TM


Tasting Notes
May/June, 2005

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  Austria  Bordeaux  Burgundy  California/USA  
Dessert/Sparkling Germany  Italy  Rhone/South/SW France   Spain

Alsace (except dessert/sparkling)

2003 Zind-Humbrechts:  These were offered up at a tasting, so let's take them as a group.  This was a very unusual vintage, resulting in wines with very low acidities, according to Olivier Humbrecht. Notwithstanding that, many of the wines seem to show decent acid, although in many instances this impression may in fact be from the unusually high levels of tannins. Olivier noted that the tannin levels were "astonishing." One doesn't normally think of tannins as a significant part of whites, but here we are.

First, the Rieslings. The basic young vines Riesling; a blend of Herrenweg and Gueberschwir, shows dry and bright, with nice texture, coating the mouth. It seems gentle at times, but there is a piercing aspect to the wine, along with notes of slate and some floral nuances. Some thought it was a touch hot on the end, but I thought it did pretty well. Its pricing will likely place it in the low $20s. 85-87 points. The  Riesling Turckheim QPR Winner is a blend of young vines wines from Clos Jebsal and Brand this year. It's often a very good value, and I find it such this year. It is bone dry and very persistent, very intense, a clear step up from the basic Riesling. It has a superior finish, too, and certain classiness. I thought it was a great value in this lineup, outperforming its status. It should run just under $30 or so a bottle, and is worth every penny. 90-92 points.  The  Riesling Herrenweg de Turckheim is another step up in price, but not quality, in my view. It should run in the upper $30s. The nose is powerful, and laden with minerals. It is only an "indice 2" which means perceptibly dry. It has a nice finish and a clear tannic burst. It is a well made wine in every respect, but I don't see it at this time as much if any better than the generic Turckheim. 89-91 points. The Riesling Clos Windsbuhl, another "Indice 2," now gets to be seriously pricey in this lineup. It will probably run close to $60 a bottle. Olivier says that the grapes here were the last to be harvested, but still were not the ripest, this vineyard having been exposed to unusual coolness in 2003. This has no more intensity than the Herrenweg de Turckheim, although there are certainly different smells on the nose. This smells sweet, promising sugar. Yet, it is not sweet at all, and is perceptibly dry. The finish is subtle, but it snuck up on me. It lingered longer than I thought it would and I rather liked its subtle elegance. I didn't think this showed terribly well. 89-91 points. The Riesling Rangen de Thann "Clos St. Urbain" is another big step up in price, taking this over $70 a bottle. This is normally my favorite ZH Riesling. The price still looks scary, but this is a big step up in this lineup.  Suddenly, it's obvious that you are in a very different class. This is a touch smokey, showing beautiful depth and a superb, lingering, full flavored finish. At "Indice 1," it is bone dry, but the fruit is so ripe and full that it seems round, not sharp. I just loved the grip on the finish--the tannins and acids attack your tongue and don't let go. Super. 93-95 points. The Riesling "Brand" has bragging rights for oldest vines in this lineup at 53 years, and is an "indice 3." I was frankly happy to see a little more sugar at this point. There is a sugary, almost botrytisized feel on the nose and first attack. I say "feel," because the finish seems rather dry still. The wine seems fruitier, but hardly sweet. I loved the rich mouthfeel to this wine, although it didn't follow through as well as I hoped. Very nice, though. 92-94 points.

The ZH '03 Pinot Gris bottlings seems a bit odd this year, very austere.  The Pinot Gris "Rotenberg" is dry and austere, big, intense, powerful and tannic. It has has focused power, and seems a bit too severe for my tastes. Let's hope it acquires some charm in the cellar, as well it might. 87-89 points. The Pinot Gris "Clos Windsbuhl" is going to wind up pricier, just under $50 a bottle. It is also an "Indice 1," although it seems fruitier and less severe than the Rotenberg. It seems bright, dry but not so austere, heavy on the finish, lighter in the mid-palate. The finish in fact seems a bit harsh, and I wondered where the lushness was that I usually find in this bottling. I thought, too, that there might be some heat on the finish. I liked this better than the Rotenberg, but not by much. 88-90 points. The Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann "Clos St. Urbain" steps up to around $60 a bottle and is another "Indice 1." Geez. You folks who think this winery makes nothing but fat, sweet wines need to get out more. :)  I liked the balance on this wine, it seems fruitier and more graceful, but there were moments when it seemed a bit simple and straightforward, too. The winery calls the finish long, but delicate. It seemed a little too subtle for me at times. 89-91 points. The Pinot Gris "Clos Jebsal"is the sweetest of this group at "Indice 4." That's still pretty dry for the most part. Don't expect sloppy sweet. It is big and powerful, and the sweetness seems to show mostly on the  attack. It finishes relatively dry-ish, but fruity. This is not quite as round and supple as it usually is, but I was relieved to find some easy fruit, some hints of lushness.  Although this drops back in price to the mid-$50s, it was my favorite of the lineup. Normally, I greatly prefer the Clos Windsbuhl. 90-92 points. The Gewurzs were the stars of this show in my view. The Gewurztraminer "Hengst, indice 4, is beautiful, floral, with lychees on the finish. It is very tight at the moment, and very intense. The finish is long and gripping. It is not particularly sweet as you might think of a dessert wine. There are off dry notes; that's about all. Beautifully structured, intense flavors. This is usually my favorite ZH bottling and it did not disappoint. Around $75. And NOT for the VT! Ouch.  93-95 points. Finally, the  Gewurztraminer "Clos Windsbuhl" at indice 5, is simply charming. Obviously sweet now, but not sloppily so, this is big and round, lush and exotic. It is nowhere near as deep or as penetrating as the Hengst, but its texture is beautiful and sensual. Delectable and delicious. I put this in the same range as the Hengst, but I'd be betting on the Hengst at the upper end, and this at the lower end. 93-95 points.

