So one hot summer’s day last year we went through these Jurassic dinosaur wines that probably shouldn’t exist anymore, but fortunately the producers in Jura don’t listen.
So, lots of Vin Jaunes and Château-Chalons with one introductory blind fizz and then a bunch of extras the attendees had brought with them.
I assume everybody should know what Vin Jaunes and Château-Chalons are by now, but in case someone has managed to miss out the details:
- The wines are always 100% Savagnin, typically picked very ripe (as Savagnin normally retains exceptional acidity, even at full ripeness).
- After the wines are fermented, they are moved into (typically, but not always, old) oak barrels, which might or might not be filled entirely but instead left with a tiny airspace of 8-10 liters.
- When there is enough airspace in the barrel (either due to a purposeful ullage or evaporation), a yeast veil forms on the surface of the wine - either naturally or with the aid of inoculation; this leathery voile of yeast protects the wine from excessive oxidation and consumes nutrients, glycerol and alcohol from the wine, producing copious amounts of acetaldehyde and other chemical compounds in the process.
- The wines must age for at least 60 months sous voile and can be released at the earliest in January seven years after the harvest, ie. after approximately 75 months of aging. However, many people often incorrectly assume this 75 months refers to the time the wine has to age oxidatively under the yeast veil.
- The wines are aged in well-ventilated cellars, which might be on ground level, underground or even high in the attics. Subjected to higher temperature variation (hot summers and cold, dry winters), the wines lose more water, resulting in more potent and concentrated wines; kept in more uniform temperatures, the wines are more ethereal and lower in alcohol. The former style is more typical in Arbois, the latter commonplace in Château-Chalon.
- The wines are bottled as Vin Jaune from the appellation they hail from (Arbois, Côtes du Jura, l’Étoile). The only exception is if the Vin Jaune comes from the unique appellation of Château-Chalon, which are subjected to more stringent selection process, come only from declared vintages and are bottled solely as “Château-Chalon”, without any mention of Vin Jaune. All Vins Jaunes and Château-Chalons are bottled in the unique 62-cl clavelin bottles.
Of the wines we tasted, Ganevat and Tissot are among some of the most celebrated Vins Jaunes. Tissot is renowned for making unique single-vineyard Vins Jaunes and I’ve had some of them in the past; they have often been very impressive, but this time neither of the two Tissots managed to impress. The single-vineyard Jaune from Les Bruyères was just too heavy and cumbersome, showing surprisingly little of the aldehydic character I expect from a Vin Jaune - the wine felt more like an overcharged white wine with a hint of aldehydic tang. The whisky cask-aged Vin Jaune W was just somewhat clumsy and too hot for my preference.
However, that Ganevat Vin Jaune was simply crazy good. Easily one of the best Jaunes I’ve tasted. The guy’s simply a wizard when it comes to the white varieties of Jura.
Of the extras we tasted, I want to highlight the Phinca La Revilla from the Rioja producer Bodegas Bhilar. Outrageously good stuff. And since the wine was aged for 6 years in untopped oak barrels (not sous voile, though), it was a fitting closure to our tasting of more or less purposefully oxidized wines!
- 2014 Sekthaus Solter Brut Pinot Cuvée Sekt - Germany, Rheingau (11.8.2023)
A blend of Pinot Noir (50%), Pinot Blanc (35%) and Pinot Gris (15%). Aged in barriques and stainless steel tanks before bottling. Aged sur lattes for 54 months before disgorgement. 11,5% alcohol, dosage 3,8 g/l and 8,8 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Pale straw yellow color. The nose feels somewhat dry, leesy and un-fruity with aromas of slivered almonds and yeasty notes of autolysis, some zesty citrus fruit tones, a little bit of sourdough bread, light mealy apple tones and a hint of stony minerality. The wine feels dry, leesy and somewhat restrained in the fruit department. The overall feel is medium-bodied and quite brisk with crunchy, somewhat linear flavors of whitecurrants and mealy yellow apples, some mineral notes of chalk dust, a little bit of bready autolysis, light zesty citrus fruit tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of pithy grapefruit bitterness. The wine is very high in acidity, whereas the mousse feels very gently, smooth and creamy. The finish is crisp, dry and refreshing with a medium-long aftertaste of lemon juice and steely mineral tones, some mealy apple notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light herby notes, a hint of sourdough bread and a leesy touch of yeast.
