This was the red follow-up to the white Californian / New Yorker tasting we had earlier this year. Mainly Cali Pinot but we also had some curveballs in the mix and one magnum of Hermitage to go with the food.
We also had a couple extras: one other attendee brought a bottle of Bargylus that we tasted blind, and I brought a bottle of Knipser and made people taste that one blind.
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2013 Bargylus - Syria (16.2.2023)
AFAIK, Bargylus is the only wine made in Syria. The red iteration of Bargylus is a blend of Syrah (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Merlot (20%) sourced from a 12-hectare vineyard planted in Latakia in the late 1990's. The grapes are shipped from Syria to the Château Marsyas winery in Lebanon, 220 km away, where the wine is vinified. Aged for 14 months in oak barriques (20-25% renewed every year). 14,5% alcohol and 5,8 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Dense, opaque blackish-red color that stains the glass dark red if you swirl the wine around. The nose feels sunny yet rather dry and savory with a rather evolved overall feel with aromas of assorted spices and solar dark fruit, some licorice tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light developed nuances of wizened blackberries and a hint of earth. The overall impression is pretty nice, albeit a bit on the restrained side. The wine feels dense, chewy and quite extracted on the palate with a full body and intense, sunny and somewhat evolved flavors of prunes and wizened blackberries, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of licorice root, light raisiny tones, a hint of old leather and a sweeter touch of dark plummy fruit. The structure relies more on the assertive, grippy tannins than on the medium-to-moderately high acidity. The finish is long, savory and quite noticeably grippy with a bold aftertaste of dark plummy fruits and some wizened dark berries, a little bit of old leather, light earthy tones, sweet hints of prunes and raisins and a touch of woody oak.
A big, extracted and quite grippy red that feels like it is very close to its peak now - or even on its plateau of maturity - from the fruit perspective, but shows very little resolution structure-wise. I enjoy the quite assertive, tough and structure-driven nature of the wine, but I wouldn't plan on keeping the wine much longer - it feels the aging potential here is quite limited. Most likely the evolved, pruney fruit tones will only increase as the wine ages - and in all likelihood the fruit is not going to survive long enough for the tannins to resolve. Drunk sooner rather than later - and with some hearty fare that can tame those tannins. Pretty impressive stuff for a Syrian wine, although maybe not really worth the 39,58€ - unless you're willing to pay some curiosity extra. Unsurprisingly nobody in the tasting guessed where the wine came from, but I feel I was pretty close when my first guess was Lebanon!
(89 points) -
2016 Caparone Merlot - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (16.2.2023)
100% Merlot. Macerated with the skins for 4-6 weeks. Aged for 2 years in predominantly old oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent cherry-red color with a developed pomegranate hue. The nose feels just ridiculously volatile with a heady smack of medicinal ether and nail polish followed by notes of cranberry sauce, a little bit of wizened red plum and a hint of ripe Bing cherry. The wine feels dry, volatile and very one-dimensional on the palate with a medium body and noticeably lifted flavors of medicinal ether and sharp acetic character, some sweet notes of cranberry sauce, a little bit of tart lingonberry and a hint of savory spice. The wine is high in acidity with gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is short and volatile with a lifted aftertaste of sharp acetic tang, some nail polish, a little bit of crunchy red plum, light tart notes of cranberries, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of medicinal ether.
Ugh, this was basically undrinkable due to its excessively high levels of VA. Most likely this was a faulty bottle - or at least I hope this wasn't indicative of Caparone's style of Merlot! $20 down the drain.
(NR/flawed) -
2012 Caparone Sangiovese Paso Robles - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (16.2.2023)
100% Sangiovese from estate vineyards in Paso Robles. Macerated with the skins for 4-6 weeks. Aged for 2 years in predominantly old oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.
Clear, translucent and surprisingly pale brick-red color. The nose feels restrained and somewhat sweetly-fruited with aromas of cherry marmalade, some toasted spices, a little bit of model glue, light strawberry tones and a hint of tomato. The wine feels evolved, silky and ripe yet savory on the palate with a medium body and flavors of strawberries, some soft red plums, a little bit of savory meaty character and a hint of wizened red fruit. The overall feel is gentle, mellow and pretty soft with its medium-plus acidity and fully resolved, light tannins. The finish is soft, gentle and evolved with a rather short aftertaste of strawberries, some wizened plums, a little bit of meaty umami, light savory spicy tones and a hint of VA.
