Last December a friend invited us for a blind tasting, giving no information whatsoever on what kind of wines we’d have.
The tasting turned out to have a very strong emphasis on South African wines - which is nice, considering how the selection of South African wines in Finland is pretty small and boring, meaning that chances to taste serious South African wines that are made quality in mind are few and far between.
Not all the wines were from South Africa, mind you. We also had Pinot Noirs from California and Australia, one Sémillon from Argentina and the most recent vintage of the outstanding Thymiopoulos Rosé de Xinomavro - one of the few rosé wines in the world that can be said to be more or less on a par with with Heredia Rosado!
And after the tasting, me and a couple other attendees continued the theme by bringing in some additional blind bottles - that Ardoisières bottle came from my cellar.
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2021 Badenhorst Family Wines Chenin Blanc Steen Kelder - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (5.12.2022)
A single-vineyard Steen (aka. Chenin Blanc) from a 1,2-hectare "Kelder" vineyard planted in 1971 next to the winery cellar. Whole-bunch pressed into an old foudre. Fermented spontaneously. Aged on the gross lees until the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol, 1,4 g/l residual sugar, 4,3 g/l acidity, pH 3,68 and total SO2 114 mg/l. Tasted blind.
Luminous, youthful yellow-green color. Quite youthful nose with aromas of herby spices and grapefruit, some green apples, a little bit of leesy character, light crunchy notes of whitecurrants and a primary hint of ripe pear. The wine feels broad, oily and rather ripe on the palate with a full body and rather awkward flavors of metallic bitterness, some herby tones, a little bit of chalky minerality and light MSG-like nuances of savory umami. The fruit department seems to be very understated and the wine is dominated by non-fruit flavors. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine in balance and lends some structure to it, but freshness not as much. The finish is dry, somewhat extracted and slightly bitter with a medium-long aftertaste of chalk dust, some waxy tones, a little bit of youthful pear character, light savory notes of umami and a hint of saline mineral water.
A surprisingly understated and somewhat dull Chenin Blanc with quite a bit of ripeness but very little in the way of fruit. Structurally the wine was pretty much in balance, but flavor-wise the wine didn't offer much. Something of a disappointment - the 2021 Golden Slopes Chenin was similarly styled, but fared much better in comparison. Not worth the 299 SEK (approx. 26€).
(81 points) -
2021 Badenhorst Family Wines Chenin Blanc The Golden Slopes - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland, Malmesbury (5.12.2022)
A single-vineyard Steen (aka. Chenin Blanc) from "The Golden Slopes" vineyard planted in 1966. Whole-bunch pressed into an old 1200-liter foudre. Fermented spontaneously. Aged on the gross lees until the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Ever-so-slightly hazy, pale whitish-green color. Ripe and somewhat restrained nose with understated aromas of fresh Golden Delicious apple, some waxy tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light zesty notes of lemony citrus fruits and a hint of leesy character. The wine is fresh, youthful and slightly viscous on the palate with a medium body and slightly reticent flavors of red apples, some crunchy notes of white currants, a little bit of fresh pear, light stony mineral notes, a hint of salinity and a touch of MSG-like savory umami. The quite high acidity lends good sense of structure and balance to the wine. The finish is dry, ripe and slightly concentrated with a moderately long aftertaste of fresh pear, some ripe apple tones, a little bit of concentrated waxy character, light crunchy notes of whitecurrants and a hint of leesy yeast.
A nice, nuanced and quite characterful Chenin Blanc that isn't big on fruit - instead the wine emphasizes more of the savory non-fruit flavors and the little fruit that there is feels quite youthful and at times even primary. I think the wine is still a bit youthful and will evolve and open up with age - although I doubt the wine is ever going to be a particularly bold or exuberant in character. Nice, but perhaps a bit underwhelming now - expect the wine to improve with a few years of extra age.
(85 points) -
2020 BLANKbottle Kortpad Kaaptoe - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (5.12.2022)
"Kortpad Kaaptoe" translates to "Shortest way to Cape (Town)", in reference to how Pieter Walser of BlankBottle found the 40-yo vineyard of Fernão Pires while asking for the fastest route back to Cape Town. There are three different versions of Kortpad Kaaptoe, differentiated by the label: the "skinny" (black font on gold label) made with early-harvested fruit, the late-harvest "bodybuilder" (gold font on black label) and the "refined" version (white font on gold label) picked at optimum ripeness. The bottle we had was the "refined" version. 13,2% alcohol, 2,4 g/l residual sugar, 5,25 g/l acidity and pH 3,60. Tasted blind.
