Red.
Opened yesterday - expressive nose shows effects of stem inclusion - pungent garrigue, spice box, tomato, tree bark/earth and red cherry.
Lively entry shows spicy garrigue and a load of acidity that ratchets down the mouth. Pure and precise with no sense of textural sweetness or fat. Lesec must be a fan of Burgundy. Very persistent, spicy and fresh. Little obvious fruit character, which probably has as much to do with the vintage as anything else. Fun stuff.
$25.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Font-Sane "Tradition" Gigondas 2007
Deep red/purple.
Vinturi - very deep nose of black fruit, black licorice and earth. Some garrigue with air time, but this comes across as thick and a bit leaden.
Broad and deep in the mouth as well, with spicy black fruit and a citrus lift in the finish. Significant acid/tannin synergy constricts the front teeth. Very impressive, but lacks some freshness. Maybe best to drink this early?
Day 3 - Still very deep and rich, but shows more freshness and garrigue lift. Quite welcome. Loaded and highly recommended.
$18? Courtesy of Chris and Sarah Hamilton.
Vinturi - very deep nose of black fruit, black licorice and earth. Some garrigue with air time, but this comes across as thick and a bit leaden.
Broad and deep in the mouth as well, with spicy black fruit and a citrus lift in the finish. Significant acid/tannin synergy constricts the front teeth. Very impressive, but lacks some freshness. Maybe best to drink this early?
Day 3 - Still very deep and rich, but shows more freshness and garrigue lift. Quite welcome. Loaded and highly recommended.
$18? Courtesy of Chris and Sarah Hamilton.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Bouissiere, Gigondas, 2007
Deep red/purple.
Vinturi - deep, spicy/peppery, saucy, savory meat and earth nose is killer. It even manages to convey an impression of textural sweetness/"plushness".
Great depth in the mouth with a packed, creamy mid-palate I've never seen from the brothers Faravel before. Spicy/earthy/peppery cherry compote flavors with an acid/tannin edge that surfaces slowly. This is RFG. It will be hard to cellar this (too good now), but it should age quite well. The '99 version is just hitting stride.
$35
Vinturi - deep, spicy/peppery, saucy, savory meat and earth nose is killer. It even manages to convey an impression of textural sweetness/"plushness".
Great depth in the mouth with a packed, creamy mid-palate I've never seen from the brothers Faravel before. Spicy/earthy/peppery cherry compote flavors with an acid/tannin edge that surfaces slowly. This is RFG. It will be hard to cellar this (too good now), but it should age quite well. The '99 version is just hitting stride.
$35
Friday, December 17, 2010
Daniel Bouland "Delys" Morgon (Beaujolais) 2009
Bright red/purple.
No vinturi - killer, lifted nose - spicy/peppery crushed raspberry/blackberry and earth with a floral element. Nice depth.
Quite powerfully flavored middleweight. Intense peppery/spicy black fruit flavors slowly taper off in the face of strongish acidity. Extremely impressive and without question the best Beaujolais I've ever tasted.
$25. From a vineyard planted in 1926
No vinturi - killer, lifted nose - spicy/peppery crushed raspberry/blackberry and earth with a floral element. Nice depth.
Quite powerfully flavored middleweight. Intense peppery/spicy black fruit flavors slowly taper off in the face of strongish acidity. Extremely impressive and without question the best Beaujolais I've ever tasted.
$25. From a vineyard planted in 1926
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Kongsgaard, Syrah, Napa Valley 2002
Saturated purple/red.
Vinturi - great, edible, nose - menthol/melted licorice/meat/fig paste/menthol. Completely melded. Killer.
Great depth/breadth in the mouth. Acid/tannin synergy slowly shows itself, but never shuts down the flavor flow. Mid-palate flesh is crazy, and shows, like the other cool-climate Syrahs tasted recently, a citric component that gives lift and life. But this is all about fleshy, corpulent pleasure taken to another level.
$100.
Vinturi - great, edible, nose - menthol/melted licorice/meat/fig paste/menthol. Completely melded. Killer.
Great depth/breadth in the mouth. Acid/tannin synergy slowly shows itself, but never shuts down the flavor flow. Mid-palate flesh is crazy, and shows, like the other cool-climate Syrahs tasted recently, a citric component that gives lift and life. But this is all about fleshy, corpulent pleasure taken to another level.
$100.
Durand "Lautaret" St Joseph 2003
Saturated red/purple.
Vinturi - extremely deep nose of black licorice, pepper, seared meat, grilled oak spice and earth/sulfide. With air, this gains lift from a subtle citrus nuance.
Deep, thick and loaded in the mouth. Earth and black fruit flavors again gain freshness from a citrus undertone. Reminds me of the recently tasted Samsara, only more dense and compact. Huge tannic freight train in the finish. But nothing to worry about, as this is loaded to the hilt.
$35
Vinturi - extremely deep nose of black licorice, pepper, seared meat, grilled oak spice and earth/sulfide. With air, this gains lift from a subtle citrus nuance.
Deep, thick and loaded in the mouth. Earth and black fruit flavors again gain freshness from a citrus undertone. Reminds me of the recently tasted Samsara, only more dense and compact. Huge tannic freight train in the finish. But nothing to worry about, as this is loaded to the hilt.
$35
Pegau, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2001
Evolved red, brick rim.
