A tasting of very random wines, everything tasted blind - well, I didn’t taste the Chidaine bottle, because I brought it myself. Anyways, the wines we tasted were pretty much top-class, at least for the most part.
Furthermore, even though I had never tasted an Unendlich Riesling before, I identified it correctly as such!
The Ellner Champagnes were correctly identified as Champagnes and the 1970’s wine was correctly guessed to be from the 1970’s, but the 1967 surprised us - we expected it to be from the 1980’s or even early 1990’s! It was really an exceptionally youthful effort.
That Tom Eddy Cab was a very positive surprise - basically everybody was in Bordeaux with their guesses!
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1998 Blondel Champagne Premier Cru Brut Vieux Millésime - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (28.4.2023)
12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous, moderately evolved golden yellow color. The nose feels rather aged with aromas of chopped nuts and mushroomy funk, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of cooked cream, light bready notes of buttered toast, a hint of apple jam and a touch of chalky minerality. The wine is dry, evolved and harmonious on the palate with a medium body and complex, maybe a bit thin flavors of ripe citrus fruits, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of developed creaminess, light nutty notes of autolysis, a hint of browned butter and a touch of mineral water. The wine is quite high in acidity with a fine, silky mousse. The finish is ripe and juicy with a long, complex aftertaste of stony minerality, some sweeter notes of apple jam, a little bit of developed creaminess, light autolytic nuances of brioche, a hint of peanut butter and a touch of bruised apple.
A fine, wonderfully evolved and enjoyably complex Champagne that feels like it is at its peak at 25 years of age. This is not really a grand vin - despite the developed complexity, the taste feels a bit thin and maybe lacking slightly in intensity - but at least the wine shows great sense of balance and harmony. Most likely the wine won't evolve any further from here, so better to drink up rather than keep for any longer.
(91 points) -
NV Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (28.4.2023)
100% Chardonnay from four Grand Cru vineyards in Côte de Blancs. Based on the 2018 vintage (80%) along with a small addition of perpetual reserve (20%). Aged on the lees for a minimum of 36 months. 12% alcohol, dosage 2 g/l. Tasted blind.
Pale, youthful whitish-green color. The nose feels ripe and sweet-toned with aromas of leesy creaminess, some white peach, a little bit of apple jam, light floral notes of apple blossom and a hint of chalky minerality. The wine feels dry, crisp and slightly austere on the palate with a medium body and somewhat linear flavors of mealy red apple, some crunchy notes of white currants, a little bit of fragrant floral character, light mineral notes of chalky bitterness and wet rocks and a hint of leesy creaminess. The wine is pretty high in acidity with a silky smooth mousse. The finish is dry, crisp and moderately long with a bright but also somewhat linear aftertaste of fresh red apple, some leesy notes of yeast, a little bit of stony minerality, light bitter nuances of apple peel, a hint of chalk dust and a touch of ripe white peach.
A nice and balanced but also somewhat linear and slightly austere Champagne. The wine isn't too lean or bracing, as there seems to be more than enough of ripeness to offset the acidity despite the very low dosage. However, there's very little in the way of depth or complexity - this feels more like a straightforward palate-cleanser with youthful white fruit flavors and some mineral overtones. The wine drinks nicely, but offers very little of anything that would keep me engaged. While I happily drink stuff like this, there's really nothing that would make me fill my cellar with these kinds of wines. I hope additional age would make the wine develop some additional depth of flavor, breadth and tertiary complexity.
(89 points) -
1976 Charles Ellner Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne (28.4.2023)
Typically a blend of Chardonnay (2/3) and Pinot Noir (1/3). 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, moderately evolved and quite concentrated golden yellow color. The nose feels savory, toasty and quite tertiary with complex aromas of browned butter, some bruised apple, light grainy notes of graham crackers, light autolytic notes of brioche, a hint of candied ginger and a touch of undergrowth. The wine feels aged, tertiary and somewhat tired on the palate with a surprisingly voluminous but also very mellow mousse and a medium-to-moderately full body. There are complex and very evolved flavors of bruised apple, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of gun metal, light toasty notes of oat biscuits, a hint of browned butter and a touch of mushroomy funk. High acidity. The finish is old, very lengthy and noticeably tertiary with a complex aftertaste of bruised apple, some browned butter, a little bit of mushroomy funk, light earthy notes, a hint of chalk dust and an autolytic touch of roasted nuts.
