2002 Philipponnat Champagne, Clos des Goisses, Brut. Dark, dull gold that shows incipient browning from age, color persists fully into the rims. Hardly any fizz on the pour and nothing lasts. Lemon custard, challah bread, powdered sugar lift in the nose, candied peach to apricot scents, spreads heavily through the nostrils, doughy but not excessively so. Muscular presence in the mouth with mouthwatering acidity. Orchard fruit still cruising along. The lemon citrus outstrips any breadiness. Not getting any strong oxidative notes. Nicely chalky finish. To me this is ready. 65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay. (Disgorged November 2011)
NV Tarlant Champagne, “Zero Brut Nature.” Lots of bubbles on the pour. Bright, shiny yellow straw hue, spotless with consistent streaming. Brisk nose of chalk, lighter saline, steam water, the mixed citrus has less bite than expected, the fruit sinewy but manages staying power, nothing changes warmer. Medium-bodied with strong foam during the attack. Peach, pear, apple fruit gets out of the chair to walk around. Citrus still less than expected. Acidity slaps you around until it tries of it. Big, dry finish. Liked this better than other Tarlant wines I have had. 32% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Meunier, 4% Petit Meslier, Arbanne, Pinot Blanc. (Disgorged February 22, 2022, 2015 base and reserve wines)
NV La Rogerie Chardonnay, Champagne, Avize, “Lieux de Vie Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature No. 01.” Airy head after the pour, good richness to the golden color, fine sparkle. Plush yet open nose of fresh peach, apricot, apple fruit, dusty stone, then more dewy florality, lingers very well. Medium-bodied, tight pétillance, much more focus than suggested by the nose. While the acidity pulsates well it has an agreeably soft feel that allows it to soak in while also moving forward. Borderline “fruity” which I enjoy. Pleased with it. (Base 2019, disgorged April 2022)
NV Allimant-Laugner Pinot Noir, Crémant d’Alsace, “Rosé Brut.” Good fizz on the initial pour. Light onion skin, pinkish to yellow, consistent streaming. Lightly floral nose, rose petal, cherry pit, light strawberry, open and airy and easy to like. Light-bodied, fizzy then smooths out really nicely. Pretty red berry fruit, acidity keeps pushing it forward without getting in the way of the fruit. Just a happy wine that wants to please which is incredibly useful.
2018 Recaredo Spain, Penedès, Cava, “Corpinnat Terrers Brut Nature.” Pours a big crest of foam, disappears quickly. Light straw gold, sparkles well in the glass, crystal clear. The nose is on the quiet side, crushed stone, mineral water, underneath a few warm rubber notes, getting minimal fruit at best. Lighter bodied and bouncy, the pétillance and acidity make it flit across the tongue. Streamwater, pebbles, again little fruit. Almost gets bitter at the finish, its cleanliness its best attribute. 65% Xarel-Lo, 18% Macabeu, 17% Parellada. (Disgorged 2022-11-22)
2019 Buçaco Portugal, Regional Blend, “Branco Reservado.” Maintains both a visual solidity as well as some surface shine, yellow-white straw. Nose sort of scattered, enjoyably all over the place, oil, sauna smoke, star fruit, mango, apricot, the fruit crests and falls, can’t get to the core of it. Medium-bodied, bursts forward with a floral lift. Lavender, fresher potpourri, there is something powdered candy. Tropical fruit without any sour bite. Really compelling and intriguing without being unapproachable. Unspecified percentages of Encruzado, Maria Gomes, Bical.
2018 Vinhos Imperfeitos (Carlos Raposo) Portugal, Vinho Verde, “Tres Pontos”. White yellow straw with lots of sparkle, youthful. The nose has a semi-closed reticence, somewhat medicinal, lemon peel, honey, lifting violets, crisp orchard fruit, great freshness. Light-bodied, vibrant acidity that pushes it forward well. On the dry side, lemon to white grapefruit, honeyed too, it’s a bit lean but not hard. Even more medicinal at the finish. Not much flesh on the bones but easy to sip, colder or warmer. Unspecified percentages of Arinto, Loureiro, Avesso.
