This was the second time a friend of mine arranged a more competitive take on blind tasting.
Normally we do blind tastings all the time; I guess nowadays more than half of our tastings are blind. However, this is only because we’d rather assess the wines without any preconceptions or other biases - apart from a few guesses, we don’t try to identify the wines super seriously.
However, this “Christmas blind tasting” we’ve now had twice is a bit different: here every attendee has 30 guesses which can be used in whatever way a player wants to. If one has no idea about a wine, it’s probably better to save the guesses for more recognizable wines - and expend as many guesses for wines that feel more “obvious”.
The guesses are scored differently, so it pays to guess with more accuracy: for example a correctly identified region yields more points than a correctly identified country and you get most points for identifying the vintage or the producer correctly.
I won the first “competition” with flying colors, but this time things were much more even and I ultimately ended up on 3rd place! The whole event was a great success again - and it was entertaining to see how well even some people who didn’t really know much about wine and just played with completely random guesses could do compared to people who actually know something. Goes to show how difficult tasting double blind is!
So, in short: we knew nothing about any of the wines beforehand; they were opened and double-decanted shortly prior to the tasting; and they were all served from a generic 1-liter glass bottle (apart from the sparkling wine, which was poured from a bottle masked in a bottle sleeve that disguised the bottle shape entirely).
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2019 Griesel & Compagnie Blanc de Noirs Brut - Germany, Hessische Bergstraße (25.11.2022)
A blend of mainly Pinot Noir with some Pinot Meunier. Aged for 10 months in stainless steel (70%), large stück casks (20%) and oak barriques (10%). Tirage on July 13th, 2020. Aged for two years on the lees before disgorgement. 11,8% alcohol, dosage 2 g/l and 7 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Pale lemon yellow color. Quite classically styled nose of ripe citrus fruits, some ripe white fruits, a little bit of leesy yeast, light autolytic notes of white bread and a hint of mealy red apple. The wine feels crisp, dry and leesy with somewhat restrained and a bit neutral flavors of citrus fruits, some autolytic notes of white bread, a little bit of chalky minerality, light salty notes of brackish or mineral water and a hint of leesy yeast. Bright, structured acidity and an ample, creamy mousse. The wine feels crisp, lively and somewhat neutral with a rather long but also a bit reticent aftertaste of citrus fruits, some leesy tones, a little bit of saline minerality and an autolytic hint of white bread.
A nice, clean and somewhat restrained Winzersekt that didn't feel Blanc de Noirs one little bit. I guessed this was either a young Blanc de Blancs Champagne or a similarly styled German sparkling wine, ultimately going with the former - I thought the combination of Chardonnay would've explained the clean, brisk and rather neutral, citrus-driven overall character of the wine. Well, it turned out to be a young wine, but both the varietal base and the country of origin were completely wrong. All in all this was a very serious and well-crafted young fizz that would've passed nicely as a Champagne - however, I think some further aging might coax some additional depth and complexity from the wine as it still felt very young, nervous and neutral compared to the 2017 vintage we tasted a year ago. Solid value at 17,70€.
(89 points) -
2009 Manincor Lieben Aich - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (25.11.2022)
100% organically farmed Sauvignon Blanc from the Lieben Aich cru in Terlan. The crushed grapes are left to macerate with the skins for up to 12 hours before they are pressed. Fermented spontaneously, full MLF, aged on the lees in oak barrels for 9-10 months. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite intense, medium-deep and relatively youthful neon yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit odd and slightly rubbery with aromas of ripe peach, some toasty notes, a little bit of reductive smoke, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of grassy greenness and a faint touch of gasoline. The wine is broad, balanced and slightly oily on the palate with a full body and still surprisingly youthful flavors of stony minerality and incisive steely character, some ripe citrus fruit notes, a little bit of waxy richness, light juicy notes of Golden Delicious apple, a hint of savory spices and a touch of creamy oak. The rather high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is broad, lively and quite ripe with a rather long aftertaste of sweet yellow apples, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of waxy richness, light zesty citrus fruit notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of cantaloupe.
