This was a new blind tasting concept we tried last spring: every attendee could bring one single bottle of white wine, which would be pitted against all the other wines. All the wines were poured in identical decanters (although the bottom of each decanter was marked differently so we’d know in the end whose wine was in which decanter). The decanters were mixed thoroughly and brought to the table one by one.
Every attendee could discuss the wine however they wanted to, but we agreed not to guess whose wine it was or not to tell out loud if somebody suspected the wine in question was their own.
After we had tasted all the wines, we had to choose our four personal favorites and give them points: 3 to the best one, 2 to the second best one, 1 to the third and 0 to the fourth. If one of the rated wines turned out to be one that you yourself brought, it would be replaced by the wines below it (ie. I had rated the wine I brought myself as the best one, so my three points for it were transferred to my 2nd best choice, the 3rd choice getting two points and one point going to my 4th choice).
The winner of this tasting would receive fame and fortune, naturally. We also had small prizes that went to the three best-scoring wines.
And it turned out that not only did I find my wine the best of the evening, but so did multiple other attendees as well! The wine I brought was St. Supéry’s Vurtú Meritage 2006. A wine I had tasted before and considered to be a pretty serious contender. I was happy my hunch was correct!
Some other observations:
Probably the most expensive wine of the evening was Valentini’s Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2017. It was also the only one that didn’t score a single point! And this is no wonder - the wine was still painfully young and also rather closed. Maybe if the bottle had been opened in the morning it would’ve performed better, but from my experience even then these Valentinis just don’t show that well this young. They are, however, some of the most stunning whites one can find in Italy, once they mature.
Although the person who brought that 1999 R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva insisted that the wine was still in great condition, almost everybody else (me included) thought the wine was just prematurely evolved. I’m pretty sure I - among several other attendees - would’ve identified a Heredia white in mint condition even in a blind flight; and that 1999 Tondonia Reserva is one excellent vintage that I had tasted just two years ago and thought it had still lots of upside. This wine we tasted this time was a far cry from that excellent bottle.
After we had tasted the wines, rated the wines and celebrated the winners, we had a few extra blinds - after all, we had a good streak of blind wines going on, so why bother killing it? FWIW, that Bodegas Robles Montilla-Moriles came from my cellar.
The final rating chart (with my score in parenthesis):
1. 2006 St. Supéry Virtú Meritage, 16 pts. (93)
2. 2012 Domaine François Mikulski Meursault, 10 pts. (91)
3. 2010 Francois Lichtlé Riesling Pfersigberg, 9 pts. (92)
4. 2018 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc Chante-Alouette, 7 pts. (93)
5. 2013 F.X. Pichler Riesling Federspiel Loibner Burgstall, 6 pts. (89)
6. 2015 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Viré-Clessé Quintaine, 2 pts. (92)
6. 1999 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia, 2 pts. (85)
6. 2009 Tulloch Sémillon, 2 pts. (87)
7. 2017 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, 0 pts. (86)
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2009 Tulloch Sémillon - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (5.5.2023)
10,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Intense lemon-yellow color. The nose feels fragrant, somewhat waxy and a bit off with aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some woolly notes of lanolin, a little bit of developed honeyed character, light tropical Hubba Bubba tones, a hint of exotic spice and a candied touch of gummi bear. The wine feels ripe, somewhat evolved and a bit thin on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some evolved waxy tones, a little bit of ripe Granny Smith apple, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of evolved creaminess or even browned butter and a touch of unripe mango. The rather high acidity is nicely balanced with the rather light body, keeping the wine enjoyably structured. The finish is dry, somewhat evolved and a bit understated with flavors of woolly lanolin, some ripe Granny Smith tones, a little bit of developed waxy character, a hint of cooked cream and a touch of apple peel bitterness.
I thought this was an older wine where the fruit had been thinned out by the age, but after the wine was revealed to be a Hunter Valley Sémillon, it made more sense - this has been a pretty light wine to begin with! Even at 14 years of age, the wine hadn't really developed much if any of that classic "Hunter Valley toast", but at least there were some buttery and creamy notes that point out that the wine is evolving in the right direction. However, the overall fruit department feels a bit thin and underwhelming at the moment and I'm afraid the wine will only lose those fruitier nuances with age, instead emphasizing those somewhat dull woolly notes more. All in all, a nice drop, but not really the most memorable HVS I've tasted. I hope the wine will continue to evolve - and, more importantly, improve - with additional aging. At just 11,45€, this has been a good purchase. The wine got two points from the nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, finishing on shared sixth place.
