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Tasting Notes Printer-Friendly Version
- October, 2004 |
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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 wt102704-01. 2003
PICPOUL DE PINET, LA CAVE DES VIGNERONS DE MONTAGNAC - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Good and rich (‘03) and fresh.
Lots of apple and citrus peel and fruit. Usually a vinous nose to
picpoul, but here the ripeness gives real fruit expression../ Peach,
lemon, stone. Juicy and racy. Surprising acidity for 2003. I suspect
it’s been acid-adjusted, as the acid is a bit brisk. All for the
best. Without that, the wine would be flabby. Nice effort. 15.5. wt102704-02. 2003
CHATEAU DE CRAIN, ENTRE DEUX MERS - (FRANCE
BORDEAUX) Good and juicy and well balanced ‘03. Rich semillon meets
brisk sauvignon. Lime and herb suggest the muscadelle component.
Fresh apricot peel, pineapple, and vanilla frosting of rich, ripe
‘03./ Juicy enough, though the acidity is milder than in the last
two vintages. However, it’s being tasted at a younger stage, so
the acid may still be coated. Give it few more months. 15.7+. wt102704-03. 2003
DOLCETTO D’ALBA PIAN BALBO, PODERI COLLA
- (ITALY) Very cool and racy for ‘03. Sleek and juicy. Black cherry,
cola, tobacco. True to varietal. Still rather austere–a surprise
for the vintage./ Cool and finely tannic. The fruit is properly
ripe, and there’s acid vigor. Designed to last. 15.8+. wt102704-04. 2003
DOLCETTO D’ALBA FONTANAZZA, MARCARINI
- (ITALY) Much different. Much more giving. Dense, luscious, soft
blackberry, blueberry, and olive aromas. Roasted fruit and warm
animal tones. More like I’d expect from the vintage. Though not
from dolcetto necessarily. Larger than life dolcetto./ Again, the
meat, the fat, the roast. The generous, resourceful ripe fruits.
Softer tannins than the Colla. Good structure, acid support, strength,
depth. A wine of many options. 16.3+. wt102704-05. 2003
NEBBIOLO DELLE LANGHE LASARIN, MARCARINI
- (ITALY) Sweet and full. Nebbiolo fulfilled. Sweet, baked cherry.
Plum, licorice, tar. Grip and peel extract. Lots of flair, panache./
Grip, acidity, tannin. Firm, deep, authoritative. Flowers, woods,
earth, coffee. No ‘03 softness, ease. Very tight on the palate.
Very promising. 16.5+. wt102704-06. 2001
SANTA RITA MEDALLA REAL MAIPO VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (CHILE) Ripe, roasted, and ruddy fruit. Oak, sandalwood,
black currant, bacon, game. Old-time Chile cabernet nose./ But it’s
brighter and more modern on the palate. And surprisingly crisp.
Good, racy fruit acidity. Class and elegance. Will this age to the
attractive mellowness the 2000 showed last spring? 16.3+. wt102704-07. 2001
CHATEAU PEYREDOULLE, 1ERES COTES DE BLAYE
- (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Distinct green streak of modest ‘01 clarets.
But there’s sweet fruit too. Red currant. Nice measure of fruit
padding./ Again, the ‘01 stalkiness. With accompanying astringency.
The fruit richness is adequate though. Traditional Cotes claret.
Not bad. 14.8+. wt102704-08. 2001
CHATEAU D’ESCURAC, CRU BOURGEOIS SUPERIEUR, MEDOC - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Third week in a row we’ve had a winning
‘01. Toasty oak flair and breed. Class and spicy exotica and vigor.
Fine black currant cabernet sauvignon statement. Plenty ripe enough.
Commendable./ Again, the aromatic oak flair and the quality cabernet
statement. Noteworthy, dignified, fine. A Chateau to follow. 16.8+. wt102704-09. 1999
CH PEYCHAUD MAISONNEUVE VIEILLES VIGNES, COTES DE BOURG - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Good measure of oak, and plenty rich
and ripe enough fruit for ‘99. Nice and jammy. Earning some of the
mellowness of maturity./ Rich oak and fruit. Distinguished presentation.
