After I returned from Madeira, I was planning on having a small tasting for a few people with a couple of random wines I brought over from Madeira. It didn’t take much time for this plan to evolve into something that the attendees would also bring something with them so we’d have more than just a few wines.
Finally we ended up having like a dozen people, everyone bringing a bottle or two with them. The Madeira focus disappeared quite quickly and the focus was just on having fun, socializing and - above all - pouring some very random wines blind and seeing people be all confused. So in the end, apart from the three wines that were brought from Madeira, all these wines were tasted fully blind. That Bouysselet was my bottle, so I didn’t have to worry about trying to recognize the variety! 
The overall level of quality was very good and we had a few really excellent wines! And also probably the brettiest wine I’ve ever tasted. 
-
1992 Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Alexander Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (1.10.2022)
13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite deep and moderately concentrated golden-yellow color with an amber core. The nose feels evolved, but not as much as one would anticipate from the aged appearance - there are complex aromas of caramel and butterscotch, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness, light smoky tones, a curious hint of beeswax or honeycomb and a touch of cooked cream. The wine feels dry, evolved and rather toasty on the palate with a full body and flavors of caramel and butterscotch, some oxidative nutty notes, a little bit of buttered graham toast, light bruised apple tones, sweet hints of honey and lemon marmalade and a touch of dried pineapple. The medium acidity keeps the wine in balance, but the overall feel is still a bit on the broad and heavy side of things. The finish is long and toasty with flavors of caramel, some bruised apple, a little bit of browned butter, light oxidative nuances of chopped nuts, a hint of toasted bread and a touch of dried pineapple.
This was a quite lovely effort - very aged and starting to show some oxidative qualities, but still not ponderous or too heavy. Unlike previous bottle we tasted a year ago, this wasn't as "aged Riesling-like" in character - despite its slightly honeyed and lemon marmaladey-like nuances - as several people went to aged Chardonnay quite immediately and to California not much later. I'd say this bottle was in a slightly better shape than the one we had before, but they both were in a great shape for their age; definitely not too old - which really surprised me. Nevertheless, as I've said in my previous TN, despite its lovely tertiary qualities I don't think this wine still manages to reach true greatness. It's an enjoyable old Cali Chardonnay, but nothing more beyond that.
(90 points) -
1996 Scarpa Rouchet - Italy, Piedmont, Vino da Tavola (1.10.2022)
100% Ruchè from a single vineyard in Monferrato. Fermented and aged completely in stainless steel in order to preserve the varietal characteristics best. As the wine is Vino da Tavola, there's no vintage in the label - it was originally sold with a neck tag that bore the vintage 1996.13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved, slightly translucent pomegranate color. Very distinctive and characterful nose with evolved aromas of marmaladey red fruits and stewed rose hips, some dried flowers, a little bit of elderberry jam, light gamey notes of meat, a hint of raisiny dark fruit, a touch of rose petals and a synthetic whiff of something vaguely plastic. The wine feels very evolved, dry and somewhat meaty on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of gamey umami, some raisiny dark fruit, a little bit of dried flowers, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of stewed rose hips and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feel is aged and tertiary, but not excessively so. Good, fresh acidity and gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is savory, relatively grippy and moderately evolved with a lengthy aftertaste of elderberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light gravelly tones, a hint of cherry marmalade and a touch of dried roses.
A fascinating, distinctive and enjoyable old Ruchè with tons of character. The overall feel somehow reminded me of Nebbiolo with a somewhat Piedmontese overall character and vague nuances of roses, but when my suggestion of an aged Nebbiolo was turned down, I sort of gave up on the idea of Piedmont. As nobody thought of Ruchè, we were completely at a loss with this wine - nobody really had a clue what it was and where it came from! Nevertheless, this was a terrific stuff - some people thought it was already past its peak, but I found the tertiary elements were finely balanced with the body and fruitier notes and the wine was more or less at its peak now. However, at this point, the varietal qualities were quite unrecognizable at this point, so if you enjoy the unique, perfumed character of Ruchè, I guess these are best drunk young. Nevertheless, this was a delightful, balanced wonderfully layered wine and a devilishly difficult wine to guess when tasting blind!
(93 points) -
2019 Diana Silva Madeirense Ilha Blanc de Noirs - Portugal, Madeira, Madeirense (1.10.2022)
Supposedly the first ever Blanc de Noirs white wine made with Tinta Negra, the emblematic Madeirense red variety. The fruit is located from São Vicente, the cooler northern part of Madeira. 12% alcohol.
Very pale, almost colorless whitish-yellow color. The nose feels leesy and somewhat oceanic with aromas of fresh apples and white currants, some mineral notes of chalk dust, a little bit of apple blossom, light woolly notes, a hint of wet rocks and a salty touch of sea breeze. The wine is fresh, lively and quite intense on the palate with a rather light body and precise flavors of lemony citrus fruits and crunchy Granny Smith apple, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of herbal greenness, light chalk dust notes, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of quince. The high acidity lends great sense of focus, freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, fresh and slightly salty with a long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some Granny Smith apple, a little bit of steely minerality, light oceanic saline nuances, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of herby greenness.