A nice but also pretty harmless red that feels more "Californian" than varietally true to Sangiovese. Although Sangiovese can usually be quite translucent, this was noticeably lighter and more evolved than how I'd expect a Chianti Classico, Brunello, Vino Nobile or a Sangiovese from Emilia-Romagna to be. Similarly the wine was quite noticeably softer and sweeter in overall character, showing more ripeness, lower acidity and lighter tannins than basically any Italian Sangiovese I've ever tasted. Had this been served blind, I would've guessed this was an aged Merlot, because the softness and fruit profile would suit a Merlot much more than a Sangiovese. Can't say this was particularly good value for the quality at $20.
(79 points) -
2018 Dierberg Pinot Noir Dierberg Vineyard Santa Maria Valley - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (16.2.2023)
100% single-vineyard Pinot Noir made with estate fruit from Santa Maria Valley. 13,1% alcohol.
Still moderately youthful and quite translucent black cherry color. The nose feels dark-toned and a bit sweetish with aromas of black raspberries and cherries, some meaty tones, a little bit of savory spice, light boysenberry tones and a hint of juicy cranberry. Aromatically the wine feels slightly meatier and more darker-toned than the fruitier and more red-toned 2018 Drum Canyon Pinot Noir; overall both the wines have a very Cali Pinot air to them. The wine feels quite ripe and very juicy but also a bit mellow on the palate with a medium body and succulent flavors of boysenberries and black cherries, some black raspberry tones, a little bit of meaty umami, light floral nuances of violets, a hint of dark plummy fruit and a touch of bilberry. The mouthfeel is supple and pretty soft with its medium-plus acidity and easy, gentle tannins. The finish is juicy, succulent and just barely grippy with a dry-ish aftertaste of boysenberries and ripe black cherries, some plummy tones, a little bit of savory spice, light blueberry nuances and a hint of meaty umami.
A tasty and enjoyable but also quite ripe, soft and a bit harmless Cali Pinot that emphasizes fruit over structure a bit too much for my preference. Even though the wine is wonderfully modest in alcohol (at least according to the label), the fruit department feels rather sunny and juicy, turning more darker-toned than I'd prefer for a Pinot Noir. Stylistically these 2018 Dierberg Vineyard and Drum Canyon Vineyards were quite similar to each other, but with their minute differences I felt this Dierberg Vineyard was quite typical of a ripe, fruit-driven Cali Pinot, whereas the Drum Canyon Vineyard showed more freshness and even Burgundian finesse.
(87 points) -
2018 Dierberg Pinot Noir Drum Canyon Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (16.2.2023)
100% single-vineyard Pinot Noir made with estate fruit from Sta. Rita Hills. 13,1% alcohol.
Quite youthful and rather translucent dark cherry color. The nose feels fragrant, fresh and quite red-toned with aromas of ripe cranberries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of black raspberry, light sweet nuances of cherry marmalade, a perfumed hint of violets and a touch of meaty character. The wine feels ripe, clean and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of fresh cherries and brambly raspberries, some sweeter boysenberry tones, a little bit of wild strawberry, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of savory wood and a touch of meaty umami. The wine is high in acidity with somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is ripe yet dry and somewhat grippy with a juicy, moderately long aftertaste of wild strawberries and ripe raspberries, some fresh cherry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light savory notes of meaty umami and a hint of spicy Pinosity.
A fine, enjoyably firm and very balanced Pinot Noir, not unlike a slightly more fruit-driven Burgundy Pinot Noir. Compared to the sweeter, slightly softer and darker-toned 2018 Dierberg Vineyard Pinot, I felt this vineyard bottling showed more depth, structure and character, even if also a bit lighter in weight - not that it was a bad thing! All in all, this was a harmonious and thoroughly enjoyable effort that drinks fine right now, but also shows good potential for future development. Recommended.
(90 points) -
2017 Beauregard Vineyards Pinot Noir Beauregard Ranch - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains, Ben Lomond Mountain (16.2.2023)
A single-vineyard Pinot Noir made with Pommard, 667 and 115 clones of Pinot Noir grown in Ben Lomond Mountain AVA. The fruit is partly destemmed, foot-crushed and fermented spontaneously while macerating on the skins for three weeks. Aged in mostly used French oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol.
