WT021710-01. 08 NIEDEROSTERREICH GRUNER VELTLINER PEPPER, PFAFFL - (AUSTRIA) None of us could find the ‘pepper’, though I have gotten a peppery nip from gru ves before, a sort of weissbier sensation. This is understated apple and lima./ Soft and easy like the Wachau a couple of weeks ago. Other 08s have been firmer. The finish is cool, brisk, and dry though. 15.8.
Price
each (at time of tasting) $14.99
WT021710-02. 08 COTES DU RHONE BLANC, DOMAINE BERTHET-RAYNE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 45% each clairette and bourboulenc, 10% grenache blanc. Organically grown. That’s a lot of bourboulenc, and it shows its very crisp, green-grape aroma./ Yes, green-fruited bourboulenc makes a strong statement, even adding some astringency. But that’s not all. With aeration, there’s preserved lemon, stone fruits, loquat, almond, smoke, duck fat,
and honeysuckle. Quite a show. All the varieties are chiming in now. Some glycerol on entry, and a stony minerality to the finish. Lots of entertainment. Still on the compact side. Give it more bottle age. 15.6+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $15.99
WT021710-03. 08 VALLEY OF THE MOON SONOMA PINOT BLANC - (U.S.) Oh, yes! Rich as usual yet pinot blanc green-fruited too. Powerful, succulent. Waxy. True./ Rich fruit filling within a solid frame. The moderation in acidity of pinot blanc, especially warmer climate pinot blanc. Great juice. Well, this is fully up to the quality level of the 07 and 06. Well liked by the group. 16.4.
Price each (at time of tasting) $15.99
WT021710-04. 08 KENWOOD SONOMA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Well proportioned measures of oak and fruit. Appley chardonnay; spicy and flattering oak seasonings. Stone fruits and melons too. Gentle on the approach./ Comes on with lots of sweet oak spices and malolactic creaminess. The fruit remains perky though, so the wine has spine as well as flesh. The usual reliability here. 15.9.
Price each (at time of tasting) $12.99
WT021710-05. 09 CALCU COLCHAGUA VALLEY ROSE - (CHILE) 50% malbec, 40% syrah, 10% carmenere. And ‘100% sauvignon blanc’. The desk sample a couple of weeks back showed me red fruit–strawberry candy and cranberry. However today, we all agreed, that if blindfolded we would have guessed sauvignon blanc. Crisp and fresh gooseberry, grapefruit, and orange peel aromas./ Soft and sweetish on entry. Then the acidity shows up. Definitely
sauvignon like. One taster guesses that this was the product of the green harvest, where even red grapes have tart white fruit character. Hard to believe this came from the same batch as the desk sample. 16.0, as an appealing, sauvignon-like wine. But shows no rose character.
Price each (at time of tasting) $9.99
WT021710-06. 07 KENWOOD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Real pinot cherry and strawberry aromas. RRV race and class. Convincing pinot./ Both rich and racy. Mulberry, tea leaf, creamy chocolate. Peels, snap, acid, juice, race. And glycerol to enrich the texture. An out and out bargain in RRV pinot. 16.7.
Price each (at time of tasting) $15.99
WT021710-07. 08 NIEDEROSTERREICH ZWEIGELT CHERRY, PFAFFL - (AUSTRIA) OK, I can find some ‘cherry’ here, unlike the ‘pepper’ in the gru ve. Sweet-smelling and aiming to please./ Yes, cherry, and berries too. Dry and full. Not a bit green-fruited like many an Austrian red. Well constructed. Real depth. One big zweigelt. 16.0.
