Deep red.
Vinturi - rich nose of herbs, chocolate, black cherry and light toast.
Interesting mouthfeel - nice breadth, but quite focused too. A medicinal/saline quality shows up. Good length. This could easily be confused with something from Oz. The finish is bound up by acid/tannin/saline synergy. Also from Lujan de Cuyo.
$16
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Luigi Bosca "Reserva" Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza 2006
Deep red.
Vinturi - nose shows some sulfide action (earth/onion) and nut/tar.
Round with a bit of textural sweetness. Interesting grapefruit/lemon zest lift/flavors are intense and finish lean. Could be mistaken for Spanish Garnacha. In the mouth, at least.
$17
Vinturi - nose shows some sulfide action (earth/onion) and nut/tar.
Round with a bit of textural sweetness. Interesting grapefruit/lemon zest lift/flavors are intense and finish lean. Could be mistaken for Spanish Garnacha. In the mouth, at least.
$17
Monday, May 10, 2010
Assorted Spanish Tempranillo-based wines 5/8 Tasting
Blind tasting at the Boulet hosehold, 5/8.
Artadi "Pagos Viejos" Rioja 1994 - wine of the tasting for me (and almost everyone else). Absolutely incredible, beautiful, integrated wine that was the lightest in weight/power in the tasting. Meat, earth, pepper, cola - whatever. Out of this world.
Mauro "Terreus" Castilla y Leon 1996 - another wine that was just stupid, especially with air/food. Deeper/more powerful than the Artadi, but just a bit less integrated. Splitting hairs. This really freaked me out as it absorbed O2. My second favorite.
Pintia, Toro 2004 - Definitely younger than the first two and less complex/evolved. But this is freaking loaded. Aromas of earth, cinnamon, nut sauce, wax, cocoa. Fortunately, we have several bottles of this. Number three for me.
Many thanks to Mike and Bonnie Irwin and Tony and Rita Vickers for supplying these three wines. And Doug at Feast for some incredible beef action and potatoes.
Artadi "Pagos Viejos" Rioja 1994 - wine of the tasting for me (and almost everyone else). Absolutely incredible, beautiful, integrated wine that was the lightest in weight/power in the tasting. Meat, earth, pepper, cola - whatever. Out of this world.
Mauro "Terreus" Castilla y Leon 1996 - another wine that was just stupid, especially with air/food. Deeper/more powerful than the Artadi, but just a bit less integrated. Splitting hairs. This really freaked me out as it absorbed O2. My second favorite.
Pintia, Toro 2004 - Definitely younger than the first two and less complex/evolved. But this is freaking loaded. Aromas of earth, cinnamon, nut sauce, wax, cocoa. Fortunately, we have several bottles of this. Number three for me.
Many thanks to Mike and Bonnie Irwin and Tony and Rita Vickers for supplying these three wines. And Doug at Feast for some incredible beef action and potatoes.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Montevetrano, Colli di Salerno 2004
Red/purple.
Vinturi - hazelnut/herb/ash/toast/black cherry nose.
Deep and intense from the outset, with nice clarity. Linear feel, with great mid-palate density which flows through the finish. Hits an acid/tannin wall that shuts down the mouth. Unfortunately my first (and only) bottle of Montevetrano. Should have opened this 10 years from now.
$65. Italy's first cult wine from the south, if I remember correctly, from photographer Silvia Imparato. Mostly Cabernet with a bit of Aglianico. Riccardo Cotarella as consultant.
Vinturi - hazelnut/herb/ash/toast/black cherry nose.
Deep and intense from the outset, with nice clarity. Linear feel, with great mid-palate density which flows through the finish. Hits an acid/tannin wall that shuts down the mouth. Unfortunately my first (and only) bottle of Montevetrano. Should have opened this 10 years from now.
$65. Italy's first cult wine from the south, if I remember correctly, from photographer Silvia Imparato. Mostly Cabernet with a bit of Aglianico. Riccardo Cotarella as consultant.
Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Medoc (Bordeaux) 2003
Purple/red.
Vinturi - cinnamon toast, perfumed black raspberry, earth and subtle herbs on the nose. Beautiful, deep, expressive.
Round and packed in the mouth, with a grainy density. Loaded through the mid-palate, with slightly dry tannin taking over in the finish. But this has a serious pulse, particularly for this vintage. RFG and certainly worth cellaring for many more years.
$45? Can't remember.
Vinturi - cinnamon toast, perfumed black raspberry, earth and subtle herbs on the nose. Beautiful, deep, expressive.
Round and packed in the mouth, with a grainy density. Loaded through the mid-palate, with slightly dry tannin taking over in the finish. But this has a serious pulse, particularly for this vintage. RFG and certainly worth cellaring for many more years.
$45? Can't remember.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Yarra Yering, Dry Red Wine No.1, Yarra Valley 2002
Red, evolved rim.
Vinturi - nose seems a bit heavy (ironically, 12.4% listed alcohol) - nut paste/sauce, herbs, tar and perfumed red fruit underneath.
More lively as it airs.
Definitely light-weight with an immediate sense of leanness thanks to strong acid/tannin synergy and no flesh. All herbs in the mouth. Is this thing in a dumb phase? Hopefully, otherwise it's the first YY bottle I haven't enjoyed.
$75. Great contrast in style.
Vinturi - nose seems a bit heavy (ironically, 12.4% listed alcohol) - nut paste/sauce, herbs, tar and perfumed red fruit underneath.
More lively as it airs.
Definitely light-weight with an immediate sense of leanness thanks to strong acid/tannin synergy and no flesh. All herbs in the mouth. Is this thing in a dumb phase? Hopefully, otherwise it's the first YY bottle I haven't enjoyed.
$75. Great contrast in style.
Quilceda Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington 2002
Red/purple.
Nose of super-ripe (but fresh) strawberry, black cherry, sexy oak spices, hazelnut sauce and forest floor. Extremely attractive.
Round and plush with a decent bit of textural sweetness. Great mid-palate material and flavor flow. Tannin/acid synergy bites into the finish a bit, as does a bit of alcohol. Herbs and dark chocolate late. Built for many more years in the cellar.
$90. Opened yesterday - thus no Vinturi today. 14.9% listed alcohol.
Nose of super-ripe (but fresh) strawberry, black cherry, sexy oak spices, hazelnut sauce and forest floor. Extremely attractive.
Round and plush with a decent bit of textural sweetness. Great mid-palate material and flavor flow. Tannin/acid synergy bites into the finish a bit, as does a bit of alcohol. Herbs and dark chocolate late. Built for many more years in the cellar.
$90. Opened yesterday - thus no Vinturi today. 14.9% listed alcohol.
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