Another one of our blind tastings from last autumn. Just like with the other one I just wrote about, us attendees didn’t have any idea which wines we would taste or if there would even be a theme for the night.
Well, it turned out that there was a set theme after all: Proper Claret - aka. pre-millennium Bordeaux reds. We also had one ringer thrown in and also a few extra bottles after the tasting proper. No famous First Growths or anything of the sort this time, but a fun session all the same.
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1998 Château Carbonnieux - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for two hours before the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for half an hour. The indicative blend is about 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Merlot and a little bit of Cabernet Franc, in some vintages a dash of Petit Verdot and Carmenère as well. Aged for 18 months in oak barriques (1/3 new). 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Classic Bordeaux nose with aromas of sweet blackcurrants and crème de cassis, new leather, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light fruity notes of red plums, a little bit of wild strawberry and a hint of earth. The wine doesn’t show any leafy greenness but rather some autumnal notes of damp leaves. The wine feels ripe, juicy and textural on the palate with a moderately full body and subtly sweet-toned flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some licorice tones, a little bit of toasty mocha oak and vanilla, light plummy tones, a hint of cherry pit and a sweet touch of crème de cassis. The rather high acidity takes care of the structure, whereas the ample yet fully resolved, soft tannins mainly contribute to the velvety texture. The finish is juicy and ripe yet pretty dry with long flavors of blackcurrants, some oaky notes of bittersweet dark chocolate, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of gravelly minerality, a hint of vanilla and a toasty touch of cocoa.
A stylish, juicy and quite polished Pessac-Léognan that feels still surprisingly youthful and vibrant for its age - at the age of 23 years the wine shows surprisingly little tertiary characteristics and is still brimming with ripe, cassis-driven fruit. While the previous bottle I had was very oxidative and pretty much shot, this wine drank very similarly to the bottle I had a few months ago, 1st of August. Terrific stuff that will continue to develop for many years more - although the wine doesn’t really call for any additional cellaring as its tannins are so smooth, supple and resolved. Drink now, if you prefer still youthful, fruit-forward Graves; age for another 7-10 years if you prefer more tertiary character. Solid value at 26€. (90 pts.)
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1997 Château Cos Labory - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for two hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 45 minutes. The indicative blend is about 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Merlot and a little bit (5-10%) of Cabernet Franc. Aged in French and American oak barriques (about 35-40% new). 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dark, somewhat evolved and quite little translucent blood-red color. Savory and somewhat smoky nose with aromas of cigar box, some wizened blackcurrants, a little bit of tomato paste, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, sweeter hints of blueberries and dark plums and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine is evolved, somewhat thin and slightly metallic on the palate with a medium body with classic Claret flavors of crunchy blackcurrants and old leather, some licorice, light metallic notes of rusted iron, a little bit of toasty wood spice, an autumnal hint of damp leaves and a touch of cigar. The acidity feels relatively modest here and the medium tannins retain only quite little grip. The finish is dry, somewhat grippy and moderately evolved with quite long flavors of wizened blackcurrants, some ferrous notes of blood, light smoky notes of cigar, a little bit of licorice root, an autumnal hint of damp leaves and a touch of something metallic.
An otherwise classic Claret, but lacking a bit in depth, body and structure. I like the cold, crunchy style here, but the overall feel is a bit too light for its own good, making the wine feel a bit thin and worn out. I guess with a bit more intensity the wine would’ve felt more balanced, but now, with the slightly dilute acidity, the fruit lacks that vital zip and intensity. Furthermore, there’s a slightly metallic note to the taste that also takes a small toll on the enjoyment. So while the wine is perfectly drinkable and fully alive for a 24-yo Claret, this was ultimately a bit underwhelming effort in our tasting, not reaching the heights of the best mid-to-late 1990’s Bordeaux. (87 pts.)