Price each (at time of tasting) $14.99
WT021710-08. 05 TOAD HOLLOW RESERVE RICHARD MCDOWELL VINEYARD RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY MERLOT - (U.S.) Dark fruits, smoke, black licorice, brett. A lot of oak over merlot black cherry character./ Moving into a mature phase aromatically, while some manageable 05 tannins remain. Strong elements of oak and brett. Reserve style. 15.8+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $12.99
WT021710-09. 08 LUBERON GRENACHE-SYRAH, LE PARADOU - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Did Luberon drop the ‘Cotes’ like Ventoux? I guess. 60/40. Fresh and crisp, and a bit lean in the 08 way. But this has cool-vintage garrigue! Crisp, sweet berry fruit. Good stuff!/ Oh, yes! A fabulous display of garrigue and cool berry fruit. Good acidity, of course. Some astringency to work out, or to appreciate with food. Another good 08 southern Rhone
discovery. Well liked by the group. 16.3+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $11.99
WT021710-10. 07 COTEAUX DE BESSILLES CUVEE RESERVEE, DOMAINE SAINT MARTIN DE LA GARRIGUE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Starts out surprisingly cool and compact for 07. Licorice laced. Well built. With aeration the 07 fruit ripeness starts to come out. Even a touch of singed fruit./ Bold and full. This is really substantial. But it needs more bottle age to allow all its aromas and flavors to form. Unusually compact for the vintage. 16.4+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $13.99
WT021710-11. 08 COTES DU RHONE L’OMBRE DES FONTAINES, VIGNERONS DE CARACTERE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% cinsault. Sweet fruited nose for 08. Strong too. Sweet licorice./ More sweet licorice. Dark, secretive qualities of 08. Yes, terse and tight on the palate. Needs time. 15.6+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $9.99
WT021710-12. 08 COTES DU RHONE DOMAINE MAS DU BOUQUET, VIGNERONS DE CARACTERE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% carignan. Somewhat reduced to start. Opens to show woodsy tones, spiced meat, and cedar./ Tight on entry, but sweetens up some with warming and aerating in the mouth. No reduction to the palate. Good volume, power, glycerol, especially for the vintage. 15.8+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $11.99
WT021710-13. 07 VALREAS - COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES, DOMAINE DU VAL DES ROIS - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Spicy and powerful (14%). Tight. Much bigger and more forceful than the 04./ Indeed, full body and texture. Much more material richness than the 04. Real strength and depth. Fine acidity here, as always. Yes! The group was impressed. 16.5+.
Price each (at time of tasting)
$15.99
WT021710-14. 07 CALATAYUD GARNACHA OLD VINES ALTOVINUM, EVODIA - (SPAIN) Sweet fruit up front. Powerful (14.5%). Ripe and large. Blackberry, strawberry, cinnamon, bitter chocolate, even flowers./ Sweet and sassy red fruit. Plummy and cohesive. Good acidity. Stylish and seductive. Great price. Popular with the group. 16.2+.
Price each (at time of tasting) $8.99
WT021710-15. 07 CASTILLA TEMPRANILLO GRANROJO, ROJO MOJO - (SPAIN) Very ripe and bold on the approach. Settles down to show good fruit quality. Not too ripe or powerful after all./ Well balanced. The fruit sweetness is attractive and nicely measured. Better than previous versions. 15.8.
Price each (at time of tasting) $9.99
WT021710-16. 07 ESPANA ESTE, BODEGAS ALTO ALMANZORA - (SPAIN) Generous and good fruit, wholesome fruit. Sweet strawberry./ Sweet and flowing. Raspberry, cassis, walnut brownie. Good acidity and richness in balance. Best ever. 16.3.
Price each (at time of tasting) $10.99
WT021710-17. 09 EMILIANA NATURA RAPEL VALLEY GEWURZTRAMINER - (CHILE) Really quite full (14%). Genuine and generous gewurz aroma profile. Lychee, peach, tonic, ginger. Much more to give than the 08. Flashes Alsace power and intensity./ Yes, much larger and more expressive than the 08. Has gewurz astringency. Short of Alsace on the glycerol. Still, well priced and impressive New World take. 16.2.
Price each (at time of tasting) $10.99
WT021710-18. MOLDOVA CAHOR - (MOLDOVA) The Orthodox Church of Moldova used to import wine from Cahors and sweeten it with honey. Thus the origin of the name. Sweet and somewhat raisined and molasses like, which is all attractive. Liquid dates. Cherry blossom highlights. Good power (16%) to keep it from being too sticky./ Raisin, raisinette, honey, spice, power. Port like. Competes well with the cheaper Aussie tawnies. 16.7.
