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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Wednesday, May 26, 2010 WT052610-01. 06 SCHRAMSBERG NORTH COAST BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT - (SPARKLING) Apple and dough. Tart apple. Toasty, yeasty./ Blanc de blancs apple character. Full bodied for a blanc de blancs. Nothing shy or delicate about this bdb. 16.2. WT052610-02. 09 VENEZIE PINOT GRIGIO, CA’ BERTO - (ITALY) Good and racy. Cool and lightly floral. Good grip for 09. Good peels contributions./ Yes, grip and the red stuff. Plus the right 09 plumpness. Nice buy. 16.1. WT052610-03. 09 MACON VILLAGES, DOMAINE DES GERBEAUX - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Plenty of relief for 09. Tingles with citrus and mineral extract. Tactile nose. Apple too./ Dry, sleek, taut, refined. Relatively unformed yet, though there are suggestions of ripe and pretty 09 fruit and terroir nuance. Needs time to develop aromatic and textural depth and dimension. 15.8+. WT052610-04. 08 VOUVRAY, NOEL BOUGRIER - (FRANCE LOIRE) Green fruit aromas. Green citrus peel, melon rind, quince. Sweeter aromas begin to build later./ Yes, green apple, succeeded by spiced and candied apple, rind, and citron flavors plus a good calcaire base. Intriguing. 15.5+. WT052610-05. 09 COTES DE GASCOGNE ROSE HARMONIE, DOMAINE PELLEHAUT - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) 70% tannat, 30% merlot. Juicy Fruit. Candy, gum. Berry and banana. Perky./ Again, dominated by ripe, primary red fruit aromas. Some white fruits too. Firm peels extract carriage. I’d like to see this after a couple more months in bottle. 15.3+. WT052610-06. 09 CHINON ROSE, COULY-DUTHEIL - (FRANCE LOIRE) Cabernet franc. Ultra fruity, delicate, fresh, uplifting Loire style of rose. Cabernet franc red raspberry. Sleek and stylish, with floral accents./ The fruit is sweet smelling, but the wine is full dry. Racy acidity for 09. Kiss of peels astringency. Cool, subtle, and pretty. More about lift than body. Very refreshing. As it should be. 16.3. WT052610-07. 09 OC CINSAULT OLD VINE ROSE, VILLA DES ANGES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Super concentration of cinsault fruit. Old vines show, even in the rose vernacular./ Dry, with some red peels astringency. Take to the table. 16.3. WT052610-08. 09 VAUCLUSE FRIANDE ROSE, DOMAINE DU VIEUX CHENE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Grenache and syrah. Sweet strawberry grenache aroma. Easy. Nice. A proper Friande./ Good and dry, with fruit-juicy acidity. Floral highlights. Good grip too. Meal-worthy. Much better than the 08. Yes! 16.2. WT052610-09. 09 COTES CATALANES CUVEE DE PENA ROSE, CHATEAU DE PENA - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 60% grenache, 40% syrah. Very exotic, super fruity. Verging on a labrusca theme. Aromas positively gush forth./ Again, the labrusca-like exotica. Unique in this series. Fabulous foxiness, really. 16.0. WT052610-10. 09 COTEAUX DE PEYRIAC CUVEE DES OLIVIERS ROSE, DOMAINE MASSAMIER LA MIGNARDE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 80% cinsault, 10% each grenache, syrah. Always the red fruit emphasis. Raspberry and cherry. Pretty in pink./ Dry. Good grip. Vinous and briary as well as fruity. A rangy food rose. 16.2. WT052610-11. 09 COSTIERES DE NIMES ROSE, CHATEAU LA TOUR DE BERAUD - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Syrah, grenache, carignan. Sister domaine of Mourgues du Gres.. Fresh and full. Tons of fruit here./ Full flavor, body, acidity, power. Delivers it all in spades. 16.4. WT052610-12. 09 COTES DU RHONE ROSE, DOMAINE LES APHILLANTHES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 60% cinsault, 20% grenache, 15% counoise, 5% mourvedre. Heavy duty. The gear oil of roses. Concentration, mass, power. Meanwhile, the fruit itself is pretty in pink. Strawberry and spice. This is no sluggo rose./ Yes, deftly balances size and power with beauty. At once very large...and lovely. Very expressive. Good depth and grip. Boasts Tavel like presence. 16.4. WT052610-13. 09 COTES DU RHONE CUVEE DES CAPUCINES ROSE, DOMAINE DU VIEUX CHENE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Old vine grenache and syrah. Very pretty, charming, sweet fruits. Strawberry, and even some pink peach, if there is such a thing./ Yeah, full flavored. Soft and delightful. Sweet, creamy fruit. 