This was yet another one of those tastings where one gets invited with a theme “let’s drink some wines blind!”
So NOTHING was told on the wines. We were just supposed to sit there and the master of ceremonies would pour us some wine, sit down and hear us struggle. Fun and educational!
This is how the lineup looked like after the bottled had been emptied:
There was also a bottle of Santini Collective that was served as an entrée wine, but it was absent from the lineup, so here’s the label shot:
-
2019 Santini Collective Champlitte - France, Vin de France (2.11.2021)
A naturalist VdF made with fruit sourced from an organic producer located in Champlitte, a village somewhere between northern Côte de Nuits, Aube and southern Alsace. The wine is composed of Gamay (75%) and Chardonnay (25%), vinified with méthode flottaison; first the Chardonnay portion is crushed and pressed, then the whole-cluster Gamay portion is vinified in the Chardonnay must. Fermented spontaneously in a sealed tank, the Chardonnay undergoing a conventional fermentation and Gamay clusters undergoing carbonic maceration. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, rather pale and qutie translucent ruby-red color with a slightly purplish hue and a colorless rim. Subtly reductive but otherwise enjoyably vibrant nose with aromas of smoke and peppery spice, some ripe raspberry tones, a little bit of meaty character, light crunchy notes of fresh red plums and a sweet hint of cherry marmalade. The wine is dry and light-bodied on the palate with crunchy flavors of brambly black raspberries, some ferrous notes of bloody meat, light stony mineral notes and a phenolic hint of bitterness. High in acidity with no tannins. The finish is long and crunchy with dry flavors of tart cranberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light peppery notes, a hint of meaty character and a touch of stony minerality.
This wine needed a bit of guesswork. Quite quickly we deduced the wine was Gamay (it was revealed to be “partially correct” guess) and northern Burgundy was accepted as a correct answer (the wine comes from no-appellation’s-land, but Burgundy was the closest true wine region) and quite quickly I guessed that the wine must be a blend of Gamay and Chardonnay, based on the light color of the wine. It’s a very nice and crunchy effort - definitely in the glou-glou spectrum, but surprisingly serious for such. But fun, too. Fun and serious, if that makes sense. The wine does need a bit of aeration, because it is a bit reductive upon opening, but is pretty lovely once it opens up. A terrific combination of ripe red fruits, freshness and crunchy overall quality. Nothing overtly complex or too serious, only just enough. Most likely won’t improve much with age, so I’d recommend drinking this now or within the next handful of years. (88 pts.)
.
-
1993 Grgich Hills Fumé Blanc Dry Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley (2.11.2021)
Primarily composed of the aromatic musqué clone of Sauvignon Blanc with a small portion of other Sauvignon Blanc clones in the blend. Fermented spontaneously in oak barrels and 3500-liter foudres. Aged for six months on the lees in neutral oak barrels. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved, pale honey-yellow color with a deeper, golden core. Evolved, complex nose of fresh Granny Smith apple, chopped nuts, some creamy notes of panna cotta, light fragrant aromas of baking spices, a little bit of honeyed richness, a hint of sorrel and a touch of beeswax. Lovely! The wine is balanced, medium-bodied and wonderfully evolved on the palate with flavors of honeydew melon and beeswax, some mature nuttiness, a little bit of creaminess, light bruised apple tones, a hint of sorrel and a sweet touch of ripe golden currants. The bright, high acidity lends good sense of balance, structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is long, ripe and evolved with complex flavors of acacia honey, some tertiary nutty notes, a little bit of bruised apple, light creamy notes of panna cotta, a hint of sorrel and a touch of ripe citrus fruits.
A beautiful old Sauvignon Blanc at its peak. Although people guessed quite quickly that the wine was Californian, nobody thought of Sauvignon Blanc at any point. Guesses ranged from Chardonnay to Marsanne/Roussanne to Pinot Gris, for example I thought this was a Chardonnay from the mid-2000’s - a testament to how youthful the wine felt for its age. All in all, a terrific aged white that drinks fantastically now, but probably will keep just fine for years more. Most likely the wine won’t improve from here, though, so no further cellaring is necessary. Exceptional value at mere 20€. (94 pts.)
.