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1996 Château Yon-Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for three hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 30 minutes. The indicative blend is almost completely Merlot with a small addition (approx. 10%) of Cabernet Franc. Aged in French oak barriques (approx. 1/3 new). 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dark, moderately translucent cherry-red color with a somewhat evolved brick-orange hue. The nose feels surprisingly closed and restrained with rather light and slightly sweet-toned aromas of earth, some farmhouse funk, a little bit of ripe red plum and a hint of pouch tobacco. The wine is dry, quite ripe and medium-bodied on the palate with a silky texture and somewhat light and linear flavors of tart red plums, some tobacco, a little bit of earth and a sweeter hint of ripe dark forest fruits. Moderately high in acidity with balanced, quite resolved medium tannins. The finish is dry, slightly grippy and quite savory with somewhat evolved and a bit clipped flavors of fresh red plums, some pouch tobacco, a little bit of old leather, light earthy tones and a sweeter hint of wizened dark fruits.
A balanced and somewhat evolved St. Émilion that is surprisingly youthful for its age, but also - unfortunately - quite linear, closed and underwhelming, showing surprisingly little of any depth or character. Seeing how the wine is already 25 years old and it really didn’t budge despite all the aeration, I have a hunch that this wine just has never been a grand vin, nor will it ever be, no matter how long it is aged. Quite elegant, but not particularly interesting. I dub thee Yawn-Figeac. (85 pts.)
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1998 Château Malescasse - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for three hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 30 minutes. The indicative blend is about an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, rounded out with a 10% addition of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Macerated with the skins for 3 weeks. Aged for 14-16 months in French oak barriques (about 1/3 new). 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite deep and moderately opaque dark red color with faint brick-red highlights. Quite savory and somewhat evolved nose of earth and tobacco, some ripe blackcurrant tones, a little bit of fresh bilberry, light ferrous notes of blood, an autumnal hint of damp leaves and a sweeter touch of wizened red fruits. The wine is moderately ripe yet quite dry on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of juicy blackcurrants, some fresh dark fruits, light toasty oak notes, a little bit of ripe bilberry, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of sous-bois. The overall feel isn’t youthful any more, but the taste doesn’t come across as particularly evolved either. The moderately high acidity and somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins lend good sense of structure to the wine. The finish is savory and moderately grippy with quite lengthy flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a little bit of fresh red plum, light bilberry tones, a hint of tobacco and an earthy touch of sous-bois.
A nice, tasty and quite classically built Haut-Médoc red that is yet another example how these Crus Bourgeoises are often overlooked and how they can deliver impressive quality and great value at very affordable prices. This wine is in a great phase right now, but will also continue to improve for many more years. Recommended. (91 pts.)
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1997 Tenuta Le Velette Umbria Calanco - Italy, Umbria (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for three and half hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 20 minutes. A blend of Sangiovese (65%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), aged for 10 months in French oak barriques. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite deep, dark and only very slightly translucent blackish-red color with a hint of evolved pomegranate hue. Quite brooding and somewhat sweetish nose with dark-toned aromas of dark plums and juicy black cherries, some lifted, cool notes of minty herbal character, light toasty notes of dark chocolate and cacao nibs, a little bit of cassis and a mature hint of old, dry leather. The wine is quite ripe and moderately full-bodied with vibrant, dry flavors of redcurrants, crunchy cranberries and some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light tobacco notes, a savory hint of woody oak spice and toasty touch of cocoa. The overall feel is impressively structured and rather tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and ample, quite textural and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is quite long, moderately grippy and rather ripe with savory flavors of juicy blackcurrants, some sour cherry bitterness, light leathery notes, a little bit of toasty oak spice, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of tobacco.
This was an interesting wine, tasted blind among similarly aged Bordeaux reds; the style was surprisingly Bordelais, not in small part due to the Cabernet component cutting nicely through the Sangiovese portion, but the wine still had a somewhat Italian feel to it. Compared to the true Bordeaux wines, this wine felt slightly sunnier and more ripe in fruit, yet the wine showed also at least as much acidity as any Bordeaux red with perhaps even more pronounced tannic structure. Perhaps the sour cherry component that lent a little bit of bitterness not that typical for a Bordeaux was what set this wine apart from the other wines - and even then my initial guess was that this was a Left Bank red from a warmer vintage, perhaps 2000 or 2001. All in all, a very nicely crafted Super-Umbrian that is drinking really nicely right now and will keep for many years more. At mere 8€ this is an epitome of bargain. (92 pts.)
