This was one of this year’s more peculiar tastings. A friend of mine had managed to collect a good selection of Clos Triguedina reds from the 2014 vintage. However, as a tasting of just five bottles seemed a bit short, he decided to fill out the remainder with something else. And as he mainly collects fortified wines and (older) Champagne, it made sense to finish the night off with some of the most spectacular White Ports he had in his cellar.
Apart from these wines we had a few extras: one young Champagne as a palate cleanser; one attendee brought a Levantine de Musar as a blind extra; and one aged LBV to close the night. I also brought one older Muscat de Rivesaltes with me as an extra, but unfortunately it seemed to be already over the hill.
-
NV Union Champagne de Saint Gall Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (27.1.2023)
100% Chardonnay from 1er Cru and Grand Cru vineyards in Côte des Blancs. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite youthful, pale yellow color. The nose feels a bit simple with somewhat linear aromas of ripe citrus fruits, some spicy red apple, a little bit of stony minerality and a hint of fresh yellow fruits. The wine feels dry, linear and a bit round on the palate with a medium body and flavors of mealy yellow apple, some chalky mineral tones, a little bit of fresh yellow fruit and a hint of saline minerality. The mousse feels creamy and persistent and the acidity comes across as quite high. The finish is dry and clean with a medium-long aftertaste of fresh yellow fruit, some red apple tones, a little bit of chalky minerality and a sweet hint of ripe citrus fruits.
A pleasant but quite simple and one-dimensional Blanc de Blancs that offers very little depth or complexity. This is just a decent, clean sparkling wine with very little or anything that would make me think of Champagne. At least the wine isn't as lean and austere as some young Blancs de Blancs can be - something that might have to do with the warmer vintages - but I guess that also translates to the anonymity of this wine. This feels more like a 15€ Crémant than a proper Champagne. Meh.
(84 points) -
2020 Chateau Musar Levantine de Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (27.1.2023)
A recent addition to the Musar lineup, sitting between Musar Jeune and Hochar Père et Fils. A blend of Cinsaut (65%), Tempranillo (25%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) sourced from a single organically farmed vineyard. Although the 2020 vintage was otherwise ideal, the heatwave in September resulted in the loss of 40% of the fruit. The varietal wines for Levantine were vinified separately; they were fermented spontaneously and aged on the lees in concrete vats until blended in early 2021. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered in July 2021. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, dark yet still moderately translucent blackish ruby color. The nose feels sunny yet dark-toned and quite savory with aromas of dark plums and blueberries, some tobacco, a little bit of charcoal, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of ripe cherry and a touch of black raspberry. The wine is dry, silky and quite open-knit on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of fresh blackcurrants, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of tobacco, light gravelly mineral tones, a juicy hint of ripe black cherry and a touch of earthy spices. The overall feel is balanced and sufficiently structured, thanks to the moderately high acidity and moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is rich, dark-toned and juicy with a long aftertaste of ripe black cherries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light crunchy notes of fresh blackcurrants and a hint of tobacco.
A very nice, tasty and harmonious red that doesn't feel as stern and complex as Hochar Père et Fils or the Grand Vin of Musar, but still serious enough. The wine also shows good sense of place: even though the wine was tasted blind, my first guess was Libanon, almost immediately following up with: "is this something Musar?". I admit didn't get 100% Musar feel from this wine, but it still sent some alarms ringing in my lizard brain, making me wonder if this could be either Hochar or Jeune. Well, it turned out to be a cuvée I hadn't heard of before! Although the wine doesn't feel as ageworthy as Musar proper or Hochar, I'd still say this wine could benefit from at least a few years of aging, although it is drinking very nicely already now. This is a very enjoyable effort that can be drunk without a care while the higher-tier Musars age away in the cellar. Solid value at 18,90€.
(89 points) -
2019 Clos Triguedina Malbec The New Pink Wine - France, Southwest France, Comté Tolosan (27.1.2023)
100% early-harvested Malbec from Cahors, aged in new Acacia barrels. 13,5% alcohol.
Luminous reddish-orange apricot color. The nose feels savory, a bit funky and slightly skunky with vague aromas of rowanberries, some vague spicy tones, a little bit of strawberry, light earthy notes and a hint of something woody. The wine is dry, somewhat dull and a bit stuffy with flavors of stony minerality, some vague woody tones, a little bit of crunchy red apple and white currant, light bitter notes of apple peel and a hint of ripe citrus fruit. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of firmness to the wine. The finish is quite acid-driven yet somewhat stuffy with a bit dull flavors of red apple, some crunchy white currant, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of apple peel bitterness,and a touch of earthy spice.