-
2000 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Riesling Lyra Zöbinger Heiligenstein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (2.11.2021)
A special bottling of Bründlmayer’s Zöbinger Heiligenstein Riesling, made only with fruit from parcels where the vines are pruned to a special lyra trellis, corresponding to approx. 20% of the planted Bründlmayer vineyards in Heiligenstein. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep and quite concentrated golden-yellow color with a subtle hint of lime-green hue. So very noticeable Riesling nose with somewhat sweet-toned and quite concentrated aromas of lemon marmalade, honeyed richness, some petrol tones, a little bit of exotic fruit, light cooling nuances of eucalyptus, a hint of beeswax and a touch of developed creaminess. The wine is broad, structured and quite full-bodied on the palate with a somewhat oily mouthfeel and rather intense, dry flavors of ripe apricots, some honeyed nuances, a little bit of evolved beeswax and light creamy nuances, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of candied ginger. The bright, high acidity lends good sense of structure to the wine and keeps its big body nicely in check. The finish is ripe, juicy and somewhat sweet-toned with concentrated flavors of honeydew melon and peach, some grapefruit marmalade, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of beeswax and an evolved hint of creaminess. The high alcohol shows ever so slightly.
A very big, concentrated and thoroughly impressive powerhouse of a Riesling. Tasting this wine blind, there was no possibility whatsoever that this wine wouldn’t be Riesling - even though it was atypically big and concentrated, it had all the textbook aromas of a classic Riesling with some age. Seeing how it is very unlikely a wine this big and ripe would come from Germany, I thought this must be either an Alsatian Grand Cru or Austrian Riesling. My final guess was a 15-20 yo Riesling from Niederösterreich, most likely from Kamptal. And it turned out I was not only almost correct (the wine was 21 years old), it was also a wine I had had just a few months ago! Well, just like that wine was, this was still a superb wine and great value at 35€. (94 pts.)
.
-
2000 Schoffit Riesling Harth Cuvée Caroline - France, Alsace (2.11.2021)
Although not a Grand Cru vineyard, Harth has been recognized as an esteemed vineyard for hundreds of years, the first mentions of the vineyard having appeared already in the 13th century. Cuvée Caroline is a mid-tier wine in the Schoffit range, above Tradition and below Cuvée Alexandre. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep and quite developed lemon-yellow color. The nose has those classic Riesling markers of zesty citrus fruits, beeswax and white flowers but also some slightly dull aromas of something dusty along with understated nuances of Granny Smith apple, light chalky tones, a little bit of honeycomb and a hint of white currant. Overall the nose feels evolved, but coming across as a bit flat and lacking vibrancy. The wine feels ripe and dry-ish-to slightly off-dry on the palate with a somewhat concentrated and rather full body along with quite mature flavors of white peach, some wizened apple tones, light wizened apple nuances, a little bit of beeswax, a mineral hint of chalk dust and a gaseous, slightly acrid touch of SO2. The medium acidity keeps the wine somewhat in balance, but doesn’t really lend much freshness to the wine. The finish is quite long with somewhat evolved and slightly dull flavors of wizened apples, some honeycomb, a little bit of ripe white peach, light dusty notes of chalky minerality, a hint of zesty citrus fruit and a touch of SO2.
A developed and slightly tired Alsatian Riesling. Unlike the previous bottle I had half a year ago, this wine felt slightly more evolved and noticeably more tired in comparison. Here the fruit flavors seemed to lack vibrancy and intensity, making the wine feel slightly dusty and lacking definition. Furthermore, even though I couldn’t pick up any SO2 notes in the nose, a faint smell/feeling of SO2 seemed to appear retronasally every now and then towards the aftertaste. I wonder if this bottle was from a different batch with a slightly higher dose of SO2 compared to the previous bottle? Go figure. At least it’s true that at this age there are no great wines, just great bottles. Although not a bad wine in any way, this really didn’t live up to the expectations. However, at just 13,10€ the wine still could deliver value for the price. (88 pts.)
.
