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Tasting Notes Blog - Printer-Friendly Version
- September, 2007
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 WT092607-01. 04 BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX BRUT, ST. HILAIRE - (SPARKLING) Fresh and young, bright and frothy. Stone fruit, melon, lemon curd, brioche. Brisker than the 03. Reflects the vintage style difference and age difference. Not so much fluffy bottle bouquet–at least not yet./ Flavorful, appley, lively. Nice softness but better, brisker acidity than the 03. Will improve with bottle age. 15.6+. WT092607-02. 05 FOREST GLEN CALIFORNIA PINOT GRIGIO - (U.S.) Nut, citrus peel, marrzipan, and flower. All pinot gris? Still wholesome but getting kinda dull./ Yes, flowery again, as if some more aromatic component was included. Overall dulled and flattened by age though. Just useful. 14.0. WT092607-03. 05 KAMMERN HEILIGENSTEIN GRUNER VELTLINER, JOSEF HIRSCH - (AUSTRIA) Dense, mineral-laced aroma of lentil, citrus, melon, green stone fruits. Pungent, vibrant, fat, solid. Quite an accomplishment./ Bright core of lime, lentil, and stone. Well textured, vital. Lively acidity. Dry and full; a substantial wine. Charm and class too. 16.3. WT092607-04. 06 TAVEL, DOMAINE CANTO PERDRIX - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Whoa! Full strawberry candy nose. Big-time Tavel./ Spicy raspberry as well as strawberry. Tavel power and grip, even tannin. Dry and large. Intriguing, winsome, persistent. Needs some time. 16.5+. WT092607-05. 05 CHOREY LES BEAUNE, JOSEPH DROUHIN - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Oh, boy! Full fruit and oak. Sweet cherry, dark plum, tea. Great fruit intensity, quality, completeness. And the fine oak seasonings it deserves and can handle./ Big burst of fruit with zesty oak seasoning. Good grip. Largest and best Chorey I’ve ever tasted. 17.5+. WT092607-06. 06 VINA ANTIGUA MAIPU SANGIOVESE-BONARDA - (ARGENTINA) Oh, good, the berry and flowers pastilles of young bonarda. Back to the aromatic display of the 04./ Yes, that big berry-cherry taste of jellied candies. Racy and fine. Such low tannin and high aromatics that it could be served cool. Bargain. 16.0. WT092607-07. 06 EL PORTILLO MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Good malbec cherry, nut, and anise. Light oak. Lots of varietal expression already for an 06.Charming and expansive./ Juicy and flavorful; drier and firmer than the nose suggested. Time will improve it. 16.1+. WT092607-08. 05 KAIKEN MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Show Wine. Big, black, spicy fruit and warm, spicy oak. Handsome nutmeg and cedar savors. A little giant in the making./ Palate adds licorice, cavendish tobacco, more baking spices. Strong and still rather astringent. Grand-scaled oak and fruit flavors and both tannins. 16.4+. WT092607-09. 04 PASCUAL TOSO MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Dark and plummy, including plum peels. Black cherry and dark berries too. Forward, lively, stylish, charming./ Some herbal aspects as well as the peels. Flavorful, but more retained in textural aspect than the nose suggests. Good balance and depth. 15.6. WT092607-10. 06 MONTES CLASSIC COLCHAGUA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (CHILE) Dark, sweet black currant. Lovely cabernet sauvignon purity. Racy, well knit./ Some oak seasoning. Pure black currant flavor. And a sense of brandied fruit. Medium bodied, and still somewhat on the terse side for Montes. Will sweeten and swell up with bottle age. 16.3+. WT092607-11. 