What bottle of wine did you open today?

[A1ex H]

2017 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie Améthyste
The nose is bright and full of spice, herbs and dark fruit. The palate is well balanced and sweet with good acidity and notes of black cherry, spice, dried herbs and meat. A tasty young syrah.

Did it have that Levet funk that you usually find in their upper cuvees? Curious if Amethyste has that wild funk as well.

I did not find it particularly funky for a Northern Rhone although sometimes the funk can take a little bit of time to develop and this was definitely on the young side.

[Julian Marshall]

And now for something completely different !

Kayra Buzbag Rezerv Oküzgözü Bogazkere 2008 (Turkey)
https://us.v-cdn.net/5020913/uploads/ed ... wbsz3r.jpg
I discovered this in a corner of my cellar and opened it, since it was bottle collection day and I wanted to fill the container before it was emptied. It had been given to me about ten years ago by a Turkish hotelier, and I had completely forgotten about it. I was fairly sure it would be shot, but poured myself half a glass anyway. The colour was surprisingly youthful, so after a quick sniff, in I plunged...and no, it wasn't shot at all.

Going back to it last night, I was really rather impressed: the nose was full of black cherries, plums, dried cranberry I think, herbs and spices, with an earthy, sandy touch. The attack was quite fresh still, with juicy notes of plums and cherries, then some herbs and spices, followed by a really searing seam of garrigue strawberry but again, with an earthy, sandy feel to it. Just when I thought it would tip over into a syrupy mess, along came a wave of cool blackcurrant to round it off.
14.5°, but the balance is so good that it doesn't show at all.

Looking online, I found out that this comes from Southern Anatolia. It is made with two indigenous grapes, Oküzgözü and Bogazkere, then aged for 24 months in French oak. I suspect that this would have showed in its youth, but there was no trace of oak last night.

It doesn't taste precisely like anything else I know, but I found similarities with Lebanese wines like Massaya (before it went all spoofy) or a lighter Madiran.

I knew that there were good wines in Turkey, having tasted many during my frequent trips when I worked in tourism, but this was by far the best. Apparently it can be found in the US for around $20, which is great value.

[Steen T Olsen]

And now for something completely different !

Kayra Buzbag Rezerv Oküzgözü Bogazkere 2008 (Turkey)
https://us.v-cdn.net/5020913/uploads/ed ... wbsz3r.jpg
I discovered this in a corner of my cellar and opened it, since it was bottle collection day and I wanted to fill the container before it was emptied. It had been given to me about ten years ago by a Turkish hotelier, and I had completely forgotten about it. I was fairly sure it would be shot, but poured myself half a glass anyway. The colour was surprisingly youthful, so after a quick sniff, in I plunged...and no, it wasn't shot at all.

Going back to it last night, I was really rather impressed: the nose was full of black cherries, plums, dried cranberry I think, herbs and spices, with an earthy, sandy touch. The attack was quite fresh still, with juicy notes of plums and cherries, then some herbs and spices, followed by a really searing seam of garrigue strawberry but again, with an earthy, sandy feel to it. Just when I thought it would tip over into a syrupy mess, along came a wave of cool blackcurrant to round it off.
14.5°, but the balance is so good that it doesn't show at all.

Looking online, I found out that this comes from Southern Anatolia. It is made with two indigenous grapes, Oküzgözü and Bogazkere, then aged for 24 months in French oak. I suspect that this would have showed in its youth, but there was no trace of oak last night.

It doesn't taste precisely like anything else I know, but I found similarities with Lebanese wines like Massaya (before it went all spoofy) or a lighter Madiran.

I knew that there were good wines in Turkey, having tasted many during my frequent trips when I worked in tourism, but this was by far the best. Apparently it can be found in the US for around $20, which is great value.

Wow Julian. Never thought I´d see a TN for a Turkish wine anywhere! Very interesting, to say the least. Anyway, there has to be both quality and mass production potential in Turkey and other countries in the area.