2001 Josef Jamek Riesling, Wachau, Ried Klaus, Smaragd. Full on bronzed color, absolutely looks its age, that said, there’s an admirable shiny pooling down into the glass. In the nose the bus driven by linear pineapple, papaya, kumquat fruit, this said in spite of a heavy cream element which weights it down, crackling rubber and sun parched lemons pull it back to the center, no lack of energy at this point. Medium-bodied and comes off as having lost weight, pared down to essentials, dry finish even as you feel the extract. The attack at first seems milky but with repeated sips moves towards a simpler raw dough. Noted, nothing here oxidative and that same tropical fruit more or less electric. White to pink grapefruit. The fruit bitingly tropical. This was at the height of its powers on release and remains so today.
1996 Bernard Morey et Fils Chardonnay, Burgundy, Chassagne-Montrachet, Les Embrazées. Color has moved from gold to light amber, while it’s dull under the surface there is decent shine above. Oily nose, mandarin orange, chalk shards, notes of salami, semi-poached apricot scents, caramel, sort of all over the place. Light to medium-bodied, here you get the oxidation, raw dough and oiliness. Much more toasty as it opens. In turn the peach, apricot, apple fruit gains traction. Acidity has some oomph. This bottle is still kicking.
2014 Michel Colin-Deléger Chardonnay, Burgundy, Puligny-Montrachet, Les Demoiselles. Full gold color which lacks any faults, not shiny, not dull, just what meets expectations. The nose yet betrays layers of expensive oak, high toned cream, toast, lime zest before releasing poached peach, candied pear note, does not come across as if ten years has changed much. In the mouth, the body is about medium and consistent start to finish. Molasses, caramel coat the entry for any guava, papaya, pineapple fruit. Even after letting it open for hours the balance between fruit and oak is, err, imbalanced. Dumb period? Don’t think so. Simply not all that.
2018 Emmanuel Rouget Chardonnay, Burgundy, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune. Basic gold color, nothing unusual, average shine, average depth of hue. Nose slightly diffuse, sugary peach, cantaloupe that veers tropical but doesn’t fully commit, baking spices, floral paste, seems to choose fullness over pushing inwards. Medium-bodied with weight front loaded, sweetly accessible. Acidity is ehh, has a lot of primary material to shape. Apple, pear, apricot fruit toothsome and gets mostly to the finish. No contradiction of this nose, ripe if not sugary. Basic entry level wine that does not go hard on the oak remaining versatile as a result.
2022 Domaine des Ardoisières Savoie, Vin des Allobroges, “Schiste.” Basic yellow straw color, very pretty shine, nose is somewhat briny, saline, lemon peel, violets, it has a soft and contoured feel, no problem soaking into it. Medium-bodied, round and lemony in a sweet way. Acidity is adequate but still leaves the chubbiness in effect. Standard peach, apricot, apple fruit, no surprises. Soft finish, even with some twist. Confusing. 40% Jacquère, 30% Roussanne, 20% Pinot Gris, 10% Mondeuse Blanche.
2020 Domaine de la Sansonnière (Mark Angéli) Grolleau Blanc, Loire, Anjou, “Les Sables.” Flat and cloudy straw color that looks to be darkening, dropoff at rims, no shine. Penetrating and aggressive lift to the nose, fried stone and poor earth, fried lemon peel too, more oily than fat grill smoke, when warmer takes on a considerable amount of weight in spite of the mango, persimmon, apple fruit, elevating floral dew too. Full-bodied, at least at first as it turns skeletal quickly through the mid-palate. Acidity average, not enough to get the flesh in shape. Cinnamon and nutmeg frame things at first before naval orange citrus ensues. Strong creamy vanillin streak seems to come out of nowhere. Nothing all that unusual, if any more so in the nose.
2018 Beta Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Moon Mountain District, Chuy Vineyard. Clean, straight down the middle yellow color, good fat visuals. vaguely buttery nose, toffee, lifting florals, apricot, yellow apple, has a really typical nose that isn’t over the top. Medium-bodied, here the oak goes caramel, vanilla in spades. Acidity does a better job than expected. Good girth to the peach, nectarine, melon fruit. Holds its weight fully to the finish. Leaves an impression of being young with baby fat yet.