06 J. LOHR CYPRESS CENTRAL COAST CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Sweet, pure, black and red currants. Less black and more red than the Montes. Cool and racy Central Coast (except Paso Robles) cabernet. Light, nutty oak./ Yes, fine currant, and, oh, what’s this? Tarragon! Fine tannin. Great acidity and texture. Right on the mark. Fills the 05's shoes. 16.2. WT092607-12. 05 CELLAR NO. 8 CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) California appellation, but a wine of place. Cellar No. 8 is the old Italian Swiss Colony facility at Asti, near Cloverdale in the northern Alexander Valley, hard on the border with Mendocino County. Good, warm, husky upper Alexander style. Sweet, jammy fruit that’s Alexander ripe and Mendocino dark roast./ Dark and lightly jammy. Fine tannin. Sweet and ripe and balanced taste. Open hearted for 05, that’s for sure. Good acidity keeps it coastal and harmonious. 16.2. WT092607-13. 05 WOLF BLASS YELLOW LABEL SOUTH AUSTRALIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (AUSTRALIA) Warm, ripe, tarry, powerful. More Aussie than cabernet. Black cherry with minty highlights./ Some wood. Ripe, heavy, direct. Big, spicy, smoky. Strong and generous red, but little varietal character, except for a touch of blackberry near the end. BBQ wine. 15.2. WT092607-14. 05 TRINCHERO ST. HELENA PETIT VERDOT - (U.S.) Wow! A full baking spice nose, nutmeg especially. Toast too, and ripe, sweet blackberry-currant smells. 05 raciness./ Big and young. Well balanced. A nice fruit basis to the sexy oak display. Good acidity. Fine tannin. Long aftertaste. Outspoken. 17.0+. WT092607-15. 05 NAPA RIDGE NAPA VALLEY ZINFANDEL - (U.S.) Starts out not very Napa refined, but not hot either. There’s Napa coolness and raciness but little Napa finesse./ Hint of hoisin sauce. Nice and smooth and juicy. It’s Napa valid, but likely from one of the warmer zones, sub-valleys. Nonetheless, the wine grows on me. 15.8. WT092607-16. 06 DURKHEIMER NONNENGARTEN RIESLING KABINETT, KURT DARTING liter - (GERMANY) Brilliant, focused, bracing, lemony opening act. Then comes on the Darting sweet and soft fruit. Come hither peach, apricot, and pear aromas./ Sleek and young, with fine acidity beneath a coating of sweetness that suggests a higher pradikat than kabinett. Good richness, weight, future. 16.4+. WT092607-17. 06 COVEY RUN COLUMBIA VALLEY GEWURZTRAMINER - (U.S.) An herbal facet of gewurz that I’ve experienced before. Not my favorite style, but legit./ Soft, sweetish, mild. Candied orange and tonic. Flavor confirms the herbal-ness. Actually, it’s more precise than the vague ‘herbal’ descriptor, but I can’t put my finger on the specific herb. 13.7. WT092607-18. 05 COTEAUX DU LAYON, CHATEAU DE LA ROULERIE - (FRANCE LOIRE) Sweet apple, pear, flower nectar, honey, apricot, mango, vanilla creme, botrytis. Great chenin fruit class and purity./ As sweet as the 03 and better braced. Super fruit quality, opulence, and structure, with some botrytised honey and nut aspects. Fabulous future. Yowsa! This is tremendous! And what a price! 17.8+. Wednesday, September 19, 2007 WT091907-01. 06 LOS VASCOS CASABLANCA VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (CHILE) Grapefruit and lemon tang, zing. Lemon verbena too./ Dry and sleek. Grapefruit confirmed. Medium intensity. 15.4. WT091907-02. 05 BOURGOGNE PINOT BLANC, HENRI GOUGES - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Intriguing wood and white pinot citricity. Tangy citrus peel. Good fruit volume, bracing stony base. Cool. Well built./ Full measure of wood but not the blatant, aggressive type; rather, supple and seductive. Bright, tangy citrus fruit. Exotic, seductive, one of a kind. Good acidity and form. Really quite powerful. Has to be aged longer to appreciate the bouquet yet to form. 17.0+. WT091907-03. 