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Tasting Notes Printer-Friendly Version
- November, 2005 |
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Wednesday, November 30, 2005 wt113005-01. 04
WEINVIERTEL AUERSTHAL GRUNER VELTLINER, H&M HOFER liter - (AUSTRIA) Oh, this is fresh and cool! Crisp, bright
citrus, apple, and pear tones. Sugar snap peapods. Very full and
tactile nose. Nervy. Bargain priced./ Racy, bright, sleek. Lime-toned.
Very textured. Tingly acidity. Just into sec tendre. Quaffer. 16.2. wt113005-02. 04
CARNUNTUM GRUNER VELTLINER, WALTER GLATZER
- (AUSTRIA) Lovely fresh flowers, lentil, and peapod aromas. Just
a joy. Pure and pretty varietal character. All about seduction over
size./ Intense GruVe varietal flavors. Lots of grip, tang, and tingle.
Gorgeous. 16.4. wt113005-03. 04
WEINHEIMER HOLLE SILVANER HALBTROCKEN, GERNOT GYSLER liter - (GERMANY) Remarkably floral. Almost as if its fermentation
aromas are still coming forth. Very fresh, and so stylish and light
on its feet for silvaner. Really remarkable finesse for silvaner.
Cool and tingly apple and pear./ Accurate halbtrocken sweetness
level. Soft and silky silvaner acidity. Good light grip. Pineapple
and grapefruit flavors add to the aromatic set. Well balanced. Full
of charm and delicacy. 16.2. wt113005-04. 04
BECHTHEIMER GEYSERSBERG RIESLANER SPATLESE FEINHERB, JOHANNES GEIL - (GERMANY) Hey, it’s J. Geils, or rather, Geil! And
the wines rock! Beautiful tangelo aroma of Hessia rieslaner that
is distinct from the lime aroma of Pfalz renditions. Incredibly
precise, pure, and lovely. With air comes vanilla creme, fruit creme,
and powderpuff./ Soft and mildly sweet. Like tangelo-creme-filled
chocolate. Nice mineral brace. 16.8. wt113005-05. 03
MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER ESTATE SLATESTONE RIESLING, VON SCHLEINITZ - (GERMANY) Getting that edelfirne aroma of mature riesling
at a relatively early age. I guess some of the 03s are advancing
fast thanks to low acidity. Lovely bouquet, actually. Tad of slate-mineral
grip./ 03 soft and sweetish. Developed riesling flavor. Nice minerality.
Mild and tender lower Mosel style. The slate’s not the same here
as in the Mittel Mosel. Certainly a good value. 15.8. wt113005-06. 04
PIESPORTER TREPPCHEN RIESLING, REUSCHER-HAART liter - (GERMANY) Real Piesporter riesling nose: round and
peachy, with citrus and flowers highlights. Ripe and sassy, with
a nervy edge. Mineral tingle too./ Full of yellow and tropical fruit
flavors. Great charm and depth. Plump, fat, and young Piesporter.
High kabinett sweetness. The sweetness still coats the acidity some.
But the finish is juicy and good. Says ‘Drink me.’ 16.2+. wt113005-07. 04
WEINHEIMER RIESLING KABINETT, GERNOT GYSLER
- (GERMANY) Dense and authoritative. Smoky yellow fruits./ Fine
depth and clear-cut focus. Excellent citricity, acidity. Great extract
and tingle. Spatlese richness. Aristocratic. 16.3+. wt113005-08. 04
NAHE ESTATE RIESLING, JAKOB SCHNEIDER liter
- (GERMANY) Special. Golden Rheingau like style consistent with
wines from the heart of Mittel Nahe. Reflects the quality and uniqueness
of the terroir. Huge minerality. Deep seated citrus peel. Creme-like
richness too./ Special again. Tingle, lift, sweetness. Feel of powdered
rock. Very pure terroir statement. My how this estate’s wines have
improved! 16.8+. wt113005-09. 04
NAHE ESTATE RIESLING, HERMANN DONNHOFF
- (GERMANY) Subtle and complex. Coy, elusive, ethereal. Clearly
noble, but coquettish at present. Peach, apricot, and especially
nectarine. Sleek and burnished, deep and intense./ Balanced and
beautiful. A study in harmony. The center of the taste triangle.
