Flight 1
-
2017 Kluisberg Pinot Gris - Belgium, Hageland (28.2.2020)
My 2nd ever Belgian white wine and the first one that was not corked! 12,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. Youthful, waxy and slightly restrained nose with light aromas of some woolly lanolin, a little bit of ripe red apple, light stony mineral tones, a hint of spice and a touch of fresh white fruit. The wine is lively, youthful and fresh on the palate with flavors of ripe golden apples, some steely minerality, a little bit of savory spice, light waxy tones, a hint of woolly lanolin and a touch of white peach. Good, bright and quite structured high acidity. Overall the wine reminds me a bit more of Chenin than Pinot Gris. The finish is long, clean and quite crunchy with enjoyably acid-driven flavors of ripe red apples, some steely minerality, a little bit of woolly, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of white peach.
A very positive and serious effort, although the wine reminded me more of Chenin Blanc than Pinot Gris with its relatively light body, high acidity and slightly woolly tones. The wine isn’t particularly complex, but it is nevertheless wonderfully fresh, clean and showing good sense of intensity. Definitely shows the potential of Belgium as a cool-climate wine country. Although drinking nicely right now, I can imagine this wine will continue to improve for at least some years. Nice! (87 pts.)
Pale, limpid yellow-green color. Very primary and rather sweet yet not particularly heavy nose with quite candied aromas of pear drops, some sour apple candies, light floral notes of apple blossom and other white flowers and a zesty hint of lemony citrus fruits. The wine is crisp, lively and medium-bodied on the palate with bright, somewhat primary and just barely ripe flavors of tart green apples and sour apple candies, some herbal spice and subtle notes of white pepper, a little bit of steely minerality, light citrus fruits of pomelo, a hint of crunchy star fruit and a touch of pear drops. The wine is very high in acidity - especially for a Pinot Gris. The finish is crisp, quite long and pretty racy with rather lean and somewhat candied flavors of tart green apples and pomelo, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of sour apple candy, light bitter notes of pithy grapefruit and apple peel and a hint of pear drops.
A surprisingly crisp, lean and racy wine for a Pinot Gris with a very primary and rather candied overall feel. I have been wondering if Schloss Proschwitz uses the same strain of yeast for all their white wines, because they all seem to taste more or less the same no matter what the grape variety. The wine was structurally enjoyably refreshing, but aromatically quite commercial and uninspiring. Even though I love both Pinot Gris wines and German 2015 wines, this really isn’t a wine I’d purchase again. It might be possible the wine would lose its candied characteristics with age and become somewhat more interesting if cellared for long enough, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Not too expensive at 16,50€, but not a bargain either. (84 pts.)
Very slightly hazy onion-skin color. Very characterful and distinctive nose of peppermint, some sweet baking spices, a little bit of caramel oak, light lifted nose of anise and a hint of peach. The cool, herbal tones make me think of Swiss Absinthe for some reason. The wine is broad, waxy and quite full-bodied on the palate with rather singular flavors of caramel oak, bruised apple, some peppermint cough drops, a little bit of poached pear and nectarine, light steely mineral tones, oaky hints of creaminess and savory wood spice and a touch of exotic spices. The wine is moderately high in acidity, keeping it quite well in balance. The finish is rich, complex and very characterful with lengthy flavors of exotic spices, some caramel oak, a little bit of bruised apple, light stony mineral tones, a hint of creaminess and a touch of sweeter tropical fruits.
A very distinctive and characterful wine that would be very difficult to recognize as Pinot Gris. Truth be told, if this wine were served to me blind, I’d have very hard time guessing which variety it could be - or if it is a white wine altogether. Very unique and singular style. Its very high quality is very obvious, but I’m not sure if this is more of a curiosity than a particularly drinkable wine. Perhaps it is just way too young for its own good and it would come together better, if left in a cellar for a handful of years more? Who knows. Good stuff, in its own weird way. Priced according to its quality at 18€. (91 pts.)