Quite pale and rather translucent cranberry color with a slightly evolved brick-orange hue. The nose feels fresh, perfumed and quite seductive with aromas of ripe raspberries and wild strawberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of ripe tomato, light savory notes of meat stew with herbs and a hint of savory wood spice. A classic and attractive Cali Pinot nose, through and through. The wine feels clean, quite crunchy and still pretty silky on the palate with a medium body and harmonious flavors of ripe cranberries and wild strawberries, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of ripe cherry tomato, light raspberry tones, a hint of earthy spice and a touch of stew herbs. The overall feel is very balanced, thanks to the high acidity and subtly grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish is juicy and quite long with a crunchy aftertaste of cranberries, some cherry tomato, a little bit of wild strawberry, light gravelly mineral tones, an umami hint of tomato paste and a sweeter touch or ripe red plum.
A tasty, harmonious and wonderfully fresh Cali Pinot that is quite light on its feet but packs enough depth and substance to keep things interesting. The combination of ripe fruit flavors and umami-driven notes of tomato and savory meaty character, both playing off each other works wonderfully here. The wine isn't young anymore, but it doesn't feel like it is close to its peak yet. Drink or keep.
(91 points) -
2019 Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir Reserve - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone (16.2.2023)
100% Pinot Noir from Chalone AVA. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (60% new). 14,6% alcohol, 0,01 g/l residual sugar (sounds awfully low to me...), 6,4 g/l acidity and pH 3,6. Total production 225 cases.
Youthful, luminous and fully translucent ruby-red color with faint blueish highlights. The nose feels characterful and quite distinctive with notes that range from wild and gamey to very sweet and almost cloying, showing nuances of strawberries, some cloves, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light savory meaty tones, oaky hints of vanilla and caramel, a touch of boysenberry jam and a whiff of nutmeg. The wine feels ripe, sweetly-fruited and a bit soft on the palate with a medium body and quite lush flavors of cherry marmalade, some oaky notes of vanilla and cloves, a little bit of blackberry jam, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of nutmeg. I feel the wine is lacking a bit in structure, thanks to the somewhat modest medium acidity and very mellow, light tannins. The finish is soft, ripe and at times almost cloying with rich, long and quite sweet-toned flavors of juicy strawberries and raspberry jam, some oaky notes of cloves and vanilla, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light boysenberry tones, a hint of gamey meat and a touch of woody oak spice.
Ugh, this was just way too sweet, soft and sunny for my preference - I prefer my Pinots as bright, fresh and crunchy, whereas the style here was more traditionally "Californian" with its very sweet and solar fruit flavors and rather pronounced, sweet-toned oak aromatics that seemed to push the already ripe fruit flavors to a softer, more jammy territory. Many people in the tasting found the wine very impressive and enjoyable, but I found relatively little enjoyment in the quite oak-driven mulled wine and cherry cola flavors that seemed to dominate the taste and aroma profile here. I guess this can be a terrific wine if you love big, ripe and oaky wines, but this was not in my wheelhouse, not even close. Feels overpriced for the quality at $65.
(82 points) -
2018 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir La Bauge Au-dessus - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (16.2.2023)
100% Pinot Noir, mainly from the hillsides of the Bien Nacido vineyard (planted to 115, 2A, 113, and 114 clones), but blended with a little bit of estate fruit from Le Bon Climat vineyard (planted mainly to clone 67 with a little bit of Mt. Eden clone). Aged for 24 months in French oak barrels (50% new). According to the producer, the name means "the wild party upstairs", but this must be a very colloquial use of "la bauge", because to me, the name translates to something like "the pig's wallow above". Go figure. 13,5% alcohol, 7,1 g/l acidity and pH 3,33.
Pale and quite translucent brick-red color with a colorless rim. The nose feels a bit more restrained and slightly sweeter compared to the 2018 Knox Alexander Pinot tasted at the same time, showing aromas of ripe cranberries, some raspberry jam, a little bit of black cherry, light meaty tones, a floral hint of violets and a touch of allspice. The wine feels ripe, broad and very juicy on the palate with a moderately full body and quite bold flavors of black raspberries and soft black cherries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light floral nuances of violets, a hint of toasty oak spice and a savory touch of meaty umami. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity with a firm, moderately grippy tannic structure - especially for a Pinot Noir. The finish is juicy, savory and moderately grippy with a long, dark-toned aftertaste of ripe cranberries and juicy black cherries, some black raspberry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light gamey notes of meaty umami, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of dark plummy fruit.
