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Tasting Notes
July/August, 2008

Tasting Notes Contents Page

QPR Winner   I give this award to wines that demonstrate an excellent Quality to Price Ratio. They are sometimes more expensive than the wines featured in my Best Buys section (which is cut off at $20), so while every Best Buy is also a QPR Winner,  not every QPR winner is an official Best Buy.  QPR winners are simply wines that are great values for a relatively  reasonable price. 

Alsace  Australia  Bordeaux  Calif/USA  Dessert/Sparkling  Germany  Italy   Rhone/S/SW France Spain

Alsace (except dessert/sparkling)
2005 Pinot Gris "Schwarzberg" (Dirler)
This is an interesting wine, in that it seems to have some contradictions. It is dry-ish, but it seems very rich, and I would suspect it was picked late. I wondered in fact if there was a bit of botrytis on it. There are caramel tinges on the finish, and if sugar is not very obvious, the richness of the wine is certainly apparent. Lush, and smoothly textured, it coats the mouth, but it doesn't always remind me of a nice, young Pinot Gris. 87 points.

2007 Gewurztraminer (Mittnacht Freres)
This entry level Gewurz from a producer I did not know is fairly priced ($17) and pretty good. It is light in the mid-palate, correct and easy going. Just off dry, it shows ripe fruit and a clean, modest finish.  86 points.

1993 Gewurztraminer "Goldert" (Zind-Humbrecht)
This wine seems largely dried out, the fruit have lost a lot of flavor. It is dry and austere, and it would be best to drink it up in the near future, I think. That said, the mid-palate is still deep, and projects a fat feel. It still coats your mouth. It is not great ZH, but in a dry, brooding style, it has something left to offer. 85 points.

1994 Gewurztraminer "Clos Windsbuhl" (Zind-Humbrecht)
Far better than the last two bottles I have had of this, this wine seems to be back in form. It is pleasant when poured, friendly and charming. It somehow, at age 14, explodes in the glass, fleshes out and becomes simply mouth coating, utterly delicious, sweet, lively and sunny. A bigger contrast between this and a bottle I had a few years back cannot be imagined. This may not have quite the structure and intensity of its sibling, the '94 Hengst, but it is in most respects everything you want in great Gewurz. 97 points.

2002 Gewurztraminer "Clos Windsbuhl" (Zind-Humbrecht)
Pungent and focused, this opens with aromatics to spare, and expands beautifully in the glass with air and warmth. Bright and persistent, it becomes more luscious with time, while retaining a certain refreshing quality. Off dry and ripe, it is nonetheless quite elegant. It coats your mouth and doesn't let go. It seems light on its feet, but the finish and subtle unctuousness make it linger more than you thought it would. 92 points.

2002 Gewurztraminer "Saint-Hippolyte" (Deiss)

Friendly and easygoing, this is quite sweet at the outset. Yet, it is also rather delicate, light in the mid-palate and lively, giving it a charming and sunny demeanor. The finish is succulent and reasonably persistent. This never strikes me as distinguished, but it is a lot of fun.  89 points.

2005 Gewurztraminer "Furstentum Vielles Vignes" (Albert Mann)
Very sweet and sugary on the finish, this Furstentum is light on its feet, youthful and exuberant. It is not showing much Gewurz typicity at the moment, as the sugar is dominating everything else, but it should round into form in a year or so; in fact, with air, its parts started to harmonize. This is a crowd pleaser. 90 points.

2005 Gewurztraminer "Steingrubler" (Albert Mann)

This was somewhat troublesome, a wine with nice focus, good depth and beautiful balance, but also something odd on the nose. I attributed the funk to reductive aromas. If this blows off, as it may, it should be a lovely wine, another beautiful Steingrubler from Mann. If it doesn't, the wine will be marred, but not ruined. 89 points.

1998 Pinot Gris "Clos Windsbuhl" (Zind-Humbrecht)
In its youth, this was a rich and decadent Pinot Gris, something that seemed luscious, while still retaining some character. It transcended the variety. As often happens with late harvest wines as they age, time has tamed it. It seems remarkably elegant now, graceful, off dry but not sugary, impeccably balanced and utterly charming. I think I rather liked the initial incarnation a little more, but while this has turned into something different, it is still something special. 95 points.

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Australia (except dessert/sparkling)
1996 Shiraz "The Footbolt Old Vines" (d'Arenberg) QPR Winner 
I always wondered what would happen to this value-priced wine with some age on it, so I stashed a bottle away to find out. The results were reasonably successful, although not spectacularly so. It is burdened with kirsch nuances, but that was true to some extent when it was young, too. It is very bright at this juncture, and there is some evidence of thinning, but the fruit is still alive and still has flavorful, even if earthy and tertiary nuances are prominent. This doesn't seem young, but it does not seem like an oxidized mess either. It is a pretty nice drink for about 45 minutes. It does begin to fade at that point, the alcohol taking over and the fruit diminishing, leaving a somewhat harsh finish. 85 points.

