In last May I arranged a blind tasting with a theme of burly wines. The attendees were given no pointers others than these wines are either pretty extracted, tannic and/or quite oaky. In other words, stuff I don’t usually arrange tastings on. However, every now and then, for some reason or another, wines like these end up in my cellar and I thought it would be more interesting to taste these kinds of wines comparatively all at one go, instead of just drinking them one by one.
And as is almost always the case with our tastings, some of the attendees brought some extra bottles that were not part of the blind tasting.
-
2011 Inkwell Road to Joy Shiraz Primitivo - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (13.5.2023)
A blend of Shiraz from Block 3 (69%) and Block 2 (15%) and Primitivo from Block 2 (16%). Fermented spontaneously, aged in French and American oak barrels for 16 months. Bottled with minimum SO2. 14,9% alcohol, 6,5 g/l acidity and pH 3,52. Total production 2,300 bottles.
Quite opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels sweetish, dark-toned and a bit restrained with aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some toasty mocha oak tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light juicy notes of black raspberries, a lifted cool hint of eucalyptus and a touch of fresh blueberry. The wine feels rich, broad and ripe with a quite full body and somewhat sweet-toned flavors of jammy blackberries, some peppery spice, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light bilberry and plummy tones, a toasty hint of mocha oak and a touch of extracted woody bitterness. The overall mouthfeel is silky smooth yet firm enough with the rather high acidity and somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins. The rather high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The finish is rich, dark-toned and somewhat sweetly-fruited with a long aftertaste of ripe blackberries, some savory and slightly bitter woody oak tones, a little bit of juicy plummy fruit, light peppery tones, a toasty hint of sweeter mocha oak and a touch of brambly black raspberry.
A rather big and ripe Aussie Shiraz (-blend) but quite harmonious, balanced and structured at that. Maybe not that interesting aromatically - the overall fruit profile is that of a somewhat generic and moderately oaky Shiraz, and I don't know if that Primitivo component is doing much apart from adding body and those darker, plummy fruit tones. Although the wine is showing a little bit of age, the overall feel is still very youthful for an Australian red 12 years old and most likely the wine can continue on aging and evolving effortlessly for at least another dozen years. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 23,90€.
(88 points) -
2016 Sequerciani Pugnitello Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (13.5.2023)
100% organically farmed Pugnitello. Fermented spontaneously in concrete tanks, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels and terracotta amphorae. Vinified without any SO2. 13,5% alcohol.
Youthful, somewhat translucent and quite deep cherry-red color. The open nose feels fragrant, quite expressive and subtly funky with aromas of sweet black cherries, some red plums, a little bit of smoky phenolic spice, light bretty notes of leather saddle, a hint of marmaladey red berries and a touch of balsamic VA. The wine is clean, juicy and moderately ripe on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of ripe black cherries, some fresh red plums, light balsamic nuances, a little bit of phenolic spice, a hint of juicy dark berries and a bretty touch of leather. The overall feel is firm and harmonious, thanks to the high acidity and quite gentle medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is dry, ripe and slightly funky with a rather long aftertaste of black cherries, some spicy phenolic tones, a little bit of balsamic VA, light bretty notes of leathery funk, a hint of pipe tobacco and a ferrous, slightly salty touch of blood.
A tasty, clean and surprisingly approachable Pugnitello - considering how the variety is thought to be a very tough and tannic Tuscan variety! Somehow the producer has managed to transform this occasionally rather challenging variety into something vibrant, fruity and accessible. The wine does show a little bit of that Maremma sun and ripeness, but the high acidity and well-managed tannins keep the wine from coming across as soft or too sweetly-fruited. Considering the wine is a non-sulfite naturalista, the overall feel is remarkably clean and vibrant - only a little bit of leathery funk telling the taster that this might not be a purely conventional wine after all. Seeing how the wine feels still so youthful after almost 7 years, I can easily imagine this wine will continue to evolve and improve for a number of years more. At 24,90€, this was a good purchase.