06 COTES DE GASCOGNE ROSE FIER D’ETRE GASCON, ALAIN BRUMONT - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Tannat, merlot, and malbec–unusual set. Lovely pink fruits. Aromatic apple, melon, raspberry, bramble spices. Good tannat grip./ Expressive range of fruit flavors, including cranberry. Solidly built, dry, and even tannic. Wants food. Well liked by the group. 16.0. WT091907-04. 06 MULDERBOSCH STELLENBOSCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSE - (SOUTH AFRICA) Fresh, incisive cabernet berriness. Cool fruit. Quite New World bold./ Soft, mellow, gentle for cabernet. As a cabernet rose should be. Pink fruits, including strawberry. Food-worthy. 15.8. WT091907-05. 05 BOURGOGNE, PATRIACHE - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Spicy fruit-oak complex. The fruit has 05 purity and perfect degree of ripeness. Sweet, dark cherries. Some negoc polish./ More pinot cherry. Good acidity. Somewhat heavy and alcoholic in the house style. That tarnishes the brightness of this vintage’s fabulous fruit. Very dry. The tannins are drying too. And astringent. Needs time. 15.6+. WT091907-06. 05 BOURGOGNE VIEILLES VIGNES, ALBERT BICHOT - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Sweet cherry fruit and dark chocolate. Negoc polish. Some game notes. Big, dark, and heady./ Luscious, sweet, high toned, dark, and lovely fruit on the surface. Firm, old-vines core that needs bottle age to soften. 16.1+. WT091907-07. 05 SAVIGNY LES BEAUNE, ALBERT BICHOT - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Firm. Some Savigny black cherry and zestiness. And dark chocolate. Very young. Good 05 fruit quality./ Big-scaled, firm, structured, dense, well proportioned. Ripe black cherry. Some grace notes, some finesse showing through all the darkness. Needs 3-5 years. Well liked by the group. 16.3++. WT091907-08. 05 DONA SOL CALIFORNIA MERLOT - (U.S.) Sweet and candied. Appealing sugar plum smell. Valley, but not your basic Valley jelly-jam./ Easy, flowing, gently sweet. Cherry tone. Good acidity. Well crafted. I can see the Top 100 Best Buys commendations. The group considered it a great value. 15.2. WT091907-09. 05 KAIKEN MENDOZA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (ARGENTINA) It’s kickin’ indeed! Currant, cherry, chocolate, licorice. Dark, rich, sweet, and smooth. Well crafted modern cabernet./ Flavorful. Expansive, expressive, creamy, generous. Plenty of currant and plum. Nice, sweet, vanilla frosted, baking spices oak flavors. Shows the Aurelio Montes touch of genius. 16.4. WT091907-10. 06 DOLCETTO D’ALBA, PRUNOTTO - (ITALY) Very fresh and floral. Eau de vie clarity. A positive sort of reduction. Yes! Blackberry, red cherry, fruit forward, plenty of depth. Real dolcetto./ Cool, racy, reductive. Bright, pleasingly tart. Finely polished tannins. An inviting introduction to 06 Piemonte. 16.4+. WT091907-11. 03 RIOJA CRIANZA, EL COTO - (SPAIN) Warm, open bouquet of dried fruit, game, tobacco, hide, and dill-coconut-vanilla American oak. Good 03 crianza baked qualities. Typical El Coto rusticity./ Dry. Mellowing tannins. Lots of animal notes: brett, hide, game. Good acidity. Yes, it’s rustic, but also well balanced, presentable. 15.9. WT091907-12. 05 DOURO, QUINTA DO CRASTO - (PORTUGAL) 50% roriz, 20% barroca, 15% touriga franca, 15% touriga nacional. Wow! Takes me back to the first great vintage we sampled. What was it? The 94? Deep loganberry aroma of a good Crasto vintage. Great fruit class. Just delightful violet tones./ Dry and large. That gob of black fruit concentrate that marks a good vintage port. Flavors confirm aromas and are equally intense and broad and pure. Good acid and fine tannin. Very long, welcome finish. Great future. 17.2+. Wednesday, September 12, 2007 WT091207-01. 