2006 Pinot Noir "Original Vineyard" (Bindi)
This Aussie Pinot Noir has to be commended, I suppose, for trying to make some elegant. But you know that old saw about elegance being a euphemism for thin and watery? This is so light in color as to be see through. Granting that color in a wine is not always dispositive, especially for Pinot Noir, this time the color completely predicts what is going on with this wine. There is simply no "there" there. Simple, with modest flavors and little structure, it is hard to believe this is such a young wine. It simply comes up short on all fronts. 82 points.

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Bordeaux (except dessert/sparkling)

1995 Chateau Fourcas-Loubaney

This wine is aging fast, thinning,  showing itself to be austere, hard edged and weedy now, with lots of acid, too, and an astringent finish. What there is not is much remaining fruit. It seems past prime, still worth drinking but little more. It does, to its credit, show better after 15 minutes of air than on opening. It is by no means a total loss.  85 points.

1989 Chateau L'Evangile
Beautifully wrought, this is elegant and earthy, opening fast, but still young and perhaps still able to improve. It seems rich at first attack, but also bright and lively, harmonizing nicely with air and time. This was a tight, ungiving wine at times over the last decade, but its moment has come. Graceful, sensual and delicious, it unfolded in the glass as long as I had it. 94 points. 

1990 Chateau Beau-Séjour Bécot
Lovely on opening, this seems tight, focused, precise and gripping, with fine depth and good body. It is lush and luscious as it opens. My only complaint is that it rounded into form rather quickly and while other comparable wines continued to improve, it hit a wall, and did little more. It is still an underrated wine that is a pleasure to drink. 92 points.

1989 Chateau Beauséjour-Duffau
Every time I come back to this wine, it seems better. Full bodied, fresh and focused, this has muscle but a sexy texture and mouthcoating finish. It seems rich and opulent, with a lot of underlying power, still, but it is more open than ever before. A lot of '89s, it seems to me, have opened in the last few years. This is still overshadowed by its brilliant 1990 counterpart, but it is no slouch.  95 points.

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California/USA (except dessert/sparkling)
2002 "Hard Core" (Core)
This blend of Mourvedre, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon has pretty much reached a point where it should be drunk for best results--not a particularly good performance, despite how well it showed young. The '02s from Core as a group have matured fast and fallen off the table fast. That said, this was an early vintage for Core, and I think their wines have gotten better and better. It's also a winery that cares about balance and is unlikely to produce ponderous monsters with alcoholic burns.  So, this fairly early effort is what it is, but the future is bright. The mid-palate here is rather light, there is just a tingle of tannins on the end, and the Grenache seems a bit cloying now.  This is still pleasant at times, but it is clearly on the downside.  86 points.

1993 Merlot  (Paumanok)
Modest, light, with pleasant but simple flavors, this was a wine that, when served blind, was hard to identify. It shows some flavor and has a bright, pleasing finish, with  little structure and no obvious signs of decay. I note that last point because in this context that is a very good performance. Imagine--a 15 year old Long Island Merlot actually drinking decently. Granting that it is of no distinction and modest quality, it is still relatively fresh and pleasant. Not bad, and actually kind of surprising. 84 points.

1999 Merlot "Peterson Vineyard" (Switchback Ridge)
This opens showing pretty nice concentration for its age, and lots of fruit flavor. I initially liked it quite a lot. Its undoing was the alcoholic burn on the way down. It seemed to moderate a bit as the fruit opened up (probably more a matter of the fruit opening up...), but never went away. The harshness on the finish made this a chore to drink, and ultimately I didn't want to any more. 85 points.

2005 Merlot "Napa" (Chappellet)
Light and elegant, the cheerful demeanor of this easygoing wine was rather spoiled by a heavy gamey note, presumably brett, that pretty much overwhelmed the wine. It blew off a little, but never completely. It's a shame, because the wine has some charm and gracefulness, and could be otherwise fun to drink. It is very accessible and seems ready now. 85 points.

2002 Merlot "Atlas Peak" (Veraison)
Simple, light, and easygoing, this friendly Merlot provides some modest structure and basic flavors. It goes nowhere fast, has modest depth and not a lot of intensity, but it is pleasant and drinks nicely. 86 points.

2002 Merlot "Paradise Hills" (Blankiet)

Lush and oak driven on opening, this came together pretty well in the glass, integrating its parts nicely, showing some focus and elegance as well. The best part about this wine, and what lifts it above the average, is the finish, mouthcoating and unctuous--making the wine seem fat, even though it is not. Whether this is worth its price is of course another issue, but it is a rather pleasing Merlot. 90 points.

