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TTasting Notes Printer-Friendly Version
- May, 2004 |
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Wednesday, May 26, 2004 wt052604-01. 1995
LOUIS ROEDERER BRUT CHAMPAGNE - (SPARKLING)
Fat, doughy, spicy. Cherry and honeysuckle, nuts and grains. Creamy,
potent, complete./ Sweetness and richness of the house style. Bottle
bouquet forming. Toffee, butterscotch. Good acidity. Generous. 17.2. wt052604-02. 2003
ST. SUPERY NAPA VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC
- (U.S.) Extraordinarily youthful, bright, vigorous. Asparagus and
citrus and other tropical fruits. Lemon, lime, grapefruit, gooseberry.
Vivacious./ Rich, ripe, plump, young; vital in acidity and youthful
astringency. Pungent, loaded. Should be in full stride by mid summer.
A worthy successor to the last two vintages. 16.5. wt052604-03. 2002
ROSEMOUNT SE AUSTRALIA RIESLING - (AUSTRALIA)
Gold Medal. Pungent petrol and lime oil. Also talc, anise, honey,
pollen. Singular./ Pungent and powerful. Clean and valid Aussie
riesling. Enjoy with Pac Rim cuisine. 15.0. wt052604-04. 2002
VOUVRAY, MONMOUSSEAU - (FRANCE LOIRE)
Straightforward apple-melon-bergamot Vouvray chenin nose. Plump
and sweet-smelling. A decent value./ Semi-dry. Racy, appley acidity
for balance. Mild flavors of spiced apple, loquat. Popular styling.
15.2. wt052604-05. 2003
CASTILLA Y LEON TEMPRANILLA ROSE, PENASCAL
- (SPAIN) Deep electric pink./ Very pretty and sweet nose gushes
from the glass. Roses and red berries and cherries. Nice value./
Sweetish and flavorful. Berries and watermelon. Very nice varietal
rose statement. Yes, a bargain. 15.6. wt052604-06. 2003
COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC TRADITION ROSE, CHATEAU SAINT MARTIN DE LA
GARRIGUE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Earth
and berry. Crisp, ripe, and juicy. Fresh, frisky berries. Good./
Racy red-fruit and earth flavors. Reasonable acidity for a hot year.
14.8. wt052604-07. 2003
ROSEMOUNT SE AUSTRALIA PINOT NOIR - (AUSTRALIA)
Jammy, jelly-like Riverlands pinot. Soft and sweet and warm-climate.
Only a hint of varietal character to start, but this grows with
airing. Sweet red fruit./ More character on the palate. More evidence
of flavors and textures extracted from the grapes’ peels. And spice
and aromatic wood, perhaps from light oak application.. Continues
to rally with aeration, especially on the palate. Not bad. 14.5. wt052604-08. 2002
HAHN CENTRAL COAST CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (U.S.) Rich cabernet fruit and form, and good, generous American
oak. Well done, if a bit of a slave to today’s California red-wine
formula./ Full cabernet fruit race and spicy oak. Incense overtones.
Well formulated, well executed. A fine value. Just kept growing
on me at second and third taste. Gives nothing away to its 2001
predecessor. 16.0. wt052604-09. 2001
COTES DU RHONE VIEILLES VIGNES, DOMAINE DE L’ESPIGOUETTE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Lovely subtle, sublime range
of flowers, berries, peppercorn, garrigue. The purity, the beauty
of 2001./ Again, the full range of garrigue beauties. Fine, fine
tannin. Perfect example of the strengths of the 2001 vintage. Most
appealing young Espigouette CdR I’ve tasted. 16.6. wt052604-10. 2001
RAVENSWOOD OLD VINES SONOMA ZINFANDEL
- (U.S.) Intense, sweet, warm, pure representative of Sonoma zinfandel.
Classic. Textbook. High-toned, elegant nuances. Huge value next
to all those $30 and up guys./ Flavors of raspberry, peppercorn,
and wood spices. Here too are the strengths of 2001: acidity, framework,
fine tannin. Best ever. 16.8. wt052604-11. 2002
SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING SPATLESE, VON HOVEL
- (GERMANY) Pure fruit, mineral, slate, and cedar beauties of Saar
riesling. Nervy, stylish, silky, floral. Citrus and loquat. Great
overall harmony./ Big and penetrating wine of spatlese concentration.
The harmony is again noteworthy–of sweetness, acidity, and extract.