Pale and rather youthful greenish-yellow color. Clean, open and quite youthful nose of ripe white fruits, some sour apple candies, a little bit of pineapple, light peachy tones and a hint of pear. No obvious signs of oak, which surprised me a little bit - just sweeter hints of pineapple and other tropical elements. The wine is broad, ripe and full-bodied on the palate with a quite firm and lively overall feel. Vibrant and very youthful flavors of ripe white peach, some stony minerality, a little bit of kiwi and quince, light chalky bitter tones, a primary hint of pear and a touch of tangy salinity. The wine is enjoyably nice in acidity, making it come across as quite fresh and structured despite its size. Bright, refreshing and nicely acid-driven finish is flavors of ripe red apples, some steely minerality, a little bit of crunchy quince, light bitter notes of apple peel and a hint of kiwi.
A stylish, balanced and enjoyably structured Pinot Gris that showed surprisingly little oak influence even though it is supposed to be aged in new oak only. However, stylistically the wine was all too young and primary; you could taste the class and finesse here, but the fruit department was still rather linear and even somewhat primary, making the wine feel quite anonymous and lacking any thrill. It feels like there’s tons of potential here waiting to be realized. Makes no sense opening these at least in the next 5-7 years. Definitely a Pinot Gris for the long run; don’t judge the wine based on my rating, since most likely the score will go way up as the wine ages. Priced according to its quality at 20,50€. (90 pts.)
Flight 2
-
2016 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Turckheim - France, Alsace (28.2.2020)
Sold as just a plain Zind-Humbrech Pinot Gris, but there’s a small “Turckheim” in the label, so apparently this is the village-level wine. Fruit sourced from vineyards located at the Herrenweg part of Turckheim. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, aged for 12 months in old oak foudres. 12,5% alcohol, 1,3 g/l residual sugar, 4,5g/l acidity and pH 3,5.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. Youthful, fresh and still surprisingly primary nose with slightly understated aromas of ripe pear, some stony minerality, a little bit of ripe quince, light flinty mineral tones and a hint of beeswax. The wine is oily, moderately full-bodied and quite youthful on the palate with slightly understated flavors of stony minerality, some waxy tones, a little bit of white peach, light flinty mineral tones, a youthful hint of ripe pear and a touch of spicy red apple. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with somewhat viscous yet still enjoyably lively overall feel. The finish is a bit more acid-driven with quite lengthy flavors of ripe apples, some poached pear, a little bit of perfumed floral spice and a hint of stony minerality.
A fresh and mineral Alsatian Pinot Gris, but one that is still too youthful for its own good, making the wine come across as still a bit primary and slightly too linear at the moment. The overall style here is somewhat oily, which is typical of Alsatian Pinot Gris, but at the same time perhaps slightly too light and thin for the style - it feels like the wine is slightly lacking in stuffing and intensity. Despite coming across as somewhat underwhelming for the style, the wine is nevertheless pretty fine, enjoyable and showing some potential for future development. Most likely will be showing its best only after a handful of years more in the cellar. Perhaps a bit pricey for the style at 20,32€. (88 pts.)
Pale lemon yellow color. Fresh, waxy and expressive nose with fragrant aromas of ripe golden apples, thyme and other aromatic herbso, some beeswax, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light notes of poached pears, a hint of exotic spices, a touch of stony minerality and a whiff of alcohol. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and oily on the palate with lush, off-dry flavors of wildhoney, some ripe orange tones, a little bit of apple sauce, light notes of almost overripe pear, a mineral hint of wet stones and a touch of cantaloupe. The overall feel is rich, but not heavy, thanks to the moderately high acidity. The finish is juicy, rich and slightly warm with lush flavors of apple sauce, some beeswax, a little bit of pear juice, light sweet-toned citrus fruit notes of tangerine and ripe orange, a hint of fresh white peach and a touch of mineral spice.
A wonderfully balanced, lush and vibrant Pinot Gris made in the classic (weighty and slightly off-dry yet very balanced and harmonious) Alsatian style. The wine is still very young and lacks the depth and complexity of an aged Pinot Gris, but shows great potential for future development. It is very enjoyable and thoroughly drinkable already, but knowing how wonderfully these Weinbach wines can age, I wouldn’t hurry with this; this will be so much better at 10 years of age. Good value at 21,99€. (92 pts.)