(87 points) -
2013 F.X. Pichler Riesling Federspiel Loibner Burgstall - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (5.5.2023)
12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite pale and somewhat neutral greenish-yellow color. The nose feels youthful, a bit odd and somewhat curiously gaseous with aromas of propellant gas (or SO2) and citrus zest, some saffron tones, a little bit of ripe white fruit, light reductive notes of smoke and rubber air balloon, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of key lime. The wine feels crisp and youthful with a medium body and intense flavors of crunchy green apple and lemony citrus fruit, some odd gaseous tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light white currant and white peach notes, a hint of saffron and a rubbery touch of reduction. There's some definitely some sense of ripeness and concentration in the wine, resulting in a slightly oily mouthfeel, but the quite crisp and moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance, lending it good sense of structure. The finish is dry, youthful and quite crisp with flavors of crunchy Granny Smith apple and white currant, some zesty lemony citrus fruit, a little bit of stony minerality, light reductive notes of smoke and rubber, a hint of saffron and a touch of chalk dust.
Just as one year ago, when I tasted this wine first time, this was still a very youthful Wachau Riesling - maybe even a bit too young for its age. The wine is still pretty lean and high-strung, showing very little resolution. Furthermore, there's that odd note I can only describe as "gaseous" - as it reminds me of some propellant gas, but I don't know which one - that is so typical of FX Pichler wines. When we were asked to identify the wines after the tasting, I was pretty sure this was a Riesling by FX Pichler, based on that gaseous note alone. Turns out I was not wrong. All in all, this is a pretty nice wine, but it really calls for age, air or both - just to blow that gaseous character and let the finer nuances underneath blossom fully. The wine got 6 points from the nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, finishing on fifth place. Solid value at 18€.
(89 points) -
2012 Domaine François Mikulski Meursault - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (5.5.2023)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay sourced from several climats in Meursault, vinified separately and finally blended together. Average vine age 35 years, annual production around 9000 bottles. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep straw-yellow color. The nose feels sweetish, somewhat evolved and pretty characterful with layered aromas of creamy oak and ripe yellow stone fruits, some evolved woolly tones, a little bit of pineapple, light nuances of arrack, a hint of vanilla and a touch of nuttiness. The wine feels firm, structured and clean on the palate with a medium body and dry, slightly understated flavors of steely minerality and wet rocks, some ripe yellow stone fruits, light crunchy notes of green apple, a little bit of woolly lanolin, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The very high acidity lends good sense of intensity and structure to the wine, even if the fruit department feels somewhat reticent. The finish is crisp, lively and quite intense with a long aftertaste of saline minerality and Granny Smith apple, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of pineapple, light nutty notes, a hint of lemony citrus fruits and a woody touch of savory oak spice.
A wonderfully fresh, focused and structured Meursault crafted in the typical Mikulski style: the wine isn't a big, fat or flashy Meursault, but instead a clean, precise and mineral effort with a somewhat understated fruit profile. I loved the wine for its bright acidity and great mineral expression, but otherwise the wine left me wanting for something more. I really hope that the wine is able to evolve further from here and develop some additional complexity, but I'm not entirely convinced on that, based on the slightly underwhelming fruit department. In any case, this was a thoroughly enjoyable wine and it got 10 points from the nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, finishing on second place.
(91 points) -
2006 St. Supéry Virtú Meritage - USA, California, Napa Valley (5.5.2023)
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc (52%) and Sémillon (48%). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Intense, moderately deep and somewhat evolved golden-yellow color. The nose feels complex, somewhat evolved and very attractive with good sense of breadth and layered aromas of ripe pineapple and acacia honey, some toasty notes of nuttiness and sweet spicy notes of oak, light creamy nuances, a hint of crunchy Granny Smith apple, a touch of browned butter and a whiff of dried yellow fruits. The wine feels complex, moderately concentrated and slightly viscous on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of ripe citrus fruits, passion fruit and pineapple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of nutty oak and savory wood spice, light honeyed nuances, a smoky hint of toasty character and a touch of stony minerality. The bright, high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the concentrated, somewhat oily overall feel. The finish is broad, rich and juicy with a long, complex aftertaste of creamy oak and grilled pineapple, some nutty and woody oak tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light browned butter nuances, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of acacia honey.