A dull, one-dimensional and somewhat mediocre rosé. It feels the wine is missing its fruit department for the most part and what is remaining doesn't really feel adequate enough to balance out the savory and vaguely woody nuances. Despite its moderately high acidity the wine is lacking in freshness pretty badly. Although drinkable, I wouldn't say this was a particularly enjoyable rosé.
(78 points) -
2014 Clos Triguedina Cahors Petites Cailles - France, Southwest France, Cahors (27.1.2023)
100% Malbec from Moureau-Floressas, a parcel on the "4th terrace" of the river Lot, representing a terroir that has lots of limestone and iron in the soil. Vinified in stainless steel, aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted next to the other two 2014 Trilogie wines.
Dense, concentrated and fully opaque blackish-red color that doesn't permit any light through. Brooding, dense and dark-toned nose with somewhat extracted aromas of toasty wood and torrefaction, some woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of blueberry jam, light weird green hints of mulchy vegetal matter and raw beet, a hint of damp wood and a touch of blackcurrant. The wine feels dense and full-bodied yet still somewhat airy on the palate with bold, somewhat extracted flavors of ripe blackcurrant and toasty mocha oak, some leafy vegetal tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a tart hint of crunchy dark plum and a touch of blueberry. The overall feel is pretty structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is quite ripe and extracted yet still relatively airy and crunchy with a long, bold aftertaste of crunchy chokeberries and fresh red plums, some sweeter notes of ripe blackcurrants, light vegetal green tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, a hint of blueberry and a woody touch of pencil shavings.
This was a weird wine - it tasted quite ripe and solar, yet it had a somewhat green and vegetal side to it. And this was not similar to the lovely herbaceous crunch one can find in Cabernet Franc or old-school left-bank Bordeaux; no, this was vegetal and mulchy, making me think whether there were some unripe grapes in the blend or if the wine suffered from geosmin. From the three Trilogie wines, this showed the highest acidity, lending it a surprisingly airy texture despite the ripeness and sense of concentration, but otherwise the wine felt somewhat awkward and clumsy due to its combination of vegetal greenness, rather dominant toasty oak tones and quite ripe, dark-toned fruit. I guess it's possible this was just a poor vintage for Petites Cailles and it would perform better on a better vintage, but this time this label left me a bit disappointed. Not really worth the approx. 25€.
(83 points) -
2014 Clos Triguedina Cahors Les Galets - France, Southwest France, Cahors (27.1.2023)
100% Malbec from Moziéres-Vire sur Lot, a parcel on the "3rd terrace" of the river Lot, representing a terroir that has intense exposure to the sun along with clay and limestone and some deposits of iron volcanic residue in the soil. Vinified in stainless steel, aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted next to the other two 2014 Trilogie wines.
Dense, concentrated and fully opaque blackish-red color that doesn't permit any light through. The brooding, extracted nose feels quite densely packed with dark-toned aromas of ripe dark fruits, some toasty mocha oak, light inky tones, a little bit of juicy plummy fruit, a hint of herby spice, a woody touch of pencil shavings and a sweet touch of toasty mocha oak. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite polished on the palate with a full body and quite impactful flavors of black cherries and sweet, toasty oak spice, some crunchy chokeberry tones, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of ripe bilberries and a touch of vanilla. The overall feel is quite gentle and supple, thanks to the medium acidity and ripe medium tannins. The finish is juicy, long and rather oak-driven with some tannic grip that slowly piles on the gums along with a rich aftertaste of toasty mocha oak, some sweet black cherry character, light crunchy notes of chokeberries, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, a hint of tobacco and a touch of bittersweet dark chocolate. The alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the aftertaste.
Of the three 2014 Trilogie wines we tasted, this seemed to show the most ripeness and oak influence, resulting in a rather lush, sweet and a bit soft wine. There's a lot of intensity and flavor impact here, but the wine also feels polished to the point of anonymity. I guess it's possible the wine could improve with further aging if it lost some of that baby fat and integrated the rather dominant oak tones better with the fruit, but I doubt this will turn into anything particularly interesting even with extended cellaring. While the wine was somewhat better than the slightly vegetal 2014 Petites Cailles, this didn't really manage to match the quality of the third Trilogie wine, Au Coin du Bois. There's just too much oak, ripeness and extraction for my taste. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at approx. 25€.
