1999 Bernard Burgaud Côte-Rôtie. Residue of purple in the reddish core, wide scarlet to brick red rims, on the whole it shows fairly youthfully. Nicely rustic nose of tar, graphite, cigar ash, beef jerky, echo of dried black olive pits, the cherry, currant scents starting to trail off. Medium-bodied, the tannin hammered flat by time, acidity helps to extend the finish some. Still, brings adequate firmness to the experience. This was quite fruity on release and here there’s more solidity in the cherry, red currant, blackberry fruit, particularly as inner mouth perfume. Same general elements as the nose with white grapefruit added to the mix. The softness of the finish might be a negative to some but I found it helps the soaking in and then that perfume. Better than a bottle tried March 2019, just past plateau and walking down the hill.
2016 Mas des Capitelles Faugères La Catiede. A red rust to clay hue lightens the base purple throughout, spotless with a nice surface shine. The nose displays a high-toned lift while at the same time clearly telegraphs a prune patina to the plum, cherry scents, curious passion fruit, mango notes, then sweet garden herbs, and then a boatload of juicy pink grapefruit, rolls on and on like it’s on a downhill slope. Medium-bodied, if possible the pink grapefruit even more dominant here, you might as well smush your face into a halved piece. Enough to shave some sugar off the plum, currant, cherry, boysenberry fruit. Pinch of cocoa, rosemary, garrigues. Acidity is slight, tannin shows up just when needed. A real soaker, every pore infiltrated. Any everyday drinker that punches way above its weight. Second vintage I’ve had of this bottling and both left similar impression. 50% Carignan, 20% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah.
2019 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Cuvée Tardive. Ruby-purple core, more plum red at the rims, good clarity while an attractive warmth to it as well. Pleasing snap to the nose, mineral and stone dust as well as dried lawn grass give it structure, almost get a whiff of tobacco now and then, the raspberry, red cherry scents show a zippy succinctness. Light to medium-bodied, follows on closely to the nose here, all taut gristle and ligaments. Grass, dirt caked pebbles, ash, if you said it came from Mount Etna would not be shocked. More give and juiciness in the blueberry, raspberry fruit here. Still, unsure if it will be a long term sparring partner with the structure. Bristles with energy. I’d have to go back to the 2016 vintage to find one I liked as much.
2002 Marcel Lapierre Morgon (S). Color has faded to a plum red core, the red brick that shifts into both orange and yellow furthest out, definitely looks its age but not dead. Leather a major component to the nose, lighter barn floor funk, matted straw, pulped grapefruit rinds, the cherry to red berry scents doing their best to stay lively. Medium to full-bodied, has a velvety smoothness to it, only grittiness shows through the finish. Leather, seems more like soil than earth, tilled dampness. The orange to white grapefruit citrus here a touch diminished. But there is a sweet spine to that same cherry, berry fruit. Tenuous pressed flowers come in and out. It’s on the downside of its peak but not by all that much.
2013 Domaine Sainte Cécile du Parc Coteaux du Languedoc Pézenas Mouton Bertoli. The purple core stops short of opacity, the rims vivid rust reds and oranges. A bit more creamy oak to the nose than preferred, noticeably ripe plum, blueberry, blackberry fruit, close to liqueur-like, moments of bell pepper and dry poor dirt, the pepper notwithstanding smells more like Syrah than Cabernet Franc, keeps plodding forward for another moment before dissolving. Medium-bodied, firm without seeming tannic nor acidic, just taut muscles. Here too marred by the toast, caramel, mint oak aspect. Sweet orange to white grapefruit citrus, develops some florality through the finish. Same array of black fruits. This is a curious little sucker and although it’s not completely satisfying I like it. Sometimes tasting something off the beaten path helps recalibrate the palate. 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Syrah.
2017 Famille Perrin Rasteau l’Andéol. Reddish purple, fine clarity, fresh brick red rims. Dusty, ashen character to the nose, dry if not parched, quick glimmer of cocoa, the cranberry, raspberry, red cherry scents have a juiceless snap, overall curious lack of resonance. Medium-bodied, wiry tannin dampens a lot of the potential fun and air time does little to change this. Black licorice, white grapefruit, moderately more dimension than the nose. The tart cranberry, green apple, raspberry fruit manages a crest in the mid-palate, gone by the finish. It’s flawed in the manner of underripe tannin or the like. Just not a friendly wine. Mainly Grenache, remainder Syrah.
