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Tasting Notes Blog - Printer-Friendly Version
- November, 2007
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007 WT112807-01. 06 SANCERRE, DOMAINE MICHEL THOMAS - (FRANCE LOIRE) Nice, tight, crisp, and young. Solid and penetrating, dense sauvignon fruits with subdued grass, touch of citrus, hint of stone. Opens to a delicious display of citrus, tropics, and minerals. This is Sancerre!/ Good 06 combination of roundness and brightness, richness and fresh sauvignon vibrancy, plus that Sancerre steely edge. Lots of charm. Best Thomas in memory. 16.5. WT112807-02. 06 ALTO ADIGE PINOT GRIGIO, PETER ZEMMER - (ITALY) Fresh, fragrant, crisp; classic delicacy. Good nut, wax, ripe apple and melon, pineapple. Soft, lightly cream and brulee succulence./ Good cool-climate acidity, verve, cut, race. Youthful, but already well delineated. Rich and engaging fruit. Nice, long aftertaste. Confirms my prior positive impressions. 16.0+. WT112807-03. 05 SHADY LANE LEELANAU PENINSULA PINOT GRIGIO - (U.S.) Soft but sassy. Leans more toward the Italian than the Alsace style./ Clean and sleek, with good acidity. 14.8. WT112807-04. 05 SHADY LANE LEELANAU PENINSULA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Apple, with light, creamy oak patina, well mannered./ More oak to the taste, but it remains in the seasoning role. Fresh acidity, well formed vinosity. Hint of buttered popcorn. Cool, northern style of chardonnay. Good food wine. 15.6. WT112807-06. 06 TAVEL, CHATEAU DE SEGRIES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Ripe and plentiful, explosive and fresh strawberry fruit. An intense Tavel./ Full, warm, spirituous, vigorous. There’s plenty of ripe strawberry fruit interest on the palate too. Plus hints of cherry, rose, apple, and Provencal herbs. Well extracted, well priced. A winter rose in search of substantial fare. 16.3. WT112807-07. 07 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU PRIMEUR, JOSEPH DROUHIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Full banana, black cherry, and red berry nose. Seems fuller bodied and more significant, more Drouhin, than last week./ Rich and full and strong. Juicy, fresh, grapey. Yes! Wants food. Well liked by the group. 16.1. WT112807-08. 04 MARANGES LA FUSSIERE PREMIER CRU, BERNARD MOREY - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Racy, spicy swarthy fruit of 04. With airing, it opens to a soft and savory array of plum, blackberry, and mixed berries that is stellar. / Meat and mushroom pinot flavors in addition to the fat and sweet Morey fruit. Good Morey power and framing. Full=bodied. Still some tightness and tartness in the 04 mode. That will diminish. Enjoyed by the group. 16.6+. WT112807-09. 05 LA PLAYA ESTATE RESERVE BLOCK SELECTION COLCHAGUA VALLEY CARMENERE - (CHILE) 05 dark and accomplished. The darkness and solidity of the cuvee–like the 04. Well structured. Fresh blackberry, smoke, tar. A nice carmenere presentation./ Full. Ripe berries and creamy sweetness of oak. Well balanced by good acidity. Vigorous, emphatic. Plenty of material and structure here, like the 04. Liked by the group. 16.2+. WT112807-10. 