Price each (at time of tasting) $8.99
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- July, 2010
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Wednesday, July 28, 2010 WT072810-01. 09 VINHO VERDE ARCA NOVA, QUINTA DAS ARCOS - (PORTUGAL) Some sulphur to start. With airing, it clears to reveal citrus./ Smooth and gentle 09 approach. Cool, clear taste of green pear. Easy drinking. Better than the 08. Liked by the group. 15.8. WT072810-02. 09 ORVIETO CLASSICO, MELINI - (ITALY) Gently scented. Clear and refreshing if not intense. Mild mannered, nutty, appley. Shy but convincing./ Cool demeanor. Great acidity, especially for 09. A light malvasia bitter trace at the end. OK rendition for the price. 15.5. WT072810-03. 09 VENETO PINOT GRIGIO, VILLA PUCCINI - (ITALY) Nice grigio apple-nut complex. Good fruit strength and a stony edge. Very pretty./ Cool, penetrating, and green fruit tinged–surprising for 09. Hazel nut, floral note, minerals. Good bitter elements at the end that invite food. 15.9. WT072810-04. 09 VENTOUX BLANC CUVEE DES 3 MESSES, VIGNERONS DE MONT VENTOUX - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 40% each clairette and grenache blanc, 20% bourboulenc. Fresh, scented, lifted. Lemon oil, wild fruits, acacia./ Broad expanse of yellow fruit flavors. Hints of exotic extras. Full and viscous. The viscosity clings at first but is then whisked away by astringency. Begs for food. Liked by the group. 16.2. WT072810-05. 09 LES PERDICES MENDOZA VIOGNIER - (ARGENTINA) SO2 to start. After aeration, the real wine comes forth. Peach, flowers, melon. A distinctive viognier./ Lovely, spicy, varietally expressive. Great acidity. Nicely done. 16.0. WT072810-06. 09 MONT GRAS RESERVA SAN ANTONIO VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (CHILE) Well, I don’t meet many of these, but here’s a sauvignon blanc that’s too grassy for me. I finished cutting a wet lawn yesterday, and this smells like the trimmings. Pungent, prominent grass and bell pepper. Capsicum, lime./ Very grassy, zesty, bell peppery. Very tart and astringent. Beyond even my high tolerance for this style. Some in the group tolerated it though. 15.2. WT072810-07. 09 BRANCOTT MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Brisk, zingy. Lemon-lime, grass, capsicum, ripe grapefruit./ Delicious fresh grapefruit and preserved lemon flavors. Plus some grassy pungency. Good grip and acidity. Quenching, cleansing, lasting. Has balance and a lightness of being. Liked by the group. 16.2. WT072810-08. 09 GIRARD NAPA VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (U.S.) Young, tight, crisp. Citrus peel and pith, stone fruits, hint of guava. Large (13.9%) and racy both./ Full, with zesty acidity and textural richness too. Harmonious. Large and long. Better than the 08. Fine for food. Well liked by the group. 16.5+. WT072810-09. 08 BURGENLAND BLAUFRANKISCH, NECKENMARKT - (AUSTRIA) Tensile purple fruits, peels, and wisp of smoke. Cherry, spice, potpourri./ Firm and tangy peels extracts. Good acidty. Good weight for summer drinking. Will transition nicely into the fall too as it fills out with a few months’ aging. 15.7+. WT072810-10. 08 CHIANTI BORGHI D’ELSA, MELINI - (ITALY) Nice, ripe, and open sangiovese berry and soft, dried herbs. Plum, red fruits, spices./ Nice, forward fruit. Moderate depth. Welcome bitter herbs at the finale. Enticing fruit acidity gives good verve. 15.6. WT072810-11. 09 J. LOHR WILDFLOWER MONTEREY VALDIGUIE - (U.S.) Full of blue and black fruits, aptly described on the back label as boysenberry (always in this cuvee), cherry (especially this year), and cranberry./ Say, raspberry and strawberry too. Juicy, with vigorous acidity and plentiful sweet fruit to balance. Long and flavorful finish. Will flesh out further with a few months’ aging. Would be even better chilled down a bit. Very popular with the group. 16.3+. WT072810-12. 09 KEN FORRESTER PETIT STELLENBOSCH PINOTAGE - (SOUTH AFRICA) Lots of primary fruit. Taut, fresh, lively black and red fruits galore, including currants. Smoky, meaty, bacony too./ Total pinotage experience. Generous. As inviting as previous vintages. 15.8. WT072810-13. 07 GARD GRENACHE-SYRAH, MAS DE GUIOT - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 40/60. Gard coolness. This sets it up well for syrah. Indeed, lots of fresh syrah raspberry, white pepper, and flowers.. Comes out swinging./ Yes, Gard cool, fresh, and peppery. Rich, elegant red and black fruits, spice, black olives. Touch of syrah bacon. Nice and spicy finish. Very popular with the group, which considered it a fine value. 