A fantastic, complex and harmonious white brimming with depth and complexity. I can imagine the wine might've been somewhat oaky in its youth, but right now all the oaky nuances are wonderfully in balance with the ripe, concentrated fruit nuances and the vivid acidity keeps the wine effortlessly in balance, lending it excellent sense of focus and structure. The overall feel here is that of a great Bordeaux Blanc - and I can imagine that is exactly what the producer has been aiming for. As before, I feel the wine is now at its peak and it won't evolve any further from here, but it will continue to keep for years more. This was not only my WotN, but it also managed to get 16 points from the nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, making it finish on first place. At 29,90€ this has been a bargain.
(93 points) -
2015 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Viré-Clessé Quintaine - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Viré-Clessé (5.5.2023)
A biodynamic minimal-intervention Chardonnay from vineyards in the comune of Quintaine. Fermented spontaneously, full MLF, aged in concrete vats. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep neon yellow-green color. The nose feels fascinating, characterful and slightly evolved with aromas of apple juice, some developed nutty tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light crunchy notes of quince, a hint of honeyed richness, a touch of earthy spices and a whiff of cantaloupe. The wine feels somewhat evolved and slightly funky but also wonderfully firm with a medium body and intense flavors of bruised apple and freshly pressed apple juice, some nutty tones, a little bit of salinity, light mineral notes of wet rocks, sweeter hints of cantaloupe and developed honeyed character and a crunchy touch of quince. The quite high acidity lends good sense of focus and freshness to the wine. The finish is long, dry and quite ripe with a rather complex aftertaste of saline minerality, ripe citrus fruits, a little bit of bruised apple, light nutty notes, a hint of quince and a touch of leesy creaminess.
A very lovely, balanced and harmonious Viré-Clessé with attractive purity of fruit that is supported by some slightly more developed nuances and a tiny bit of funk that adds a lovely sense of sauvage complexity to the wine. I found the wine wonderfully characterful and thoroughly enjoyable, but maybe better for immediate consumption that for prolonged aging - as the wine shows some evolved nuances before its 8th birthday, I feel it might not make really old bones but is instead going to be peaking around its 10 years of age and then keeping for some time longer. To me, this was my 3rd favorite wine of the evening, but otherwise it didn't seem to get much recognition - the wine got just two points from the nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, finishing on shared sixth place. Priced according to its quality at 30€.
(92 points) -
2017 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (5.5.2023)
100% organically farmed Bombino Bianco (more likely a local synonym for Trebbiano Abruzzese than Bombino Bianco the variety). The wine is made from approx. 5-10% of the best grapes harvested, the rest is sold off as bulk. Fermented spontaneously and aged in old oak casks. Spontaneous MLF. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and without any SO2. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, very slightly hazy whitish-green color. The nose feels characterful, somewhat funky and slightly reductive with aromas of zesty citrus fruits, some smoky notes of reduction, a lambic-like bretty hint of phenolic spice, light juicy notes of nectarine, a curious hint of peppermint-y lift and a touch of fresh Golden Delicious apple. The wine feels very characterful, quite sauvage and pretty substantial yet still somewhat closed on the palate with a medium body and intense, slightly funky and moderately umami-rich flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some lifted minty notes, a phenolic streak of lambic-like brett, light crunchy nuances of quince and white currant, a hint of stony minerality and a smoky touch of reduction. The overall feel is very firm and pretty tightly-knit with the rather pronounced high acidity and a tiniest tug of tannic grip on the gums. The finish is long but quite austere, acid-driven and a bit closed with a dry aftertaste of green apples, some lemony citrus fruit tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light smoky notes of reduction, a sweeter hint of greengage and a bretty touch of phenolic spice that ends on a slightly bitter note.
This was quite an odd bird. Almost all the attendees in the tasting commented how distinctive the wine was, but some seemed to be a bit put off by the slightly funky overtones here. Others - me included - commented how there seemed to be quite a bit of stuffing and substance in the wine, but the overall feel was just painfully young, making the wine feel somewhat closed, awkward and a bit unbalanced. When the bottles were revealed, it all made sense - Valentini very rarely performs particularly well in its youth and even these white wines need easily more than a decade of aging before they start to open up. Even if the wine had been opened and decanted some time before, it was still way too closed and reductive on the time of tasting. Although many people commented that the wine was full of potential, the overall conclusion was that the wine just wasn't ready at the moment. The wine didn't get a single point from the nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, thus finishing on last place - which is quite ironic, since this was the most expensive wine in the tasting! Despite the modest score, I must say this is still a great wine - it just needs a ton more age.