05 CHINON CUVEE TERROIR, CHARLES JOGUET - (FRANCE LOIRE) Wow! Big, weighty, ripe, juicy, powerful. Blackberry, black raspberry, black fig, tobacco, and mincemeat. Full, well composed, wholesome, large-scaled Loire red./ Yes, big and tannic. But the fruit is remarkably open and delectable already, especially for Joguet. One, meaty, fully loaded, complete Loire cabernet franc. Fulfills expectations for the vintage’s reds. Needs time. Everyone was impressed with its body and stamina. 16.4+. WT112807-11. 04 RIOJA CRIANZA GLORIOSO, BODEGAS PALACIO - (SPAIN) 04 firm, dark fruit, dense and cohesive, with soft, seasoned-oak mantel. With air, it opens to a plummy, forward crianza presentation of fruit and oak in harmony./ Balanced, juicy, fresh, burnished berry fruit and the right proportion of barrel savor. Nice texture, depth, persistence. More to come. One of the best of the series. 16.1+. WT112807-12. 06 COTES DU RHONE, SAINT COSME - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Young, round, full, warm, powerful 06 Rhone. Big, creamy blackberry fruit, with a core of sweet black currants./ Full, ripe, and expressive of fruit, spices, meat, garrigue. Chewy, tannic, loaded. Liked by the group for its potential. 16.3++. WT112807-13. 05 VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIEURE VIGNETO RAFAEL, TOMMASI - (ITALY) Yow! What a Valpolicella! This is powerful and classic. Delicious, succulent, deep, black, Almost ripasso ripe. Scented, sweet, spicy, smoky, savory./ Sweet spices and flowers nuances. Full fruit flavors, juice, acid, balance. Fabulously complete. Drinks big. This and the next wine were the Talk of the Tasting. 16.8. WT112807-14. 04 VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO, TOR CALVANO - (ITALY) Lovely fruit and oak balance, each elegantly, discreetly expressed in the proper mode of Vino Nobile. Shows flair and breed like the 03, and more refinement./ Yes, juicy and discreet. Stylish, classy, charming, subtle, graceful. Great breed, finesse. Fine acidity. Regal poise. This is serious, deep-running, ageworthy stuff. A textbook Vino Nobile. 17.5+. WT112807-15. 05 OBERON NAPA VALLEY MERLOT - (U.S.) Fine, sweet fruit and light oak impact. Forthcoming black cherry, nuts, and vanilla. For 05 and Mondavi, this is pretty plump stuff./ Yes, sweet and delicious merlot fruit. Good acidity and fine tannin. I’m surprised how forthcoming this is. How easy, soft, sassy, and appealing. Textbook California merlot 16.6+. WT112807-16. 05 LYETH MERITAGE SONOMA RED - (U.S.) Ripe and powerful, with Alexander Valley warmth and volume. Red fruits, black cherry, raspberry. Sexy nose./ Sweet, ripe fruit, coated tannins, good acidity. Shows its roots. 16.0 WT112807-17. 06 SHADY LANE SEMI DRY LEELANAU PENINSULA RIESLING - (U.S.) Wonderful, racy, Germanic, floral. Peach, apple, pear, and apricot. Racy and dignified, almost aloof./ Very fruity on the palate though. Sweet and juicy, perky and piquant, with orange and peach flavors. Fabulous effort. 16.5. WT112807-18. 06 KINHEIMER ROSENBERG RIESLING AUSLESE #5, ALFRED MERKELBACH - (U.S.) Great race of Mittel Mosel and the walnut aroma of a slate-born riesling. Full, ripe, and plump 06 with peach, , apricot, honey, and melon aromas. Mosel brace and extract too./ Sweet, juicy, floral, succulent. Full auslese concentration, heft. The acidity is mild yet–that’s young 06. A beautiful wine that, next to the Michigan riesling, really teaches the special attributes of the terroir. 17.2+.
Monday, Novemer 19, 2007 (party day!)