[Jason L.]

Finished off a bottle of 2017 DuMOL Wildrose Pinot Noir which was really superb. Nice vintage for aromatics from them, perhaps their most elegant bottling. Opened a 2016 Rapsani from Terra Petra, a Xinomavro-led blend from the slopes of Mt. Olympus. Not certain I got a representative bottle as this was fairly advanced with oxidized fruit and a touch of brett.

[MikeL238]

2004 Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Les Varennes du Grand Clos Cuvee Franc de Pied. Pretty good with notes of redcurrant and cranberry. No brett and very clean. Though, finish is bit short and somewhat bland for a Chinon. Overall enjoyable, but not much complexity to justify the price.

[Robert.A.Jr.]

Low key guys night with my cycling buddies and Berserker MarcF last night:

1982 Chateau La Louviere - on last legs, but lovely

1995 Chateau Leoville Barton - So classic, a beauty

1999 Chateau d’Armailhac - Tone Loc say “da funk!”

2000 Chateau Bahans Haut Brion

Some miscellaneous other things but there were the fun ones. The d’Armailhac was my WOTN, I’ve always loved this vintage for them.

[Bob W]

2015 Chateau De Ferrand St-Emilion Grand Cru



James Suckling: "Aromas of attractive red flowers, black cherries, chalk and deep cedary wood. This wine has a super fresh and tight-knit feel to it. The palate is laced up tight with fine, smooth tannins. Reserved and elegant. Full of finesse."

Me: "It refuses to suck."

I think I could have a future in reviewing wines.

[MikeL238]

2008 Levet Cote Rotie La Chavaroche.

It's got that trademark Levet nose of game, herbs, cured meat, olives, and dark fruit, which is absolutely lovely. Bit light on the palate, but I chuck that up to the vintage. I know Levet is not for everyone, but I absolutely loved it till the last drop.

[Steve Saxon]

1974 Callaway Petite Sirah.

[Bryce K]

2013 Castelli Nebbiolo, Luna Matta Vineyard.

This was a 2019 Berserker Day purchase. It’s in a great place right now, with light and pleasant tannins, tons of acidity, tart cherry and berries, with a menthol/herbal finish. Perfect for winter comfort food dinners. I had opened my first bottle of this right when I bought it and recall that it was good, but it felt on the harsh side. It’s definitely settled down and I am looking forward to re-upping for more Castelli wines in a few days!

[I. van de Laar]

2016 Nicolas Maillart Jolivettes Bouzy Grand Cru
Young and vibrant blanc de noir Champ with an almost Vin Gris like colour. Red apple, generous mousse, pleasant plumpness and mineral note. You can feel in the extreme tension in this wine there is more to come! Very nice Champagne

2010 Vincent Latour Latour-Labille / Vincent Latour Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
oxidized, but you could taste the underlying quality. We texted the seller and he promised a new bottle

2004 - Rauzan Gassies Margaux
Expected it already to be on the downward slope but it showed pretty nice. Margaux perfume on the nose. Classic bordeaux red fruits, cedar, leather some dustiness, good acidity but unfortunately also a green note. Good to see a 12,5%er again. This is how Bordeaux used to be I guess..

[Steen T Olsen]

During the weekend:
Maison Pagnotta Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2015- okay, not outstanding.
Château Tour Prignac 2011 Médoc- incredibly enough, still closed; give it another 5 years.

[melvinyeo]

• 2015 Ewald Tscheppe (Weingut Werlitsch) Ex Vero III - Austria, Styria, Südsteiermark (18/1/2021)
  Bought this because I tried Andreas Tscheppe previously and was very impressed. Blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, the Ex Vero III cuvée comes from the top section of the slopes as opposed to the lower numbers which are on the lower sections. Very serious natural wine, haunting aroma with lots of weight on the palate. Some reduction at first but it got better and better with air. As with most natural wines to me, the most obvious fruits were grapefruit and passion fruit. High acid and funk that suggests that it's rather out there, but the wine was still very clean. As you can probably tell I can't really decide if I like this wine, and my final verdict is as confused - I think everyone should try this wine but not sure I'd buy it again.