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1992 Château de Fieuzal - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for four hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 45 minutes. The indicative blend is about 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Merlot and a little bit (5-10%) of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barriques for 16-18 months. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved and somewhat translucent rusty maroon color with a pale, almost colorless rim. Quite aged and somewhat leafy nose with attractive and quite intense aromas of slightly wizened red cherries and blackcurrants, some cigar box tones, a little bit of something smoky, light strawberry notes, a slightly herbaceous hint of dried herbs and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and quite dense on the palate with evolved and somewhat concentrated flavors of juicy blackcurrants, evolved meaty notes, some tobacco, light tart notes of lingonberries, a little bit of savory wood spice, a herbaceous hint of leafy greenness and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. Overall the wine feels quite stern and structure-driven, thanks to its high acidity and quite assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is long, somewhat concentrated and quite grippy with intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants and crunchy redcurrants, some evolved notes of meaty umami, a little bit of tobacco, light leafy green nuances, a herbaceous hint of bell pepper and a woody touch of cedar.
Well this wine really took me by surprise. From what I had learned, 1992 was a poor and very rainy vintage that produced some rather dilute and vegetal wines not suitable for aging. However, this was not even the first but the second impressive 1992 Bordeaux I’ve had within a short period of time; this was definitely evolved, but still not particularly tertiary and sporting not only surprisingly concentrated fruit, but also an impressive structure that was wonderfully balanced with the body of the wine. The wine did show some herbaceous, leafy tones, but nothing that would be outside the ordinary for a classic Bordeaux - to be frank, I’ve had some noticeably more herbaceous Bordeaux reds from mid-to-late 1990’s (most of which have been pretty lovely as well). So if you happen to love proper old-school Claret, this Fieuzal overperforms - and by a quite wide margin - for a 1992 Bordeaux. Terrific stuff, highly recommended. (93 pts.)
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1994 Château Talbot - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for three and half hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 30 minutes. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved blackish-red color with a maroon hue. Very old and somewhat tired nose with tertiary aromas of raisins, some tomato puree, a little bit of tobacco, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a hint of mushroomy funk and a sweeter touch of plum compote. The wine is full-bodied on the palate, but the taste feels quite thin and underwhelming with tired flavors of damp leaves, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light oxidative notes of beef jerky and a hint of prunes. Structurally the wine is rather soft and resolved, thanks to the medium-to-moderate acidity and rather soft tannins that don’t really retain any grip. The finish is savory, somewhat thin and rather short with tired, tertiary flavors of pruney dark fruits, some meaty umami, a little bit of bouillon, light earthy notes of sous-bois, an oxidative hint of soy sauce and a touch of mushroomy funk.
Still somewhat drinkable but overall a rather old and tired Bordeaux that has seen some better days. Most of the fruit has already faded away and what little remains starts to feel quite oxidative. Time to drink up. (79 pts.)
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1995 Château Pedesclaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for five hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 15 minutes. The indicative blend is about 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Merlot and a little bit (5%) of Cabernet Franc and/or Petit Verdot. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very dark and quite brooding blackish-red color that permits very little light through. Very odd nose dominated by a heavy streak of BBQ spices (smoked paprika powder, onion powder, garlic powder and stuff like that) making the wine smell like a bowl of barbecue potato chips. There are some vague notes of wizened dark fruits and earth, but overall the nose is just barbecue chips, all the way. I’m quite baffled at this point. 
The wine is moderately full-bodied and rather structured on the palate with a rather thin taste. There are relatively light and underwhelming flavors of wizened dark berries, some barbecue chips, a little bit of earth, a hint of raisiny fruit and a touch of damp leaves. The wine is quite high in acidity with rather assertive tannins that pile up on the gums. The finish is dry, quite tannic and rather short with light, thin flavors of barbecue chips, some wizened dark fruits and a little bit of earth.
This was one of the weirdest mature Bordeaux wines I’ve tasted - it honestly smelled exactly like barbecue-flavored potato chips! That same taste was also there on the palate, but not nearly as intense as in the nose. Otherwise the wine felt quite tired and listless, lacking fruit and energy. It wasn’t particularly oxidative at any point - it just felt like the wine had passed its peak years ago and has just thinned out since, leaving behind only a gaunt, wilted shadow of its former self. If this wasn’t an off bottle but instead a wine representative of the vintage, I say it’s high time to empty any remaining bottles. (73 pts.)
