I have to admit that out of the bottles we drink, probably more than nine out of ten are from Europe. We have a pretty wide selection of “new world” wines available here in Finland, but thanks to the alcohol monopoly, the average quality is very low and most of the wines tend to be forbiddingly expensive - this might be one of the biggest contributors to why the average wino buys Europe almost exclusively.
Due to our relative lack of experience with non-European wines, we really don’t get to taste new world wines with any age - hence some people actually often question if the non-European wines can be ageworthy. Well, I decided it was high time to taste some non-European wines with some age, so last spring I pooled a bunch of “new world” wines that had at least a decade under their belt and threw a tasting for my fellow winos.
(The two younger Melville whites were brought as introductory blinds)
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2011 Melville Chardonnay Estate - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8.4.2022)
A selection of different Chardonnay clones sourced from multiple vineyards in Sta. Rita Hills. Fermented and aged for 8 months in used, neutral (5 to 20 years old) French oak barrels. No MLF, no bâtonnage. 14% alcohol.
Intense yellow-green color. Somewhat restrained nose with aromas of fresh apple, some leesy notes, a little bit of ripe white peach, light stony mineral nuances and a floral hint of honeysuckle. The wine is ripe, rich and juicy with a medium-to-moderately full body and somewhat restrained flavors of white peach, some waxy tones, a little bit of extracted bitterness, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of fresh and crunchy apple and a touch of creaminess. Despite the lack of MLF, the wine still feels somewhat modest in acidity, and the high alcohol lends some noticeable warmth to the palate. The finish is lively, fresh and somewhat warm with a bit brighter and more incisive acidity along with quite long flavors of juicy red apple, some crunchy notes of nectarine, a little bit of ripe waxy character, light passionfruit nuances and a hint of creamy richness.
Tasting this along with 2012 Melville Verna Viognier, I was surprised how very similar the two wines were. Sure, the Viognier had more floral and peachy aromas and the Chardonnay was less oily and aromatically more restrained, but still the wines seemed quite similarly ripe, fruity and somewhat bitter with a slightly clumsy, extracted feel. I tasted the 2013 vintage half a year ago and it seemed a bit more brighter, fresher and more balanced than this, but both these wines were somewhat understated in character, making me wonder if these wines enter some kind of dumb phase at some point, or they are just quite ripe yet still relatively low-key. All in all, this was quite enjoyable an effort, but nothing particularly impressive. Although there's some sense of freshness, the wine is still a bit too ripe and high in alcohol for my taste. A bit pricey for the quality at 28€.
(86 points) -
2012 Melville Viognier Estate Verna's - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8.4.2022)
100% single-vineyard Viognier from Verna's vineyard in Los Alamos. Whole cluster pressed, fermented and aged for three months in old (5-20 yo) oak barrels. No MLF. After aging the wine was blended together and bottled in late March. 15% alcohol. Total production 1376 cases.
Yellow-green color. Quite noticeably ripe yet still very fresh nose with aromas of peach, some flinty notes of smoky reduction, a little bit of stony minerality, light floral nuances and a fragrant hint of exotic spices. The wine feels broad, ripe and quite oily on the palate with a full body and quite voluptuous flavors of juicy peach and apricot, some spicy notes, a little bit of boozy alcohol, light waxy nuances, a hint of extracted bitterness and a touch of floral character. The medium acidity feels rather modest, making the wine come across as pretty fat and ponderous. The finish is warm, round and oily with medium-long flavors of ripe apricot, alcohol, some waxy tones, a little bit of boozy alcohol, light extracted bitter nuances and a sweet hint of apple jam.
Can't say I was particularly thrilled about this wine - but then again, Viognier very rarely pushes my buttons. This felt just too ripe, fat, alcoholic and extracted for my taste, coming across just too ponderous and heavy on the palate. Even when the wine was tasted quite cool, it didn't have enough zip and the alcohol pushed through a bit too much. I've had Viogniers that show much better freshness and sense of balance. Not my cuppa tea. At 25,80€ this was a bit on the pricey side, too.