A rather big, bold and expressive California Pinot with a wonderfully structure-driven overall character. The wine feels bigger, darker-toned and more ripe than the 2018 Knox Alexander, but fortunately it also packs enough structure to offset the increase in weight and body. I enjoyed the Knox Alexander more, but this iteration does not suffer in comparison - both wines are thoroughly enjoyable and very impressive. Especially the way how these wines carry their surprisingly big amount of new oak without coming across as heavily oaky is something I admire. I feel this wine is better suited to be drunk in its youth, while Knox Alexander is more of a wine that can be aged for a longer time, they both are still wines that can be both drunk now and aged in a cellar. Terrific stuff, solid value at $35.
(91 points) -
2018 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Knox Alexander - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (16.2.2023)
Knox Alexander is a blend of the best lots sourced from Le Bon Climat (planted in 1998) and Bien Nacido vineyards (planted in 1994 and 1997). Aged for 22 months in new French oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol, 7,5 g/l acidity and pH 3,45.
Youthful, translucent and quite pale raspberry red color. The nose feels clean, focused and very attractive with layered aromas of juicy, ripe raspberries, some peppery spice, a little bit of perfumed floral character, light meaty tones, sweeter hints of Bing cherries and strawberries and a darker-toned touch of toasty oak spice. The wine feels lively, ripe and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a sleek medium body and intense flavors of juicy black raspberries and ripe black cherries, some angular nuances of stony minerality, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, light woody notes of toasty yet savory oak spice, a hint of fresh dark fruit and a touch of fragrant floral character. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity with surprisingly firm and grainy medium-plus tannins. The finish is juicy yet dry and moderately grippy with a long aftertaste of ripe black raspberries, some Bing cherries, a little bit of wild strawberry, light floral nuances of lilacs and violets, a brooding hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of tart red berries.
A wonderfully fresh and poised Pinot Noir that really managed to surprise me with its 100% new oak Ă©levage - while some oak is apparent here, the emphasis is definitely on the ripe and concentrated yet still very fresh and acid-driven, red-toned fruit. There's lots of focus and depth here already, even if the wine is still very young and brimming with youthful energy. Fortunately the wine doesn't show any candied primary fruit tones, so it is drinking perfectly already now. However, with this much energy, structure and intensity, I'm positive this wine will continue to evolve and improve for years more. Expect the score to go up over the years. Not particularly affordable at $65, but when taking into account the prices at which Burgundy sells for today, this wine does offer value for the money.
(92 points) -
NV Standing Stone Vineyards Farm Red - USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake (16.2.2023)
Apparently this wine is NV as I can't seem to find any indication of vintage. The wine is composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Saperavi with a small addition of Merlot and Petit Verdot. 12,5% alcohol.
Dark, youthful and somewhat opaque plummy color. The nose feels youthful and quite primary with berry-driven aromas of bilberries and juicy blackcurrants, some licorice tones, a little bit of savory spice and a hint of plum jam. The wine is juicy, youthful and quite firm on the palate with a medum-to-moderately full body and almost primary flavors of blueberries and cherry marmalade, some strawberry, a little bit of savory spice, light candied primary fruit flavors of wine gums and a hint of licorice root. The wine is quite high in acidity with moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is youthful, juicy and quite grippy with a quite lengthy aftertaste of ripe dark berries, some plummy tones, a little bit of licorice, light crunchy notes of fresh blackcurrants and a hint of savory spice.
A nice, firm and crunchy New Yorker. The overall feel is still too youthful and primary for my preference, but the wine still shows good potential for future development. I have no doubts this will be a nice and quite serious wine once it just drops the candied primary fruit flavors. Nice, priced according to its quality at $24,50.
(89 points) -
2020 Windchaser Malbec - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado County (16.2.2023)
100% Malbec, fermented spontaneously, aged in used oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,7% alcohol.
Deep and luminous blackish-red color with a youthful purplish hue. The nose feels brooding, somewhat odd and a bit reductive with aromas of ripe chokeberries, some leesy notes of yeast, a little bit of fresh bilberry, light black cherry tones, a hint of savory spice and a touch of smoky phenolic character. With air the nose clears up to some degree, blowing off some more stuffy notes and introducing more floral qualities. The wine is juicy, young and somewhat underwhelming on the palate with a moderately full body and quite ripe flavors of black raspberries and black cherries, some sweeter notes of chokeberry jam, a little bit of freshly chopped cucumber - as odd as it sounds, light meaty notes, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of phenolic spice. The rather high acidity and moderately grippy tannins lend good sense of structure to the wine. The ripe, slightly sweetly-fruited finish is juicy, fresh and somewhat grippy with a moderately long aftertaste of blueberries and chokeberry jam, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of savory spice, light bilberry tones, a hint of phenolic smoky character and a touch of something yeasty.