2001 Riesling "Cuvée Ste. Catherine Schlossberg L'Inédit;" (Weinbach)
This is a superb Riesling in every respect.  It has a late harvest feel to it, it is so opulent, ripe and deep, but it is dry, intense and powerful, too. It has a certain smokey note to it, and the finish shows some metal and slate. The finish is long, and the fruit is persistent for every moment it lingers. Big, burly and full bodied, but surprisingly nimble anyway, this should age well and improve with cellaring. It's too young at the moment, and likely will remain so for another four or five years. 94+ points.

1989 Riesling Vendange Tardive "Brand" (Zind-Humbrecht)
Once it shook off its bottle slumber, it got better and better. Its color is deep gold, and its palate is equally deep. :)   It is mature in demeanor, showing tertiary notes, but is remarkable in its depth. There's a hint of apricot and of botrytis, but it finishes dry at this point in its life. Fruity, but dry. I loved its opulence, and its harmonious presentation. It is round, oily and full in the mouth, with a sensual texture. It manages to project elegance, too. This will not make happy those who want nothing but easy, primary fruit, but it is showing exceptionally well. 94 points.

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Australia (except dessert/sparkling)
2001 Pinot Noir "Samba Side" (Moondara--Prentice Family Vineyards)
This is certainly one of the better and more typical pinots I've had from Australia. It ain't cheap, this current release selling on wineaccess.com for around $65, which seems to be a bit much. Still, it is very good, if hardly spectacular. It opens sweet and charming, with some oaky notes, but it has reasonable pinot weight and some restraint to go along with its flavors. It has a lovely bouquet of violets and rose petals. The fruit at first is not as persistent as I would like, but I was pleased to see the wine wake up and show some grip and structure with air.  This is not profound, but it is a tasty, solid pinot that has more than a few moments of glory. 91 points.

1995 Chardonnay "Yattarna"(Penfold's)
This opens with a big hit of oak, and that's always been there. The wine has always been rather overoaked. The problem now is that the fruit is fading, too. There is some piercing acid in places, maybe even a little alcohol showing, but not a whole lot of fruit. The color is darkening. With air and warmth, it improves slightly, at least integrates a little. But there is still too little fruit, too much oak.  For a heralded bottle, this doesn't cut the mustard any more, assuming it ever did. 84 points.

2003 Roussanne "The Money Spider" (d'Arenberg)
Bright, intense and piercing, this is a lively and aggressive wine that features little that is round or soft. It is pure and clean, though, and it is interesting watching it evolve and warm up. The wine and you wake up together.  This is a wine that can go very well with a lot of foods on a hot summer day. 89 points.
 

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Bordeaux (except dessert/sparkling)
1999 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou
Delicious...this is another great value '99. The fruit is sweet in the mid-palate, but this is maturing fast, like a lot of '99s. There are hints of tertiary notes already, with a little air, some tobacco and leather. The wine is lively still, however, showing a bright, vibrant finish, some intensity and supple tannins. Elegant and appealing, this is not likely to be a long lived Ducru, but it will be very attractive in the mid-term. 89 points.

1988 Chateau Léoville Las Cases
Muscular, and displaying pure power, this opens tights and closed, showing a fair amount of tannin and lots of intensity. It developed and got better all night long, to the point where it also displayed lots of sweet fruit. It remained big and burly, but its components integrated beautifully as time went on.  While this is not the most charming Las Cases you are likely to stumble upon, it is one with surprising depth and finish, concentration and persistence. There are obvious tertiary notes on the wine, despite its effortless power.  This can still improve, and certainly will. 94 points.

1983 Chateau Léoville Barton
Thinning and aging, this shows many tertiary notes and seems past prime. It has enough left so that it actually improved with air, but only a little, and not for very long. This is what the British might call a nice luncheon claret at this time, a bit too genteel, a bit too modest in depth to generate real interest, but possessed of a certain unassuming charm. 85 points.

1990 Chateau Léoville Poyferré
This started slow, and finished strong. Out of the box, it was dumb, a bit thin, and showing little. I was pleasantly surprised to see it shrug off its bottle slumber and come alive. It became silky and smooth, elegant and flavorful, with touches of lead and cigar box. That said, the wine, at this stage, is neither the deepest nor longest you'll find, but I enjoyed the persistence of flavor on the finish, the delectable cherry notes it projected. 91 points.

2001 Chateau Palmer
I'm doubting that this is a great Palmer, but it is certainly a pleasing one. It shows sweet fruit, and seems fairly open and expansive at the moment, relatively speaking.  For all of its friendly charm, it is persistent, and there is grip and intensity on the back end.  I'm not sure about the depth on this wine, but I suspect it will develop that lovely, trademark Palmer bouquet and be a charmer. 90-92 points.

2002 Chateau Palmer
This has a big, pungent bouquet to start, and lingering, very bright finish to conclude. In between, there is great flavor, and good depth. This seems tight, as you'd expect from young Palmer, but it is not forbidding. The tannins are refined. I'm not as sure as some have it that this 02 is definitely considerably better than the 01, as has been said, but I'm thinking at the moment that it has the edge in depth. Time will tell, and I think this will age gracefully.  92-94 points.

2001 Alter Ego de Palmer
Open and friendly, this drinks easy, provides a fine bouquet, and good flavor. It does finish a bit on the bitter side, though, giving off a bitter chocolate flavor nuance.  I wasn't quite as thrilled with that finish, but the wine shows well. 87-89 points.

2002 Alter Ego de Palmer
This is supple and and sensual, with very ripe tannins, but and a fine texture and mouthfeel. Its finish is a bit short, though, and it seems a bit muted. Maybe it will wake up with a couple of years in the cellar.  87-89 points.

1997 Chateau Bahans Haut Brion
This is shows good depth for a second wine from this vintage, and it seemed promising. It is round, lively and supple and had a fine mouthfeel. BUT...then those green, vegetal, olive nuances came out. They got stronger. They seemed more and more vegetal, likely indicating difficulties in getting fully ripe fruit for this blend. In any event, and for whatever reason, this surely spoiled the flavors and finish, and made this a slightly unpleasant wine to taste for me. 83 points.