Lays in place so comfortably, confidently. Scharzhofberg authority,
poise, and regal beauty. Extremely well respected tonight. 17.2. wt052604-12. 2001
BECHTOLSHEIMER PETERSBERG BEERENAUSLESE, ERNST BRETZ - (GERMANY) Compared to the licentious, irresistible
2000, this has more youth, restraint, framework, and power. Apple
and nut airs of silvaner. Floral overtones of a German cross. And
botrytis elements of honey, pollen, and tropical fruit. Molten core./
Big, fat, and burnished. Great acidity and framework of 2001. Softness
of the non-riesling varietals. Again, that fomenting core of potential.
This will surpass the 2000 in time. A great BA value. 17.4.
Wednesday, May 19, 2004 wt051904-01. 2002
CHABLIS LES DEUX RIVES, OLIVIER LEFLAIVE
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Remarkably fresh and pure. Like cool spring
water. There’s that Chablis minerality but not in spa intensity../
Very bright and pure. Great acidity and fine minerality. A beautiful
introduction to Chablis. The initiate will be forever fixated. 16.6. wt051904-02. 2002
CHABLIS MONTEE DE TONNERRE 1ER CRU, OLIVIER LEFLAIVE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Cool Chablis minerality here too,
but with the addition of soft vanilla oak and the pungent terroir
impact of Montee de Tonnerre, which is practically as striking as
a Grand Cru’s./ MdT fullness, crisp, flinty fruit, and fine oak
richness. The expected volume of MdT. A complete rendition. 17.4+. wt051904-03. 2002
RULLY 1ER CRU, OLIVIER LEFLAIVE - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Good wood. Different wood than in the Chablis. Chosen
to complement the rich, powerful rusticity of a Chalonnais blanc.
Indeed, the fruit and terroir lap it up./ Full, nutty, grainy Rully
1er Cru blanc, deep and substantial. Complete Chalonnais. Always
a Leflaive classic, and this ‘02 is one of the best ever. 17.2. wt051904-04. 2002
PETER LEHMANN EDEN VALLEY RIESLING - (AUSTRALIA)
Lime, talc, herbs and spices, mint, minerals, and petrol. Aussie
warmth and strength./ Again, lime and peel, petrol, and a sandalwood
aspect that implies barrel aging. Dash of sugar, and all the alcohol
a riesling could ever need. Good cut of acidity too. 16.0 wt051904-05. 2000
DEALU MARE PINOT NOIR, DOMAINE FRANCO ROUMAIN
- (ROMANIA) Ruddy, soft. Celery, Bloody Mary Mix. Prune, barnyard,
bacon, leather, smoke./ Wood, alcohol, tannin, vestige of pinot
character. More like pinotage than pinot noir. 13.9. wt051904-06. 2002
PAUL HOBBS EL FELINO MENDOZA MALBEC -
(ARGENTINA) Elegant, pure fruit. Fleshy and plump but with framing.
Touches of bitter chocolate, coffee, dill./ Good Hobbs combo of
style and substance. Rich fruit and some fruit tannin. Swells up
as it airs. 15.7. wt051904-07. 2002
THREE THIEVES NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON litrer - (U.S.) Pretty jammy and juggy for Napa. Seems augmented
with the full 24% allowance from elsewhere, someplace warmer. Bright
and forward, with aromas of smoke, sandalwood, and cola./ Simple
pleasures. Some roughness that suggests press wine. Can’t complain
about the price. 14.4 wt051904-08. 2002
CLINE RED TRUCK CALIFORNIA RED - (U.S.)
Sweet and bright. Juicy fruit. Red fruit, pomegranate, flowers.
Rhonish. Well, isn’t this just good clean fun?!/ Juicy and appealing.
Nicely polished. No pretensions. Just delicious juice. 15.6. wt051904-09. 2002
RAVENSWOOD VINTNERS BLEND SE AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ
- (AUSTRALIA) Smoky oak, tarry black fruit concentration. Black
currant, eucalyptus, herbs, cedar./ More fruit ease on the palate.
Softer, richer. Good acidity and tannin to complement. Handsome,
manly, well done. 15.2. wt051904-10. 2001
BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE SPIRES BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA) Roasted fruit, but fresh fruit too. Rich
and generous in the Barossa Valley mode./ Smoky herbs. Sweet fruit.
Good balance and decent depth. 15.3. wt051904-11. 1997
GOULD CAMPBELL VINTAGE PORT - (FORTIFIED)
The fruit is bright and ripe. Flowers and plums. Real power smoldering
beneath./ Palate richer than the nose. Fruity and well balanced.