A nice and refreshing but also somewhat linear, understated and harmless - as if the wine wine was made with fruit that hadn't attained necessary ripeness. That doesn't make the wine a bad wine in any way, maybe just somewhat underwhelming. I don't know if the wine would've picked up more toasty notes or autolytic complexity had it been kept open for a longer time? Or aged for a longer time in a cellar? Both? I don't know. I guessed this was an inexpensive Champagne, not young nor old, based on a cooler vintage. At just 17€ this was priced according to its quality.
(88 points) - 1986 Domaine Maire Château-Chalon Réserve Catherine de Rye - France, Jura, Château-Chalon (11.8.2023)
100% Savagnin aged for 17 years, of which at least 6,5 years sous voile. Bottled in 2003. 14% alcohol.
Deep, somewhat hazy and moderately dark yellow color. The nose feels - true to an old Vin Jaune - tangy, quite oxidative and somewhat funky with aromas of roasted nuts and sharp saline notes of sorrel and rancio, some funky mushroom tones, a little bit of syrupy richness, light smoky nuances, a sweet dried-fruit hint of Sultana raisins, a touch of blood orange and a whiff of curry spice. The wine feels quite airy yet still somewhat viscous and dry-ish to slightly off-dry on the palate with a moderately full body and evolved flavors of acacia honey and syrupy richness, some apple jam tones, a little bit of chopped walnut, light dried-fruit notes of dried apricots and Sultana raisins, a salty hint of rancio and a touch of hay. The somewhat soft medium acidity feels somewhat low for a Vin Jaune, or for any Savagnin for that matter. The finish is mellow, soft and slightly sweet-toned with a moderately long aftertaste of syrupy tones, some notes of dried apricots and Sultana raisin, light apple jam nuances, a little bit of honeyed richness, a hint of oxidative nuttiness and a touch of aldehydic salinity.
A rich, somewhat soft and atypically sweet-toned Vin Jaune that feels like it still retains a little bit of residual sugar - or then is just so ripe and evolved that the flavors trick the brain into thinking the wine is sweeter than it actually is. The overall feel is balanced and enjoyable, but perhaps lacking in intensity and complexity. I feel this bottle was slightly less evolved than the bottle we had five years ago (which seemed to be on its plateau of maturity, or slightly past it), but I really don't see this wine really evolving or improving much or at all from here. Thoroughly enjoyable stuff, but nothing too thrilling, despite being a +35-yo Château-Chalon.
(90 points) - 1974 Louis Chaudoy Arbois Vin Jaune - France, Jura, Arbois (11.8.2023)
Deep and very slightly hazy golden yellow color. The nose feels sweet-toned, slightly lifted and distinctively waxy with rich aromas of sorrel and roasted nuts, some volatile notes of nail polish, a little bit of acacia honey and caramel, light candle wax tones, a hint of damp old wood and a fragrant touch of five-spice. The wine feels surprisingly intense and quite concentrated on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of roasted walnuts, some aldehydic notes of sorrel and tangy salinity, light lifted notes of nail polish, hints of beeswax and honeyed richness and a sharp touch of lemony citrus fruit. The bright, high acidity lends great sense of intensity and structure to the wine. The finish is dry and acid-driven with a rather long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruit, some oxidative nutty notes, a little bit of aldehydic sorrel, light caramel tones, a hint of old wood and a faint touch of nail polish VA.
A fine, tasty and still wonderfully vibrant Vin Jaune. There are some tertiary notes intermingling the aldehydic nuances, suggesting the wine is more or less at its plateau of maturity, so I'd say the wine won't evolve or improve that much from here. However, seeing how the wine also feels still so spirited and lively at almost 50 years of age, I really can't see the wine falling apart anytime soon, either. Drink or keep. This is a terrific wine that was built to last.