16.2. WT072810-14. 07 CHATEAU PUYNORMAND, MONTAGNE SAINT EMILION - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) 90% merlot, 10% cabernet franc. Pretty, burnished merlot black fruit and green tobacco. Spicy enough, but compromised by some leafy aromas. Dark enough, but lacking fruit ripeness./ On the lean and green side. 07 lightness, ease. Requires riper fruit to please me. 15.4+? WT072810-15. 06 CHATEAU SENEJAC, CRU BOURGEOIS SUPERIEUR, HAUT MEDOC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Good cabernet fruit and form plus balanced, seasoned oak strains. Forward fruit, vanilla, tobacco, oak, cedar./ Nicely crafted, with a balance of expressive red berries and plums. Some meat char elements. Fine, ripe tannins. Will improve 2-3 years. 16.0+. WT072810-16. 07 MADIRAN TORUS, ALAIN BRUMONT - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Compact, with tannat black fruits, dark berries, smoke, and tar./ Firm and youthful, but showing some sweet and tangy red berry and plum flavors and some meat and leather sensations. Fine ripe tannins. Needs 1-2 years. 15.8+. WT072810-17. 08 STERLING VINTNER’S COLLECTION MERITAGE CENTRAL COAST RED - (U.S.) Mostly cabernet sauvignon and merlot, with a little cabernet franc, petit verdot, and malbec. Good Central Coast coolness with spicy oak extras. Not 08 tough or lean. Commercial in a positive sense./ Oak, caramel creme, milk chocolate. Sweet, sassy, and smooth accomplishment, with good Central Coast acidity and style. Successfully conceived and rendered., especially in 08. 15.6+. WT072810-18. 08 PAVILION CROSSINGS RESERVE SONOMA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Nice, warm, savory, spicy oak, well integrated. Blackberry, mulberry. Some brett./ Sweet and smooth oak toast and caramel. Some brett again. Another well crafted 08 cabernet. 15.7.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 WT072110-01. 09 VINHO VERDE FAMEGA, CAVES DA CERCA - (PORTUGAL) Lots of spritz. Fresh and right. Apple, pear, and blossom. And some peach too in this vintage of ideal ripeness and joy. Fabulous./ Juicy peach, apple, pear. Great acidity. Very fine. The best ever Famega. Quite the quaffer. 16.5. WT072110-02. 09 LUGANA, TENUTA ROVEGLIA - (ITALY) An impression of elegance and delicacy as well as solidity. Novel fruit. Unripe pear and apple. Cool and sleek. Fabulous!/ Wow! This is just amazing! As elegant as a wine can be. Supple feel. Shades of berries and stone fruits. Brittle acid edge. Tonic and mineral on the finish. Intriguing. 17.0. WT072110-03. 09 VILLA MARIA PRIVATE BIN MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Grass, gooseberry, capsicum, lime peel, and pineapple aromas. The usual reliability./ Sweet and sassy. Sweet grapefruit. The usual NZ yin and yang of sweet and tart. Fresh and attractive. 16.1. WT072110-04. 09 MOHUA MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Grapefruit and gooseberry. Also citrus, pear, and some stone fruit. Fat and rich fruit cut by minerality. Nice./ Oh, yeah! Pungent and full textured. Gooseberry and grass. Full, supple feel, with brisk edge framing round fruits. The palate tells all about NZ sauvignon. 16.3. WT072110-05. 09 KLOOVENBURG SWARTLAND SAUVIGNON BLANC - (SOUTH AFRICA) Well, this is more French like. There’s terroir–calcaire to be specific. Doesn’t gush fruit like the NZ sauvignons above./ Yes, this shows French discretion, acid, extract. Graves like, really. 16.3. WT072110-06. 09 R. STUART BIG FIRE OREGON PINOT GRIS - (U.S.) Pungent, waxy, creamy, Alsace like. Fine, big. Lots of apple./ Viscous, smooth, large, Wow! One big Oregon pinot gris. Good, nerve, acidity. Quite powerful, really.. Best Big Fire I’ve tasted. 16.3. WT072110-07. 08 MACON VILLAGES, GEORGES DUBOEUF - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Apple, nut, toast. No oak as such; just some aromas that often come with oak aging. Could fool me once again though./ A bit earthy. OK acidity. A little chardonnay musque perhaps. Good. 15.3. WT072110-08. 08 MACON LA ROCHE VINEUSE SOUS LE BOIS, CHATEAU DE LA GREFFIERE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Pungent fruit (apple, quince, guava) and some oak and time in oak graininess. 08 large frame and extract./ Rich in extract, acid, and wood. Vanilla, toast. Ripe chardonnay sappiness. Well tuned richness. Good fruit expression and nice shades of terroir. Fine depth, power, style. Large scaled in all aspects. And will grow larger.
