2006 Luneau Papin Cos des Allees Muscadet
Silvery gold in color, clear and bright. Great nose of minerals, crushed shells and the slightest whiff of citrus. On the palate, this is not as cutting as some vintages. Still delicious and complex but lacking the verve of 04 and 05. It all about minerals. It is still young and in fact was better on day 2. Some of my favorite wines and incredible QPR. 50+3+13+16+7=89

2007 Mark West Pinot Noir California
$13 Ohio. One of those high volume grocery store Pinot’s. Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose is faint but has decent cherries. Medium bodied. On the palate, this is simple and thin but within that constraint, varietally correct. Just barely there. Never got any better. Certainly drinkable, but just missing. 50+4+10+13+3=80

2005 Ridge Lytton Springs
Unfortunately this bottle tasted like it had seen some heat damage. Slightly pruney and raisiny, this was drinkable and had some nice moments, but not a correct bottle. NR.

2007 Ferrante Golden Bunches Dry Riesling (Ohio)
$13. This was good. Not just for Ohio, but a very nice Riesling. Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose has minerals and grapefruits. Juicy texture. On the palate, while I might not describe it as bone dry, it is dry. Young, but seems age worthy. Nice complexity. Has some pineapple especially on the finish. Well done. 50+3+12+17+6=88

2004 Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano D’Abruzzo
This has really come together in the last year. Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is earthy with dark cherries and a surprisingly not unpleasant streak of cedar. Full bodied. On the palate, this wine has integrated and while still young, it is complex with excellent black cherry fruit. Also some leather. Medium tannins. Really a nice showing. If it had tasted this good young, I would have bought a couple more. 50+4+12+18+7=91

Luneau-Papin not here in AB-land but Nicos gifted me a bottle when I was in London recently!

This has GOT to be some of the worst plonk I have ever tried. They sell it by the glass here and its horrid stuff. I question the varietally correct part though, glass I tasted could have had syrah in it

The '07 has that cut and more. "08 will slice you up. Some exciting LP to come.

Phillip, I assume a wine this mass produced has some bottle variation. That said, if you gave it to me blind, i would have guessed Cal Pinot. I drank my glass, but had no more. If that's the worst plonk you have had, you are not doing too badly. While I liked the Ohio Riesling, you should try an Ohio Pinot from a cold vintage!

Lyle, looking forward to it. Thanks.

Loren, not THE worst plonk but it was not good. Definitely mass production gunk....

Loren, have you (or anyone else here) ever had Masciarelli's white Marina Cvetic? It's all trebbiano and pretty expensive. I have two bottles of the '02 and have no idea about the style or possible food matches. Is this like Pepe's whites, oxidized and old school? Or modern?

I had the Trebbiano once. Barbara Burlingame served it to me in Rome in March of 2006. It had a ton of oak on it and was slightly oxidized but not to the extent of Pepe or Valentini. I liked it but but wonder how the oak will integrate over time. I will be curious to hear when you pop a cork. It didn't seem like there would be any rush based on how young it was in 06.

I am a big proponent of this wine and the 07 version. Not sure about aging though as the I've had a couple of bottles recently and they were not on the order of the bottles back in November (eg the judging bottle you had). It is showing some seams now, especially a bottle we had on Friday.

The 2006 is holding very well though. The 2008 should be interesting given how bullish everyone across the Midwest has been.

A.

Thanks Loren. Did you have the '02 specifically?

I've had a couple of vintages of Masciareli's Marina Cvetic Trebbiano. (Used to work for the MD wholesaler for what that is worth) and REALLY like it. Full bodied and nutty. Really opened my eyes to what Trebbiano could do. I'm not sure what vintages I had, but I always enjoyed them with a little air.

Love Luneau Papin, and it edges Pepiere Briords ever so slightly for my favorite Muscadet vintage in and out (although I've only been buying this for a few years).

yes, it was the 2002.

Wull, thank you, thank you very much....

Seriously, what a nice coincidence that you had the '02 Loren. I found these for $7.99 each and asked if the price was more appropriate for the regular Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. Nope, said the wine clerk, these last two are $7.99. So I bought them, more wondering if the '02 vintage had something to do with the extreme discount. Maybe it didn't rain so much there, or the white was picked before the flood.