(86 points) -
2014 Clos Triguedina Cahors Au Coin du Bois - France, Southwest France, Cahors (27.1.2023)
100% Malbec from Labrande-Puy l’Evêque, a parcel on the "2nd terrace" of the river Lot, representing a terroir that has good sun exposure along with red clay and a thin limestone layer in the soil. Vinified in stainless steel, aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. 13% alcohol. Tasted next to the other two 2014 Trilogie wines.
Deep, dark and almost fully opaque blackish-red color that is slightly more transparent compared to the other two Trilogie wines. The brooding nose feels a bit closed with slightly reticent aromas of sweet dark berries, some juicy blueberry tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light nuances of licorice, a hint of toasty oak and a touch of damp leaves. The wine feels ripe, dense and chewy on the palate with a full body and somewhat extracted flavors of sweet, toasty oak spice, some juicy bilberry tones, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light notes of red licorice, a hint of plum juice and a touch of crunchy blackcurrant. The structure relies mostly on the quite ample and moderately grippy tannins, although the medium-plus acidity lends some sense of structure and balance to the wine as well. The finish is juicy, rich and somewhat sweet-toned with a long aftertaste of ripe plummy fruit, some bilberry tones, a little bit of red licorice, light toasty notes of cocoa and sweet oak spice, a hint of blackcurrant and a touch of earthy spice.
A quite big, extracted and rather oaky Cahors, but when it comes to the 2014 Trilogie wines, in my opinion this was the best effort of the three. Petites Cailles had an odd vegetal thing going on and Les Galets seemed to be just too rich, ripe and soft in style. Stylistically Les Galets and this Au Coin du Bois were very similar to each other, but this wine showed a bit more restraint and structure compared to Les Galets's sweeter, even more fruit-driven style. I guess this wine could use some additional aging, as the wine feels still rather youthful and quite clumsy with all that oak character, but even then I suspect the potential for improvement is going to be quite limited. There's no denying that this is a very polished, modern Cahors with all the emphasis on the fruit, weight and oak impact, not on finesse or complexity. All in all, the wine feels a bit pricey for the quality at approx. 25€.
(88 points) -
2014 Clos Triguedina Cahors Probus - France, Southwest France, Cahors (27.1.2023)
100% Malbec macerated with the skins for 20-25 days. Aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol.
Dense, concentrated and fully opaque blackish-red color. The nose feels dark-toned and fruit-forward with bold aromas of ripe plums and boysenberries, some licorice tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light blueberry juice nuances, sweet hints of strawberries and fresh blackberries and a touch of chocolate dusting. The wine feels concentrated, extracted and chewy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe dark fruits, some toasted spices, a little bit of sweet boysenberry, light chocolatey notes of mocha oak, a hint of brambly blackberry and a touch of extracted woody bitterness. The overall feel is pretty firm and quite balanced yet slightly on the soft side with its moderately high acidity and firm medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is rich and juicy with some tannic grip and a long, somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of ripe dark berries, some toasty mocha oak tones, a little bit of sweet boysenberry, light savory notes of toasted spices, a hint of extracted woody bitterness and a touch of soft plummy fruit.
This is a big, ripe and quite substantial Cahors by all accounts. However, despite its quite modern disposition, this turned out to be probably the best of the five 2014 Triguedina wines we tasted: The New Black Wine was just way too overdone for my taste and the single-vineyard Trilogie wines from different terroirs didn't match the balance and quality here - although Au Coin du Bois came close. All in all, this is not really a wine for my taste - there's just way too much oak, ripeness and extraction - but this is still a pretty decent effort in its genre. I'd say this is among the best Triguedina vintages I've tasted. Priced somewhat according to its quality at approx. 28€.
(89 points) -
2014 Clos Triguedina Cahors The New Black Wine - France, Southwest France, Cahors (27.1.2023)
100% Malbec from a 1,3-hectare old-vine parcel on the "3rd terrace" of the river Lot. Made with strict selection of the best fruit. Before vinification the grapes are spread over drying racks and placed in a heated room, raisining the grapes overnight - a process tangentially reflecting the traditional winemaking of the historic vin noir de Cahors, which was made using cooked, concentrated must of Malbec. The slightly wizened grapes are crushed and vinified in vats. Aged for 18 months in new French oak barriques. 15% alcohol. Bottle no. 2560, total production approx. 4000 bottles.