1993 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Better than I expected, this is still showing some oxidized notes and full maturity. I liked it more than a recent '93 Latour, though, since this didn't seem quite as green at this point in their respective lives. There are some nice notes on the nose, tobacco, cigar box, the usual. The body is not particularly dense, but I've seen a lot thinner, more modest wines from this vintage. Nothing to write home about for a first growth, but this still has something good to offer. 88 points.

1989 Chateau Pichon Baron
A beauty. Lively, yet softly textured, this shows some maturity and tertiary nuances, but that's just for complexity. For the most part, this seems fresh and powerful, very ripe, delectably sweet.  Sweet fruit, complexity, a medley of smells and flavors, reasonable depth and a sunny demeanor. I liked it. 94 points.

2004 Rosé Clairet (Saint-Thibeaud)
This pink Bordeaux has pretty candy notes up front, which resolve into something a little better as the wine gains its footing. It has medium weight, good balance, some charm and elegance. It has a certain refreshing quality, although it flattens out a bit too quickly. Still, quite nice. 87 points.

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Burgundy (except dessert/sparkling)
1999 Clos de Vougeot (Mongeard-Mugneret)
This has a lovely black cherry nose, and a sensual velvety texture. The flavor is great and there is good depth. As it airs out, a touch of game comes out, too, adding some complexity. It stays robust and flavorful throughout the evening. Very nice, and drinking well.  92 points.

2002 Gevrey-Chambertin "Lavaux St. Jacques" (Girardin)
Violets and raspberries open this open, and the bouquet is lovely. The palate is not quite as ready as the bouquet would suggest, though. There are a lot of unresolved tannins here, and good supporting structure in general. The finish is slightly astringent at the moment. There is good fruit and reasonable depth here, though, and around 2008 this should drink beautifully. Give it some time. 90+ points.

2001 Clos de Vougeot (Domaine Leroy)
This wine seems fairly robust, and deep, but it is surprisingly accessible.  There are very ripe, supple tannins, but despite the feeling of fullness, this wine seems to lack some intensity and distinction. The wine also seems to have some significant gamey notes on it that some will love, and others surely won't. On the other hand, this seems to be a bit lacking for wine in its price range, already drinking fairly well. 90-91 points.

1976 Volnay "Santenots" (Ampeau)
Simple and relatively flat in flavor, this seems mute and a bit dull. There is some lively acidity around the edges, but that merely means the acid remains, because for sure there is little flavor to the fruit. Somewhat beyond gentle at this point, this seems well past peak. It was hard to find too many redeeming values to it.  Rather boring, routine and fading. 80 points.

2002 Chassagne-Montrachet "Les Caillerets" (Bernard Morey)
Smooth, buttery and simple on opening, this just kept getting better with air. With air, the nutty notes came out, the lees influences showed. The flavors expanded and the wine began to show beautifully. The finish was delectable, acid mingling with nuts and fruit, lingering for a respectable amount of time. This is very accessible now.  This is a wine that is both balanced and hedonistic. Very nice. 93 points.

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California/USA  (except dessert/sparkling)
1995 Cabernet Sauvignon "Eisele Vineyard" (Araujo)
This is one of the best showings by this wine in a long while. Whether due to bottle variations, or just this wine having gone into a long slumber, I've been less than pleased by the development of this, which, in its youth, I thought was one of the most charming wines California ever produced. Things change...here, for the beter. This was simply exuberant, young and a bit flamboyant, showing very sweet fruit, and, as has been its trademark, a bright, sunny finish. A pleasure to drink, this threw off waves of flavor, and showed good supporting structure all around. Delectable--so it was, so it is again. The fruit has thinned a bit with age, but you hardly notice. 94 points.

1996 Cabernet Sauvignon "Anniversary" (La Jota)
Served blind, this had a certain Bordeaux feel to it. Nicely balanced and very classy, it showed fine depth, and displayed a round, velvety mouthfeel. The flavor was up front, but the beauty of this wine was its impeccable balance, notwithstanding its very concentrated core. The fruit got sweeter with air, and the wine continued to improve. Touches of game on the finish added some complexity. Another great "Anniversary" bottling. 95 points.

1994 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (St. Francis)
Sweet fruit starts this off, and the wine shows lovely cherry notes. There is structure, too, supple tannins on the finish, with hints at this point, of new oak that must have seemed very intrusive when this wine was young. It is medium bodied at best now, but has held very well and shows many pleasing characteristics. A dark horse performer, lively and flavorful. 89 points.

2002 Charbono (Foley)
On release, I thought this was just downright awful.  A year or so in the bottle has revised that to "so-so," and that's a big improvement. The wine shows kirsch notes up front, and some power lurking underneath. Time has allowed this to display some flavor and its components to integrate a bit. Now, it doesn't seem awful, but is perhaps a bit weird. The finish is candied, and has a certain Kool-Aid note to it that I rather disliked. Where does it go from here? I'd expect the fruit to continue to calm down and the wine, therefore, to begin to taste more like wine. But I don't see a lot of depth here, and one question is how thin this will be when it gets to that point. At the moment, while noting that some may like the candied finish, I think I can find wine styles that I like a lot better. 87 points.

2003 Pinot Noir (Paul Hobbs)
This is in an attention-getting style that will please many, but not necessarily pinot enthusiasts. It is ripe, rich and opulent, with lots of sweet fruit. It's very oaky, thick and rather too sweet, even a little candied on the finish. The wine tastes pretty good, but won't be anyone's model of a "typical" pinot. At its very young age it is very approachable and rather soft. Tasty, but a little too flamboyant for its own good. Your mileage may differ. 88 points.

2002 Pinot Noir "Paraboll" (Londer)
This was double decanted a couple of hours earlier, and I'm not entirely sure that it needed it. The wine shows bright and elegant, soft around the edges. It doesn't scream "pinot" in flavor,  and its flavors often seem a touch muted, but in weight and style it is more classic. Actually, if anything, based on this showing, the wine is a little too elegant, needing a bit more stuffing, a better finish, and more intensity. I rate this the same as the Hobbs, above, but while their various merits and demerits add up to the same score, note that they are in VERY different styles. 88 points.

