOUR - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Citrus (especially lime), peel, pip, minerals, spices.
That northern Cote de Beaune chardonnay subset of honey, flowers,
nuts, and tropics./ More oak presence on palate than nose. Lively,
high-toned fruit, including pineapple. Sur-lie complex. The strength,
the excitability, the eagerness are still a bit much. That’s promising
though. Wisdom and harmony will come with age. 16.5++. wt071404-08. 2002
AUXEY DURESSES, LOUIS LATOUR - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Fine, full, and nutty like its neighbors, the Meursaults.
Auxey fulfilled. A bargain Meursault alternative. Complex of highlights
includes toast, minerals, flowers, vanilla, cream, apple, pear,
white peach, and passion fruit. Always one of Latour’s best./ Full
and rich in the nut and grain components of Meursault chardonnay.
A big wine. Fabulous. A great buy. 17.0. wt071404-09. 2002
MONTAGNY LA GRANDE ROCHE 1ER CRU, LOUIS LATOUR
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Full and oaky. Lavish fruit and oak. Palpable
minerality. But not without Montagny elegance too./ Good body and
depth. Plenty of character, plenty of range. Lush, ripe fruit and
oak complex. A tip-top, ambitious Montagny with plenty of weight
and authority. 16.5. Fine range of Latours tonight. Echo the ‘95s
and ‘96s in their abilities to convey terroir. wt071404-10. JOSHUA
HILL CALIFORNIA MERLOT - (U.S.) Sweet
juice framed by good peel extracts. Exotic spices. Very sweet and
ripe, plummy fruit./ Zesty, sweetly fruity, flavorful. Surprisingly
variegated in both flavor and texture. A vibrant taste adventure
for the price. 15.2. wt071404-11. JOSHUA
HILL CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.)
Not particularly ripe fruit. And I think they really pressed the
goo out of the grapes. Hard peel congeners and astringency./ Harsh
and aggressive. Seems there’s some sweetness added to soothe, but
it fails to cover all the rawness. 10.5. wt071404-12. JOSHUA
HILL CALIFORNIA SHIRAZ - (U.S.) Appropriately
dark colored./ Even more hard-press peel extracts and wood ash.
Very aggressive, astringent. However, there’s more aromatic interest
here than in the cabernet. Varietal black pepper and raspberry.
Some oak. Dark chocolate. Exotic, spicy./ More varietal clarity
than in the cabernet. Nonetheless, the press wine is raw and aggressive.
11.3. wt071404-13. 2002
RIDGE PONZO VINEYARDS RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Sweet and spicy. Very ripe fruit. Plum, candied
fruits and berries. Racy and spicy oak extracts. Brown spices, sweet
spices. Big./ Ripe fruit and spice range confirmed on the palate.
Candied cherry, strawberry, black raspberry. Large, sweet, powerful,
generous. The tannins are not aggressive, so the wine can be served
now. With the heartiest of fare. Like spicy BBQ. 16.4. wt071404-14. 2002
RIDGE LYTTON SPRINGS DRY CREEK VALLEY ZINFANDEL
- (U.S.) Very ripe. Exaggerated, explosive, forceful. The ripe fruit
is sweet and spiritous, late-harvest for sure, and almost port-like.
Dark chocolate, black cherry, flowers./ The palate shows control,
more table-wine style. Good acidity here. Floral complex. Plenty
flavorful and not a bit overripe on the palate. Lovely, sophisticated
even. A lot of class on the palate. I expect the nose will settle
into the same format with time. I’ve seen Ridge zins run this course
before. 17.0+.. wt071404-15. 2002
KIEDRICHER SANDGRUB RIESLING SPATLESE, BARON KNYPHAUSEN - (GERMANY) Well, this isn’t the Knyphausen I wanted
for this tasting, because Rod’s already tried it and written good
notes. Nonetheless, the experience was a treat. My impressions show
even more enthusiasm than Rod’s. Perhaps a few more months in bottle
have augmented the wine. Starts out a little coy, almost sneaky
in its approach. Then the combination of sweetness, concentration,
and extract billow forth, forming an harmonious and exciting peach-honey-flowers
complex of auslese range and intensity./ Impressive grip, sugar-coated
acidity, and huge flavor concentration, adding nectarine, red currant,
and candied lemon to the aromatic range. Lively and assertive. Nice
and tangy as well as sweet. Knyphausen stylishness and harmony,
auslese concentration, Kiedricher sense of place. It’s been a long
time since I’ve had a Kiedricher. Nonetheless, this was instant
recall. 17.4.