A very balanced, harmonious and attractive example of Alto Adige Sauvignon that is so much younger than I expected. I thought the wine was very young, not older than 5 years from the vintage - its 13 years of age took me really by surprise! The wine was also pretty darn difficult to guess - the combination of good acidity, mineral overtones and judicious use of oak first made me think of South African Chenin Blanc, after which I went to white Burgundy. I sort of overlooked the subtly grassy nuances in the nose, but one of us managed to guess the variety correctly by going with Sauvignon Blanc just by that one element. Nobody suspected Italy at any point! All in all, this was a great effort - especially when taken into account how I normally don't like SB!
(92 points) -
2012 Sadie Family Skerpioen - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (25.11.2022)
The grapes are sourced from a 60 year old parcel (planted between 1958 and 1967) of co-planted Chenin Blanc (51%) and Palomino (49%) growing on a very chalky soil as unirrigated bushvines. Vinified in a very hands-off fashion, fermented spontaneously in old oak casks. Aged in old casks and egg-shaped concrete tanks. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved, luminous golden-yellow color. The nose feels somewhat restrained and quite old with tertiary aromas of sour crispbread and roasted nuts, some bruised apple, light aged waxy tones, a little bit of browned butter and a hint of rye bread. The wine feels broad, evolved and quite tertiary on the palate with flavors of stony minerality, some bruised apple, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness, light honeyed tones, oaky hints of creaminess and browned butter and a touch of crunchy whitecurrants. The high acidity lends great sense of structure and electric intensity to this otherwise rather tired wine. The finish is ripe, evolved and moderately tertiary with a medium-long aftertaste of beeswax, some nutty notes of almond, a little bit of bruised apple, light saline mineral notes, a hint of browned butter and a touch of wizened peach.
A tasty but also surprisingly evolved white that bore no similarities to the bottle we had two years ago. That wine felt youthful for its age, whereas this bottle seemed more aged than what I'd expect from this wine at 10 years of age. I wonder if there is some bottle variation going on, since these came from the same cellar? I really don't believe this wine would suddenly change from an exceptionally 8-yo to a surprisingly old 10-yo in just two years. My guess was that this was a 20-yo Californian white, most likely a Chardonnay. Well, not quite. At 26€ this is more or less worth the price, but based on my previous experience with the wine, I expected more.
(88 points) -
2015 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône-Brézème Vieille Roussette Domaine de Pergaud - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône-Brézème (25.11.2022)
100% organically farmed Roussette (a local name for Roussanne) from +70 yo vineyards. Fermented spontaneously; 50% of the wine in earthenware amphorae (macerating with the skins for some weeks, according to some sources) and 50% in old, neutral oak casks. Blended together and aged in old oak casks and amphorae. Vinified without any SO2. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite intense and still relatively youthful lemon-yellow color with bright greenish highlights. The nose feels fascinating, somewhat waxy and slightly sauvage with aromas of ripe nectarine, some honeydew melon tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light floral nuances, a sweet hint of apple jam and a touch of leesy creaminess. The wine is broad, somewhat concentrated and slightly wild on the palate with a rather full body and quite intense flavors of fresh yellow apples and steely minerality, light sweeter notes of apple jam, a little bit of waxy funk and leather, a hint of cantaloupe and a lifted touch of sweet ethery VA. The wine shows good sense of firmness and structure with its refreshing and rather high acidity. The finish is juicy and quite complex with a long, layered aftertaste of cantaloupe, some funky notes of leather and waxy character, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of crunchy Golden Delicious apple, a hint of leesy creaminess and a touch of herby spices.
A distinctive, characterful and enjoyably refreshing Roussanne. The wine has definitely somewhat sauvage overtones with its subtly bretty nuances and hints of VA, but the wine is still quite clean and vibrant - never once too funky. Although the wine shows classic Roussanne flavors of juicy melon-driven fruit and hints of floral-herby character, for some reason Rhône never once came to my mind. I had a strong feeling this must've been a French white, but from which part of France - I had no idea. Ultimately I guessed that this was a naturalist white Burgundy from the southern parts of the region. Well, not quite - yet not too far, either. All in all, this was a terrific wine that drinks really well right now but will probably continue to evolve and improve at least until its 10th year from the vintage. Recommended.