16.3+. WT052610-14. 07 COTEAUX DE PEYRIAC CUVEE DES OLIVIERS, DOMAINE MASSAMIER LA MIGNARDE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 30% each cabernet sauvignon and carignan, 20% cinsault, 10% each grenache and syrah. Yes! Crisp, cool raspberries as always. 07 fruit quality and charm with cool raciness of this cuvee. Licorice and tar notes too./ Still reticent, even austere. Surprising for 07. A stage? The palate needs more bottle age, say, 6 months to a year. 15.8+. WT052610-15. 07 COTES DU RHONE PARALLELE 45, PAUL JABOULET - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Somewhat reduced. Really pretty churlish. Aeration coaxes forth some peppercorn and garrigue./ Dark and tight. Hermetic. Another 07 rouge yet to reveal its virtues. No nearly as accessible in youth as the 04, 05, and 06. A surprise. Cellar it. 15.0++. WT052610-16. 08 CALATAYUD GARNACHA OLD VINES, ATTECA, BODEGAS ATECA - (SPAIN) Very ripe and very oaky. Insistent. Lots of vanilla. And fully extracted, plum jam fruit./ Yes, very ripe and woody. Big; all out in front. Paradoxically, the acid is very high too. At a bi-polar stage of development. I liked this better earlier, and so did the critics. Needs a year’s aging now. 14.5++. WT052610-17. 04 RIOJA, ALLENDE - (SPAIN) Nice dried fruit patina. Deep, with layers of wood and spice./ Stylish, with seasoned wood, tobacco, and light, meaty interests. Poised and nuanced. 16.5. WT052610-18. 2009 ITALIA ROSSO DULCIS, SAN SILVESTRO - (ITALY) Spritzy. Sweet, with a rose and cold cream perfume. Maraschino cherry too. More white grapes than red./ Like the Stella Rosa, a nice Piemonte pop wine, fresh and playful. Good peels grip to offset the sweetness. I guess it’s brachetto and moscato. Well fashioned. 16.0.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 WT051910-01. PROSECCO DI VENETO SPAGO NERO, RIONDO - (SPARKLING) This one got a Parker 90 sometime back. Fresh and sweetish and easy. The right green apple character. Juicy Fruit gum. Pleasant. 15.8. WT051910-02. PROSECCO RABOSO DI VENETO SPAGO NERO PINK, RIONDO - (SPARKLING) The red grape peels extracts are vinous rather than fruity./ Red peels flavors: cherry, plum, red currant. The group preferred the white. 15.5. WT051910-03. 07 ALSACE PINOT GRIS, HELFRICH - (FRANCE ALSACE) Sweet and fruity 07 style. Good apple and peel, good freshness yet. Large scaled, Alsace take on pinot gris. Both power and cut./ Peach and honey. Some pinot gris pink peels astringency countered by good level of glycerol. Corn pone. Some Bas Rhin bodenton. 15.9. WT051910-04. 07 ALSACE RIESLING, HELFRICH - (FRANCE ALSACE) Appley. Some elements of development, while retaining good fruit freshness. Again, the light Bas Rhin bodenton./ White peach, dried apricot. Good riesling development showing. And it’s full dry. Makes a good dinner wine. 16.0. WT051910-05. 08 ALSACE RIESLING CARTE D’OR, PIERRE SPARR - (FRANCE ALSACE) Brighter, fresher, a year younger, and from a slower maturing vintage. That dark and structured 08 style. This has more class. It’s Haut Rhin./ The great Sparr acidity and extract that make his Alsace One wines so zingy. Juicy fruit acidity. Wow! 16.6+. WT051910-06. 08 PFALZ ESTATE RIESLING, DR. BURKLIN-WOLF - (GERMANY) Some spritz still./ Whoa! Fresh, tight, right 08. Pfalz peach and grain character. Full extract, zest, size./ Yes, Mittelhaardt peach and meal, golden tones. Dry and statuesque. Both finesse and power. Made for the dinner table. Very popular with the group. 16.9+. WT051910-07. 07 PFALZ RIESLING SAINT M, DR. LOOSEN - (GERMANY) More bouquet development. A year older and from a faster advancing vintage. Plenty of peachy qualities. Dry impression./ Yes, peach and grains, and a resinous quality that comes with maturation. The softer 07 style. Nice. 16.0. WT051910-08. 08 RUTHERFORD RANCH NAPA VALLEY CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Bubble gum, cologne. Oak and pear galore./ Sweet fruit and oak. Grows on you. But not as good as the 07 and 06. 15.6. WT051910-09. 