2018 Henschke Chardonnay Adelaide Hills Croft. Slight green tint to the yellow straw base, not much shine but offers sufficient visual solidity to impress. The nose speaks of expensive oak, lime zest, roses, vanilla bean, and buttery toast, as such not offensive nor out of whack but no denying it’s there, can see it getting smokier with age, firm pear, melon, star fruit scents, these in turn might show better once the oak knits in. Light to medium-bodied, strangely feels dilute, particularly at the end. I find that usually with wines like this the oak helps to add volume but not that much here. Lime, tangerine citrus, whipped cream, vanilla, pervasive sourness throughout. Truncated melon, apple, apricot, passion fruit flavors. Minimal change approaching room temperature. I regard the producer well, first time with this bottling, perhaps shutting down some? (Screwcap)
1997 Togni Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The purple core has dulled, in contrast the broad rims a fiery red to orange, the first pour has good clarity. Well stuffed nose of red currant, plum fruit, more thick than ripe, smoky more in an earthy fashion than oaky, as I have found with Togni wines there is that noticeable bell pepper element, cedar and incense notes develop over time, the contours too fuzzy to be considered classic lines. In the mouth it feels slimmed down, medium-bodied, the tannin evident as a fine gritty residue. The appearance of white grapefruit zest welcome, pairs with the herbaceousness to add cut. Has a floral side, evokes that sandalwood thing. The currant, blackberry, red cherry fruit starting to trek down the mountain, was concerned it might be too fruity. Likely should have decanted but was running behind and it fit the meal. Not an immortal wine. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc.
1999 Nicolas Potel Volnay Clos des Chênes. Filmy reddish purple, more clearly bricking at the rims with a hint of orange as well, looks more matured than tired. Proud nose of potpourri, lavender, anise and orange spice, moments of leather and sweaty funk, dried cherries and raspberry jam, sort of boiled down to their essence, steady overall presence. Close to full-bodied, the acidity is average but able to clean up some at the finish. The tannin feels ground into a clumpy dust, yet only bothersome now and then. Anise, lavender, fennel with a dry brown earthiness as anchor. The raspberry, strawberry to red cherry fruit tart fresher here, has made the sacrifice over time for tertiary development. Gains clarity with air time. Still not possessed of the naked transparency possible in Burgundy. Great inner mouth perfume which sticks around well. Bought on spec on release. I’ve never been a big Burgundy buyer, this bet paid off handsomely.
2018 Filliatreau Saumur-Champigny. Warm glow to the rich purple core, the thin scarlet red rims seem a bit hazy, like if you stared into the sun. The bell pepper element easily distinguished in the nose but it’s momentary as the plum, cassis fruit slathers it into submission, curious note of dark roasted coffee bean, then more expected tobacco and damp black earth. Medium-bodied, there’s something expansive to the texture where it doesn’t feel heavier but it pushes out across the palate. Fine grit to the tannin and the acidity steps it now and then to nudge things forward. A lot more tobacco leaf and leather here, clean earthiness. The star of the show is the abundantly ripe black fruits, quite fruit driven and as such sure to disappoint a few traditionalists. To me, high degree of chugability, especially for $16. (Synthetic Cork: Nomacorc PlantCorc)
2012 Famille Perrin Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Chapouins. Curious coloration, more black than purple in the core, hard to distinguish due to the clarity and transparency, very wide brick red rims with an almost brown tint. The nose initially shows barnyard mud and cowhide but this is a transient phase and soon it’s a medicinal cleansing feel with Indian mukhwas, orange peel, dark chocolate bounding about, the blackberry, raspberry scents chunky if not clunky. Full-bodied but here it does have some sleeker lines and pacing, tannin uneven but the acidity keeps shaving away the extraneous. Quite citrusy, tangerine, lemon and even pink grapefruit. Menthol, some of that generic garrigues stuff. There is a chocolate to vanilla creaminess which I’d chalk up to oak but no evidence. Pleasing tang to the blueberry, blackberry fruit, can see it getting pruney once fully matured. Didn’t perceive much change with air. Good wine, allowing for the possibility of it being in the proverbial chrysalis, not worth the tariff. Unspecified percentages of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah.