Quite youthful yellow-green color. Youthful, fragrant and quite perfumed nose with aromas of musky flowers, some acacia honey, a little bit of beeswax, light pear tones and a primary hint of gummi bear. The wine is ripe, characterful and balanced on the palate with a medium body and nuanced flavors of perfumed floral character, some sweet notes of apple jam, a little bit of stony minerality, light primary notes of candied gummi bear character, a hint of honeyed richness and a touch of apple peel bitterness. Good, balanced high acidity. The finish is dry, floral and quite perfumed with layered flavors of apple blossom and roses, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of candied primary fruit, light grapey tones, a hint of honeydew melon and a touch of stony minerality.
A fun, harmonious and very characterful white. Although the floral qualities here weren't similar to those of Muscat, I guessed this was a blend of Muscat or Gewurztraminer with something else. Well, it turned out to be a South African Fernão Pires - something I would've never guessed. It was very interesting to taste this wine, as it is quite rare to find varietal Fernão Pires wines even in its native Portugal, where it usually disappears in blends to lend the wine its aromatic, exotic character. While nothing super impressive or exceptionally memorable, this was still a very lovely and harmonious little white. I really don't get a feeling that the wine would call for any additional aging, so I'd say drink now or in the next handful of years. Most likely this wine will be showing its best while it is still youthful and so perfumed - although it wouldn't hurt to let the wine age just a little more, so that it would lose some of those candied primary fruit tones! Priced according to its quality at 267 SEK (approx. 23,50€).
(88 points) -
2021 BLANKbottle Moment of Silence - South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl, Wellington (5.12.2022)
A blend of fruit from two Chenin Blanc vineyards in Wellington (65%), one organically farmed parcel on top of the Groenberg mountain, another a super old bush vine parcel on the slopes of the northern side of the mountain; two organically farmed Grenache Blanc vineyards (25%) on the lower slopes of Groenberg; and some conventionally farmed Viognier (10%). The Grenache Blanc component sees some skin contact for additional texture and structure. Fermented spontaneously and aged on the lees for 8 months in egg-shaped concrete tanks, clay amphorae and old French oak casks. 13,5% alcohol, 2,8 g/l residual sugar, 5,1 g/l acidity, 0,64 g/l VA, pH 3,66 and total SO2 36 mg/l.
Pale and rather neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels quite ripe and fruity with aromas of peach and some juicy yellow apples, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light stony mineral notes and a hint of cantaloupe. The wine feels broad and moderately ripe yet at the same time pretty firm and nicely balanced on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry flavors of white peach, some spicy red apple tones, a little bit of salinity, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of leesy creaminess and a touch of cantaloupe. The quite high acidity keeps the wine effortlessly in balance, lending it some nice sense of structure. The finish is dry and juicy with a quite lengthy aftertaste of ripe white fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of cantaloupe, light floral nuances, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of fresh peach.
A nice, youthful and balanced South African white that feels rather broad and ripe without coming across as fat, heavy or too sweetly-fruited. The wine might be a bit too young to show any real depth, character or complexity, but the overall style here is wonderfully pure and harmonious and the wine seems to hold good promise for future development. Most likely this will turn more interesting with additional age - I'd let the wine wait for another 3-5 years more for some extra complexity. Thoroughly enjoyable stuff. Priced according to its quality at 238 SEK (approx. 21€).
(89 points) -
2020 Matias Riccitelli Sémillon Old Vines - Argentina, Patagonia, Río Negro (5.12.2022)
100% Sémillon from an ungrafted vineyard planted in the 1960's. Long cold-soak with the skins, followed by crush and spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged for 8 months in old foudres. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, pale and rather neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels very crisp and quite green-toned with almost grassy notes of rhubarb and rucola leaves, some herby notes of Saaz hops, a little bit of almond, light zesty notes of key lime and clementine, a lactic hint of apple-flavored yogurt and a dank touch of pot. The wine feels firm, crisp and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate, yet not without some sense of old-vine concentration. The fruit department feels a bit understated, but the taste is still quite intense with flavors of pomelo-driven citrus fruits, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of grassy greenness, light saline mineral nuances and a herbaceous touch of green bell pepper. The bright, high acidity lends good sense of structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, lively and quite long with flavors of grassy greenness and tangy salinity, some zesty notes of pomelo, a little bit of green bell pepper or chopped chili, light steely mineral notes and a hint of apple peel bitterness.