(93 points) -
2001 Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (25.11.2022)
12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale honey-yellow color. The nose feels sweet-toned, somewhat evolved and quite complex with aromas of beeswax and juicy yellow apples, some leesy notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light woolly nuances and a hint of ripe white peach. With some air, subtle nuances of toast and browned butter start to emerge. The wine feels quite broad and moderately ripe yet firm and dry on the palate with a sleek medium body and nuanced but also a bit understated flavors of ripe red apple, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of woolly lanolin, light juicy nuances of white peach, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of browned butter. The wine is balanced and enjoyably structured with its high acidity. The finish is dry yet juicy with a bright but also slightly reticent aftertaste of crunchy red apple, some ripe white peach, a little bit of creamy oak, light stony mineral notes, a hint of woolly lanolin and a toasty touch of browned butter.
A sophisticated, tasty and harmonious white Bordeaux that felt a bit linear at first, but started to flesh out nicely with air. However, the wine still came across as a bit understated even with a good deal of aeration - I don't know if the wine was still holding back or starting to fade away. I really hope it's not the latter, as the wine seems to still have enough fruit and energy to age and evolve some more. Although the wine seems pretty obviously Bordeaux Blanc now, afterwards, it was nigh impossible to pin-point anywhere when tasting it. I guessed an aged Italian white blend that had seen some oak.
(91 points) -
1996 Domaine Rolet Chardonnay Côtes du Jura - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (25.11.2022)
12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous, slightly evolved yellow-green color. Characterful and perhaps a bit weird (but not aldehydic) nose with somewhat green-toned aromas of birch leaves and perhaps a little bit of green asparagus, light honeyed tones, a little bit of apple jam, a mineral hint of wet rocks, a developed, nutty touch of slivered almonds and a whiff of woolly lanolin. The wine is firm, bright and mineral on the palate with a light-to-medium body and rather acid-driven flavors of steely minerality and lemony citrus fruits, some developed creamy tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light green notes of birch leaves, sharp and crunchy hints of green apples and whitecurrants and a touch of marzipan. The bracing acidity lends great intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is fresh, brisk and lively with incisive flavors of green apples and tart lemony citrus fruits, some developed creamy notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a nutty hint of slivered almonds and a touch of something vaguely green and vegetal.
I was really surprised by this wine when it was revealed - I really didn't expect to see a Jura wine this old that was ouillé, not one aged sous voile. Furthermore, the wine was remarkably youthful for its age - it did show some developed notes, but everyone's (me included) guesses were around 10 years old. Nobody expected a wine +25 years old to be this brisk, lively and precise, showing so little tertiary characteristics! I was at a loss trying to guess this wine; based on its somewhat green overtones, I thought this might've been a Loire Sauvignon Blanc with some age. Well, I guess the crisp, green-edged fruit was just good ol' under-ripeness - not any typical varietal characteristics! Even then, no matter whether the wine was slightly under-ripe or not, I enjoyed it quite a bit! This showed great freshness, sense of structure, minerality and understated sense of developed complexity. Great stuff and really a testament to the aging potential of the ouillé Jura whites!
(92 points) -
2001 Knipser Laumersheimer Kirschgarten Dornfelder trocken - Germany, Pfalz (25.11.2022)
13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, dark and slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels smoky, gamey and robust with aromas of ripe blackberries, some strawberries, light cherry tones, a little bit of peppery spice, a hint of savory wood spice and a crunchy touch of fresh red plums. The wine feels ripe, spicy and quite robust on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and juicy flavors of black cherries and dark plums, some peppery spice, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of sweet strawberry-driven red fruit, light smoky nuances and a touch of sweet, toasty oak spice. The wine is high in acidity with ripe medium tannins. The finish is ripe, juicy and gently grippy with a long, quite powerful aftertaste of sweet black cherries, some smoky and gamey tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light tart notes of fresh cranberries, a hint of plummy red fruit and a touch of toasty oak.