A classic old Champagne, slightly past its peak by now; there is nothing youthful here and some funky and earthy tertiary notes have started to slowly gain foothold. The wine is still in a surprisingly good shape, showing not only some developed fruit flavors, but also retaining a surprisingly fresh mousse - which is definitely something one shouldn't automatically expect from a Champagne almost 50 years old! All in all, this was a positive surprise and a very enjoyable drop - even if the wine wasn't nearly as impressive as the 1967 vintage we tasted at the same time!
(90 points) -
1967 Charles Ellner Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne (28.4.2023)
Typically a blend of Chardonnay (2/3) and Pinot Noir (1/3). 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, quite intense and very slightly hazy golden-yellow color. The nose is beautifully evolved and very complex with layered aromas of bruised apples and slivered almonds, some ripe citrus fruits, a little bit of chalky minerality, light Madeirized caramel and dried-fruit tones, a hint of orange marmalade, a touch of toasty autolysis and a whiff of smoke. Lots of stuff happening here. The wine feels somewhat restrained but also very complex on the palate with a medium body and developed flavors of caramel, some dried yellow fruits, a little bit of butter and toasted bread, light coffee tones, a hint of leesy creaminess and a touch of acacia honey. The mousse feels sparse and mellow, but it is still there! The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and acidity to the wine. The dry finish is very long and complex with a layered aftertaste of roasted nuts and caramel, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of dried yellow fruits, light leesy notes of creaminess, a hint of chalky minerality and a touch of butter on a toasted bread.
A fantastic, so harmonious and very complex Champagne that has quite a bit of age yet is still alive and kicking! Although the mousse feels quite mellow, it is remarkable how the wine has managed to retain some of that fizz for more than half a century! Despite its aged overall character, the wine felt more youthful and vibrant than the 1976 vintage we tasted at the same time - it felt like the 1976 version was already slipping downhill whereas this 1967 was still on its plateau of maturity. In a nutshell, this was a beautiful example of evolved Champagne; highly recommended. As the wine is not going to evolve any further from here, it is probably best to drink it sooner rather than later.
(94 points) -
2020 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos du Breuil - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (28.4.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc from the 60-yo Clos de Breuil, facing north-to-northwest. Fermented spontaneously and aged on the lees for six months in 620-liter demi-muids. No MLF. 14,5% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels still very youthful and grapey - almost primary - with aromas of citrus fruits, some hay, light extracted waxy tones, a little bit of spicy red apple, a candied hint of sweet primary fruit, a touch of cantaloupe and a whiff of alcohol. The wine feels juicy, broad and slightly oily on the palate with a full body and very ripe flavors of sweet Golden Delicious apple, some cantaloupe, light honeyed tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of ripe Meyer lemon. The overall feel is quite big - even substantial for a Chenin - but the high acidity is sufficient to give the wine good sense of freshness and structure. The finish is rich, ripe and juicy with still very youthful flavors of cantaloupe, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light candied primary fruit flavors, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of creamy oak.
Although a noticeably ripe and even quite substantial effort for a Loire Chenin, this is still a surprisingly sophisticated and balanced effort. At the moment the overall feel is still somewhat dominated by the sweet, estery fermentation flavors, lending the wine a somewhat candied primary feel, but you can taste that the pieces are there - they just need more time to fit into right places. Although the wine shows breadth, power and weight, this bottling isn't still as substantial - fat, even - as 2020 Les Bournais, which was impressive in its own right, but not necessarily as balanced as this one. I feel this could be a very lovely wine once it drops some of that baby fat. Good value at 24,80€.
(92 points) -
2011 F.X. Pichler Riesling Unendlich - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (28.4.2023)
Made with grapes that are harvested very late in the season. The source vineyard is normally kept as a secret, but typically the wine is made from a blend of multiple vineyards, consisting of a careful selection of the very best grapes. 15% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Remarkably youthful, pale and luminous lemon-yellow color. The nose is dominated by a remarkably powerful streak of saffron - reminiscent of an aged Sauternes - followed by unctuous notes of ripe citrus fruits and very ripe golden apples, some floral notes of apple blossom, a little bit of honeydew melon, light stony mineral notes, a slightly odd, gaseous notes of smoke and a touch of apricot. The wine feels concentrated, very substantial and even somewhat fat on the palate with a full body and intense, dry-ish to off-dry flavors of saffron and lemon marmalade, some apple jam, a little bit of stony minerality, light apricot tones, a hint of acacia honey and a floral touch of apple blossom. The mouthfeel is quite viscous and somewhat oily and the medium acidity feels barely adequate to keep such an enormous wine structured and in balance. The finish is rich, powerful and juicy with a very long, medium-dry aftertaste of honeyed richness and orange marmalade, some apple jam, a little bit of saffron, light stony mineral notes, an odd hint of that gaseous character and a touch of exotic spices. The high alcohol lends some heat to the palate towards the end of the aftertaste.