(91 points) -
2012 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Margone - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (13.5.2023)
100% Sangiovese from vineyards in Panzano. Macerated for 20 days with the skins. Aged for 16 months in French barriques (both new and older) and larger oak tonneaux. 14% alcohol, 6,2 g/l acidity.
Deep, quite dark and rather opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels quite dry and dark-toned with aromas of ripe sour cherries, some loose tobacco, a little bit of dark forest fruits, light earthy tones, a hint of savory wood spice, a touch of blueberry and a whiff of alcohol. The wine feels dry, savory and somewhat extracted with a medium-to-full body and intense flavors of meaty umami and juicy dark fruits, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of tart red plum, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of tobacco and a faint touch of toasty oak spice. The overall feel is pretty stern and tightly-knit with the high acidity and assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is dry, somewhat warm and quite tannic with a long aftertaste of licorice and savory wood spice, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of tobacco, light earthy tones, a hint of crunchy crowberry and a touch of fresh red plum.
A rather robust yet quite sophisticated CC Gran Selezione that is still surprisingly youthful after +10 years. Neither the fruit profile nor the tannins show much sense of evolution and the wine feels pretty stern and muscular - yet not overtly tough or aggressive. The overall feel isn't as ripe as in the 2011 vintage and the most obvious oak influence has nicely receded into the background, so this wine seems to be evolving in the right direction. Although the overall feel is a bit darker-toned and more extracted than is typical of CC, the style doesn't feel that out of place for a CC Gran Selezione. Although I prefer slightly lighter and more delicate style of CC, I found this wine surprisingly nice and impressive. Most likely the wine needs for another 10-15 years before it reaches its peak, but it is entering its drinking window now - although the firm tannins really call for some food. Priced according to its quality at 29,40€.
(92 points) -
2012 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (13.5.2023)
A blend of Tempranillo (85%), Garnacha (10%) and Graciano (5%) from mainly Rioja Alta (85%) and a little bit from Rioja Alavesa (15%). Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels (1/3 in new, 2/3 in once and twice used). 14% alcohol, 5,1 g/l acidity.
Quite deep, moderately opaque and surprisingly evolved dark plummy red with a maroon or brick-red hue. The nose feels aged, pungent and quite oxidative with aromas of soy sauce, some beef jerky, light savory notes of woody spice, light sweet cherry tones, a hint of earth and a touch of dried flowers. The wine feels aged, ripe and very evolved on the palate with a quite full body and somewhat oxidative flavors of soy sauce, some beef jerky, a little bit of earth, light woody and toasty nuances of oak, a cool hint of minty lift and a touch of hoisin sauce. The wine is quite high in acidity with rather resolved, somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is quite dull and flat with moderately grippy tannins and a long, quite oxidative aftertaste of soy sauce, some earth, a little bit of tobacco, light woody tones, a sweeter hint of dried cherries and a touch of minty greenness.
I guess this was just prematurely oxidized bottle. The wine I tasted five years ago was quite modern and glossy, but also brimming with aging potential. Furthermore, most CT tasting notes the wine should be still quite youthful, even if it is already +10 years old. I guess this was just either a bad bottle or a bottle with a bad cork. 18,47€ down the drain.
(NR/flawed) -
2012 Baron de Ley Rioja Varietales Maturana - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (13.5.2023)
There seems to be some disagreement whether Maturana is a local variety from Rioja; Trousseau (which is known as Maturana Tinta in Spain); or Castets (which is known as Maturana Tinta de Navarrete). Anyways, the wine iss ourced from two vineyards in Rioja Baja (or Rioja Oriental): Los Almendros in Ausejo and Monte Araoz in Mendavia. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. 14,5% alcohol. Bottle no. 15768.