Considering how Dornfelder is not a particularly highly-regarded variety, mainly used for adding darker color to wines, I was surprised how impressively bold, structured and serious this wine was - and remarkably youthful for its age as well! With its peppery, gamey and smoky tones, I was quite certain this wine was Syrah - I was split whether this was a more modern Northern Rhône Syrah that had seen some oak, or a South African Syrah made in a more serious old-world style (as opposed to a softer and sweeter Shiraz style). However, I was pretty alone with my guesses, as most other attendees thought it was an oaky Pinot Noir from the new world - or perhaps a Spätburgunder from Germany. Well, the wine turned out to be a German single-vineyard Dornfelder with more than 20 years under its belt. Live and learn! Based on the bold, still relatively youthful fruit and partially unintegrated oak tones, I'd say this wine still holds some aging potential, perhaps for another decade or so. Easily the most impressive Dornfelder I've tasted - good, serious stuff. Recommended.
(91 points) -
1980 Caves Saint-Pierre Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (25.11.2022)
The neck label shows not only the vintage, but also text "Grande Reserve" - although I don't know if this wine is a different version from the regular Saint-Pierre Hermitage. Tasted blind.
Translucent, moderately evolved dried-blood color with a pale, almost colorless rim. The nose feels savory and meaty with aromas of tobacco and blood, some wizened redcurrants, a little bit of leathery funk, light juicy notes of ripe red plum, a hint of earth, a touch of salami and a herbal whiff of minty lift. The wine feels dry, firm and savory on the palate with a medium body and somewhat evolved flavors of wizened red plums, some tobacco, a little bit of crunchy redcurrant, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of tart crowberry and a touch of old leather. The wine retains quite an impressive structure with its high acidity and still relatively assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, savory and quite grippy with moderately evolved flavors of ripe red plums, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of tobacco, light tart notes of crunchy cranberries, a hint of smoke and a touch of gamey meat.
A fine, savory and still quite tightly-knit Hermitage that was in a terrific shape at the age of +40 years! With its savory, tannic overall nature and red-toned fruit flavors, my thoughts went to Bordeaux instead of Rhône. I thought this was a Pomerol - or perhaps a classically styled St. Émilion - from the 1990's, perhaps 1995 or 1996. Oh well - turned out to be a Syrah more than a decade older. Live and learn. Great stuff that is peaking now - those tannins could use some extra age to soften up, but I really don't feel there is much room for additional aging in the fruit department. This is as good as the wine is going to get - and, fortunately, it is good!
(94 points) -
2018 Anne et Jean-Francois Ganevat De Toute Beauté - France, Vin de France (25.11.2022)
I don't know the exact blend here, as it seems to change from one vintage to another, but at least in some vintages this has been a blend of Gamay from Fleurie and Morgon along with an eclectic bunch of red varieties from Jura (Argant, Enfariné, Geusche, Gros Béclan, Isabelle, Petit Béclan, Peurion, Pinot Noir, Portuguê Bleu, Trousseau...). The grapes are fermented spontaneously using semi-carbonic maceration in tronconic vats. Vinified without any SO2. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol. As the wine is Vin de France, there is no vintage designation on the label; just a lot number L1806 - which could refer to the vintage 2018 or then to the bottling date (June 2018), making this either 2017 or 2016. Go figure. This bottle was tasted blind.
The wine has a youthful, quite translucent but also very slightly hazy pinkish-red appearance. The nose feels rather sauvage with somewhat funky aromas of lingonberries and cranberries, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of wild strawberry, light floral nuances, a bretty hint of merde and a touch of cooked beet. The wine is quite wild but enjoyably airy on the palate with a light body and nuanced flavors of wild strawberries and red cherries, some ripe cranberry tones, a little bit of lifted, zesty brett along with more funky barnyardy notes, light crunchy nuances of red plums and a medicinal hint of fluoride varnish. The wine is high in acidity with no tannins to speak of. The finish is juicy and quite sauvage with a moderately long aftertaste of wild strawberries and tart cranberries, some barnyard notes of brett, light sweet notes of cooked beet root, a little bit of perfumed floral character, a hint of leathery funk and an acetic touch of VA.