[Jake Dvoskin]

2017 Martinnelli zin

[A1ex H]

2011 Lafon Meursault

[Bdklein]

2012 Cirq Treehouse Pinot Noir. Yummy!!

[Yao C]

2017 Xavier Gerard Côte-Rôtie
Primarily darkish fruit, with just enough herbaceous funk to save it from complete anonymity; light and 'fluid' on the palate; not particularly interesting, and pretty poor value - I would rather have the '18 H-N Vosne from a few days ago for the same money; decent plus

edit> no meaningful improvement after one night in the fridge

[Bdklein]

2013 Cirq Bootleggers Pinot Noir

[Jake Dvoskin]

2018 Carlisle mourvedre bedrock v/y
2018 penfolds # 28

[joejolesch]

2014 Blackbird Arise
2016 Pine Ridge Onyx

[Bryan Kandel]

'17 Audeant Pinot ....tasty

[MikeL238]

1989 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses.

I started getting into Loire Valley Cab Francs last year based on this forum's posts. Above was my WOTY last year. Popped my last remaining bottle tonight and I'm pretty sure it will again be my WOTY. Truly remarkable.

[Brian S t o t t e r]

2018 Domaine Camus-Bruchon & Fils Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Grands Liards Vieilles Vignes

[KenL.]

2016 La Pelle NV

[A1ex H]

2011 Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Baudes: A nose of sour cherries, herbs and earth. The palate manages to combine a degree of elegance with a taught structure underneath - clearly from the Morey part of Chambolle. The palate has notes of sour red and black cherry, sous bois and a hint of pepper. A very fine Burgundy that will improve. 93 points.

[Ian Alper]

2004 Alesia Syrah, Chileno Valley. Pop and pour at a bonfire party (it was pretty cold out). At first weird astringent flavors, but also earth and mushroom underneath. Opened up nicely in about 20 minutes and became very interesting/unusual. An intellectual experience, not an easy sipping wine but curious flavors. Funk (brett?) took over to the point it was almost undrikable. 1 hour later a friend tried it again and found the funk receding. I thought it would be DOA so was pleased that we all found it at least interesting.

[Jeff_M.]

Opened a 16 Carlisle Bedrock Vineyard late in the afternoon and basically let it be in the glass for 4.5 hours. Drinking very VERY well with lots of air time.

[Steve Gautier]

Opened a 16 Carlisle Bedrock Vineyard late in the afternoon and basically let it be in the glass for 4.5 hours. Drinking very VERY well with lots of air time.

Did it need all of the 4.5 hours to open up?

[Jeff_M.]

Opened a 16 Carlisle Bedrock Vineyard late in the afternoon and basically let it be in the glass for 4.5 hours. Drinking very VERY well with lots of air time.

Did it need all of the 4.5 hours to open up?

I would say no, but we opened it right out of the cellar and it was too cold and tight upon opening to drink. Ended up waiting until after we put the baby to bed before drinking. 4.5 hours certainly didn't hurt it.

[NoahR]

2008 Cameron Clos Electrique
2017 Pierrick Bouley 1e Robardelles

[Robert.A.Jr.]

2001 Sociando Mallet.

Sociando at its best.

[Rodrigo B]

• 2011 Hobel Wine Works Cabernet Sauvignon Engelhard Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/25/2021)
  Fairly dark fruited and herbal on the nose. Plums and black currant mixed with eucalyptus and cigar box. Silky, well integrated tannings, good depth of fruit, albeit a bit ripe, almost sweet on the palate. Good acidity to balance it all out. Drinking at peak, but can likely hold it there for 1-2 years. Wouldn’t hold onto it for the long haul.