Wednesday, July 7, 2004 wt070704-01. 2002
PINOT BLANC, ALBERT MANN - (FRANCE ALSACE)
Rich and powerful. Lush, lanolined, big. Walnut husk, orange peel,
lime peel, peach, mango, melon. Honey and nuts./ Richness, power,
acidity, and ‘02 grip. Plenty of yellow tropical fruits, caramel,
smoked meat. Floral overtones. Auxerrois-like. Has it all. 16.7. wt070704-02. 2003
TRAPICHE MENDOZA CHARDONNAY - (ARGENTINA)
Lightly wooded and vinous. Rock dust and minerals./ Wood and tar.
Hard press? Balanced enough. Adequate mealtime wash. 13.2. wt070704-03. 2002
CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE COLUMBIA VALLEY PINOT GRIS - (U.S.) Pear, honey, flowers, smoke, and straw aromas.
Good pinot gris heft. Attractive and enticing in its simplicity./
Lively yellow fruits. Broad-beamed pinot gris style. Tiring a little
though. Move to next vintage. 13.5. wt070704-04. 2001
CHIANTI CLASSICO TENIMENTI ANGELINI, SAN LEONINO - (ITALY) Great ‘01 brightness, race and fine, sweet,
dried fruit. Fine oak. Dried citrus and peel, dried cherry, blackberry.
Licorice. Violets. Lovely dried-fruit concentration, glycerin, sweetness.
Big, assertive, savory, smoky, gamy./ Again. Add oak vanillin. Great
‘01 acidity, fine tannin. Fresh. Well balanced. 16.9. wt070704-05. 2003
SANTA RITA 120 RAPEL VALLEY MERLOT - (CHILE)
Sweet, fresh primary (fruit) and secondary (fermentation) aromas.
Fresh, sweet, deep-seated fruit fulfillment. Cherry and peel./ Sweet
cherry flavor. Hint of pomegranate. Fine tannin. Very rich and generous
in both flavor and texture. Fine balance. 15.8. wt070704-06. 2003
SANTA RITA 120 RAPEL VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (CHILE) Reduced to start. Clears with airing. Berry-currant aroma
and good grip of cabernet sauvignon. Vivid black fruit./ Good cabernet
berry-currant flavors. Grip and tannin of the varietal. Needs a
few months. 15.4+. wt070704-07. 2003
SANTA RITA 120 RAPEL VALLEY SYRAH - (CHILE)
Syrah dark./ Reduced to start. Clears, revealing creamy black raspberry
syrah fruit. Very firm foundation./ More varietal character demonstrated
on the palate. Pepper and raspberry. Tannic, dry, Euro. This needs
even more time than the cabernet. 15.3++. wt070704-08. 2001
LEASINGHAM MAGNUS CLARE VALLEY SHIRAZ-CABERNET
- (AUSTRALIA) Also dark./ Heaps o’ American oak. Enough sweet fruit
support though. Forceful, explosive, full, burnished, savory. Black
fruit, dried fruit, tobacco, leather, meat./ Again, plenty of oak.
Nicely layered fruit flavors echo the aromas. Generous: full of
both fruit and oak. 16.0. wt070704-09. 2001
CORIOLE REDSTONE MCLAREN VALE SHIRAZ-CABERNET
- (AUSTRALIA) Nice, sweet, elegant fruit with oak in tandem. Floral
highlights. Shows finesse and beauty–rare traits in Aussie reds.
Vanilla and cookie-dough sweetness. And sweet citrus custard, meringue./
Pretty, elegant, stylish, well balanced. A relief from the usual,
demonstrative power, oak, and ripeness. Nice overall. 16.7.
|
|
|
|