16.8+ WT072110-09. 09 COTES DU RHONE BLANC, E. GUIGAL - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 55% viognier, 20% roussanne, 10% marsanne (all northern Rhone white varietals), and only 15% grapes native to the southern Rhone (bourboulenc, clairette). Apple, green fig, peach, white peach, mango, and dried flowers. Cool and large. Distinguished./ Full of southern demeanor, despite the varietal makeup. Southern power and vinosity. Great acidity.
Full body and alcohol. No fruit bomb at all, this begs for food companionship. Love it. 16.6. WT072110-10. 08 BOULDER BANK MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR - (NEW ZEALAND) Waxeye Vineyard, Hawkesbury Road. By Nick Goldschmidt. Sweet tea and tart cherry. Classic 08 NZ pinot noir, and I’m lovin’ ‘em./ Juicy cherry and tea. Rich and round, with black fruit galore. Oak gives vanilla, smoke, and spice. Great acidity. Plenty of heft, but well proportioned, with bright immediacy. Real persistence. Yes! Well liked by the group.
16.6. WT072110-11. 08 MOHUA CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR - (NEW ZEALAND) Spicy oak and full fruit complex. Cherry, raspberry, citrus, flowers. Deep, big, broad./ Full framed. Fine oak and fruit complex. Fills the palate. This is rangy, ambitious and powerful (14%). And cohesive. Long finish. Will challenge full-flavored fare. Well liked by the group. 17.0+. WT072110-12. 08 SICILIA NERO D’AVOLA, FEUDO ARANCIO - (ITALY) Warm and savory, empyreumatic aromas of the south, plus nero d’avola’s wonderful fruit range: currant, black cherry, blueberry. A big boy./ Rich and roasted. Warm and forceful. With good acidity. Mealtime wine. Delightful value. Yes! 16.0. WT072110-13. 08 COSTIERES DE NIMES LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES, MAS CARLOT - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 50% mourvedre, 50% syrah./ Good oak and modern, showy, heady fruit. Pungent, exotic, sweet red cherry, cranberry, dried flowers, and Asian spices, especially clove./ Modern, full. Both wood and fruit make pungent statements. Nothing 08 reserved about it. Warm, strong, big. Will be popular. 16.2+. WT072110-14. 07 TWO TONE FARMS CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) 07's great fruit. Powerful and sweet, roasted fruit style. Heady, woody, big, bouncy./ Sweet fruited, big, generous. Toast and caramel. A lot of wine for the money. 16.0. WT072110-15. 07 NAPA CELLARS NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Dry and powerful. Well managed oak. Cedar cigar box aura. Not as obviously oaky as some past vintages. Or has the great 07 fruit soaked it up? A big, solid, concentrated, well extracted Napa cab. Fabulous./ Sweet and full, with wonderful 07 fruit to match the oak. Best of the series yet. Well liked by the group. 17.1+. WT072110-16. 08 COTES DU RHONE RESERVE GRAND VENEUR, ALAIN JAUME - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% cinsault. Ripe and powerful. Large Grand Veneur style. Large for 08. Soft oaky patina./ Little 08 constraint, resistance. Many time is loosening them up. Quite forward red fruits and peppercorn zest. Charming, inviting already, though it will be better in 6 months. Full acidity, firm tannic grip. One large
08. 16.1+. WT072110-17. 07 COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES CUVEE DES GALETS, DOMAINE LES APHILLANTHES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 60% grenache, 20% each syrah and mourvedre. Fine, dense, dark and sweet fruit. Fabulous garrigue, roasted meat, tobacco, and berry bush aromatics. Big range of aromas–as good as Villages gets./ Young, strapping, and full of confidence and bluster. Huge, eau-de-vie-intense concentration. The works. Racy, succulent,