A huge, super-concentrated and very distinctive blockbuster Riesling that feels just too ripe, too fat and too gargantuan for my taste. As the wine is officially of the Smaragd classification, its maximum residual sugar should be 9 g/l, but to me, the wine felt like it could've been even higher - somewhere around 12-15 g/l. However, as the wine was so super ripe, and its acidity felt quite modest for a Riesling, it's entirely possible that the wine was below the legal limit of 9 g/l and the other elements made the wine taste sweeter than it was. Furthermore, all those saffron and orange marmalade tones suggested the presence of botrytis, which might further explain all the richness, viscosity and sense of sweetness in the wine. All in all, this is a very impressive wine in its own right, but it's definitely not in my wheelhouse; I prefer Rieslings fresh, dry and incisive - this wine was none of those things. However, although I've never had an Unendlich Riesling before, I still managed to guess correctly that this was an FX Pichler Riesling - that odd gaseous character is something I see in very few wines, but pretty much invariably in FX Pichler's whites, making it a perfect identifier. I can understand if some people love this wine, but as it has been said many times, this is a love-it-or-hate-it wine - and at 170€ per bottle, I honestly don't think the price here makes any sense.
(88 points) -
1992 Maurice Chenu Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Goudelettes Domaine de la Perriere - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune (28.4.2023)
A négociant wine. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite deep and moderately evolved lemon-yellow color. Dull, musty nose with aromas of mildew.
Corked. (NR/flawed) -
1985 Château Le Merle Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves (28.4.2023)
Tasted blind.
Medium-deep straw-yellow color. The nose feels sweet, moderately evolved and somewhat waxy with aromas of Golden Delicious apple, some woolly notes of lanolin, a little bit of white peach, light floral nuances, a hint of mushroomy funk and a creamy touch of panna cotta. The wine feels evolved, savory and somewhat tertiary yet not too old on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of concentrated waxy character, some ripe white fruit tones, a little bit of woolly lanolin, light steely mineral notes, a hint of cooked cream and a vaguely salty touch of brackish water. The high acidity keeps the wine structured and in balance. The finish is evolved, quite long and pretty complex with a dry aftertaste of tertiary creaminess, some dull woolly tones, a little bit of ripe white peach, light floral nuances of apple blossom, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of mealy yellow apple.
A pretty balanced and tasty old white Bordeaux. Perhaps getting a bit dull and woolly, but is still surprisingly fresh and vibrant for its age. Nothing mind-blowing, but an enjoyable little drop all the same.
(90 points) -
2009 Domaine Michel Gros Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Clos des Réas - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru (28.4.2023)
100% Pinot Noir from the monopole vineyard of the Gros family, the 2,12-hectare 1er Cru Clos des Réas. Average vineyard age 40 years. Aged for 18 months in oak pièces (typically 50-70% new). Annual production 10,000 bottles. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, somewhat evolved and surprisingly opaque dark cherry color. The nose is fragrant - even somewhat perfumed - yet at the same time relatively savory with aromas of violets and developed meaty character, some spicy notes of coniferous forest, a little bit of crunchy red fruit, light peppery tones, a hint of ripe raspberry and a touch of cranberry. The wine feels ripe, savory and vibrant on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of gamey meat and ripe red plum, some tart lingonberry, light gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of spicy and slightly peppery Pinosity, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of ripe raspberry. The wine is high in acidity with firm medium tannins. The finish is savory, dry and gently grippy with a dry aftertaste of crunchy red plum and cranberry, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light sweeter notes of ripe dark berries, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of spicy Pinosity.
A very nice, harmonious and sophisticated wine. I actually wrote in my original tasting notes how the wine seemed quite like Pinot Noir, yet I went for a more obscure Southwestern France wine instead, mainly because the wine was pretty muscular and especially so atypically dark in color for a Pinot Noir - I thought there was no way this was a Pinot! Oh well. Nevertheless, this was a very enjoyable and balanced effort - and I'm surprised if the wine sees that much new oak, since the wine didn't come across as particularly oaky at any point! Either the wine carries its new oak remarkably well, or it has integrated wonderfully with the fruit in these dozen-plus years. All in all, the wine is still pretty youthful - apart from those slightly evolved meaty tones - so most likely this wine will continue to age gracefully for another decade or two. Lovely.