Very fine tannin. More to come, actually. 16.4. wt102704-10. 1999
CHATEAU CAILLOU LES MARTINS, LUSSAC SAINT EMILION - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Softer and more open than it was
a year ago. Used to be severe; now mellowing. Quite the tight body
nonetheless. Sense of St. Emilion breed. Oak, pencil box, and fine
red and black fruits and merlot tea. Cohesive, plump blackness./
Yes, nicely softened. High-strung, demonstrative. The tannins are
now soft and mild and welcome. And there’s more to come. 15.8+. wt102704-11. 2001
SICILIA FURAT, AJELLO - (ITALY) (Merlot,
cabernet, syrah, nero d’avola) - Vanilla and toasted oak, and ripe,
creamy red fruit. Sexy, modern Super Sicilian at half the price
you’d have to pay for a Super Tuscan of this sophistication. Overflowing
cornucopia of fruits: blackberry, plum, fig, date./ Class act. Fine
focus and penetration. Plump, alluring, generous. Ripasso, panetone.
Great acidity (‘01, high altitude?), rich oak, cool northern-style
fruit. I’m impressed. 16.8+. wt102704-12. 2001
CHATEAU PARTARRIEU, SAUTERNES - (FRANCE
BORDEAUX) Very big, bold, powerful, thick, rich, demanding. And
racy, mineral-y, and cool. Lemon, coconut, pineapple, peach, mango,
custard, botrytis./ Vanilla, honey, botrytis exotica. Sweet, strong,
golden, lush, silky, juicy, balanced. The acid remains coated with
baby fat. Time will allow it to take its proper place in the overall
impression. Boy, this vintage is really loaded for bear! 17.4+.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004 wt102004-01. 2002
YARDEN MOUNT HERMON GALILEE WHITE - (ISRAEL)
(Sauvignon blanc - mainly; chardonnay, semillon, french colombard)
- Richness of semillon claims the nose. Fresh enough for a two-year-old
warm-climate dry white./ Rich semillon fatness makes the leading
statement on the palate too. Full strength and body. A lot of presence.
Not searing though–well balanced. This will thrive at the table
with porcine and poultry selections. 15.2. wt102004-02. 2003
PAPIO CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Light
oak. Dry and vinous. Good./ Full. The oak adds light, spicy seasonings.
Something aromatic in the formula. More like gewurz than muscat.
Just a touch, but it doesn’t take much to announce its presence.
Doesn’t really smell and taste like a chardonnay, unless you count
the oak. Good chardonnay fullness though. 15.0. wt102004-03. 2003
PINOT BLANC GERARD METZ - (FRANCE ALSACE)
(Domaine Casimir-Metz @ Itterswiller - Bas Rhin) - Pungent pinot
blanc. Ripe pear and white plum. In your face. Auxerrois here? Or
2003 talking?/ 2003 softness. Suave and rich. I’d make a claim for
some auxerrois as well as pinot blanc, though one Alsace-savvy taster
feels the latter makes a strong case. 15.8. wt102004-04. 2003
GEWURZTRAMINER VIEILLES VIGNES, GERARD METZ
- (FRANCE ALSACE) Pomade (bergamot, Dixie Peach, and Wildroot) and
tonic (bay, laurel). Raw ginger, orange peel, Turkish delight. Rich
and assertive. Powerful and thick but cool./ Very thick, pomaded,
viscous. Adequate acidity, with the support of classic gewurz strength
and bitter twist to assist in foiling its richness. A Barbershop
Quartet of feels and flavors. Powerhouse gewurz. Both this and the
pinot blanc make outstanding values. 16.8. wt102004-05. 2002
YARDEN GALILEE GEWURZTRAMINER - (ISRAEL)
Clearly more mature (more than one year) and warm climate. Varietal
character continues to shine through, but it’s being overtaken by
a tawny character./ Yes, it’s in its autumnal stage, but still speaks
for nice, straightforward, warm-climate gewurztraminer, now coated
with honey and molasses. 13.0. wt102004-06. 2003
YARDEN MOUNT HERMON GALILEE RED - (ISRAEL)
Fresh and solid cabernet character. A lot of firmness, framing,
even astringency of cabernet. Bitter chocolate, pencil box, sandalwood./
Again, the cabernet sauvignon dryness and severity in youth on entry.
The palate suggests also some richer, softer merlot contributions
that the nose did not foretell. A lot of textural spiel–much more
so than so many kosher wines, where flash-eurization seems to turn
the mouth-feel to mush. 15.4+. wt102004-07. 2002
PAPIO CALIFORNIA MERLOT - (U.S.) Another
good cheap merlot. We’ve discovered several over the past several
months. Cherry cookie creme./ Valid merlot cherry. Again, the creamy
aspect. Light touch of bitter herb is enhancing. 15.1. wt102004-08. 2002
PAPIO CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON -
(U.S.) Blackberry and black currant cabernet characteristics. Light
oak. Peel extracts. True to varietal, and not severe like a lot
of the cheapies./ Dark-fruited cabernet validity. Dark berry and
currant. Clean and racy, with good cabernet framework. One of the
better cheapie cabernets we’ve found. 15.1. wt102004-09. 2001
CHATEAU BEYNAT CUVEE LEONARD, COTES DE CASTILLON - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Rich, ripe merlot cherry and cabernet
franc berry. Barnyard and oak add to the claret package. Dense,
lush, and seductive for 2001./ Racy ‘01 fruit acidity and dash of
astringency to cut through the dense extract and thick but fine-grained
tannin. Lots of textural appeal. One loaded 2001. Second week in
a row we’ve found a winning 2001 claret–and neither is expensive.