WT111907-01. 07 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU PRIMEUR, JOSEPH DROUHIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Banana, kola, and red berries. A lot of banana for Drouhin./ Plump and smooth textured. Juicy. Pleasant. Good, pithy Drouhin fruit basis. 15.8. WT111907-02. 07 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU, GEORGES DUBOEUF - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Deep, secretive, black fruit. Red fruit emerging too. A nice fruit range that emphasizes raspberry and strawberry./ There’s richness and body, but also resistance, a toughness. Bodes well. Nervy and serious stuff. 16.0+. WT111907-03. 07 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU, ALBERT BICHOT - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Bright, fresh, juicy, as was last year’s. Sweet red fruit character./ Some banana here too. Strange, the Duboeufs are usually the Banana Boys; this year, it’s the others. Tense, high strung cranberry, apple, and banana flavors. Very entertaining. 15.8. WT111907-04. 07 BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES NOUVEAU, ALBERT BICHOT - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Richer, bigger, deeper. More spice in the background–proof of the Villages terroir. Generous and lovely./ Rich and full. Greater texture and range. Gentility, composure, and balance as well. 16.2. WT111907-05. 07 BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES NOUVEAU, GEORGES DUBOEUF - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Fine complex of banana, berries, spices, flowers. Vigorous and classy./ Real Villages depth and range. Tannin shows because the wine’s still pretty cold. Bigger than the Beaujolais, more grip and material. A sturdy wine of fine depth and potential. Will improve through spring-summer. 16.3+. WT111907-06. 05 REUILLY PINOT NOIR, DOMAINE DE REUILLY - (FRANCE LOIRE) A sweet, candied pinot nose. Cherry candy, like Mason Dots. Or maraschino cherry. Both red and black cherries too. Smoky overtones. Some said charry. Fleshy, peppery, spicy. Tea highlight./ Palate a complete contrast. Full Loire acidity, tightness, and astringency. Peppery and tannic. Cigar ash. Deep and ambitious. Needs age and/or food. 16.2+.
WT111907-07. 05 DOURO RESERVA VALE DO BOMFIM, DOW - (PORTUGAL) Oh, boy! Ripe and dense and new and young and modern. Sweet and polished in the 05 style. Handsome oak tones, including vanilla, coconut, and spices./ Tight, high toned, racy black fruit, including dried black cherry. Cedar and graphite and oak nuances. Round and generous on the approach, but reserves a tannic strength. Well balanced presentation. Will reward
6 months’ aging and thrive long after. 16.0+. WT111907-08. 03 SALICE SALENTINO RISERVA, COSMO TAURINO - (ITALY) Sweetness and ripeness of 03. Sweeter than 01 and showing less frame and grip and extract and blackness. Ripe but not rancio. Black fruits, graphite, savory wood spices./ Sweet and soft, with dried and maraschino cherries, and orange pulp and peel. The acidity is adequate though, and, through all the 03 ripeness, the wine shows focus, brightness, burnish,
and penetration. Easy appeal, and, once again, a great value. 16.3. WT111907-09. 06 CAMPO DE BORJA GARNACHA TRES PICOS, BODEGAS BORSAO - (SPAIN) Well, from the first sniff, this just blows away the 05 and 04. Sweeter, fuller, darker, real-er, grenache-er. Voluptuous, in fact. Black, spicy, beautiful. Plump, juicy, concentrated red and black raspberries and black pepper. Oak contributes vanilla, mocha, and smoke./ Yes, spicy oak. Warm spices, exotica. Fresh berry sweetness and acidity.
