Saturated purple/red.
In complete contrast to earlier vintages ('98/'99), very sophisticated, pure nose of high-quality oak with deep blackberry jam and clay/earth tucked under.
Quite packed in the mouth, with a confectionary element confronted by a massive wall of grainy tannin that nevertheless comes off as finely rendered. More importantly, flavors ride through this structure as if they are on two different tracks. I have little doubt this will age extremely well.
Another example of a producer with incredibly intense raw materials backing off on extraction (even though this is still wildly structured). My guess is better de-stemmer (lots of whole berries) and lower fermentation temps. Better (finer) barrels too.
Change started in 2000.
Day 2 - The visual clarity and relative fineness of the wines (since 2000) also makes me wonder about (probably light) filtration. This would be another tool to add finesse to wildly concentrated fruit. Forget what the back label says.
Day 4 - Quite confectionary on the nose now, and completely packed in the mouth. Interestingly, this really has little flavor complexity, "just" great depth and purity for a wine this loaded. More of (basically) one thing.
I wonder what what this would be like with some Malvasia for lift and spice?
$50
Friday, June 29, 2007
Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape 2000
Red, rust rim.
Discreet nose of red cherry jam, earth/meat, spice and garrigue/herbal tea. Iron/blood as a late arrival.
Round and mouth-filling. Acid-dominant structure frames flavors immediately, giving the front teeth a good coating of mineral/tannin chew. Quite refined in all aspects, however. Again, there is a suggestion of Pinot in the lightness/fineness of touch without any sacrifice in flavor length. Tanzer's "inner-mouth perfume" in spades.
No sense of purposeful extraction here.
Beautiful.
Day 4 - End of bottle. A bit more open-knit than day 1, but has lost nothing. The Avrils have little to worry about as long as they kick out wines like this. The New World, myself included, can't match the class (and easy complexity) here (yet).
$50
Discreet nose of red cherry jam, earth/meat, spice and garrigue/herbal tea. Iron/blood as a late arrival.
Round and mouth-filling. Acid-dominant structure frames flavors immediately, giving the front teeth a good coating of mineral/tannin chew. Quite refined in all aspects, however. Again, there is a suggestion of Pinot in the lightness/fineness of touch without any sacrifice in flavor length. Tanzer's "inner-mouth perfume" in spades.
No sense of purposeful extraction here.
Beautiful.
Day 4 - End of bottle. A bit more open-knit than day 1, but has lost nothing. The Avrils have little to worry about as long as they kick out wines like this. The New World, myself included, can't match the class (and easy complexity) here (yet).
$50
Kongsgaard Chardonnay Napa 2003
Yellow.
Creamy, vanilla, oak-dominated nose with some ripe pineapple underneath.
Very plush, oak-influenced flavors. Subtle lemon and pineapple notes also, with mineral chew providing nice framing structure. Very easy-going and delicious. Relatively long, refined oak finish.
This is tasty, but is it any wonder why Riesling sales were up 26% last year? Malvasia and Gruner Veltliner can't be far behind.
Day 2 - I should have realized this needed air time. Dried pineapple and lemon zest, petrol (ironically Riesling-like), sulfide/truffle nose. Still smells creamy. Mineral/sulfide structure is bracing and immediate, with lemon custard flavors a bit dis-jointed in mid-palate. Wild today, nothing easy-going here. I can't remember a wine changing this much in one day.
Day 4 - Petrol now dominates nose, round caramel-enhanced palate, with serious mineral chew in long caramel finish.
$75
Creamy, vanilla, oak-dominated nose with some ripe pineapple underneath.
Very plush, oak-influenced flavors. Subtle lemon and pineapple notes also, with mineral chew providing nice framing structure. Very easy-going and delicious. Relatively long, refined oak finish.
This is tasty, but is it any wonder why Riesling sales were up 26% last year? Malvasia and Gruner Veltliner can't be far behind.
Day 2 - I should have realized this needed air time. Dried pineapple and lemon zest, petrol (ironically Riesling-like), sulfide/truffle nose. Still smells creamy. Mineral/sulfide structure is bracing and immediate, with lemon custard flavors a bit dis-jointed in mid-palate. Wild today, nothing easy-going here. I can't remember a wine changing this much in one day.