Vinturi - wildly expressive, complex nose - grilled & wilted herbs/tomato jam/kirsch/pepper.
Round and mouth-filling with grainy density/concentration and considerable tannic clout. Shows great flavor complexity in the mouth as well - garrigue/tomato/cherry/grilled meat/earth. Thank God some folks still include stems. Crazy finish keeps kicking out the flavor jams..
$60 FK.
Vinturi - wildly expressive, complex nose - grilled & wilted herbs/tomato jam/kirsch/pepper.
Round and mouth-filling with grainy density/concentration and considerable tannic clout. Shows great flavor complexity in the mouth as well - garrigue/tomato/cherry/grilled meat/earth. Thank God some folks still include stems. Crazy finish keeps kicking out the flavor jams..
$60 FK.
Clos du Caillou, Reserve, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1999
Red.
Vinturi - wonderful, expressive nose - woodsmoke, cherry jam (or coulis?), truffle/earth/tree bark and sexy oak spice.
Restrained sweetness in the mouth with significant acid/tannin synergy. Has a full mid-palate of fleshy red cherry coulis and a purity/fineness that is typical of the wines from the late/great JD Vacheron. Not sure that this will ever fully express in the mouth.
$65
Vinturi - wonderful, expressive nose - woodsmoke, cherry jam (or coulis?), truffle/earth/tree bark and sexy oak spice.
Restrained sweetness in the mouth with significant acid/tannin synergy. Has a full mid-palate of fleshy red cherry coulis and a purity/fineness that is typical of the wines from the late/great JD Vacheron. Not sure that this will ever fully express in the mouth.
$65
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Chateau Peyros "Vieilles Vignes" Madiran 2003
Saturated purple/red.
Nose of earth/iodine, black fruit and horse shit. Far better than it sounds.
Expressive in the mouth, though far less dense than Bouscasse' (and maybe better for it?). Still wildly intense and lifted, with a load of tannin that will make many shit their pants. But its real - and needs real food - like Bouscasse'. Stuff that's loaded with fat, carbs and pleasure. Pork and lamb fat would be a very good place to start..
$30? Cheap for something that changes perspective. 60% Tannat, 40% Cabernet Franc.
Nose of earth/iodine, black fruit and horse shit. Far better than it sounds.
Expressive in the mouth, though far less dense than Bouscasse' (and maybe better for it?). Still wildly intense and lifted, with a load of tannin that will make many shit their pants. But its real - and needs real food - like Bouscasse'. Stuff that's loaded with fat, carbs and pleasure. Pork and lamb fat would be a very good place to start..
$30? Cheap for something that changes perspective. 60% Tannat, 40% Cabernet Franc.
Chateau Bouscasse' "Vieilles Vignes" Madiran 2003
Deep red.
Relatively open-knit nose. Bordeaux-ish. Herbs, toast and black currant.
Expressive in the mouth too (for Tannat). Round and simultaneously quite tight and tannic. Needs fatty meat and butter dishes in the worst way. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but this shows unusual nuance and typical crazy structure.
$25? Owned by Alain Brumont of Chateau Montus. A movie script of a life in wine if there ever was a good one. 100% Tannat.
Relatively open-knit nose. Bordeaux-ish. Herbs, toast and black currant.
Expressive in the mouth too (for Tannat). Round and simultaneously quite tight and tannic. Needs fatty meat and butter dishes in the worst way. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but this shows unusual nuance and typical crazy structure.
$25? Owned by Alain Brumont of Chateau Montus. A movie script of a life in wine if there ever was a good one. 100% Tannat.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Kongsgaard, Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2004
Light yellow.
Butterscotch/buttered pineapple/truffle/popcorn nose. Deep.
Shows an alluring, initial, textural sweetness and lightness of touch. Great concentration and corresponding cut/chew. Loaded, with ridiculously long finishing flavors of pineapple, sulfide/truffle and mineral action that works the salivary glands. All mineral late, coating front teeth in crushed rock.. FK.
Butterscotch/buttered pineapple/truffle/popcorn nose. Deep.
Shows an alluring, initial, textural sweetness and lightness of touch. Great concentration and corresponding cut/chew. Loaded, with ridiculously long finishing flavors of pineapple, sulfide/truffle and mineral action that works the salivary glands. All mineral late, coating front teeth in crushed rock.. FK.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Samsara, Syrah, Melville Vyd., Santa Rita Hills 2007
Opaque Purple.
Opened yesterday - nose is simultaneously deep and wildly perfumed - strawberry/fig coulis, citrus blossom, earth, licorice, camphor. Killer.
Great breadth in the mouth, but no textural sweetness. Citrus character amplified in the mouth, becoming increasingly "zesty" in both flavor and feel as you move into the mid-palate and finish. Shows multiple layers, with plenty of depth to balance strong acidity. Really distinctive, interesting CA Syrah that should get even better with extended bottle aging. RFG.
$45? Gift.
Opened yesterday - nose is simultaneously deep and wildly perfumed - strawberry/fig coulis, citrus blossom, earth, licorice, camphor. Killer.
Great breadth in the mouth, but no textural sweetness. Citrus character amplified in the mouth, becoming increasingly "zesty" in both flavor and feel as you move into the mid-palate and finish. Shows multiple layers, with plenty of depth to balance strong acidity. Really distinctive, interesting CA Syrah that should get even better with extended bottle aging. RFG.
$45? Gift.
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