1989 Zind-Humbrecht Tokay Pinot Gris Vieilles Vignes - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (10/18/2009)
I agree with an earlier note that saw the similarity to gewurtraminer. Spicy in both the nose and the palate. No lychee, but otherwise a dead ringer for a gewurz nose. The palate had good minerality and nice earthiness. A touch of white flower. I liked it. I think it’s time to drink up.
2008 Von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/18/2009)
Surprisingly sweet for a Kabinett, especially since 2008 was supposed to be more of a classic Kabinett vintage. I’m assuming that’s because this has the stuffing to age and it won’t be so sweet in say eight years.I think its sweetness is from the fruit, not from residual sugar. Lots of white fruit and some citrus in the nose. No diesel. On the palate, the minerality gets pounded home. Nice texture. More white fruits. Good finish. I liked it but I could see some people being put off by the fruitiness. A Rudi Wiest Import.
N.V. Agrapart & Fils Champagne Les 7 Crus Blancs de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne (10/18/2009)
Nice pure, focused Champagne. Elegant. Citrus/lemon on the nose. Pleasant to smell. Maybe a little yeast. On the palate, some apple and a nutty midpalate. Good finish. I liked this.
2007 Beckmen Vineyards Cuvée Le Bec - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (11/10/2009)
Grippy, chalky tannins initially and quite prominent, but they mostly dissipate with air. Dark fruits, spicy and even a bit rustic. Maybe a flare of alcohol on the finish, but that could be temperature related. Nice finish. A bit simple right now but I think it might improve with a year or two in the bottle. I’m on the fence as to whether to buy this again. It’s nice and might improve with age., But there’s Portuguese and Spanish wines at the same price that are more complex.
2004 Clos de l’Oratoire des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (10/9/2009)
Still young but nice Chateauneuf-du-Pape. More Rhonish on the nose than the palate, with spices, garrigue, tobacco and some saddle leather. Concentrated black fruit and kirsch flavors. Tannins are resolving nicely. Better-than-average finish. If I owned any of this I"d wait a couple of years to open it. I think this has at least eight years ahead of it. Imported by Cannon Wines.
1995 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (10/10/2009)
I have poor luck with nebbiolo that I basically want to give up up trying and then a wine like this Clerico comes along and makes me want to get back in the hunt. This is an elegant wine. Great balance, length and great mouthfeel. There’s nice depth and complexity and the wine transitions seamlessly from the attack to midpalate to the finish. It shows a lot of power but it still seems tight.
The nose is less evolved than the palate. There’s olive (maybe because I’m eating it with pasta), charcoal, mint and some vanilla I suspect is from the barrel. No tell-tale tar I could pick up. The palate was dark fruits, like plum and darker raspberry flavors, with some licorice. Tannins are smooth and add a nice kick to the finish. The palate is elegant but intense.
If I owned any of this I wouldn’t touch it for another five years at least. A Marc de Grazia Selection imported by Vin Divino Ltd.
2002 Sky Vineyards Zinfandel Mt. Veeder - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder (10/14/2009)
I was expecting more out of this wine. They hold it for four or five years before releasing it. I thought for a seven-year old Napa wine it would have more complexity. I guess my reference point would be Ridge, like a Geyserville or Lytton Springs. Those are field blends, though, and this isn’t. No tannic structure. It’s still a nice wine and at 13.5 percent it would go okay with food. Not a fruit bomb tut the flavors are all fruit, mostly dark fruit but some cherry, except for some pepper. I wouldn’t want another one in this vintage but I’d like to try it in another vintage.