A nice, crisp and refreshing white with great sense of focus and incisive energy. I must admit that it was quite impossible to identify the wine as a Sémillon (let alone a Patagonian one!), but when the wine was revealed, I immediately thought that this wine really did feel like a Hunter Valley Sémillon that was just opened too soon. I thought the wine was opened a bit too early, but if it ages like Hunter Valley Sémillons do, it was opened way too early. After all, a good Hunter Valley Sémillon usually doesn't get interesting before its 10th birthday! While this was a nice, herby and quite early-picked example of Sémillon, it's certainly possible that this could be a good non-Aussie contender against the idiosyncratic Sémillons of Hunter Valley. Very nice stuff, albeit maybe a bit on the pricey side at 399 SEK (approx. 36,50€).
(90 points) -
2018 Mullineux Chardonnay Leeu Passant Stellenbosch - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (5.12.2022)
A single-vineyard Chardonnay from the slopes of Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. Whole-bunch pressed and left to settle overnight. Racked into French oak barriques (30% new) for fermentation and aging. Aged for 12 months on the lees, then racked off the lees, blended and aged for another 6 months in 2nd and 3rd fill barriques. Bottled on 30th October, 2019. 13,5% alcohol, 1,9 g/l residual sugar, 6,8 g/l acidity and pH 3,32. Total production 6240 bottles and 210 magnums. Tasted blind.
Pale, limpid lemon-yellow color. The nose feels rather heavily toasty and quite tropical with aromas of creamy oak, some woody oak tones, a little bit of lactic yogurt character, light exotic fruit notes of papaya and grilled pineapple, a hint of smoky toast character and a touch of damp wool sock. The wine feels intense, focused and form on the palate with a medium body and rather heavily toasty flavors of sweet toasty oak spice and creaminess, some buttery popcorn tones, a little bit of nutty wood, light crunchy notes of Granny Smith apple, a hint of almost unripe pineapple and a touch of smoke. The bright, high acidity lends great freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is long, dry and moderately toasty with an intense aftertaste of toasty wood spice and lemony citrus fruits, some saline minerality, a little bit of creamy oak, light buttery popcorn tones, a hint of bitter almond oil and a touch of beeswax.
I found this wine to be quite divisive. On the one hand, it is very toasty and heavily oak-driven - a lot more than what I expected from Mullineux - but on the other hand, the wine is wonderfully fresh, precise and focused with good sense of freshness and structure. Most likely this wine is crafted for people who like their wines very toasty with a lot of oak impact - and I'm not one of them - but there's definitely a high-quality wine beneath all that oak. Due to the quite impressive wine that is lurking beneath all that wood, I'm pushed to say that this wine was just opened at least 10 years too early to suit my taste. While this wine will be way too woody for my taste for the next handful of years, I still feel there's tons of potential here and it is more than possible that this wine will turn into something interesting and impressive if given enough time. My recommendation is that this wine should see its 15th birthday, because a lot of its potential is lost if it gets opened too young. Feels a bit pricey at 499 SEK (approx. 44€).
(87 points) -
2013 Thymiopoulos Rosé de Xinomavro (Late Release) - Greece, Macedonia (5.12.2022)
Although Thymiopoulos has a "Rosé de Xinomavro" in their range, this 2013 is a completely different beast to their normal rosé aged in stainless steel, as this sophomore vintage is the most recent release. The wine is made with late-harvested (10th of October) Xinomavro grapes from a single vineyard planted 26 years ago on a northeastern slope, macerated with the skins for 8-10 hours and fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Then the wine is aged for 4 years in 2nd use French demi-muids of 500 liters, followed by blending, bottling and aging for another 5 years in the winery's cellars before release. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very slightly hazy seared salmon color. Ripe, sweet-toned and very complex nose with layered aromas of orange marmalade and stewed rose hips, some tomato stalk tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light sweet notes of apple sauce and apricot jam, a hint of savory wood spice, a touch of strawberry and an oxidative whiff of nuttiness. The wine feels firm and somewhat concentrated by the age with a medium-to-moderately full body and complex, dry and very intense flavors of crunchy cranberries and fresh red apples, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light sweeter notes of strawberry jam, an oxidative hint of caramel and a touch of evolved smoky character. The high acidity lends the wine great sense of structure and energy by making the wine come across as quite airy despite the somewhat concentrated overall feel. A subtle tug of tannins on the gums adds to the sense of firmness. The finish is dry, juicy and subtly grippy with a very long and complex aftertaste of ripe strawberries, some oxidative caramel tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light orange marmalade tones, a hint of nutty wood and a faint touch of developed smoky character.