(93 points) - 2012 Domaine Berthet Bondet Château-Chalon - France, Jura, Château-Chalon (11.8.2023)
100% organically farmed Savagnin from 30-yo vineyards in Château-Chalon. Fermented in stainless steel, then aged sous voile for 6 years in old, untopped 228-liter oak pièces. 14% alcohol.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color with faint greenish highlights. The nose feels characterful, sharp and aldehydic with aromas of sorrel and old wood, some lemony notes of citrus fruits, a little bit of mushroomy funk from the yeast veil, light sweeter notes of dried stone fruits, a hint of green apple slices, a touch of curry spice and a whiff of honeycomb. The wine feels dry, firm and very tangy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of sharp lemony citrus fruits and pronounced saline notes of acetaldehyde, some ripe Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of beeswax, light stony mineral notes, developed hints of wizened stone fruits and Sultana raisins and a touch of sorrel. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate and the bracing acidity makes the wine feel very structured and almost electric in overall feel. The finish is long, dry and tangy with an intense, acid-driven aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and pronounced aldehydic salinity, some green almond tones, a little bit of sorrel and mushroomy funk, light sweeter notes of wizened stone fruits, a hint of curry spice and a developed, creamy touch of custard character.
A lovely, classically styled and still pretty young Château-Chalon that combines the classic elements of the appellation: elevated ripeness, intense fruit flavors, pronounced acidity and very tangy aldehydic notes. Although the wine is starting to show the tiniest bit of development, the overall feel is still remarkably youthful and even a bit nervous - it's easy to see this wine will continue to age wonderfully for many, many years more. Great and pretty impressive stuff already now, but most likely will call for another decade or three before the wine reaches its plateau of maturity. Solid value at 54€. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2007 Durand-Perron Château-Chalon - France, Jura, Château-Chalon (11.8.2023)
100% Savagnin from Château-Chalon. 14% alcohol.
Pale golden yellow color with a faint lime-green hue. The nose feels a bit odd and somewhat waxy with peculiar aromas of baloney, some sweet yellow stone fruit notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, a hint of cantaloupe and a developed touch of nuttiness. The wine feels firm, racy and precise on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits, some saline aldehydic tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light green almond notes, an oxidative hint of roasted walnuts and a toasty touch of toffee or caramel. The finish is long, crisp and lengthy with a dry, racy aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and tangy salinity, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of chopped nuts, light aldehydic notes of green almonds and rancio, a juicy hint of cantaloupe and a touch of Granny Smith apple.
The nose was pretty odd here, but on the palate the wine turned out to be thoroughly lovely and quite classically styled - although there seems to be a faint toasty note, suggesting perhaps a little bit of new oak influence, which I don't consider that typical of the appellation. Nevertheless, I thought this was a pretty wonderful effort all the same. The wine is starting to show a little bit of age with its nuances of oxidative nuttiness, but the overall feel is still very bright and energetic, making me think this wine will keep and improve for decades more. Fun stuff with lots of upside. Recommended.
(92 points) - 2011 Fruitière Vinicole de Voiteur Côtes du Jura Vin Jaune La Roche Fendue - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (11.8.2023)
Although the label doesn't say it directly, La Roche Fendue is a brand name of Fruitière Vinicole de Voiteur. 100% Savagnin, aged sous voile for 5 years in oak barrels. 14% alcohol.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels somewhat restrained with classically styled aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some salty notes of ocean air, a little bit of chopped walnuts, light mineral notes of stone dust, a hint of green apple, a touch of something vaguely cheesy and a sweet whiff of honeydew melon. The wine feels surprisingly bold, concentrated and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and very intense flavors of aldehydic salinity and green almonds, some ripe lemony citrus fruit tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light sharp notes of green apples, evolved hints of caramel and bruised apple and a peculiar, slightly Madeira-like touch of arrack. The racy acidity lends great sense of structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is crisp, long and concentrated with a powerful, dry aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and bruised apples, some ripe Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light aldehydic notes of green almonds and tangy salinity, an evolved hint of caramel and a touch of chopped walnuts.
A harmonious, classically styled and surprisingly powerful Vin Jaune that packs a remarkable amount of acidity and tangy aldehydic salinity to serve as a sharp counterpoint to the richness and slightly viscous mouthfeel from the elevated ripeness and concentration brought by the long aging sous voile. The wine is showing a tiny bit of age, but the overall feel is still very youthful and full of energy - this wine is going to age effortlessly for many, many years more. Excellent stuff with wonderful sense of complexity, highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2010 Domaine de Savagny Côtes du Jura Vin Jaune - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (11.8.2023)
A Vin Jaune from La Maison du Vigneron, a large yet quality-oriented co-operative-turned-négociant. All the Savagnin grapes come from the vineyards of the 12-hectare Domaine de Savagny, a small producer purchased by La Maison du Vigneron. The wine is aged sous voile for 75 months before bottling. 15% alcohol.