(86 points) -
2018 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc Chante-Alouette - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (5.5.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Marsanne from Chante-Alouette, Le Méal and Les Murets lieu-dits. Fermented partly in stainless steel tanks and partly in 600-liter demi-muids. Aged in demi-muids (60-70%; 90% used for once, twice or three times, 10% new) and stainless steel tanks (30-40%). 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Luminous yellow-green color. The nose feels complex, rich and harmonious with slightly toasty aromas of apple jam and ripe apricots, some creamy oak tones, light floral notes of chamomile and apple blossom, a little bit of savory wood, a hint of honeydew melon and a toasty touch of sweeter oak spice. The wine feels rich, ripe and slightly oily on the palate with a full body and complex flavors of grilled pineapple, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of toasty caramel and smoke, light sweeter nuances of apple jam, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of ripe nectarine. The mouthfeel is a bit oily and viscous, but the overall feel is surprisingly fresh and balanced, thanks to the moderately high acidity. The finish is complex, somewhat viscous and a bit warm with a long, slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of ripe apricot, some nutty oak tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light grilled pineapple tones, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of floral spice.
I was honestly surprised when the wines were revealed and this wine turned out to be a warm-vintage Chapoutier! I would've expected the wine to be heavier, sweeter and more oaky in nature. Sure, this was a big and ripe white with some oak influence, but the overall oak impact didn't feel one bit overdone but instead was very much in balance with the ripe fruit. Also the acidity seemed relatively high for such a ripe and substantial white, keeping the overall feel not only balanced, but also surprisingly fresh and structured. These "big and impactful" whites are usually not my cup of tea, but this managed to surprise me positively. The wine is pretty impressive now, showing the first signs of development as well, but I can imagine this wine can continue to evolve and improve for a handful of years more. Probably peaking in or around 5-7 years. To me, this was my 2nd favorite wine of the evening, and in total the wine got seven points from the nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, finishing on fourth place.
(93 points) -
2010 Francois Lichtlé Riesling Pfersigberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (5.5.2023)
13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color. The nose feels complex, evolved and at first even pretty old, but then opening up to reveal more vibrant aromas of dried pineapple, some nutty tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light honeyed nuances, a hint of cooked cream, a touch of hay and an oxidative whiff of caramel. The wine feels firm, dry and racy on the palate with a medium body and quite evolved flavors of saline minerality and tertiary nuttiness, some crunchy Granny Smith apple, a little bit of developed waxy character, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of lemony citrus fruit and a touch of quince. The wine feels crisp and structured with its very high acidity. The finish is long, brisk and racy with a dry, somewhat evolved aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and bruised Granny Smith apple, some tertiary nutty tones, a little bit of saline minerality, light evolved creamy tones, a crunchy and slightly bitter hint of quince and a mineral touch of wet rocks.
A brisk, focused and structured Riesling that is showing quite a bit of age but hasn't fallen apart yet. It feels as though the wine is at its peak now and won't improve with further aging, so it was high time to open the wine now. Fine stuff. This was my 4th favorite wine of the evening and in total the wine got 9 points from the nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, finishing on third place.
(92 points) -
1999 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (5.5.2023)
A blend of Viura aka. Macabeo (90%) and Malvasia Riojana aka. Alarije (10%). After the spontaneous fermentation, the wine is aged for 6 years in predominantly old American oak barrels, bottled unfiltered and aged for a further 5-6 years in the bottles before release. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep straw-yellow color. The nose feels evolved, complex and moderately oxidative with aromas of chopped nuts and browned butter, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of tart key lime, light creamy notes of panna cotta, a hint of grated lemon zest and a touch of stony minerality. Unlike the nose, which seemed complex and somewhat oxidative yet fresh, the wine seems much more tertiary and tired on the palate with a medium body and very developed, slightly dull flavors of bruised apple and tart lemony citrus fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of saline tang, light earthy tones, an oxidized hint of rancid nuts and a touch of sharp rancio character. The crisp, noticeably high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, long and pretty racy with an oxidative, somewhat tired aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and some rancid nuts, a little bit of hay, light bruised apple tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of tangy salinity.