06 COTES DE GASCOGNE GROS MANSENG RESERVE SELECTION, DOMAINE DES CASSAGNOLES - (FRANCE BORDEAUX) Fresh, crisp, appley aroma. Citrus, melon, and honey notes too. Rich texturing./ More apple on the palate and some peach. Ripe, rich, and vibrant citrus and melon, bright and penetrating. Cedar note. The extra class and texture of gros manseng. Dry. Usually these are finished with some sweetness. A pleasant alternative. 16.3. WT091207-02. 06 OC VIOGNIER NOR SUD, LAURENT MIQUEL - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Flowers and tropics fruit perfumes. Very scented, pure, racy./ Full tropical fruit flavors, papaya in particular. Good acidity. Fine depth. Good power level–makes a positive contribution without going overboard. Handsome, mealworthy package. 16.4. WT091207-03. 05 MONTAGNY, LOUIS LATOUR - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Brisk, bracing acidity. Deep resinous tones of Chalonnais countered by Montagny brightness, freshness, lift./ 05 softness. Adequate bracing, acidity. Soft oak touch.. Textured and refined, lush and deep. One of the most open and charming of young Latour whites. Good example; good value. 16.5+.. WT091207-04. 06 CALERA CENTRAL COAST CHARDONNAY - (U.S.) Fine oak touches: toast and caramel. Brighter and fresher than the 05, naturally. Juicy and creamy quince and tropical fruit range./ Caramel creme oak, suave and mellow. Racy 06 acidity and cut keeps it in the mealtime wine category. Overall, it has show-wine allure. Certainly a worthy successor to the 05 and in much the same appealing style. 16.8. WT091207-05. 05 MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER RIESLING FISH LABEL, LINGENFELDER - (GERMANY) Showing the maturity of a wine ten years older than it is. Not diesel, but a sort of old honey bouquet of a mature riesling of the 70s. A throwback. Honey, plaster, lime, peach, flowers, slate. Unique these days./ Yes, sweet honey and fading flowers. Mild acidity, full sweetness. Deja vu. I’m tasting a wine from the 70s. 16.0. WT091207-06. 05 PFALZ RIESLING BIRD LABEL, LINGENFELDER - (GERMANY) Well, this is more like Lingenfelder. Fresh, racy, peachy, grainy, strong. Real Pfalz./ Cool and racy. Nectarine, lemon oil, and a touch of pineapple. Clone 90. 05 grip. At a nice stage for mealtime service. 16.4. WT091207-07. 04 PFALZ GEWURZTRAMINER HARE LABEL, LINGENFELDER - (GERMANY) Real gewurz, dry, rosy, tonic. Orange peel./ Rose and some resinous qualities of age and vintage. Good astringency-versus-viscosity gewurz interplay. Alsace power. Dry, with soft gewurz acidity. 16.2. WT091207-08. 04 PFALZ MORIO MUSKAT BEE LABEL, LINGENFELDER - (GERMANY) Very subtle, discreet, elegant perfume. The real deal. Flowers, green fruits, tropics./ Sweet, with a lemon-zest, racy acid edge in front that’s coated with spatlese-level sweetness in the back. Suggestions of botrytis. Nicely laid back. 16.0. WT091207-09. 06 CASTLE ROCK MONTEREY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) Real pinot, cool and racy and tart in the Monterey vernacular. Black cherry, tea, and fruit pastille./ Full pinot cherry flavor. Spicy too. And not so tart after all. Good fruit acid-sweetness balance. Well tuned, well crafted. 16.0. WT091207-10. 04 MARSANNAY, LOUIS LATOUR - (FRANCE BURGUNDY) Light color./ High toned, cool climate, cool vintage pinot cherry and floral lilt. Racy. Light and lively. No shortage of fruit ripeness./ Flavorful. Bright cherry fruit. A bit lean; it’s an 04 after all. Touch of brett. Light tannic grip. Meal wine. Good value. 16.2. WT091207-11. 