A little while ago we had a tasting on sparkling wines from Oregon, so this was a sort of follow-up to that tasting - even though a different person arranged this tasting. Lots of same people in attendance, all the same.
I can imagine many of the wines we tasted this night are quite widely available for you guys over in the US, but for us here, this was an exceptional tasting in the sense that we see US wines (especially any non-Californian wines) very rarely around here. Thus it was an interesting opportunity not only to taste these wines, but also to compare them against each other - normally we’d probably have only one bottle every now and then, perhaps poured as a blind ringer in a Burgundy tasting - and actually see how great the differences can be, even from almost identical terroirs.
We also had also ahem some interesting wines after the main tasting. And by “some” I mean that these bottles really started flying in almost the moment the previous bottle had been poured to everybody in attendance. This kind of phenomenon seems to happen almost every time we are having these tastings in any of the offsite cellars where multiple attendees might have some interesting bottles at hand. Not that I’m complaining!
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The first wine that was tasted blind while waiting all the attendees to arrive.
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2016 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Côte de Brouilly - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Côte de Brouilly (7.8.2021)
Tasted blind.
Luminous, dark yet moderately translucent ruby red color. Ripe, sweet-toned and red-fruited nose with a somewhat dull streak of cardboard and mildew. The wine is dull, dry and medium-bodied on the palate with a rather thin taste of cardboard and something vaguely metallic. High in acidity with gently grippy light tannins. Short, thin and slightly metallic aftertaste.
Corked. NR (flawed)
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Then the tasting proper, starting with whites:
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2016 RR Wines Riesling Ridgecrest - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (7.8.2021)
12,9% alcohol, 11,9 g/l residual sugar, 6,3 g/l acidity and pH 3,12. Total production 102 cases
Quite deep lime-green color with faint yellow highlights. Cool and somewhat restrained nose with classic Riesling aromas of ripe key lime and lemon, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of developed beeswax character, light floral notes of white flowers, a hint of petrol and an evolved touch of woolly lanolin. The wine is ripe, broad and medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with nuanced, off-dry flavors of ripe citrus fruits, stony minerality, some exotic spices, a little bit of fresh apple, light beeswax notes and a hint of lemon marmalade. The mouthfeel is quite textural and somewhat oily. The medium-plus acidity keeps the wine in balance, but isn’t high enough to give the the zip a good Riesling calls for. The finish is dry-ish to off-dry with long flavors of lemon marmalade, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of petrol, light sweeter notes of apple sauce, a hint of juicy peach and an evolved touch of beeswax.
A rich, quite full-bodied and somewhat weighty Riesling that reminds me quite a bit of Alsatian Rieslings with its relatively big body, quite obvious ripeness and a taste that isn’t fully dry yet not particularly sweet. The overall feel is rich, textural and varietally correct, but in the bigger scheme of things lacking a bit in acidity, accentuating the residual sugar a bit and letting the wine feel quite substantial for a Riesling. All in all, well-made stuff that will probably continue to evolve for at least a handful of years more, but I prefer my Rieslings a bit lighter and with more precision. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at 27,60€ - you can get similarly styled Alsatian and Austrian Rieslings at noticeably lower prices. (88 pts.)
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2009 Argyle Riesling Nusshaus - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (7.8.2021)
The back label says medium sweet. 9% alcohol.
Medium-deep and somewhat concentrated yellow-green color. Rich, sweet and moderately petrol-driven nose with aromas of sweet lemon marmalade, some rubbery reduction, a little bit of ripe red apple, light evolved notes of beeswax and a hint of stony minerality. The wine is medium-bodied and medium-sweet on the palate with vibrant and varietally very correct flavors of lemon marmalade, some evolved petrol notes, a little bit of ripe red apple, light pineapple juice notes and a hint of juicy pear. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine pretty well in balance, although a bit more acidity couldn’t hurt, as this kind of sweetness really calls in a lot of zip and freshness. The finish is fresh, clean and moderately sweet with medium-long flavors of lemon marmalade, some ripe pear, a little bit of tart green apple, light petrol notes, a hint of pineapple and a touch of evolved honeyed richness.
A very sophisticated and tasty Oregon Riesling with a lot of sweetness, making it feel not unlike a warmer vintage Nahe or Mosel Riesling. This doesn’t quite reach the weightlessness and brisk freshness of its German peers, but gets very close and offers lots of pleasure for a Mosel fan like me. Drinking wonderfully now, at the age of 12 years, but seeing how wonderfully vibrant and fruity the wine still is, I wouldn’t be surprised if this continued to evolve for another 10 years or even more. Excellent value at 18,80€. (91 pts.)
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2015 Patricia Green Cellars Chardonnay Durant Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (7.8.2021)
A Chardonnay from a vineyard planted in 1995 (website) or 2000 (label) on volcanic soil. Fermented with inoculated yeasts. Aged for 12 months in six neutral oak barrels. This vintage is the first of this label. 13,7% alcohol. Total production 140 cases. Tasted alongside the 2016 vintage.