(80 points) -
1997 Dos Cabezas Wine Works Chardonnay Kevin's Cuvée - USA, Arizona, Cochise County (8.4.2022)
14,5% alcohol.
Deep golden-yellow color with a pale coppery core. Complex, evolved and wonderfully attractive nose with aromas of toast and smoke, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of dried yellow fruit, light caramel notes reminiscent of Tawny Port, a hint of bruised apple, a touch of oak spice and a whiff of apple pie. The wine feels ripe, evolved and somewhat oily on the palate with a full body and complex tertiary flavors of nuttiness, some honey-and-oat notes, a little bit of browned butter, light caramel nuances, appley hints of apple sauce and bruised apple and a touch of slightly bitter chalky minerality. The medium-to-moderately high acidity doesn't lend much freshness to the wine, but keeps it quite effortlessly in balance, whereas the somewhat high alcohol does show through a bit. The finish is long, evolved and somewhat warm with complex tertiary flavors of oxidative nuttiness, some honeyed tones, a little bit of browned butter, light bruised apple tones, a hint of beeswax and a smoky touch of popcorn.
A wonderfully complex and evolved AZ Chardonnay with good sense of balance and depth of flavor. The wine seemed a tiny bit more oxidative and tertiary compared to the bottle we tasted a bit more than a year ago, and while this wine was still in a darn fine condition, it didn't reach the level of that previous bottle. Nevertheless, this is a very lovely example of US Chardonnay and a great example how they can make remarkably ageworthy whites not only in California, but also in Arizona. The wine was quite reminiscent of aged Burgundy, only with a bit more weight, ripeness and alcohol - however, aromatically the wine was surprisingly similar to an aged white Burgundy at its peak. All in all, this is a superb old Chardonnay and excellent value at just 29€.
(93 points) -
2010 Schug Pinot Noir Carneros - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros (8.4.2022)
Aged for 9 months in French oak barriques (approx. 20% new). 14,5% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent pomegranate color with a maroon hue and a brick-orange rim. An interesting, somewhat smoky and slightly pungent nose with aromas of smoky speck, black raspberry and tobacco, some pruney tones, light floral notes of dried flowers, a little bit of cooked gooseberries, a sweet hint of cherry marmalade and a touch of gamey meat. The wine is dry, firm and moderately developed on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of smoke-cured beef and charred game, tobacco, some brambly notes of black raspberry, light ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of ripe red cherry, light gravelly mineral tones and a hint of wild strawberry. The wine has good, balanced structure, thanks to its high acidity and firm medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat grippy with long, savory flavors of meaty umami and charred game, cranberry sauce, some smoky tones, a little bit of tobacco, light brambly notes of black raspberries, a hint of old oak spice and a sweeter touch of pruney dark fruit.
Despite its somewhat smoky overall feel, the wine feels wonderfully balanced, nuanced and gracefully matured with good sense of structure and depth. Even if the wine is rather high in alcohol, it never once feels too warm or hot and the flavors are much less ripe one would imagine. All in all this is a very nice and thoroughly enjoyable Carneros Pinot with some age. Most likely it won't improve with any further cellaring, but I doubt it will fall apart anytime soon either - drink now or in the near future. Good stuff, if you don't mind smoky and meaty nuances in your Pinot. Priced according to its quality at 32€.
(91 points) -
2005 Melville Pinot Noir Estate - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (8.4.2022)
100% Pinot from estate-grown fruit in multiple vineyards in Sta. Rita Hills. Fermented in open-top fermentors, macerated with the skins for around 4 weeks, aged in old, neutral French oak barrels. 15% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent cherry red color with an evolved maroon hue. The nose feels fragrant and quite big yet not overripe with sweetish aromas of juicy red cherries and raspberry jam, some evolved meaty tones, a little bit of sappy herby character (stemmy notes, perhaps?), light nuances of beet root and a hint of strawberry. The wine is ripe, dense and textural on the palate with a quite full body and bold flavors of strawberries, beet, some umami notes of developed meatiness, a little bit of juicy black cherry, light floral nuances of violets, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of boozy alcohol. Although the wine isn't fat or blowzy, its rather high acidity and medium tannins don't manage to bring much freshness or sense of structure, which is why the wine is a bit on the soft and round side. The high alcohol lends some noticeable warmth to the palate. The finish is ripe, big and quite warm with long, powerful flavors of sweet black cherries and wild strawberries, some gamey meat, a little bit of peppery spice, light jammy nuances of raspberries and a hint of beet root.