Deep, dense and quite concentrated blackish-red color that doesn't permit any light through. The nose feels open, somewhat characterful but also rather modern and polished with rich aromas of ripe blueberries, some oaky notes of vanilla and cloves, a little bit of soft dark plum, light elderberry tones, a hint of peppery spice, a touch of toasty mocha oak and a whiff of bilberry jam. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite chewy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of blueberries and elderberries, some toasty mocha oak tones, a little bit of clove and vanilla, light sweet notes of soft dark plums, a hint of extracted woody bitterness and a ferrous touch of blood. The overall feel is pretty firm and structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample tannins that feel quite ripe and gentle at first, but which make the wine feel pretty grippy after a little while. The finish is robust, moderately grippy and slightly warm with a long, dark-toned aftertaste of ripe bilberries and dark plums, some extracted woody bitterness, a little bit of vanilla, light toasty chocolate oak nuances, a hint of elderberries and a touch of cloves.
An impressively muscular and still remarkably youthful Rioja red that feels too much like a winemaker's wine. I'm not sure what variety this particular Maturana really is, but it doesn't really feel like any Trousseau / Bastardo I've tasted - although with this much ripeness, oak and extraction, it's entirely possible that this is a Trousseau after all, just mangled into something quite unrecognizable. Anyways, I actually enjoyed this wine relatively much for the style - mainly thanks to the impressive structure that was nicely balanced with the fruit and the body - but I'd really enjoy this wine much more were it made with less heavy-handed oak use. At 14,90€, the wine was priced according to its quality.
(88 points) -
2016 Bodegas Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero Malleolus - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (13.5.2023)
100% old-vine Tinto Fino aka. Tempranillo. Fermented and macerated for 18 days in stainless steel tanks. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. 14% alcohol.
Deep and quite opaque blackish-red color with a faint, subtly youthful blueish hue. The nose feels very intense with bold aromas of ripe dark fruits, some green minty lift, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light brambly black raspberries, a hint of anise and a touch of sweet blueberry. The wine is ripe, chewy and quite dense with a very full body and intense, slightly sweet-toned flavors of juicy black cherries and dark plums, some minty green notes, a little bit of cassis, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice and chocolatey mocha character, a hint of extracted woody bitterness and a touch of gravelly minerality. Despite its rather huge size and obvious ripeness, the wine shows impressive sense of structure with its pretty high acidity and ample, quite grippy tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and moderately grippy with a long, somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of succulent black cherries, some toasty notes of sweet oak spice and chocolatey mocha character, light juicy blackcurrant tones, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, a hint of plum jam and a touch of minty greenness.
This is a big, very ripe and noticeably concentrated super-Tempranillo made in a modern, polished style. It does have its redeeming qualities, though: the fruit intensity manages to cut through the toasty oak quite effortlessly, and even if the wine is quite big and ripe, it does pack surprising freshness and sense of structure with its acidity and tannins. This still isn't my style of wine, but who knows - maybe the wine could turn into something more interesting after another dozen years or so, if the oak integrates better with the fruit and the wine moves out from its youthful, quite fruit-forward phase into a more savory, developed phase? Or then the wine just does the "South American prestige wine trick", ie. remains more or less unchanged - as if in a time capsule - for a decade or two, then just falls apart. Go figure. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 30,32€.
(89 points) -
2013 Quinta de Chocapalha CH by Chocapalha - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (13.5.2023)
100% Touriga Nacional from a 29 years old vineyard. Fully destemmed fruit is first cold-soaked, then macerated with the skins for 12 days in lagares with "robot feet" aiding in pigeage. Aged in French barriques for 24 months. 14% alcohol, 0,5 g/l residual sugar, 5,72 g/l acidity, 0,79 g/l VA and pH 3,78.