Yellow-green color. Ripe and fruity yet wonderfully savory nose showing very judicious use of oak. Aromas of juicy Golden Delicious apple, some creamy notes of oak and lees aging, a little bit of pineapple, light banana notes, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of chalk dust. The overall impression is noticeably less sweet compared to the 2016 vintage. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and wonderfully fresh on the palate with flavors of spicy red apple, stony minerality, some creamy notes of old oak, a little bit of savory wood spice, light mineral notes of stone and chalk dust, a hint of fresh pineapple and a touch of plantain. The brisk acidity lends great sense of freshness, structure and precision to the wine. The finish is lively, fresh and enjoyably acid-driven with long flavors of fresh red apple, some creamy notes of oak, light pineapple notes, a little bit of plantain, a hint of stony minerality and a subtle woody touch of old spice.
A very sophisticated and harmonious Chardonnay with great sense of freshness and focus, showing good combination of vibrant Chardonnay fruit, high acidity and judiciously used oak. Has a lovely cool-climate feel to it, yet this is counterpointed nicely with the creamy and at times slightly more tropical notes from the oak aging. The overall impression is still very youthful and I can imagine this wine will continue to improve for many more years. Although this and the 2016 vintage were obviously cut from the same cloth, they were still two very different wines, 2016 coming across sweeter, softer and more buttery than creamy in style. While some people preferred the more expressive 2016 vintage, I favored the freshness and precision of the 2015 vintage. Priced according to its quality at 39€. (91 pts.)
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2016 Patricia Green Cellars Chardonnay Durant Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (7.8.2021)
A Chardonnay from a vineyard planted in 1995 (website) or 2000 (label) on volcanic soil. Fermented with inoculated yeasts. Aged for 12 months in six neutral oak barrels. This vintage is the first of this label. 13,4% alcohol. Total production 140 cases. Tasted alongside the 2015 vintage.
Yellow-green color. At first the nose was noticeably different to the 2015 vintage with rather sweet aromas of licorice toffee, buttery notes of diacetyl and sweet, tropical fruits. However, after some breathing the nose settles down and loses some of its overt sweetness, starting to show aromas of apple jam, some creamy oak, a little bit of pineapple, light stony mineral notes and fruity hints of white peach and zesty citrus fruits. The wine is broad, moderately full-bodied and moderately ripe with clean flavors of sweet Golden Delicious apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of vanilla, light white peach tones, a hint of savory wood spice and a buttery touch of diacetyl. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance, but feels lower than in 2015 vintage, making this wine feel a bit softer in comparison. The finish is fresh, quite long and slightly sweet-toned in its ripeness with flavors of creamy oak, some juicy golden apples, a little bit of savory wood spice, light stony mineral notes, a hint of pineapple and a touch of melted butter.
A balanced and vibrant Oregon Chardonnay, but even though lower in alcohol, the wine feels weightier and more ripe in style compared to the 2015 vintage with sweeter and creamier overall taste and slightly elevated levels of diacetyl. A harmonious and still very youthful effort that is most likely going to age wonderfully for years more, but ultimately lacking the freshness and verve that won me over in the 2015 vintage. Hopefully age will make the wine drop its sweeter baby fat at some point. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 36€. (89 pts.)
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The Oregon reds:
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2007 Argyle Pinot Noir Spirithouse - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (7.8.2021)
Aged for 12-14 months in oak barriques (approximately 1/3 new). 14% alcohol.
Luminous, quite translucent pomegranate color with a pale, thin rim. Fragrant, somewhat meaty and surprisingly youthful nose with lively and quite attractive aromas of ripe cranberries, some smoky notes of speck, a little bit of red cherry, light licorice tones, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine is dry, lively and moderately ripe on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of tart lingonberry and brambly raspberry, some savory wood tones, a little bit of sour cherry, light umami notes of raw meat, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of licorice. The wine is high in acidity with textural and rather mellow medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry and crunchy with long flavors of wild strawberries and tart cranberries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of meaty umami, light bitter nuances of sour cherries, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of licorice.
A very nice, attractive and sophisticated Oregon Pinot. Surprisingly youthful for its age - most likely all thanks to its screwcap - as the wine was miles younger than the Patricia Green Cellars Notorious Pinot Noir 2007 we tasted at the same time and almost seemed younger than the 2016 Pinots we tasted in the tasting. I guess it’s nice that the wine stays fresh and youthful for decades, but if one wants to age their wines so that the wines develop tertiary qualities, is this really the best option? While the wine was very lovely and balanced, it felt rather youthful and straightforward next to the more evolved and complex wines, making it feel a tad simple in comparison. Good stuff, but it’s hard to say whether the wine will reward any further cellaring - it might be that the wine just evolved at a glacial pace, but it might also be possible that the wine is still similarly youthful 10 years from now. Furthermore, the wine feels way overpriced for its quality at 69€. (90 pts.)
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2007 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Notorious - USA, Oregon, Yamhill County (7.8.2021)
A reserve selection of the best Pinot Noir lots in this difficult vintage, 5 barrels from Balcombe vineyard and 2 barrels from Ana vineyard. Aged exclusively in 100% new oak barrels, the only PGC wine to do so. Total production 160 cases. 13% alcohol.