08 ALSACE GEWURZTRAMINER CARTE D’OR, PIERRE SPARR - (FRANCE ALSACE) Lovely. Orange peel, spice, honey, flowers. Then comes on the gewurz pungency, the rose, ginger, tonic./ Really thick and thorough gewurz with lots of glycerol. Good acidity for gewurz. Very pretty picture. 16.2+. WT051910-10. 08 CHALONE MONTEREY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) While showing classic Monterey pinot crispness, coolness, and cut, this is also remarkably sweet and fruity for this region and Chalone series./ Yes, tart cherry and tea coolness, and sweet cherry fruitiness too. They nailed it. Best Chalone Monterey pinot yet. 16.5. WT051910-11. 07 LAETITIA ESTATE LIMITE ARROYO GRANDE VALLEY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Oh, boy! Great pinots from Laetitia as always. Full display of pinot cherry, tea, and spice, plus classy French oak aromatics. Adds up to ‘complex’./ Great, sweet, flavorful, juicy mouthful. Long and intense. In fact, very long. Great value in first-class California pinot. Some of the Europhiles in the group thought it too oaky. Let them eat
cake. 17.5. WT051910-12. 07 HAHN CENTRAL COAST MERITAGE - (U.S.) Sweet and oaky-spicy, in tune with the series. Fabulously seductive as always./ Yes, sexy oak perfumes. Oak and fruit tannin countered by a bushel-ful of sweet fruit. A couple of days later, this showed even more range and bulk. 16.4+. WT051910-13. 07 COTES DU RHONE LES DENTELLES, YVES CHERON - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Full ripeness of 07. Almost roti. Sweet, and large, but not yet come hither./ Dry and compact on the palate. The fruit of 07 remains subdued. The group found it more accessible than did I. 15.6+. WT051910-14. 07 VACQUEYRAS GRAND MONTMIRAIL, YVES CHERON - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Bigger, sweeter. More material here./ Yes, lots of raspberry and strawberry. Sweetly fruited. And garrigue too! Yes! Everyone agreed that this was a champ. 17.0+. WT051910-15. 08 OPPENHEIMER SACKTRAGER RIESLING AUSLESE, DR. HEYDEN - (GERMANY) Wow! Surges forth. Huge extract concentration is palpable; tingles the nostrils. Also sweet, thick, and loaded./ Yes, the sweetness, the concentration of both sugar and extract and acidity is awesome. Peach, apricot, tea, and fine cigarette tobacco notes of botrytis. Loaded indeed. Very popular with the group. 18.0+. WT051910-16. 09 LINDEMANS BIN 90 SE AUSTRALIA MOSCATO - (AUSTRALIA) Bright and uplifting. Some of that orange peel aroma of muscat alexandria. And the flowery sense of muscat canelli. Yes!/ Sweet flavors or orange and lily of the valley. Low acid and power (9%). Ease and appeal. 16.2.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 WT051210-01. 09 PAUA ROCK MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Zippy grapefruit, grass, and gooseberry. The right stuff./ Rich and snappy both. That NZ sauvignon yin and yang. Yeah, fruit sweetness and fruit acid zing. Pungent and plentiful. Great price! Well liked by the group. 16.5. WT051210-02. 08 LOREDONA LODI VIOGNIER - (U.S.) Pretty, warm-climate viognier. Orange fruit jellies, kumquat, canned peach, dried apricot. Fat and full./ Mango too. Good acidity. Bright as well as sweet California fruit. Very racy aftertaste. Well crafted. 16.2. WT051210-03. 07 TRACE MOUNT OSO VINEYARD TRACY HILLS MERLOT - (U.S.) The region is east of Livermore Valley. Oh, good oak spice and good, sweet 07 fruit!. Dark berries, cigar box, bitters. / Yes, spicy, ripe, ready to please. Inland sweetness without tipping to Valley jam-jelly. Special to the region. 16.4. WT051210-04. 07 TRACE MOUNT OSO VINEYARD TRACY HILLS CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Bolder, blacker, earthier. Coffee grounds. Still sweet fruited, with good oak component./ More tannin and dryness, of course. Less plush. It’s got the right stuff, but it’s still a little firm. Merlot now, cabernet later. 16.3+. WT051210-05. 08 MANIFESTO! NORTH COAST CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Mainly from Suisun Valley, which is east of Napa Valley. Fermented with wild yeasts. Sweet and seductive black cherry and oak spices. Like the previous encounter in March, this is pretty sexy stuff for 08./ Again, sweet and sassy and rich in wood spices. Oh, and there’s blueberry. I love that in cabernet sauvignon. The 09 Left Bank Bordeaux show a lot of blueberry.