2001 Heribert Kerpen Riesling, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Auslese AP #11. Darkened gold that just about meets its age, looks like you just cut a chunk of it off from the whole, solid in a natural way. The nose presents an interesting green note and fully avoids the excesses of the vintage, pinch of lactose and then sage, too pure yet to give up any gaseous or oily notes. Medium-bodied, the mouth entry is stern and blunt, without any acidity going into play. A heavy web crosses over the palate. Pineapple, nectarine, guava, green apple fruit slashes through the mouth. With welcome, the finish incorporates honey and molasses into the finish. Too many people think, "geez it’s an Auslese, it’s so sweet.” They can’t wait 20+ years for all the pieces to fall into place. I’m saying,wait.
2018 Dujac Fils & Père Pinot Noir, Burgundy, Bourgogne Rouge. Youthful ruby-violet color, trim and spotless, perfectly fine shine. Lifting cranberry, raspberry, cherry fruit in the nose, witch hazel, maybe some leather, steady scrubbing sensation, there’s a constricting feel as it tries to dissolve. Medium-bodied and it sets itself firmly with apologies, a bit unyielding at first. Drying tannins, little acidity. Fruit has power and length if not depth. Got to it after had been open awhile and argument can be made it started to close down. I think it needs 4-6 years, not necessarily more.
2002 Sylvain Cathiard Pinot Noir, Burgundy, Vosne-Romanée, Aux Malconsorts. Lively violet to sunset red in color, rims strong, fine shine. Poop stink on the nose, sous bois, the cherry, blackberry fruit surprisingly dense, leafy, the heaviness kind of blankets the aromas. Full-bodied, spicy mouth entry, cedar and celery. Clumpy tannin glues up the works. Concentrated cherry, plum fruit. Hard to understand how this doesn’t have more life. Not sure how it’s going to right itself.
1961 Franco Fiorina Nebbiolo, Piedmont, Barbaresco. Grimy ruby to violet, semi-opaque, orange rims. Nose shows some volatility yet settles into normal matted straw, reduced cherry, raspberry scents, leather, dried mud, defies settling down. Medium-bodied, still volatile but it turns into a savory bite that is attractive. The raspberry, strawberry fruit really winds its way up to the surface. Barnyardy in an attractive way. Lemon to grapefruit. To me this is what you get with Nebbiolo of this age.
2018 Kayra 100% Öküzgözü, Turkey, Anatolia, Elazig, “Imperial.” Fully opaque, dense purple core surrounded by thin maroon rims with a soft glow. The nose is heavy, stuffed with ripe plum, currant fruit as well as baking spices, lavender and toasty oak that can’t escape the gravitational pull of the fruit. Full-bodied, as thick and juicy as the nose suggests. The tannin is sneaky, no dry punch, more like a subtler sponging away of moisture. The black fruits do have a raisinated character, however, the wine is in no way cloyingly sweet. Orange peel lavender, clove weave in where there’s room. The above makes it sound like a “monolith” but it’s really not. Would perform at peak with well spiced food but I found it easy enough to drink on its own.
NV Pablo Fallabrino Tannat, Uruguay, Canelones, Atlántida, “Aclyone.” Black core with broad rust red to yellow rims, looks clean from what you can see through it. The nose slides you a dish of chocolate mousse, has a floral lift that at times evokes rosemary, smokier as it opens, would have guessed beforehand I’d get more citrus but no. Full-bodied but to me not heavy at all and showed pleasing fluidity start to finish. Here it veers to a quite vanillin profile, the chocolate and caramel subordinate. Coats the mouth but, again, not thickly. For the style of wine and the grape involved it’s not scandalous to consider it “fresh.” 500 ml bottle. (Lote 2020)
As is often the case a few wines escaped capture, these being a Dirty and Rowdy Merlot, a sip of which was quite nice. And a 1990 Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes which I likely had a sip of because why not. The curse of too many white wines to chronicle first.