Racy, juicy, lively, generous. Come-hither appeal. Total Spanish old vines grenache. Not favored by the Europhiles in the group (even though it’s a European wine!). Too much for them; too much of a show wine. I predict mega Parker points. 17.5. WT111907-10. 99 RIOJA GRAN RESERVA, BODEGAS LAN - (SPAIN) Well, there’s a lot of rancio here, good rancio. Long in wood rancio. Seasoned wood, coffee, game, leather. Classic. More grip than the 96–it’s younger. Plenty of black fruit and vanilla./ Rich. Very full textured, meaty, deep. Fulfills Gran Reserva expectations for size, material, grip, weight, and depth. Overall, the wine is loaded with material. 17.1+. WT111907-11. 06 SHADY LANE LATE HARVEST LEELANAU PENINSULA VIGNOLES half bottle - (U.S.) High toned pear, lemon drop, wild-flower, and sachet perfumes. Apricot, spirit, brandy./ Sweet and dried fruit flavors, including apricot and quince. Brisk and northern, with the brittle acidity of an ice wine. Well crafted. Unique. There are many positive qualities here. 17.0. WT111907-12. 06 SHADY LANE LEELANAU PENINSULA CHERRY PORT half bottle - (U.S.) Sweet, with spirituous aromas from the fortification. Big punch of red cherries./ Concentrated cherry flavor and sweetness in front, yielding to the spirit in back. Burnt chocolate and spiced charcuterie notes. The fruit and spirit are not fully united yet. 14.0+. Wednesday, November 14, 2007 WT111407-01. 05 DRYLANDS MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Combo of brisk, pungent, cat and citrus with soft pear and tropical fruits. Pink grapefruit, cedar, and the fleshy tropical fruits./ Yes, features both brisk and round impressions. A great balance of tart and smooth. What NZ sauvignon is all about. Crisp, bracing, bright, tangy, penetrating finish. 16.8. WT111407-02. 05 SANCERRE VIEILLES VIGNES, PATIENT COTTAT - (FRANCE LOIRE) Evergreen nose. Yes, it’s yew. And calcaire ventilation. Rich and creamy, fat and juicy, with old vines concentration./ Bright, rich, sturdy, intense, well focused. Hint of tropical fruit. Fine depth. Popular with the group. 16.0. WT111407-03. 06 KAMPTAL LOIS GRUNER VELTLINER, LOIMER - (AUSTRIA) Oh! Fresh, brisk, tangy green fruits and green beans, peas, lentils, and pears. Lovely./ Bright, tangy lemon and white pepper. Well delineated, piquant. Smooth and nutty, giving ease on entry. The finish, though, shows plenty of snap. It’s long and juicy. 16.4. WT111407-04. 05 BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY, DOMAINE MARC JOMAIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Lively, exotic citrus, quince, oak, and smoked nuts./ Tangy, lively, smoky oak. Fine mix of lively fruits and oak. No malo? Fine, racy edge. Has the elegance of a Cote d’Or blanc. 16.0. WT111407-05. 06 JULIENAS GRAND CRU, CHATEAU DES CAPITANS, GEORGES DUBOEUF - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Fresh and juicy red raspberry, cherry, cranberry aromas. Big, sweet, chewy, dark Julienas fruit./ Fine sweet and juicy balance of fruit and acid. The 06s tasted lately seem just lovely at this stage of life. Witness the Jadot BV last week. Fine grained tannin supplies a gentle grip, texture. Much more accommodating and traditional
wines
than the 05s, awesome as they are. Bring on the food. 16.6. WT111407-06. 05 SANTENAY, JOSEPH DROUHIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Oh! Fine and juicy and pure 05 fruit qualities, with Drouhin grip, form, reserve, compactness. Tart cherry, flowers tea.. Nutty wood notes./ Rich and compact fruit, with fine tannin--decided vintage virtues. Generous, handsome, fine depth, smoky, meaty. Santenay volume. 16.9+. WT111407-07. 06 CHIANTI, ACINUM - (ITALY) Starts out lean, with lack of fruit pulp and dominance of somewhat harsh peels extracts. Then sweet cherry fruit comes forward to soften it and fill it out. Nice cedar and tar notes chime in. Becomes a spicy, juicy, satisfying nose./ Blackberry, red cherry, and fig flavors. Good acidity, good spiciness and depth. Medium bodied. A bit lean in both weight and material. Nonetheless,