2016 Clos del Rey Côtes du Roussillon Villages La Sabina. Dark purple core while you can still see through it, dark magenta to scarlet rims, sleek surface. Dense, overripe nose of cinnamon, clove spice, plum to prune, cassis fruit, molasses, and a medicinal cleansing aspect that isn’t really alcoholic heat, takes its time vacating the nostrils. Full-bodied, here it does run a bit hot. Grill smoke, charred meat fat, honey barbecue sauce. Blueberry syrup, prune, raspberry jam, it’s much more sugary than ripe. Some green apple develops over time. Spiced orange peel. It’s over the top but feels like it knows it. And if you are in the right frame of mind for it there’s good pleasure to be had. 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Carignan. (Composite Cork: Diam5)
2019 Filliatreau Saumur-Champigny La Grande Vignolle. Inky purple core, glowing garnet rims, plenty of saturation and visual warmth. Strong smokiness to the nose with a tobacco ash note, tar, the bell pepper to me more or less canceled out by the ripeness of the currant, blackberry fruit. Medium-bodied, noticeably tannic with a dusty, drying quality. More citrus and florality evident here, minerally more than smoky. Due to the big tannic clampdown on the palate finding it hard to gauge the bell pepper most obvious retronasally. Sour red currant, cranberry, blueberry flavors. Question of if the fruit will last as long as the tannin. Was a bit surprised to see this new vintage available, possible it needs more time to settle in bottle. (Synthetic Cork: Nomacorc PlantCorc)
2012 Coupe Roses Minervois Cuvée Orience. Lighter purple core, transparent, wide brick red rims, looks like it’s well along on the aging curve. Densely layered nose of plum, black cherry, cassis fruit with a dollop of raspberry syrup, leather and grill smoke next in line, menthol, even a good deal of air time didn’t change its profile much. Full-bodied, quite round and supple, close to not registering fully as a result. The segment of flatulence and peanut shells never quite gets fully shaken. Lilacs, violets, sour orange citrus, there’s some prettiness eight feet under. Currant, blackberry, plum fruit, kind of indistinguishable, just a slug of fruit. No glaring flaws, foursquare and uninteresting. To be fair, eight or so years in may be in an awkward place. Mainly Syrah, small amounts of Grenache, Carignan.
2019 Domaine de La Grand’Cour (Dutraive) Fleurie Le Clos Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. Sort of like plum red and rust red painted over a base purple, looks worn already, very light gauziness to it. Nose comes across as awkward at first, wet wool, garden scrub, pickle brine before slowly moving into rhubarb, strawberry, raspberry scents and lemon peel, in the end right now it’s still a newborn that looks like a prune. Medium-bodied, polished sleekness with measured acidity and tannin to ensure coloring inside the lines. Same fruit with some green apple as well, the citrus takes a huge leap to the fore. Peanut shells, sweat, brine, iodine, no lack of funk. Leather, tar but then a pleasing floral breeze. Having started following this producer in earnest with the 2013 vintage this is a disjointed product. And with the price now easily clearing $40 a bottle not laying any down and based on subjective personal experience have to consider the merit of any future purchases per se.
2016 Château Paul Mas Coteaux du Languedoc Gres de Montpellier Clos Savignac. Moerate density to the purple core, heavy crimson rims, arguably darker than I expected it to be. Ripe and friendly nose of cinnamon, ginger spice, rose musk, eucalyptus, the fruit scents pruney at first then firmed up into concentrated plum, blackberry, cherry. Full-bodied, sort of diffused, like it never set anchor. Decent tannin, semi-immature. Given the vast ripeness of the black fruits not surprising, would not be surprised if they had problems getting sugar/phenolic balance. Floral and citrusy, doesn’t evoke a “sense of place,” which isn’t necessary but does help separate a wine from the pack. No problem killing the bottle. Unspecified percentages of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre.
1998 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Émile. Whether it is darkened gold or amber is a toss up, tends to pool into the glass more than reflect, moderate intensity loss at the rims. Nose of lemon curd, pie dough and crust, mint and drop of quinine and after awhile mandarin orange peel, developing some savory garden herbs, the papaya, nectarine, pear. melon fruit scents low volume if steady, not getting any rubber or diesel stuff. Medium-bodied, smoky in a campfire manner and close to iron shavings. The acidity lacks a sharp edge but more than adequate in pushing it along. Mint, licorice, sage, tart orange rind. The yeastiness remains in the background but moving into the spotlight. Quince, nectarine, persimmon and pineapple fruit. That smoky, toasty character gives it snap. To my palate this is hitting it, in the middle plateau and I will try and drink my remaining bottles within a few years. In a nod to recent posts, bought for $30 in August 2002. Per Wine-Searcher the current vintage is 2011 with an average price of $72. In terms of mere buying power, I can say that since this 2002 purchase my salary has not more than doubled.
2019 Vajra Nebbiolo Langhe Claré J.C. Cherry red color, crystal clear with a brilliant shine, hue is consistent core to rims. Crisp nose with focused salinity, seems more citrusy than floral, bright red berry scents, cinnamon stick, the more you sniff the more you register the muddy earth foundation. Light-bodied, the acidity immediately gives it buoyancy and super freshness. Raspberry and candied cherry fruit, some sips yield strawberry. Lemony, quite the savory one but more minerals here than saline. The inner mouth perfume short lived. It’s all in the high register and even with the acidity don’t think it would stand up to heavier dishes. But its overall cleanliness should otherwise make it versatile.
