We have been invaded by a passel of friendly Texas wine folk, so went to a great wine restaurant and also raided my basement. These are very roughly in the order we tasted and drank them.
One paradox of posting is that I tend to consume my best bottles with interesting company, which means I am talking with my guests instead of taking notes, which in turn means that the notes below are brief, imprecise and from memory.
A lot of my own roses and other wines were also consumed (a lot of wine was consumed in general!), but no notes on things I import.
Here we go:
At Conundrum Wine Bistro in Freeport, Maine; all ordered from the wine list, most in advance:
1997 Trimbach Riesling ‘Cuvee Frederic Emile’ – Showing lots of both floral and petrol on the nose, solid and balanced on the palate, very dry, almost taut, fully mature but in no danger of a quick exit, exceptionally long finish. Rated 91.
2013 Condes de Albarei Rias Baixas – Nicely vivid, still young with twangy acidity, this is very good now but should improve for a a year. Rated 88, up to 2 points of improvement likely.
2000 Bahans-Haut-Brion – Lovely aromas feature black plums, red raspberries and hints of both earth and iron. Medium bodied with good fruit intensity, lacy breadth and a long, intricate finish. This is a beauty; bigger isn’t always better. A beguiling bottle, a candidate for WOTN and maybe WOTW (wine of the weekend). Rated 94, not likely to fade soon but no reason to hold on; I can’t imagine it getting better.
2002 Ridge Lytton Springs – Sometimes bigger IS better! This is your friendly burly, wise uncle of a wine, with lush black raspberry and blackberry fruit, a strong brambly note and some lovely, loamy earth tones. Still vigorous, it is probably in a sweet spot with enough primary fruit for immediate satisfaction and enough secondary character for interest. Rated 94, pop and pour.
1998 Robert Biale Zinfandel Napa Valley – From a miserable vintage, a light-bodied, still fresh, lively wine with Zinfandel aromas and flavors but none of the heft and density I usually associate with good Napa Zin. An enjoyable nightcap, rated 87, drink up.
End part 1, more to come
Dan Kravitz