one of
the better years for this cuvee, which speaks well for the touted 06 Tuscan vintage. 15.7. WT111407-08. 05 VINAS DE VILA CRUZ DE PIEDRA BONARDA - (ARGENTINA) Sweet cherry, spicy plum, tobacco, and kola aromas. Hint of charcouterie. Softly burnished and expressive./ Sweet and smooth on entry with some tannin in the back. Fine balance, structure, and depth. Assertive, important, and ambitious for bonarda, and for the price. 16.1+. WT111407-09. 06 FENN VALLEY LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE CABERNET FRANC - (U.S.) Wow, stylish, fruity, nice forward feel. This has plenty of expression and no grassiness. Lovely nose./ Raspberry flavor. Fine acidity and fruit expression. Lean and racy. All there for food. A winner. 15.5. WT111407-10. 05 SHOOTING STAR WASHINGTON BLUE FRANC - (U.S.) Soft, sleek oak and thimbleberry aromas./ Big, ripe fruit. Nice touch of oak char and spice. Fine, racy acidity. Nicely tuned and stylish. Always a good, reliable lemberger wine. 16.2. WT111407-11. 05 COTES DU RHONE BELLERUCHE, M. CHAPOUTIER - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Sleek, tight, focused. Handsome black fruits and pencil lead. Sweet, jammy fruit concentration. Plenty of power and punch./ Well stuffed. Striking fruit clarity, structure, and depth. Racy finish. 16.0. WT111407-12. 06 JUMILLA WRONGO DONGO, BODEGAS JUAN GIL - (SPAIN) Dense and plush black fruits with some smoked, aged meat overtones./ Large-textured, firmly wrapped still, juicy and generous. More smoked meat, hint of green olive. Chewy finish. 14.8. WT111407-13. 05 DOURO TINTA RORIZ-TOURIGA FRANCA ALTANO, SYMINGTON ESTATES - (PORTUGAL) Compact, rich, ripe, raisined, port-ish aromas. Deep, dark fruit core./ Plenty of fruit and earth flavor and texture generosity. Slightly reduced still; holding back considerable wealth in reserve. 15.5+. WT111407-14. 06 DOURO CRASTO, QUINTA DE CRASTO - (PORTUGAL) Fresh, intricate, spicy, minerally, black. Floral highlights: lilac, violets. Light oak, briar, aromatic bark. Quite the sophisticated nose!/ Yes, and minerally. A good terroir statement: granite, schist. Black plum and bitter chocolate flavors too. Racy, bright, charming, lively, enticing. In addition to all this full, fetching, up-front, and generous appeal,
there’s
a firm core of reserve. 16.3+. WT111407-15. 05 HUNTINGTON CALIFORNIA PETITE SIRAH - (U.S.) The most medals of any wine of any price of any category on the California judging circuit this year. Everything about this wine hangs together, fits together just right, so no cause for minus points from the judges. Wonderful combo of spicy oak and sweet fruit. Raspberry creme and cracked pepper./ Oh, yes! Fruit, and flowers too. Spices even. Sweet baking
spices and sweet
fruit. Handsome, lively, friendly, sweet and sassy. The feel, the composition, is so lovely. The ultimate in craftsmanship at this price. Yes, the medal lode makes sense. 16.4. WT111407-16. 05 DAVID BRUCE CENTRAL COAST PETITE SIRAH - (U.S.) Ripe, heavy, thick petite sirah with black cherry cough syrup aroma and some floral overtones./ Ripe, dense, soft, four-square, and relatively featureless. Not much 05 backbone. These used to be better. Prefer the Bruce pinot noirs by far. 15.4. WT111407-17. 05 SOBON ESTATE ROCKY TOP AMADOR ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Sweet, roasted Amador zinfandel fruit and fine wood extras. Powerful, assertive, ample. Really delivers the fruit and wood goodies. Black and red raspberries, blueberry, and vanilla./ Yes, full fruit concentration, power, oak, material. Very fresh, crunchy raspberry flavor. Great frame and acidity. Fine balance, depth, generosity. This needs BBQ and other
spicy food.