A very precise, sophisticated and enjoyably intense effort - perhaps the best Madeirense white I've tasted. What's surprising here is that the best Madeirense white wasn't made from Verdelho, the variety thought to make the best white wines in Madeira, but instead from Tinta Negra, the simple red variety that often gets cold shoulder when people think of fine wines. However, here, vinified as a white wine, Tinta Negra is suddenly capable of making a fresh, mineral and serious stuff. This is not a particularly complex wine, I give you that, but based on its sense of structure and flavor intensity, it is certainly possible that this wine is capable of actually developing further from here, evolving into something with more complexity in the process. Although I had no high expectations from this white Tinta Negra bottled in a rather modern blockbuster-ish bottle, this turned out to be a very positive surprise indeed. Good value at 20,90€.
(90 points) -
2017 Barbusano Madeirense Touriga Nacional - Aragonez Barricas - Portugal, Madeira, Madeirense (1.10.2022)
The reserve version of Barbusano Tinto: here the blend contains more Touriga Nacional and the wine is aged for 9 months in "Barbusano barricas". 13% alcohol.
Very dark, almost fully opaque black cherry color. The nose feels dark-toned and somewhat stinky with slightly reduced aromas of blueberries, some fresh red plums, a little bit of flatulent reduction, light toasty woody tones, a hint of ink and a touch of sweet spices. The wine is dry, youthful and quite light-bodied on the palate with crunchy flavors of chokeberries and crowberries, some dull woody tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of earth. The structure relies on both high acidity and firm medium tannins, and it feels quite balanced with the relatively light body of the wine. The finish is dry, youthful and somewhat grippy with quite long but a bit dull flavors of ferrous blood, some crunchy notes of crowberries, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light woody tones, a hint of earth and a touch of stewed herbs.
A rather nice and enjoyably firm red from the lighter end of the spectrum. Pretty good for a red Madeirense, but nothing particularly memorable. Didn't really benefit much from aeration, so I'd say the wine needs some more age to really blow off that reduction. Seeing how the wine is quite structured and rather youthful now, at 5 years of age, it will easily develop for at least another 5 years, if not more. Pretty good and drinkable, but a tad expensive for the quality at 27,50€.
(87 points) -
NV Honorio Rubio Rioja Añadas Edición Limitada - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (1.10.2022)
The wine is made mainly with Viura from Cordovín in Rioja Alta, with a little bit of Malvasia Riojana in the blend. However, I'm not entirely sure how the wine is made. I know it is a multi-vintage blend, inspired by both the traditional style of making barrel-aged whites in Rioja and the Solera system of Sherry. However, I really don't know if the wine is made by blending multiple lots of barrel-aged wine (AFAIK the oldest lots are from 2007) or if the wine comes from a perpetual blend, into which new wine is added after a batch has been bottled. What I do know is that Honorio Rubio usually releases 1500-bottle lots of this wine and it is made with white wines aged in 225-liter barriques (a combination of new and old barrels made from American oak, French oak and Bulgarian acacia). The wine is said to be anything between 7 and 10 years old, depending on the source, but I don't know if that means the age of the oldest wine in the blend? The average age? The wine is composed with several vintages that are then blended and aged in oak for 10 years? Are the blends equal or if there is a base wine into which reserve wines are added? Who knows - at least the back label doesn't really tell anything! This is bottled on 3rd of June 2019, the bottle is #1125 of total 1500 bottles and it is 13,5% in alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite deep and concentrated lemon-yellow color with faint greenish highlights. The nose feels wonderfully big, sweet-toned and enormously complex with layered aromas of creamy oak and honeyed richness, some caramel tones suggesting oak aging, a little bit of coconut, light lemon marmalade tones, a hint of freshly pressed apple juice and a touch of oxidative nuttiness. Contrasting the big, sweet-toned nose, the wine is dry, concentrated and relatively sleek on the palate with a medium body and intense, complex flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of crunchy green apple, light coconut tones, rich hints of vanilla custard and browned butter and a touch of herbal bitterness. The high acidity lends great sense of structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is dry, crisp and very long with a focused aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some oaky notes of coconut and creamy richness, light buttery tones, a little bit of tart Granny Smith apple, American oak hints of vanilla and dill and a bitter touch of pithy grapefruit.
Holy smokes, wow! This was a stunning wine. I thought immediately this must be a white Rioja, because the style screamed of the traditional Rioja Blanco aesthetic - however, I thought this couldn't be a López de Heredia white because the style was still quite different from the classic Tondonia / Gravonia style, being a bit more "modern" (without being actually modern in that glossy, polished sense), which is why I was quite baffled by this wine. I had no idea there were other producers making this kind of traditional white Rioja where you could taste the age and complexity, yet retain that remarkable sense of freshness, focus and finesse. Well, it turned out that my initial guess of white Rioja was correct all along (several others guessed this as well), but I had never heard of this multi-vintage Añadas before. Definitely making a mental note of this. The wine drinks fantastically well right now, in its "youth", but there seems to be tons of potential for further development as well. I'd love to see if this wine will stay just like this or if it continues to improve into something even more stunning with additional aging. At 27,75€ this is a bargain.