Nirvana. Transcendental. Real power here too. Man, can this guy
make wines! 17.2+. wt113005-10. 04
FORSTER MARIENGARTEN RIESLING KABINETT, EUGEN MULLER - (GERMANY) Oh, boy! Largesse, power, and pure honey
and nectarine. Grains of paradise spiciness of a great Mittelhaardt
Pfalz riesling. Intensely concentrated and incredibly pure./ Again.
Just saturated with fruit, extract, and spices. Buxom, authoritative.
The fat lady sings. Great grip and vivacity. Very long finish. 17.6+ wt113005-11. 04
DURKHEIMER HOCHBENN RIESLING KABINETT, KURT DARTING - (GERMANY) Huge. Definite auslese concentration. Huge
gob of honey and packed core of fruit says auslese all the way.
Tingly tangerine and mineral. Vanilla richness./ Fat and young,
showing power and grip. Very flavorful. Great, great length. Super.
17.6+. wt113005-12. 04
BECHTHEIMER HEILIGKREUZ SCHEUREBE KABINETT, JOHANNES GEIL - (GERMANY) Cool limeade nose. Maybe some pink grapefruit
too. Distinct from Pfalz scheurebe, which is usually orange and
currant. Intense citrus pulp concentration. Singular and huge./
Sweet and concentrated. Powerful and racy. High relief, almost granular
texture. Gingery tingle, nip. Special. I’ve never tasted rieslaner
and scheu anything like Geil’s. 17.2+. wt113005-13. 04
CHATEAU NORBERT, NON-FILTRE, COTES DE BOURG
- (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Fresh, young, herbal claret. Sweet merlot style
of fruit. Ripe enough. This vintage could be a sleeper. Classic,
at least./ Polished, with nice berry fruit. Herbal and racy, and
ripe enough. True claret styling. Fresh and engaging. 14.8. wt113005-14. 04
VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO BG, TOMMASO BUSSOLA
- (ITALY) So severely reduced it’s got the home perm peroxide nose.
After vigorous decanting, some high-toned black fruits and sandalwood
are evident./ Aggressive bite, grip. Aromatics completely enclosed
on the palate.. Air and age. It’s not for now. But considering the
skill of the winemaker, I’ll give this wine the benefit of the doubt.
12.9++. wt113005-15. 04
LANGHE ANNA, BOROLI - (ITALY) Very deep,
with floral and tar highlights. Young, subtle, noble, lovely. Great
finesse. Looks to be a fine vintage with its own personality, leaning
more toward 01 and 99 than to 03, 00, and 97./ Both rich and racy.
Grip, finesse, balance. Full of charm, polish, and savor. Beautiful
potential. 16.4+. wt113005-16. 03
COTES DU VENTOUX, JABOULET ISNARD - (FRANCE
MEDITERRANEAN) 03 fruit sweetness, ripeness, roast. Pure and lovely
raspberry and cassis. Some syrah here? Good Ventoux terroir statement./
Again, 03 sweet fruit, with terroir, grip, and power. Lively acidity,
cool charm. Attractive. An alternative brand of Paul Jaboulet. 16.0. wt113005-17. 01
COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES CUVEE GRANGES ROUGES, DOMAINE CHAUME-ARNAUD - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Lovely 01 berry perfume. Peppercorn,
flowers, berries. Poise, balance, and beauty./ 01 race and liveliness
and levity. Great 01 acidity and light calcaire grip. Nice now,
and definitely still on the ascent. 16.2+. wt113005-18. 04
SCHLOSSBOCKELHEIMER FELSENBERG RIESLING SPATLESE, HERMANN DONNHOFF - (GERMANY) Huge. Swells the nostrils. It’s hard to take
it all in. Very deep, with white dwarf compaction, concentration.