Will not wilt before it. 16.9. Wednesday, November 7, 2007 WT110707-01. 04 CREMANT DE LIMOUX LES GRAIMENOUS BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT, DOMAINE J. LAURENT - (SPARKLING) Gold Medal - Paris. Good, doughy bottle bouquet. Fresh, crisp, boisterous apple fruit and generous graininess./ Yes, the real deal in bottle bouquet. Touch of burnt orange peel adds distinction. Rich, with a bright, crisp, penetrating edge. Will accrue with more bottle age to approach the bouquet intensity of the
02. 16.1+. WT110707-02. 07 GIESEN MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC - (NEW ZEALAND) Fresh, tropical. Pink grapefruit, lime, peach, and mango. And cat./ Gooseberry, grapefruit, capsicum, and cat, expressive and intense. Mild and easy mouthfeel. Enough acidity but certainly not as shrill as some. A mellow NZ sauvignon of broad appeal. 16.0. WT110707-03. 06 L’ECOLE NO. 41 COLUMBIA VALLEY SEMILLON - (U.S.) Good apple, peel, and marl semillon qualities. Euro. Not the fruit forward style of WA white. Fat, sassy, figgy semillon with smoky, toasty barrel fermentation extras./ Palate firmer and less expressive due to youth. Yellow fruits and smoky oak overtones. Will improve over the coming months. 15.7+. WT110707-04. 06 MACON VILLAGES, GEORGES DUBOEUF - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Well, good and full and clean and citrusy. Fruit and vigor here. Style and pedigree too./ Yes, fruity and flavorful. All fruit and delightful Macon terroir–Macon take on chardonnay. Nice, tender acidity. Well balanced. What a delightful, commendable vintage for this wine! And the price is nice. 16.2. WT110707-05. 06 RULLY LES MOLLEPIERRES BLANC, MATTHIEU DE BRULLY - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Full. Light touch of Chalonnais resin. Light oak too. Young, meaty, traditional Chalonnais blanc./ Young, firm, vinous. Plump and full Chalonnais material. Again, the light resin touch. Good, citrusy acidity. Not nearly so well developed as the 04. (Whatever happened to the 05?). Good depth. Well poised. 16.0+. WT110707-06. 06 SANTORINI, SIGALAS - (GREECE) Oh, boy! Terroir talking. And assyritiko. Fabulous grip, material. Citrus oil and flowers. Plus hints of pear, apple, peach, and honey./ Yes, the full stuffing. Smooth outer, chewy center. Lovely citrus tang, terroir grip. Classy, exciting, distinctive. Greece’s contribution to the fine-white-wine world. 16.6. WT110707-07. 06 BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES, LOUIS JADOT - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) A beauty. Fresh, luscious, delightful, prototypical gamay. Flowers, sweet berries, black and maraschino cherries. Lots of lift. Peel extract grip, pulp filling, candied strawberry sweetness./ Juicy, and very fruity. Nice, tangy acidity and light astringency to balance the good fruit ripeness, sweetness. Plenty of verve. Very stylish. 16.3. WT110707-08. 06 SEBASTIANI SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Deep, dark, young, serious, gripping. Sweet cherry and nut aromas. Dense, nervy, spicy. Vigorous coastal acidity./ Pinot smooth and rich, coastal racy. Lush, charming black fruits and dark chocolate too. Full flavored, full textured. Great coastal acidity and grip. This is up in price but also up in ambition, so remains a California pinot bargain. Really going