Another fantastic vintage of Thymiopoulos's rosé. This feels slightly less evolved and not just as complex as the debut vintage, 2007, but instead this one shows a bit more freshness and finesse, coming very slightly lighter on its feet. Nevertheless, the style has remained more or less unchanged and the only difference is just normal vintage variation (I assume). Just as previously, I must say this might be the closest thing to López de Heredia Tondonia Rosado; and what's remarkable is that this is not an old school Rioja Rosado, but instead a rosé from Greece - not really a country one associates with distinctive rosés! I'm not really a rosé guy myself, but this is in my books not only one of the greatest rosé wines in the world, but also one of the best Greek wines out there. Outrageous value at 30€. An extraordinary wine, very highly recommended.
(95 points) -
2020 Badenhorst Family Wines Cinsault Ramnasgras - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (5.12.2022)
A single-vineyard Cinsaut from a 1,6-hectare "Ramnasgras" vineyard planted in 1964. Vinified in whole bunches in old oak vats, fermented spontaneously and then moved to age in an old oak foudre. Aged on the gross lees for 12 months, after which the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. 11,5% alcohol, 2,4 g/l residual sugar, 4,6 g/l acidity, pH 3,84 and total SO2 86 mg/l. Total production 6000 bottles. Tasted blind.
Luminous and very translucent ruby-red color with a youthful blueish hue. The nose feels very youthful and almost primary with attractive aromas of raspberry jellies, some perfumed floral tones, a little bit of red licorice, light blackberry nuances, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of marmaladey red fruit. The wine feels clean, fresh and youthful on the palate with a light-to-medium body and vibrant flavors of wild strawberries, some raspberry jellies, a little bit of perfumed floral character, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of savory umami. However, the wine is lacking a bit in focus and firmness as it comes across as only medium in acidity with very mellow and almost imperceptible tannins. The finish is dry, juicy and quite soft with a medium-long aftertaste of candied primary fruit, some meaty notes of savory umami, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of raspberry candies and a touch of fresh blackberry.
A nice, tasty and quite delicate little red wine with emphasis on the purity of fruit and easy drinkability. I found the wine pretty attractive and harmonious, although I would've enjoyed it much more if it had shown a bit more acidity. As the wine is pretty light in body, it doesn't come across as clumsy or blowzy even with its somewhat modest acidity, but I'd love to see a light-bodied wine like this show more zip and crunch with higher acidity. Furthermore, I think that the wine was still a bit too young and too primary for its own good - most likely this wine will become more interesting once it drops those candied fermentation aromas and develops some tertiary complexity. All in all, a good - not great - little Cinsaut. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 279 SEK (approx. 24,50€).
(89 points) -
2020 BLANKbottle Retirement @65 - South Africa, Coastal Region, Darling (5.12.2022)
Made with Cinsaut sourced from a vineyard in Darling planted 69 years prior to the harvest - with a tiny bit of Shiraz from Darling added for color and structure. 13,5% alcohol, 1,6 g/l residual sugar, 5,24 g/l acidity and pH 3,76. Tasted blind.
Quite pale and rather translucent cherry-red color. The nose feels fragrant and quite dark-toned with aromas of ripe black raspberries and blackberries, some cherry marmalade, light perfumed floral nuances, a little bit of peppery spice, a hint of cranberry and a touch of wild strawberry. The wine feels dry, crunchy and quite sinewy on the palate with a firm medium body and quite intensely fruited flavors of ripe black raspberries, some peppery spice, a little bit of stony minerality, light savory notes of gamey meat, a hint of earth and a touch of smoke. The wine feels noticeably high in acidity with form, moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, fresh and gently grippy with a long and quite intense aftertaste of tart cranberries and ripe blackberries, some smoky tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light brambly notes of raspberries, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of earthy spices.