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1983 Château d’Agassac - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for four hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 30 minutes. The indicative blend is about 60% of Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and a tiny bit of Cabernet Franc. Tasted blind.
Moderately translucent and quite evolved brick-red color. Evolved and slightly oxidative nose with very tertiary aromas of meat consommé, some wizened red cherries, light honeyed tones, a little bit of dried strawberries and a hint of earth. The overall impression seems rather dried-out. The wine is dry, tertiary and medium-bodied on the palate with very evolved flavors of wizened dark berries, some meat stew, a little bit of tart and crunchy cranberries, light leathery notes, a hint of soft, overripe strawberry and a touch of marmaladey sweetness. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity as the tannins come across as quite soft and resolved. The finish is quite long, moderately ripe and very evolved with tertiary flavors of pruney dark fruits, some sweeter notes of cranberry marmalade, light oxidative notes of meat consommé or bouillon, a little bit of raisin and a salty hint of soy sauce.
A rather old and tertiary Haut-Médoc that has been gliding downhill for some time already. The wine is still fully drinkable and even enjoyable to some degree, but it is painfully obvious the wine is long past its years of greatness as is not that far away from oblivion. In reference to Zweder’s TN from 1997 - I can believe the wine must’ve been at its peak back then, because now - 24 years later - it most certainly isn’t. High time to drink up any remaining bottles. (81 pts.)
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1982 Château Pontac-Lynch - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for five hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 30 minutes. The indicative blend is about an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, rounded out with a tiny bit of Petit Verdot. Tasted blind.
Moderately pale and translucent brick-red color with a colorless rim. Savory and somewhat restrained but also thoroughly classic and attractive nose with fragrant aromas of crunchy red fruits, some earthy sous-bois, a little bit of old leather, light licorice root tones, a perfumed hint of dried flowers and a woody touch of old oak. The wine is dry, evolved and sinewy on the palate with a medium body and quite intense, savory flavors of licorice, crunchy cranberries and redcurrants, some tart lingonberry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light perfumed nuances of dried flowers, a hint of gravelly minerality and a ferrous touch of blood. The high acidity and moderately grippy tannins take both care of the of the firm structure. The finish is long, evolved and moderately grippy with savory and quite intense flavors of cranberries and tart lingonberries, some tobacco, a little bit of ferrous blood, light floral notes of dried flowers, a hint of ferrous blood and a touch of old leather.
A tasty, serious and sinewy old claret at its peak. The wine shows quite a bit of tertiary complexity, but also just the right amount of fresh and still surprisingly intense fruit flavors to keep the wine from tasting old and tired. Although the wine is surprisingly stern and structured for its age, there’s enough body and fruit intensity to back up the structure so that the wine doesn’t appear too tough or austere. All in all, a fine, wonderfully aged Margaux. Somehow I also managed to guess correctly 1982 Bordeaux from Margaux, even if it was a semi-wild guess. (92 pts.)
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1981 Château Cos Labory - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (26.10.2021)
The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for five and half hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 30 minutes. The indicative blend is about 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Merlot and a little bit (5-10%) of Cabernet Franc. Aged in French and American oak barriques (about 35-40% new). Tasted blind.
Aged, somewhat translucent brick-red color. Savory, very evolved and slightly dull nose with somewhat musty nose that might be a slightly mildewy note of TCA or just some dusty bottle stink combined with slightly unclean fruit. There’s a bit of earth and something animale, but very little in the way of fruit. The wine feels dry, dull and earthy on the palate with flavors of dusty earth, some leafy tones, a little bit of sous-bois and a mildewy hint of something that might be TCA. High in acidity with quite light yet somewhat angular tannins. The finish is dull, flat and earthy with flavors of dusty old house, some leafy herbaceous notes, a little bit of damp earth and a touch of tired, slightly pruney fruit.
