Brief TN impressions--Uccelliera, Felsina, Conterno, Ridge, Pousse d'Or, Rhys

I had been meaning to post more TNs, but … oops. Here are some notes from memory on a few wines we’ve had in the last few weeks.

Uccelliera 1999 Brunello di Montalcino – Dried out with limited fruit and of limited interest. Did not meet my limited expectations. We’ll probably drink up our last few bottles of 1999 Tuscans soon.

Uccelliera 1997 Brunello di Montalcino – decided to pop our last bottle of the ’97 after the mediocre showing of our last bottle of ‘99. Well, this was very nice. Ripe, layered fruit balanced by adequate acidity. Really easy drinking. (Unlike some folks, I don’t consider that a flaw!)

Felsina 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia – showing surprisingly well for an adolescent. Thrilling actually, in a perfect pasta with red sauce kind of way. Will probably develop more complexity with time, but it’s so tasty. Rich fruit, presumably enriched in part by oak. Hints of leather and herbs. Drink now or later!

G. Conterno 1998 Barolo Cascina Francia – after a couple of bottles in the past 3-4 years that were meh (awkward?), this bottle was really singing. Smooth, medium-bodied, balanced with nice aromatics. Long finish. Hope this is representative – we’ll be opening more over the next couple of years.

Ridge 1999 Montebello – out of 375ml, here’s another adolescent wine that’s in a good spot. Really classy, although not yet too complex. I wouldn’t expect this ‘99 to ever be an epiphany wine, but it’s delicious.

La Pousse d’Or 2001 Corton-Bressandes – not bad, but was hoping for more. Fruit was a bit muddled with some funk. Tannins almost fully resolved. Stored well since release or I might have believed it was mishandled. Didn’t really improve with food that would flatter a better pinot.

Rhys 2009 Pinot Noir Horseshoe – Very tasty, with moderate tannin and acid structure that complemented the juicy fruit. Perhaps surprisingly, this has entered its prime drinking window, but no rush.

Regards,
Peter

Some 1999 Tuscans are still excellent. I had a Cepparello a few weeks ago that was outstanding. Good luck…

Thanks for the updates, Peter! No shocker given our tastes that I have a couple of those in the cellar as well.

Cheers!

A 2009 Alpine Pinot left me with the same impression a couple weeks ago. I have to say, I find that disappointing.

P L owet wrote:
Ridge 1999 Montebello – out of 375ml, here’s another adolescent wine that’s in a good spot. Really classy, although not yet too complex. I wouldn’t expect this ‘99 to ever be an epiphany wine, but it’s delicious.

Nice notes. We have two bottles of the '99 Monte Bello left. Sounds like these can go out a bit longer.

Ed

Disappointing in what way?

Is it mandatory that it take 20 years for the wine to be ready?

I’d even say many/most are still excellent with long lives to come. Though that may be a function of the producers I’ve had in the last few years.

No surprise that the 09 Horseshoe is drinking well now. That was one of the lightest vintages on release. I’d expect it to be ready long before (for example) 08.

At least in the brunello zone, my experience with good (but not highest-end) producers is that they are not improving, and often declining. For example, our recent (and final) bottle of Caparzo Riserva was solid, but inferior vs. several excellent showings over the last 10 years. YMMV

Felsina 1999 CCR Rancia is not a top vintage of this wine IMO – for me, it’s always been blockier and less light on its feet than others – but I don’t attribute that character to a lack of readiness. I do own a couple of sangiovese-dominated super Tuscans from 1999 which I’m optimistic about… but won’t hold long-term. Jim’s note on the Cepparello makes me excited to try the Flaccianello.
Thanks for the feedback all!
Peter

It suggests to me that the wine simply isn’t going to hit the heights I was hoping (and have betting) it would hit.

There are certain attributes, and certain heights, I’ve experienced only in wines that continue to improve in the cellar over a long period of time. I thought Rhys wines would be able to do that, but I’ve recently experienced a few of their Pinots at about 10 yo that suggest that isn’t going to happen. I’m not interested in spending Rhys-level money on wines that are never going to achieve the heights, and have the attributes, of a 20+ yo wine. I am not entirely writing them off, but I am pumping the brakes pretty hard relative to how much I was buying previously.

Well despite it being a 7 year old wine, a 2013 Swan Terrace actually hit some of those heights the other week. Maybe it doesn’t have to take 20 years…

Did it have tertiary characteristics? I certainly wouldn’t expect any yet.

It certainly had started to develop some interesting (if supporting) earthy/leafy notes. It’s on the right path.

Good to hear. If I remember this conversation the next time I’m at offsite I’ll grab one of my bottles to see what’s up.

I’ll say this: If I ever have a 7 yo wine that, if I tasted it blind, I would confuse for a magnificent 20+ yo wine , then I’d be all over it and would not be discounting it on account of its youth.