Deep, dark and slightly hazy black cherry color with a somewhat murky purple hue. Brooding, dark-toned and somewhat smoky nose with aromas of savory meaty character, slightly dried dark forest fruits, some peppery spice, a little bit of sous-bois, light strawberry notes, a sweet hint of wizened black cherry and a smoky touch of toasted wood spice. The wine is somewhat ripe, but also very savory and meaty on the palate with a medium body and a wonderfully silky mouthfeel. Moderately evolved flavors of juicy black cherries and black raspberries, some earthy notes of sous-bois, a little bit of balsamic richness, light stony mineral notes, a hint of smoky wood spice and a touch of wizened red fruits. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance, while the fully resolved tannins contribute to the silky texture of the wine. The finish is long, juicy and quite ripe with moderately evolved flavors of brambly black raspberries, some smoky tones, a little bit of meaty umami, light cherry tones, a hint of crunchy cranberry and a touch of earthy sous-bois.
An evolved, rich and textural Pinot Noir showing wonderful depth of flavor. I found the wine to be a little bit of the soft and mellow side, but otherwise impressively complex and thoroughly enjoyable - many other attendees thought more highly of the wine and it ended up being the #3 wine of the evening. Terrific stuff and starting to feel fully mature - although the wine might continue to improve a bit more over the following years, it really calls no further aging and is drinking wonderfully right now. At 65€ the wine feels a bit pricey, though. (91 pts.)
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2016 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (7.8.2021)
The entry-level Pinot Noir of Arterberry Maresh, made with fruit sourced from all their vineyards in Dundee Hills. 12,8% alcohol. Total production 550 cases.
Luminous, quite translucent ruby-red color. Somewhat restrained nose with aromas of brambly raspberries and fresh red plums, some raw meat tones, a little bit of darker-toned blackberry-driven fruit, light smoky tones, a hint of savory wood spice and perhaps a touch of skunky reduction that blows off quickly. The wine is dry, fresh and clean on the palate with a medium body and bright, fresh flavors of brambly black raspberries, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light umami notes of raw meat, a hint of ripe cranberry and a touch of fresh, tart red plum. Nice, high acidity and slightly grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry, clean and crunchy with a long aftertaste of tart cranberries and stony minerality, some meaty tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of black raspberry and a touch of peppery spice.
A wonderfully fresh, clean and vibrant Pinot Noir with beautiful clarity and intensity of fruit. This is dry, focused and high in acidity without any obvious oak tones - exactly as I want my Pinot! The overall feel is still very youthful, so I can imagine this wine will continue to improve for years more, but it is drinking remarkably well right now, so additional cellaring is not necessary. While the Arterberry Maresh Old Vines Pinot 2016 - that was tasted alongside - came across as more impressive, it was also noticeably closed and not really open for business the same way as this wine was. Although this is just the early-drinking entry-level cuvée of the winery, this wine was one of my favorites of the evening. A terrific Pinot Noir and solid value at 31,50€. (92 pts.)
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2016 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Old Vines - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (7.8.2021)
Depending on the vintage, this is either 100% from the oldest vines from the Maresh vineyard planted in 1970 or combined fruit from the old vines in Maresh and Weber vineyards. To my understanding, this 2016 is an equal blend of old-vine fruit from both Maresh and Weber vineyards. Aged for 14 months in predominantly old oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Total production 1040 cases. 12,8% alcohol.
Luminous, quite translucent ruby-red color - and ever-so-slightly lighter in color than the Arterberry Maresh Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2016 that was tasted alongside. The nose feels surprisingly closed with reticent aromas of stony minerality, some brambly black raspberry notes, light earthy notes and a little bit of graphite. Even with air the nose seems to open very little. The wine feels dry, firm and moderately concentrated on the palate with a medium body and quite silky-textured on the palate. Savory and somewhat understated flavors of fresh, brambly black raspberries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of graphite, light ferrous notes of blood, a sweeter hint of ripe bilberries and a touch of game. Moderately high in acidity with rather assertive and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, quite dense and moderately grippy with rather dark-toned and slightly restrained aftertaste of graphite, black raspberries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of ferrous blood, light gamey tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of ripe blueberry.
A surprisingly serious and quite tightly-knit Pinot Noir that feels surprisingly closed and unyielding at the moment. Tasting this alongside Arterberry Maresh Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2016, this wine showed more concentration, earthy tones and more prominent tannins but less fruit, clarity and lower acidity. The Dundee Hills PN was a charming, Burgundian wine, ready from the get-go, while this was a very sulky fellow that seemed to be full of promise but offering very little at the moment. Quite impressive, but not really a wine I’d have now - this feels like a wine that is going to show its best only after another 10 years or so. But despite its rather forbidding nature, the wine turned out to be the #2 favorite among the attendees. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 47,50€. (91 pts.)
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2016 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Balcombe Vineyard Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (7.8.2021)
From a vineyard planted to Pommard clone in 1990. Fermented with 20% whole clusters. Aged in 16 barrels of which 0 were new, 2 were once used and 14 were older. Total production 393 cases. 13,2% alcohol.
Luminous, translucent and quite youthful raspberry-red color. Beautifully fragrant, nuanced and savory nose with layered aromas of game and smoky meat, ripe red cherries and black raspberry tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light fruity notes of fresh redcurrants and wild strawberries, a hint of bayleaf and a touch of earth. Really lots of stuff going on here. The wine is ripe, slightly sweet-toned and beautifully harmonious on the palate with a medium body and wonderfully textural overall feel. Layered flavors of juicy black cherries and ripe red plums, some meaty notes of umami, light boysenberry tones, a little bit of earth, a hint of bayleaf and a woody touch of old oak spice. Firm and balanced overall feel that relies both on the medium tannins and supple medium-to-moderately high acidity. The finish is very long, ripe yet savory and gently grippy with flavors of meaty umami, ripe red cherries, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of tart lingonberry and fresh red plum, light herbal notes of cooked bayleaf and dried herbs, a sweeter hint of strawberry and a touch of smoke.