Luminous, slightly translucent and very deep dark ruby color. The brooding, dense and dark-toned nose feels somewhat restrained with sweetish aromas of sweet plums and wizened blackberries, some boozy notes of alcohol, a little bit of roasted smoky character, light chocolatey oak tones, a hint of dried dark fruit and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The wine feels big, rich and quite voluptuous on the palate with a very full body and sweet-toned - almost off-dry - flavors of plum jam and cherry marmalade, some raisiny nuances, a little bit of blueberry juice, light licorice tones, a toasty hint of cocoa nibs and an extracted touch of woody bitterness. The alcohol lends some sense of warmth to the palate. The modest - even rather low - acidity doesn't really lend any sense of freshness or structure to the wine, but at least the ample, assertive tannins bring some welcome firmness to the mouthfeel. The finish is ripe, long and grippy with an unctuous, almost off-dry aftertaste of prunes and raisins, some woody oak tones, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light cherry marmalade notes, a hint of sweet baking spices and a touch of bilberry jam. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a moderately warm note.
A big, hedonistic and quite complex wine that shows quite a bit of intensity and depth of flavor. However, the overall feel is very heavy, ponderous and at times excessively sweet-toned, making the wine feel just too jammy and oaky. Furthermore, the lack of acidity only accentuates the sweeter flavors of the pruney fruit tones and turns the mouthfeel just too round, soupy and blowzy. In a nutshell, this is like an Amarone version of Cahors, but even if I'm not a big fan of Amarone in general, I'd still say most of them show more sense of balance and freshness than this wine. This is just too big, too ripe and too overdone. Not my cup of tea. Badly overpriced for the quality at approx. 90€ - you can get a decent Amarone for less than half the price.
(84 points) -
1970 Quinta da Devesa Porto Branco Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto (27.1.2023)
Made with more than 20 different local varieties grown in Baixo Corgo. Vinified in granite lagares. Aged in oak casks of different sizes for 48 years, bottled in 2018. 21% alcohol, 109 g/l residual sugar, 4,24 g/l acidity, 0,90 g/l VA and pH 3,73.
Pale, aged golden-yellow color with a mature nutty-brown core. Old, oxidative and quite savory nose with layered aromas of dusty wood, chopped peanuts and sharp rancio, some sweeter nuances of caramel and cloudberry jam intermingling with subtly volatile nuances of nail polish, light aldehydic notes of sorrel, a little bit of mahogany, a hint of mushroomy funk, a touch of alcohol heat and a whiff of aged smoky character. The wine feels sweet, very concentrated and tertiary on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of roasted exotic spices and chopped nuts, some caramel, a little bit of cloudberry jam, light maple syrup tones, aldehydic hints of sorrel and tangy salinity and a touch of mahogany. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine pretty nicely in balance. The finish is very long, complex and noticeably intense with a sweet aftertaste of maple syrup, some burnt sugar bitterness, a little bit of bruised apple, light salty notes of sharp, nutty rancio, a hint of dusty old wood and a touch of candied bitter orange.
A beautiful, complex and wonderfully aged old Colheita. It feels the wine is pretty much at its peak - there is so much tertiary character that the rich fruity tones are slowly getting overwhelmed by the aged woody and nutty tones, so I really don't see there would've been much upside to aging this wine any longer in casks. It's a good call the producer decided to bottle the wine at around 50 years of age; it has kept its game wonderfully for this long, but I feel its full potential is now realized. All in all, a stupendous wine that drinks fantastically now but most likely will keep just fine for perhaps a century more. Highly recommended. Not maybe that affordable at 119,20€ for a half-liter bottle, but manages to deliver for the price.
(95 points) -
1963 Dalva Porto Golden White Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto (27.1.2023)
A blend of Malvasia Fina, Codega, Viosinho, Rabigato and other local varieties. 20% alcohol, 150 g/l residual sugar. Bottled in 2018, after 55 years of aging in old casks.