Posted from CellarTracker

• 2018 Championship Bottle Chardonnay Gravity's Pull Dion Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains (1/25/2021)
  Funny enough out of the fridge it was quite a bit riper on the nose, as it warmed up to serving temp the wine revealed a lovely flinty and reductive note, just enough to be pleasant and not overwhelm the rest of the wine. There are also some slight autolytic notes to it from the extended lees contact to give it some structure and weight. A saline minerality on the palate filled with candied limes. This seems to beg a bit of bottle age before cracking up the next bottle. Looking forward to revisiting this in another 12-18 months.

Posted from CellarTracker

[Brian S t o t t e r]

[Jeff_M.]

15 Mount Eden Reserve Chardonnay.
14 Regusci Block 8 zin
12 Ehlers Napa cab

Not a bad Tuesday night m

[Josh Grossman]

2008 Cameron Clos Electrique
2017 Pierrick Bouley 1e Robardelles

Which one won the night?

[NoahR]

2008 Cameron Clos Electrique
2017 Pierrick Bouley 1e Robardelles

Which one won the night?

Yes.


Cameron won, but Inwas just checking in on a Bouley young before continuing to buy more from Lyle, and they are excellent but definitely need more time.

[Josh Grossman]

2008 Cameron Clos Electrique
2017 Pierrick Bouley 1e Robardelles

Which one won the night?

Yes.


Cameron won, but Inwas just checking in on a Bouley young before continuing to buy more from Lyle, and they are excellent but definitely need more time.

I have a stash of both--but not back to '08. Sneaker guy is building a great portfolio.

[Josh Grossman]

2008 Cameron Clos Electrique
2017 Pierrick Bouley 1e Robardelles

Which one won the night?

Yes.


Cameron won, but Inwas just checking in on a Bouley young before continuing to buy more from Lyle, and they are excellent but definitely need more time.

This was a fun thread to read:
https://wineberserkers.com/forum/viewto ... =1&t=88174

[Jayson Cohen]

2017 Baudry Chinon La Croix Boisée. I want to see what Day 2 is like, but it’s both unique based on past experience and very promising.

[Peter Shurman]

2017 JB Neufeld Cabernet Sauvignon Two Blondes Vineyard

[Audrey H]

2019 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Les Baronnes Blanc

[Robert.A.Jr.]

Since I have only succeeded in having 2 “Dry January” days this month, I compromised tonight with my inner demons, and to the guffaw of Todd, went for a nice, down the middle, 15-year single malt. Two, actually.

[Steen T Olsen]

Birthday wine on the 26th: Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2016 Bichot; brilliant with oysters
As my Birthday fell on a weekday this year and corona restrictions in Copenhagen are now so tough you can´t go a café or restaurant (it has been like that for over a month now ), I have had to change my Birthday plan. Usually I go to Copenhagen and stick to a very firmly preprogammed schedule, including morning church and coffee, lunch and wine bar(s). This January, everything is closed.
So I have moved almost all wine related activities to this Saturday. TNs will be posted after Saturday.

[Julian Marshall]

A belated Happy Birthday Steen - what have you got planned for Saturday?

[Steen T Olsen]

A belated Happy Birthday Steen - what have you got planned for Saturday?

Pomerol and Listrac, Julian. Will post TNs on WB

[Peter Shurman]

With dinner last night
2010 Tignanello

[Brian S t o t t e r]

Birthday wine on the 26th: Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2016 Bichot; brilliant with oysters
As my Birthday fell on a weekday this year and corona restrictions in Copenhagen are now so tough you can´t go a café or restaurant (it has been like that for over a month now ), I have had to change my Birthday plan. Usually I go to Copenhagen and stick to a very firmly preprogammed schedule, including morning church and coffee, lunch and wine bar(s). This January, everything is closed.
So I have moved almost all wine related activities to this Saturday. TNs will be posted after Saturday.

We share a birthday. Cheers

[Jeff_M.]

2016 Limerick Lane Rocky Knoll.

[Jake Dvoskin]

2008 Altamura

[Kurt_L]

2012 Treasure Cellars Walla Walla Cab