(93 points) -
2016 Bodegas Ximénez-Spínola Fermentación Lenta - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (1.10.2022)
A unique wine in the sense that it is a dry version of Pedro Ximénez - the variety normally used in making sweet Sherries. The grapes are picked overripe, full three weeks after the normal harvest. The wine is fermented and aged for 6 months in French oak tonels ranging from 225 to 300 liters. The name Fermentación Lenta, "slow fermentation", reflects that the wine is let to ferment fully dry, as opposed to the sweet PX wines. 14% alcohol. Bottle #2060 out of total production of 9000 bottles. Tasted blind.
Deep golden yellow color with a resinous-amber core. The nose feels fascinating, complex and quite distinctive with aromas that feel relatively fresh yet quite evolved both at the same time. There are sweet-toned aromas of Sultana raisins, some oxidative caramel tones, a little bit of savory old wood, light bruised apple tones, a hint of fresh honeydew melon and a nutty touch of slivered almonds. At first the nose is more on the weird side, though, and it takes a bit of time for the nose to get its game together. The wine is broad, textural and a little bit soft on the palate with a moderately full body and complex flavors of Sultana raisins and fresh honeydew melon, some bruised apple tones, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of honey waffle, nutty hints of oxidative character and a touch of maple syrup. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine quite well together, although it doesn't feel high enough to really lend good sense of freshness and acidity to the wine. The finish is dry yet sweet-toned with long, evolved flavors of Sultana raisins, some honeydew melon, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness, light creamy notes of oak, a hint of marzipan and a touch of bruised apple.
A fun, complex and very unique wine - and so distinctive that one attendee managed to guess the wine correctly based on a previous experience that the wine was identified before I even had a chance to check it out! Although the wine is more or less identical to the one we had before, I feel this showed a bit more freshness and youthful character than the bottle we tasted some four years ago - even if at the same time it felt like age had concentrated the wine a tiny bit as well, making it feel slightly softer and more substantial than before. I still can't really say if the previous bottle we tasted was entirely sound, but it was more or less how it was supposed to be, based on the fact that this wine was so similar in style - only maybe ever so slightly better. Fun, distinctive stuff. It's hard to say what would be the use case for this wine, but on its own, this is a terrific - and quite idiosyncratic - effort. Priced according to its quality at 26,80€.
(91 points) -
2019 Domaine Le Roc Le Bouysselet - France, Vin de France (1.10.2022)
100% organically farmed Bouysselet (an old local variety discovered from old pre-phylloxeric vineyards a handful of years ago) sourced from a vineyard in Fronton that was field-grafted to Bouysselet in 2017 and 2018. Macerated for a few hours with the skins. Fermented spontaneously. Aged in used 400-liter demi-muids for 12 months. 14% alcohol.
Medium-deep and somewhat concentrated yellow-green color. Youthful, fruit-driven and slightly primary nose with aromas of gummi bear candies, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of ripe grapey fruit, light juicy notes of nectarines, a sunny hint of poached pear and a touch of exotic fruits. The wine feels rich, clean and juicy on the palate with a rather full body and youthful flavors of apricots and overripe apples, some spicy tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light primary notes of grapey fruit and gummi bear candies, a hint of stony minerality and a fragrant touch of floral spice. The moderately high acidity lends quite good sense of balance to the slightly oily texture, although a bit more couldn't hurt a wine with this much body. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The finish is ripe, youthful and juicy with a moderately long aftertaste of gummi bears, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of exotic spice, light grapey notes, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of apricot.
A nice, clean and juicy wine not unlike a young Viognier, only with a slightly different kind of fruit profile. Despite its ripeness and breadth, the wine never really comes across as particularly heavy or ponderous. I guess a few years more could help the wine in getting rid of the candied primary tones and integrating the (already quite judicious) oak influence even better with the fruit. All in all, a fun little wine and a nice introduction to this quite rare Fronton variety. Priced according to its quality at 17€.