1987 Pinot Noir "Jensen Vineyard" (Calera)
This wine, from Calera's glory days, has held rather well, as Calera's wines tend to do. It was very impressive on opening, taking a few moments to shake off some bottle must. Then, it became quite lively, showing sweet, maturing but vibrant fruit, and seeming very impressive. It still had decent body and depth, and hardly seemed like an 18 year old pinot. There was still some grip on the finish, which was respectably long and lingering. It is impeccably balanced, all the components integrated. The fruit has thinned, certainly, with age, and it finished a bit shorter than it used to, although still surprisingly well. If I had not had this many times closer to its release date, I wouldn't be criticizing it. For awhile, those were the only concessions to age. For the first hour or so, I thought this was simply superb. With lots of air, it did begin to decline, and by the end of the second hour, it was not terribly interesting. Still, a very fine performance that at its peak showed serious wine. 90 points.

1987 Pinot Noir "Rochioli" (Williams Selyem)
Another blast from the past (see, Calera above), this didn't seem to me to have held as well. There are hints of raspberry fruit, and it is gratifying that after a few moments the wine fights off some its bottle slumber.  The acidity melds well with the fruit, going to gentle strawberry now. But the wine has thinned considerably and the acid rather dominates it. It is pleasant for the most part, and still shows clean fruit, but it is thin and well past peak. 83 points.

2002 Pinot Noir (Adelsheim)
Soft and velvety, this blend of vineyards shows nicely. The cherry fruit is tasty, and the wine has a certain gamey aspect that gives it a little distinction, rescues it from total simplicity. It is still rather one dimensional, but it is a nice, very approachable, basic pinot that accomplishes its purposes well. 88 points.

1993 Pinot Noir "Laurene" (Drouhin)
Bright, but not showing much flavor, it has fruit, but it is hard to get much from it. The weight on the wine is excellent for its age, and it drinks smoothly, with a nice mouthfeel. It was hard not to think that the fruit was fading, and the wine losing its attraction as a result, however. It seems to have only decent weight, but is rather dull, and muted. 85 points.

2002 Pinot Noir "Botella" (Sea Smoke)
Bright, with black cherry nuances in the middle, this has typical pinot weight and some bite. The alcohol on the wine seems to show too much to me, though, and the finish is clumsy and a bit harsh. It does have nice flavors and improves some with air, but I couldn't warm up to this wine. There are some things to like here, but the demerits really harm the overall presentation.  85 points.

2000 "Geyserville" (Ridge)
This signature, mostly Zinfandel blend from Ridge is a little off here. It opens rather disturbingly with that over-oaked vanilla/blueberry milkshake feel. Pleasantly, the wine comes around a bit, and shows some life and structure, some modest tingly tannins and hits of acid. It always retains its oaky demeanor. Plus, for those who exalt Ridge as the ultimate in elegance all the time, note that this hits nearly 15% in alcohol. It mostly handles it surprisingly well, but there are moments when the wine seems a bit harsh. The next day (after storage in the fridge on vacu-vin), the wine is much smoother and more mellow, but also a bit simple. This certainly has its moments, and improved with air, but I suspect that anyone new to Ridge who drinks this would wonder what the fuss is about, and why this winery is so esteemed by those who prize restraint and elegance.  86 points.

2002 "Icon" (Ravenswood)
This is a Rhone blend from Ravenswood, but I don't know that it is showing very Rhone-y at the moment. Maybe time will change that. That said, it has very nice balance, good focus, a persistent finish, and a reasonably deep core of fruit that was tasty and very enjoyable. I'd give this another year or two to settle down and unwind, and see if it acquires some more typical Rhone flavors, which it might. 88-90 points.

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon "Estate" (Plumpjack)
This runs around $70, and while not cheap, certainly has its merits. It has a bright, sunny demeanor, is tightly wound at the moment, and rather precisely focused in its mid-palate. The wine did have some herbal notes that I wasn't particularly fond of as a flavor nuance, and it needs to flesh out some with cellaring. Still, this is a well crafted wine that will find an audience. 90-92 points.

2003 Pinot Noir (Ponzi)
Running around $30, this non-reserve pinot from this old line producer is lovely. It has fine depth, a gradually developing nose, and a beautiful mouthfeel with sensual texture. This doesn't leave a whole lot to complain about, even those it is not their reserve wine. 89-91 points.

2002 Pinot Noir Reserve (Ponzi)
If there is a difference between this wine and the '03 "regular," it would have to be--tannins. The '03 regular will hold well, I think, this is clearly built for the longer haul. The fruit flavors are lovely, and the finish is long and bright. There are tannins everywhere. With pinots, there is always the worry that tannins will overwhelm the fruit, but they did seem to me to be in good balance, much more likely to provide support for a wine that age gracefully for a good long while, rather than overwhelm and subdue the fruit. The tannins are there and obvious, but hardly overwhelming. The fruit is still lively and flavorful. I think this is a potentially superb pinot, but it is of the type that won't give us that final answer for a few years. Around $50. 92-94 points.

1994 Cabernet "Frei Vineyard" (Gallo)
This has been an old favorite for the fine value it was, and it has held very well over the years. I was very impressed that on opening, it still seemed rich and vibrant, if fully mature. In fact, tannins popped out on the finish, and the wine had grip. The next day, admittedly, was another story, with the wine showing some pruney notes, a sign of going over the hill and maderizing. Still, it would've been just fine on Day 1. Drink up. 88 points.

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon "Private Reserve" (Beringer)
Fairly typical of the nicer 2000s, this shows some classic flavors and seems tasty and pleasing. There is brightness around the edges that gives the wine a sunny demeanor. But then you notice the problem--the mid-palate is touch short, as is the finish. Tasty, but hard to justify at its typical price. 88-90 points.