Day 4 - Petrol now dominates nose, round caramel-enhanced palate, with serious mineral chew in long caramel finish.
$75
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas 1999
Red with rust rim.
Smoke and salami aromatics.
Very plush entry, round, very suave compared to Bouissiere, but also less concentrated and interesting. I think this has seen a bit of filtration.. No doubt, however, this will appeal to a broader range of folks, as it still wears a brett influence, only more gently, and finely, packaged. Nice, pure, cherry finish.
$25
Smoke and salami aromatics.
Very plush entry, round, very suave compared to Bouissiere, but also less concentrated and interesting. I think this has seen a bit of filtration.. No doubt, however, this will appeal to a broader range of folks, as it still wears a brett influence, only more gently, and finely, packaged. Nice, pure, cherry finish.
$25
Turley Grist Vyd. (Dry Creek) Zinfandel 2002
Deep red.
Lifted, spicy red fruit nose. Exotic wood and meat too. Savory.
Sweet entry, slightly abrasive mid-palate acidity cuts flavor considerably. But it kicks back in, forcibly, on long, acid-enhanced finish.
15.7% alcohol, but seems lower, and quite light-handed in extraction.
$45?
Lifted, spicy red fruit nose. Exotic wood and meat too. Savory.
Sweet entry, slightly abrasive mid-palate acidity cuts flavor considerably. But it kicks back in, forcibly, on long, acid-enhanced finish.
15.7% alcohol, but seems lower, and quite light-handed in extraction.
$45?
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Maurel "Les Galets Blonds" Chateauneuf du Pape 1999
Red, rust rim.
Iron, nuts, meat and red cherry sauce. Expansive compared to the Bouissiere.
Round and relatively generous in the mouth. Blood/iron initially, then garrigue kicks in. Much more giving than the Gigondas,
but there's a wild density in the Bouissiere that I love. Kirsch kicks in on long mildly chewy finish.
Actually a good example of the difference between these two apellations. Gigondas deep, but short on refinement (best examples) - Chateauneuf more suave, heady and fruit-driven.
$30
Iron, nuts, meat and red cherry sauce. Expansive compared to the Bouissiere.
Round and relatively generous in the mouth. Blood/iron initially, then garrigue kicks in. Much more giving than the Gigondas,
but there's a wild density in the Bouissiere that I love. Kirsch kicks in on long mildly chewy finish.
Actually a good example of the difference between these two apellations. Gigondas deep, but short on refinement (best examples) - Chateauneuf more suave, heady and fruit-driven.
$30
Domaine La Bouissiere Gigondas 1999
Deep red.
Salami and spicy red fruit nose. Actually quite attractive. Smoke and garrigue nuances too.
Quite concentrated in the mouth, with intense spicy garrigue and root vegetable flavors. Black cherry shows up late. Structured throughout with grainy tannin, but flavor concentration keeps it on the sidelines.
Funny - my first bottles several years ago were hard as nails, and critical reviews were lukewarm. Gave many bottles away.
I'm keeping the rest. This would be great with (again) lamb stew.
Day 3 - Gamey character now in the background, garrigue front and center. My 10 year old says Fuji apple. I'll be damned, but it does smell of cinnamon sprinkled apples (too). But flavors are distinctly beet root and resinous herbs, with slightly aggressive (stem?) tannins. Gigondas as the Cornas of the south?
Packed and totally killer wine. A large, extended middle-finger directed at those looking for seamless, confectionary wines.
$25
Salami and spicy red fruit nose. Actually quite attractive. Smoke and garrigue nuances too.
Quite concentrated in the mouth, with intense spicy garrigue and root vegetable flavors. Black cherry shows up late. Structured throughout with grainy tannin, but flavor concentration keeps it on the sidelines.
Funny - my first bottles several years ago were hard as nails, and critical reviews were lukewarm. Gave many bottles away.
I'm keeping the rest. This would be great with (again) lamb stew.
Day 3 - Gamey character now in the background, garrigue front and center. My 10 year old says Fuji apple. I'll be damned, but it does smell of cinnamon sprinkled apples (too). But flavors are distinctly beet root and resinous herbs, with slightly aggressive (stem?) tannins. Gigondas as the Cornas of the south?
Packed and totally killer wine. A large, extended middle-finger directed at those looking for seamless, confectionary wines.
$25
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