Notes of clove and chocolate. Melted tannins. Fabulous flavor and
texture to enjoy now. Both pretty and substantial. Just keeps building
and building on both nose and palate throughout the evening. Lovely
value. 17.2. wt051904-12. BOONES
FARM BLUE HAWAIIAN - (FRUIT) Label shows
pineapple, orange, and mango. The pineapple is particularly apparent
on the nose, the others less so. Hints of lemon, watermelon, honeydew,
new children’s clothes. But the dominant aroma and flavor is that
of coconut, which is not featured on the label./ Pineapple orange
and sun-tan lotion. Flavorful, refreshing, quaffable at 5% alcohol.
One of the best in the range. But truth-in-advertising calls for
a coconut on the label. 15.6.
Wednesday, May 12, 2004 wt051204-01. 2002
COVEY RUN WASHINGTON FUME BLANC - (U.S.)
Hints of tropical fruits and peach. Soft, seamless, delicate, exotic,
certainly not strained by oak./ Sweet, citrusy tang. Clean and peach.
A little hot from high alcohol. Not a lot of flair. 14.5. wt051204-02. 1999
OC CHARDONNAY, DOMAINE D’ANTUGNAC - (FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN) Clean, fresh, and appley. Plus lemon and smoke. A
big surprise for a Roussillon chardonnay going on age 5. Amazingly
fresh and fruity./ Soft chardonnay from the south. Minerals, grains,
honey. Fine structure. Delicious, really. For now. 15.7. wt051204-03. 2002
CHATEAU BELA STUROVO MUZLA RIESLING -
(SLOVAKIA) Lovely, lime-like riesling aroma. Very, very bright and
refreshing lime and flowers aroma. Nice citrus-peel ‘minerality’.
Blossoms to a complex bouquet of peach, grapefruit, wax, nut, mint,
and lentil. Jorge adds ‘Peruvian lemon’. A cross between Austria
and Australia!/ Barely off dry, with nice acidity. Red currant snap.
Rich and long. Unique. Sultry and eager. Lots of vitality and depth.
Fabulous start here. 16.8. wt051204-04. 2000
GLEISWEILER HOLLE RIESLING KABINETT, THEO MINGES - (GERMANY) Very bright citrus and mineral. Well-structured,
racy./ Lemon, lime, and orange peel flavors. Great tang, vitality.
Really racy and fresh for vintage and age. 16.3. wt051204-05. 2000
NIERSTEINER PETTENTHAL RIESLING KABINETT, J&H STRUB - (GERMANY) At a good stage of development, with some
fern and earth. Good fruit cleanness and clarity. Lemon grass, citrus.
The elegance of Pettenthal confirmed. Minerals and northern coolness./
Yes, good bottle development. Red currant, honey. Sassy, eager,
penetrating, generous. Grains, corn, and wood-like highlights. Well
balanced. 16.2. wt051204-06. 2002
BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR CUVEE MARGOT, OLIVIER LEFLAIVE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Very bright and vigorous cherry and
tar aromas. Dark, ripe Nuits-like fruit. Super-exuberant./ Palate
somewhat contrite at this stage. Many of the yet-unreleased 2002
reds we’ve sampled this week are similarly expressive on the nose
but still unresolved on the palate. I suspect that’s why they won’t
be released until fall. Leflaive’s a little ahead of the game with
this one. Keep a few months, and you will be reward. All the right
stuff is here; it’s just not all in place yet. 15.7+. wt051204-07. 2001
COTES DU RHONE, DOMAINE MONTAGNETTE -
(FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Raisin and dried cherry and berry. Panettone.
Super-ripe, rancio, port-like, almost syrupy. More like an ‘03 than
an ‘01. Seductive now, but don’t keep too long../ Palate not as
overripe, but certainly ripe. Grenache shouts out. Pungent, flavorful,
generous. A real taste adventure at a modest price. For now. 15.8. wt051204-08. 2002
RUSDEN CHRISTINE’S VINEYARD BAROSSA VALLEY GRENACHE - (AUSTRALIA) Sweet, ripe, and sassy strawberry aroma.
Definition of Aussie grenache. Airing brings out a huge range, a
wide spectrum of red fruits and berries. Fleshy, with a good, firm
core./ Rich yet also racy enough. Yes, great acidity as well as
fruit richness and ripeness. Both flamboyant and solid too. Has
it all. 17.5.
Wednesday, May 5, 2004 wt050504-01. 1997
L. MAWBY MILLE LEELANAU PENINSULA BRUT
- (SPARKLING) Good doughy bottle bouquet. Not as intense as the
‘95./ Good toast and biscuit autolysis flavors. Very fine mousse.
Fairly mild acidity. 16.8. wt050504-02. 2003
MONTINORE WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT GRIS
- (U.S.) Pungent with both varietal and fermentations odors. Still
floral. Apple, melon, wax./ Lively. Great acidity, verve, brightness.