Medium-deep straw-yellow color. The nose feels powerful, deep and characterful with intense aromas of dried yellow stone fruits and apple jam, some juicy nectarine tones, a little bit of beeswax, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, a hint of mushroomy funk, a touch of bruised apple and a smoky whiff of something vaguely peaty. The wine feels rich, ripe and quite concentrated on the palate with a full body and intense, somewhat sweet-toned flavors of peach and beeswax, tangy aldehydic salinity, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light notes of Sultana raisins, a hint of mushroomy funk and a faint toasty touch of caramel oak. Despite its noticeably ripeness and surprisingly substantial overall feel, the wine still comes across as very fresh, balanced and structured, thanks to its impressively high acidity. The finish is long, ripe and characterful with an intense, slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of peach and bruised apple, some toasty oak nuances, a little bit of Sultana raisin, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and tangy salinity, a hint of chopped walnuts and a touch of peaty smoke.
A surprisingly big, concentrated and somewhat distinctive Vin Jaune with lots of body, fruit and ripeness along with some vaguely toasty oak nuances that one sees relatively rarely in Vin Jaunes. Despite its elevated ripeness and rather high level of alcohol, the wine comes across as surprisingly fresh, balanced and structured - there's more than enough acidity to keep things in harmony, and that sharp streak of aldehydic tang only helps in keeping the wine from coming across as soft or sweet. Furthermore, the rather high 15% alcohol stays remarkably well-hidden. Although a bit atypical, this is still a very impressive and enjoyable effort - especially if taken into consideration how the wine is made by one of the largest négociant producers in the region! Based on the very youthful overall feel here, I can imagine this wine will age effortlessly for a few decades more. A superb wine and great value at 41€ for a 0,62-liter clavelin.
(93 points) - 2012 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Arbois Vin Jaune W - France, Jura, Arbois (11.8.2023)
100% biodynamically grown Savagnin. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel. Aged sous voile for 6-7 years in old oak casks that were used to age Michel Couvreur whisky (and Michel Couvreur used to age his whisky in old Tissot vin jaune casks). 16% alcohol.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels deep, brooding and characterful with aromas of dried nectarine and Sultana raisin, some honeyed tones, a little bit of caramel character, light aldehydic notes of sorrel, a hint of mushroomy funk, a dry, grainy touch reminiscent of whisky and a boozy whiff of alcohol. The wine feels powerful, ripe and somewhat concentrated with a full body and intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, some funky mushroomy tones, a little bit of grainy whisky character, light honeyed and caramel nuances, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of zesty orange. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine while the high alcohol makes the overall feel rather warm. The finish is long, powerful and slightly hot with a dry, complex aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and grainy malt character, some sharp aldehydic notes of sorrel, sea salt and green almonds, a little bit of ripe orange, light honeyed nuances, a hint of mushroomy funk and a sweet touch of dried nectarine.
A surprisingly hefty and powerful Vin Jaune that is maybe a bit too heavy for my preference, but there's no denying that the wine still manages to show surprisingly impressive sense of balance and structure. Although I don't mind big and ripe Vin Jaunes, this is maybe getting a bit too big. Especially the very high alcohol is starting to show a bit too much - and Vin Jaune should be a style that can carry surprisingly high levels of alc% with remarkable ease! Fortunately the wine shows very little whisky character - in a tasting of multiple Vin Jaunes one can taste how there is a slightly grainy whisky-like streak to the flavors, but I guess one might never realize any whisky influence if just sipping this wine on its own. And that's a good thing - I loathe almost invariably all the rich, spoofy "whisky-finished" wine concoctions! This was still a superb wine in its own right.
(92 points) - 2012 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Arbois Vin Jaune Les Bruyères - France, Jura, Arbois (11.8.2023)
100% biodynamically grown Savagnin from Les Bruyères vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel. Aged sous voile for 6-7 years in old, untopped oak casks. 15,5% alcohol.
Quite pale and still relatively youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels somewhat sweet-toned but also relatively restrained with aromas of ripe citrus fruits, some juicy nectarine notes, a little bit of waxy funk, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, a hint of hay and a salty touch of sea air. The wine feels broad, ripe and concentrated with a very full body and quite lush flavors of peaches and wizened apricots, some waxy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweet notes of ripe Fuji apples and honeydew melon, aldehydic hints of sorrel and tangy salinity and a touch of savory umami. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine somewhat in balance, but the wine feels a bit soft and unctuous for a Vin Jaune. The finish is ripe, concentrated and quite lengthy with a rather dry aftertaste of juicy peach and wizened apricot, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of beeswax, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and nutty rancio, a hint of ripe golden apple and a touch of acacia honey.