A beautiful, wonderfully textural and really harmonious Pinot Noir with remarkable sense of complexity and depth of flavor. Basically the only thing I would’ve wanted the wine to have is a bit more acidity, as the overall feel is a bit on the softer side for my taste, making the sweeter edge of the fruit stand out a bit more - but I really don’t mind. This is nevertheless a one darn fine example of Oregon Pinot Noir. Not only was this my #1 Pinot Noir of the evening, but the unanimous crowd favorite as well. The quality really shows here, virtually everybody loved this wine. It impressed already in its flight and people kept coming back to it after all the wines were tasted just for comparative purposes. Still very youthful, so I have no doubts the wine will continue to improve for years more in a cellar. An exquisite wine and a bargain at 34,50€. (94 pts.)
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2016 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Dijon 115 Freedom Hill Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (7.8.2021)
From a vineyard planted to Dijon 115 clone in 2004. Combined of 100% whole cluster (5 barrels), 50% whole cluster (9 barrels) and 20% whole cluster (4 barrels) fermentations. Aged in 18 barrels of which 0 were new, 1 was once used and 17 were older. Total production 440 cases. 14% alcohol.
Surprisingly concentrated and almost fully opaque blackish-red appearance. Dense, dark-toned and quite powerful nose with ripe, sweet-toned aromas of boysenberries and dark plums, some inky tones, a little bit of juicy blueberry, light earthy notes and a floral hint of violets. The wine is dry, dense and medium-bodied with a quite concentrated overall feel. Flavors of red plums and ripe cranberries, some blueberry tones, light meaty notes of umami, a little bit of ferrous blood, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of dark, plummy fruit. The structure relies more on the high acidity than on the textural, gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is ripe, dark-tone and quite concentrated with lengthy flavors of dark plummy fruit, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of vibrant cherry-driven red fruit, light blueberry notes, a hint of meaty umami and a perfumed touch of violets. The high alcohol introduces some warmth to the end of the aftertaste.
A rather bold and powerful Oregon Pinot Noir with lots of ripe, dark-toned fruit. However, the wine shows wonderfully floral overtones both in the nose and the taste and the acidity feels surprisingly high for such a bold, weighty Pinot Noir, making it retain good sense of freshness. An impressive and wonderfully complex effort, albeit a bit too ripe and dark-toned to fit into my ideal of Pinot Noir. However, seeing how sturdy, structured and youthful the wine still is, I can see it brimming with aging potential, so hopefully it picks up a bit more freshness as it ages. Compared to the Freedom Hill Pommard Clone 2016 that was tasted alongside, this was stylistically more burly and darker-toned aromatically, but at the same time slightly more expressive and open for business. Good stuff, all the same. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 46,50€. (91 pts.)
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2016 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Pommard Clone Freedom Hill Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (7.8.2021)
From a vineyard planted to Pommard clone in 2001. Fully destemmed. Total production 140 cases. 14,2% alcohol.
The appearance here is quite similar to 2016 Dijon 115 Clone, slightly less opaque and more red in hue. The nose is somewhat sweet-toned and slightly closed with a subtle touch of flatulent reduction, followed by pure, red-toned aromas of cranberries and wild strawberries, some darker-toned blueberry tones, a little bit of sweet-yet-tart lingonberry jam, light brambly notes of black raspberries and a hint of stony minerality. The wine feels ripe, sweet-toned and moderately sunny on the palate with a medium body, silky texture and pure flavors of brambly raspberries and dark forest fruits, some blueberry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light savory notes of gamey meat, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of old wood spice. Despite the rather obvious ripeness, the overall feel is enjoyably structured, thanks to the high acidity and quite firm and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The high alcohol shows a bit through. The ripe finish is juicy, slightly warm and wonderfully lengthy with subtly sweet-toned flavors of black raspberries and red cherries, some licorice tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light stony mineral tones, a juicy hint of blueberries and a touch of tart red fruits. The high alcohol pushes a bit through towards the end of the aftertaste.
A ripe but also wonderfully balanced, structured and quite complex Oregon Pinot Noir. Tasting this side-by-side with 2016 Dijon 115 Clone bottling, this wine seemed to be slightly sunnier and higher in ripeness, yet at the same time showing a bit more structure and clarity while the fruit was leaning towards the red-toned end of the spectrum, compared to the slightly darker-toned Dijon 115. Both the wines had tons of upside to them and I loved the floral qualities in the Dijon 115 Clone, while the nose here seemed slightly reductive and thus a bit subdued. Nevertheless, even with its quite obvious ripeness, this wine was stylistically closer to my preference and even though Dijon 115 seemed to be drinking better at the moment, I still preferred this wine - although ever so slightly. However, I can imagine this wine will be pretty darn marvelous once it ages a bit more, past its sulky youthful phase. Not the most loved wine of the evening, but among both my and the crowd favorites. Priced according to its quality at 46,50€. (92 pts.)