(93 points) -
1997 Tom Eddy Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (28.4.2023)
13,8% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Fully opaque blackish-red color with a somewhat evolved maroon hue towards the rim. The nose feels very much like a Left Bank Bordeaux with some age - there are fragrant aromas of ripe and slightly wizened blackcurrants with some woody notes of pencil shavings, some freshly ground coffee, a little bit of tobacco, light cedary notes of oak, a sweeter hint of prunes and a touch of smoke. Very lovely and very old school feel here! The wine feels ripe, juicy and evolved yet not old on the palate with a rather full body and rich, intense flavors of blackcurrants, some woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of toasty coffee character, light tart and crunchy notes of fresh red plums, a hint of old leather and a smoky touch of phenolic spice. The wine is velvety in texture, yet not without good sense of firmness and structure - thanks to the rather high acidity and still moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The lengthy finish is broad, rich and somewhat grippy with a slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants, some toasty oak notes of mocha, a little bit of licorice, light spicy phenolic nuances, a sweet hint of succulent dark plum and a touch of leathery funk.
Basically everyone agreed right from the start that this must be a Left Bank Bordeaux; honestly, the wine was so very identical to a mid-1990's Bordeaux that it fooled everyone. The style here was fresh and crunchy yet somewhat evolved, so we thought this must be from the 1990's - it wasn't ripe enough to be from the 2000's yet it didn't feel old enough to be from the 1980's. Based on the ripeness and still somewhat toasty yet well-integrated oak tones, we thought this must be a 1996 Bordeaux from some of the producers that had already started modernizing things yet weren't fully Parkerized by that point. Well, the wine turned out to be a '97 Napa Cab. Live and learn! This was a very attractive wine by all standards, really a Bordeaux-drinker's Napa Cab! Although the wine is starting to show some signs of age, there's still miles and miles left in the tank - well, at least based on our bottle that was still in fantastic shape! This wine is eminently enjoyable right now, but I feel there is still a little bit of room left for further development and improvement. Drink or keep. Highly recommended.
(94 points) -
1986 Château Pape Clément Les Clés du Pape - France, Bordeaux, Graves (28.4.2023)
Tasted blind.
Dark, somewhat aged and moderately translucent rusty-red color. The nose feels evolved, somewhat tertiary and pretty classically styled with aromas of smoke and roasted game, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light sweeter notes of dried blackcurrants, a hint of strawberry, a touch of tar and a whiff of pencil shavings. The wine feels evolved, savory and quite meaty on the palate with a medium body and quite intense but also rather tertiary flavors of game and ripe blackcurrants, some wizened black cherries, a little bit of strawberry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of forest floor and a touch of earthy spices. The wine is still relatively firm and structured, thanks to its high acidity and somewhat grippy and chewy tannins. The finish is long, dry and moderately grippy with a savory aftertaste of ripe dark fruits and evolved meaty tones, some strawberry tones, a little bit of old dry leather, light woody notes of pencil shavings and a hint of earth.
A nicely aged and still relatively firm and structured second wine from Graves. Not a super impressive Bordeaux, but still a very enjoyable effort all the same, showing good sense of aged complexity, structure and depth of flavor. I've had many 1986 Bordeaux reds that have shown more complexity and fruit intensity, but in contrast this wine had retained that firm and chewy tannic structure of '86 without making the wine feel too tough or unbalanced. Although the structure could use some more age to resolve, the fruit department felt like it had been on its peak for quite some time and most likely this wine isn't going to develop in any other direction but down. However, I doubt the wine is going to fall apart anytime soon. Drink now or over the next handful of years.
(92 points) -
1994 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles - France, Alsace (28.4.2023)
Tasted blind.
Evolved, medium-deep bronze color. The nose feels rich, quite luscious and rather evolved with intense aromas of acacia honey and dried apricots, some developed caramel tones, a little bit of roasted nuts, light light fragrant nuances of saffron suggesting tertiary botrytis character, a hint of apple jam and a touch of rowanberry marmalade. The wine feels broad, sweet and oily with a full body and rich, ripe flavors of honey and ripe persimmon, some wizened nectarine tones, a little bit of almond and marzipan, light caramel tones, a hint of saffron and other, sweeter exotic spices and a touch of apple jam. Although the wine feels viscous and somewhat sticky on the palate, it doesn't come across as heavy but instead surprisingly fresh and zippy, all thanks to its surprisingly high acidity. The finish is rich, sweet and a bit sticky with a long, complex aftertaste of honey and persimmon, some overripe nectarine tones, a little bit of Sultana raisin, light caramel nuances, a hint of saffron and other exotic spices and a touch of evolved nuttiness.