06 CAMPO DE BORJA VINA BORGIA, BODEGAS BORSAO - (SPAIN) Wow! Ripe but cool, sweet grenache fruit. Dark fruit. Blackberry and black cherry. And black olive./ Rich approach, with fine acid cut. Tails off to more tartness and fluidity than the 05. Not as showy as the 05, but perhaps more useful at the table thanks to the acidity. Yes, lively, tangy, and gulpable. Great value. 15.9. WT091207-12. 05 LA PLAYA COLCHAGUA CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (CHILE) Very sweet, very ripe berry nose. Jammy. Also a grassy element./ Again, jammy. Brett, leather. Plenty of acidity. The acidity and the sweet ripeness seem uncoordinated still. Some stem green. Not my favorite La Playa. 14.8+? WT091207-13. 04 OBVIO MENDOZA MALBEC - (ARGENTINA) Deep and plummy. More plum and berry than the usual malbec black cherry. Very pure fruit, generous and stylish. Vanilla and cream overtones./ Racy berry, briar, and peppercorn flavors. Reminds me of Rhone syrah. A very intriguing, entertaining wine that I’d never guess was from malbec. It’s not Obvio-us, at least. 16.2. WT091207-14. 06 MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO, QUATTRO MANI - (ITALY) Fresh and polished, forward blackberry fruit with touch of southern warmth, even a hint of port-like grip./ Polished and juicy, with some youthful malic raciness. Hints of char and lead pencil. Good everyday red that’s not quite as savory as the 05. 15.5. WT091207-15. 05 TOSCANA LAGONE, AIA VECCHIA - (ITALY) Dark, concentrated, intense fruit. Sweet, ripe, black cherry, cassis, plum, tobacco, cured meat. And more oak complex than either the 03 or 04. What generosity and range! Kick-@#&*/ Good oak-fruit integration on the palate already. Intense black fruit. Plentiful, very fine-grained tannin. Ripe, sweet, focused core fruits with layers of floral and feral extras. Will develop nicely over the next 1-2 years. 16.4+. WT091207-16. 05 ROSSO DI MONTEPULCIANO SABAZIO, LA BRACCESCA - (ITALY) Sweet, cool, calm, pretty black and red raspberry aromas with floral overtones. A wine with finesse. Lovely./ Rich and ripe cherry and berry fruit flavors. Good density; a lot of presence. And ease. Soft and forward. Now that I tasted it, I ready to start drinking it! 16.3. WT091207-17. 05 ISOLA DEI NURAGHI PERDERA, ARGIOLAS - (ITALY) Boy, this is also pretty. Red fruits and flowers–it’s like putting my nose right into the center of a carnation./ Balanced, complex, and elegant. Great acidity. A winner. 16.4+. WT091207-18. 05 RIBERA DEL DUERO ROBLE, CONVENTO DE OREJA - (SPAIN) Smoky black fruits, solid, deep, handsome, spicy. Dense, fruity, forward, sassy./ Sweet, lively, heady. Fine tannin for texture. Well fashioned, appealing modern red that is not particularly expressive of its origin. 16.5. Wednesday, September 5, 2007 WT090507-01. 06 MUSCADET SEVRE ET MAINE, DOMAINE DE BEAUREGARD - (FRANCE LOIRE) Oh! Really tingly, stimulating. Grips and etches the nostril lining. Full of apple and other green fruit perfumes. Citrus peel too–lemon marmalade. This is fully charged./ Big, big, flavor intensity. Fabulous extract and acidity. Both fleshy and minerally. Well structured, lengthy. Whoa! Love this Loire vintage. Shades of 02. Very popular
with the group. 16.5+. WT090507-02. 06 GUENOC LAKE COUNTY SAUVIGNON BLANC - (U.S.) Pungent grapefruit, citrus zest, gooseberry, grass, and passion fruit. Open and vigorous./ Tropical fruit galore. Zingy, zappy, lots of cut. Serve with spicy Asian and Latino fare. 16.0. WT090507-03. 06 WALNUT CITY WINE WORKS WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT NOIR - (U.S.) True, crisp, fresh, and bright. Cherry and pitch. Wonderful richness as well as Oregon raciness./ Smooth textured. Good pinot fruit character. Smoky aura. Needs a few months to bulk up. 15.9+. WT090507-04. 