(88 points) -
2015 Immich-Batterieberg Trabener Zollturm Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (1.10.2022)
Trabener Zollturm is a historical vineyard that used to be held in high esteem, but ended up forgotten in the ownership of large merchant houses. In 2015 Immich-Batterieberg managed to purchase a south-facing parcel in the 'Lausa' part of the vineyard and made a Grosse Lage Trocken Riesling with the fruit. Immich-Batterieberg has since expanded their vineyard ownership in Trabener Zollturm, so to my understanding, this 2015 is the only vintage made with fruit sourced exclusively from that Lausa parcel. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep lemon yellow color. The nose is instantly recognizable as a Riesling with the sweet-toned aromas of beeswax, lemon marmalade and some appley tones, all accentuated by intermingling nuances of petrol, light peachy tones, hints of stony minerality, a floral touch of apple blossom and a leesy whiff of yeast. The wine is dry, crisp and quite intense on the palate, yet rather ripe and somewhat open-knit at the same time. The overall feel is medium-bodied and textural with subtly sweet-toned nuances of juicy citrus fruit, some beeswax notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light floral nuances of apple blossom, a hint of fresh red apple and a touch of pithy grapefruit bitterness. Although the wine is technically dry, the subtly sweet nuances suggest the wine isn't bone-dry, but there is a little bit of residual sugar richness, giving the fruit a wee bit of lift. The finish is dry, fresh and quite acid-driven with moderately ripe flavors of lemony citrus fruits and pithy grapefruit, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of freshly-picked peach, light appley tones, a hint of petrol and a touch of apple peel bitterness.
This was quite ripe and even surprisingly open-knit for a 2015 Mosel Riesling, yet retaining good sense of freshness, structure and intensity. However, above all, the wine was still very youthful and it seemed to be more about future promise than immediate drinkability - I feel the fruit shows good potential for developing some interesting tertiary complexity while the pithy, subtly bitter undertones will most likely integrate better if the wine develops some additional depth and concentration as it ages. This is a quite a lovely Mosel Riesling that could use another 5-8 years of additional aging. Good value at 29€.
(92 points) -
2020 Pheasant's Tears Poliphonia - Georgia, Kakheti (1.10.2022)
A blend of organically farmed (I can't believe I'm doing this...) Achkikizhi, Adanasuri, Adreuli Tetri, Akhmetis Shavi, Akhmetis Tsiteli, Aladasturi, Alexandrouli, Arabeuli Shavi, Argvetuli Sapere, Batomura, Bazaleturi Tsolikauri, Beglaris Vazi, Berbesho, Budeshuri Tsiteli, Buera, Buza, Buza Kartli, Chardonnay, Chinuri, Chitiskvertshkha, Chitistvala Bodburi, Chitistvala Kakhuri, Chitistvala Tetri, Chitistvala Tsiteli, Chkhaveri, Chrogha, Danakharuli, Didshavi, Dondghlabi, Dzaghliarchama, Dzelshavi, Dzirageuli, Gabasha, Ghrubela kakhuri, Ghvins Tetri, Godatuuri, Gomis Tetri, Gorula, Goruli Aladasturi, Grdzelmtevana, Ikaltos Tsiteli, Ingilouri, Institutis Grdzelmtevana, Jineshi, Jvari, Kakhis Tetri, Kakhuri Mtsvane, Kakhuri Mtsvivani, Kakhuri Tetri, Kamuri Tetri, Kamuri Tetri, Kartlis Tita, Kartula, Khargrdzeli Kviteli, Khikhvi, Khikhvi Rachuli, Kishuri, Krakhuna, Kundza, Kurkena, Kurkeni, Kustauri Saghvine, Labiladzis Tetri, Lakoiazhgi, Livanuri Tetri, Loladzis Khikhvi, Maghkari Mskhviltvala, Maghlaris Trtvina, Matchkvaturi, Meskhuri Mtsvane, Mgaloloblishvili, Mkhargrzeli, Mtchvartala, Mtskhvilamartsvala Tetri, Mtsvane Kviteli, Mujuretuli, Nakutvneuli, Nakutvnuli, Natskhara, Otskhanuri Sapere, Qvelouri, Rachuli Shavi, Rkatsiteli, Rkatsiteli Mtsvane, Rko Shavi, Sachkheris Dzelshavi, Sadzire, Sakartvelo, Sapena, Saperavi, Saperavi Atenuri, Saperavi Budeshurisebri, Saperavi Kartlis, Seura, Shavkapito, Shavtita, Shavtkhila, Shemodghmis Shavi, Simonaseuli, Sirajouli Shavi, Sirgula, Steluri, Supris Gorula, Tavkveri, Tchkapa, Tchrogha, Tchrogha Akhuri, Tchumuta, Tchvitiluri, Tevan Didi, Tkbili Kurdzini, Trivrakhani, Trvrimala, Tsiska, Tsitelauri, Tsiv Chkhavera, Tskhenis Dzudzu, Tskhvedianis Tetri, Tskobila, Tsnoris Tetri, Tsolikouri, Tsulukidzis Tetra, Ubakluri, Vardispera, Vardzia, Zakatalis Tetri, Zakatalis Tsiteli - ie. a total of 127 varieties (the back label mentioned 128 varieties, but also had Danakharuli listed twice) from Pheasant's Tears' library vineyard - all harvested at one go as a field blend. The wine is fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins in earthenware kvevris. Vinified without any SO2, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Fully opaque blackish-red color. Oh ye lord the nose if bretty! There's a ton of stable floor and horse's behind in the nose, followed by less funky aromas of sous-bois, brambly raspberries, some crunchy cranberry tones, a little bit of old leather, light phenolic notes of lambic beer, a hint of earth and a touch of something inky. The overall impression is very animale, to say the least. The wine feels dense, dry and robust on the palate with enormously funky flavors of tart lingonberries, stable floor and sweaty leather saddle, some crunchy cranberries, a little bit of spicy phenolic bitterness, light astringent notes of chokeberries, a hint of burnt hair and a touch of earth. The overall feel is muscular, tart and crunchy with its noticeably high acidity and assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is dry, tannic and grippy with intense, lengthy flavors of crunchy cranberries and tart lingonberries, some barnyardy notes of brett, a little bit of sweaty leather saddle, light burnt hair tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of chokeberry.