A quite pleasant, yet aromatically a bit weird Malbec that seemed to have a rather yeasty overall character, not completely unlike still-fermenting bread dough intermingling with the fruity notes. Structurally the wine was firm and enjoyably balanced and there was definitely enough stuffing for the wine to get beyond its still somewhat awkward infantile stage. At the moment I found the wine a bit hard to appreciate, but if the wine gets its game better together with age and loses those atypical, eccentric qualities, this might turn out to be an enjoyable wine after all. Maybe a bit pricey for the quality at $30, though.
(85 points) -
2018 Beauregard Vineyards Zinfandel Beauregard Ranch - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains, Ben Lomond Mountain (16.2.2023)
100% Primitivo clone Zinfandel. Harvested when approx. 20% of the fruit had shriveled to raisins. Fermented and macerated for three weeks in 500-liter puncheons. 15% alcohol.
Youthful, somewhat translucent ruby red color with faint purplish highlights. The nose feels sweet, youthful and fruit-forward with aromas of brambly boysenberries and juicy black raspberries, some plummy tones, a little bit of blueberry jam, light spicy tones, a hint of ripe blackberry and a touch of fresh cherry. The wine feels ripe, vibrant and very youthful yet not too primary on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of sweet blackberries and juicy cherries, some savory spicy tones, a little bit of boysenberry, light notes of ripe bilberries and a hint of plummy fruit. Despite the noticeable ripeness and sweetness of the fruit, the wine is remarkably fresh and high in acidity and packs nicely firm and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, somewhat grippy and slightly hot with a very long aftertaste of rich blackberry and plum-driven aftertaste, followed by lighter nuances of savory spices, a little bit of black cherry, hints of blueberries and a touch of floral lift.
A surprisingly fresh, vibrant and serious Zinfandel that packs quite a bit of ripeness and sweet-toned fruit that is typical of the variety, but enough freshness and structure to carry all that with effortless grace. The wine is still super young and maybe a bit too much so, but fortunately it doesn't show any of the candied primary qualities. The wine is perfectly enjoyable already now, but I'd let it wait for another 5-8 years more - this wine shows good potential for further development. Terrific stuff, priced according to its quality at $45.
(90 points) -
2020 Bedrock Wine Co. Bedrock Vineyard Heritage - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (16.2.2023)
A blend of Zinfandel, Carignan, Mourvèdre and more than 27 other varieties interplanted in 1888 in the Bedrock Vineyard. Aged in a combination of French and Austrian oak puncheons, demi-muids and barriques. 14,5% alcohol.
Brooding, deep and quite opaque dark red color with a youthful purplish tinge. The nose feels vibrant and intensely aromatic with notes of ripe dark berries and cherry marmalade, some blackcurrant jam, a little bit of juicy black raspberry, light meaty tones, a hint of sweet exotic spices and a touch of peppery character. The wine feels clean, quite big and rather sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of juicy, plummy fruit, some black raspberry, a little bit of leathery funk and light meaty umami tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of boysenberry jam. The wine is quite mouthfilling, yet not heavy despite its big body and somewhat modest acidity. The structure seems to rely more on the rather stern and grippy tannins rather than on the medium acidity. The lengthy finish is rich, juicy and quite grippy with a ripe yet savory aftertaste of black cherries and brambly black raspberries, some soft plummy fruit, a little bit of old leather, light stony mineral notes, a hint of earth and a touch of meaty umami.
A big, ripe and a bit soft but at the same time enjoyably intense and sturdy red with great purity and vibrancy of fruit. The overall feel is maybe a tad too sunny and sweet-toned for my preference, plus I'd love the wine to show a bit more freshness with higher acidity, but this is still a very lovely and thoroughly enjoyable effort all the same. Hopefully the wine will drop its baby fat with some age, emerging slightly sleeker and more savory with further cellaring. Good stuff with a good deal of upside. Recommended.
(91 points) -
2020 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah T 'n' S Blocks Hudson Vineyard South - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros (16.2.2023)
14,5% alcohol.