Mineral, citrus, snappy currant, extract. Celestial beauties. An
essence./ Big volume and grip. Sweet, honeyed coating to its big,
compact core of fruit and minerals. Massive. And, harmonious. 18.0+.
"Wednesday", November 21, 2005 wt112105-01. 04
CHATEAU FONTAINE WOODLAND LEELANAU PENINSULA WHITE - (U.S.) 100% auxerrois - Fresh and scented. Pinot blanc
apple and pinot gris peach, melon, and nut = auxerrois. Accurate./
Nice, savory, well textured palate. Bright, with cleansing citrus
and tart apple. A good MI rendition of the varietal. 15.4+. wt112105-02. 04
ESTANCIA CALIFORNIA PINOT GRIS - (U.S.)
A lot of rose-grey peel aromas. Apple, peach, melon, peels and rinds.
So much peel extract it’s almost grainy-textured./ Good, full, red-peel-extract
grip. Peach, peach pit, honey, cream, and nut. Ample. The wine is
as heavy as the bottle. Full extract and texture. Nothing delicate
about this bold, fully extracted rendition of the varietal. Big
Meal wine. 15.8+. wt112105-03. 04
BEAUJOLAIS VIEILLEVEAU, LABOURE-ROI -
(FRANCE BURGUNDY) Oh, Rod, you devil. Saving a bottle of last year’s
nouveau ‘as an experiment.’ Cool, fresh, alert. Dark fruit./ 04
tartness and grip still. Fully vital and ready for food. 15.0. wt112105-04. 05
BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU, LABOURE-ROI - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Fresh and delightful. Rich, pure gamay fruit. My first
05 Nouveau. So this is 05? I like it. Class and definition./ Astringency
of youth–typical of a good-vintage, keep-vintage nouveau. Better
in winter-spring. 15.3+. wt112105-05. 05
BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU, ALBERT BICHOT - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Bigger, deeper, more reductive. Plum and banana, cherry
and raspberry./ Lots of juice and peel and concentration. Lively
and mouthfilling. Big and potent. Serious vintage. 15.6+. wt112105-06. 05
BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU, GEORGES DUBOEUF -
(FRANCE BURGUNDY) Floral, pretty, charming. Some reduction. Explosive,
wild fruits, especially strawberry and cherry./ Good substance,
grip. Good acidity, minerality, verve. Keeper nouveau. I like both
the form and style. Complete young package. 16.0+. wt112105-07. 05
BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU, CHATELOUS - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Very pretty, floral, special. Raspberry and spices too.
Real flair. As usual, this one stands out from the crowd./ Delicious
balance and texture. Fruit and grip. Class act. 15.9. wt112105-08. 05
BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES NOUVEAU, ALBERT BICHOT
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Reduced. Big, spicy, animal toned. Villages
extras. Villages retarded development too./ Very firm and young.
Less to like now; more later. 15.7++. wt112105-09. 05
BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES NOUVEAU, GEORGES DUBOEUF
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Deepest color./ Like the Beaujolais, floral.
Black cherry and raspberry. Class and youth. Big, penetrating, and
explosive. Speaks volumes. Reduced./ Grip, size, balance, material.
Needs keeping. The Villages wines are especially backward and formidable
in the Class of ‘05. 16.4++. wt112105-10. 04
CHATEAU FONTAINE WOODLAND LEELANAU PENINSULA RED - (U.S.) 80% cabernet franc, 12% merlot, 8% syrah; 8
months in French oak - Smells more like American than French oak.