Deep, dark and quite opaque blackish-red color. The nose feels savory and somewhat evolved with a bit earthy aromas of blueberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of licorice root, light perfumed floral notes typical of Touriga Nacional, crunchy hints of fresh plums and chokeberries, a touch of sandy soil and a whiff of garrigue. The wine feels ripe yet very dry, dense and chewy with a full body and intense, savory flavors of dark forest fruits and fresh plums, some licorice root, light sweeter nuances of bilberries, a little bit of garrigue, a toasty hint of mocha oak and a touch of asphalt. The wine is quite firm and muscular - especially for the ripeness - with its rather high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is powerful, dark-toned and quite grippy with a long, savory aftertaste of bilberries and dark plums, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of licorice, light crunchy notes of chokeberries, a hint of garrigue and a toasty touch of sweeter oak character.
It seems five years of aging helped this wine a lot. In its youth (well, at five years of age) this was ridiculously tough and tannic beast of a wine, but now the wine is more approachable with more sense of depth and complexity and the ample tannins aren't that tough or aggressive, even if the wine is still quite grippy by nature. However, it also seems that the wine has lost some of those heady, fragrant Touriga Nacional aromatics with age and the toasty oak notes have surprisingly come more to the fore - it feels as though the more oaky tones were better masked by the vibrant fruit flavors when the wine was younger, but now the fruit intensity has receded a little, the toasty nuances have gained more room. Although the wine feels stylistically a bit more modern and oaky than I'd like to, this is still a lovely, enjoyable and impressively structured Portuguese red all the same. Most likely the wine will continue to evolve and improve for at least another 6-10 years. Priced according to its quality at 34,50€.
(92 points) -
2014 Château Bouscassé Madiran - France, Southwest France, Madiran (13.5.2023)
A blend of Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from vineyards ranging from 20 to 100 years in age. Macerated with the skins for 3 to 6 weeks. Aged in French oak barriques (30% to 50% new). 13,5% alcohol.
Deep, moderately opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels savory and quite similar to a classic Bordeaux with aromas of fresh red plums, some herbaceous leafy tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light sweeter notes of dark-toned toasty oak, a hint of licorice root and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine feels dry, savory and quite dense on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of fresh blackcurrants and chokeberries, some tart red plums, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of ripe black raspberry and a herbaceous touch of leafy greenness. The wine is impressively structured and quite sinewy with its high acidity and quite grippy yet not aggressive tannins. The finish is juicy, dry and moderately grippy with a rather lengthy aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants, some crunchy notes of chokeberries and fresh black raspberries, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light gravelly mineral tones, a sweeter hint of ripe red plum and a touch of herbaceous greenness.
A nice, firm and structured Madiran with very harmonious overall feel. With its somewhat - but not overdone - oak influence, the wine doesn't really come across as that old-school, but at the same time the wine (with its quite noticeable Cab component) feels very similar to a Bordeaux, just more "traditional" than most of the Bordeaux reds produced today. When it comes to the reds of Alain Brumont, I prefer these slightly leaner and more structure-driven Bouscassé wines to the Montus wines, which feel softer, more modern and less structured in comparison. This wine seemed still pretty youthful and I have no doubts it could continue to develop and improve for at least another decade - perhaps even more. At just 15,22€, this wine has been a bargain.
(91 points) -
2014 Domaine d'E Croce (Yves Leccia) Patrimonio E Croce - France, Corsica, Patrimonio (13.5.2023)
A single vineyard wine. Blend of organically farmed Niellucciu aka. Sangiovese (90%) and Grenache (10%). Macerated for about two weeks with the skins and aged for 12 months in stainless steel. 13,5% alcohol.
Moderately translucent brick-red color with a pale orange rim. The nose feels savory, meaty and moderately evolved with aromas of wild strawberries, some sweet cherry tones, a little bit of darker forest fruits, light fragrant notes of tarragon and garrigue, a hint of sun-baked earth and a faint touch of sweet soy sauce. The wine feels ripe, juicy and clean on the palate with a medium body and moderately evolved flavors of meaty umami and tart red plum, some oxidative notes of beef jerky, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light nuances of pipe tobacco, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of garrigue. The overall feel is pretty stern and structure-driven, thanks to the high acidity and quite grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and rather tannic with a somewhat tertiary aftertaste of meaty umami, some crunchy notes of redcurrants and fresh red plums, a little bit of garrigue, light oxidative nuances of soy sauce and beef jerky, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of sun-baked earth.