A very impressive, sophisticated and relatively stern effort for a Cinsaut - a variety normally known for quite light and easy red wines. Great sense of freshness, intensity and structure here. The wine feels still very young, but it fortunately isn't dominated by any candied fermentation aromas but only fragrant, red-toned Cinsaut fruit supported by spicy and more brooding Syrah overtones. Drinking really well now, but I think this wine still has a good amount of years ahead. Highly recommended. Priced according to its quality at 336 SEK (approx. 30€).
(92 points) -
2018 Mullineux Cinsault Leeu Passant Old Vines Lötter - South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley (5.12.2022)
Made with Cinsaut sourced from a vineyard in Darling planted in 1932 in Franschhoek. Vinified in whole clusters. A small addition of SO2 is used at the beginning of the fermentation to keep rogue yeasts at bay and no further SO2 additions are made. Fermented spontaneously over 8 days, macerated with the skins for a total of 3 weeks. Aged for 20 months in 500-liter French oak demi-muids. 14% alcohol, 1,6 g/l residual sugar, 4,9 g/l acidity and pH 3,6. Tasted blind.
Deep, clear and moderately translucent yet still surprisingly dark (for a Cinsaut) ruby red color. The brooding and rather sunny nose feels slightly sweetish with aromas of licorice and dark plummy fruit, some savory wood spice, a little bit of strawberry, light toasty oak tones and a hint of roasted game. The wine is broad, juicy and quite rich on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and slightly concentrated flavors of juicy blackberries and dark plums, some meaty umami tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light licorice tones, a hint of inky character and a touch of earth. The wine is medium in acidity with ripe, gently grippy tannins. The finish is ripe and juicy with a dry aftertaste of dark plummy fruit, some peppery spice, a little bit of earth, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of sweet blackberries and a touch of bilberry.
A pleasant but perhaps a bit too ripe and sunny Cinsault that is by not any means a monster wine, but still the wine comes across as a bit overdone and just "too much" for the variety. Although some Cinsaut wines can be a bit too delicate, supple and underwhelming, I still prefer the variety as a light and fresh little everyday wine. Just like Barbera, the variety is at its best as a bright and crunchy table wine - this kind of ripe, concentrated and polished style does not really suit the variety that well and the end result feels all too often a bit too clumsy and awkward. This is a decent effort, but ultimately a bit too ripe and modern for my preference. A bit expensive for the quality at 299 SEK (approx. 26€).
(86 points) -
2019 JH Meyer Signature Wines Pinot Noir Cuvée NOS Cape South Coast - South Africa, Cape South Coast (5.12.2022)
This is the "NOS" version of the regular Johan Meyer Pinot Noir, meaning "No Sulfites". Made with fruit sourced from 10-15 yo vineyards in Palmeit (Elgin) and Elandsrivier (Elandskloof). The whole bunches are fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks, after which the wine is aged for 12 months in an old French oak foudre. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Total production 3400 bottles. Tasted blind.
Moderately hazy and even slightly murky yet still slightly translucent blackish-red color. The nose feels wild, sweet-toned and somewhat volatile with quite lifted aromas of raspberry marmalade, some cherry tones, a little bit of beet root, light balsamic notes of VA, a hint of sharp acetic character and a touch of cranberry. Moderately - but not too - natty overall feel. The wine is dry, crunchy and quite wild on the palate with a rather light body and somewhat natty flavors of fresh redcurrants, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of tart cranberry and lingonberry, light vinegary notes of pickled beets, a hint of herbal bitterness and a touch of funk. The wine is high in acidity with very light and mellow tannins. The finish is long, quite lifted and slightly bitter with flavors of tart lingonberries, some ripe cranberries, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light bitter notes of medicinal herbs, a vinegary hint of pickled beetroot and a touch of ferrous blood.
A light, bright and crunchy Pinot Noir from a moderately funky and sauvage end of the spectrum. It feels like this might've been a nice, fresh and berry-driven Pinot Noir, but the lack of SO2 has turned the wine a bit too acetic and lifted in character. It feels the winemaking is at a level they really can't afford making wines without SO2, so I guess I need to check out a JH Meyer wine with sulfite additions in the future - there seems to be some nice potential here, but the lack of SO2 just doesn't seem to benefit the wine quality. Maybe not worth the 247 SEK (approx. 21,50€).