exciting. Great balance, polish. Long and flavorful. Will go and grow 3-4+ years. Wow! The group was in awe. 17.4+. WT072110-18. 09 MOSCATO D’ASTI SORI GRAMELA, ELVIO TINTERO - (ITALY) Yowsa! Red and yellow berries, citrus, stone fruits, ginger ale, powder-puff floweriness./ Light and lively. Lithe. Pure. Engaging. Intense. Gorgeous. Fresh, cleansing acid carriage. So muscat. Well priced too. The real deal. Yes! 16.7.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 WT071410-01. 09 COLLI PIACENTINI ORTRUGO, SANTA GIUSTINA - (ITALY) Brisk and brittle, with tensile edginess. The significant amount of CO2 gives a little bread dough here, like in a bottle-fermented sparkling wine. After aeration, apple, melon, and stone fruits galore. And floral overtones./ Refreshing prickle, piquant and penetrating. Wonderful display of aromatics coupled with thirst-quenching vitality. 16.0. WT071410-02. 09 CHATEAU HAUT PASQUET, BORDEAUX BLANC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) 40% each semillon and sauvignon blanc, 20% muscadelle. Semillon gives good density. Nice, lightly scented sauvignon airs of citrus, pear, grass, cat, and capsicum./ Young, rich, soft, and round semillon contributions. Frisky, pert acid carriage of sauvignon and muscadelle. Melon, pear, lemon, and gooseberry flavors. Shows the quality and abundance
of the vintage. 16.2. WT071410-03. 09 DOLOMITI PINOT GRIGIO, MEZZA CORONA - (ITALY) Not a lot of aromatic display yet. Some floral airs./ Good brightness and lift of high altitude grigio. Fresh acidity. Give it a few weeks to blossom. 15.4+. WT071410-04. 09 ACROBAT OREGON PINOT GRIS - (U.S.) By King Estate. Brassy color./ Fresh, young, relatively undeveloped. Good etching of the nostril lining. Apple, melon, and nut aromas come with aeration./ Good mouthfeel. Vigorous fruit acidity. Medium body and intensity. Plump, waxy pinot gris sheen. Better in a couple of months. 15.8+. WT071410-05. 09 14 HANDS HOT TO TROT WASHINGTON WHITE - (U.S.) Chardonnay and pinot gris. Well, this one holds little back. Pungent, heady. Some wood. Chardonnay apple. Plus pear and melon. Some exotic floral overtones. Insistent./ Orange zest note. Sweetish, strong, dense. Pinot gris viscosity. Very low acidity for Washington. 14.9. WT071410-06. 09 BLACK STAR FARMS ARCTUROS SUR LIE OLD MISSION PENINSULA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Pungent, cool, penetrating. Crisp and lovely. Citrus, apple, pear, melon, and sur lie ‘woodiness’, or nuttiness./ Plenty of lees autolysis flavors and feels. Ripe and racy, satiny. Sleek acid frame. Good depth and length. True to varietal. Well liked by the group. 16.3+. WT071410-07. 08 CLOS PEGASE MITSUKO’S VINEYARD CARNEROS CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Abundant, forthcoming oak toast and spice. Lots of oak vanillin too. And lots of stone fruit. Sugar and spice and everything nice. Elegant too./ Yes, rich vanilla coating. Oak toast. Malo creaminess. Burnished oak tannins. Good Carneros acidity puts all in prospective. Very attractive. Will be popular. 16.2. WT071410-08. 09 MOSEL RIESLING NOBLE HOUSE, DR. PAULY-BERGWEILER - (GERMANY) Mosel crisp, Mosel riesling scented. Lime and peach. Apple, loquat, nutmeg, flowers. Nicely etched. Just right. One of the best in the series./ Yowsa! Flavorful! Sweet peach and sweet citrus. Lively, piquant, balanced, and long. Delicious 09 combo of ripeness and raciness. 16.6. WT071410-09. 07 DOURO, QUINTA DOS ACIPRESTES - (PORTUGAL) Black Portuguese tinta fruit. Light touch of oak. Elegant, uplifting, racy. Very cool for Douro. Reminds me of a Montsant./ Good Portuguese tinta grip, dryness, acidity. Plenty of flair. Young still, with great bouquet and flavor potential. Everything’s in place. Could take on spicy fare now. 16.3+. WT071410-10. 07 CHATEAU DU PAVILLON, BORDEAUX - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Owned by the Fertal family. 80% merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon. Nice claret nose with a light oaky complex. Ripe and full, fleshy fruit around a firm core of dark matter. Some dekk./ Bright, and full of red and black fruits. Lavender highlight. And some saddle leather. Generous and delightful. Relatively high acidity and the presence of some green fruit