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2014 Evesham Wood Pinot Noir Le Puits Sec - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (7.8.2021)
From an organically grown vineyard. Fermented (spontaneously?) with a yeast isolated from a bottle of Henri Jayer Echezeaux. Aged in predominantly old oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Moderately translucent cherry red color with a pale, almost pinkish rim. Clean, lively and varietally very correct nose full of Pinosity: wild strawberries and cranberries, some meaty tones, a little bit of earth, light brambly notes of raspberries, a hint of stony minerality and a sweet touch of ripe red plums. The wine feels silky, suave and ripe yet airy on the palate with a medium body and juicy flavors of slightly sweet dark plums, some tart cranberries, a little bit of savory wood spice, light inky tones, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of peppery spice. The overall feel is wonderfully structure-driven, thanks to the bright, high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, clean and harmonious with a little bit of tannic grip and dry flavors of crunchy cranberries and redcurrants, some peppery spice, a little bit of wild strawberry, light inky tones, a darker-toned hint of plummy fruit and a touch of earth.
A beautiful, harmonious and very sophisticated Pinot Noir with some ripe and juicy fruit, but showing also lots of dry, savory non-fruit flavors and good sense of structure. Hands-down a stunning Pinot Noir with all the pieces in right places, there’s nothing in excess nor anything jutting out. Drinking mighty well right now, yet I think this wine could actually continue to improve and develop some additional tertiary complexity for years more. In our tasting of Oregon Pinot Noirs, this wine ended up being my #2 of the evening. Great value at 34€. (93 pts.)
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2014 Ayres Vineyard Pinot Noir Lewis Rogers Lane Ribbon Ridge - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (7.8.2021)
13,6% alcohol.
Deep, moderately translucent and slightly hazy cherry-red color with a slightly evolved figgy hue. Brooding, spicy and somewhat evolved nose with moderately dark-toned aromas of cranberries and blueberries, some black cherries, a little bit of developed, savory meaty character and wizened red plums, light strawberry notes, a hint of peppery spice, a touch of sweet oak and a lifted whiff of balsamic VA. The wine feels very ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and rather substantial on the palate with a quite full body for a Pinot Noir. Juicy flavors of ripe red plums and sweeter, slightly pruney dark fruits, some strawberry and red cherry notes, a little bit of meaty umami, light peppery notes, a hint of earth and a touch of sweet oak spice. The structure relies more on the moderately high acidity than on the ample yet supple and textural medium tannins. The finish is long, spicy and slightly sweetish with juicy flavors of strawberries and peppery spice, some savory meaty notes, a little bit of earth, light juicy notes of red plums, a hint of sweet black cherry and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A noticeably ripe, juicy and quite substantial Pinot Noir. In our tasting of Oregon Pinot Noirs all the other wines were stylistically more “Burgundian”, whereas this wine obviously leans more towards the “international / new world” style with its sweeter fruit, softer overall character and weightier body. Although not the highest in alcohol (some went +14%), this wine still felt the biggest and sweetest in style. Although the overall feel is very balanced and quite harmonious, the wine feels something of a crowdpleaser and stylistically isn’t really up my alley. Furthermore, most wines we had in our tasting were still very youthful and obviously on an upward trajectory, whereas this wine feels like it is slowly getting on its plateau of maturity and might have relatively limited aging potential at this point. That just comes with the style, I guess. An impressive Pinot Noir in its own way, but left a rather lukewarm impression for me. Comes across as rather pricey for the quality at 39,90€. (88 pts.)
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Finally, the after-tasting wines. All wines from here on were poured completely blind (well, apart from the bottles I poured, ie. Fiorano, Felluga and Sogga)
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2014 WILIXL Cuvée No. 6 - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Vin de Pays d’Oc (7.8.2021)
“Cuvée No. 6”: a 100% Syrah from Minervois-La Livinière. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dense, concentrated and almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a youthful, plummy hue. Very ripe, concentrated and quite extracted nose with a pronounced streak of sweet cassis followed by some inky tones and toasty oak spice, light mocha tones, a little bit of peppery spice, a hint of evolved pruney fruit and a touch of blueberry juice. The wine feels ripe, full-bodied and very juicy on the palate with a rather extracted overall feel. Chewy and somewhat sweet-toned flavors of sweet cassis and blueberry juice, some chocolatey mocha oak, a little bit of vanilla, light plummy notes, a hint of boysenberry jam and a touch of extracted wood spice. Moderately high in acidity with quite ample yet surprisingly gentle, textural tannins. The finish is juicy, rich and subtly grippy with slightly sweet-toned flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some sweet toasty oak tones, a little bit of blueberry, light boysenberry tones, a hint of cocoa oak and a touch of extracted woody bitterness.
A very big, modern and quite polished Syrah with a lot of ripeness and oak. Due to its pronounced blackcurrant and oak character, my first guesses were Californian Cabernet and Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, but when somebody suggested Syrah, I remembered tasting this wine before and recognized that it might actually be Wilixl Syrah from Minervois. Stylistically this wine feels more like new world rather than classic Minervois Syrah, making this a rather winemaker’s wine where the terroir has been drenched underneath all that ripeness and oak. Doesn’t feel young anymore, but hasn’t developed much tertiary tones either. Most likely this wine will need another 15-20 years before it has lost most of its glossy, oaky sheen. Quite enjoyable, but not really my kind of wine. (87 pts.)