(84 points) -
2021 Mayer Pinot Noir - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley (5.12.2022)
A naturalist Pinot Noir form Yarra Valley. Fermented spontaneously in open-top vats, some lots 100% whole bunch and some lots 100% destemmed. After the fermentation, the lots vinified in whole bunches are blended with the destemmed lots, then aged for 11 months on the lees in French oak hogheads. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a dose of SO2. Tasted blind.
Youthful, luminous and very translucent pale raspberry-red color. The nose feels fragrant and quite seductive with aromas of cranberries and brambly raspberries, some floral violet tones, a little bit of sweet red cherry, light savory notes of spicy Pinosity, a youthful hint of bubblegum-y primary fruit (and heady carbonic character) and a touch of meatiness. The wine is ripe, juicy and vibrant on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of sweet black raspberries, some ripe black cherry and plummy tones, a little bit of spicy Pinosity, light floral nuances of violets, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of peppery spice. The overall feel is rather ripe and somewhat mellow yet still enjoyably fresh and focused, thanks to the rather high acidity and gentle yet firm medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry, clean and fruit-forward with a long aftertaste of tart lingonberries and cranberries, some peppery spice, a little bit of meaty umami, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of ripe red cherry and a touch of floral lift.
A wonderfully elegant, tasty and vibrant Australian Pinot Noir. The wine feels a bit sweeter and more ripe than its counterparts from Burgundy, yet the wine is not any less refreshing, characterful or sophisticated in style. The combination of more playful, fruity carbonic character and more serious and savory Pinosity work really well together here and the sense of balance is really on point. The wine is a tad too youthful for my preference at the moment, but still the wine is eminently drinkable already and most likely will continue to improve over the next handful of years. Good stuff.
(90 points) -
2019 George Wine Company Pinot Noir Sonoma Coma - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (5.12.2022)
13,4% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Brooding, dark and relatively opaque blackish-red color with a youthful purplish hue. The nose feels fragrant, somewhat sweetish yet not that ripe and simply just very Burgundian with aromas of ripe raspberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of fresh red cherry, light brambly notes of black raspberries, a hint of earthy Pinosity and a touch of sweeter baking spices. The wine is ripe, juicy and quite complex on the palate with a medium body and surprisingly intense flavors of juicy dark plums and meaty umami, some brambly black raspberry tones, a little bit of fresh red cherry, light woody bitter nuances, a sweeter hint of toasty oak spice and a fragrant touch of floral lift. The overall feel is silky and suave, yet not without good sense of structure from the high acidity and ripe medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is juicy, ripe and slightly sweet-toned with a long, complex aftertaste of brambly black raspberries, some earthy notes of Pinosity, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light savory nuances of meaty umami, a hint of sweet, toasty oak spices and a touch of ripe cherry.
A very harmonious, sophisticated and enjoyably complex Pinot Noir with great sense of freshness, balance and depth of flavor. Everybody was instantly guessing Pinot Noir and basically the guesses centered around Burgundy, New Zealand and the cooler spots of the US west coast. People weren't that surprised when the wine was revealed to be a RRV Pinot Noir - I guess people were more surprised by the quite cheap, cartoony label that didn't really match with the quality inside the bottle. Oh well, always a good thing to reminded how one shouldn't judge a book by its covers! I guess at 689 SEK (approx. 60€) the bottle really doesn't look like something you'd instantly grab off the shelf, but having tasted it blind, I must say this really delivers for the price. Very nice!
(93 points)
The extras:
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1996 Maison Audebert et Fils Bourgueil Collection Maison des Vins Jean Carmet - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil (5.12.2022)
12% alcohol. Bottle #538. Tasted blind.
Dark, moderately evolved and somewhat translucent black cherry color with a tertiary maroon hue. The nose feels quite noticeably vegetal with aromas of green bell pepper, some grassy tones, a little bit of crunchy redcurrant, light geosmin aromas of freshly tilled damp soil, a hint of smoke-cured meat and a sweeter touch of wizened dark berries. The wine is dry, sappy and rather weedy on the palate with a medium body with crunchy but also quite vegetal flavors of grassy greenness, some fresh redcurrants, a little bit of wizened red fruit, light geosmin notes of freshly picked garden carrots and tilled damp soil, a hint of old leather and a touch of cooked bell pepper. The wine is high in acidity with somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, long and crunchy with flavors of tart redcurrants, some autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of bell pepper, light vegetal notes of grassy greenness, a hint of stony minerality, and a touch of geosmin.