Hearty and ample, but too aggresively oaky. And there’s an over-the-top
oxidative tone./ Sweet, round, chunky fruit, American oak coconut
flavor, high acidity. 13.8. wt112105-11. 04
HAHN MONTEREY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Reduced
and earthy. Sweet chocolate and cocoa. Some suggestion of varietal./
Sweet pinot fruit but also a boden tone. Heavy and dull. And, expensive
now. Price up, quality down. 14.1. wt112105-12. 03
HAHN MONTEREY MERLOT - (U.S.) Sweet and
herbal merlot. Monterey sweet greens. Graceful, spicy, nutty, oaky./
Good oak spices, milk chocolate, and sweet merlot fruit. Monterey
merlot all the way. 14.7. wt112105-13. 04
HAHN MONTEREY CABERNET FRANC - (U.S.)
Firm, young, green-bean cabernet franc. Plenty of oak./ Firm, lean
cabernet franc style. 14.5+. wt112105-14. 02
CHATEAU FONTESTEAU, CRU BOURGEOIS, HAUT MEDOC
- (FRANCE BORDEAUX) @Saint Sauveur; 60% cabernet sauvignon, 25%
merlot, 15% cabernet franc - Reduced, austere. Dense, smoky, tarry
02 cabernet-rich claret style. Very meaty, with a tannic grip evident
even on the nose. Fine cabernet stature./ Red and black currant
and Latakia tobacco flavors. 02 fruit tannin. Fine grip. Good future.
16.2+. wt112105-15. 03
CUVELIER LOS ANDES MENDOZA RED - (ARGENTINA)
Malbec, cabernet, merlot, syrah - Sweet and full of red fruit and
meat aromas, including blackberry, boysenberry, and sauteed beef
liver. Very concentrated, brooding, deep, solid, ripe./ Spicy oak
and a broad spectrum of fruit flavors from its panoply of varietals.
Meaty again. Bold. Full bodied. Cosmopolitan style and polish. Great
surge of malbec black cherry fruit at the end. Ambitious, if expensive.
16.3+. wt112105-16. 2005
BEAUJOLAIS - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) It’s going
to be a fine vintage. The fruit is great–really fulfilled on the
vine. But the wines are too packed and structured for enjoyment
at a Nouveau age. These will reward us in winter and early spring.
An impressive vintage by virtue of these Nouveaux, but not for now.
Not only the usual opening-day problem of astringency, but more
reduction than usual too, and that massive grip and extract. The
Grands Crus should be terrific starting next fall.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005 wt111605-01. 04
COTES DU RHONE RESERVE BLANC, PERRIN -
(FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 60% grenache blanc, 20% bourboulanc, 10%
each marsanne, roussanne, viognier - Minor in content, but the most
aromatic of the bunch, viognier shows clearly, though it’s diluted
by grenache blanc vinosity.. Viognier honeysuckle and tropics. Some
bourboulenc citrus. Body and vinosity of marsanne and roussanne./
Viognier flavor and viscosity. Full and balanced. Dry and rich.
Satisfying. 15.8. wt111605-02. 98
RIESLING MUHLFORST, DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK
- (FRANCE ALSACE) Petrol, herbal tea, tar, and anise aromas of mature
Muhlforst and 98 Alsace riesling. Nervy yellow fruits. A lot of
impact./ Ripe yellow fruits and honey. Striking fruit acidity. Plenty
of bouquet interest for lovers of older riesling. 16.0. wt111605-03. 98
RIESLING SCHOENENBOURG GRAND CRU VIEILLES VIGNES, DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK - (FRANCE ALSACE) Sweet and very fresh fruit. Honeyed.
Light botrytis. Schoenenbourg elegance too./ Sweetish, fresh, auslese-like.
Tremendous fruit brightness, vitality, authority. Classic Schoenenbourg
refinement; a wine of place. Regal Grand Cru bearing. Remarkably
youthful. 17.7+. wt111605-04. 00
RIESLING MUHLFORST, DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK
- (FRANCE ALSACE) Good degree of petrol, and flowers too. Race,
burnish, vigor./ Plump and vigorous. Conveys both bouquet and freshness.
Great acidity. Vital. No Muhlforst tarriness. 16.8. wt111605-05. 00
RIESLING CLOS ST. ULRICH, DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK - (FRANCE ALSACE) Full, dusty, Clos St. Ulrich marly.