Beautifully luminous amber color with a faint coppery-reddish core. The nose feels sweet, very complex and immensely attractive with seductive aromas of apple sauce and arrack, some caramel tones, a little bit of nail polish VA, light vanilla tones, a hint of bruised apple and a perfumed touch of floral lift. Lots of things going on here; every sniff from the glass is different from the previous one. The wine is silky but also quite concentrated and rather hot on the palate with a moderately full body and ridiculously intense flavors of maple syrup, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of caramel and arrack, light raisiny nuances of Sultanas and dried dates, a hint of vanilla custard and a touch of Christmas spices. The overall feel is remarkably fresh and tastes noticeably less sweet than the wine is - thanks to both the age and the remarkably fresh high acidity. The concentrated finish is very long, powerful and rather spicy with an intense, moderately sweet aftertaste of caramel and vanilla custard, some raisiny notes of Sultanas and dried dates, a little bit of apple jam, light floral nuances, a hint of cloves and a lifted touch of sweet nail polish VA.
A fantastic, captivating and exceptionally complex Port that would've easily been my WotN almost any time - except for now, when we tasted this wine next to S. Leonardo's Very Old White Porto. Although this was a stunning wine by any and all accounts, S. Leonardo still managed to take a lead and wine by a fine margin. Yet still, there's no denying that this is easily not just one of the best white Port wines I've ever tasted, but also one of the best Port wines I've laid my hands on. At 240,94€ for a half-liter bottle, this is something I wouldn't buy myself, but if I would, I'd felt assured this wine is capable of delivering value for the money. Very highly recommended.
(97 points) -
NV S. Leonardo Porto Very Old White Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto (27.1.2023)
The label says only "S. Leonardo Port Very Old White", but I'm told this wine is blended from three exceptional vintages and the average wine is age was 70 years when the wine was bottled in 2017. 20% alcohol.
Deep, concentrated and slightly reddish amber color with a burnished golden hue towards the rim. The nose is very sweet, unctuous and - for the lack of better word - noticeably thick - with layered aromas of arrack and crème à la vanille, some raisiny notes of Sultanas, a little bit of nail polish VA, light maple syrup tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, a fragrant hint of perfumed floral character, a touch of toasted exotic spices and a whiff of strawberry cream. The combination of age, sweetness and concentration lend a remarkably Madeira-like feel to the nose. The wine feels sweet, sticky and simply ridiculously intense on the palate with a full body and concentrated flavors of acacia honey and Sultana raisins, some arrack tones, a little bit of musky floral character, light creamy notes of panna cotta, a hint of dried dates and a syrupy touch of molasses. The high alcohol lends somewhat noticeable heat to the palate, but also help to lighten the concentrated, somewhat sticky mouthfeel. The high acidity brings in tremendous amount of energy and freshness to the wine, making it feel very harmonious despite the concentrated sweetness. The finish is very rich, somewhat warm and noticeably sweet with an almost endless aftertaste of Sultanas and dried dates, some maple syrup, light honeyed tones, a little bit of nail polsih VA, a sweet hint of Christmas spices and a touch of cooked cream.
Holy cow what a wine! With its combination of immense concentration and power, complex tertiary flavors and remarkable freshness, this is almost in a class of its own. This is not only an extraordinary White Port, but also probably the best Port of any style I've ever tasted - and among some of the best fortified wines I know. Although it is immediately obvious that the wine is very old, it is still incredible how the wine feels only oxidative, not one bit oxidized. Stylistically this feels like a sweeter, softer and weightier version of a very old Madeira - not one single bit less complex or captivating. Truly an extraordinary wine. Maybe not particularly affordable at approx. 240€ for a half-liter bottle, but still delivers for the price; very highly recommended.
(98 points) -
1952 Dalva Porto Reserve Golden White - Portugal, Douro, Porto (27.1.2023)
20% alcohol. Bottled in 1986, after 34 years of aging.
Dark, brooding and somewhat murky woody-brown appearance. The nose feels old, moderately dull and musty at first with quite a bit of bottle skunk. However, the nose clears up with air revealing nuances of caramel and dried dates, some mahogany, a little bit of Sultana raisin, light fragrant notes of toasted spices, a hint of mushroomy funk, a ouch of dusty old wood and a whiff of campfire smoke. The wine is concentrated, old very oxidative on the palate with a full body and sweet, slightly oxidized flavors of dried dates, some nutty notes of chopped walnuts, a little bit of dusty old wood and mahogany, light nuances of earthy spices, a hint of mushroomy funk and a touch of caramel richness. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of balance, structure and harmony to the wine. The finish is old, savory and slightly sticky with a remarkably long and very complex aftertaste of dried dates and Sultana raisins, some earthy spices, a little bit of mushroomy funk, light oxidative nutty tones, a hint of mahogany and a touch of bruised apple.