The vintage’s stock is rising in my mind’s eye. 16.4+. wt102004-10. 2001
LOS VASCOS RESERVE COLCHAGUA RED - (CHILE)
Raw and pure cabernet blackcurrant with full peel and pulp extracts.
Los Vascos fashion./ Surprise! The palate shows plenty of fat and
sweet fruit to fill cabernet’s box. I surmise merlot and maybe carmenere
components. All for the good, as Los Vascos straight cabernet is
often too ascetic. A significant Chilean claret. 16.2+. wt102004-11. 2000
BERINGER NAPA VALLEY MERLOT - (U.S.) A
Beringer sandwich cookie: two sweet oak wafers with vanilla creme
in between. Strong, sweet New World merlot cherry creme./ Juicy
and sweet merlot cherry and peel. The oak is rather raw, aggressive
and apart still–even at age four. Lots of oak vanillin. No vintage
weakness here; the fruit is sumptuous. But give the oak more time
to settle in. 15.6+. wt102004-12. 2002
VINO PROGRESO RESERVE COASTAL CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (URUGUAY) (Boisset-Pisano joint venture) - Huge cassis,
blackberry, and bitter chocolate cabernet nose. Big and spiritous
cabernet with hard oak veneer. Elegant, perfumed highlights with
airing./ Ambitious oak and fruit extract concentration. Well framed.
Good acidity and tannin. Well crafted. No fun now though. Must be
cellared to recoup the investment. 16.2++. wt102004-13. 2001
NEWTON NAPA VALLEY CLARET - (U.S.) Sweet
fruit and plenty of spicy oak. Quite an intriguing spice complex.
And elegant fruit perfume. Good cabernet form, peel extract, frame./
Amazing charm, flow, race. A silky, aristocratic texture. Very fine
tannin. Good cabernet flavor profile. Long aftertaste. Fine craftsmanship
here. The palate is especially distinguished. 16.5. wt102004-14. 2001
GUNDLACH BUNDSCHU RHINEFARM VINEYARD SONOMA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Pungent, handsome oak and forceful cabernet
character. Lots of vanilla, oak, coffee, nuts, and black fruits.
Big and bold, in-your-face frankness, plus depth and class./ Lots
of cassis and oak caramel, mocha, resin. Full oak and fruit extract.
Oak and fruit are harmonious. There are notions of elegance, breeding,
and charm lurking. Overall though, for thems that like ‘em big.
16.7+. wt102004-15. 2001
ANNIE’S LANE CLARE VALLEY CABERNET-MERLOT
- (AUSTRALIA) Sweet, pungent oak perfumes. Pretty cassis and flowers
highlights. Eloquence, beauty, uplift, allure./ The palate’s strength
and assertiveness is nicely assuaged by fruit sweetness. Sassy,
high-toned, racy, and very pretty. Rich, balanced, seductive. Something
akin to a Harlan Estate wine. 16.4. The general agreement was that
this is a bargain. wt102004-16. 2001
KIRRALAA INDELIBLE RESERVE VICTORIA SHIRAZ
- (AUSTRALIA) Powerful, spicy, warm, ripe fruit and oak, well integrated.
Late-harvest style. Smoky black fruits, sandalwood, and tobacco.
Nicely focused./ Sweet and power-packed. Good oak-fruit balance.
Large reserve-style presence. Long, complex aftertaste. 16.5.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004 wt101304-01. 2002
NAVARRA VIURA-CHARDONNAY, BODEGAS OCHOA
- (SPAIN) 65% viura, 35% chardonnay. Good fruit. Something floral
here. It’s not chardonnay. Viura? But I remember the Rioja viuras
as always vinous, not aromatic./ Floral again. Plump and tender.