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Dessert/Sparkling
1992 Chenin Blanc Late Harvest (Pine Ridge)
This shows lots of caramel, and opened rather ungiving and tight. That didn't last long though---with air, it began showing lots of whiskey notes to go with the creme brulée demeanor, and the wine seemed to be tired and well past prime. Ultimately, there wasn't much of interest here. The fruit is giving up the ghost. 78 points.

1997 Riesling "Cluster Select Late Harvest" (Navarro)
Succulent and bright, this is just another fine CLSH from Navarro, one of the top vintages. It is, as always, very rich, redolent of crushed, oozing, very ripe apricots. The color has darkened considerably, but the wine seems fresh and opulent. For all of that, the wine does have acidity and manages to keep its footing on the finish, which is wonderful. Superb, and drinking beautifully. 95 points.

1999 Port (Quinta do Vesuvio)
Rich, powerful, fragrant and sweet, this is quite delectable. It has refined tannins on the finish, but at the moment, seems mostly lush and sensual. It has structure, but no one will drink this for its intellectual appeal. Just call it sexy. This is a slightly better rating than my last taste of this. 91-93 points.

2002 Riesling Ice wine (Inniskillin)
For some people, these are just too thick, lacking the acidity you find in Germans. I don't agree. They are different, certainly, but they are succulent and gorgeous. This is utterly decadent.  My only complaint is the constantly soaring prices, now up to $70-$80 US per half. That aside, what a beauty. This is intense and luscious, very thick, yet gripping, not sloppy. It is, of course, also very sweet, at a level where diabetics should fear to taste. Simply delicious, you drool thinking of getting more. I think, too, there is a certain refinement and classiness here that makes this a pleasure. This is very young and I frankly have no idea how it will age--but it sure tastes fantastic now. 94-96 points.

2002 Vidal Oak Aged Ice wine (Inniskillin)
Compared to the Riesling, this has a funkier, one might say, slightly foxier nose. On its own, you probably wouldn't comment, but tasted right next to the Riesling, it's obvious how much purer the Riesling is. This also lacks the intensity and grip of the Riesling, but it certainly has some serious merit. For one thing, the finish is simply delectable. I'd take the Riesling over this by a wide margin, but I'm happy to drink this, too. 91-93 points.

2002 Cabernet Franc Ice wine (Inniskillin)
I've never been quite convinced by these Cab Franc icewines. It's nice enough, but just seems a bit odd, candied a bit, leaning a bit too much to strawberry Kool-Aid. It never goes really overboard in that direction, thankfully. It is rather tasty at times, if lacking any of the distinction or pure grip of the Riesling, for instance. 89-91 points.

2002 Vidal Sparkling Ice wine (Inniskillin)
This is another unusual wine--sparkling Icewine! It is actually quite refreshing and charming, a bit like a powerful Moscato. The sparkling element gives it a rather delicate, lighter feel. It thickens perceptibly on the finish, and you sense a greater weight of wine than you get with Moscato. This is certainly quite interesting, and would be fun to pull out in tastings as something really different. I'm not sure what I'd drink it with. Perhaps it is best as an aperitif. The price of $80 a half, though, is rather daunting.  89-91 points.

1995 Champagne "Grande Dame (Veuve Cliquot)
This is just a magnificent Grande Dame. It opens toasty, but with good acid support, too. It is piercing, powerful and penetrating. Its full body is remarkable and this is a wine in the first blush of youth in many respects. I think this needs a good five years before it really reaches peak. Not that it is so bad now. Gripping, opulent and focused, this is superb. 95 points.

1997 Gewurztraminer "Cluster Select Late Harvest" (Navarro)
As with so many Navarro CLSH wines, this is SO sweet, diabetics beware! But Navarro has fine balance, too. Nothing about this is clumsy. After a few moments to shake off some bottle slumber, it drips brightly and with tons of flavor over your tongue. It lacks the structure of the 97 Riesling CLSH, but it is utterly delicious, tinged with mango and pineapple notes. 93 points.

1999 Sauternes (Suduiraut)
Piercing and sharp, the oak predominates here. The fruit seems relatively subdued, and there is not much in the way of an unctuous quality. This seems to be a rather lean, angular Suduiraut, and the oak is far too prominent at the moment. I'd cellar this another few years and hope for some improvement that way, but I'm not expecting a radical uptick in the score. 88 points.

2002 Gewurztraminer Late Harvest "Les Vigneaux" (Andrew Rich)
Lovely.  I am not familiar with this producer, but this is a fine late harvest gewurz. It is tinged with apricots and peaches, and is very sweet. There is a beautiful finish, long and lively, as the wine on the back ends turns sharp, not unctuous. Tasty and delectable. 92 points.

NV Bugey Vin du Cerdon Sparkling Rosé Wine "Méthode Ancestrale" (Renardat-Fâche) QPR Winner
A bit off dry, this wine from a small French appellation near the Swiss border, features a lot of gamay. It is fruity, with good acid, just a touch of sugar, lightly sparkling, and nicely wrought. It is a simple quaffer in a sense, but it is pleasing, tasty and enjoyable, an uncomplicated and inexpensive sparkler for the summer. Around $15.  88 points.

NV L'Hereu de Cava Raventós i Blanc QPR Winner 
For about $11, this is a fine Cava steal.  It is nice and bright, with a super finish. It has good weight and fruit, though not much toast. For its price range, it delivers flavor and a finish, and some depth. I can't ask for much more. 88 points.

1989 Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese "Feilbingerter Konigsgarten" (Lotzbeyer)
This is one of those wines that is just your quintessential hedonistic experience. There's just enough acid, and the high levels of sugar make the fruit settled onto your palate--and cause drooling. You just want more. Tinged with typical apricots, it is mature, but rich, improved with air, and was, most of all, completely delicious. You get the picture. I liked the balance, too, and there were just enough structural components to stop it from being sloppy (not that there is always something wrong with that!). 94 points.

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Germany (except dessert/sparkling)
1991 Riesling Spatlese "Urziger Wurzgarten" (Merkelbach)
This shows pure power at first, lots of acid, lots of intensity. The fruit kept up for awhile, but the gripping acidity rather overwhelmed it ultimately. There were moments when the wine was in good balance, but I suspect this won't ever have a time when the powerful acidity (pure power, not much lemon-lime) is in perfect balance with the aging fruit. Still, it has a lot of merit remaining. 89 points.