A nice, stern and structure-driven Patrimonio with great sense of intensity and purity of fruit. However, the wine seemed much older than I anticipated, even coming across as a bit oxidative. I wonder if I had just a bummer bottle or if these E Croce wines just aren't built for the long haul? When I've had them young, they've always struck me as very tough and structure-driven wines that really call for years in a cellar, which is why I was surprised how evolved the fruit department here was. This was still a nice wine and somewhat worth the 22,50€, but I was expecting something less tertiary.
(89 points) -
2016 Telavi Wine Cellar Saperavi Satrapezo Kakheti - Georgia, Kakheti (13.5.2023)
100% Saperavi from a single vineyard in Kondoli, Kakheti. Harvested in late September, the grapes are crushed and moved into buried earthenware kvevris. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 6 months. Racked into new oak barriques and aged in oak for 24 months. Bottled unfiltered. Total production 40,000 bottles and 300 magnums. Bottle #12433. 14% alcohol.
Dense, almost fully opaque black cherry color with a deep, inky core and slightly translucent, subtly blueish rim. The nose feels brooding and sweetly-fruited with quite dark-toned aromas of elderberries and black raspberries, some lifted notes of anise, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light licorice tones, a hint of ripe black cherry and a faint touch of vanilla. The wine feels ripe, quite dense and somewhat polished but also very dry and savory on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of chokeberries and fresh blackcurrants, some fresh herby tones, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of dark-toned toasty oak character, a hint of tart damson and a touch of vanilla. The mouthfeel is silky yet very firm and quite structured, thanks to the bright high acidity and ample yet supple medium tannins. The finish is ripe and juicy yet still firm and dry with a long, somewhat polished aftertaste of chokeberries, some fresh and crunchy notes of dark plums, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice, light mocha tones, a hint of red licorice and a touch of vanilla. The ample yet ripe tannins make the wine end on a gently yet firmly grippy note.
This was a rather polished example of a Georgian Saperavi, made in a quite markedly modernist "new world" style. However, for such a wine, this was still a surprisingly serious and promising effort. The wine does show some obvious new oak influence, but it doesn't come across as overdone in relation to the vibrant fruit, and even if the wine does show some ripeness, the overall style is still very noticeably Saperavi with its markedly dry, tart and dark berry-driven flavors, high acidity and firm tannins. Even though I'm not a big fan of this style of Georgian wine and I'd rather buy those traditional, less polished kvevri wines instead, I must admit this wine manages to combine the approachable modern style of wine and the traditional kvevri wine style of Georgia. As the wine is still very youthful, bold and moderately oaky, I could see this wine benefiting from extended aging - in the hopes that with enough age the oaky tones would integrate with the savory fruit. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 29€.
(90 points) -
2013 Fraser Gallop Cabernet Sauvignon Parterre Wilyabrup Margaret River - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (13.5.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (86%), Petit Verdot (6%), Merlot (4%), Malbec (3%) and Cabernet Franc (1%). Aged in new and 2nd use French oak barriques for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol, 6,1 g/l acidity.
Deep, slightly evolved and somewhat translucent blackish-cherry color. The nose feels dark-toned, somewhat spicy and pretty classically styled with nuanced aromas of fresh blackcurrants, some chopped green chili, a little bit of crunchy crowberry, light plummy tones, a savory hint of woody oak spice, a leafy touch of herbaceous Cab character and a cool whiff of menthol. The wine feels silky yet firm on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some herbaceous notes of cooked bell pepper, a little bit of leafy greenness, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of chopped chili and a sweeter touch of dark-toned toasty oak. The overall feel is quite sinewy and structured, thanks to the high acidity and quite resolved, supple tannins. The finish is long, harmonious and somewhat grippy with a nuanced aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants, some woody oak tones, a little bit of bell pepper, light crunchy notes of crowberries and fresh dark plums, a leafy hint of herbaceous Cab character and a touch of menthol.