-
1997 Treana White Mer Soleil Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast (2.11.2021)
A blend of Viognier (60%) and Marsanne (40%) from the Mer Soleil vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands. Aged in oak barrels (62%) and stainless steel tanks (38%). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite deep, somewhat evolved and rather intense golden-yellow color with faint lime-green highlights. Intense, evolved and quite creamy nose with complex, seductive aromas of ripe tropical fruits, buttery diacetyl, some creamy oak, a little bit of toasty nuttiness, light apricot marmalade nuances, a hint of poached pear and a touch of preserved yellow fruits. The wine is evolved, rich and moderately oily on the palate with a full body and juicy, complex flavors of creaminess and browned butter, some wizened apricots, light sweet notes of peachy stone fruits, a little bit of nutty complexity, a hint of apple sauce and a touch of poached pear. The mouthfeel shows nice, slightly viscous texture, which is counterpointed by the medium-to-moderately high acidity that keeps the wine nicely in balance. The finish is rich, juicy and slightly sweet in taste with complex, mature flavors of evolved nuttiness and browned butter, some apple jam, a little bit of cooked cream, light dried apricot nuances, a hint of canned pineapple and a touch of honeysuckle.
A beautiful, rich and complex Rhône blend from California. The wine is quite substantial in style, but at the same time remarkably balanced and harmonious, showing great sense of complexity and depth of flavor. Many people (me included) guessed aged Rhône white, offering an evolved California Chardonnay as the alternative guess. I suppose thinking a little bit further would have yielded a correct guess right on the first try! Anyways, this was terrific. Oaked full-bodied whites are not normally my cup of tea, but once they gain some depth and complexity with age, they can turn into something magical. This wine did not disappoint in the slightest. Superb value at 27€. (94 pts.)
.
-
1995 Calera Viognier Mount Harlan - USA, California, Central Coast, Mount Harlan (2.11.2021)
100% Viognier from vineyards planted in Mount Harlan, considered to be some of the coolest in California. Fermented and aged in concrete tanks. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, quite pale lime-green color. Very fresh, quite zippy and even slightly reductive nose with bright yet slightly closed aromas of fresh red apples, some rubbery swimming pool toy notes and slightly smoky reduction, a little bit of zesty citrus fruit, light crunchy notes of fresh peach, a hint of exotic spices and a subtle, perfumed touch of white flowers. The wine is ripe yet fresh and structured on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and youthful, slightly reductive flavors of fresh white peach and crunchy red apple, some exotic spices, a little bit of smoky reduction, light stony mineral notes, a hint of rubber and a touch of alcohol warmth. The high acidity lends great intensity and good sense of structure to the wine. The finish is rich, juicy and somewhat warm with long, complex flavors of fresh peach, some sweeter notes of apple jam, light notes of exotic spices, a little bit of smoky reduction, a hint of spicy red apple and a touch of floral spice.
An excellent, remarkably fresh and unbelievably youthful Viognier that was nigh impossible to guess correctly (well, we got it finally, but not without tons of guesswork). The wine really wasn’t typical of a 26-yo Viognier, since the only thing that pointed out to Viognier was its relatively high alcohol. Other than that, the wine lacked the full body and slightly viscous mouthfeel of the variety, coming across as surprisingly fresh and zippy, and the acidity came across as atypically high for the variety as well - it’s impossible to assess if the acidity is because of the high altitude and cool climate of the vineyards or if it just came from a bag, but at least it keeps the wine wonderfully fresh and structured. However, when the label was revealed, everybody was baffled by the vintage - the wine didn’t really exhibit any aged characteristics at all, and in a tasting of +15 yo wines (the youngest was from 2005), this wine seemed to be some decade younger than any other wine. Based on this observation, I’d say this wine is aging at a glacial pace and it will hopefully reach maturity around 40-50 years after the vintage. An excellent wine that needs both some additional age and quite a bit of aeration to blow off the reduction - the wine was quite closed and rubbery upon opening. Not affordable at approx. 60€, but delivers for the price. Expect the score to go up as the wine ages (I never imagined I would say this in a TN of 25-yo Viognier). (92 pts.)
.
-
1997 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu (2.11.2021)
13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very evolved, deep golden yellow to pale bronze color. The nose seems slightly oxidative with tertiary aromas of sorrel, some chopped nuts, a little bit of hay, light bruised apple tones and a hint of earth. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and slightly oily on the palate with tertiary, somewhat oxidative flavors of chopped nuts, some bruised apple, light apricot tones, a little bit of hay, a hint of sultana raisins and a touch of sweet white peach. Soft medium acidity. The finish is juicy and moderately oxidative with medium-long flavors of chopped nuts, some notes of hay, a little bit of sultana, light fruity notes of cantaloupe, a hint of bruised alcohol and a touch of alcohol warmth.