1998 Riesling Auslese "Norheimer Dellchen" (Mathern)
Modest in depth and intensity, this wine now seems easy and lush. It rolls gently over the tongue, with a certain velvety sensuality. The fruit is sweet, but  I wished for just a little more perceptible acid and intensity. It never arrived. 88 points.

1994 Riesling Spatlese "Wehlener Sonnenuhr" (J.J. Prum)
Maturing fruit is surrounded by some lemony acid. There is in fact lots of perceptible acid, but mostly of the lemon-lime variety. The acid has a certain tartness to it, rather than projecting much intensity, but the fruit has a gentle flavor that survives it well. Pleasing, but not really distinguished or exceptional.  88 points.

1992 Riesling Auslese "Urziger Wurzgarten" (Merkelbach)
Focused, penetrating and precise, this wine has gripping acidity. The fruit is maturing and obviously so, but it still manages to hold up to the acid well, and integrate its components well. I was waiting to see what happened with air and warmth, thinking  that the fruit might surrender to the acid, but I was pleased to see a beautifully integrated whole emerge. If the wine has a flaw, it finishes a bit short, despite the acidity. Still, very nice, and a fine effort in the vintage. 91 points.

1995 Riesling Spatlese halbtrocken "Ayler Kupp" (Peter Lauer)
Soft and dry-ish, but gentle and fruity, this is round and easy going. This is a fine sippin' wine in the summer. It admittedly demands little of your attention, has little grip on the finish, no piercing acidity, no intensity, a modest finish. At times it seems a bit too subtle. In the end, the flavors pop out and it shows a little more than you think it had. There's just a hint of fruity sweetness. This is very pleasant, if undistinguished. It should be drunk now. 86 points.

1983 Riesling Spatlese "Ayler Kupp" (Bischofliches Konvikt)
This opened with a shattered cork, a flat, dull demeanor, and I frankly wrote it off a bit too soon. Not that it is exactly a remarkable wine in the prime of life. It has a touch of oxidation, and the fruit is past peak. It shows rather too gentle. Yet, for all of that, it regrouped after opening and developed a bit in the glass so that, from a mature wine aspect, there were still some things to like, like its fine mouthfeel and harmonious, round demeanor. It had its moments, dowager that it was. 83 points.

1999 Riesling Spatlese "Urziger Wurzgarten" (J.J. Christoffel)
This is rather disappointing. I had more hope for this when I tasted it young. It is pleasant enough, but seems straightforward, and rather lacking in acid. It is mildly off dry and gentle, easy and simple. Pleasant enough, as I say--but I'd hoped for a lot more.  87 points.  Another bottle I opened a few months later showed more development, and grip on the finish. This may just be in a dumb stage--revisit in 2007.

1999 Riesling Spatlese "Ockfener Bockstein" (Dr. Wagner)

This wine is perfectly charming at the moment, relaxed and casual, but still lively and flavorful. I liked it a lot. There is, however, a very strong petroleum note on the wine that some might find objectionable. I personally thought it melded beautifully with the mid-palate and it seemed distinctive and smokey. Your mileage may differ. 88 points.

1998 Riesling Spatlese "Wehlener Sonnenuhr" (Selbach-Oster)
Yee-ha! There's a big hit of that Mosel acid in a powerful vintage, and it makes your mouth pucker.  This isn't a tart, shrill demon, though. Quite to the contrary, as it warms up, it shows plenty of nice fruit, with mature notes around the edges to balance the acidity levels. It feels full bodied in the mouth, and there's a pleasing finish, too. This is a tightly wound, rather persistent and powerful Spatlese. It does, at times, seem a bit older than the vintage date. 91 points.

 

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Italy (except dessert/sparkling)
1997 Barbera Riserva "Pozzo dell'Annunziata" (Voerzio)
This very pricey "cult" Barbera, served from magnum, just doesn't perform. Served blind, for one thing, no one could guess it was Barbera. Traditional, it isn't. It seemed a touch pruney, a touch overripe. It had good grip and rather aggressive oak treatment that colored the wine--and actually made me wonder whether it was a Foley Claret. While it had some good points at first, some intensity, some lush fruit, it was very disturbing that it declined thereafter rather than improved. Keep in mind that this was served from magnum. This pricey wine made no one happy. 84 points.

1997 L'Insieme (Corino)
This opens with a soft, sensual texture, but then displays plenty of power. The wine is gripping in the mid-palate and on the finish, but the beauty of it is that its full body absorbs the power and the tannin and still leaves you with a wine that seems ripe, lush and rather sexy, for all of its power. Deep, lush and long, this was a pleasure to drink. 94 points.

2001 Rosso "Giusto di Notri" (Tua Rita)
When this opened, I didn't like it so much. It seemed rather thin the middle, yet very intense and piercing. It had some flavor, but no supporting core of fruit. Air matters. It got better and better every moment it sat in the glass, always showing bright and lively, and taking on flesh and weight. The edges were round and soft, a little oak influence in texture that I rather liked.  93 points.

1999 Sagrantino di Montefalco (Antonelli) QPR Winner
Big, and tannic on the finish, this nonetheless showed fruit forward, with delectable red berry fruit flavors. I liked the weight and depth of the wine, but the best part concerned how well its components integrated. Despite formidable tannins, the fruit here held well and was always giving and deep. Its depth and flavor, and softness around the edges mark a relatively modern demeanor.  This is a steal at around $25.  91 points.

1995 Barbaresco Riserva "Pora" (Produttori)
This was classic Nebbiolo in flavor and nose, but much more than that I could not say. It had a nice finish, some brightness and decent flavor, but was also a bit too light and needed some more concentration.  The good news is that this is coming along nicely. It is tasty and enjoyable, if hardly profound. 88 points.