A beautiful, harmonious and quite classically styled Bordeaux blend (despite the label saying this is a Cab). When I tasted the wine five years ago, I described it having new world ripeness and concentration yet being built like an old world wine. Now, at ten years of age, the wine has lost most of its new world leanings and turned into something not unlike a traditionally made Bordeaux red. The tannins have resolved wonderfully yet not completely, lending enough firmness and grip to the mouthfeel, and almost all the toasty oak tones (that were pretty light and subtle to begin with) have disappeared almost completely. The wine is definitely evolving in the right direction, but I wouldn't say the wine is peaking now or even in the near future. This is drinking really well right now, but I'd say it will take at least another 5 to 10 years before the wine reaches its plateau of maturity. This continues to be one of the greatest Margaret River reds I've had and it has been great value at 32,90€.
(94 points) -
2015 Miguel Torres Cabernet Sauvignon Cordillera de los Andes - Chile, Maipo Valley (13.5.2023)
Made with organically farmed Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Fermented and macerated with the skins in stainless steel tanks for 16 days. Aged in French oak barrels (70% 2nd use, 30% new) for 12 months. Bottled unfiltered. 14% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar, 5,1 g/l acidity and pH 3,7.
Deep, slightly inky and almost fully opaque blood-red color that doesn't appear young nor old. The expressive nose feels juicy, sweet-toned and somewhat concentrated with intense aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some minty nuances, a little bit of fresh dark plum and black raspberry, light herbaceous notes of currant leaves, a woody hint of savory oak spice, a touch of rosemary and a toasty whiff of coffee. The wine feels concentrated, ripe and juicy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of cassis and dark plummy fruit, some herbaceous notes of currant leaves and minty greenness, a little bit of peppery spice, light woody notes of savory oak, a toasty hint of coffee and mocha oak and a savory touch of meaty umami. The wine has retained its impressive, tightly-knit structure and the overall feel is pretty stern, thanks to the rather high acidity and still quite assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is grippy, savory and pretty tightly-knit with a long, concentrated aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants, some meaty umami tones, a little bit of leafy greenness, light sweeter notes of juicy dark plums, herbaceous hints of rosemary and cool minty character and a toasty touch of mocha oak.
A surprisingly stern and serious effort for a Chilean Cab. There is still some new oak influence, lending the wine a somewhat polished, toasty overall character, but the oak use feels very judicious and the emphasis is on the moderately ripe (not overripe) blackcurrant-driven Cab fruit and lovely herbaceous overtones. When I tasted the wine +5 years ago, it was still a super tough and tightly-knit effort and my assessment was that the wine would take years more before it starts to drink beautifully. Well, apparently I wasn't wrong, because now - at 8 years of age - the wine is still super youthful and rather structure-driven effort that could use a lot more aging to resolve that tannic grip, integrate those oak tones and introduce some tertiary complexity to the vibrant and quite intense fruit department. This is a very serious and well-crafted Chilean Cab that is aging in the right direction, but I feel things have changed very little - this wine continues to call for further aging before it really starts to drink really well. This is still far away from its peak. This has been a great purchase at 18,30€.
(93 points) -
2016 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley (13.5.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (86%), Merlot (13%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) harvested between September 10th and October 7th. Aged in French and Eastern European oak barrels (65% used, 35% new) for 16 months. Bottled in April 2017. 14,2% alcohol.