Well, this was a rather big and powerful effort for a Pinot Noir. Fortunately, it didn't feel like an Amarone despite its big body and high alcohol - on the contrary, the wine showed surprising finesse for such a big and ripe wine - but it was still a bit too sweet, soft and ripe for my preference. Despite its age it is still drinking quite wonderfully and even if the wine showed some evolved nuances, it still feels the wine is on an upward trajectory and could improve for a good number of years more. However, if you like your Pinot Noir made in a fresh, "Burgundian" style (like I), you might want to keep your distance - or at least serve it quite cool, to push the acidity up and alcohol down. Even if the producer is known to make their wines in a quite "old world" style, this wine is just screaming CALIFORNIA with its lush, sunny Pinot fruit and high alcohol. Perhaps a bit on the pricey side for the quality at 33€.
(87 points) -
2010 Hewitson Private Cellar Shiraz Mourvedre - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (8.4.2022)
A blend of Shiraz (2/3 to 3/4) and Mourvèdre (1/3 to 1/4). The partly destemmed grapes are crushed and left to ferment and macerate for about three weeks. The wine is then aged for approximately 18 months in predominantly new French oak barrels. 14% alcohol, 5,4 g/l acidity.
Derk, very slightly translucent blackish-red color with a subtly evolved brick-red hue. The dark-toned nose feels ripe and somewhat sweetly-fruited with aromas of plummy dark fruits, some peppery spice, a little bit of game, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of blackberry marmalade and a touch of salty liquorice. The wine is ripe, chewy and somewhat sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of juicy blackberries and cherry marmalade, some licorice, a little bit of savory wood spice, light cassis tones, a hint of meaty umami and a touch of toasty mocha oak. The overall feel is lush, juicy and silky smooth with a balanced but a bit soft structure, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and quite ample but also very ripe and rather resolved tannins that offer very little grip to the palate. The long finish is ripe, juicy and somewhat warm with quite bold flavors of peppery spice and ripe blackberries, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light cassis nuances, a hint of roasted game and a touch of toasty oak.
A big and quite opulent Aussie red that is still brimming with youthful intensity at the tender age of 12 years. Lots of stuffing here otherwise, but perhaps a bit too little in the structure department - while the wine is not flabby or ponderous, it comes across as a bit soft due to its relatively easy structure. The wine does have its share of acidity and tannins, but thanks to the rather pronounced ripeness and big body, the wine could really use some more to retain good sense of balance - it feels the emphasis here is on the bold and impactful fruit, structure and sense of balance are more of an afterthought. Although I can imagine the wine will continue to evolve and improve with additional cellaring, especially if it continues to shed some of that extra fruit, I doubt this wine is ever going to be one of real finesse or impeccable balance. It's just a solid, quite well-made fruit bomb that appeals more to the Napa Cab drinkers rather than to the Burgundy geeks. Perhaps a bit on the pricey side at 41,90€.
(90 points) -
2003 Hewitson Mourvèdre Old Garden - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (8.4.2022)
Wine made with fruit sourced from the oldest parcel of Mourvèdre vines of Hewitson (planted in 1853), most likely also the oldest Mourvèdre block in Australia and perhaps in the whole world. Macerated with the skins for 3 weeks. Aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels. 15% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent, syrupy brown color with a somewhat reddish hue. The nose feels savory, pungent and oxidative with aromas of raisins and soy sauce, some beef jerky, light pruney tones, a little bit of savory-yet-sweet hoi sin and a hint of something smoky. The overall feel is not that promising. The wine is ripe, rich and sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and quite tertiary flavors of wizened forest fruits, some raisiny tones, a little bit of meat stew and bay leaf, light pruney nuances, a hint of beef jerky and a somewhat umami touch of oxidative soy sauce character. The wine is quite high in acidity, whereas the fully resolved, silky tannins are very soft and contribute mainly to the gentle texture of the wine, not to its structure. The finish is rich, long and moderately oxidative with savory, umami-driven flavors of wizened dark berries and pruney fruits, some raisiny tones, a little bit of beef jerky, light oxidative nuances of beef jerky and a hint of tangy salinity.