2001 Olmaia (Col d'Orcia)
This Super Tuscan, around $60, is simply luscious.  It is all cabernet, and shows great, sensual texture, a fine finish, and an amazingly sweet, lush core of fruit.  It seems fruit forward as it stands, but there are tannins on the back end that promise that this wine will have structure when the exuberant fruit calms down. 92-94 points.

2001 Rosso di Montalcino (Col d'Orcia)
Under $14, this is simple, soft and fruity, and not a particularly impressive Rosso when compared to things like Pertimali. Still, it's under $14, and in that price range, its pleasing, fruity style goes down well. 85 points.

2000 Banditella (Col d'Orcia)
A little over $20, this is fine deal from this winery. It takes the Rosso, but adds intensity and depth, focus and precision. Its fruit is tasty, but well supported by the wine's structure. Very classy, and nice deal. Drinking well now. 89-91 points.

1999 Brunello di Montalcino (Col d'Orcia) QPR Winner
This Brunello, from a fine vintage, is merely $36, and at that price it is a steal. One hundred percent sangiovese, it is big and powerful, with great structure and impeccable balance.  The finish shows nice acid, but there is also plenty of concentration and fruit to go with the structure. An excellent value, this needs to be cellared, as it is certainly capable of aging and developing well. 92-94 points.

2001 Sassicaia (Tenuta San Guido)
Beautiful, classic cab flavors dominate the attack of this wine, which shows great structure and a bright finish. I liked the texture, too. Yet for all of that, it seems to show little depth and power, and at its $130 price tag, it seems rather underwhelming. A very nice wine, but it is hard to make an argument that would justify its price. 90-92 points.

1999 Brunello di Montalcino (Nardi) QPR Winner
This wine popped on sale at just $29, and is a very nice deal at that price level. It is charming, perfumed and soft, with a lush core of fruit. It displays a less impressive structure, and seems a bit one dimensional at times, but it is very tasty and drinks rather well now. Pleasing, but not profound. 88-90 points.

2001 Ornellaia (Tenuta dell'Ornellaia)
Thick and powerful, but surprisingly supple, this seems to have a little of everything. The core of fruit is so sweet it is sappy. But the mid-palate is dense and lush, and well supported by ripe tannins. This is an exuberant and exotic Ornellaia as it shows now. You could pop this young and be enthused, but I think its balance will also change gracefully as it ages, and it will become a more complete wine. 93-95 points.

2000 Guado al Tasso (P. Antinori)
This is pretty pricey, and I'm not sure it meets the cut for its price level. It opens with piercing brightness, but the wine seems a bit on the light and thin side, showing little distinction. It's certainly pleasant enough, but this isn't a $25 wine. I did not have a chance to decant this, but as it shows now, I'd say that it falls well short of some of those fine mid-90s Guados.  88-90 points.

1998 Brunello (Pertimali-Sassetti)
This was soft and supple a few years ago, and still is.  It throws off ripe fruit and flavor but in the last couple of years, the flavor persistence has declined, perhaps, just a bit, I think. It gives the impression, though, of impeccable balance. As in my last note, the thought did cross my mind that a young Brunello could do with a little more intensity. Still, this is sexy, a real charmer. 90 points.

1997 "Sperrs" (Gaja)
Burly and penetrating, this does most things right in my view. It is full bodied and mouthcoating, with a nice, bright finish, just when you expected only dense fruit. It emits persistent flavor all the time, too, and the finish sunny and lingering. I admired the depth, but most of all the purity of flavor. 95 points.

1997 Barbaresco "Valeirano; Vorsu" (La Spinetta)
Every time I taste La Spinetta's wines I just wonder why I don't buy more. This is typical: chock full of flavor, fruit forward, new wave-ish, but showing power to go with the sex appeal. As it sits, the equation changes dramatically it expands in the glass and more tannins burble up. I had this at a trade show not long after release and I feared the tannins were a bit too much, but its evolution has been impressive. It is persistent and well balanced. This will improve a little with more cellaring but I don't see massive improvement in the offing.  93 points.

1988 Barolo "Cerequio" (R. Voerzio)
Maybe it's the bottle, maybe not, but this seems to me to be showing its age. It opens oxidized and a bit shaky, but recovers with more air, shaking off the bottle must and waking up. It actually becomes lively, and harmonious. Purer fruit flavors poke through. This is not what you would call a big wine or an intense one at this point, but I did begin to like it more as it aired out. 89 points.

1997 Barbaresco "Cole" (Moccagatta)
This opened tight as a drum. It was utterly gripping in its tannic attack, and was utterly intense. It had plenty of fruit, but it was subdued at the outset. It finished tight, persistent and bright. It took about half an hour and then this wine began to open up, to show how much fruit it actually has. You could now appreciate its power as backbone, not as the whole show. I liked it more every moment I had it. This needs another few years of cellaring, ideally, to hit peak, and I bet that it improves. I do have some issues, though, as the tannins have to continue to integrate with the fruit. I'm betting that my guessing is good, but there is a chance this wine could go back a bit, too. We did not decant this, and should have.  94+ points.

1997 Barolo "Bric del Fiasc"(Scavino)
This was tasted next to the Cole and the Valeirano, above. I rate these wines about even, but their styles are very different, with the Moccagatta the tightest, this Scavino the most forward and the Valeirano in the middle. In my last note on this wine, I said: "The 1997 is unusually opulent for Barolo, sporting intensely assertive fruit and lots of sweet, cherry notes. There is structure there, though, and tannins and acid pop out with air and on the finish. The fruit giv[es] this a rather unusual but very hedonistic feel to it. Not a traditionalist’s wine, but pretty special."  That still sums it up well, although the wine has taken on better balance with another couple of years of aging.  This is a decadent Barolo that will thrill many, but may leave some grumpy traditionalists a bit bemused.  Very approachable, this wine will continue to improve with cellaring in my view. 95 points.

2000 Barolo "Ciabot Manzoni" (Silvio Grasso)
This has astringency on the finish, but otherwise seems a bit short, shy of fruit. Air improves it quite a lot, and the wine becomes livelier, without being oppressive. The tannins seem riper, the fruit seems more alive. This looks like a very nice Barolo that is still a bit subdued and closed. 90 points.