A beautiful, eminently tasty and very sophisticated SGN with some age. The wine doesn't really scream "Gewurztraminer" as its varietally typical qualities like lychee and rosewater and quite absent and the overall feel is dominated by evolved fruit flavors and botrytis overtones. Furthermore, the wine isn't as modest in acidity as Gewurztraminers often are - no, this wine was surprisingly high in acidity, helping it carry its quite noticeable weight and concentration pretty effortlessly. All in all, this was pretty fantastic stuff - and while the wine is fully mature now and any further aging won't really make it improve any further, I still doubt the wine is going to fall apart anytime soon. Drink now or within the next ten-ish years. Very highly recommended.
(95 points) -
1983 Château Rieussec - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (28.4.2023)
Typically a blend of Sémillon (90-95%), Muscadelle (5%) and Sauvignon Blanc (0-5%). Fermented in new French oak barriques. Aged for 18 to 24 months in French oak barriques (50-70% new). Tasted blind.
Medium-deep, luminous coppery color. The nose feels sweet and very intense with aromas of acacia honey and evolved caramel tones, some mushroomy funk, a little bit of dried peach, light fragrant notes of sweet exotic spices, a hint of saffron and an oxidative touch of nuttiness. The wine feels sweet, moderately concentrated and somewhat evolved on the palate with a quite full body and intense flavors of caramel and dried apricots, some exotic spices, a little bit of savory wood, light orange marmalade tones, a hint of balancing apple peel bitterness and a touch of saffron. Despite its richly textured and slightly viscous mouthfeel, the wine still manages to come across as very balanced and structured with its high acidity. The finish is sweet, rich and quite intense with a very long, complex aftertaste of dried exotic fruits and toasted spices, some woody tones, a little bit of saffron, light nuances of acacia honey, a hint of overripe apricot and a touch of orange marmalade.
A wonderful, fully mature Sauternes showing an impressive combination of richness, structure, fruit and evolved complexity. It was pretty obvious from the get-go that this was Sauternes - it only took a little bit of time to get the correct vintage and some guesses more to identify the correct Château. The sense of focus and intensity here grabs your attention immediately and the persistent aftertaste makes sure you don't lose the attention at any point. I'd say the wine is at its plateau of maturity now and won't evolve any further from here, but I wouldn't be surprised if the wine not only kept just fine for decades more, but also would evolve and improve in the process as well. Superb stuff.
(95 points) -
1967 Croft Porto Vintage Quinta da Roêda - Portugal, Douro, Porto (28.4.2023)
Croft's Single-Quinta Vintage Port, bottled when no Vintage is declared. Made exclusively with fruit sourced from Quinta da Roêda, located in Pinhão, Cima Corgo. 20,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, aged, syrupy-brown color with a dull golden-yellow rim. The nose feels just ridiculously intense with rich, heady aromas of raisins and dried figs, some volatile notes of nail polish, a little bit of arrack, light Madeirized sotolon notes of caramel and vanilla custard, a boozy hint of alcohol, a touch of bruised quince and a whiff of espresso. The wine feels sweet, aged and very concentrated on the palate with a full body and noticeably intense flavors of dried dates and figs, some peppery spice, a little bit of dark raisiny fruit, light Madeirized notes of caramel and arrack, a hint oxidative hint of nuttiness and a volatile touch of nail polish. The mouthfeel is somewhat viscous and even a bit sticky, but the surprisingly high acidity keeps the wine from getting too heavy, instead making it pretty fresh and focused. However, there are no tannins to speak of. The finish is sweet, powerful and quite evolved with a rich, lengthy aftertaste of raisins and dried figs, some oxidative notes of nuttiness, a little bit of peppery character along with some earthy spices, light syrupy tones, a hint of nail polish VA and a touch of loose tobacco.
It seemed pretty obvious that this was a Port, so basically everybody guessed something along those lines. However, due to the advanced age and relatively evolved appearance of the wine, the votes were more split in regard of the wine being an older Vintage Port or a younger Colheita. What really came as a surprise, though, was that the wine wasn't a proper VP, but instead a Single-Quinta bottling - after all, SQVP's are considered to be inferior VP's. Well, I guess these older SQVP's from lesser vintages can be full of surprises, as long as the bottles are in tip-top shape. At just 53€ this has been a steal.
(97 points)
Posted from CellarTracker