Light yellow.
Nose of Meyer lemon flesh and zest, truffle/sulfide, caramel, fresh herbs and a hint of oak toast and grilled meat. Fine, discreet. Creme caramel as it warms/airs.
Huge depth in the mouth, absolutely packed. Even flow throughout with no let up - lemon, caramel flavors are cut by strong mineral/sulfide/acid edge. Takes over the mouth but is not heavy; a confection that isn't sweet. Lemon/caramel "chew" lasts for minutes. This really is off the charts. Incredible.
$125
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Clonakilla, Shiraz/Viognier, Canberra 2005
Purple/red.
Opened yesterday. Suave, integrated nose - subtle eucalyptus, pepper, Andes mint, raspberry.
White pepper front and center in the mouth with a corresponding citrus zest component. Not dense or heavy, but intense and long. Fairly strong acidity drives tannin in moderately chewy citrus/pepper finish. Clean, pure.
$50
Opened yesterday. Suave, integrated nose - subtle eucalyptus, pepper, Andes mint, raspberry.
White pepper front and center in the mouth with a corresponding citrus zest component. Not dense or heavy, but intense and long. Fairly strong acidity drives tannin in moderately chewy citrus/pepper finish. Clean, pure.
$50
Muga "Seleccion Especial" Rioja 2001
Saturated, deep red.
Opened yesterday. Deep smoke, grilled meat, citrus, ripe tomato nose with a suggestion of BBQ sauce.
Linear, with intense citrus and earth flavors. Strong acid/tannin synergy shuts down the finish. Much less expressive than my last bottle several months ago.
$20
Opened yesterday. Deep smoke, grilled meat, citrus, ripe tomato nose with a suggestion of BBQ sauce.
Linear, with intense citrus and earth flavors. Strong acid/tannin synergy shuts down the finish. Much less expressive than my last bottle several months ago.
$20
Monday, July 19, 2010
Domaine des Remizieres "Cuvee Emilie" Hermitage 2001
Deep, slightly evolved, red.
Vinturi - licorice, mint, raspberry coulis, date, earth nose.
Round, mouth-filling. Texturally quite different from the Cote Roties. Reasonably fine-grained tannin more evenly matched with acidity. Resulting chew hits front teeth but does not shut the mouth down. Another "modern" approach to N. Rhone Syrah that works on a textural level, but leaves a bit to be desired in the complexity department. Will it develop additional complexity with more time in bottle? Maybe. Not at all convinced. Today the Jamet rules.
$60
Vinturi - licorice, mint, raspberry coulis, date, earth nose.
Round, mouth-filling. Texturally quite different from the Cote Roties. Reasonably fine-grained tannin more evenly matched with acidity. Resulting chew hits front teeth but does not shut the mouth down. Another "modern" approach to N. Rhone Syrah that works on a textural level, but leaves a bit to be desired in the complexity department. Will it develop additional complexity with more time in bottle? Maybe. Not at all convinced. Today the Jamet rules.
$60
Ogier, Cote Rotie 2001
Slightly less saturated, and evolved, than the Jamet.
Vinturi - interesting - less open, more discreet - iron/game, suave oak spice. An hour later - wildly expressive, lifted, adding black fruit compote and a medicinal nuance.
Round and suave in the mouth, fuller than the Jamet with better structural integration at this point. Intelligent use of new oak (Jamet Sr. apparently used to work in Guigal's cellar), but also less interesting - more volume but less to say. Still, beautiful wine. Even apparent Brett character is well-integrated. Acid-driven tannic chew slowly mounts.
$60
Vinturi - interesting - less open, more discreet - iron/game, suave oak spice. An hour later - wildly expressive, lifted, adding black fruit compote and a medicinal nuance.
Round and suave in the mouth, fuller than the Jamet with better structural integration at this point. Intelligent use of new oak (Jamet Sr. apparently used to work in Guigal's cellar), but also less interesting - more volume but less to say. Still, beautiful wine. Even apparent Brett character is well-integrated. Acid-driven tannic chew slowly mounts.
$60
Jamet, Cote Rotie 2001
Saturated, slightly evolved, red/purple.
Vinturi - great nose - breakfast sausage, licorice, wilted greens, woodsmoke/smoked ham. Hints of black raspberry and tomato. Killer.
Middle-weight impression. Acid-driven tannic structure, dense and linear simultaneously. Structural tension hits the salivary glands where it counts. Deep but light, with smoked meat "perfume" lighting up the mouth mouth start to finish. Acid/tannin synergy clamps down in the finish a bit. Will benefit from several more years in the cellar (6-8?). RFG.