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color. Rich, sweet-toned and somewhat developed nose with complex aromas of beeswax, some wizened apricots, light smoky tones, a little bit of chalk dust minerality, a hint of mushroom and a touch of lemon marmalade. The wine is moderately full-bodied, quite concentrated and rather powerful on the palate with lush, dry-ish to off-dry flavors of overripe red apples, some beeswax, light peachy tones, a little bit of exotic spices, light mineral notes of wet stones, a hint of dried yellow fruits and berries and a touch of pear jam. The quite high acidity feels almost atypically high for Alsatian Pinot Gris, making it feel wonderfully balanced and structured for the style. The long finish is quite acid-driven with intense, rich and somewhat developed flavors of stony minerality, honey, white peach, some apple jam tones, a little bit of exotic spice, light notes of beeswax, a hint of dried apricots and a touch of mushroom.
Some 4-5 years ago this was one of the most impressive young Pinot Gris wines I’ve had, so I bought a bottle to see how it ages - after all, Trimbach is known to produce some very ageworthy wines. Well, not only was this still a very impressive wine by any standards, but also it had gained some wonderful depth and complexity with age. And even though the wine has evolved with age, it still feels remarkably youthful, not coming across as particularly aged yet. This is a terrific Pinot Gris right now, but it obviously shows tons of potential for further development - expect the score to go up with age. Really outstanding stuff, very highly recommended. Outstanding value at 19,90€. (95 pts.)
Flight 3
-
2015 Don Wines Pinot Gris Nelson - New Zealand, South Island, Nelson (28.2.2020)
An orange wine fermented spontaneously on indigenous yeasts. Macerated with the skins for 30 days. Bottled with minimal sulfites (30 mg/l). 12,5% alcohol.
Slightly hazy, coppery color. Dry and rather oxidative nose with aromas of nutty rancio, Amontillado Sherry, some porcini soup, a little bit of mushroomy character, light funky tones, oxidative hints of sharp acetaldehyde and rancid meat and an acetic touch of VA. Not a particularly inviting nose, really. The wine is dry, wild and medium-bodied on the palate with a rather coarse, acetic taste and obviously elevated levels of VA. Flavors of hay, nutty oxidation, some tangy salinity, a little bit of salt pickle, a hint of bruised apple and a touch of mushroom. High in acidity with no tannins. The finish is lively, wild and rather coarse with robust flavors of nutty oxidation, tangy aldehydic character, some notes of hay, light smoky tones, a hint of acetic VA and a touch of mushroom.
Unlike the few DON Martinborough Pinot Gris wines I’ve had, this was just lousy. I wonder if the wine was actually made to be this oxidative, or if it was just either kept at too high temperatures at some point, or just past its peak. It’s hard to say, but I’m willing to give the benefit of doubt and mark it as flawer/defective instead of giving it a poor score. Doesn’t feel worth its price at 32,50€. NR (flawed)
-
2018 Santini Collective Pinot Beurot - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune (28.2.2020)
This is something rare. While there are some Pinot Beurot (Pinot Gris) plantings in Burgundy, there are only very few producers bottling 100% varietal Pinot Beurot wines. While there are some, Santini is the only one of them employing skin contact in the vinification process, making a wine that technically is an orange wine, but looks more like a rosé. 12% alcohol.
Slightly hazy but otherwise very translucent raspberry red color with a colorless rim. The expressive nose feels youthful, sweet and subtly wild with quite primary aromas of pear, ripe red apples, some raspberry, light floral notes of hibiscus and violets, a hint of white peach and a slightly wild touch of chinotto zest. The wine is lively, juicy and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with a dry taste that reminds me more of white than red-toned wine with its flavors of tangy green apples and apple peel, some quinine bitterness, a little bit of crunchy redcurrants and wild strawberries, light citrus notes of pomelo, a sappy hint of stemmy greenness and a touch of dry iced tea. The wine is wonderfully refreshing with its high acidity. The tannins are almost nonexistent. The finish is dry, crunchy and quite long with a slightest touch of tannic grip and bright flavors of redcurrants and tart green apples, some herbal spice, a little bit of qunine bitterness, light brambly raspberry tones and a hint of stony minerality.