Intense core of sweet riesling fruit, deep-seated and subtle, reserved,
refined./ Pear and mineral tastes. Rich and fresh and young. Great
acidity and extract. Grip, vigor, length. 16.6+. wt111605-06. 02
TRAISENTAL INZERDORF RIED RAFASETZEN GRUNER VELTLINER, LUDWIG NEUMAYER - (AUSTRIA) Honeyed, and showing some polleny bouquet.
Also pear, currant, sweet pea. Intense./ Strong, rich, big, authoritative.
Good extract, texture, development. More to come, but this will
do now with food. Dry and viscous. 16.3+. wt111605-07. 99
PINOT NOIR CUVEE L’ANCIENNE, J-C RUHLMANN
- (FRANCE ALSACE) Eleve en barriques - Rich and ruddy northern pinot.
Lapsang tea. Charming, lovely, vital pinot perfume.Vigorous acid,
race, and light glycerol./ Medium bodied, which is about as full
as Alsace pinot gets. Flavorful. Northern fruit acidity makes this
a red wine to go with fish. Plenty of fruit vitality and youthful
vigor yet. 15.8. wt111605-08. 01
BAROLO, CA’ BIANCA - (ITALY) Deep, compact
nebbiolo berry. Highlights of flowers, smoke, roasted nuts. Fine
Barolo statement./ Big, solid, full, and brawny. Very Barolo. Tight
now, but well proportioned. One to follow. 17.2++. wt111605-09. 03
GEWURZTRAMINER RESERVE, PIERRE SPARR -
(FRANCE ALSACE) Pungent gewurz, with citrus, honey, spicy exotica,
and cantaloupe peel. Stylish./ Spicy and strong. Rich, firm, authoritative,
flavorful. 15.4+.
Wednesday, November 9, 2005 wt110905-01. 03
SOAVE, TAMELLINI - (ITALY) 03 richly hewn,
dense, and ripe, and full-textured too. Yellow fruits and nuts.
Stony brace./ Ripe, soft, sweet. Big, sturdy, strong, burnished,
creamy. Stone and mineral. A pleasant drink, but I’d never guess
it was a Soave. 03 speaks loudly. 15.9. wt110905-02. 04
POUILLY FUISSE, GEORGES DUBOEUF - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Sleek and Pouilly delicate. Fruity and forward, lots of
charm. Some peels elements creep in Some aromatic-clone chardonnay
too. Melon, ripe apple, dusty earth./ Good fruit sweetness and good
fruit acidity. Seems to have undergone a malolactic. No oak. Touch
of spearmint. 16.0. wt110905-03. 04
HEITZ NAPA VALLEY CHARDONNAY - (U.S.)
Brisk apple-citrus and hint of tropics. No malolactic here. Light,
carefully applied oak seasoning gives a silky vanilla-cream touch.
This harkens back to the Heitz chardonnays of the Sixties and Seventies,
before Pierce’s Disease wiped out the sources and Heitz quit making
chardonnay for a spell./ There’s more oak on the palate; it’s a
little strident still. But the wine is young. This will settle in.
The 03 tasted at a trade event last month showed how nicely it can
be absorbed given some months’ aging. Good, brisk, no-malo acidity.
16.0+. wt110905-04. 03
VOUVRAY, SAUVION - (FRANCE LOIRE) Apple,
melon, mineral, spirit. Plump, enjoyable, well presented./ Dense,
heavy, sweet, appley. Mild acidity.14.0. wt110905-05. 04
WILLAMETTE VALLEY VINEYARDS OREGON RIESLING
- (U.S.) Very spicy, zesty perfume. Apple, pear, honeysuckle, fern.
Candied ginger, Turkish delight. I could almost mistake it for gewurztraminer.
Floral too./ Sweet, almost syrupy. Sweet tropical fruits. Mild acidity.