I'm not sure if this was the funkiest wine I've ever tasted, but possibly the brettiest. It was quite interesting to see that the wine exhibited all kinds of qualities in which Brettanomyces can express itself, but very little to no other funky qualities like VA, reduction, mousiness, geosmin or anything like that. This was just pure brett. And a lot of structure. I mean, really, a lot. The nose itself was quite jarring with the overbearing, funky notes of animale, but even more striking was how enormously structured the wine was on the palate - while being ridiculously funky at the same time. It's actually quite funny to drink a wine made from +100 grape varieties, because you couldn't find any varietal qualities even if the wine was clean as a whistle, but as a ridiculously bretty wine you wouldn't taste any varietal qualities even if the wine was made from only one single grape variety. This is sort of a Georgian academic joke, but at the same time serious enough that you just don't dismiss the wine immediately as a joke. This is definitely a tough piece to chew even for a person quite familiar with both natural wines and Georgian kvevri wines, but even then, this wine does have its own charm. Not really a wine I'd recommend to any other people than those who look for curiosities and experiences, but for those, this is great value at just 19,90€.
(89 points) -
1999 Domaine de Trévallon - France, Provence, Vin de Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône (1.10.2022)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Syrah (50%) harvested between the last week of September and the first week of October. Vinified entirely in whole bunches. Fermented spontaneously. Aged on the lees in foudres and oak barrels for at least two years. Fined but not filtered before bottling. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved, moderately translucent dried-blood color with a maroon core. The nose feels evolved and savory with aromas of gamey meat and wizened dark berries, some leathery tones, a little bit of smoky phenolic character, light sweeter nuances of blackberry jam, a hint of earth and a woody touch of old oak spice. The wine feels dry, savory and moderately tertiary on the palate with a medium body and complex flavors of leather and evolved dark berries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of phenolic spice, light earthy tones, a sweeter hint of wizened dark fruit and a woody touch of old oak. The overall feel is impressively sinewy and structured, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy yet not aggressive tannins. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with a complex, evolved aftertaste of tertiary dark fruit character and old leather, some earthy tones, a little bit of dried red fruits, light woody notes of old oak spice, a salty hint of beef jerky and a touch of blackberry jam.
A fine, complex and beautifully evolved vintage of Trévallon. Nobody managed to guess where the wine came from - I guess the closest guess was an aged Languedoc red with some Syrah in the blend - but nevertheless this was a lovely effort all the same. It's hard to assess whether this wine showed much sense of place or not, as Cab/Syrah blends aren't that traditional for Provençal reds, but since the wine showed such great depth of flavor, tertiary complexity and good sense of structure, nobody seemed to mind. I doubt the wine is going to evolve much from here, but most likely it isn't going to fall apart anytime soon either - it's now at its plateau of maturity and will keep there for years to come. Drink or keep.
(93 points) -
2018 Gevelli Vineyards Saperavi Zvari Reserve - Georgia, Kakheti (1.10.2022)
100% Saperavi from Tsinandali. First the fruit is crushed and then fermented and macerated on the skins slowly in earthenware kvevris for 6 months, then racked into new French oak barrels. Aged for 12 months in oak. 13% alcohol. Bottle #2496 of total 4000 bottles. Tasted blind.
Youthful and quite inky, only slightly translucent blackish-red color. The nose feels youthful, fragrant and somewhat sweet-toned with aromas of juicy dark berries and sunny dark fruits, some inky tones, a little bit of sweet oak spice, light crunchy notes of fresh forest fruits, a hint of vanilla, a touch of something vaguely funky and a whiff of blueberry jam. The wine is dry, firm and quite textural on the palate with a full body and quite intense, youthful flavors of crunchy chokeberries and brambly blackberries, some vanilla tones, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light toasty nuances of mocha oak, a hint of inky character and a touch of juicy bilberry. The overall feel is firm and moderately structured with the rather high acidity and balanced, silky medium-plus tannins. The finish is juicy, firm and quite long with flavors of ripe forest fruits, some vanilla notes of oak, a little bit of fresh bilberry, light tart notes of lingonberries, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of toasty mocha oak.