A very big, ripe and concentrated single-vineyard Vin Jaune that feels more like a super-ripe white wine with a little bit of aldehydic Vin Jaune character than a true Vin Jaune. I've understood this is the top Vin Jaune in the Tissot range, due to the nature of Les Bruyères to produce a relatively little amount of very ripe and concentrated grapes. However, I prefer the less ripe and less fruity Vin Jaunes in the Tissot range, which show less in-your-face fruit and more of that classic aldehydic tang. This is a Vin Jaune for people who call for big body and tons of fruit over finesse and non-fruit flavors.
(91 points) - 2012 Tony Bornard Côtes du Jura Vin Jaune - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (11.8.2023)
I believe this is the debut Vin Jaune vintage of Tony Bornard - or at least of the label (I have no idea how much Tony was involved in making this wine in 2012). The label here is identical to the old Philippe Bornard Arbois Pupillin Vin Jaune, only says "Tony Bornard, Côtes du Jura Vin jaune". 100% organically farmed Savagnin. Fermented spontaneously and aged in old oak barrels which are first topped up for a year, then left un-topped for six years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal or no SO2. 15% alcohol.
Quite pale and very slightly hazy yellow-green color. The nose feels savory, dry and not particularly fruity but still very harmonious and attractive with aromas of chopped nuts, aldehydic notes of sorrel and curry spice, some green almonds, a little bit of syrupy richness, light smoky tones, a hint of bruised green apple, a touch of dried stone fruits and a whiff of honeysuckle. The wine feels clean, focused and very acid-driven on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry, noticeably intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and bruised red apple, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of green almond, light tangy notes of aldehydic salinity and sorrel, a hint of syrupy richness and a touch of wizened peach. The bracing acidity lends tremendous sense of precision and incisive structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, dry and focused with a remarkably long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and sharp green apple tones, some aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, a little bit of stony minerality, light dried-fruit nuances of Sultana raisins, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of cantaloupe.
An excellent, ridiculously racy and very impressive Vin Jaune. A textbook example of this style, showing all the classic aldehydic notes one can expect from a Vin Jaune along with the tremendous acidity Savagnin is renowned for. The wine is still a baby and I can expect it to evolve and improve for many, many years more. Very highly recommended.
(95 points) - 2008 Jean-François Ganevat Vin Jaune - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (11.8.2023)
100% organically farmed Savagnin. Fermented spontaneously. Aged sous voile in old oak barrels for 10 years. Bottled with minimal or no SO2. 14,5% alcohol.
Slightly hazy, medium-deep canary yellow color. The nose feels rich, brooding and rather dark-toned for a Vin Jaune with very complex aromas of caramel, bruised apple and cloudberry jam, some dried-fruit notes of dried apricots and Sultana raisins, light Madeira-like notes of arrack, a little bit of something smoky, aldehydic hints of sorrel and green almonds and a nutty touch of roasted hazelnuts or chestnuts. The wine feels powerful, quite robust and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of bruised green apples and nutty notes of oxidative rancio, some aldehydic notes of sorrel and tangy salinity, a little bit of arrack, light dried-fruit notes of dried apricots and Sultana raisins, a hint of old wood and a touch of ripe grapefruit. Even though the wine feels rather big and concentrated, the noticeably high acidity keeps the wine quite effortlessly in balance. The finish is long, powerful and somewhat evolved with a complex, concentrated aftertaste of ripe peach, some honeyed richness, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and tangy salinity, a little bit of stony minerality, nutty hints of roasted hazelnuts and rancio and a touch of caramel.
An incredible powerhouse of Vin Jaune that does feel rather big and concentrated, yet never once comes across as ponderous, overdone or too heavy. The style is markedly different to the general style of Vin Jaune, coming across as somewhat more evolved and slightly more oxidative - most likely due to the barrel-aging regime that is almost twice as long as it is for most Vin Jaunes - yet the wine doesn't feel particularly old or tertiary. I guess the aging potential might be somewhat limited here; I don't know if the wine is going to fall apart any sooner than your run-of-the-mill Vin Jaune, but I feel the wine is released so evolved, that any further development and/or improvement is going to be quite minimal. This is an extraordinary Vin Jaune that can be enjoyed now or whenever in the future. So very highly recommended.