A very nice, fun and fresh little wine that is obviously from the wild side, yet is not particularly funky or weird in any way. Although the wine looks red and smells quite red-tones, it is surprisingly white wine-like on the palate with bright, dry and crunchy flavors. A delightful little bistro wine with a nice and refreshing, slightly bitter edge. Not a particularly complex effort nor a wine of much aging potential, but a lovely little drop for immediate consumption. Drink now or within a few years. Priced according to its quality at 20€ for a one-liter bottle. (88 pts.)
-
2017 Lunaria Orsogna Pinot Grigio Ramoro - Italy, Abruzzi, Terre di Chieti IGT (28.2.2020)
Mainly biodynamically farmed Pinot Grigio grapes with some local varieties in the blend. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, macerated with the skins for 30 days. Aged in stainless steel on the lees. 13,5% alcohol, 12 g/l residual sugar, 6,2 g/l acidity.
Luminous, pale yet quite concentrated salmon-pink color. The nose feels sweet, characterful and very fruity with slightly primary aromas of raspberry marmalade, some wild strawberry, a little bit of stewed red fruit, light herbal tones, a skunky, sulfurous hint of reduction and a touch of wet stones. The wine is oily, moderately full-bodied and rather fruity yet at the same time surprisingly fresh on the palate with somewhat off-dry flavors of ripe golden apples,some unripe peach tones, a little bit of pear jam, light candied gummi bear tones, a hint of cooked strawberry and a touch of stony minerality. The acidity feels quite high, which lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is off-dry and quite long with refreshing flavors of sweet yellow fruits, ripe citrus fruits, some overripe raspberries, a little bit of cooked strawberry, light stony mineral tones, a hint of tannic grip and a touch of herbal spice.
A young, vibrant and fruity wine that is technically an orange wine, but drinks like an off-dry rosé. Although the wine has a slightly sweet edge to its fruit, it is surprisingly fresh and balanced as a whole. A crowdpleaser, but fun and tasty at that. Although not a big or complex wine, everybody seemed to like this quite much for what it is. Most likely won’t benefit from further aging. Priced according to its quality at 15,90€. (89 pts.)
Flight 4
Medium-deep, concentrated yellow-green color. Dry, dull and quite closed nose with understated aromas of chalk dust, some honeyed richness, a little bit of woolly lanolin, a sweet hint of apple sauce and a touch of earth. Full-bodied, concentrated and quite hollow on the palate with dry-ish to off-dry flavors of peach, some woolly lanolin, a little bit of golden apple, light dusty notes of chalk and a hint of creaminess. The wine is lacking fruit quite completely. Moderately high in acidity. The finish is dry and moderately acid-driven with dull, mild flavors of peach, some apricot, a little bit of honey, light woolly tones, a hint of dust and a touch of smoke.
A tired, hollow and quite dead wine. Five years ago this wine impressed me very much and back then showed tons of aging potential, which is why I bought another one to age. Most likely this bottle was killed by a mild case of TCA, since everybody agreed this wine was somewhat off and not tasting at all like Pinot Gris, and definitely not like Ostertag. Of course the corked one had to be the most expensive wine of the night (49,90€). NR (flawed)
Medium-deep and quite concentrated lemon-yellow color. Sweet and rich but also somewhat restrained nose with complex, slightly developed aromas of ripe pear, some apricot, a little bit of honey and beeswax, light notes of exotic spices, a hint of wool and a touch of cloudberry jam. Although not super-expressive, the nose feels layered and alive, every sniff being slightly different from the previous one. The wine is full-bodied, lively and quite ripe on the palate with slightly developed flavors of cantaloupe, some sweet golden apples, a little bit of mirabelle plum, light notes of honeycomb, a crunchy hint of fresh white peach and a touch of spicy minerality. The overall feel is very balanced with the moderately high acidity. The finish is juicy, rich and complex with vibrant flavors of white peach, some mirabelle plums, a little bit of beeswax, light stony mineral tones, a hint of ripe golden apple and a touch of pineapple.