An enjoyably fresh and still somewhat alive old Bourgueil that seemed somewhat more green and vegetal than the bottle we tasted two years ago. That one was similarly herbaceous as one would expect from a classic Cab Franc, whereas this bottle was more earthy and on the somewhat unpleasant side of the vegetal spectrum. While the previous bottle seemed pretty clean throughout, it feels this bottle suffered from a geosmin taint, lending a more pronounced, earthy edge to the vegetal notes, reminiscent of damp soil and freshly picked root vegetables. This was drinkable, but I preferred the bottle we had tasted earlier.
(80 points) -
2020 Domaine des Ardoisières Vin des Allobroges Argile - France, Savoie, Vin des Allobroges (5.12.2022)
100% biodynamically farmed grapes sourced from 40-yo vineyards in Saint-Pierre-de-Soucy (Gamay and Persan) and 60-yo vineyards in Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte (Mondeuse) in Savoie. The wine is a blend of Gamay de Chautagne (60%), Mondeuse (30%) and Persan (10%). Vinified as whole bunches in tanks employing semi-carbonic maceration and a little bit of daily pigeage over ten days. After ten days the wine is pressed into fiberglass tanks, where the wine finishes fermentation and ages for nine months on the lees. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a 30 mg/l addition of SO2. 11,5% alcohol.
Very deep, dark and almost but not entirely opaque blackish-red color with a youthful, slightly blueish hue. The nose feels somewhat closed and reductive at first, but start to open up nicely with bright, somewhat Bojo-like carbonic aromas of fresh forest fruits, some peppery spice, a little bit of gunpowder smoke, light crunchy notes of crowberries and fresh blackberries, a hint of sweet red fruits and floral touch of violets. Lovely! The wine feels dry, crunchy and airy on the palate with a rather light body and still surprisingly intense and substantial flavors of brambly blackberries and fresh crowberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of smoky reduction, light bitter nuances of chokeberries, a hint of sour red plums and a touch of crushed peppercorns. The structure relies mostly on the brisk acidity, as the medium-minus tannins only bring in some firmness and texture not real grip and structure. The finish is fresh, dry and gently grippy with a long, clean and crunchy aftertaste of crowberries and tart lingonberries, some brambly raspberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light reductive notes of gunpowder smoke, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of peppery spice.
A light, fresh and lithe little red that is still surprisingly stern and serious for its size, showing great sense of concentration, depth and intensity for its size. Although there are some youthful - almost primary - carbonic notes, the wine isn't a fun, soft and fruity little wine, but instead coming across as a light-bodied but also very dry, serious and sinewy Cru Beaujolais with a more Savoyard, or - dare I say it? - Alpine character. Based on how stern, youthful and reductive the wine is now, I can say this will easily not only keep but evolve and improve for a good number of years more. Terrific stuff for people who love fresh, light-bodied red wines with character and intensity! Good value at 26,50€.
(92 points) -
2007 Domaine Dominique Mugneret Nuits St. Georges Les Fleurières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges (5.12.2022)
According to the label, the wine is "12,5-14% alc.". Tasted blind.
Translucent pomegranate-red color with a developed maroon hue. The nose feels somewhat evolved and even slightly raisiny with aromas of sweet, liqueur-ish dark fruit, some savory spices, a little bit of ripe red cherry, light meaty tones, a hint of dried flowers, a touch of leathery funk and a woody whiff of pencil shavings. The wine feels dry, crunchy and quite evolved on the palate with a medium body and savory, somewhat spicy flavors of wizened red fruits and tart cranberries, some earthy tones, a little bit of meaty umami, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of smoky character and a touch of meat consommé. The wine is firm and enjoyably high in acidity with still somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, lively and moderately developed with a crunchy aftertaste of ripe redcurrants, some wizened red cherries, a little bit of earth, light umami notes of meat consommé and a hint of savory wood.
A tasty and sophisticated NSG that felt noticeably more evolved than the bottle I tasted 2½ years ago. The previous time I had this wine, it felt surprisingly youthful for its age and the oak influence was still sticking out a tiny bit. This time, the wine seemed rather evolved and definitely on its plateau of maturity with no room for further improvement. The oak influence was fully in the background, lending only slightly woody nuances of pencil shavings that married quite nicely with the evolved, earthy flavors. All in all, a lovely example of village-level Burgundy at its peak. Nothing too thrilling, but at 26,72€ this showed solid value for the money.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