1998 Trimbach Gewürztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre. Pure amber orange that pushes well enough into the rims, pools into the glass more than shines. Boisterous nose of tangerine, lychee, ginger, spearmint, and honey, the pear, apricot, peach scents play a quieter supporting role. Medium-bodied, here its age shows with a nice mushroomy foundation, sous bois and tar follow up. The tangerine to naval orange citrus shows purity. Overall, not as sweet as some might peg it, honeyed with an accent of whipped cream. A clove note suggests a meatiness in line with the mushroom. Apricot, kiwi, nectarine fruit, echo of pineapple. The finish is unfortunately short. Aged Gewürztraminer is pretty much an acquired taste but it was one of my first wine “wow” moments so always enjoy trying one.
2019 Weingut Jochen Beurer Württemberg Trollinger. Pours with a suspect amount of fizz across the surface, vague translucent haze to it, washed out magenta core shifting to watermelon pink. There’s a serrated edge to the nose, cuts deeply to reveal white grapefruit zest, mineral dust, iron shavings, and a lighter herbaceous snap, once this moderates you get anise, lavender, and a suggestion of raspberry, strawberry fruit, but basically you might as well stick a pebble in both nostrils. Light to medium-bodied, if given time does unwind some. Not finding a winner in the tannin vs. acidity battle, it’s a 10 round decision. Lemon, grapefruit citrus, pressed flowers, leather, close to tar. Only previous experience with the bottling was the 2015 vintage and finding more richness here in the red berry, red cherry fruit. Stony finish sans the minerality found in the nose. Sense it could have been more scrappier should it have chosen so. (Screwcap)
2016 Gianfranco Alessandria Barolo. The purple core washed out by sunset to rust reds, clean throughout. Licorice, anise and orange peel most pronounced in the nose at first, a floral musk develops but fails to cinch the deal, tar, when it has time to open the cherry liqueur is in full force. Medium-bodied, the tannin comes off as fine grit sandpaper, your always going to feel it but it can’t really do any damage. Leather, sandalwood spice, ginger more than any licorice. Here the florality does completely form a musk, albeit mostly in the mid-palate. Candied core of strawberry, cherry fruit with a distinct green apple note. There’s a tingly sensation which verges on effervescence. Credible enough but wouldn’t be tempted to throw any in the cellar.
2015 António Bernardino Paulo da Silva Lisboa Casal da Azenha. While the liquid is spotless there’s a dullness to the purple core, barely shifts at all into a dark red magenta further out. Plump and fleshy nose but not soft, has a floral side but there’s a medicinal cleansing aspect which sweeps it away, prune and fig more noticeable than plum, currant fruit scents, barest whisper of milk chocolate, would guess that any oak treatment is low. Medium-bodied, it’s sugary black fruits through the attack and then, wham, in the mid-palate the acidity gives you good squeeze and the tannin kicks you in the shins. No structural underripeness. Candied orange peel, lavender, baking spices. There’s some turbulence but not the alcoholic type. Whatever the quibble, taken as a whole I like it and worth the $17 paid. Unspecified percentages of João de Santarém (Castelão), Tinto Cão, other field blend grapes. (Composite Cork)
2016 Quinta de Ventozelo Douro Reserva. Ruby-purple core, stops short of opacity, fully hued scarlet rims. While there’s a high-toned, cleansing sensation to the nose (which I don’t finger as purely alcohol with the stated ABV of 13.5%), the plum, blackberry, boysenberry scents able to anchor it and patch some scrapes, menthol, straw, ginger root, violets yet it never turns “pretty.” Full-bodied in an inert fashion, you basically have to treat it like a stopped up ketchup bottle to get it moving again. Violets, anise, fennel can’t muster the strength to form a perfume. Chewy black fruits. Tannin blankets but thankfully not that drying. The more you sip the more a “green” element shows. Perfectly acceptable but if I’m paying around $24 there’s a long list of buys before this. Unspecified percentages of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, Sousão.