upscale this vintage; I’m impressed. 16.6+. WT110707-09. 06 CARMEN CLASSIC RAPEL MERLOT - (CHILE) Wow! How do they keep doing it?! Totally seductive like the 05. Sweet cherry-berry fruit leather plus wood spices and perfumes./ Aromatic allure confirmed by the flavor profile. Tea and olive notes. Racy acidity–very cool and mouthwatering. Charming, well balanced, mouthfilling experience. Shows great craftsmanship, especially considering the price. 16.4. WT110707-10. 06 CARMEN CLASSIC RAPEL CARMENERE - (CHILE) Surprising sleekness and elegance for carmenere. Forthright blackberry fruit statement supported by good structure./ Charming, expressive black fruits, herbs, and spices. Good frame and firmness. Great value. 15.8. WT110707-11. 05 ALTA VISTA PREMIUM MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Rich, concentrated, modern, right. Sweet cherry and licorice. Full peel extract. Both richness and finesse. Cahors-like, really./ Body, grip, extract, volume. This one’s got the stuffing. Well imparted oak. As at the trade tasting, very impressive in its field. Real concentration, range, depth, and level of sophistication. 16.4+. WT110707-12. 05 EMILIANA COYAM COLCHAGUA VALLEY RED - (CHILE) 45% syrah, 27% cabernet, 14% merlot, 11% carmenere, 3% petit verdot. Full, sweet fruit concentrate with subtle oak warm spices. Cassis. Lovely composure, comfort, confidence./ Robed texture, rich, succulent. Fine, fine tannins. Good acidity. Put together really well; just super composition, concentration, and class. 17.0+. WT110707-13. 06 YECLA MONASTRELL, BODEGAS CASTANO - (SPAIN) Fresh, modern, whole berry. The polished, fruit driven importer’s style that has Parker and Tanzer hooked./ Palate shows likewise. Good acidity. Good mourvedre purple. Appealing, international style that emphasizes fruit over terroir. Can’t deny the value. 15.8. WT110707-14. 05 ZAMORA TEMPRANILLO VENTA MAZZARON, VINAS DEL CENIT - (SPAIN) Black, black, black Zamora. A little reductive, but it seems natural; there’s no sign of sulphur compounds. Deep, black berries. Boy, is this right for the region and the varietal. Real Zamora tinta de toro form of tempranillo./ Palate confirms the darkness and depth. Secretive even. Flowers, berries, briar. Fine wood-toast savor. Fennel and
olive highlights. Dense, full, gutsy, and gripping. Really serious stuff. Fine tannin. Wow! This is easily the best vintage of this wine I’ve tasted. Now here’s terroir! 16.5+. WT110707-15. 05 JUMILLA ALTOS DE LUZON, FINCA LUZON - (SPAIN) 50% monastrell, 25% each cabernet, tempranillo. Sweet, warm climate, new wave fruitiness. 05 fruit quality, polish, appeal. Black fruits, nuts, chocolate, fennel. Some oak vanillin. The 04 showed more grip, material, and oak complex. The differences are both vintage-driven and accountable by the youth of this wine./ Racy, lively, dense, spiritous, well composed.
Grip and tannin yet. Not nearly so ‘easy’ as the nose. That’s a good sign. 16.0+. WT110707-16. 05 MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO, CATALDI MADONNA - (ITALY) Sweet, ripe, warm, and southern, but there’s no rancio. It’s pure and lovely ripe black fruit as this cuvee always shows./ Yes, the lovely fruit statement. Plus, flowers, subtle spices, graphite, cedar, smoked meat, and tobacco. Composed, smooth, sweet, polished. Round and deep. Monte fullness plus the sophisticated subtleties this wine always conveys.
16.5+. WT110707-17. 05 COTES DU RHONE RESERVE GRAND VENEUR, ALAIN JAUME - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Ripe, sweet, raisined. Black raspberry, game, and aromatic barks. Fine-fruited 05. Right for the vintage./ Yes, fine, ripe fruit plus warm spices, peels, citron, and anise. Like a Christmas cake. Good grip, acid, tannin, balance. I’d like to see this with a little more bottle age. The material’s there; I suspect additional aromatic
and textural interest a few months down the line. 16.0+. WT110707-18. 05 COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC LES HAUTS DE LA BRUNE, CAVE DE VIGNERONS DE SAINT FELIX - SAINT JEAN - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 80% syrah, 10% each grenache, mourvedre. Slowly coming along, coming out of its shell. Less grip now and more 05 open and polished fruitiness./ Less tannin too. In fact, it’s become smooth, the tannins melted. Lots of black fruits, especially black raspberry and black cherry, plus notes
of peppercorn and thyme. Good power as well as charm. 15.8. |
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