Good acidity too. And chewy constitution. And chocolate. This is good fun! 16.5. WT051210-06. 07 OBERON NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Firm, with the oak still a little dominant in my Taster glass. The Mondavi gracefulness is already apparent though. And the Napa class. Time in oak is beginning to produce complexity. This is fine-tuned. / Sweet and fruity 07 style with good oak measure. Mulberry and sandalwood. The proportions on the palate are right. Style and class here, for sure. Well liked by the
group. 16.8+. WT051210-07. 07 TWENTY BENCH NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) I think Regusci makes this from purchased grapes. Firm oak and very dark Napa fruit. The fruit ripeness and sweetness of ‘sur-maturite’. Mocha, dark chocolate, hard fruit candy./ Vanilla and mocha. Great acidity. Really racy. Quite distinct in style from the Oberon. This is classy stuff too. Well structured. Has charm too. 16.8+. WT051210-08. 07 CHATEAU KSARA RESERVE DU COUVENT BEKAA VALLEY RED - (LEBANON) 40% syrah, 30% each of the cabernets. They got it right. Claret like. Rhone like. Beautiful fusion. Lebanon is so good at this./ Oh! And then comes a pure syrah black raspberry strain, really intense and focused. Sleek and generous, stylish and classy. A perfect amalgam of Rhone syrah and Bordeaux cabernets. Way beyond most of what Australia puts together
with this theme. 16.5+. WT051210-09. 07 EXCELSIOR ROBERTSON SHIRAZ - (SOUTH AFRICA) Dark berries, dark chocolate, smoke, tar, and spice. Lovely, sweet, inland Cape syrah with just a touch of positively flattering leather./ Lovely sweet-acid balance. Juicy. Friendly. A delicious mealtime wine. Excelsior and Robertson Vineyards surely show the knack. 16.2. WT051210-10. 07 BRAZIN OLD VINE LODI ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Sweet and loaded. Lodi warmth, old vines intensity. Smoky overtones of oak and well-tanned fruit. Wonderful raspberry confiture zinfandel aroma./ Juicy raspberry flavor. Rich, sweet, fat, and creamy. Great acidity. Lots of depth. Continues to grow in the glass. Super. 16.9. WT051210-11. 09 OLD SHORE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE PINOT GRIS - (U.S.) New winery in SW MI. The owners were here. Live in Ann Arbor. She works in the area; he works in Chicago. So they got a place in SW MI with house and vineyards. Cornell Olivier of 3 Lads makes the wine. This is really good. Full bodied and powerful. Not Alsace viscous, but big on delivery for MI PG. 16.5. WT051210-12. 08 OLD SHORE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Too small a production to market. Great acidity, northern pinot smell and taste. Fine and really fulfilled cool-climate pinot. 16.7. Wish them well for 09, scheduled to be bottled later in the year.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 WT050510-01. 08 RIBATEJANO ARINTHO, QUINTA DA ALORNA - (PORTUGAL) Floral air. Lily of the valley. Creamy lemon basis arintho always shows. Brisk and penetrating Steely edge of 08./ Juicy 08 acidity. Floral flavors. Dried apricot. 08 framework. Plumping up each time I sample it (3-4 times over several months now). Will continue to mellow for several more months at least. At the close, zesty minerality and cleansing finish. It dances