2019 Quinta da Lixa Vinho Verde Escolha. Bright lemon yellow color, could not possibly have more fizz adhered to the glass, have seen soda less fizzy. The nose has a soft texture but manages a noticeable lift as well, whipped cream, lemon yogurt, spring water, pear, yellow apple, apricot scents of middling strength, whiff of ginger before it’s all gone. Medium-bodied, both more heft and less fizz on the palate than expected. Stronger mineral water to quinine element. In turn the lemon citrus shows bite and a hint of lime. Star fruit and pineapple bubble up next to the apple and pear. Simple and guileless, my only real complaint is that I wish if were lighter and body and thus likely more refreshing. 40% Alvarinho, 35% Loureiro, 25% Trajadura.
Had the good fortune to taste through some new Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines, a segment I have more or less stopped purchasing.
ROUGE
2018 Domaine Raymond Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Imperiale Vignes Centenaires. Rich violet color, semi-brooding scarlet to red magenta rims, average shine. The nose starts off smoky than really turns to cocoa and coffee roast, pure raspberry, cherry liqueur fruit, not tightly wound but youthfully inexpressive. Medium-bodied, the palate shows more breadth even though there’s more tannin than expected and it finishes quite dry. The red fruits are sweet but likewise super concentrated in a candied fruit way. white grapefruit, leather, tree bark. Muscular inner mouth perfume. It’s big and maybe not for them who seek finesse and subtlety. 90% Grenache, 10% unspecified other.
2018 Domaine Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape a la gloire de mon Grand-Pere (I believe this to be 100% Grenache). Basic dark purple core, the rims a transparent scarlet to brick red, looks a touch flat. Plump nose of cherry, raspberry, blueberry fruit, mixes in potpourri, orange peel, tobacco leaf, slight cleansing sensation at the end, leaves an impression of dampness in the nostrils. Light-bodied, too much tannin to glide through the palate but easy to imagine it doing so if the tannin knits in. Chocolate and caramel appears in moderation. Floral, this comes close to garrigues alongside violets. Good unforced length. Blueberry, blackberry, raspberry fruit juicy and chewy at once. I can’t speak to its élevage but it seems throwback to me and no doubt a wine whose best days are long down the road.
2018 Domaine Raymond Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Girard. Dark purple core passes the threshold of opacity, thin if dense brick red rims. Nice texture to the nose, feels more like wet wool than smells like it, anise, menthol next to tree bark and leather, filled with plum, black cherry, blackberry fruit, shows more purity than its two more prestigious brethren tasted in the same sitting. Medium-bodied, semi-gritty texture slows down what initially felt like swift pacing. Bright naval orange citrus, potpourri along with a consistent undercurrent of minerality. Puckering tang in the red currant, Italian plum, boysenberry flavors. A solid bottle that would probably be overlooked in a tasting of immediate peers. 90% Grenache, 4% Mourvèdre, 4% Syrah, 2% Cinsault and 2% Counoise.
2018 Domaine Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chante Le Merle Vieilles Vignes (100% Grenache). Reddish black core, dull brick red rims, already looks like its maturing but clearly that’s the way it looks. Leather and forest earth, mocha roast dominate the nose, spiced orange peel, there’s a stately “vin de garde” quality I find attractive. Light to medium-bodied, with this one the acidity is fighting with the tannin for first place and arguably wins. The attack a touch overburdened with mocha and burnt toast, otherwise it gets back to the more rugged aspects quickly enough. Kind of craggy stony earth and can see some olive pit and game developing over time. Liqueur like character to the raspberry, cherry, blackberry fruit. This should reward aging nicely.
2018 Domaine Raymond Usseglio Châteauneuf-du-Pape La part des Anges. Inky purple core, bright scarlet rims, saturated yet without much of the glow that comes with it. Nose basically smells like coconut oil, all oak, all the time, cherry to currant scents of a darkish complexion, touch wooly and floral, just can’t get past the wood. Medium-bodied, fleshy and pushes outward nicely. Tannin feels massaged into compliance and arguable that any roughness comes from wood tannin. Violets, mint, thick floral dew, enough so to cloak the chocolate and buttery notes. Spicier through the finish and comes off as grapier over time. An odd duck, want to like it but not sure I do. 70% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, 10% Syrah.