A quite noticeably funky and wild that was surprisingly nuanced, refreshing and enjoyable for such. I have a rather poor track record with these red Ganevat négo-wines, but even if this wine had also both brett and a little bit of VA, the wine still didn't come across as too funky, excessively acetic or mousy. It was quite impossible to guess the wine correctly, but I was pretty certain the wine was French - I was just split between a naturalist Jura, Beaujolais or Loire. Well, it turned out that two out of my three potential guesses would've been correct!
(89 points) -
2015 Casa de Mouraz Dão Elfa - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (25.11.2022)
A field blend of some 30 varieties (Alfrocheiro, Alvarelhão, Baga, Bastardo, Camarate, Cornifesto, Jaen, Tinta Pinheira...) from a very old, organically farmed vineyard. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, aged for 24 months in stainless steel. 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, youthful and slightly translucent ruby-red color. The nose feels ripe, sunny and slightly inky with sweetly-fruited aromas of dark plummy fruits, some blueberry tones, a little bit of strawberry, light floral nuances, a boozy hint of alcohol, a touch of cherry marmalade and a whiff of jammy dark berries. The wine feels ripe, juicy and slightly pruney on the palate with a full body and pretty solar flavors of dark raisiny fruit and sweet dark plums, some blueberry tones, a little bit of earth, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of jammy strawberries and a touch of meaty umami. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with rather assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, dark-toned and slightly jammy with flavors of ripe plums and blueberries, some pruney tones, a little bit of rocky minerality, light jammy notes of strawberries and blackberries, a hint of alcohol warmth and a touch of perfumed floral character.
I had no idea where we were with this wine, but in retrospect I should've just guessed Portugal based on the floral nuances and flavors of blueberries. I guess due to the crazy blend of varieties and the rather pronounced ripeness, the wine came across as just somewhat anonymous - it was quite hard to get behind the sweet-toned, very sunny fruit flavors that at times slipped on the pruney and raisiny side. This was an enjoyable wine, but lacked the distinctive complexity of the 2010 vintage I had tasted earlier. That one was one the soft, ripe and sweetly-fruited side as well, but not too much - this, on the other hand, was just a bit too ripe and pruney for my preference.
(86 points) -
2019 Cascina Luisin Barbaresco Vecchie Viti Rabajà-bas - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (25.11.2022)
100% Nebbiolo from old vines planted in the Rabajà-Bas Cru (not to be confused with the Rabajà Cru). Fermented and macerated for 30-40 days in concrete tanks, aged for 30 months in 3000-liter Slavonian oak botti. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, luminous and pretty translucent ruby-red color. Youthful, fragrant and very open nose with perfumed aromas of red cherries, some crushed rose petals, a little bit of strawberry, light meaty nuances and a primary hint of red-toned, grapey fruit. The wine is ripe, firm and very juicy on the palate with a medium body and youthful, sweet-toned yet quite noticeably bitter flavors of tart cranberries and sour cherry bitterness, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of crunchy red plum, light wild strawberry notes, a hint of gamey meat and a sweeter touch of primary grapey fruit. The overall feel is very firm and structured, thanks to the high acidity and still very assertive and unresolved tannins. The finish is juicy, long and quite noticeably grippy with focused flavors of bright red cherries, some crunchy cranberries, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light gravelly mineral tones, a sweeter hint of ripe strawberry and a touch of grapey fruit.
A very firm, structured and still noticeably youthful Barbaresco that feels very open and expressive, promising volumes on how the wine will evolve and improve with age. At the moment the wine feels a bit too young and awkward, not only due to its rather tough and unresolved tannins and quite prominent bitterness, but also due to the still very primary and at times even slightly candied, grapey fruit nuances. Nevertheless, this is a serious, classically styled and beautifully expressive yet at the same time a bit austere expression of an overlooked Barbaresco cru. Although the wine is still a bit too young for its own good, this is pretty fine stuff already - however, I'd let the wine wait until its 10th birthday, because this is obviously built for the long haul. My guess for this wine was a young Nebbiolo, perhaps a 2016 Barbaresco.