(97 points) - 2014 Bodegas Bhilar Rioja Blanco Phinca La Revilla - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (11.8.2023)
100% biodynamically farmed Viura from the 0,68-hectare La Revilla vineyard planted to red and white varieties in 1925. The fruit is destemmed, foot-crushed and spontaneously fermented on the skins. When the wine is fermented dry, it is racked off the skins into 225-liter French oak barriques and left to age for six years. During this period, the barrels are not topped up, they didn't develop any flor and the wine was racked once. 14% alcohol. Bottle #610 of total 2498 bottles.
Quite deep and wonderfully luminous bronze color. The complex nose feels open, expressive and fragrant with sweet, fruit-forward yet somewhat oxidative aromas of orange marmalade, some phenolic resinous tones, a little bit of caramel, light lifted notes of nail polish, a hint of ripe nectarine, a touch of honeysuckle and a whiff of savory old wood. The wine feels broad, ripe and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and fascinating, very complex flavors of caramel, some ripe apricot and apple jam notes, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, light lifted nuances of nail polish, mineral hints of wet rocks and tangy salinity and a touch of browned butter. The rather high acidity lends some sense of freshness and structure, keeping the wine nicely in balance. The finish is rich, persistent and somewhat oxidative with a very complex aftertaste of evolved caramel and bruised apple tones, ripe apricot, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of saline minerality, light lifted notes of nail polish VA, a hint of peanut butter and a touch of tertiary umami character.
An exceptional Rioja Blanco that straddles the fine line between very traditional and post-modern. The overall feel is that of a traditional white Rioja that has been aged for years on end in oak barrels, lending the wine profound sense of depth and complexity. However, the subtle skin-contact nuances and understated toasty oak tones lend a sense of modernity to the wine - although these qualities might not be out of place in a historical Spanish white wine, which might've been fermented (at least partially) on the skins as well. Whatever the case is, this is a stunning wine. It is quite big and ripe - even slightly fat at times - yet so very balanced and harmonious at the same time. With its noticeably oxidative overall character I find it a bit hard to see how this wine could evolve any further from here, but at the same time I suspect that this oxidative character helps the wine to stay alive for gods know how long. Drink or keep for however long you want to. This is outrageously good stuff - need to check out some other Bodegas Bhilar wines as well!
(96 points) - 2016 Lyrarakis Melissaki Gerodeti - Greece, Crete, Heraklion (11.8.2023)
100% Melissaki from the Gerodeti (or Gero-deti) vineyard in Alagni area, located within the Heraklion regional unit of Crete. Fermented with selected yeasts in stainless steel tanks. 12,4% alcohol, 1,8 g/l residual sugar, 6,1 g/l acidity and H 3,2. Bottle #932.
Youthful, quite intense and rather pale neon yellow-green color. The nose feels herby and fragrant with aromas of lemon zest and white flowers, some crunchy white currant tones, a little bit of something vaguely plastic-y, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of smoke, a touch of fresh red apple and a whiff of something waxy. The wine feels dry, firm and medium-bodied on the palate with flavors of cantaloupe and beeswax, some bitter notes of medicinal herbs, a little bit of lemon rind, light stony and chalky mineral notes, again a hint of something vaguely plastic-y and a touch of crunchy white currant. Crisp, bracing acidity. The finish is crisp, long and slightly austere with flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits and bitter medicinal herbs, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of crunchy green currant, light mineral notes of wet rocks and chalk dust, a hint of verbena soap and a touch of something plastic-y.
An enjoyably crisp, brisk and quite mineral Cretan white that has a somewhat odd streak of something vaguely plastic-y that does bother me a bit. Without it this wine would be more enjoyable. I have no idea what it is, but it does lend a somewhat dull and slightly distracting overall feel to the wine. I have no idea if it is something from the variety (I have zero previous experience with Melissaki), from the winemaking, from bottle aging or if we just had an off bottle. Feels rather pricey for the quality at 29,95€.