BLANC
2019 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Pale white to yellow hay color, shininess compensates in part for the washed out hue. Pungent lift to the nose, good swirling sensation in the nostrils, lemon to orange spritz, pear, apricot to melon fruit, mint and lilacs, nothing profound nor especially terroir driven, just a pleasing sniff. Medium to full-bodied, nice job of immediately coating the palate. Acidity is like the proverbial lead smock the dentist gives you during x-rays, just a heavy, immobilizing force. The orange citrus has a creamsicle quality, malo-ish. But no real idea of the élevage. Nutty, sort of chalky. Not enough to interfere with the green melon, pear, yellow apple, apricot fruit. Ripe but not sugary. Grew on me and after a half glass or so was really into it. 20% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 20% Clairette, 20% Bourboulenc, 20% Picpoul.
2018 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée a Tempo. Worn gold coloration, not flat per se but no bounciness in the glass, diminished rims. Strong oak creaminess to the nose, kind of like a young white Burgundy primed for the longer haul, mint, orange blossom, fennel, the fruit scents today seem to lack clarity, an amalgam of apricot, peach, mango, pear and more. Medium-bodied, I’d extend the infant Burgundy analogy further here as the acidity and the oak seem fused together and everything is hinting rather than delivering. Vanilla pudding, heavy cream and a dollop of toffee make the initial impression. Taut apple, pear, cherry, apricot fruit, lasts well into the finish. A work in progress that if served today deserves a lengthy decant. 33% Clairette, 33% Grenache Blanc, 33% Roussanne, 1% one of the aforementioned.
2019 Domaine de Beaurenard “Domaine de Boisrenard” Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Glassy green to white straw color, consistent core to rims, pretty. Yellow to green apple, peach fuzz brighten the nose, tangerine to mandarin orange, cinnamon stick, there’s a quiet yeasty quality underneath, kind of makes it hover before a floral breeze comes along to lift it through the dissolve. Medium-bodied with softer contours, acidity is adequate and likely contributes to a general sourness. Still, the yeastiness perdures. Pear, green apple, peach, almost kiwi fruit. If it lacks anything it’s a certain buoyancy and sense of youthful fun. For its sake hopefully that means better ageability. 42% Clairette, 32% Roussanne, 11% Bourboulenc, 10% Grenache Blanc, remainder unspecified percentages of Grenache Gris, Picardan, Picpoul Blanc and Picpoul Gris.
2019 Domaine de la Solitude Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Basic yellow straw, quite bright and shiny, dances in the glass. Slight fart or reductive quality to the nose, slow to blow off but on the other side of the ledger there’s attractive lemon custard, apple, pear, apricot scents, quiet reverb of mint and lilacs, not displaying much expressivity at the moment. Medium-bodied, acidity frames the mouth entry well, doesn’t see much oak but there is a creaminess to the attack too. After that very lemony with some lime as well. Minty lift that gets close to black licorice. White orchard pit fruit and apples, solidly fruited without showiness. Squares its shoulders through the finish. On occasions when sampling this producer have found them a good value play and this is aligned with that impression. 40% Roussanne, 30% Clairette, 20% Grenache Blanc, 10% Bourboulenc and Picpoul.
2019 Domaine Giraud Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Galimardes. Flat greenish yellow straw, diminished rims, not all that much to say, which is for the most part irrelevant to the assessment of the wine. Research indicates élevage in oak demi-muids but still smells creamy, oaky to me, lemon curd, pine, anise, over time a nice smokiness blossoms, approachable firmness in the melon, apple, pear fruit scents, it smells like a guilty pleasure for people who generally are oak averse. Close to full-bodied, at least through the attack. Lemon popsicle, whole lot of spearmint, floral musk. Acidity has a certain bluntness to it. The mid-palate really sees the peach, apricot, pear, cherry fruit crest. The finish sees some turbulence. I found it drawing me in and then not quite delivering. Unspecified percentages of Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Clairette.