on the palate do not detract significantly from its mealtime pleasures. 16.0. WT071410-11. 09 GRAYSON LOT 10 CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Some attractive cedar airs. Not as oaky as the 08. Cabernet cassis comes through../ Sweet and creamy. Tastes like caramel ice cream topping. Soft and easy. Market-directed. 15.0. WT071410-12. 08 14 HANDS HOT TO TROT WASHINGTON RED - (U.S.) Syrah, merlot, petit verdot, and mourvedre. Mellow oak and crunchy purple, black, and red fruits. Blackberry, boysenberry, mulberry. Dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Good composition./ Plenty of sweet, immediate fruit appeal. Nice oak seasoning. Soft for a Washington red. Made for instant gratification. 15.0. WT071410-13. 07 VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO, GIUSEPPE LONARDI - (ITALY) 75% corvina, 20% rondinella, 5% molinara. Wow! So nice! Blackberry and mulberry, some jam. And salami pepperiness./ Incense, spice, fig, and all the black fruit in the world. Juicy and bright. Love the acidity and precision. Lithe, vigorous, sleek, classic Valpol middleweight. 16.5. WT071410-14. 07 COTES DU RHONE BELLERUCHE, M. CHAPOUTIER - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Rich, ripe, and nutty. Total 07 fruit ripeness, richness, and clarity. Light oak touch. Super composition./ Dark, ripe, smoky. Black fruits, tar, leather, coffee. Insistent, and loaded. Good now. 16.0. WT071410-15. 07 COTES DU RHONE, PIERRE ROUGON - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Bright, racy black fruits. Bramble, raspberry seeds, and garrigue. Really upbeat./ Big, ripe, dense, and generous 07 fruit. Strawberry-rhubarb pie. Good acid, race, juice. Great dexterity. A fine example of its genre, at an attractive price. Well balanced, well textured, food-worthy. A nice find. 16.2+. WT071410-16. 09 MALVASIA DE CASTELNUOVO DON BOSCO, LA SERA - (ITALY) Wow! Perfume, pomade. Total malvasia./ Peach, pear, cherry, flowers, toffee. Flattering sweetness. Red gewurztraminer. The most expressive vintage of this yet. Fresh and vibrant. Good acidity. Well liked by the group. 16.8.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 WT070710-01. 09 RIAS BAIXAS ALBARINO, LA CANA - (SPAIN) Fresh, attractively scented. Juicy peach and lucuma. Perfect posture. Very fine spritz./ Full and buxom. Big, expressive fruit. Mineral backbone and satisfying, zesty piquance. Flavorful, juicy, dry, balanced. 09 ease, confidence. Quaffable. Invites food. 16.3+. WT070710-02. 09 WHITEHAVEN MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Decidedly tropical. Mango. Also peach. 09 ease, immediacy. But not without edgy aspects like cat, grass, capsicum, and minerals./ Passion fruit, grass, citrus peel, capsicum. Soft and easy. Juicy acidity as foil. Gives cut, edge. Very culling and brittle. Tropics flavors, good and generous. Very intense, very expressive. Good power and length too. All
the yin and yang that is fine Marlborough sauvignon blanc. 16.4. WT070710-03. 09 THE CROSSINGS AWATERE VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Crisp and clear and very classy. Lots of minerals. The aromatic properties are not fully developed yet. / Well, this has the feel if not the flavor formation.. Acid, juice, texture, dryness. Edgy, penetrating,. Sancerre like. Acts like it was just shipped. Give it a couple of weeks for aroma and flavor recovery. 16.4+. WT070710-04. 08 NIEDEROSTERREICH GRUNER VELTLINER SINGING, LAURENZ V & SOPHIE - (AUSTRIA) Very good 08 body, texture, extract. And that’s just on the nose./ Full, and fulfilled at this age. Apple and snap pea. Juicy. Very satisfying. Well liked by the group. 16.4. WT070710-05. 09 COTES DU RHONE BLANC, DOMAINE MIREILLE & VINCENT - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Really quite full for M&V. Pulpy yellow fruit, especially melon. And good green fruit qualities of a Med dry white. Floral overtones and hint of allspice./ Quite powerful. Dried fruits, exotic floral accents, and dash of spice. Lovin’ these 09 Med whites! 16.0. WT070710-06. 09 BORDEAUX CLAIRET, CHATEAU DE FONTENILLE - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Tart, dry, and astringent model of clairet, a style between rose and red. Red raspberry, strawberry, cranberry sauce. Lots of cabernet franc peels extracts./ Compact, solidly built, distinct cabernet franc fruit. Lots of peels strengths. Intriguingly red-wine like. Needs time. Will prove better in fall than in summer...with food. Liked by the group.