(85 points) - 2018 Andreas Tscheppe Hirschkäfer - Austria, Styria, Südsteiermark (11.8.2023)
A blend of organically farmed Sauvignon Blanc and Morillon (Chardonnay). Fermented spontaneously with the skins for 5 weeks in 600-liter oak barrels. Aged for 1,5 years and bottled on 14th of April, 2020. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Rather hazy or even somewhat cloudy yellow-orange peach color. The nose feels ridiculously intense and fragrant with bold, characterful aromas of Muscat-like floral perfume and grapey fruit, some juicy notes of nectarine, a little bit of ripe pineapple and blood orange, light lifted notes on nail polish and even a tiny bit of sharp acetic character, a hint of acacia honey, a touch of dank herby character and a whiff of sauvage funk. The wine feels youthful, powerful and slightly leesy on the palate with a medium body and very intense flavors of ripe nectarine, some honeydew melon, light nail polish nuances and acetic notes of VA, a little bit of ripe tangerine, a hint of fragrant floral character and a touch of orange marmalade. The wine is impressively structured with its high acidity, but there's also a tiniest bit of tannic grip that adds to the sense of firmness. The finish is fresh yet funky with a rather long and quite sauvage aftertaste of leathery funk and ripe nectarine, some honeydew melon and tangerine notes, a little bit of tangy acetic character, light lifted notes of nail polish, a green-toned hint of chopped aromatic herbs and a touch of floral spices.
A quite noticeably wild and funky but also very impressive and characterful naturalista. For some people in the tasting, the wine was just way too weird and/or natty, but even if the wine showed a tad more acetic character than I wanted, this was still a superb effort with so many things going on. What surprised me the most was the very perfumed and floral overall character! Although the wine drinks more like a hefty white wine rather than an orange wine, I was pretty sure the wine had seen some skin contact, but I was also quite sure the wine was either a Gewürztraminer or a Muscat (or at least contained some in the blend). However, the wine turned out to be a Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay blend! I'm not sure if the wine was particularly true to either variety, but this was still a very lovely all the same. Maybe not the most affordable wine at approx. 55€, but arguably delivers for the price. I just heartily recommend letting the wine stay upright for a few days and then decant it carefully off the deposit - just to keep the wine from appearing as cloudy as it was in our tasting!
(93 points) - 2018 Elian Da Ros Côtes du Marmandais Le vin est une fête - France, Southwest France, Côtes du Marmandais (11.8.2023)
A blend of Abouriou (40%), Cabernet Franc (40%) and Merlot (20%). The Merlot and Cab Franc grapes are destemmed and vinified in concrete for 10-15 days. The Abouriou is vinified by carbonic maceration. Aged for 10 months in old, neutral barriques and foudres, then blended together in a vat and left to marry for another month. Bottled unfined and lightly filtered in autumn 2019. 12,5% alcohol.
Dense, youthful and slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels youthful, somewhat closed and a bit reductive with somewhat reticent and slightly funky aromas of fresh blackcurrants and sweet blueberries, some flatulent notes of reduction, a little bit of orange rind, light inky tones, a hint of roasted bell pepper, a touch of gamey meat and a whiff of peppery spice. The wine feels ripe and juicy yet lively on the palate with a light-to-medium body and vibrant, youthful flavors of ripe forest fruits and fresh bilberries, some crunchy crowberry tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light inky tones, a hint of savory spice and a touch of roasted bell pepper. The overall feel is balanced yet a bit on the soft and gentle side, thanks to the medium acidity and quite gentle medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry, very subtly grippy and quite fruity with a mellow, medium-long aftertaste of sweet blackcurrants and other dark berries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of fresh bilberry, light bell pepper tones, a hint of fresh and slightly tart red plum and a touch of cherry pits.
A fun, fresh and drinkable little red wine. It manages to combine ripeness and fruit-forward nature with relatively low alcohol and fruit flavors that are more reminiscent of cool-climate reds. If anything, the wine is still surprisingly youthful, even at the age of five years! Although the wine doesn't feel like it is built to age - and it doesn't really call for any additional aging from the structural point of view - I'd let the wine still age a few years more, in the hopes that the wine would lose some of its reduction and bring some additional, savory complexity to complement the more fruit-forward flavors. If opened now, I suggest letting the wine breathe for an hour or two, just to blow off some of that reduction. Thoroughly enjoyable stuff made in an unambitious bistro style that emphasizes drinkability over depth or structure. Great value at 12,40€.
(89 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
After the hype train left the station, any domaine-level Ganevat wines have been very difficult to source and their prices have soared like crazy.
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