With the nose I was expecting the wine to be completely shot and oxidized, but it turned out to be much less tertiary and more fruity than I anticipated from the nose. There's no denying that the wine is in decline and probably has been for quite some many years, but fortunately it is much more drinkable than the nose suggested. It's always possible that the we had a prematurely evolved wine, but without any further data points I'd say there is no need to age these wines any further - it feels like this wine won't keep that well after its 15th to 20th birthday. Drink now. Priced according to its quality at 25€.
(84 points) -
2000 Te Mata Estate Coleraine - New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay (8.4.2022)
Originally a single-vineyard wine from the Coleraine vineyard, this has been a blend of the best-quality fruit from all the estate vineyards since 1989. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (29%) and Cabernet Franc (19%). Macerated with the skins for an extended time, aged in predominantly new French oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent black cherry with an evolved maroon hue and a light brick-red rim. The nose is remarkably similar to a proper old-school claret with savory aromas of herbaceous leafy character, ripe redcurrants and some cooked beet nuances, followed by lighter nuances of vegetal bell pepper, a little bit of licorice root, crunchy hints of blackcurrants and chokeberries and an evolved hint of meat stew. All in all the nose feels very promising and attractive. The wine feels ripe and dense yet not particularly sweet-toned on the palate with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of ripe dark plums and blackcurrants, some licorice notes, a little bit of herbaceous leafy character, light sweet nuances of cooked bell pepper, a developed hint of meaty umami and a touch of savory wood spice. The overall feel is firm and textural, thanks to the high acidity and ripe medium tannins that still retain some grip on the gums. The finish is dry, somewhat evolved and quite savory with juicy flavors of fresh blackcurrants and ripe redcurrants, some meaty umami, light herbaceous notes of autumnal leaves and bell pepper, a little bit of savory oak spice, a hint of dark plummy fruit and a touch of tobacco.
An excellent, harmonious and immensely tasty Bordeaux blend that is stylistically very close to a classic old-school claret, with its firm structure, herbaceous leafy notes and all that jazz. The wine certainly shows some evolution, but the overall feel isn't still particularly old and the wine shows good potential for future development - even if it is drinking mighty well right now. All in all, this is a delicious, well-made example of NZ Bordeaux blend and easily one of my favorites this evening. Drink now or within the next 10 years or so. Excellent value at 38€.
(94 points) -
2001 Pedroncelli Petite Sirah - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (8.4.2022)
100% Petite Sirah from Dry Creek Valley. 13,6% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a developed plummy hue. The nose feels evolved, fragrant and quite attractive with subtly funky aromas of wizened blackcurrants, some horsey notes of bretty funk, a little bit of sweet black cherry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, sweet hints of licorice root and baking spices and a touch of ripe plummy fruit. The wine is ripe, firm and surprisingly tightly-knit on the palate with flavors of wizened dark forest fruits, leathery notes of bretty funk, some ripe blackcurrant and blueberry tones, a little bit of licorice root, light woody nuances of pencil shavings, a hint of inky character and a developed touch of meaty umami. The wine is high in acidity and the rather ample tannins still pack quite a bit of punch, making this medium-to-moderately full-bodied red feel still quite sinewy and muscular. The finish is dry, savory and quite tannic with intense flavors of ripe dark berries, some meaty umami, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light barnyardy notes of bretty funk, a hint of old leather and a touch of savory old wood.
Well this was a lovely and characterful effort! When most Californian wines tend to be squeaky clean and often erring on the soft and easy side of tannins, this wine not only packed a healthy dose of still rather grippy tannins, but also a nice funky touch of brett that didn't really distract from the pleasure, but instead only added some rustic complexity to the evolved fruity notes. It feels as though the wine never was a particularly big or complex wine, but it has definitely gained good sense of complexity, poise and depth of flavor with age. This will never be a grand vin, but it nevertheless is a fantastic and somewhat rustic little wine that punches way above its weight at just 14,70€. Highly recommended.