and dazzles. Very popular with the group. 16.3+. WT050510-02. 08 PRINCE DE TABOURG, COTES DE BORDEAUX SAUVIGNON - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Crisp, fresh. 08 dark demeanor. Pear, lime, grass. One big sauvignon blanc./ Bigtime citrus play. Pithy. Fills the mouth. Cries out for food. Sooo juicy. And thick too. But plenty of cut and acidity too. 45 year old vines. Wonder what section of the Cotes it comes from. That’s the problem with this new appellation that simplifies (dumbs down) matters
by joining Blaye, Francs, Castillon, and 1eres Cotes under an umbrella title. As I understand it, only Bourg has yet to sign on. And with a negociant’s brand like this, you can’t even find the village of origin on the label. Great Bordeaux sauvignon all the same. 16.5. WT050510-03. 09 CRISTOBAL 1492 MENDOZA TORRONTES - (ARGENTINA) Just right. Crisp and cool. Floral. Torrontes, not muscat, not gewurz. Orange blossom./ Whoa! Tangy, zesty, zappy. Very floral; fresh-cut flowers. Orange blossom honey like used to come from Florida. Probably still does. But not a honeyed wine; it’s dry. Fine acidity. A beauty. Lithe and fresh. For lots of foods. 16.4. WT050510-04. 09 MONTSANT MAS DONIS ROSAT, CELLER CAPCANES - (SPAIN) 80% grenache, 10% each syrah and merlot. Young and a bit rigid still. Firm but fruity too. Nice red fruit elements and peels strengths. Core cherry aromas./ Softer and sweeter on the palate. More ease than the nose. Flavorful, racy, and properly strong–13%. Decent acidity. Good, but pretty large for rose. Not the refreshing picnic sort. Needs full fare, if short
of red wine fare. A spicy Med fish chowder. 16.0+. WT050510-05. 09 BEAUJOLAIS, DOMAINE DUPEUBLE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Oh! Ripe and juicy, ripe and exuberant, fresh and right. Joyous. Lots of raspberry. Some strawberry, cherry, and banana. Tender, stylish, reassuring./ Juicy. Has form and filling, ease as well as structure. Fresh and classic. Old-style decadence. Great acidity. Long, lively, flavorful aftertaste with an unusual smoky quality. 16.2. WT050510-06. 07 BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR VIEILLES VIGNES, ALBERT BICHOT - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Good pinot fruit. Engaging, alluring, rich aromas of raspberries and red cherries. Hint of oak toast. 07 plump and tender./ Plenty of acidity, for sure. A surprise for 07. Adequate fruit, but some peels tannin and astringency detracts from its present enjoyment. Still holding back something. It’s more like a young 05 than 07. Which says it’s
worth cellaring 1-2 years more. 16.2+. WT050510-07. 09 ALFREDO ROCA SAN RAFAEL PINOT NOIR - (ARGENTINA) Well, this is real pinot, distinctive, unique. Ripe, pure, deep, and fully packed. Cherry, raspberry, tea, and tobacco. I continue to associate Roca’s pinots with the Doudet-Naudin burgundies of yore–a bit eccentric perhaps, but surely to my tastes. This resembles Savigny les Beaune, home of Doudet-Naudin. A dark, Savigny like fruit core./ Sweet cherry fruit with
warm spices, especially cardamom. Dense, savory fruit core with some wood spice complications. One of the best vintages of this. 09 is sizing up nice in Argentina. I love unique wines, which makes Roca’s pinots some of my favorite from anywhere. 16.5+. WT050510-08. 07 CHIANTI CASTIGLIONI, MARCHESI DI FRESCOBALDI - (ITALY) Oh! Sweet and delicious 07 fruit with Frescobaldi class, darkness, depth, skill, composure. Cherry-nut sundae like the Nipozzano Rufina Riseerva./ Sweet, easy to assimilate 07 fruit. Plenty of race, acid, juice, balance. This could make me forget the Nipozzano, one of my favorite Chiantis. It costs around $10 more, and this really gives it a run for the money.