A wonderfully complex, harmonious and remarkably balanced Alsatian Pinot Gris. I had this wine for a decade or so in my cellar and I was worrying if the wine was starting to go over the peak, but it seems not since the wine is still remarkably youthful for its age, showing surprisingly little evolution. However, compared to my previous experiences with Trimbach’s PG Réserve Personnelle, this vintage came across as slightly less lush and impressive and instead more restrained. Normally their Réserve Personnelle feels even bigger and more concentrated version of their Pinot Gris Réserve, but this 2004 PG Réserve Personnelle felt maybe even slightly lighter than a typical vintage of PG Réserve. Go figure. Nevertheless, this was a lovely effort all the same and despite its age the wine is still showing good potential for future development. Great value at 23,89€. (93 pts.)
Deep, very concentrated but also surprisingly youthful neon yellow-green color. Remarkably youthful nose for its age with aromas of fresh citrus fruits, smoky reductive tones, some aged toasty nuances, a little bit of bruised apple, light floral notes of honeysuckle and meadow flowers, a hint of crunchy white peach and a touch of wildhoney. The wine is dry, firm and medium-bodied with surprisingly crunchy overall feel and intense flavors of fresh, tart red plums, somewhat pronounced quinine bitterness, some wildhoney tones, a little bit of ripe cloudberry, light blood orange tones, mineral hints of cool steel, wet stones and flint smoke and a touch of sweet white peach. The wine is remarkably bright, fresh and structured with its high acidity. The finish is dry, lively and acid-driven with long flavors of lemony citrus fruits and tart green apples, some wildhoney, a little bit of ripe cloudberry, light blood orange tones, mineral hints of steel and flint smoke and a touch of herbal bitterness.
A very stylish, crisp and fresh effort for a Pinot Gris almost 20 years old. The wine is surprisingly high in acidity with a relatively youthful and linear taste for its age; there are some obvious signs of age and the wine doesn’t taste super-young anymore, but it is nevertheless youthful for its age. There’s a somewhat noticeable streak of quinine or herbal bitterness that at times wonderfully offsets the sweet-yet-spicy notes of wildhoney, but at times can feel slightly overpowering. It’s hard to say into which direction this wine will age, but based on its youthful character it feels quite obvious that this wine will continue to age. I don’t know for how long, since the wine seems to age at a glacial pace - it might take another 10 years or even more before it starts to reach its plateau of maturity. Although not the most complex effort, this is still a very singular and thoroughly enjoyable of expression Pinot Gris. Great value at 19,99€. (91 pts.)
Deep and concentrated burnished golden yellow color with subtle lime-green highlights. Dense, sweet and very concentrated nose with complex, heady aromas of acacia honey, honeydew melon, some orange marmalade, a little bit of cloudberry jam, light floral notes of honeysuckle, tertiary (and perhaps botrytized?) hints of beeswax and mushrooms and a touch of canned pineapple. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and medium-sweet on the palate with complex, developed flavors of cloudberry jam, some canned pineapple, a little bit of ripe apricot, light notes of beeswax, a hint of mushroomy portobello character and a touch of orange marmalade. The wine is quite oily and viscous on the palate, but the relatively high acidity keeps the wine balanced and from coming across as heavy or sticky. The finish is oily, quite sweet and relatively fresh with lengthy flavors of pineapple, stony minerality, some apple peel bitterness, light grapey tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, a hint of orange marmalade and a touch of exotic spice.
An outstanding, impressively complex and wonderfully developed Pinot Gris from the sweeter end of the spectrum. Although the wine is showing some developed characteristics, it still isn’t particularly old or tertiary yet and shows even a bit of potential for future development. Despite its quite big and somewhat sweet overall nature, the wine is still very balanced and even surprisingly fresh for the style, thanks to the relatively high acidity. It is pretty obvious that this was a well-kept bottle with quality provenance. Outstanding value at 20,60€. (94 pts.)