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Dessert/Sparkling
1989 Johannisberg Riesling "Edelwein Gold" (Freemark Abbey)
Dark amber in color, this wine is nonetheless much fresher than I originally thought, and in somewhat better shape than the 1991 version I had recently, although not quite as sweet. There is actually live fruit here, and the wine has a certain bright and friendly demeanor, along with plenty of sugar, to go with its more mature aspects. It is not quite in the prime of life, but it is not all oxidation and tertiary notes, either. Very pleasing. 88 points.

2001 Sauternes Kosher Cuvée (Chateau Guiraud)
The only hint that this is Kosher is the labeling on the back--other than that, the label is normal on the front. I note the Kosher aspect just for those who care, but once again, this wine demonstrates that there is no reason per se to be afraid of a Kosher wine. This opened tight and closed, with lots of caramel, oak and botrytis evident, but little fruit. It developed beautifully, however, with the wine unfolding and and the oak integrating, the sweetness restrained but there. This has a long way to go, and at this juncture it is a wine better cellared than drank, although it is certainly approachable. It will probably show better around 2011 and hold gracefully for many years after. 92 points.

1999 Riesling Beerenauslese “Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl” (Paul Anheuser)
Since my last taste, this, served from 375ml, has not improved, and in fact seems to have slid a bit. It has nice balance still, and is of little distinction still, but the fruit now seems to be drying out as well.  For young BA, I hope for a bit more. 85 points.

2006 Viognier Late Harvest (Calera)
This is off dry, a bit sharp, and a bit simple, not really enough to be a dessert wine--more like an aperitif. It is pleasant enough, but middle of the road and rather foursquare, showing little distinction. 86 points.

2002 Gewurztraminer "Les Vigneaux" (Andrew Rich)
A bit hard edged on opening, lychee-nuanced, and with considerable acidity, this is a wine that took some getting used to, but I eventually warmed up to it. It had enough sweetness to cut the hard edges, and also some lactic notes. 88 points.

1995 Champagne "Cuvée Création" (Vilmart)
Pointed, bright, young and elegant, this is a very pleasing sparkler with a fruity finish. The length is average, and the intensity modest. 89 points.

2001 Gewurztraminer Cluster Select Late Harvest (Navarro)
Since my last note, this has developed beautifully. Not quite as unctuous as it was a few years ago, it substitutes lychee nuances and provides Gewurz typicity. It is a wine that could've been made in Alsace--high praise indeed. Sweet but no longer really fat, its finish is a beautiful meld of sweetness and acidity, with the variety obvious all the time. Just lovely. 94 points.

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Germany (except dessert/sparkling)
2002 Riesling QbA (A. Kesseler)

Sharp, austere, hard and pointed, this QbA, legally a Spatlese I'm told, is just off dry and a bit charmless. It has its moments, including some fierce intensity, but it never quite seems harmonious. 85 points.

2006 Riesling Kabinett "Schwarzhofberger" (Egon Muller)
Subtle, light and delicate, this crisp Kab sometimes feels like it is almost but not quite there. It is saved by the lovely finish, surprisingly persistent and round, despite its light and bright demeanor. This is just a bit fruity, dry-ish, but not austere. It is charming and easygoing. 87 points.

2003 Riesling Auslese "Niederhauser Hermannshohle" (Donnhoff)
Sweet, quite delicious and quite sexy, this is showing a lot of sugar up front and on the finish, but not much structure or acidity.  Typical of the vintage, it seems a bit plush, yet the mid-palate is still quite elegant. This is a very good wine that is simply delicious and a pleasure to drink, but I would've liked just a little more indication that it had some intensity under the layers of sugar. It seems as youthful as if it were just released; it will likely hang on for a long, long time. From 375ml. 93 points.

2006 Riesling Auslese "Niederhauser Hermannshohle" (Donnhoff)
Compared to the '03 on this page, this '06 seems to have a certain solidity, more balance, less obvious sugar, more minerality apparent. Its finish is beautiful, lingering, persistent and chock full of flavor. Still showing lots of baby fat, it is open and expansive and delicious at the moment. It obviously has a long way to go. From 375ml. 95 points.

2006 Riesling Spatlese "Dorsheimer Goldloch" (Diel)
This was a tasty surprise. It is pungent, with a nose that you can smell a foot away. Elegant in the mid-palate, it nonetheless never fades even a little, delicately dripping sweet, delicious fruit onto your palate. It is on the sweeter side, and it should age beautifully. 91 points.