A firm and enjoyably balanced effort for a relatively modern take on Saperavi. I love traditional kvevri Saperavis, but haven't been a big fan of modern, oaked Saperavis - they've been all too often just too soft and anonymous for my taste. Although this wine comes across as a bit polished and round for a Saperavi, not showing that much sense of place, the wine still manages to retain good sense of finesse and varietal character. I'd say the wine is just too youthful at the moment, having somewhat sweet-toned primary fruit, oak tones and some of that soft baby fat a bit too much to the fore, but fortunately showing good potential for future development. A pleasant and enjoyably serious effort for a modernist Saperavi.
(89 points) -
2014 Château Cantenac Brown - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (1.10.2022)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) and Merlot (35%) harvested between the last week of September (Merlot) and the first two weeks of October (CS). 50% of the production went into the grand vin. Aged for 15 months in French oak barriques (60% new, 40% once used). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite deep and moderately opaque blackish-red color with a light blood-red rim. The appearance doesn't look particularly old, nor that young either. The nose is immediately recognizable for a Bordeaux with the aromas of ripe blackcurrants and some raw meaty tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light notes of tobacco, a hint of fresh dark plums, a sweeter touch of new oak and an autumnal whiff of damp leaves. The wine is dry, dense and savory yet relatively fresh on the palate with a full body and quite bold flavors of crunchy chokeberries and fresh blackcurrants, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of ferrous blood, light autumnal nuances of damp leaves and undergrowth, hints of umami and vague salinity and a touch of sweeter dark fruit. The overall feel is quite firm and muscular with the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, somewhat crunchy and moderately grippy with a long, savory aftertaste of blackcurrants and tart cranberries, some woody notes of oak, a little bit of blood, light leafy notes of sous-bois, a sweeter hint of dark-toned, toasty oak spice and a touch of juicy, plummy fruit.
A fine, balanced and relatively classically styled Bordeaux - and instantly recognizable for such (at first I thought a wine from the mid-00's, but ultimately went with a 2011 left-bank Bordeaux). Sure, the wine is bigger, fuller and weightier than the classic clarets of 1990's (or even older wines), but the overall style didn't feel particularly modern or spoofy. Even if the wine sees quite a bit of new oak, it doesn't stick out and surprisingly much has integrated with the fruit already. There's quite a bit of structure, but the wine doesn't feel too tightly-knit and the firm tannins are well-proportioned with the fruit and the body. There's even quite a bit of depth to the flavor, even if the wine is just 8 years old. All in all, this is a very positive and harmonious effort for a 2010's Bordeaux; the wine is drinking surprisingly well right now, but I'd say it will continue to improve for another 10-15 years easily. Nice, classy stuff.
(92 points) -
2016 Serre Besson Cru Vinsobres - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vinsobres (1.10.2022)
The debut vintage of this producer. A blend of Grenache Noir (51%), Syrah (34%), Cinsault (7%), Mourvèdre (6%) and Carignan (2%). Aged in 400-liter French oak barrels (15% new). Total production 7000 bottles. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dense, moderately opaque and slightly evolved blackish-red color. Sweetish yet enjoyably meaty nose with aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some dark plums, a little bit of alcohol heat, light rubbery notes of reduction, a hint of blood and a fragrant touch of garrigue. The wine feels ripe and juicy yet enjoyably dry and savory on the palate with a full body and vibrant flavors of concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry-driven dark berries, juicy plummy tones, some gamey meat, a little bit of blood, light bilberry tones, a woody hint of savory oak and a touch of peppery spice. The wine feels enjoyably high in acidity with ripe yet firm and enjoyably grainy medium tannins. The finish is long, silky and juicy with a savory aftertaste of blackberries, some sweet plummy tones, a little bit of bilberry, light woody notes of savory oak, a hint of garrigue and a touch of peppery spice. The wine ends on a gently grippy and slightly warm note.
A lovely, balanced and harmonious Southern Rhône red. Although the blend is dominated by Grenache, the other varieties seem to take on a more dominant role aromatically. It was a bit difficult at first to place this wine anywhere, as it was surprisingly fresh and high in acidity for a Southern Rhône red. However, it didn't take that long until somebody managed to guess Côtes du Rhône - which was close enough, as it wasn't that long ago Vinsobres was still part of the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages appellation. All in all, a nice and well-crafted effort where the fruit, the structure and the more savory non-fruit flavors are all nicely in balance. The alcohol might be a bit on the high side, but that just seems to be the case with almost all the Southern Rhône reds. Fortunately the wine managed to show good sense of freshness and finesse despite its ripeness. This is drinking nicely now, but it will continue to improve for at least a handful of years more. Recommended.
(90 points) -
2019 Domaine Bachelet-Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet (1.10.2022)
13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, translucent raspberry-red color. Youthful and even slightly primary nose of raspberries and savory spices, some cherry tones, a little bit of earth, light gravelly mineral tones, juicy hints of dark berries, a lactic touch of MLF character and a whiff of ink. The wine is dry, crunchy and somewhat linear on the palate with a medium body and quite youthful flavors of ripe black raspberries and redcurrants, some sweet cherry tones, a little bit of earth and licorice root, light gravelly mineral tones, a sweet, candied hint of primary fruit and a lactic touch of MLF character. The wine is enjoyably high in acidity with gentle medium-minus tannins. The finish is fresh, quite acid-driven and moderately long with flavors of ripe cherries and raspberries, some crunchy redcurrant tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light lactic notes of MLF, a hint of licorice and a touch of earthy spices.