Generous, salacious, irrepressible. A sweet treat. 15.7. wt110905-06. 04
URZIGER WURZGARTEN RIESLING KABINETT, MONCHHOF
- (GERMANY) Dense, soft, and reserved. That Urzig smoke-mineral-earth-spice
terroir statement./ Bright, fine, juicy, racy, sleek, pretty, and
peachy. Pineapple too. Lots of youthful joy. 16.2. wt110905-07. LORIKEET
SPARKLING SE AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ - (SPARKLING)
Dry red fruit nose. Smells like shiraz. Soft, fruity, and engaging.
Good./ Dry and rather anonymous, vinous, plain. Big, insensitive,
tart. Still looking for a sparkling shiraz winner in this price
range. In the home market, they’re plentiful. Why not here? 14.2. wt110905-08. 03
SICILIA NERO D’AVOLA, FEUDO ARANCIO -
(ITALY) Both ripe and green fruit aromas. Blackberry and artichoke.
The fruit is sweet and generous though./ The tannin’s rather forceful
still. Good depth. 14.9+. wt110905-09. 03
ARTESA ESTATE CARNEROS PINOT NOIR - (U.S.)
Carneros green cherry, strawberry, and tea. Charry oak and sweet
fruit./ Flavorful, with plenty of acidity and tannin for structure.
Good depth and penetration. 15.7+. wt110905-10. 03
NUITS SAINT GEORGES, MATTHIEU DE BRULLY
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Ripe and sweet, with a nice touch of oak. 03
compaction, heft, power, and ripeness. Sleek black fruits classic
to Nuits St. Georges./ Sleek and lively, stern and tight-fisted.
Warm and burly. 03 speaks. Needs time. 15.6+. wt110905-11. 03
GEVREY CHAMBERTIN, MATTHIEU DE BRULLY
- (FRANCE BURGUNDY) This speaks Gevrey. Mass and masculinity. Animal.
Seems to have the ability to hold all that 03 warmth and power together
and still express its background./ Very Gevrey. Rugged, tough, frank,
dense. Hard, dry, and astringent at present. Must have faith. 15.5+. wt110905-12. 03
MADRID TEMPRANILLO, NOBUL - (SPAIN) 30-40
year old vines - Ripe, plummy, warm, husky, sweet 03. Suave, oaky,
creamy. Dark fruit, ripe berry, light roast./ Easy, flowing. Just
a light tannin grip. Not an old-vines sort of grip and extract,
but adequate. Good acidity too. 15.2. wt110905-13. 01
BEAULIEU DULCET RESERVE NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON-SYRAH - (U.S.) Ah, nice! Tasted the 00 and 02 at a trade show
in September; this completes the set - A lot of oak on the nose.
Rather stridently so at present. More-so than in the 00 and 02.
But it slides into a satiny texture later./ More fruit on the palate.
A better balance of oak and fruit. Perfumes of both fruit and oak
are pleasant and of 01 quality and command. Some oak tannin yet,
giving the finish an edge. Age it. 15.8+. wt110905-14. 02
ARTESA NAPA-SONOMA COUNTIES CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (U.S.) To start, the fruit doesn’t show much ripeness, especially
in consideration of the vintage. Sweetens some with air. There’s
sweet currant aromas down deep in there. The oak presence grows
with airing too./ On the palate, the oak takes command. It’s going
to need some time to soak in. With aeration come ripe red and black
cherries, currant, and tobacco. Fine tannin, fine depth. 15.6+. wt110905-15. 03
COTES DU RHONE, DOMAINE MIREILLE & VINCENT
- (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Sweet, ripe apple, raspberry, and red currant
aromas in keeping with the house style here. Nips of garrigue, licorice,
strawberry, black cherry. Exclaims life and vigor./ Bright, ripe,
and stylish, with great acidity and fine grip. More garrigue, and
black olive. Winegrower triumphs over vintage, retaining the classic
personality of this wine. Good year here. This style doesn’t work
so well in cool, damp years. 16.2. wt110905-16. 03
CORBIERES GRANDE CUVEE, CASTELMAURE -
(FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Very bright red berry and currant fruits
and fine garrigue melange. Dense, sweet red fruit velour, with some
cocoa and spiced meat. Reserves an air of elegance./ Big, authoritative
flavor intensity. Great acidity, especially considering the vintage.