06 COLONIA LAS LIEBRES MENDOZA BONARDA - (ARGENTINA) Whoa! Fresh and exuberant, with bonarda strawberry, Beaujolais gamay, and flowers elements. Sweet cherry too./ Fat and sassy black fruits. Good heft and generosity. Zesty acidity, good extract, and full flavor. Fine tannin. Flows nicely. A great food wine. 16.4+. WT090507-05. 05 COUSINO-MACUL ANTIGUAS RESERVAS MAIPO VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (CHILE) Classic stewed black currant, game, and Smith Bros. licorice. Solid, dense, large, and powerful./ Full, round fruit and tannin foil. Fine balance and depth. Game, brett, cowhide. Spices, nuts, tobacco, earth. As always. This is old-time Chile cabernet at its classic best. 16.4. WT090507-06. 05 CASTLE ROCK NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON - (U.S.) Perfumed, sleek, charming blackberry, raspberry, and milk chocolate. Spicy airs. Good and zesty wood toast and savor. Reminds me of hickory chips. Sweet black fruits within 05 bracing./ Yes, good wood toast and spice. Blackberry cabernet fruit. Some vanilla and toffee. Good acidity. Worthy of Napa. Very popular with the group as a value. 16.1. WT090507-07. 04 GIRARD ARTISTRY NAPA VALLEY RED - (U.S.) 63% cabernet sauvignon, 13% petit verdot, 12% malbec, 9% merlot, 3% cabernet franc. Big, bold, assertive, ambitious, sweet, toasty, concentrated. Black and blue berries. Oak vanillin, 04 fruit ripeness, full strength./ Yes, strong, bold, broad, bombastic, loaded. Both oak and fruit intense and balanced. Nicely polished, well crafted. Accolades galore. Full, ripe
tannin, plenty of grip and length. Huge presence. Awe-inspiring. 17.5+. The group was in awe. WT090507-08. 05 OC, DOMAINE PUYDEVAL - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 60% cabernet franc, 30% syrah, 10% merlot. Wonderful, sweet, spicy fruit flair. Red and black raspberries and black pepper. Just right. A treat./ Bright and racy. Flows nicely. Good acidity. Facile and flowing texture. Plenty of zesty fruit flavor. This is mighty pleasant. Easy drinkin’. Cabernet franc, huh? Don’t seem much of that in the south. Maybe there
should be more. 16.1. WT090507-09. 03 UMBRIA TRESCONE, LAMBORGHINI - (ITALY) 50% sangiovese, 30% ciliegiolo, 20% merlot. Ciliegiolo is a soft blending partner for sangiovese named for its cherry-like flavor. Like an 03 claret. Full, strong, gamy, ripe-vintage wine. Vigorous and penetrating, with olive and anise notes../ Sweet and strong. Ripe, intense cherry, blackberry, and strawberry flavors. Tar, tobacco, and nut extras. Multi-faceted.
16.2. WT090507-10. 05 SICILIA NERO D’AVOLA, CUSAMANO - (ITALY) Juicy, ripe, and aromatic. Direct and generous. Fresh cherry and black licorice aromas./ Vibrant cherry flavor. Brisk, high-altitude acidity. Has the resources. 16.0. WT090507-11. 05 ISOLA DEI NURAGHI COSTERA, ARGIOLAS - (ITALY) Cannonau (grenache). Oh! Sweet, dark, intense fruit. Bright acidity. Crunchy black currant. Wisp of marjoram./ Yes! Oh so cool and fresh fruit for Sardinia. Long, flavorful, lively, and very juicy. Lovely. 16.6+. WT090507-12. 04 VERONESE CAMPOFIORIN, MASI - (ITALY) Intense cranberry and cherry hard candy aromas. Neat. 04 coolness and blackness speaks. In fact, it suppresses the ripasso character for now./ Ripasso sweetness overlaid with 04 blackness and coolness. Great acidity. Nice texture. Very young. 16.2+. WT090507-13. 05 COTES DU RHONE VIEILLES VIGNES, DOMAINE DE L’ESPIGOUETTE - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Perfumed and alluring; refined, coy. Great bramble and black pepper zestiness. Big, savory, and full of garrigue expressions. 05 fruit quality, clarity. The usual style and attractions here./ 05 polish, suavity. Full flavor range includes red and black raspberries, garrigue, flowers, pepper jerky. Great elegance and flair.