The nose here was very lovely, showing exactly that oxidative complexity that makes Heredia whites so magical. However, on the palate the wine failed to deliver, tasting noticeably older than the nose would suggest, having a rather dominant streak of rancid nuts, making me think the wine wasn't just oxidative but also a bit oxidized. It felt the wine wasn't really in prime shape, but as the same vintage was in such a superb condition just a little bit over a year ago, I suspect this wine might've had a faulty cork that had permitted a little bit of oxygen into the bottle. Unless all the '99 Tondonia Reservas are going to be more oxidized rather than oxidative like this (and I hope I get to taste many more '99 Tondonia Reservas!), I suspect this was just an off bottle. However, some people thought the wine was in a good shape and how it was supposed to be, I'm rating the wine instead of marking it as "oxidized". The wine got two points from nine participants in our tasting of nine blind whites, finishing on shared sixth place.
(85 points)
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NV Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Brut - France, Champagne (5.5.2023)
A recent bottling. Tasted blind.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels quite ripe with aromas of sweet red apple, some leesy creamy tones, a little bit of brioche, light crunchy notes of quince, a hint of bready autolysis and a touch of stony minerality. The wine feels dry, crisp and pretty firm on the palate with flavors of sweet white peach and crunchy quince, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of spicy red apple, light leesy notes of creaminess, a hint of steely minerality and an autolytic touch of French bread. The rather high acidity lends good sense of freshness to the wine and the mousse feels pretty firm and persistent. The finish is dry and crisp with flavors of ripe red apple, some leesy tones, a little bit of sweeter white peach, light saline mineral tones and a hint of chalk dust.
A nice, youthful and balanced but also somewhat harmless NV Champagne. I guessed a young Pinot Blanc Champagne (or possibly a Pinot Blanc Crémant). There's nothing bad here, the wine just doesn't show much character or complexity. It's certainly possible that the wine will turn into something more interesting with age, but for immediate consumption it is pretty ho-hum.
(88 points) -
2020 Domaine du Cros (Philippe Teulier) Marcillac Lo Sang del Païs Rouge - France, Southwest France, Marcillac (5.5.2023)
100% Fér Servadou from vineyards that are 25 years old in average. Macerated with the skins for 15-20 days, aged in stainless steel. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, moderately translucent ruby-red color with a slightly blueish hue. The nose feels youthful, quite primary and a bit reductive with aromas of ripe raspberries and strawberry jelly, some peppery tones, a little bit of gunpowder smoke, light cherry nuances, a hint of bilberries and a touch of earthy spice. The wine is youthful, fresh and pretty primary on the palate with a medium body and fruit-forward flavors of bilberries and brambly raspberries, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of strawberry jelly, light peppery tones, a hint of crunchy crowberry and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The structure relies almost entirely on the high acidity as the light, supple tannins come across as almost nonexistent. The finish is juicy, youthful and pretty straightforward with bright flavors of blueberries and brambly raspberries, some primary notes of strawberry jellies, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness and a hint of cranberry sauce. The tannins make the wine end on a slightly grippy note.
A nice, clean and vibrant little red. Perhaps a bit too primary and maybe slightly too simplistic in character to be truly interesting, but works nicely as an unambitious everyday wine. Could use a bit more age to lose that youthful edge and sense of reduction from the nose - although an hour or two of aeration might help as well. Superb value at just 8€.
(87 points) -
2017 Adriano Marco e Vittorio Langhe Sauvignon Basaricò - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (5.5.2023)
100% Sauvignon Blanc from 20-yo vineyards in San Rocco Seno d'Elvio. Fermented and aged on the lees in stainless steel tanks for 6 months. Bottled in late spring or early summer following the harvest. 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful yellow-green color. Fragrant, characterful and somewhat exotic nose with aromas of tropical fruits and some fragrant spices, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light sweet notes of ripe golden currants, a hint of crushed basil leaves and other sweet herbs and a touch of spicy red apple. The wine feels youthful, balanced and slightly herbaceous on the palate with dry, intense flavors of ripe golden apples, some grassy tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light nuances of exotic spice, a hint of salty liquorice powder and a touch of pineapple. Typical of the variety, the wine is high in acidity, but there's enough ripeness and substance from making the wine feel too high-strung. The relatively high alcohol manages to stay well-hidden. The finish is dry and somewhat concentrated with a long aftertaste of pineapple, some exotic spice, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light grassy herbaceous nuances, a hint of juicy nectarine and a reductive touch of smoke.