(93 points) -
1998 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Cortina - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (8.4.2022)
Zinfandel source mainly from the Chen's Vineyard, planted in 1972. Fermented and macerated for a week in open-top fermentors. Aged for 15 months in predominantly French oak barrels (10-15% new). 14,5% alcohol.
Rather translucent and somewhat evolved dark maroon color. Dark-toned and still surprisingly fresh nose with bright aromas of brambly dark berries, some surprising vegetal notes of beetroot, a little bit of ripe black raspberry, light grassy green nuances, a hint of inky character, a touch of savory wood spice and a whiff of boozy alcohol. The wine is ripe, juicy and lively on the palate with a quite full body and bright flavors of ripe black raspberries, some sweet-yet-vegetal notes of roasted beetroot, a little bit of sweet black cherry, light pruney nuances, a hint of toasty wood spice and a touch of bramble. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity and the medium-plus tannins bring some welcome sense of firmness and grip to the wine. The finish is rich and juicy with some alcohol warmth and a little bit of tannic grip along with a long aftertaste of ripe black raspberries and brambly red berries, some vegetal notes of beet root, light sweet nuances of cherry marmalade, a little bit of evolved pruney character and a leafy hint of herbaceous greenness.
A very nice, bright and balanced Zinfandel that is both surprisingly youthful for its age and wonderfully fresh and structured for a Zinfandel. Although the wine shows some obvious ripeness and alcohol warmth, the wine doesn't suffer from the typical Zinfandel pitfalls - jammy fruit, soft structure and boozy alcohol - but instead comes across at times even surprisingly fresh and herbaceous for the variety. I guess what you can taste here is the uneven ripening typical of Zinfandel - some grapes might be turning already overripe and some are still quite underripe while the majority of fruit is at perfect ripeness. At least this wine tastes like it combines all those qualities surprisingly well. It takes a bit of time to get accustomed to the combination of very ripe fruit and herbaceous, leafy elements, but once you get past this dichotomy, this is a pretty lovely example of aged Zinfandel. It might continue to improve for some years more, but as it is drinking so wonderfully now, I think no further cellaring is necessary. A great pucrhase at 24€.
(91 points) -
1995 Callaghan Zinfandel Buena Suerte Vineyard - USA, Arizona, Sonoita (8.4.2022)
100% Zinfandel from Buena Suerte vineyard in Sonoita, located at the altitude of 5000 ft (1500 m) a.s.l. 14,4% alcohol.
Moderately translucent and rather evolved brick-red color with an evolved russet hue. The nose feels sweet and fascinating with distinctive, slightly lifted aromas of strawberry juice, some fragrant notes of fivespice, light volatile notes of nail polish, a little bit of blueberry, sweet hints of elderberry juice and bramble liqueur and a touch of ethery VA. The wine is ripe, juicy and sweetly-fruited on the palate with a moderately full body and evolved yet not super old flavors of licorice and wild strawberries, some sweet nuances of chokeberry jam and black cherry marmalade, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light volatile notes of nail polish, a somewhat odd of latex and an astringent touch of chokeberry bitterness. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with quite light and soft tannins. The finish is dry, juicy and gently grippy with a lengthy aftertaste of ripe blackberries, some plummy tones, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light raisiny nuances, a hint of elderberry juice and a lifted touch of ethery VA.
A pleasant and quite distinctive Zinfandel that has evolved into a slightly odd direction - although the wine is recognizable for a Zinfandel with its sweetly-fruited dark berry flavors and quite soft structure, the wine has some slightly atypical nuances like fivespice or latex and there are some (not excessive) volatile nuances that accentuate the sweetness of the fruit in both nose and the taste. Furthermore, the wine looked much older than it actually was - I was expecting the wine was already past its peak from its color, but it turned out to be surprisingly vibrant and fruity after all. An interesting fellow, but ultimately nothing super exciting. It was nice to see the wine was in good condition despite its advanced age, though. Priced according to its quality at 22,50€.