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2017 Birichino Pinot Noir Saint Georges - USA, California, Central Coast (7.8.2021)
A blend of fruit from two vineyards: more delicate and floral fruit from the Besson Vineyard at the base of Santa Cruz Mountains and more concentrated, darker-toned fruit from a vineyard planted in the 1800s in the Chalone AVA. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, about 2/3 of the fruit was destemmed and the remainder vinified as whole bunches. Fermented in stainless steel and vats, aged in concrete and older oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Translucent, dark cherry red color with a pale brick-orange rim. Alluring nose full of pure Pinosity: sweet red cherries, peppered meat, some pomegranate tones, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light smoky tones, floral hints of violets and rose hips and a touch of baking spices. The wine is ripe yet dry and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and wonderful sense freshness to it. Bright, clean and quite intense flavors of juicy red cherries and darker forest fruits, savory umami, some peppered meat tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light tart notes of lingonberries, a hint of earth and a touch of savory old wood spice. Fantastic high acidity with well-proportioned, textural and somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is ripe, savory and subtly sweet-toned with lengthy flavors of red forest fruits and sweeter blueberries, some meaty umami, a little bit of peppery spice, light cherry tones, a hint of dry and woody old oak spice and a touch of brambly raspberry.
A terrific and very classically styled Pinot Noir with beautiful sense of freshness, focus and savory tones despite the rather ripe overall feel. A perfect antithesis to the overblown, dark-toned and super-ripe style of Californian Pinot Noir. Still very youthful and vibrant, this wine will continue to improve for many more years, even though it is drinking mighty well right now. Like I’ve said before, this wine is a Burgundy lover’s Cali Pinot. Consistently a lovely wine. Drink or keep. (91 pts.)
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2016 Fiorano (Boncompagni Ludovisi) Bianco Vino da Tavola - Italy, Latium, Vino da Tavola (7.8.2021)
A 50/50 blend of Grechetto and Viognier from vineyards planted in early-to-mid 2000’s in Lazio, close to Rome. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Aged on the lees in 1000-liter oak and chestnut casks. 14% alcohol.
Quite deep and moderately concentrated golden yellow color with faint youthful greenish highlights. Rich, sweetish and moderately tropical nose with aromas of banana and apple jam, some herbal spice, light pear compote notes, a little bit of leesy creaminess, a hint of pineapple and a subtle touch of vanilla custard. The wine feels rich, oily and full-bodied on the palate with lush flavors of ripe apricot, leesy creaminess, some pear compote notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light banana tones, a hint of herbal spice and a touch of vanilla custard. The acidity feels moderately high, which is just enough to let the wine feel slightly fat without becoming heavy or ponderous. The finish is long, juicy and quite tropical with a rich aftertaste of pineapple, apricot and banana, some leesy notes of creaminess, light coconut notes, a little bit of stony minerality, a sweet hint of pear compote and a touch of vanilla. The high-ish alcohol makes the wine end on a subtly warm note.
A very ripe, tropical and juicy Italian white that seems to have somewhat obvious oaky notes - vanilla, creaminess, coconut - even when the wine is supposed to be aged in old and (I assume) quite neutral oak casks. Who knows. Has a somewhat Northern Rhône feel to it, most likely from the bold apricot tones and the obvious gras that Viognier seems to bring. Quite enjoyable stuff, but I guess this kind of fat and slightly hedonistic wine might be difficult to pair with most dishes, so its use might be somewhat limited. I made people taste it blind and guess what it might be (it took some time for people to guess Italy, so I guess the wine doesn’t speak that much of sense of place) and that might be one of the best use cases for this wine. I suppose this wine won’t become a legendary world-class white with age - like the old-school Fiorano whites did - but I’ve been wrong once or twice before, so there’s always the odd chance that this wine might turn into diamonds if given enough time. Although very well-made and enjoyable, the wine still feels perhaps a bit pricey for its quality at 29,90€. (90 pts.)
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2004 Viticoltori De Conciliis Aglianico Naima Paestum IGT - Italy, Campania, Paestum IGT (7.8.2021)
100% Aglianico fermented and macerated with the skins for 30 days in stainless steel. Aged in barriques for a year, then racked into larger, old tonneaux and aged for another year. Finally blended in together and aged for yet another year in stainless steel tanks. Bottled after 3 years of aging. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved, slightly cloudy and almost fully opaque blackish-red with a tertiary brown hue. Very tertiary and moderately oxidative nose with aromas of raisins and dried figs, some lifted ethery notes of VA, light pruney tones, a little bit of sweet cherry marmalade, mature hints of earth and dry leather and a touch of balsamic richness. The wine is dry, extracted and very structure-driven on the palate with a full body and somewhat oxidative flavors of dried figs, some soy sauce, light leathery tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, a hint of smoke and a volatile touch of balsamico. High in acidity with very assertive, drying tannins that coat your gums in mere seconds. The finish is dry, quite oxidative and noticeably tannic with long, intense flavors of soy sauce and tangy salinity, some sour cherry, light meaty notes of umami and beef jerky, a little bit of earth and a touch of bitterness.