As I'm not the biggest fan of Sauvignon Blanc nor Piedmontese whites made from international varieties, I was honestly surprised when the bottle was revealed to be a Langhe Bianco made from Sauvignon Blanc! Although the wine showed a bit more ripeness and substance than your typical Sauvignon Blanc, the subtle herbaceous elements did make me think of Sauvignon Blanc at some point, but I honestly did not expect the wine to come from Piedmont! The wine shows great sense of freshness, focus and structure despite the hot and dry 2017 vintage and while the wine is true to the variety with its high acidity and somewhat green overtones, the elevated ripeness manages to make the wine very enjoyable and harmonious without compromising the brightness and zip from the acidity. A well-crafted effort that is drinking really well right now but will probably evolve and improve at least for a handful of years. Recommended.
(91 points) -
2022 Winnica Solaris Mickiewicz Johanniter Koneser - Poland, Lubelskie (5.5.2023)
100% Johanniter, a disease-resistant hybrid variety, harvested in October 2022. 11% alcohol, 4 g/l residual sugar and 8,5 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Pale, neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels youthful, expressive and very primary with quite Vinho Verde-like aromas of pear and gummi bear, some beeswax, light herby tones and a hint of green apple. The wine feels crisp, pretty bracing and noticeably acid-driven on the palate with a light body and brisk flavors of pear and Granny Smith apple, some herby tones, a little bit of green currant, light steely mineral notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a primary touch of sour apple candy. The racy acidity lends great energy and structure to the wine but also feels a bit unbalanced with the pretty light body. The finish is crisp, clean and lively with a medium-long aftertaste of saline minerality, some primary notes of pear drops and sour apple candies, a little bit of apple peel bitterness and a hint of herby greenness.
A nice, brisk and refreshing little white, not unlike a zippy Vinho Verde. However, if you can get a solid Vinho Verde at 5-10€, the price of this wine doesn't really make any sense. At 30€ this wine really isn't priced according to its quality.
(86 points) -
NV Bodegas Robles Montilla-Moriles Bajoflor 2/0 - Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles (5.5.2023)
100% organically farmed Pedro Ximénez made similarly to a Fino Sherry or Manzanilla. The name 2/0 tells that the wine has been aged for 2 years under flor and 0 years oxidatively. As the wine is bottled from a solera system, these are not precise numbers, but average years of the blend. The lot number in the bottle says "VBF 4908 / L.00620". 15% alcohol.
Medium-deep straw or golden yellow color. The nose feels waxy, somewhat evolved and a bit sweet with slightly aldehydic aromas of green apple slices and some mushroomy funk, a little bit of caramel and honeyed richness, light marzipan tones, an aldehydic hint of green almond, a touch of raisiny fruit typical of PX and a reductive whiff of rubber or latex. The wine feels mellow, somewhat oily and subtly oxidative on the palate with a quite full body and somewhat rich and quite tangy flavors of aldehydic sorrel and green almond, savory umami, some ripe yellow fruits, a little bit of mushroomy funk, light saline notes, a hint of Sultana raisin and a touch of caramel. The wine is only medium in acidity, but the tangy sharpness from the acetaldehyde makes up for the lack of acid freshness. The high alcohol shows a bit. The finish is complex and slightly evolved yet still pretty youthful with aldehdydic notes of green almonds and tangy salinity, some sweet notes of ripe white peach, a little bit of mushroomy funk, light caramel nuances, a hint of honeydew melon and a touch of Sultana raisin.
A nice, characterful and enjoyably tangy Montilla-Moriles that feels quite a bit like a Fino Sherry, but comes across as slightly broader and more ripe with a slightly raisiny fruit profile and a bit more evolved overall feel. The wine is not oxidative as, say, Amontillado Sherries (although the name of the style means "Sherries made in the Montilla style"), but somewhere between a typical Amontillado and a younger Fino. Good stuff. Maybe not the best choice if you want a clean, light and brisk Fino or Amontillado, but perhaps a better choice if you have a dish that calls for a bit more muscle and ripeness than your typical Fino but you don't want to go as oxidative and nutty as an Amontillado. An excellent purchase at just 11,90€.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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