1999 Barolo "Vigna Conca" (M. Molino)
Tannic and astringent, this wine seems round around the edges only. I liked its texture, but it was hard to find the fruit, which finally popped through. It stayed tight and stern for as long as I had it, and seemed a bit dumb and closed. I expect this to develop into a pretty good wine, but I can't expect anything truly distinguished of it. 89+ points.

1990 Brunello di Montalcino (Il Poggione)
This opened very musty on the nose, the flavor seemed flat and the fruit fully mature, and perhaps then some. It didn't become anything special at any point, but it is amazing what some air will do to even a more mature wine that opens seeming a bit overly mature. The fruit sweetens with air, and while the mustiness never blows off, it at least moderates to the point where there are many things here to appreciate and enjoy. The wine even showed some moments of liveliness. Nothing truly impressive went on here, though. 87 points.

1998 Brunello di Montalcino (Il Marronetto)
This has a charming cherry almond bouquet and palate nuance. It is youthful and primary in all respects, bright and rather debonair. It is a bit lacking in depth and finish. It is pleasant enough going down, but it goes nowhere in general. There's also perhaps a touch of bitterness on the finish. 88 points.

2000 Chianti Classico Riserva "Berardo" (Castello di Bossi)
Delicious. Full bodied in the mouth, showing nuances of toast and nuts, this is rich, opulent and intense all rolled into one. I liked the respectable finish, too. The fruit is very ripe, throwing off a touch of chocolate. There are piercing notes of acid and tannin, though. It never becomes cloying, or just a fruit bomb. The texture, the mouthfeel are fine, too. 91 points.

1997 "Piaggia"  Carmignano Riserva (Vannucci)
This Super Tuscan is mostly Sangiovese. It opens burlier, and more opulent, than most Sangiovese ever gets to be, though. It throws off tons of flavor, and they are all pristine, pure and delectable. Round and sensual in its mouthfeel, it was hard to resist. 94 points.

2004 Vitiano Rosé Umbria (Falesco) QPR Winner
This is all but a red wine. The disguise is pretty good. Vitiano is, of course, Falesco's entry level designation for great, bargain reds as well. The color here is very dark, and the wine is remarkably full bodied and deep. For just $9.99, you get something opulent that will fulfill perfectly one of my principal rosé functions--letting you drink something cold with foods that might otherwise call for a red. This went great with fried and breaded chicken.  This is not as crisp as some of the other wines here, but its cherry-tinged fruit is well supported with acid and all the components are perfectly integrated. This is the most concentrated pink on the page. It's quite a deal, but for some circumstances and food matchups a lighter, crisper wine will actually work better. 92 points.

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Rhone/South/Southwest France (except dessert/sparkling)

2001 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Beaucastel)
I haven't had this beauty, destined I think to be a great Beaucastel, in some time.  It was open on the table for a short while before I got to it, but I can't say exactly how long. It showed far more open and accessible than on my last taste, when the tannins were very prominent. Here, the show comes from the gloriously sweet fruit. It seems rather lush and the flavor persistence makes you drool a little...  This seems brilliant and gorgeous, with great fruit, flavor and structure. 95-96 points.

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Spain (except dessert/sparkling)
2004 Albarino (Laxas)
This tastes like a lighter-styled Sauvignon Blanc, without the intense grassiness. It is rather light in body, too. Although its depth and finish are modest, and it seems a bit simple at times, it has a certain charm to it, and elegance.  It's a nice summer wine, in particular, refreshing and smelling of, well, summer! Priced around $18.  87 points.

2001 Rioja "Seleccion Madrazzo" (Contino)
This unique wine is not commercially available. The winemaker (Jesus Madrazzo) made 35 barriques and sold them off individually to those who promised not to resell them. Too bad--this is very nice. It opens with sweet fruit, and a soft, velvety texture. It has a rather sumptuous feel to it, and the oak softening the texture shows. The fruit is dark purple, very young looking. Tannins come out with air, and the wine shows some welcome intensity and structure. It is in fact tightly wound, its demeanor softened by the black cherry notes and the sensual texture. 92 points.

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (Finca Son Bordils)
Cabernet from Mallorca? And it's GOOD. You fans of the "different" and "unusual" or wines to fool your tasting group with can look here. But this isn't a trick pony. The wine is well made and for real. It is actually only 90% Cabernet, the rest being Montenegro. The fruit is sweet and juicy and the texture soft. There are ripe, tingly tannins for structure, and it finishes with a hit of tannin that sneaks up on you. That's a good thing, as there were moments when this young wine seemed too soft. I was glad to see the structure poke through. This is very pleasing as it stands, if a bit straightfoward, but I'd like to see it develop a bit in the cellar to merit a better score, and I am not sure it can. It drinks awfully well for a 2003, perhaps a little too well.  Pricing is likely in the mid-$20s. 88 points.

2000 Toro "Paredinas" (Piedra)
This is delectable in one sense, spicy, bright and very tasty. It is young and fruity. It is lively and crisp, perhaps a touch too crisp. More importantly, it also seemed a bit simple and short, going nowhere in particular, and not likely to go anywhere. Pleasant enough on its own terms, it does not do anything distinctive to my mind, and the mid-palate is a bit lacking. 87 points.

1994 Ribera del Duero Gran Reserva (Val Sotillo)
Earthy, and seemingly mature, this is rescued from being boring, soft and dull by a nice, bright finish. There is still some difficulty here in finding much fruit, and the wine seems a bit weedy. There were things here I liked, but not enough of them to counterbalance the other issues. 86 points.

1994 Rioja Reserva "I" (Roda)

This opens a bit earthy, but with a solid and concentrated mid-palate. It is clean and pristine at age 11, and throws off gorgeous flavors, tinged with strawberry and cherry. It has a fine, lingering, flavorful finish, too. As it sat, it evolved beautifully, first showing off its structure, and then resolving into an harmonious whole. A lovely wine.  93 points.

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