Even better than the previous successful vintage we had. Was it
01? Or earlier? More beauties to come. 16.6+. wt110905-17. 97
BARBARESCO, CA’ BIANCA - (ITALY) 97 ripeness
and a nice patina of maturity. Truffle, dried rose petal, potpourri,
coffee, cigar box. Nicely poised. Suave too./ Nice Barbaresco weight
and charm. More accommodating, less demanding, than a Barolo. Very
good acidity for the vintage. Fine depth. This is delightful now,
and it won’t fade fast. 17.0.
Wednesday, November 2, 2005 wt110205-01. VOLLEREAUX
BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT CHAMPAGNE - (SPARKLING)
NM @Pierry - Pleasant, light bottle bouquet of cream, white chocolate,
and caramel, and chardonnay appley aroma. Zingy, lemony blanc de
blancs brightness./ Good en tirage bottle bouquet development and
amiable, creamy mousse. Refreshing, lemony raciness. A little rich
for classic blanc the blancs, but nice in the fuller blanc de blancs
style. 16.6. wt110205-02. VOLLEREAUX
BRUT CHAMPAGNE - (SPARKLING) 1/3 each
pinot noir, meunier, chardonnay - The red fruit presence makes for
a clear contrast. Hints of ginger and allspice too. Stone, flint./
Yes, spicy. Good richness, but not as much bottle bouquet as the
blanc de blancs. Less finesse. Likely less time en tirage. 16.0. wt110205-03. 04
OC SAUVIGNON, LOUIS PIERRE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN)
Bright sauvignon, but on the warm, southern side. Fat, fruity, melony./
Sweet sauvignon fruit taste. Adequate acidity. Some refreshment.
Acceptable, but nothing special. 12.7. wt110205-04. 04
CHABLIS, MATTHIEU DE BRULLY - (FRANCE
BURGUNDY) Good and crisp apple aroma. Tingles the nostrils. Graceful,
expansive, minerally, supple, and stylish. Good Chablis flintiness./
Good, full 04 malic acid presence. Apple, lime, flint. Certainly
a pleasant and valid example of village Chablis, fairly priced.
16.0. wt110205-05. 05
BODEGA LURTON VALLE DEL UCO PINOT GRIS
- (ARGENTINA) Crisp, fresh, high-altitude pinot gris. High altitude,
but fuller than most NE Italy pinot grigios. Apple, melon, nut,
wax–the right stuff. Totally pinot gris./ Round peach and creme
patisserie flavors and light viscosity add further varietal marks.
Young and vigorous. Will fill out more over the coming months. 15.7+. wt110205-06. 03
ROSE D’ANJOU, MARQUIS DE GOULAINE - (FRANCE
LOIRE) Sweet strawberry fruit and leaves (slightly minty). Pleasant./
Palate shows the warmth of the vintage in its candied-fruit aspects
and the mellowness and slight tawniness of maturation. The price
is right. 13.9 wt110205-07. 03
CHATEAU ST. BERNARD, BORDEAUX SUPERIEUR
- (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Gaucher @St. Michel de Fronsac - Very dark,
deep, solid black fruit. Solid and weighty. Ripe but not overripe.
Nice fruit sweetness and power. Tar, spices, and tobacco./ A successful
03–neither green nor roasted. Full and dense in extract. Fronsac
size and stuffing. Fine depth and authority, firm tannin and structure.
Handsome, commendable. 16.2+. wt110205-08. 01
CHATEAU STEVAL, FRONSAC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX)
Fronsac power, firmness, rusticity. Aging a bit–going tarry./ Yes,
a bit tarry and tawny. Very thick for 01. Certainly none of that
01 greenness and thinness. Rustic but large. Hard and angular. Raspy
tannins. Better than the shrill 99. 14.5. wt110205-09. 03
CHATEAU ST. BERNARD, CANON FRONSAC - (FRANCE
BORDEAUX) Eleve en futs de chene - Built like the Bordeaux Superieur
but the oak dimensions add more range and complexity. Lovely, suave
new-oak elements. Big, with lots of sweet fruits, rich and stylish.