$50
Vinturi - great nose - breakfast sausage, licorice, wilted greens, woodsmoke/smoked ham. Hints of black raspberry and tomato. Killer.
Middle-weight impression. Acid-driven tannic structure, dense and linear simultaneously. Structural tension hits the salivary glands where it counts. Deep but light, with smoked meat "perfume" lighting up the mouth mouth start to finish. Acid/tannin synergy clamps down in the finish a bit. Will benefit from several more years in the cellar (6-8?). RFG.
$50
Prager, Riesling, Smaragd, Achleiten 2004
Full yellow.
Opened two days ago. Nose of spicy grapefruit/lemon marmalade and wax. Deep.
Extremely concentrated in the mouth. Full-bodied. Mineral/tannic chew counters richness immediately. Huge for Riesling. Finish of mineral/citrus "chew" doesn't seem to end. Wild, killer, Riesling that will win converts with red wine only types.
$40. From one of Austria's greatest vineyards (Achleiten).
Opened two days ago. Nose of spicy grapefruit/lemon marmalade and wax. Deep.
Extremely concentrated in the mouth. Full-bodied. Mineral/tannic chew counters richness immediately. Huge for Riesling. Finish of mineral/citrus "chew" doesn't seem to end. Wild, killer, Riesling that will win converts with red wine only types.
$40. From one of Austria's greatest vineyards (Achleiten).
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Domaine La Florane "Terre Pourpre" Cotes du Rhone Villages Visan 2007
Saturated purple.
Vinturi - nose is discreet but loaded with fresh, spicy, black fruit, earth and licorice.
Intense, packed. Even has the tomato/spicy ketchup action that old school CdP often shows, but has pure, fresh black fruit as well. Great acid/tannin synergy keeps this lively - front teeth coated in "mineral" chew. Great mid-palate material to buffer structure. This is stupid. Will benefit from many years in the bottle. FK and a ridiculous value.
$20. 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre.
Vinturi - nose is discreet but loaded with fresh, spicy, black fruit, earth and licorice.
Intense, packed. Even has the tomato/spicy ketchup action that old school CdP often shows, but has pure, fresh black fruit as well. Great acid/tannin synergy keeps this lively - front teeth coated in "mineral" chew. Great mid-palate material to buffer structure. This is stupid. Will benefit from many years in the bottle. FK and a ridiculous value.
$20. 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Livio Felluga, Pinot Grigio, Collio 2008
Straw/light yellow.
Fine, discreet nose - pepper/herb, nut skin, smoke, ripe lemon/apple/pear. Vibrant.
Pepper/herb character immediately takes center stage, with softer fruit flavors hitting in the mid-palate. Still, pepper runs the length of the court. Beautiful acid/light mineral edge keeps this mouthwatering throughout. Way tasty and complex to boot. Not what most folks think of when they hear Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris, for that matter). Individual.
$20. Great, refreshing deal. Tin-lined screwcap.
Fine, discreet nose - pepper/herb, nut skin, smoke, ripe lemon/apple/pear. Vibrant.
Pepper/herb character immediately takes center stage, with softer fruit flavors hitting in the mid-palate. Still, pepper runs the length of the court. Beautiful acid/light mineral edge keeps this mouthwatering throughout. Way tasty and complex to boot. Not what most folks think of when they hear Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris, for that matter). Individual.
$20. Great, refreshing deal. Tin-lined screwcap.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Vieux Donjon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2001
Deep, evolved red. Rust rim.
Vinturi - wild, killer, old school nose - resinous herbs, wood smoke, cherry liqueur, ripest tomato, menthol, Asian spices, grilled meat.
Round, expansive and edgeless in the mouth. Loaded but not heavy at all. Most of the aromatic notes repeat in the mouth. Nice acid/tannin synergy slowly firms things up. Light chew on the front teeth. God this is FK. Long wood smoke/herb finish.
$50. Never the flashiest CdP in its youth, but great with cellar time. This thing should drink well for a very long time.
Vinturi - wild, killer, old school nose - resinous herbs, wood smoke, cherry liqueur, ripest tomato, menthol, Asian spices, grilled meat.
Round, expansive and edgeless in the mouth. Loaded but not heavy at all. Most of the aromatic notes repeat in the mouth. Nice acid/tannin synergy slowly firms things up. Light chew on the front teeth. God this is FK. Long wood smoke/herb finish.
$50. Never the flashiest CdP in its youth, but great with cellar time. This thing should drink well for a very long time.
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