(87 points) -
2007 Arcadian Syrah Westerly Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (8.4.2022)
Made with purchased fruit sourced from the Westerly Vineyard, planted in 1996 to Syrah clones 174, 383 and 877. 14,5% alcohol.
Dark, very slightly translucent pomegranate with an evolved maroon hue and a pale dried-blood rim. The nose feels dark-toned, somewhat meaty and slightly spicy with aromas of German wurst and oregano-driven herby notes, some roasted game tones, a little bit of sunny blackberry-driven dark fruit, light peppery tones, a hint of licorice, a touch of bay leaf and other dried herbs and a whiff of smoke. The wine is ripe, textural and slightly sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and quite juicy flavors of ripe dark berries, some meaty sausage tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light savory umami notes of MSG, a hint of olive tapenade and a touch of smoke. Despite its quite ripe and sunny feel, the overall taste is quite dry and the wine is enjoyably firm and structured, thanks to its high acidity and moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and moderately grippy with long, juicy flavors of blackcurrant juice, some roasted gamey tones, a little bit of plummy dark fruit, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of olive and a touch of peppery spice.
Arcadian is often said to be very "old world" stylistically, but to me, this didn't come across particularly similar to classic Syrah wines of Northern Rhône, due to its somewhat bigger, sunnier and more substantial overall feel. Nevertheless, this wasn't similar to the monolithic Australian Shiraz wines either - despite its ripeness this wine showed good sense of restraint, finesse and balance. The aromatics were still more "Syrah" rather than "Shiraz" and very true to the variety with the nuances of blackberries, olives and black pepper. Even if this couldn't pass for a Northern Rhône Syrah, this is definitely a classicist's new world Syrah. Based on this bottling, the quality of Arcadian Syrah doesn't match that of Arcadian Pinot Noirs, but it's nevertheless very good. At 24,90€, this wine showed pretty terrific value.
(90 points) -
2002 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (8.4.2022)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (93%), Merlot (6%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) from organically dry-farmed vineyards mainly in Yountville, with some grapes sourced from Calistoga and Rutherford. Fermented and macerated with the skins for four to six weeks. Aged for 24 months in new (90%) and once used (10%) French oak barrels. 14,5% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar, 6,3 g/l acidity and pH 3,52. Total production 141,000 bottles, 7,900 halves, 1,900 magnums and 316 larger-format bottles.
Dense, quite concentrated and rather opaque black cherry color with a subtly evolved brick-red hue. Ripe, clean and juicy nose with remarkably youthful aromas of juicy blackcurrants, some boysenberries, a little bit of licorice root, light leafy notes, a subtly vegetal hint of cooked bell pepper and a touch of gravelly minerality. The wine feels dense, concentrated and rather chewy on the palate with a full body and intense, surprisingly youthful flavors of ripe blackcurrants and licorice, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light vegetal nuances of bell pepper, a hint of meaty umami and a woody touch of savory oak character. The overall feel is firmly structured yet not aggressive, thanks to the high acidity and quite ample, ripe and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and moderately grippy with very lengthy flavors of ripe boysenberries and blackcurrants, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of peppery character, light plummy notes, autumnal hints of damp leaves and forest floor and a vegetal touch of roasted bell pepper.
A beautiful, classically built and still remarkably youthful Napa Cab that has the ripeness and fruit-forward nature typical of Napa while sporting the structure and complexity of an old-school claret. Although the wine is quite ripe, it still has that lovely herbaceous undercurrent typical of Cabernet that gives a delightful counterpoint to the fruitier nuances. And even if the wine has quite a bit of ripe fruit, the overall feel is more dry, savory and textural rather than sweetly-fruited and round. Based on how the wine seems to have aged at a glacial pace for the past 20 years, it will most likely continue to evolve at a similarly crawling speed. I wouldn't be surprised if this wine needed another 20 years to hit its peak. All in all, this is a stunning wine - truly an old-school Bordeaux fan's Napa Cab. Not particularly affordable at 69€, but effortlessly manages to deliver for the price. Highly recommended.