15.6+. WT070710-07. 09 RIOJA ROSE, BODEGAS MUGA - (SPAIN) Ooh! Fresh, crisp, dry, penetrating. Juicy red plum, cherry, and berries. White peach too./ Flavorful, cool, yet powerful like many a Spanish rose. Sleek, classy, charming, even seductive. Dry, juicy, long. Full bodied food rose. Very popular with the group. 16.7. WT070710-08. 08 MEDGIDIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON DRY, MURFATLAR - (ROMANIA) Dry, fruity, astute. Genuine sweet currant cabernet fruit./ Snappy, spicy, flavorful. Dry, with good acidity. Lovely. Good now with food. Best Romanian cabernet I’ve tasted. The group agreed, in part because it was the FIRST Romanian cabernet many had tasted. 15.9. WT070710-09. 08 PELEE ISLAND ONTARIO CABERNET FRANC - (CANADA) Clear and cool-climate and vinous. 08 close and compact, but not mean. Ripe and right. Subtle northern cabernet franc highlights./ Whoa! Dense, strapping, deep. Big red raspberry flavor. Not too black or tart. Has ease and harmony about it. Sincere, and sincerely good. As in previous vintages. This is always well crafted and price-worthy. Admired by the group.
16.2. WT070710-10. 08 MONTSANT, CELLER CAN BLAU - (SPAIN) Mazuelo (carignan), syrah, and garnacha. Dark and deep and purple fruited. Good take on 08 carignan. This has a nice edge. Though 08 dark, it’s not sullen. You get the high altitude elegance of Montsant./ Broad-beamed, lush black fruits plus smoke, char, black olive. Brisk, brash, bright, savory, juicy, tart. Great form and balance. Young. Rightly poised. 16.1+. WT070710-11. 09 VAUCLUSE CUVEE DE LA DAME VIEILLE, DOMAINE DU VIEUX CHENE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 09 openness. Peels and peppercorn. Zesty, penetrating, youthful. Dark, brooding fruit core. With aeration come black cherry, violets, and woodsy tones./ Ripe, rich, dense, full. Great acidity.. Good edge. Tight and right. Needs air and age to show its pedigree. Popular with the group, several liking it right now. 15.9+. WT070710-12. 07 ANGOVE’S RED BELL BLACK SOUTH AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) Deep, dark, charry, sweet, powerful. Deep fruited. Scented red and black berries, cedar, tobacco, menthol. American oak./ Strong American oak. Plenty of power and punch. Lots of sandalwood and tobacco. A sturdy BBQ choice. 15.6. WT070710-13. 07 BONNY DOON LE POUSSEUR CENTRAL COAST SYRAH - (CALIFORNIA) Lift, fruit, flowers. Raspberry. Some peppercorn. Genuine cool climate syrah properties. Some oak vanillin. Persistent./ Cherry and spice flavors. Forceful, tannic, acidic, dry..The palate really needs time to settle in. The group appreciated its Euro syrah qualities. 15.8+. WT070710-14. PROSECCO DI VENETO SPAGO NERO, RIONDO - (SPARKLING) Apple and red peels. Pinot noir strawberry. Also raspberry and seeds, brambly zestiness./ Flavorful. Mild acidity. Easy to assimilate. Pretty warm and flat when I got to it. Still nice though. Likely even better when cold and first opened. The best this has tasted, even under the circumstances of a hot, muggy day.. 16.3. WT070710-15. PROSECCO ITALIA EXTRA DRY, GANCIA - (SPARKLING) Sweet and fruity enough. A rightful extra dry. Apple and spice./ Yes, good zest, apple, melon, tea, ginger. Extra dry level of sweetness is just right. Good value. 16.0. WT070710-16. MOSCATO D’ASTI, GANCIA - (ITALY) Thin and dull. Earthy./ The problem with non-vintage bottlings–you don’t know the age. This one is clearly too old. Sweet, golden, tawny, watery. No thanks. 14.2-. WT070710-17. 07 COTNARI GRASA DE COTNARI, LEGACY - (ROMANIA) Verbena, wildflowers, chamomile. Warm, fermenting grass. Sweetish./ Sweet enough for Cotnari, but drier than most. Kabinett level sweetness. Tea, chamomile, flowers, orange, and apricot. Tangy acidity. 15.3.
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