A very evolved Condrieu already past its peak. However, even though the wine has started to venture quite deep into the old wine territory, it still manages to offer some pleasure and is just somewhat tired, not completely flat or dead. However, one should be aware that the wine isn’t showing its best anymore, but instead comes across very tertiary and already somewhat oxidative. If any there are any bottles that still remain somewhere, I suggest drinking them sooner rather than later - this wine ain’t getting any better. Feels expensive for its quality at 49€. (83 pts.)
.
-
2005 Schoffit Pinot Gris Tradition - France, Alsace (2.11.2021)
Tasted blind.
Medium-deep golden yellow color with faint greenish highlights. Sweetish but also slightly closed nose with slightly concentrated aromas of honey, some ripe nectarine, a little bit of exotic spices, light dried-fruit notes and a hint of orchard flowers. The wine feels full-bodied, rich and concentrated on the palate. To my understanding, the Tradition range of Schoffit should be dry, but I’m quite certain the wine is off-dry to at least some extent, perhaps even low-end medium-sweet - if this truly is technically dry, I’m very surprised. Flavors of ripe nectarine, some honeyed tones, a little bit of sweet apple jam, light floral nuances, a hint of developed beeswax character and a touch of exotic spice. The overall feel is still relatively youthful on the palate with emphasis on the somewhat sweet-toned fruit. The medium acidity keeps the wine somewhat in balance, but is not high enough to lend the wine much freshness or any zip. The finish is juicy, off-dry-to-medium-sweet and quite mellow with medium-long flavors of ripe peach and wizened apricots, some honeyed nuances, a little bit of apple sauce, light spicy notes and an evolved hint of beeswax.
A classically built, rich and mellow Alsatian Pinot Gris, pretty much like a textbook example of the variety in Alsace. This is supposed to be technically dry, but until I see some actual data, I find it hard to believe - there’s such richness to the flavors and viscosity to the mouthfeel that I’m sure the RS must be at least 10 g/l here. Anyways, even though the wine shows some evolved qualities, the overall feel is still relatively youthful for the age; I’m sure the wine will at least keep for many years more, but I can imagine it could actually continue to improve for at least a handful of years more. Although I could use a bit higher acidity here, the wine is thoroughly enjoyable stuff all the same. An excellent purchase at 13,10€. (91 pts.)
.
-
1998 Rudi Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Wösendorfer Hochrain - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (2.11.2021)
14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite concentrated yellow-green color. Rather ripe and concentrated nose with bold aromas of wizened peaches, some honeydew melon, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of apple jam, a hint of savory spices and a touch of poached pear. The wine is noticeably ripe, remarkably concentrated and full-bodied on the palate with intense, subtly sweet-toned flavors of ripe nectarine, acacia honey, some poached pear, a little bit of evolved beeswax character, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of wizened peaches and a touch of savory spices. The substantial body of the wine takes away some zip and cut from the moderately high acidity, but it is still high enough to keep the wine well in balance. The finish is juicy, concentrated and somewhat warm with a bold aftertaste of ripe apricots and dried nectarines, some honeyed tones, a little bit of orange marmalade, light evolved nuances of beeswax and a hint of pear jam.
A very big, concentrated and substantial Grüner Veltliner with lots of everything, yet the wine doesn’t feel excessively weighty or overdone. I guess the wine is varietally correct in the sense that for the longest time I wondered what on earth the wine could be, because it didn’t really ring any bells when I was tasting, yet in a revelatory moment I managed to guess that the wine could be approx. 20-yo Grüner Veltliner from Niederösterreich, perhaps from Kamptal. Not entirely correct, but close enough to make me feel happy about meself. A very impressive wine by all accounts; it is drinking really nicely right now, but most likely will keep for years more - perhaps can even improve from here. Priced according to its quality at 39€. (93 pts.)
.