(92 points) -
2010 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Black Cap - USA, Oregon (25.11.2022)
A small-production Pinot Noir by Jason Lett, Eyrie Vineyards' winemaker, made with purchased fruit from Oregon and vinified at Eyrie. Fermented spontaneously and aged in predominantly old oak barrels. Bottle #3995 of total 4423 bottles. 13,5% alcohol.
Quite translucent and somewhat evolved pomegranate color. Fragrant, slightly evolved and very attractive nose with layered aromas of sweet raspberries, some developed meaty tones, a little bit of cranberry sauce, light floral nuances of violets and a hint of earthy spice. The wine feels juicy, silky and moderately broad on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite ripe yet still beautifully fine-tuned flavors of brambly raspberries, some fresh red cherries, a little bit of developed meaty umami, light balsamic tones, sweeter hints of cranberry sauce and ripe strawberries and a ferrous touch of blood. The high acidity lends good brightness and sense of structure, while the resolved, silky medium-minus tannins bring in some nice sense of firmness. The finish is long, ripe and juicy yet more savory than sweet with flavors of cherries and strawberries, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of balsamico, light ferrous notes of blood, a sweeter hint of cranberry sauce and a touch of developed earthy character.
A lovely, ripe and harmonious Pinot Noir that is in a terrific spot right now with its combination of juicy and ripe (yet not overripe) fruit and developed, savory complexity. I instantly identified the wine as Pinot Noir, but as to where it came from - I had no real idea. It didn't come across as particularly German to me, so I was more or less split between New Zealand, warmer-vintage Burgundy and the US. Can't remember which place I finally settled with, but it wasn't Oregon. The wine is in a terrific spot right now, coming across as somewhat evolved but not yet too tertiary. I get a feeling the wine is quite close to its plateau of maturity and it doesn't call for any additional aging. Drink or keep for a handful of years more. Recommended.
(93 points) -
1934 I. B. Hinker's Nachfolger Tokaji Aszú 3 Puttonyos - Hungary, Tokaji (25.11.2022)
Labeled "Tokayer Ausbruch 3 Buttig", translating to "Tokaji Aszú 3 Puttonyos". Tasted blind.
Deep, burnished golden yellow color with a subtly coppery-brown core. The nose feels fragrant, evolved and subtly dusty with complex, sweet-toned aromas of caramel and toffee, some marzipan, light creamy notes of crème brûlée, a little bit of mushroomy funk, developed hints of varnish and browned butter and a touch of vanilla custard. Lots of things going on here. The wine is evolved, firm and complex on the palate with a medium body and intense, slightly madeirized semi-sweet flavors of candied orange, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of caramel, light stony mineral notes, a hint of browned butter and a touch of lemon marmalade. The overall impression is that of an aged wine, but it never once comes across as particularly old - and the brisk acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is long, medium-sweet and subtly warm with a complex, juicy aftertaste of caramel, some hay, light nutty notes of oxidation, a little bit of orange marmalade, a hint of varnish and a touch of bruised apple.
This wine took everybody by a huge surprise. I expected the wine to be old, but definitely not nearly as old as it turned out to be! I had trouble trying to pinpoint it anywhere, even though the wine admittedly showed all the classic markers of an aged 3 Puttonyos Tokaji (that's because of those three Puttonyos: of course all I could think was five or six Puttonyos wines - it didn't cross my mind they were making 3 and 4 Puttonyos Tokajis back then)! Anyway, this wine was simply stunning for a 88-yo semi-sweet wine bottled under a stub of a cork (that was in such poor condition that it disintegrated when trying to extract it from the bottle). Not anything mind-blowing, but definitely much, much more than what you'd expect for a half bottle of an almost century-old 3 Puttonyos Tokaji bottled for the German market. Super value at 45€ for a half bottle.
(95 points)
These two were extras: I brought the Raul Pérez bottle, a friend brought the Testalonga one.
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2015 Raul Pérez Los Arrotos del Pendón - Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de León (25.11.2022)
100% Prieto Picudo from a vineyard planted in 1900. Vinified in whole bunches in concrete tanks, aged for 18 months under flor in old 400-and-500-liter oak casks. Perez believes the flor both protects the wine from oxidation and binds the smaller tannin molecules from the wine, reducing some of the bitterness that is typical for the variety. 14,5% alcohol.