This was a divisive wine - some (me included) argued that the wine was just slightly corked, while others argued it was just of poor-quality fruit and the wine suffered from both bottle stink and too much of age. Whatever the case was, the wine wasn’t particularly enjoyable anymore. It’s hard to assess whether we had an off bottle or if this was representative of the vintage, but in any case it seems the wine is already past its peak. NR (flawed)
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1978 Château Côte de Baleau - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (26.10.2021)
Relatively low ullage. The bottle was opened and slow-oxed for six hours prior to the tasting, then aerated in a decanter for about 30 minutes. The indicative blend is about 80% Merlot, some Cabernet Franc and a tiny bit of Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted blind.
Deep, dark cherry red color with a moderately evolved maroon hue and a pale brick-orange rim. The nose feels savory and rather evolved with moderately tertiary aromas of raw, bloody meat, some oxidative beef jerky tones, light sweet notes of wizened red fruits, a little bit of dried blackcurrants, a woody hint of pencil shavings and a touch of diesel. The wine feels quite evolved, ripe yet dry and moderately full-bodied on the palate with surprisingly juicy flavors of wizened dark forest fruits, some ferrous notes of blood, light oxidative notes of beef jerky, a little bit of sweet red cherry, an autumnal hint of damp leaves and a touch of bouillon. Good, rich and silky texture with a nice, structural feel, thanks to the high acidity and still quite stern and relatively unresolved tannins. The finish is long, quite grippy and moderately tertiary with a rather acid-driven aftertaste of prunes, some wizened blackcurrants, light oxidative notes of beef jerky, a little bit of vibrant cherry-driven red fruit and a hint of damp leaves.
This was a positive surprise - after a bunch of younger (1980’s and 1990’s) clarets, this wine turned out to be quite a bit more youthful than a large portion of the wines we had! Sure, the wine shows its age and bears some very tertiary characteristics, but there is more than enough of both fruit and structure to warrant the wine the status of being fully alive an kickin’! This has - in all likelihood - been on its plateau of maturity for quite many years, but I have no doubts the wine will continue to stay there for many years more. However, there is no real point in aging this wine any longer, as there really isn’t any room for further evolution. Drink or keep for a handful of years. A lovely old claret with wonderful sense of structure and depth of flavor. Highly recommended. (93 pts.)
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1994 Peter Lehmann Bin AD 2015 Vintage Port - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (26.10.2021)
A blend of Shiraz and Touriga Nacional from the Kalimna district in Barossa. 20% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dense, almost fully opaque cherry red color with an evolved maroon hue. A little bit of fine-grained, powdery deposit in the glass. The nose feels very rich, concentrated and fragrant with perfumed, Porty aromas of blackberry marmalade, prunes, some lifted cool notes of eucalyptus, light blueberry juice tones, a little bit of overripe figs, a boozy hint of alcohol and a touch of wild, colorful flowers. Completely oblivious to those eucalyptus notes, I’m pretty sure this must be Vintage Port, because otherwise the wine smells exactly like a Vintage Port would. The wine is full-bodied, rather sweet and somewhat evolved on the palate with rich yet surprisingly savory flavors of blackberry marmalade and bilberry juice, some peppery spice, light evolved notes of meaty umami, a little bit of charred game, a lifted hint of cooling eucalyptus character and a touch of raisiny dark fruit. The alcohol lends some obvious heat to the palate. Structurally the wine is balanced, but a bit on the soft side, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and resolved, quite mellow tannins. The finish is sweet, quite hot and gently grippy with bold, concentrated flavors of blueberries, game, some peppery spice, light raisiny tones, a little bit of blackberry marmalade, a cool hint of eucalyptus and a touch of dried figs.
A rich, complex and wonderfully balanced Vintage Port that is not a Vintage Port. I was just dead sure it was, seeing how it drank exactly like one - except for that eucalyptus note I noticed right from the start, yet didn’t think it actually would point out to the other side of the globe. All in all, a fantastic wine that is drinking wonderfully right now but will continue to improve for a good handful of years more and keep for a lot longer. I need to keep my peepers peeled if another bottle happens to come my way. Superb stuff, highly recommended. (93 pts.)