A nice, balanced and quite promising Chassagne Rouge that is suffering a bit from its young age - the fruit has still a slightly candied quality from the fermentation esters and some lactic notes from the MLF. However, the overall style is fresh, poised and not without nice intensity, so there's definitely some potential for this wine to grow into something more interesting with age. At the moment it doesn't offer much, but possibly with a few years of additional aging this might turn into a lovely little Burgundy.
(88 points) -
2019 Laura Lorenzo DaTerra Viticultores Azos do Pobo - Spain, Galicia, Ribeira Sacra (1.10.2022)
A blend composed mainly of Mencía, Mouratón and Merenzao (totaling to about 90% of the blend) with tiny amounts of Alicante Bouschet, Gran Negro and other varieties rounding out the remainder. The fruit is sourced two 100-yo parcels in Soutipedre, a parish in Val do Bibei, Ribeira Sacra, harvested on the 2nd week of September. 60% of the fruit is destemmed and crushed, 40% is vinified as whole bunches that are foot-crushed. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 18 days, aged for 11 months in 500-liter chestnut and oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a minimal dose of SO2. 12% alcohol. Bottle #1029 of total 2052 bottles. Tasted blind.
Moderately opaque and slightly evolved cherry-red color with a subtly developed maroon hue. The nose feels funky and slightly animale yet very characterful with aromas of cherries, some wizened dark plummy tones, a little bit of volatile lift, light leathery notes of brett, a hint of elderberry jam, a touch of crunchy lingonberry and a whiff of barnyard. The wine feels moderately clean, enjoyably crunchy and rather intense on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of crunchy crowberries and tart lingonberries, some barnyardy notes of brett, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light elderberry tones, a lifted hint of sweet VA and a touch of acetic tang. The overall feel is enjoyably structured, thanks to the brisk acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, somewhat grippy and slightly wild with crunchy flavors of tart cranberries and lingonberries, some bretty notes of leather and animale, light redcurrant tones, a little bit of sappy red fruit, a sweeter hint of dark, plummy fruit and an acetic touch of VA.
A funky but also wonderfully fresh, characterful and complex Galician red with tons of depth and intensity. I can imagine this wine is not for people who want their wines squeaky clean, but to me this kind of wine is not unlike a funky Chinon or old-school Sangiovese - only with its unique, Galician flair. And despite all the funk, I never felt the wine was excessively natty in any way - just pretty rustic and positively unpolished in nature. I was surprised how young the wine was, seeing the appearance seemed a bit evolved, but then again, on the palate the wine seemed very youthful and not one bit too evolved. Based on the intensity of fruit and sense of structure, I can see this wine evolving nicely from here at least for a good handful of years, but it is drinking mighty well right now. Great stuff, highly recommended.
(92 points) -
2013 Azienda Agricola Elvio Cogno Barbera d'Alba Pre-Phylloxera - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (1.10.2022)
The fruit is sourced from ungrafted, centenarian vines. Fermented and macerated in stainless steel. Aged for 12 months in large Slavonian oak botti. 14% alcohol.
Almost fully opaque blackish-red color with an evolved pomegranate hue. Surprisingly understated, even somewhat dull nose with an inky overall character, followed by notes of black cherries, some damp earth, a little bit of fresh dark berries, light decomposing wood tones, a hint of alcohol and a touch of ripe blueberry. The wine is ripe, firm and surprisingly understated - borderline mute - with a moderately full body and quite dull flavors of blackcurrants and blueberries, some old wood tones, a little bit of sweet red plum, light inky tones and a ferrous hint of blood. The wine is high in acidity with slightly grippy medium tannins. The finish is dull, savory and gently grippy with a medium-long aftertaste of crunchy cranberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light nuances of tart red plums and a hint of earth.
This wine was a surprise - the 2012 vintage was super-impressive and very expressive in nature, so this 2013 was more or less like a polar opposite in comparison. Several people thought this might've been very slightly corked - not corked enough to smell of TCA, but enough to mute almost all the aromatics and flavors - or simply otherwise off. There's definitely good sense of potential here based on the mouthfeel and the structure, but the fruit intensity just isn't there. Even aeration didn't really help here (although it didn't make things any worse, as it normally would with a corked bottle). I refrain from scoring this wine now; once I've re-tasted the wine in the future I will know whether this was an off bottle or if this 2013 vintage truly was as different and reticent compared to the 2012 vintage. The cost of the bottle was 37,50€. -
2013 H.M. Borges Madeira Tinta Negra Colheita - Portugal, Madeira (1.10.2022)
The wine is made with purchased Tinta Negra grapes from Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. The grapes are first macerated with the skins, followed by a brief fermentation of a few days. The must is rectified to approx. 20% ABV with 96% ABV grape spirit to halt the fermentation, after which the fortified wine is transferred to old 650-liter French and American oak casks. The wine is aged in Canteiros, ie. in warm warehouses, in which the wines age in casks that are never topped up. 20% alcohol.