Has framing too (chardonnay’s role). Very fresh for two years; will
thrive through winter. Well done. Bravo to Javier Ochoa for coaxing
the much personality out of viura. 15.9. wt101304-02. 2001
CHATEAU THEBOT FUTS DE CHENE, BORDEAUX
- (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Unfiltered; Silver Medal - Good oak and good
fruit richness. Only a touch of ‘01 green, and it’s more of a green
olive than green leaf or stem. Delivers./ Good oake and spice. Plenty
of character in its class. And full. Nice effort, as was the 2000.
16.4. wt101304-03. 2000
MOREY SAINT DENIS EN LA RUE DE VERGY, BRUNO CLAIR - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Exotic, spicy, dark cherry pinot
aroma with classic Clair ‘clair-ity’. Clair precision, ‘00 generosity.
A beauty. Licorice and warm spice highlights; oak contributions
are fully integrated./ Rich and racy. Clair drive, ‘00 facility.
Nice now. A bargain. 17.8. wt101304-04. 2003
CARINENA GARNACHA, LELIA - (SPAIN) Fresh,
new, varietal, spicy, full, rangy./ Lots of grenache strawberry
puree. Rich and suave. Fine, racy acidity. Very fine example of
grenache. Super value. I love this vintage! 16.0. wt101304-05. 2003
JUMILLA MONASTRELL, VEGA ALTAONA - (SPAIN)
Firm. A bit green or stemmy for ‘03. Currant./ Fresh. Tart. Racy.
Notes of cherry and almond. Has grip and tannin. Needs time to flesh
out and soften. Is the greenness on the nose a passing thing? 15.2+. wt101304-06. 2003
TERRA ALTA ARRET SELECCIO VI JOVE, CELLER COVILALBA - (SPAIN) Great oak, spicy and racy. Fresh fruit too:
plum./ Rich fruit. Alert, fresh, lovely. Juicy. Fine, and appealing.
Good value. 16.4. wt101304-07. 2003
TERRA ALTA ARRET SELECCIO VI NEGRO, CELLER COVILALBA - (SPAIN) Ripe, very ripe. But not raisined, not rancio./
Rich and ripe again. Standard. 15.1+. wt101304-08. 2001
LA TIERRA DE CASTILLA TEMPRANILLO NOBLE, ARDALES - (SPAIN) Organic - Glossiness of an organic wine. Sweet,
smooth fruit and American oak. And H2S. Underlying edginess of an
organic wine too. Why is it so often this way? Shouldn’t have to
be. Look at Beaucastel./ Lots of oak and oak tannin in full command
of the palate. 13.9+? wt101304-09. 2001
VALDEPENAS VIN DE SELECCION NOBLE AGORA, BODEGAS ARUSPIDE - (SPAIN) Corked. No rating. wt101304-10. 2002
RIBERA DEL JUCAR TEMPRANILLO, RAMBLILLA
- (SPAIN) Fruit framed by firm and heavy oak. And in the grips of
H2S./ All form and frame. Oak dominates the structure, but, flavor-wise,
it has a lighter, seasoning role. However, the fruit remains suppressed,
latent. Good future, I suspect. 15.7+. wt101304-11. 2000
RIBERA DEL JUCAR CRIANZA TEMPRANILLO, RAMBLILLA
- (SPAIN) Again, a firm frame of oak. Vanilla note./ Good, smooth
oak vanillin. Fine tannins of both the fruit and oak variety. Good
future here. 15.9+. wt101304-12. 2003
RIBERA DEL DUERO TINTO JOVEN MONTS NEGRO, BODEGAS FELIX SANZ - (SPAIN) Full, rich, ripe, solid, sweet, and fine fruit.
Shows RdD class./ Black currant and blackberry flavors. Fine, rich
fruit. Real class–an aristocrat. Fine RdD value. 16.7+. wt101304-13. 2002
RIBERA DEL DUERO ENVEJECIDO EN BARRICA MONTS NEGRO, BODEGAS FELIX
SANZ - (SPAIN) 6 months in barrel - Firmer.
Greenness of the vintage shows. Not much wood evident./ Good framing
and grip. The oak is well-integrated. Good future here. 16.1+. wt101304-14. 2001
RIBERA DEL DUERO CRIANZA MONTS NEGRO, BODEGAS FELIX SANZ - (SPAIN) Great oak range–both American and French. Aromatic
oak perfumes. Good, purple fruit basis. Fine fragrances of oak and
fruit, really./ Smooth, sweet, sexy, popular, good now. Another
2001 class act. 17.0+. wt101304-15. 2001
PRIORAT ACAPELLA, CELLERS DE GRATALLOPS
- (SPAIN) 60% carinena, 40% garnacha; 90% French oak, 10% American
oak - Cool, high-altitude, racy. Full and strong too./ Racy, floral,
high-toned, juicy, noble. Lovely. 2001 scores again. 16.9+. wt101304-16. 1998
DOURO RESERVE, FEIST - (PORTUGAL) Aged
in French oak - Lovely dark fruit and nice oak complex for the price./
Medium-bodied (1998). Good, racy, and well-delineated fruit character.