Dense, youthful and fully opaque purplish-black color. The nose feels closed, earthy and dull with underwhelming aromas of sweet blackberry jam, some dusty notes, a little bit of boysenberry marmalade and a hint of alcohol. There's nothing much going on in the nose. The wine feels dry, understated and a bit soft on the palate with a full body and reticent, somewhat primary flavors of blackberry marmalade, some dusty notes of earth, a little bit of candied primary fruit and a hint of sweet, sunny dark fruit. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with quite tough and assertive tannins that bring in welcome firmness to balance out the softness in the body. The finish is rich, juicy and quite grippy with a dull and rather short aftertaste of dusty earth, some boysenberry, a little bit of meaty umami, a hint of cherry marmalade and a touch of earth. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a rather hot note.
Most likely the wine was ever-so-slightly corked. Nobody noticed any obvious TCA aromatics, but the muted fruit flavors and somewhat earthy-and-dusty overall feel made us think the wine wasn't in a sound condition and most likely was suffering from a minute amount of TCA, making the wine just dull and underwhelming without making it appear overtly flawed. What a disappointment.
(NR/flawed) -
1997 Domaine des Rémizières Hermitage Cuvée Émilie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (16.2.2023)
100% Syrah from south-facing vineyards. Macerated with the skins for a month. Aged in predominantly new oak barrels for 15-18 months. 13,5% alcohol. Served from a magnum.
Still surprisingly youthful, vibrant blackish-red color that permits some light through. The nose feels savory, a bit restrained and somewhat evolved with attractive aromas of crushed peppercorns, some smoky notes of speck or charred bacon, a little bit of cranberry sauce, light fragrant nuances of dried flowers and a hint of raspberry juice. The wine feels dry, firm and somewhat evolved with a full body and fine-tuned flavors of wizened dark fruits, some greasy bacon tones, a little bit of dried plummy fruit, light smoky nuances, a hint of ripe blackberry and a touch of peppery spice. The texture is quite silky even though the overall impression is still enjoyably structured, thanks to the high acidity and still moderately grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, somewhat evolved and moderately grippy with a long aftertaste of wizened blackberries, some spicy notes of black peppercorns, a little bit of gamey meat, light ferrous nuances of blood, a smoky hint of speck and a touch of dried dark fruit.
A wonderful, quite structured and beautifully evolved Hermitage that is slowly but steadily reaching its plateau of maturity. The wine isn't peaking yet, as I feel there is still a bit more room for further development, but the wine is almost as good as one at its peak maturity. As this wine was served from a magnum, it's fully possible wines in 750 ml bottles are already peaking now. All in all, a fine and thoroughly enjoyable effort. Drink or keep for a handful of years more.
(93 points) -
2011 Knipser GewĂĽrztraminer & Riesling Trocken - Germany, Pfalz (16.2.2023)
A blend of GewĂĽrztraminer and Riesling. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 11% alcohol.
Surprisingly youthful and wonderfully luminous yellow-green color, considering how the wine is already 12 years old. The nose feels ripe, sweet-toned and very fragrant with aromas of lemon marmalade, some ginger juice, light perfumed floral tones, a little bit of quince, an evolved hint of woolly lanolin, a touch of ripe nectarine and a whiff of apple jelly candy. The wine feels quite light-bodied and acid-driven at first, but it picks up some richness and tactile weight as it opens up in the glass, turning into a rich, medium-bodied wine. There are flavors of lemon marmalade and floral spice, some crunchy notes of quince, a little bit of developed woolly character, light persimmon tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of ginger. There are no obviously aged flavors here, but age seems to have granted the wine a somewhat rich, waxy overall feel. The rather high acidity lends a good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is long, complex and quite acid-driven with flavors of lemon and other ripe citrus fruits, some ginger, a little bit of developed waxiness, light crunchy notes of quince, a floral hint of rosewater and a touch of nectarine.
A nice and balanced wine where you can taste both the rich, floral Gewürztraminer characteristics and the zippy, mineral and lemony nuances of Riesling. The wine is exceptionally youthful for its age, showing very little if any developed qualities - apart from the somewhat waxy overall feel that starts to emerge after a little while in the glass. I have no idea if this wine is just going to stay unchanged until it fades away or if it is going to actually evolve and improve with further age, but seeing how the wine has developed so very little over 12 years, I have no doubts this will at least keep, if not improve, for many, many years more. Drink or keep. Although this wasn't a super complex "wow" wine in any way, I must admit that this was an absolute steal at 24€ for a case of six bottles (ie. 4€ per bottle)!
(89 points)
Posted from CellarTracker