-
1996 Acacia Pinot Noir Carneros - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros (2.11.2021)
13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite translucent and moderately evolved brick-red color. Ripe, dark-toned and quite perfumed nose with aromas of brambly black raspberries, some lifted greenish nuances of peppermint, a little bit of cranberry sauce, light meaty notes, a hint of wizened black cherry and a sweeter touch of marmaladey richness. The wine is ripe, silky in texture and enjoyably acid-driven on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of juicy cranberries, some cooling green nuances of peppermint, a little bit of sweet cherry-driven red fruit, light evolved notes of old leather, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of savory old wood spice. The high acidity lends good intensity and sense of balance to the wine, while the ripe, gently grippy tannins contribute both to the texture and to the structure. The finish is juicy, long and savory with a little bit of tannic tug on the gums along with a layered aftertaste of ripe cranberries, some minty tones, a little bit of old leather, light sweet notes of wizened cherries and strawberries, a hint of cranberry sauce and a touch of earthy spices.
A stylish, pleasantly evolved yet still relatively youthful Carneros Pinot Noir that was surprisingly dark-toned and minty for the style. The meaty flavors and especially the nuances of peppermint took me into a completely different direction, so I honestly guessed that this was an aged Australian Shiraz from the lighter end of the spectrum - not anything huge and jammy, but instead something more delicate with emphasis on freshness and brightness of fruit. But did they make such wines 20 years ago? I don’t know. Well, it doesn’t matter as the wine turned out to be not from Australia and not a Shiraz. However, even though the wine really didn’t make me think of California nor Pinot Noir, in any case it’s a pretty lovely wine for such. Although showing some evolved characteristics, the wine isn’t yet particularly mature, so I can imagine the wine will continue to improve for some years and keep just fine for much longer. Priced according to its quality at 43€. (93 pts.)
.
-
1970 Nervi Gattinara - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara (2.11.2021)
Tasted blind.
Pale, translucent and very slightly hazy brick-red color. At first the wine shows a healthy dose of brett, but at least in my books, nothing offensive: there are attractive aromas of new leather and sweaty horse saddle, some spicy phenolic tones, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light evolved notes of sweet, wizened red cherries, a hint of smoke and a touch of funky animale character. Due to the rather pronounced bretty qualities, it’s rather hard to assess where the wine is from at this point, so I guess Loire - just because that has always been the bretty wine hotspot for me. The wine is evolved, savory and moderately bretty on the palate with a medium body with mature flavors of wizened sour cherries and cranberry sauce, some leathery tones, a little bit of gamey character and light meaty notes of umami, a hint of tar and a metallic touch of rusty iron - something that seems typical of older bretty wines. Great high acidity with firm, fine-tuned and quite powdery tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is long, savory and somewhat grippy with complex, rustic flavors of funky and leathery notes of brett, some wizened cranberries, light gamey notes, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, a metallic hint of rusted iron and a touch of tar.
While I was wondering whether this could be an old, rustic Pinot Noir from Loire, somebody suggested older Piedmontese Nebbiolo - and that was it. Pieces sort of just clicked together: pale color, tar, cherry notes, brett and firm tannins - of course this is Nebbiolo! The hefty brett character just masked the typical Nebbiolo aromatics so well that I didn’t go there first, but it is so obvious once you know the label. All in all, this was a lovely wine that is in a great spot now - and probably has been for a decade or two - and nothing unlike that flat and completely oxidized 1970 bottle I had a few years ago. Even though there’s a bit of that distracting metallic taste (that takes a minor hit on the score), this is a lovely old-school Nebbiolo - as long as you can deal with a good deal of rustic bretty aromas. Excellent value at 31€. (92 pts.)
.
-
1973 Faustino Rioja I Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (2.11.2021)
A blend of Tempranillo (70%), Graciano (15%) and Mazuelo (15%). First the wine aged for 16 months in concrete tanks, after which the wine is transferred to old American (90%) and Slavonian (10%) oak barriques, in which the wine is aged for 2-3 years. Bottle #63861. I was told the cork seemed quite loose, there was a tiny leak and moderate ullage. Tasted blind.