A wonderfully complex and fascinating white Port that is starting to feel a bit tired. I'm sure the wine has been bursting with life when it was bottled, but even if the cork was in sound condition when it was extracted, I feel it might've still leaked a bit of oxygen to the bottle at some point, as this wasn't just oxidative, but also starting to show some obvious signs of oxidation as well. This was a superb old Porto in its own right, but nevertheless felt a bit tired and senescent compared to the other three much more recently bottled old white Ports we tasted at the same time.
(94 points) -
1997 Niepoort Porto Late Bottled Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (27.1.2023)
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Francisca, Tinta Amarela, Sousão, Tinta Roriz and other local varieties in more minute amounts. The grapes are sourced from 60 to 100 yo vineyards in Cima Corgo. The grapes are foot-trodden in traditional lagares and fermented until approx. 100 g/l in residual sugar, at which point the fermentation is halted with an addition of aguardente. Aged for 4 years in old oak casks and bottled unfiltered in 2001. 20% alcohol.
Evolved reddish-maroon color that permits some light through. The nose feels somewhat restrained and a bit old with aromas of wizened dark plums, some raspberry jam, light blackberry marmalade tones, a little bit of earth, a hint of boozy alcohol and a touch of dusty, old raisiny fruit. The wine is sweet, hot and spicy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and rich flavors of raisins, prunes and dried figs, some wizened cherry tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light boozy aguardente nuances, a hint of dried cherries and a touch of old leather. The overall feel is quite supple and gentle with its medium-to-moderately high acidity and silky medium tannins. The finish is rich, sweetish and subtly bitter with a moderately long, dark-toned aftertaste of raisins, some prunes, a little bit of wizened black cherry, light volatile nuances of nail polish, a hint of tobacco and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A tasty, harmonious and enjoyably evolved LBV at its peak. Had this been a Vintage Port, I'd be surprised if a 1997 was this evolved already, but for a Late Bottled Vintage Port this is entirely correct for the genre. The tannins have subsided and the flavors have evolved from a more vibrant, juicy fruit end of the spectrum towards a more dried-fruit mélange of prunes, raisins, wizened cherries and dried dates. As the wine is starting to show its age, I'd say any further aging potential is going to be quite limited, but this wine will keep just fine for another decade or more. However, there's no need to age this wine any further. Drink or keep.
(90 points) -
2001 Domaine Rozès Muscat de Rivesaltes - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Muscat de Rivesaltes (27.1.2023)
Bottle #3079. 15,5% alcohol.
Evolved, pale straw-yellow color with an oxidative nutty hue. The nose feels moderately old, dull and evolved with senescent aromas of tired yellow fruits, some minty greenness, light dusty old nuances, a little bit of dried apricot, fragrant hints of floral spices and Chinese fivespice, a touch of boozy alcohol and a whiff of cloudberry jam. The wine feels sweet, oily and rich on the palate with a moderately full body quite tertiary flavors of syrupy molasses and apple sauce, some floral spices, a little bit of peppery character, light dried-fruit notes of Sultana raisins and dried figs and a hint of alcohol warmth. The wine is moderately high in acidity. The finish is sweet, rich and slightly sticky with a medium-to-moderately long aftertaste of dried apricots and maple syrup, some floral nuances, a little bit of apple jam, light aged dusty tones, an oxidative hint of tired, stale nuttiness and a subtle touch of green eucalyptus lift.
A quite tasty but also somewhat tired and a bit dusty Muscat de Rivesaltes that feels slightly past its peak. As the cork disintegrated into moist mush upon opening the bottle, I wonder if the seal has been compromised, resulting in sub-optimal performance. This was pretty enjoyable, but not really what I was expecting from the wine - I don't know if this bottle was compromised or if this wine should've been just consumed some 10 years ago, hence I'm leaving the wine now unrated. At least the wine wasn't particularly pricey at 18,60€, so the financial loss here was pretty minor.
Posted from CellarTracker