Best Castiglioni yet. Great stuff. 16.8+. WT050510-09. 06 PRINCE DE TABOURG, COTES DE BOURG - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) A bit tart and peelsy in the 06 style, but the fruit is sweet enough compared to many of its rivals. Tar and cherry aromas are prominent, with fennel, underbrush, and floral notes./ Intriguing flavor of spice and resin, peel and sap, even root. Meaty. Full of extract. On the palate, not too tart or underripe after all. Real claret. Can be cellared. 16.1+. WT050510-10. 08 CONCHA Y TORO XPLORADOR VALLE CENTRAL MERLOT - (CHILE) Smoky, carmenere like. Pomegranate, dark berries, incense./ Sweet merlot cherry fruit. Well built. Good presence. . Merlot ease and generosity. Good value. 15.6+. WT050510-11. 09 LAN ZUR LONTUE VALLEY CARMENERE - (CHILE) Ripe and fruity. Dark berries and hint of pomegranate. Much better than the 08./ Nice, sweet, stewed fruit like a warm vintage of an un-flasheurized wine. Good acidity. And some tannin. Medium finish. 15.3. WT050510-12. 09 LAN ZUR LONTUE VALLEY SHIRAZ - (CHILE) Fresh. Boysenberry, red fruit, pitch, and some stylish floral highlights./ Showing more structure and tannin than the carmenere. Goes with the varietal. 16.0. WT050510-13. 09 PENINSULA DE SETUBAL AZEITAO JP, BACALHOA - (PORTUGAL) 70% castelao (periquita), 20% aragonez (tempranillo), and 10% syrah. Fresh and juicy purple plum and berry aromas. Touches of vanilla and sugar-coated nuts. Still Portuguese-red firm-structured the first day. Opening nicely by the second. Lots to offer. / Dark, with good juice. Bright and lively, ripe acid freshness. Hint of olive. Improvement with aeration
suggests improvement with bottle age. This is a very young red wine. Nonetheless, lots of attendees liked it now. 15.8+. WT050510-14. 08 CAHORS, CLOS LA COUTALE - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Oh, boy! Big and black and sweet and resinous. Lots of licorice. Black cherry concentrate. Spices. Loaded./ Black raspberry, flowers, tobacco, leather. Sweet and strong and spicy. Vigor, volume, power. Good acid and tannin. Better than the 06, and even the fine 07. This delivers. 16.5+. WT050510-15. 07 COTES CATALANES GRENACHE NOIR CUVEE NICOLAS, DOMAINE LAFAGE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) I guess it’s grenache noir because they make a grenache blanc too. Well, it is dark fruited for grenache and 07. Large, ripe, and black. Something like a Cairanne./ Delicious. Ripe, rich, smooth, lusty, roasted, meaty, and powerful grenache all the way. Really BIG grenache. I mean BIG!! 16.4+. WT050510-16. 07 PIC SAINT LOUP, DOMAINE ERMITAGE DU PIC SAINT LOUP - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Fresh and dark, inky, dense. Great 07 fruit purity and concentration. Black fruits, black pepper, tar, and spices. Poised and polished./ Sweet and spicy. Intense and focused black fruits, plus peppercorn and garrigue. Nutty, rich, real Pic Saint Loup. Fabulous. Will improve 2-3 years. 17.1+. WT050510-17. 07 PIC SAINT LOUP CUVEE SAINTE AGNES, DOMAINE ERMITAGE DU PIC SAINT LOUP - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Oh! Sweet and spicy and floral and woody. Denser, darker, more intense and intricate. More pedigree./ Sweet raspberry pastille. Way, way rich and complex, with great scope and depth. Great stuff. Will improve 3-5+ years. Wish I’d had more time to study this pair. Each had so much to say. We used to admire and buy these.
Then the price went up, and pleas to sample went unanswered. I guess 07 is as good a vintage as any to start back in. And rival wines have gone up in price so that this pair doesn’t seem so expensive. Boy, these are great! I hope to sell a lot! 17.3+. WT050510-18. ST. JULIAN FOUNDER’S PRIDE MICHIGAN DESSERT WINE - (FORTIFIED) It’s a strange beast, what with frontenac port, solera cream sherry and 9 year old Michigan brandy (Michigan oak barrels?) combined. That winter hearty Minnesota hybrid nature that hides little of its native American background. Raisin, prune, coconut cream, vanilla, and fox grape./ Winemaker’s notes say ‘Navaho blackberry and Black Tartarian cherry, classic
flavors of Frontenac Port.’ Well, OK, I guess I can believe that. Sweet as a nut. Warms the palate and goes down easy. Nonpareil. 16.0.
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