Fine, racy fruit acidity. 16.6+. WT090507-14. 05 COTES DU RHONE RESERVE, DOMAINE GRAND VENEUR - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Yes! Full, grand-scaled, thick, ripe black fruits plus game. Warm, smoky savors. Totally saturated./ Dense, powerful, large. Really turns up the volume, pumps out the fruit. Plump, fleshy, seductive, engaging fruit flavors and textures. Villages intensity, range. 16.6+. WT090507-15. 03 VACQUEYRAS, LES BOIS DE MENESTRAL - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Warm, ruddy, strong, open, alluring, ready. 03 style and forward-ness. Smoky, assertive, old-style Vacqueryas, full and lush. Black raspberry, bright cherry, baked plum, roasted nuts, tobacco, game, garrigue./ Just as ample and complex on the palate. Chewy texture, fine tannins, good balance, good depth. Full 03 volume, viscosity, openness,
generosity. Enjoy with fall and winter fare. 16.4. WT090507-16. 05 MAURES UNOAKED CHARDONNAY TERRA VITIS, JULES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) Nice, cool, pear-like nose. Unusual to get pear instead of apple from a chardonnay./ Yes, more pear, and something riper and more outspoken too–but not to the extreme of tropics. What is it? Melon? Kumquat?. Good acidity and texture. 15.7. WT090507-17. 05 CAIRANNE COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES BLANC LES SALYENS, CAMILLE CAYRAN - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 50% grenache blanc, 20% roussanne, 10% each clairette and marsanne, 5% each viognier and bourboulenc. Open and warm, exotic, inviting. Peach and granola./ Perky and nicely scented. Strong, viscous, assertive. Not many Cairanne blancs around. This one certainly reflects the warmth and power of the reds. Serve through
winter with poultry and pork. 16.0. WT090507-18. 06 COTES DE PROVENCE ROSE TERRA VITIS, JULES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 30% each syrah and grenache, 20% each carignan and cinsaut. Full, with fine peels and fruit pulp contributions. Really quite full for a Provence rose, but has an appropriately delicate side too. Bright acidity etches the nostrils./ Sleek, racy, polished, sophisticated. Full and smooth. Yes, unusually bold for a Provence rose. Well liked
by the group. 16.2. WT090507-19. 04 COTES DE PROVENCE ROUGE TERRA VITIS, JULES - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 50% grenache, 25% each carignan, mourvedre. Ripe, dark, gamy. Stewed plums. Rich. The carignan and mourvedre make strong contributions./ Sleek, classy, subtle black fruits, 04 dark and restrained. Needs time for the palate to fill out and reflect the nose’s amplitude. 16.0+. WT090507-20. 01 CAIRANNE COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES LES SALYENS, CAMILLE CAYRAN - (FRANCE MEDITERRANEAN) 50% grenache, 30% syrah, 20% mourvedre. Ruddy, ripe, warm, sweet, and gamy. And Cairanne black. A heavyweight./ Rich and large and sweet in the mouth, especially for an 01. Really ample, texturally. Good acid and alcohol form a nice balance. 16.3+. WT090507-21. 05 BODEGA BOUZA LES VIOLETAS CANELONES TANNAT - (URUGUAY) Organic. Intense, full, concentrated. Sweet oak veneer, featuring vanilla, coconut, dill. Sassy and alluring. No rough tannat edges./ Smoky oak and full tannat concentration and tannin, but, again, no roughness. Blueberry, peppercorn, and game flavors. Good acidity. Very ample, bold, generous. For big fare: beef and game. 16.3+. |
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