ALL WINE, NO POKER, VOL. 2 - Needham, Mass. (5/22/2023)
Whites
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2016 Carl Loewen Riesling 1896 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Appealing flavors of apricot, almond, and orange. Moderate sweetness. At first, the acidity seemed a bit low and the finish correspondingly short, but after two hours it had blossomed, and the flavors carried through to a long aftertaste. This was very popular with the assembled winos -- a little more acidity and intensity would have moved it toward greatness. (90 points) -
2020 Borgo del Tiglio (Nicola Manferrari) Collio Friulano - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio
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2021 Ronco del Gnemiz Friuli Colli Orientali Friulano San Zuan - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Colli Orientali
Thanks to Kyle: We drank the Borgo de Tiglio Friuliano 2020 and the Ronco del Gnemiz San Juan Friuliano 2021 side by side. They had a similar evasively savory quality -- more mineral and herbal than fruity -- and a similar weight. The Borgo is lighter, and it took a while for the aromas to emerge, but it is an intriguing and distinctive wine. The Ronco is richer, with a slight bitter note on the aftertaste, and it's the one I went back to.
Reds
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2021 La Kiuva Rouge de Vallée - Italy, Valle d'Aosta, Vino da Tavola
Thanks to Mitch: A high-altitude Nebbiolo clone, resulting in a refreshingly unpretentious wine -- light body, high acidity, crunchy and savory, with a little funk, and a slightly wild herbal quality (rosemary and lavender), with some cherry fruit and a bit of leather. -
2020 Domaine A.-F. Gros Moulin-à-Vent En Mortperay - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent
Thanks to David: A Beaujolais made by a Burgundy producer without carbonic maceration -- the result is rich and round, with a distinct chocolate flavor, and some acidic edginess. It is certainly drinkable now but should improve with age. If I had been tasting it blind, I would have been completely lost. -
2016 Podere le Boncie (Giovanna Morganti) Le Trame Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
I have been hearing more about this producer recently -- featured in the Italian wine book by Joe Campanale -- so I was eager to try a recent purchase before laying out piles of cash. I decanted it about three hours ahead -- the first taste was intriguing, much more like Barolo than like Chianti: explosively aromatic, with a streak of mouth-watering acidity, and impressive dry-cherry depth. I tasted it again about 90 minutes later, and it had changed dramatically -- the acidity had disappeared, and the wine tasted much older, with a center of softly decadent plum flavor. After three hours in the decanter, it was another beast, still tasting older than seven, but more structured, with a rich dark-fruitedness. Of all the iterations, my favorite was the first, and so I might be inclined to buy more, but for drinking soon, without decanting. -
2010 Antoniolo Gattinara Osso San Grato - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara
Thanks to Kyle: This had been decanted but was still a young, tannic wine, with a strong peppermint flavor, and a lot of dry, dark-fruited structure. Some more richness might emerge with age, but the depth is already impressive. I probably would have guessed that it was a Brunello if we had been tasting it blind. -
1996 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Thanks to Phillip: Everybody tasting this remarked on the strong dill flavor. This is a 27-year old wine that still seems young, though it already provides a lot of pleasure -- structure and acidity and an intensity of flavor without fruitiness. It has a very healthy body mass index. -
1996 Château Pavie Macquin - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Thanks to Mitch: By happy coincidence, we had two 1996 wines at the end of our lineup of reds, both of which (the Vina Ardanza Reserva and this one) seemed strikingly youthful. This is a classic, highly structured claret, with flavors of mint, dill and leather, and a suggestion of a lurking richness that has not yet emerged. The moderate tannins and acidity mean that it is very drinkable now, but it still has a long way to go. I feel better about my decision to ignore the Bordeaux futures market every time I taste a 27-year old wine that isn't ready yet -- I'm getting too old for this game.
Dessert wines
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2001 Cyprès de Climens - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
Thanks to Phillip: This wine still tastes young, not particularly sweet, with a nice slash of refreshing acidity, and an array of flavors that are more herbal than fruity. This is a non-decadent Barsac, which provided a lively accompaniment for a mango-mousse cake. -
2013 Susana Balbo Malbec Late Harvest - Argentina, Mendoza
Thanks to David: This is just what you might expect it to be -- syrupy, complex, dark, very ripe, to drink -- as we did -- with chocolate cake. -
NV Vinicola Cherchi Vino Da Uve Stramatura Tokaterra - Italy, Sardinia, Vino da Tavola
Thanks to David: An interesting and unusual sweet wine -- the producer's website calls it "Overripe grapes wine" -- made in Sardinia from vermentino. It has the color of amontillado, and a nutty, balanced flavor.
Posted from CellarTracker