Cassis, ripe plum, tobacco, graphite./ 03 warm, ripe, robust, powerful,
thick. Solid, penetrating black fruits and flashy new oak. Well
crafted in the modern mein, with fine-grained tannins and good claret
support. Serve in winter with hearty fare. 16.5+. wt110205-10. 02
WILLAMETTE VALLEY VINEYARDS OREGON PINOT NOIR
- (U.S.) Aromas of green cherry and tea. Some lapsang tarriness.
Fresh acidity./ Tart cherry, tea, and oak flavors. Strong and tarry.
Good, vigorous Oregon pinot acidity. A lot of tobacco. A lot of
dark peel tannin. A lot of tartness. Certainly not a show wine;
makes no concessions to modernity. Should become more accommodating
with age and with food. 14.5+. wt110205-11. 03
CHIANTI RUFINA, TRAVIGNOLI - (ITALY) Ruddy,
spirituous, aggressive. Aromas of black cherry and tobacco./ Sweet,
ripe, strong, and aggressive. Very coarse tannin. 13.8. wt110205-12. 04
RUTINI TRUMPETER TUPUNGATO MALBEC - (ARGENTINA)
Neat, spicy, floral, exotic, cool, special. Assertive aromas of
smoked herbs, red and black fruits,, and toast./ Deja vu. Elegant.
High altitude. Good acidity. And the fruit is sweet, rich, and generous.
Easy to assimilate already. 15.4. wt110205-13. 03
CARMEN RESERVA MAIPO CABERNET SAUVIGNON
- (CHILE) Sweet, full fruit, power, and spicy oak. Pomegranate,
fig, black currant, mint, and oregano. Reserva style. Show style.
Ripe and smoky-toasty./ Black currant precision and lift. Cranberry
too. Sweet, ripe-fruit feel plus good acidity and melted tannins.
Not all agreed. Some got bell pepper. There’s a fine line between
bell pepper and raw black currant. I read the currant side. 16.0+. wt110205-14. 02
GEYSER PEAK BLOCK COLLECTION KUILMELIS ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET
SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Really deep ruby-black
color./ Deep, big, serious stuff. Has complexity, high-toned black
fruits, very dark chocolate, and charred oak. Intense, lush, open
fruit in the 02 mode./ Assertive and accomplished palate showing
black currant and charred oak. Full acidity, and hefty, forceful
tannins. Needs time for tannin softening and oak absorption. Deep,
dark keeper of a cabernet. 16.5++. wt110205-15. 01
DOURO RESERVA, ALTANO - (PORTUGAL) Good,
dark, and very solid fruit. Douro warmth and power. Exotic range
of aromas includes rich, dense, polished black fruits and Asian
spices. Wisp of celery too./ Fine balance, depth, and complexity.
Red and black fruits, celery, mushroom, bitter chocolate, tar, and
licorice. Distinctive and dynamic. Good structure and class. Clear
familial resemblance to the regular cuvee. 16.5+. wt110205-16. 02
NEIL ELLIS STELLENBOSCH PINOTAGE - (SOUTH
AFRICA) Mannered and well stated, distinctive pinotage tart berry,
lots of Cape horsehide, plus chocolate, black pepper, and other
spices./ More horse-flesh and saddle leather on the palate. Some
oak complex. Good acidity of a cool zone. 14.9. wt110205-17. 04
BULLETIN PLACE SE AUSTRALIA SHIRAZ - (AUSTRALIA)
Fresh, dark, bright, snappy 04 black cherry-blackberry fruit./ Fresh,
sweet, and juicy. Elegant, lovely. Well crafted. Prefer to the 03.
Love this 04 vintage! 15.4.
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