Very dark, virtually completely opaque blackish-red color with a somewhat translucent and slightly evolved brick-red rim. The nose feels rather dull and somewhat closed at first with aromas of game and skunky reduction, some fresh dark berries, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light perfumed notes of violets and honeysuckle, a hint of tobacco, a woody touch of savory old oak and a whiff of asphalt. With air the wine starts to turn a bit funky with some lifted volatile nuances and barnyardy notes of brett emerging underneath the reduction. The wine feels dense, tough and quite unyielding on the palate with a medium body and somewhat austere and rootsy flavors of tart dark fruits, some gravelly minerality, a little bit of woody oak spice, light astringent notes of chokeberries, a hint of pouch tobacco and a touch of earth. With aeration the wine starts to develop some sweeter nuances of ripe dark plums and jammy dark berries, but only to a quite small degree. The structure if pretty gritty and assertive, thanks to both the noticeably high acidity and firm, noticeably grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, tough and grippy with a long, ripe and still pretty savory and austere aftertaste of sweet dark plums, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of savory old wood, light lifted notes of nail polish VA, a hint of tobacco and a touch of game. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the aftertaste.
A rather tough, assertive and unapologetic Castilla y León that does show some obvious ripeness, but that doesn't really translate to softness, sweet fruit flavors or accessibility in any way. This wine reminds me of the tough, structure-driven and scantly-fruited varietal Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot wines that can be similarly ripe yet very closed, angular and understated in character. However, I have a hunch this wine suffers from reduction quite a bit, as it benefits greatly from aeration and is much more expressive on the following day. Still, based on how tough, unresolved and reductive the wine is, I'd say it would benefit the most if it was left in a cellar for another decade or so. This is really not made to be drunk young - and apparently 7 years old is still way too young. Good, very characterful and pretty all in all brash stuff. Definitely not your easy bistro naturalista. Priced according to its quality at 25,83€.
(90 points) -
2020 Testalonga El Bandito Monkey gone to heaven - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (25.11.2022)
A wine by Craig Hawkins of Lammershoek fame: it is 100% organically farmed Mourvèdre from a 1-hectare parcel in Paardeberg. Vinified using semi-carbonic maceration in open-top fermentors. After 9 days of macerating the whole bunches, the grapes are pressed and racked into three 500-liter French oak barrels where the wines finish spontaneous fermentation followed by MLF. The only SO2 the wine sees is during the racking process. Bottled unfined and with a light filtration. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale, translucent and slightly hazy blood-red color with an almost completely colorless rim. The nose feels fragrant, somewhat lifted and a bit wild with aromas of wild strawberries, some nail polish VA, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light zesty notes of chinotto, a hint of brambly black raspberry, a touch of ripe apple and a whiff of something leafy or perhaps stemmy greenness. The wine is bright, crunchy and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with dry flavors of fresh cranberries and brambly raspberries, some red gooseberry tones, a little bit of sweet red apple, light zesty notes of orange or chinotto, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of ripe redcurrant. The wine is fresh and quite firmly structured with its high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is wild fresh and lively with some tannic grip and a long, fruit-driven aftertaste of brambly raspberries and ripe redcurrants, some crunchy notes of red apple, light gooseberry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of wild strawberry and a lifted touch of acetic VA.
A fresh and tasty but ultimately perhaps a bit too natty - and thus somewhat generic - naturalist. The wine is thoroughly enjoyable and wonderfully refreshing in character, but I really didn't think it showed that much sense of place or varietal character. After all, this is made from the variety that makes those stern, ageworthy Bandols and bold, concentrated wines of Jumilla - but I guessed that this wine is a naturalist Pinot Noir from Jura! While I enjoyed the wine quite a bit, I still feel it tastes more of winemaking than of the place or the variety. Sure, you can always make a Mourvèdre into a brisk, light and refreshing little red, but is it really the right way to make the best out of this variety? Aren't there any other red varieties better suited for this kind of wine? I want to emphasize: this is a very nice and enjoyable wine - I'm just not sure if it does justice to South African Mourvèdre.
(88 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