Moderately evolved and rather translucent pale cherry red color with a mature pomegranate-red hue. Fragrant, evolved and very attractive nose with complex aromas of old leather saddle, some ripe strawberry, a little bit of dried dill, light sweet notes of wizened red fruits and dried cranberries, a hint of earth and a savory touch of old wood spice. The wine is silky smooth, resolved and moderately evolved on the palate with layered flavors of wizened cranberries and wild strawberries, some sour cherry bitterness, light leathery tones, a little bit of dill, a hint of phenolic spice and a touch of savory old wood. The structure relies more on the high acidity, although the quite resolved, gently grippy medium-plus tannins, that slowly pile up on the gums, bring some welcome firmness to the mouthfeel as well. The finish is long, complex and gently grippy with savory, layered flavors of wizened cherries and sweet strawberries, some bretty notes of leather saddle and stable floor, light crunchy cranberry tones, a hint of dill and a faint touch of vanilla.
Virtually everybody seemed to notice the subtle yet somewhat perceptible dill notes quite quickly and after this point it was only the question of whether the wine was an aged Rioja or an old Californian wine matured in American oak barrels. As old Rioja seemed a more likely possibility, we went with that - and that is what this wine was. This classic 48-yo Rioja is still fully alive and kickin’, showing a good deal of tertiary complexity (and an understated yet also detectable streak of bretty funk, typical of Faustino) yet also more than enough fruit and vibrancy to make the wine feel balanced and fully enjoyable. Although I expect any further aging potential to be very limited, the wine doesn’t feel like it is going to be getting downhill anytime soon. All in all, a fantastic mature Rioja at its peak. Good value at 49€. (95 pts.)
.
-
1980 Adega Cooperativa de Labrugeira Velharia Reserva - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (2.11.2021)
The wine is from VR Estremadura, currently known as VR Lisbõa. Bottle #128480. 11,6% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Slightly hazy and moderately opaque appearance with an evolved dried-blood color. Aged, funky and slightly dusty nose with tired and somewhat oxidative aromas of soy sauce, some beef jerky, a little bit of dried dark forest fruits, light earthy tones and a hint of damp cellar. It’s hard to assess whether the wine is corked or just tired with some bottle stink. The wine feels medium-bodied, acid-driven and somewhat lean on the palate with understated and a bit tired flavors of barnyard funk, some dusty earth, a little bit of wizened sour cherry, light cranberry tones, a hint of soy sauce and a touch of old leather. High in acidity with quite grippy tannins. The finish is dry, somewhat dull and quite tannic with medium-long flavors of dusty earth, some evolved dried cranberry tones, a little bit of beef jerky and light mushroomy nuances.
Offers very little at this point. There was some discussion whether the wine was mildly corked or just old and funky with some bottle stink. I voted for TCA, but the vote was split, so we really didn’t reach a consensus in this matter. Nevertheless, it was quite impossible to guess the wine correctly as it offered very little besides musty, dusty funk and oxidative qualities. I’m marking the wine as “flawed”, but even if it weren’t, it seems the wine is already well past its peak and not particularly enjoyable anymore. NR (flawed)
.
-
2000 Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Capitel Monte Olmi - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (2.11.2021)
15% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite opaque and somewhat evolved black cherry color with a matured maroon hue. The nose feels somewhat restrained but quite complex at the same time with brooding, layered aromas of wizened dark forest fruits and old leather, some evolved meaty notes, a little bit of dried figs, light gamey tones, hints of prunes and plum liqueur and a touch of balsamic richness. Lovely! The wine is chewy, dense and quite concentrated on the palate with a noticeably full body and intense flavors of wizened dark plums, some damson liqueur, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, marmaladey notes of cherry jelly, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of old leather. Although the wine shows some evolved nuances, it doesn’t really feel particularly old (nor youthful). Impressive structure with the quite high acidity and rather assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is chewy, moderately grippy and somewhat warm with intense, layered flavors of ripe black cherries, some prunes, a little bit of evolved meaty character, light sweet notes of damson liqueur, a hint of bittersweet dark chocolate and a faint balsamic touch of VA.