Moderately aged, medium-deep coppery-reddish color with a syrupy-brown hue. The nose feels savory, nutty and somewhat woody with lighter aromas of sweet creamy tones, some syrupy notes, a little bit of alcohol, light raisiny and pruney nuances, a hint of honeycomb and a red-toned touch of strawberry jam. The wine is fresh, intense and somewhat evolved on the palate with a moderately full body and sweet flavors of oxidative nuttiness, some syrupy tones, a little bit of malty character, light caramel tones, a hint of overripe strawberry and a touch of alcohol heat. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of balance to the wine, but the overall feel is quite mellow for a Madeira. The finish is sweet, rich and moderately warm with a lengthy, somewhat oxidative aftertaste of chopped nuts, some malt bread, light sharp notes of lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of caramel, dried-fruit hints of prunes and raisins and a touch of strawberry jam.
A pleasant and harmonious but ultimately a bit nondescript Madeira. The overall feel was similar to the 2005 vintage I tasted a few weeks ago, but showing a bit more freshness and vibrancy. However, the difference between these wines was quite small and neither of these Tinta Negra Colheitas really matched the quality of Borges' blended 10-, 15- and 20-year old Madeiras made with the noble white varieties. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at 19€ for a half-liter bottle, but not prohibitively so.
(85 points) -
2007 Dom Brial Rivesaltes Ambré - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes (1.10.2022)
A blend of Macabeo (80%) and Grenache Blanc (20%) from 35 yo vineyards, aged oxidatively in oak barriques for a minimum of two years. 15,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous and moderately deep golden-yellow color with a pale amber core. The nose feels rich, sweet and somewhat evolved yet not particularly tertiary with aromas of creamy oak and dried apricots, some peach jam, a little bit of caramel, light nutty notes of chopped almonds and a hint of dried dates. The wine feels sweet and slightly fat yet not heavy on the palate with a full body and rich flavors of dried apricots and honey, some fruit cocktail notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light nuances of tobacco, a hint of cloudberry jam and a touch of crema catalana. The medium acidity feels rather modest for such a sweet wine, making it come across as a bit soft. The finish is sweet,rich and quite lengthy with a little bit of alcohol warmth and layered flavors of dried apricots, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of overripe pineapple, light creamy notes of crema catalana, a hint of cloudberry jam and a woody touch of savory oak spice.
A rich, balanced and tasty Rivesaltes. Perhaps a bit of the lush and soft side due to the lack of higher acidity, but otherwise coming across as harmonious and thoroughly enjoyable. I have no idea whether the wine will improve much with further aging as it is already aged oxidatively, although not that much. Perhaps the wine might actually continue to develop further from here with additional cellaring? At least the wine is drinking very nicely right now, although ultimately not coming across as that complex or interesting compared to the older Rivesaltes wines that have been aged for periods much longer.
(89 points) -
2003 Quinta do Noval Porto Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto (1.10.2022)
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão and Sousão from estate vineyards. The foot-trodden grapes are fermented partially, then fortified to approx. 20% ABV. Aged for 13 years in old 640-liter cascos. Bottled in 2016. 21% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Murky, very cloudy brown color with a reddish hue. The nose is sweet, somewhat hot and quite evolved with oxidative aromas of dried dates and figs, some raisiny tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light grappa-like notes of fusel alcohol, a hint of ripe dark berries and a touch of caramel. The wine is sweet, hot and quite robust on the palate with a full body, slightly viscous mouthfeel and rich flavors of dried red plums and figs, some peppery spice, a little bit of dried dates, light oxidative notes of chopped nuts, a hint of maple syrup and a touch of caramel. The overall feel is somewhat boozy with the rather noticeable alcohol heat and faint grappa-like nuances of fusel alcohol. However, the wine shows good sense of balance with its moderately high acidity and a faint tug of tannins on the gums. The finish is rich, sweet and quite hot with long and intense flavors of raisins and other dried fruits, some maple syrup tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light grappa nuances of fusel alcohols, a hint of chopped nuts and a touch of cooked cream.
A nice and enjoyable, but also somewhat muddled Colheita - which is something obviously because of the wine being transported to the tasting place and poured straight from the bottle, undecanted. This wine definitely called for decanting - there was definitely a lot of deposit in the bottle and while the wine was finally identified as a Tawny Port, I must say all the gunk made the wine not particularly typical of Colheita at first. So, yeah, you have to take that into account when looking at my score. I think that properly decanted this would've been an even better wine.
(90 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
It’s a wine I’ve noticed for being the ultimate ‘Heinzer’ 