Youthful, luminous and moderately translucent dark garnet color with a faint purplish hue. The nose feels somewhat sweet-toned and slightly oak-driven with aromas of vanilla, cloves and mulled wine along with fruitier notes of ripe blackcurrants and juicy black cherries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light marshmallow nuances and a hint of tomato stalk. The wine is ripe, juicy and somewhat mellow on the palate with a full body and quite lush flavors of ripe dark plums and strawberries, some vanilla oak, a little bit of strawberry marshmallow, light toasty notes of chocolatey mocha oak, a hint of red licorice and a touch of clove. The structure relies mostly on the medium-to-moderately high acidity as the ripe, supple tannins contribute mainly to the rich texture of the wine, not to the structure. The finish is rich, soft and juicy with flavors of strawberries, some red licorice tones, light oaky notes of vanilla and cloves, a little bit of juicy dark plum, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a faint herbaceous touch of blackcurrant leaf.
I was expecting something more impressive and serious. This turned out to be a soft, fruity and somewhat banal crowdpleaser with a rather heavy emphasis on sweetly-spiced oak aromatics. After two very serious Cabs from Australia and Chile, this Napa take on the variety turned out to be much softer and sweeter-toned with less acidity and almost imperceptible tannins. I guess the wine could continue to evolve and improve with age, seeing how youthful it is now, at the age of 6½ years. However, I doubt this will turn into anything particularly thrilling with age, no matter how long it is cellared. Can't say I was particularly impressed. Not a particularly good purchase at 38,79€.
(88 points)
The extras:
-
NV Janisson Baradon & Fils Champagne 7C Rosé - France, Champagne (13.5.2023)
A blend of all the seven permitted varieties: Arbanne (15%), Petit Meslier (15%), Pinot Blanc (15%), Pinot Gris(15%), Pinot Meunier (15%), Pinot Noir (13%) and Chardonnay (12%) from vineyards planted in 1950, 1970, 1974, 1981, 2001 and 2009 close to Epernay. No MLF. Based on the 2017 vintage with 2016 reserve wines. Bottled unfiltered on April 11th, 2018. Disgorged on 25th of May 2021, after three years of aging. 12% alcohol, dosage 2 g/l. Total production 1589 bottles. Tasted blind.
Coppery-peach orange color. The nose feels characterful with aromas of ripe Fuji apples, some bready autolysis, a little bit of bruised Granny Smith apple, light zesty notes of citrus fruit, a hint of juicy white peach, a touch of rowanberry and a leesy whiff of yeast. The wine feels dry, crisp and very savory on the palate with a tightly-knit medium body and crunchy flavors of earthy spices, some mealy red apple, a little bit of tart lingonberries and crowberries, light mineral notes of chalk dust, a hint of savory umami and a touch of tangy salinity. The mousse feels smooth and creamy and the brisk acidity is high. The finish is long, dry and pretty lean with flavors of rowanberries, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of crowberry, light saline mineral tones, a hint of grapefruit and a touch of nutty autolysis.
A characterful and pretty lean rosé Champagne that is definitely not built to be a crowdpleaser. There is some sense of ripeness here, but the overall feel is very tightly-knit and even slightly austere - thanks to the combination of low dosage, high acidity and no MLF. Although I found the wine pretty enjoyable due to its somewhat unique aromatics and its brisk acidity, I feel it was still a bit on the slightly too austere side and could've used a bit more fruit and maybe either ripeness or dosage. I found the wine slightly more enjoyable than the white 7C (2015 & 2014-based), but not by much. These wines can be a bit harsh - but hopefully some aging could help fixing that!