A good-enough value. I may be underrating it a bit. 15.8+. wt101304-17. 2001
CHARLES CIMICKY TRUMPS BAROSSA VALLEY RED
- (AUSTRALIA) 65% grenache, 35% shiraz - Fine oak and bright Aussie
grenache fruit. Nicely polished and perfumed. Vanilla and berries./
Racy fruit, spices, garrigue, and tonic. Special. Complex! Nice
value. 17.0+.
Wednesday, October 6, 2004 wt100604-01. 2003
OC CHARDONNAY RED BICYCLETTE, CAVES DU SIEURS D’ARQUES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Good, racy, brisk, bracing northern-style
chardonnay fruit. Said to come from Limoux. Makes sense. That’s
one of the cooler sections of southern France./ Mild (‘03, south)
but juicy acidity. Delicious fruit ripeness of ‘03 and the south.
And deliciously balanced. Quaffable. Well liked by the group. 15.5. wt100604-02. 2003
POUILLY FUME LES PENTES, SERGE DAGUENEAU
- (FRANCE LOIRE) Very sweet sauvignon nose. Peach, nectarine, tangerine.
Unique. ‘03 speaking./ Mild acidity, high pH. Big and weighty. Burly
like its maker (a former rugby star). Not yet fully composed. 15.4+. wt100604-03. 2002
POUILLY FUME BUISSON RENARD, DIDIER DAGUENEAU
- (FRANCE LOIRE) Very full. Great race and verve, as well as power
and body. Piquant gooseberry complexed by sweet grasses and orange
and lemon peels. Sweet, fragrant fruit core. Unique and great, both
texturally and aromatically. A paean to 2002./ ‘02 qualities of
both body and verve, and great ‘02 extract. Lots of dash and daring.
Sharply focused, well delineated. Full calcaire and mineral extracts.
Noble bitter twist at the end. This is super special. One of the
greatest sauvignon blanc experiences of my career. 18.0. wt100604-04. 2002
POUILLY FUME PUR SANG, DIDIER DAGUENEAU
- (FRANCE LOIRE) Bigger. Strapping and assertive. More oak presence.
Needs time for the oak to settle, to merge with the fruit. The fruit
is bright (gooseberry, pineapple) but the oak is still top-heavy./
Huge volume, fruit density, power, breadth. Just needs time to compose
itself. 17.8+. wt100604-05. 2003
MIRASSOU MONTEREY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.)
True, light-hearted, fresh, vital. Beaujolais style and weight./
Fresh, fluid, easy. A seafood pinot. 15.0. wt100604-06. 2003
OC MERLOT RED BICYCLETTE, CAVES DU SIEURS D’ARQUES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Sweet, ripe, floral, lovely.
Fresh and plump fruit./ Sweet and floral again. ‘03 allure. Seductive.
Lovely. 15.4. wt100604-07. 2001
CHATEAU SEGONZAC VIEILLES VIGNES, 1ERES COTES DE BLAYE - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Deep, oaky, rich, reduced. Full oak.
Full extract, size, and ripeness for ‘01. Must be the low-yield,
old-vines gift. Vanilla and cedar oak seasonings are flattering.
As are the nicely burnished, creamy black fruits. Complex set of
highlights includes cassis, flowers, olive, and tobacco./ Sleek,
fine-boned claret structure. Generous, sweet claret fruit. Willowy
claret form. The Brits will love this. Bravo! 16.2. wt100604-08. 2003
HATTENHEIMER SCHUTZENHAUS RIESLING KABINETT, BALTHASAR RESS - (GERMANY) Rich and racy, tingly, spicy. Tangy citrus
and lovely floral perfumes. Very pretty styling for Rheingau. Charms
rather than commands./ Peach, pineapple, and spices. Spatlese sweetness
and concentration. Super intensity for a kabinett. Fine balance.
16.7. wt100604-09. 2001
LA FLEUR D’OR, SAUTERNES - (FRANCE BORDEAUX)
Sweet, oaky, powerful, racy. Honey, nut, ripe grain, and apricot
nectar. Lots more in reserve./ All of the above, plus iodine and
ample, ventilating botrytis. Great depth and power. Lots of secrets
herein. Promises a huge complex of aromatic and textural beauties
at maturity. 17.2+.
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