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2010 Château Carsin Cuvée Noire - France, Bordeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux (26.10.2021)
The mid-tier bottling of Château Carsin, composed of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. Only the best barrels are selected for this cuvée, the remaining barrels going into the entry-level wines. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very deep, almost fully opaque dark cherry red color with a hint of youthful purple hue. The nose feels rather youthful with sweet, almost primary notes of blueberries and ripe blackberries, some licorice tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light sweet notes of dark plums, a hint of leafy greenness and a touch of peppery spice. The overall feel is quite Syrah-like, so the nose takes me to Northern Rhône. The wine is ripe, quite big and slightly warm on the palate with a full body and quite rich flavors of blueberries and soft dark plums, some ripe blackcurrant tones, a little bit of lactic blueberry yogurt character, light notes of sweet licorice, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of toasty mocha oak. The overall feel is silky in texture, but structurally a bit on the soft side, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and ample but also very ripe and friendly tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and relatively primary with ripe, dark-toned flavors of blueberries and dark plums, some lactic notes of blackcurrant yogurt, light licorice tones, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice and a hint of vaguely peppery spice.
With its rather full body, juicy blueberry and blackberry-driven fruit flavors and nuances of peppery spice, I thought this was a young Syrah, perhaps a Cornas or just some Northern Rhône IGP wine from a warmer vintage. However, not only did this turn out to be a Bordeaux from Entre-Deux-Mers (from a Finnish producer!), but also a wine clocking in at +10 years of age! Stylistically this was a quite plush and rather polished wine, so not really in a style I favor, but surprisingly youthful for its age. While the age of the wine surprised me positively, otherwise the wine left me wanting. It really doesn’t speak that much of sense of place, as this kind of rich, polished wine could come from anywhere; and structurally it is just too soft for my preference - this might be fully enjoyable on its own, but the wine lacks the cut and bite to pair nicely with food. Seeing how youthful the wine still is, I can see it improving for another decade or so easily, but I doubt it will ever gain the finesse and structure I look for. Quite good, but not great. (87 pts.)
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2018 Wine Drops Douro Somnium - Portugal, Douro (26.10.2021)
The grapes are sourced from two 70-yo parcels in Porrais, Cima Corgo, Douro. These vineyards are field blends that mainly grow Códega do Larinho and Rabigato, but also include Donselinho Branco, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Folgazão and Viosinho. Fermented in French oak barriques, aged in the same oak barriques for 12 months, then all blended together and left to marry in stainless steel tanks for another 6 months. 13% alcohol.
Youthful and quite pale yellow-green color. Fragrant, slightly sweet-toned nose with layered aromas of ripe apricots, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of vanilla pod, light crunchy notes of fresh golden apples, exotic hints of cantaloupe and pineapple and a touch of pear cobbler. The wine is rich and full-bodied with an enjoyably concentrated overall feel, probably thanks to the old vine fruit. There are vibrant flavors of cantaloupe and apricots, some creamy oak, light sweet notes of apple jam, a little bit of vanilla pod, a sappy hint of herbal spice and a touch of stony minerality. The mouthfeel is slightly viscous and oily and the medium-plus acidity keeps the wine rather balanced. but doesn’t contribute that much to freshness. The finish is long, rich and quite complex with layered flavors of pineapple, creamy oak, some cantaloupe, light spicy notes of savory wood, a little bit of stony minerality, a sweet hint of apple jam and a touch of vanilla.
A rich, broad and quite substantial white with good sense of concentration and some obvious - but not excessive or distracting - oak influence. I poured the wine blind and people went almost immediately to Northern Rhône with this - most likely due to the full body and oily mouthfeel, apricot-driven fruit notes and well-managed oak. After it became clear that it wasn’t Northern Rhône, people started suggesting hot-vintage Burgundy - one even commented how the wine was “so French” it seemed impossible to guess anything outside France. It really took some guessing before somebody finally managed to correctly guess Douro! All in all, this is an impressive and complex white that feels not unlike a Portuguese counterpart of a good Condrieu or white Hermitage. Although I would prefer a bit higher acidity, this was nevertheless a very balanced and thoroughly enjoyable effort, never feeling heavy or ponderous. Based on its still very youthful overall character, I’d say this wine will continue to develop and improve for many years more. I’d love to revisit this wine in ten years or so, just to see into which direction this kind of rich and complex Rhône/Burgundy white goes. Solid value at 22,33€. (92 pts.)
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