2019 Elio Grasso Dolcetto d’Alba Dei Grassi. Sparkly magenta to pink, the core arguably violet, immaculately clean. Snappy cherry, blackberry scents, you almost hear the fruit break in half, supplemented by mixed white citrus, floral mist and something which comes off as menthol-like, finishes with ash and dusty earth. Light-bodied, momentary tannic framing during the attack then it’s the acidity impelling it to the finish line. Stripped down focus, nothing nonessential allowed. Tart raspberry, blackberry to blueberry fruit, washed out towards the end by sour white citrus. Stony brown dirt. Without any bombast this is a very fruit driven wine. Still, not any easy sipper so not for consumption without food. (Synthetic Cork: Nomacorc Select Green 100)
2017 Pecchenino Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore Sirì d’Jermu. Rust red washes out the purple core some, clean and on the whole transparent, garnet rims. Fills up the nose in a slow, billowy manner, the milk chocolate, nutmeg, tangerine and menthol both cleansing and salving, plummy and close to prune, golden raisin, blackberry, does pull back below the pot overflows. Medium-bodied, based on the nose the semi-taut acidity seems to come out of left field but it’s more than welcome. Blood orange to mixed white and pink grapefruit, the black fruits fresher here but definitely well ripened. Nice floral underpinning. More toasted cocoa than chocolate. Firms up with air. This bottling was one of the first Dolcetto that made me pay attention to the grape, circa the 1998 to 2005 vintages. Then fell off my radar. In a more modern idiom still a very good wine and by my records the price has held steady for ~20 years which is a bonus.
2018 Fratelli Oddero Barbera d’Alba Superiore. More reddish than purple, lightens the whole thing, transparent throughout, rims come close to washing out. Really tickles your nostril with a cleansing medicinal aspect, filled out with tar, leather, burnt mocha, anise, the sour plum, blackberry scents all but a complete afterthought. Medium-bodied, immediately spreads itself evenly across the palate. The tannin tamed by the juicy black fruits, not getting a lot of acidity, comes of like a warm year example. Spicy moderate leathery accents. Mixed citrus adds some pep to the finish. Given its spread it doesn’t soak in and so you are left with an experience of hovering. I get the sense that it does not cares much about your impressions of it. (Composite Cork: Diam10)
2018 Amorotti (Carboni/Aprutino) Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. Salmon pink with a strong orange tint, clear with average shine. Nose of band-aid, burnt matchstick and pickle brine, solid air time does little to change this, still you can lean into it to get raspberry, strawberry scents, grapefruit and a vague floral musk, if there’s any for day two will try and visit this funk. Medium-bodied, firmly set mouth entry then starts to soften and turn supple by the mid-palate. That matchstick thing insinuates itself here as well but not as strongly. Savory herbs level out the strawberry, maraschino cherry fruit. Wish the acidity carried a bigger stick through the finish. Did you like it better about an hour in but in the final analysis didn’t blow me away.
2018 Tiberio Pecorino Colline Pescaresi. Quite dark gold with a semi-luminescence, visually would be easy to guess it was an older wine. Focused nose of lemon/lime citrus, rose musk, lavender, sauna smoke, minerally stream water, great grip, as is the case with many texturally emphasized noses the honey dappled apple, pear, melon fruit lost in the shuffle. Light to medium-bodied, the honeyed aspect starts to gush forth and then a web of acidity captures it and separates it from the sour lime to pink grapefruit citrus. Very floral but eventually run down by pebbles and stone pieces. Gingerbread cookie to nutmeg moments. Same apricot, peach, pear fruit with a dash of melon.
2017 Quinta dos Murças (Esporão) Douro Tinto Ânfora. Healthy glow to the dark purple core, not quite opaque, the magenta to garnet rims equally warm and fat. Grapey, plummy nose with an overlay of clove and floral water, touch of leather, may just be power of suggestion but do get a certain clayish scent too. Medium-bodied, quite blunt and almost stops the second it hits the palate. Curiously, doesn’t strike me as all that tannic or acidic. Mocha, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange peel kind of ground into it. Same basic plum, cassis, cherry fruit, sugar but not much flavor. Getting it to the finish line is like pulling a mule up a ladder. Glad to have tried it for the experience but not sure what the intent here was. Unspecified percentages of Tinta Francisca, Tinto Cão. (FSC certified cork)
2018 Adega Cooperativa dos Biscoitos Verdelho Azores Biscoitos Magma. Moderately deep gold with very nice shine and reflectivity, only slight loss at the rims. Smoky, flinty nose, mutter of anise and mint, perplexingly inert and unforthcoming, barely registering any fruit presence. Medium-bodied maybe, the acidity starts deadening the palate from the word go. Blood orange, mint, violets. It’s not ashen but more like licking volcanic rock. Apple, pear to peach pit flavors. Green nuttiness. The more I sip it the more confused I get. Have never had a wine from the Azores before and maybe there’s a reason. Not flawed and seems like it is true to intent. I just don’t care for it. (Composite Cork)