2002 Riesling Kabinett "Piesporter Goldtropchen" (R. Haart)
This Kabinett is just beautiful, open, expansive, and drinking perfectly, still young, but a little past the baby fat stage. This is one of those beautiful blends of acidity and sugar that Germany does so well. It surely must qualify for Spatlese, despite the Kabinett designation, as it is lush and deep. While not intense, it has the necessary acidity and is simply delicious. With air, it shows some minerality as well. 89 points.

2005 Riesling Spatlese "Oberhauser Brucke" (Donnhoff)
This, frankly, didn't impress as much as I might've hoped. It is gentle and sweet, with the acidity hidden at the moment, in a "first look" sort of stage. It certainly needs some time to come around and show some complexity. I liked its elegance and gracefulness, but it needs to show some complexity and intensity with a little more time in the cellar. 90 points.

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Italy (except dessert/sparkling)
2006 Barbera d'Alba "Gallina" (La Spinetta)
This is rounded on the edges,and it has beautiful fruit, but it is also quite tart, not unusual for this grape. As nice as its fruit is, the acidity level is hard to deal with at times. The finish, not surprisingly, is mouth watering. It is nice that the fruit is almost as juicy as the acidity is piercing. There are times when this is a bit of a chore, and other times when it is quite attractive. 88 points.

2003 "L'Errante" TB (Bussola)
A Bordeaux-blend (80% Merlot), this is amusingly called "L'Errante," similar to Gaja's Darmagi, indicating atypical wines in a region that some purists may lament. Philosophical issues aside, it is a lovely wine, rich, bursting with fruit, and impeccably balanced. The lingering finish is succulent and flavorful, and the texture lush and sexy. They should have more such "errors" in thinking, if they all turn out this way. 93 points.

1997 Amarone Classico "Vigneto Alto" TB (Bussola)
Wow. Full throttle, no holds barred, bursting with fruit and flavor, and a little sweet on the end, this grabs your palate and doesn't let go. Yet, for all that--its balance is impeccable, actually, it shows bright and friendly, never ponderous for a second. It is also youthful and it is hard to believe it is over a decade old at this point. Delicious and sexy, this beauty is another notch in this winery's belt. 96 points.

2003 La Poja (Allegrini)
La Poja is not usually the Allegrini product that I would pick for an Amarone-like wine, but in this year it is unusually rich and quite fruity on the finish. If it is not your more restrained style of La Poja, it is, however, quite delicious, ripe and flavorful, a little decadent and hard to resist. Its structure is not, perhaps, quite as good as the 1997 reviewed here, but it has a "can't keep hands off" quality that is quite appealing in its own right. 91 points.

1997 La Poja (Allegrini)
There was a time when I thought this wine had peaked a couple of years ago, but at this juncture, I'd have to recant. Throughout the evening, this beautifully wrought IGT expanded in the glass, fleshed out and showed intensity of flavor and persistence on the finish. If it is not quite entirely young, neither does it seem anywhere close to being mature, or chock full of tertiary nuances. Vibrant and in the prime of life, this should hold easily for another decade. It coats the mouth with fruit, and has some backbone, too. 93 points.

1996 Valpolicella Superiore (Dal Forno Romano)
This opens bright and dry, a bit austere and a little earthy. With air, some tar and leather notes comes out, but also the fruit does, too, and the wine gets sweeter, in a good sense, although always cut with an herbal note, a touch of green. Persistent and focused, this elegant Valpolicella is aging gracefully and can go a long way still. 91 points.

2000 Valpolicella Superiore (Dal Forno Romano)
Ripe, but focused and pointed, this has a velvety texture, and a lovely, bright finish that lends the wine a certain succulence on the end, and cuts the rich fruit. I liked the way its parts blended together, the whole being greater the parts, to paraphrase. It has nice persistence and penetration on the finish. 92 points.

2001 Brunello di Montalcino (La Campana)
This is ripe, with a certain licorice overlay, pleasant and fun, but simple and foursquare, showing little grip or depth or finish. It is an average Brunello that does nothing to distinguish itself. 87 points.

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Rhone/South/SW France (except dessert/sparkling)
1995 Chateau La Sauvageonne
This Languedoc was brilliant in '92 and '94. The '95, while a couple of steps off of those performances, was still pretty nice. At this point in its life it has probably slipped a notch off peak, but still shows nicely, although the mid-palate has thinned considerably. It is elegant, with some gamey nuances and a graceful feel. 86 points.

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Spain (except dessert/sparkling)

1999 Tinto (Teofilo Reyes)
Oak-tinged on opening, this nonetheless proves it has quite a lot more to offer.  Elegant in the mid-palate, it turns earthy with some air, and the finish becomes more penetrating and rather gripping. It is also rather bright, and the acidity is quite prominent. I was not completely convinced by this wine, but it has some class and shows a lot of persistence on the finish that belies its ordinary opening. 90 points.

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