-
2013 André et Michel Quenard Malvoisie - France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie (28.2.2020)
Made from late-harvested Pinot Gris grapes. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Aged for 12 months in stainless steel. 13% alcohol.
Quite deep lemon-yellow color with a hint of lime-green hue. Cool, crisp and fresh nose with youthful aromas of sharp Granny Smith apple, perhaps a slightest hint of acrid SO2, light notes of ripe citrus fruits, a little bit of herbal spice, crunchy hints of quince and gooseberries and a touch of flint smoke. The wine is medium-bodied, off-dry and very acid-driven on the palate with lively and crunchy flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some Granny Smith apple, light notes of white peach, a little bit of steely minerality, crunchy hints of star fruit and fresh pear and a touch of honeyed richness. The racy acidity keeps the wine wonderfully in balance and lends it great sense of structure. The finish is crisp, lively and fresh with intense, acid-driven flavors of tart green apples, some tangy lemony tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light pithy notes of pomelo, a crunchy hint of quince and a touch of fresh peach.
I expected this wine to be very big, ripe and noticeably higher in residual sugar, but it turned out to be just off-dry with remarkably high acidity for a Pinot Gris. The overall feel here is remarkably youthful with no sense of development whatsoever despite the 6½ years of age. Wonderfully crisp, intense and precise. Very true to the variety, but at the same time exceptionally high in acidity for the weight and ripeness. Shows tons of future potential. Remarkably enjoyable and rewarding wine, and a steal at 12,90€. Highly recommended. (92 pts.)
Flight 5
Pale, youthful lemon-yellow color. Very fruity and primary nose with sweet-toned aromas of ripe cantaloupe and pear, some white peach, a little bit of beeswax, light floral tones, a hint of exotic spice and a candied touch of gummi bear. The wine is full-bodied, oily and medium-sweet on the palate with somewhat heavy and ponderous overall feel. Lush flavors of peach and nectarine, some tangerine, a little bit of cloudberry jam, light notes of apple sauce and a hint of alcohol. The medium acidity really doesn’t feel adequate enough to keep the wine in balance, making the overall feel slightly blowzy. The finish is round, soft and medium-sweet with some alcohol warmth and quite long, mellow flavors of peach marmalade, some apple sauce, a little bit of apricot, light primary notes of pear and gummi bears and a hint of tangerine juice.
A youthful, fruity and tasty Pinot Gris from the sweeter end of the spectrum. However, the wine feels somewhat lacking in acidity, which makes the wine feel rather heavy and somewhat flabby and lets the residual sugar take the fore. A bit too primary for my taste, but on the other hand, the wine really doesn’t feel like it is built to age, so I’m not sure how much aging will benefit in the end. All in all, a drinkable but not memorable Alsatian Pinot Gris that might be best on its own or with a selection of cheeses; needs to be served quite cool to bring some of the acidity to the fore. (83 pts.)
Youthful, clear and quite pale lime-green color. Ripe, sweetish and slightly closed nose of red apples, some steely minerality, a little bit of waxy richness, light floral notes of apple blossom and a hint of cantaloupe. The wine is waxy, somewhat viscous and medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with dry-ish flavors of ripe pear and white peach, some red apples, a little bit of steely minerality, light notes of exotic spices, a hint of cantaloupe and a candied touch of primary fruit. There are quite a bit of nuances here, but the overall impression is still rather linear. Moderately high acidity. The finish is juicy and somewhat soft with medium-long flavors of cantaloupe, pear, some white peach, a little bit of spice and a crunchy hint of star fruit.
A decent, quite balanced and pleasant Pinot Gris. Rather linear and straightforward in style with quite primary overall feel. Might benefit from a year or two in a cellar, but otherwise doesn’t feel that ageworthy. Pretty predictable and rather anonymous an effort. (86 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}