A still somewhat drinkable but overall just too evolved Aglianico that has slipped past its peak. I was surprised to learn this wine was this young, because normally Aglianicos tend to be capable of aging for decades without problems and 17 years should be a breeze for a wine from such a good vintage. Structurally the wine was completely unresolved and as assertive as a (relatively) young Aglianico can be, but fruit-wise the wine was getting quite goners. I guess this wine was either not made to age this long, or then there was just bottle variation or the cork had failed. Whatever the case, it was pretty impossible to guess the wine and its age correctly (although my first guesses were 1990’s Sagrantino and 1980’s Madiran due to the assertive tannins). The wine had cost 18,80€. NR (flawed)
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2016 Marco Felluga Collio Ribolla Gialla - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (7.8.2021)
100% Ribolla, first crushed and cold-soaked with the skins briefly, then pressed into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Aged for 6 months on the lees in stainless steel tanks.
Pale yellow-green color. Bright and still quite youthful aromas of fresh golden apples and slivered almonds, some fresh pear, a little bit of cantaloupe, light juicy notes of white peach, a hint of leesy character and a touch of hay. The wine is bright, fruity and moderately full-bodied on the palate with flavors of white peach, tangy salinity, some spicy red apple, light leesy notes, a little bit of herbal spice, a hint of slivered almonds and a touch of zesty citrus fruits. High and nicely balanced acidity. The mouth-cleansing finish is fresh and crunchy with pretty long flavors of fresh red apples and zesty citrus fruits, tangy salinity, some almond tones, a little bit of herbal spice, light leesy nuances and a hint of steely minerality.
A very balanced, refreshing and still very youthful Italian white. I had kept the wine for some years and thus had expected it to develop some additional complexity, but the wine drank like it was not older than one or two years, just having lost its primary nuances. Perhaps a bit straightforward in style, yet not simple in any way. Drinking really nicely in its youth, but I can imagine this will continue to develop some additional complexity as it ages. I also made people taste this wine blind and guess where it was from; almost immediately people guessed Italy, but after that it was much harder - guesses ranged from Marche Verdicchio to Greco di Tufo to Vernaccia di San Gimignano, but nobody guessed Friuli. When Friuli had finally been identified, nobody still guessed Ribolla. So I guess the wine is very typical of Italian white, but doesn’t really scream of Friuli? Great value at 13,50€, anyway. (89 pts.)
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2011 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault (7.8.2021)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (71,6%), Merlot (5,6%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Tannat (2,8%), Pinot Noir (2,6%), Malbec (1,6%) and the remaining 10,8% rounded out by a blend of Areni (from Armenia), Amigne (Switzerland), Barbera (Italy), Bastardo aka. Trousseau, Brancellao (Portugal/Spain), Carmenère, Chkhaveri (Georgia), Dolcetto (Italy), Montepulciano (Italy), Nebbiolo (Italy), Petit Verdot, Plavac Mali (Croatia), Saperavi (Georgia), Souzão (Portugal) and “Tchekavesi” (?). Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,82% alcohol, 5,16 g/l acidity and pH 3,54. Total production 100,000 bottles and 2,800 magnums. Tasted blind.
Dense, almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a subtly evolved maroon hue and a pale pomegranate rim. Rustic, dark-toned and slightly funky nose with complex and very attractive aromas of fresh blackcurrants, some dark-toned plummy notes, a little bit of ripe forest fruit, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a bretty hint of leather and a touch evolved raisiny fruit. The wine is firm, pleasantly chewy but not heavy and wonderfully textural on the palate with a quite full body and complex, savory flavors of fresh blackcurrants and crunchy chokeberries, some bretty notes of leather and stable floor, a little bit of licorice root, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of herbal bitterness and a woody touch of pencil shavings. Quite high in acidity with ample, textural and still moderately grippy tannins that have resolved enough to make the mouthfeel wonderfully silky. The finish is dry, slightly evolved and quite grippy with a complex aftertaste of fresh blackcurrants, crunchy crowberries and chokeberries, some sous-bois, a little bit of bretty barnyard funk, light leafy tones, a hint of licorice root and a sweeter touch of pruney fruit.
A wonderfully rustic, complex and still quite tightly-knit vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac. Starting to show the first signs of evolution with its dried fruit characteristics, but with its intense fruit and still quite firm and grippy tannins the wine is going to keep for a long time. Unsurprisingly, my first guess was a Bordeaux, then a Madiran. However, when someone suggested Grange des Péres a bulb lighted up above my head and I commented that this wine actually does taste more of a solid vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac. And that’s what this was. A terrific wine, just like it was half a year ago. Drinking nicely right now, but will improve for many, many years more. Really fine stuff. (93 pts.)
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2016 Domaine Sogga Obuse Winery Sogga Père et Fils Vin de Table - Japan, Chūbu, Nagano (7.8.2021)
As the wine is labeled “Sogga Père et Fils”, this is not made with estate fruit, but instead is a négociant wine made and bottled by Akihiko Soga at Obuse, Nagano. I’m not sure about the grape varieties used here: the front label says in French “Cépage Hybride Rouge” and “Variétés Domestiques”, whereas the back label says in English “Chabudai Wine 2016” (chabudai is a Japanese table) and “Alicante, Cabernet and Merlot” in Japanese. Go figure. 12% alcohol.