Class varietal character. Super value. Definite Wine Club candidate.
16.4. wt050504-03. 2003
LAGARDE LUJAN DE CUYO VIOGNIER - (ARGENTINA)
Extraordinarily pungent viognier. Flowers, pepper, zesty spices.
Viognier to the max./ Add mint, nettle, and roots. Pedal to the
Metal viognier. A bit much, really. But bring on hot and spicy Asian
fare, and you’ve got a match. 16.4. wt050504-04. 2003
PEWSEY VALE EDEN VALLEY RIESLING - (AUSTRALIA)
Strong, direct, full textured. Emphasizes lime./ Essentially dry.
Mild acidity. Has race, mineral, cut. But certainly no subtleties,
no finesse. Aussie frankness. For Aussie tastes. Can’t see much
future to this. 15.8. wt050504-05. 2002
KASELER NIESCHEN RIESLING KABINETT, VON KESSELSTATT - (GERMANY) H2S blanket, but under it I can detect Ruwer
finesse and beauty. Fine texture, ‘02 extract./ No sulphur interference
on the palate. Oh so beautiful and delicate! The Story of Ruwer
Riesling. 17.1. wt050504-06. 2002
SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING KABINETT, VON KESSELSTATT - (GERMANY) Fuller. Mineral beauties, terroir. Flowers,
pear, peach. The 1er Grand Cru class of Scharzhofberg. Deep pool
of treasures./ Mild or coated acidity. Fine, silken texture. Good
sweet-acid balance. Beauty and class. 17.3. wt050504-07. 2002
RAMSPECK NORTH COAST PINOT NOIR - (U.S.)
Sweet, powerful, pungent. Oak and grape-peel concentrate. Some H2S.
Cherry and tar./ Rich, sweet, thick fruit. An honest and generous
warm-climate pinot. Fine tannin and good acidity to keep it honest.
Well appreciated by the group for its value and generosity. Wine
Club candidate. 16.9. wt050504-08. 2001
BABCOCK SANTA BARBARA PINOT NOIR - (U.S.)
Much cooler and more herbal, leafy. Tart cherry, tea, licorice.
The fruit sweetens up some with airing./ Fluid, lithe. Both flavor
and texture more dilute than above. Good race. A food wine. 16.3. wt050504-09. 2001
EYZAGUIRRE SAN RESERVA ESPECIAL SAN FRANCISCO DE MOSTAZAL CABERNET
SAUVIGNON - (CHILE) Nice black currant
cabernet nose. Not real intense, but pure and pretty, and lightly
sweet./ Confirmed. Not a big wine, but a balanced and pleasant one.
Some bell pepper toward the end. Less rustic than some former vintages.
15.2. wt050504-10. 2002
FAIRVIEW COASTAL PINOTAGE - (SOUTH AFRICA)
Sweet, warm, ripe, jammy, and, of course, leathery. Typical./ Racy
as well as ripe, and, of course, leathery. Good acidity and balance.
In form. For those who are into leather. Another $8 Vineyard Brands
wine at the new, improved Veritas price. 15.6. wt050504-11. 2001
LAGARDE LUJAN DE CUYO SYRAH - (ARGENTINA)
Ripe syrah. Roti. Black pepper and spicy, brambly berry fruit of
syrah. Strong and spicy, full and rich./ More prominent fruit presence
on the palate. Sweet, powerful, polished. Less gripping on the palate
than on the nose. Multi-layered, multi-talented. This has a lot
going for it. A kaleidoscope of colors. 16.0+. wt050504-12. 2001
YALUMBA EDEN VALLEY SHIRAZ-VIOGNIER -
(AUSTRALIA) Great combo of syrah black raspberry and viognier flowers.
A classic, Cote Rotie-style example of the cooperation between these
varietals. Size, grip, and beauty./ Again, the syrah berry fruit
and red-wine grip with the viognier flowers, finesse, and white-wine
lift. A complex and thoroughly engaging wine with no Aussie excesses.
17.2. wt050504-13. 3002
FENN VALLEY LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE GEWURZTRAMINER
- (U.S.) True to the varietal, but much slighter in power, intensity,
volume, depth, and viscosity than the Peninsula Cellars pair./ A
little greenness on the palate–mint, leaf. What’s the price? 15.7. wt050504-14. ST
JAMES MISSOURI RED - (U.S.) From rougeon.
One of the ripest rougeons I’ve tasted. I’m used to wines from more
northern settings. Good variety in central Missouri. Soft and sweetish.
A good everyday red. 15.6.
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