(90 points) -
2011 Le Piane Boca - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca (13.5.2023)
A blend of Nebbiolo (85%) and Vespolina (15%). Fermented spontaneously and macerated for 30 days in stainless steel tanks and open-top oak fermentors. Aged for 3 to 4 years in 2000-3000 liter oak botti before bottling. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Somewhat translucent and very slightly hazy blood-red color with a subtly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels savory and a bit reductive with aromas of licorice root and gravelly minerality, some loose tobacco, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light sweeter notes or ripe black cherry, a hint of rubbery reduction, a touch of fresh redcurrants and a whiff of dried roses and other fragrant flowers. The wine feels firm, quite balanced and pretty savory on the palate with a medium body and slightly brooding flavors of ripe red cherries, tart cranberries and gravelly minerality, some licorice root tones, a little bit of savory old wood, light rubbery notes of reduction, a hint of meaty umami and a bitter touch of chokeberries or sour cherries. The wine is high in acidity with firm yet not aggressive medium tannins. The long finish is savory, slightly reticent and moderately grippy with a dry aftertaste of licorice and sour cherry bitterness, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light perfumed nuances of dried flowers, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of tobacco.
A very savory, stern and sophisticated Boca that feels still painfully young despite being almost 12 years old. Although structurally the wine doesn't feel too tough and is more or less ready to drink right now, the overall feel is still somewhat closed and holding back - even showing some reduction - and really calling for additional aging. It's not surprising - I can't remember if I've ever had a bottle of Le Piane Boca that would've felt too old. These seem to age at a glacial pace. If opened now, the wine really needs copious amounts of air. Good stuff, although not giving that much at the moment. Preferably let the wine wait for another decade or so.
(91 points) -
2019 Viñedos del Jorco El Jorco - Spain, Castilla y León, Cebreros (13.5.2023)
This is a biodynamic mountain Garnacha from DO Cebreros, the new up-and-coming appellation in Sierra de Gredos. Although the high-altitude Garnacha wines from the Gredos mountain region are primarily associated with Madrid, Cebreros is located just across the border on Castilla y León's side. Vinedos del Jorco is a joint project between the acclaimed winemaker Raúl Pérez, César Ruiz, Flequi Berruti and Nacho Jiménez, who farm and vinify primarily old-vine Garnacha in Cebreros. Originally the wines were vinified in Perez's winery in Bierzo, but now the wines are made at their own winery in Cebreros. The fruit for El Jorco comes from a 2,5-hectare Garnacha vineyard planted in 1915. The wine is fermented spontaneously in oak fermentors and then aged for 12 months in old, neutral oak casks. 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, luminous and quite translucent cherry-red color. The nose feels open, fragrant and slightly wild with berry-driven aromas of wild strawberries, some lifted volatile notes, a little bit of red cherry, light sweet nail polish tones, a hint of red currant juice and a touch of bretty funk. The wine feels crunchy, dry and moderately sauvage on the palate with intense flavors of tart cranberries, some wild strawberries, light funky notes of brett, a little bit of phenolic spice, crunchy hints of red currants and tart lingonberries and a lifted touch of nail polish. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity and the medium tannins add nice firmness to the palate. The finish is dry, long and somewhat grippy with a moderately wild aftertaste of wild strawberries, some bretty notes of leathery funk, a little bit of phenolic spice, light tart notes of lingonberries and cranberries, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a zesty touch of Campari-like chinotto.
A nice, fresh and wonderfully intense Garnacha with good sense of focus and depth of flavor. If you had to compare this to a French counterpart, this is much closer to a naturalist Pinot Noir from Burgundy rather than a Grenache from Rhône. However, compared to the excellent 2018 vintage, this 2019 seems to have taken a step or two towards the more volatile and sauvage territory. Even the 2018 wasn't a "clean" vintage by no means, but there the bretty notes and VA were still at a lower level, letting the vibrant Garnacha fruit be on the limelight. Here, in the 2019 vintage, the bretty funk and sweet volatile notes of nail polish are slightly more to the fore, making the wine feel a bit more wild and less precise. This is still a fantastic and delicious effort, but (maybe it was just this bottle) not as great as it could be. Still definitely a wine worth checking out.
(92 points)
Posted from CellarTracker