Very deep and dark, almost fully opaque black-red color with a slightly translucent dried-blood rim. The nose feels clean, quite smoky and slightly rustic with layered aromas of fresh blackcurrants, gamey meat, some damp leaves, a little bit of elderflower, light inky tones, smoky hints of toasty oak, a touch of exotic spices and a sweeter whiff of chokeberry jam. Lots of everything going on here. The wine feels bone-dry, very acid-driven and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with clean, crunchy flavors of crowberries, tart lingonberries and astringent chokeberries, some smoky notes of speck, a little bit of fresh bilberries, light inky tones, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of herbal bitterness that seems to grow in intensity towards the end of the aftertaste. The acidity feels high and quite lean here, making me wonder whether the wine has seen any MLF - or then the grapes are picked just barely ripe, resulting in very high levels of acidity. Quite mellow and easy tannins. The finish is clean, tart and somewhat bitter with flavors of tart lingonberries, red plums and chokeberries, some inky tones, a little bit of fresh blueberry, light woody notes of old oak, sappy hints of herbs and leafy greenness and a touch of smoke.
A very distinctive, somewhat oddly smoky and quite lean red wine that was quite unlike any red wine I remember tasting. The bright, incisive acidity here makes the wine drink almost like a acid-driven white wine, yet the wine is very much a red wine in every other aspect. I poured this wine blind and apart from one person wondering from the smoky tones whether this is a South African red, everybody else was firmly in Europe. Nobody thought anything new world, let alone Japan. I myself was wondering whether the wine was still in good condition, as Domaine Sogga is known to make wines in a very hands-off approach and the wine had been in my cellar for +3 years already, but my fears were completely unfounded: the wine was not only remarkably youthful, but also very clean with remarkable purity of fruit - not having any funky or natty tones whatsoever. Pretty great stuff that combines classic old world winemaking with that distinctively lean, even somewhat thin quality of Japanese red wines. Need to get some more Sogga bottles, these are quite fascinating. Excellent value at 1512¥ (12,13€). (90 pts.)
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NV Frank Cornelissen MunJebel Bianco 8 - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia (7.8.2021)
Based on the vintage 2011. Made from Carricante, Cataratto, Coda di Volpe and Grecanico Dorato – a variety better known as Garganega. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dark and murky yellow color with a somewhat brownish hue. Ridiculously volatile nose with heady aromas of nail polish and ether followed by funky notes of bruised apple, some nutty tones, a little bit of licorice root and light bretty notes of leather. Really wild stuff, obviously. The wine is dry, wild and funky on the palate with a medium body and very volatile flavors of ether, ripe citrus fruits, some nail polish, light bruised apple tones, a little bit of phenolic bitterness, a hint of oxidative nuttiness and a touch of herbal spice. The wine is high in acidity with moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is quite long, moderately bitter and somewhat tannic with a slightly unclean aftertaste of apple peel bitterness, ethery VA, some pithy grapefruit, light nutty notes of chopped almonds, light bruised apple tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of herbal greenness.
A heavily volatile orange wine where the elevated levels of VA and borderline unclean funky tones render the wine too natty for pleasure. Furthermore, the wine seems to be already past its peak with its bruised apple tones and nutty characteristics. Tasting this blind, it was quite easy to identify it as an orange wine (and not, say evolved white wine) from the moderately pronounced tannins, but that was about it - any sense of place was completely hidden away by the heavily volatile notes. Since natural wines are always quite variable, it might be that we just had a bad bottle that had been kept in too high temperatures for too long, but it might be that this vintage is already getting past its peak. Not completely shot yet, but this is getting so evolved that I wouldn’t hold on to any bottles any longer. Decanting heartily recommended due to the ample sediment in the bottle. Not worth the 30€ anymore. (84 pts.)
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2007 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru (7.8.2021)
Bottled under a screwcap. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous, medium-deep burnished golden yellow color. Clean, slightly evolved yet still relatively youthful nose with vibrant aromas of ripe citrus fruits and sweeter lemon marmalade tones, stony mineral notes, some toasty wood notes, a little bit of sweet Golden Delicious apple, light nectarine tones, hints of creamy richness and melting butter and a touch of something waxy. The wine is lively, fresh and acid-driven on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of fresh golden apples and lemony citrus fruits, some evolved creamy tones, a little bit of crunchy star fruit, light mineral notes of chalk dust and tangy salinity, a nutty hint of savory oak and a touch of quinine bitterness. Bright, structured and very high acidity. The saline tang seems to only increase towards the aftertaste. The finish is lively, crunchy and quite acid-driven with mouth-cleansing flavors of tangy salinity, lemony citrus fruits, some sharp notes of Granny Smith apple and key lime, light creamy tones, a little bit of evolved nuttiness, a hint of star fruit and a touch of chalky mineral bitterness.
The last time I tasted this wine (October 2020) I thought it was a younger Chardonnay from Western Australia, but I managed to commit that wine to my memory, so this time I could actually add up one plus one. The wine does scream of Chablis, but many other people guessed Chardonnay from other places than Chablis - many went for a younger Côte Chalonnaise or Beaune white and I was the only one suggesting an older 1er Cru or Grand Cru Chablis that has seen some oak. And that’s exactly what the wine was. Although starting to show some signs of age, the wine is still remarkably youthful for its age - and perhaps a bit too youthful if one is looking for an aged Chablis. Based on how youthful this still is, I can see the wine continuing to evolve easily for at least another decade or so and keeping good for much longer. Great stuff. (93 pts.)
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