A very impressive, powerful and wonderfully structured Amarone that has evolved very nicely, yet is still on its way up - the fruit is starting to show some evolved qualities, but doesn’t feel fully mature or tertiary yet. Some people commented that they had no idea where the wine came from, but it tasted like an aged Vintage Port that is just dry for some reason. I really didn’t find the wine particularly porty - it was more Italian/French/Croatian than Portuguese in my opinion - but I can understand how some people might view the wine differently. It didn’t take us much time to locate the wine, as one guessed Masi Mazzano and we were told that it was “close enough”. All in all, a terrific wine and even though I’m not a big Amarone wine, this was a very enjoyable effort - big yet balanced rather than ponderous and clumsy. Excellent value at 38€. (94 pts.)
.
-
1983 Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva Colares Chitas Reserva Velho - Portugal, Lisboa, Colares (2.11.2021)
11% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Moderately dark and somewhat translucent black cherry color that isn’t young anymore, nor particularly aged, either. Somewhat restrained and pleasantly evolved nose that isn’t that open, yet feels very attractive with its fine-tuned, slightly sweet yet rather cold aromas of crunchy red berries, some old leather, a little bit of dried red cherry, light earthy notes, a hint of ripe dark forest fruits and a touch of sappy herbal spice. The wine is dry, firm and savory on the palate with a somewhat delicate medium body and cool, focused flavors of tart lingonberries, some fresh redcurrant and blackcurrant tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light old leather notes, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of tangy salinity. The bright, racy acidity lends almost electric intensity to the wine, whereas the rather grippy yet not aggressive tannins lend good sense of firmness and structure to the palate. The finish is tart, dry and rather grippy with intense flavors of crunchy lingonberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of old, dry leather, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of fresh redcurrant and a touch of tangy salinity.
A beautiful, fine-tuned and pleasantly evolved Colares that is - typical of the style - still surprisingly youthful for its age. The wine does show some aged qualities, but as the wines seem to be nigh indestructible and even bottles from the 1930’s and 1940’s come across as decades younger than they truly are, it’s not a surprise this wine didn’t feel like a wine clocking in at 38 years of age - instead people’s guesses were in the ballpark of 15-20 years. It was really difficult to pinpoint the wine to Portugal, as Ramisco makes wines that are not particularly similar to contemporary Portuguese reds, typically light in body, high in acidity, noticeably low in alcohol and exhibiting more tart and crunchy red berry flavors than juicy, dark fruits. Finally somebody managed to guess Portugal and relatively quickly we ended up in Colares. Darn fine stuff, as always. This vintage will - in all likelihood - continue to improve for another decade or so, and keep just fine for another half a century. (93 pts.)
.
-
2005 Jean Moreau Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (2.11.2021)
A blend of Pinot Noir (73%), Chardonnay (27%), mainly from vineyards in Ambonnay. Aged sur lattes for two years. 10 g/l dosage. Tasted blind.
Somewhat evolved, medium-deep lemon-yellow color. Ripe but also slightly restrained nose with juicy aromas of Golden Delicious apple, some leesy notes of yeast, a little bit of nutty almond character, light zesty notes of lemon and a hint of bready autolysis. The wine feels ripe, juicy and clean on the palate with a medium body and a taste that shows more complexity than the nose; there are aromas of ripe, mealy golden apples, yeasty and leesy notes, some brioche, a little bit of chopped almonds, light zesty lemon nuances, a hint of bready autolysis and a sweet touch of ripe white peach, suggesting a bit higher dosage. Quite high acidity with a smooth, creamy mousse. The finish is quite long with ripe and somewhat evolved flavors of chopped almonds, some mealy golden apple, light leesy notes of yeast, a little bit of bready autolysis, a hint of sweet citrus fruits and a touch of white peach.
A very nice and attractive Champagne with somewhat noticeable dosage, yet it really doesn’t bother one bit, as the flavors and structure support the underlying sweetness really well. Overall the wine shows a little bit of aged character, but is still far from its apogee - I can imagine this wine will continue to evolved for at least another decade or so and will keep for much longer. My guess was a Champagne, around 10-12 years old. Some people guessed 100% Pinot Meunier, but I didn’t feel like the wine showed any specific varietal qualities, so I guessed the wine was a traditional Champagne blend of two or three varieties in more or less equal proportions. Well, nobody was entirely correct, but at least I was close enough! (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
![[wow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/7/7d450e9830889c8943b674446a21b7254cad657e.gif "wow"){kind=small}