(95 points) -
1996 Seña - Chile, Aconcagua Valley (8.4.2022)
The sophomore vintage of Seña, considered by many to be one of the top red wines from Chile. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (91%) and Carménère (9%), sourced from the Errazuriz vineyards (as Seña didn't have their own vineyards back then) that are farmed according to biodynamic principles. Aged for 15 months in new oak barrels. 12,7% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent brick-red color with a pale orange rim. The nose feels evolved with complex aromas of autumnal leafy tones, some minty green nuances, a little bit of ripe plummy fruit and juicy blueberry, light herbaceous notes of bell pepper, woody hints of savory oak spice and pine tar, a touch of fresh blackcurrant and a whiff of cigar smoke. The wine is fresh, firm and somewhat evolved with a full body and savory flavors of ripe cassis-driven dark fruit, some meaty umami, light herbaceous notes of cooked bell pepper and leafy greenness, a little bit of crunchy redcurrants, a hint of pine tar and a sweet touch of toasty oak spice. The wine comes across as quite velvety and round in texture as the ripe, ample tannins have resolved almost completely, but the high acidity keeps the wine effortlessly in balance, lending the wine good sense of brightness and precision. The finish is ripe, fresh and quite crunchy with lengthy, savory flavors of juicy dark berries, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of cooked bell pepper, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a hint of toasty oak spice and a ferrous touch of blood. The tannins slowly pile up on gums, making the wine end on a more grippy note.
A surprisingly fresh, precise and youthful super-Chilean. The wine certainly showed its South-American roots with its ripeness and at times quite pronounced cassis aromatics, but the overall style was far from what one would expect from such a ripe wine - the combination of modest alcohol, high acidity and surprisingly bright, crunchy fruit was something one finds very rarely in contemporary Chilean reds. Age had definitely benefited the wine - I can imagine this might've been quite an oaky wine in its youth, but now the oak had integrated remarkably well beneath the fruit, only adding some nice complexity to the (relatively little) evolved fruit nuances. Some people didn't really agree with the more herbaceous notes (most likely from Carménère), but I thought they were not dissimilar to those of a good, old-school Chinon, so I had no problems with the wine. All in all, a terrific example of an aged Chilean red. Nothing mindblowing, but still a great example how they can actually age quite gracefully. This was purchased for approx. 50€ back in 1999, and at that price this was a great purchase.
(92 points) -
2002 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Harris Kratka Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley (8.4.2022)
A blend of Zinfandel (95%), Carignan (3%) and Petite Sirah (2%). 13,5% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent brick-red color with an evolved rusty hue. The nose feels ripe and moderately developed with slightly sweet-toned aromas of blueberries, some ripe plummy tones, a little bit of sweet boysenberry, light raisiny nuances, a perfumed hint of dried flowers and a meaty touch of game. The wine is ripe and, savory and quite full-bodied on the palate, but at the same time remarkably fresh and light on its feet for a Zinfandel. There are rather savory flavors of brambly black raspberries and sweeter boysenberries, some meaty umami tones, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light herby nuances of bay leaf and other dried herbs, a toasty hint of sweet mocha oak and a touch of roasted game. The overall feel is surprisingly structured due to the still rather firm and grippy tannins, and the high acidity lends great intensity to the fruit flavors. The finish is long, savory and quite grippy with an intense aftertaste of ripe black raspberries and blackcurrant-driven wizened dark berries, some gamey notes of meat, a little bit of old leather, light evolved nuances of meat stew, a hint of sweet, toasty oak and a touch of peppery spice.
This was a very positive surprise and quite an impressively structured effort for a Zinfandel. Instead of coming across as sweet or jammy, the wine seemed wonderfully crunchy and savory in style, and even if the overall feel was moderately evolved, this wine was much more youthful than I anticipated - had it been poured blind, I would've guessed this must've been about 10 years old. There's still some noticeable toasty oak nuances in the background, suggesting the wine might've been quite a bit oakier in its youth, but now the overall emphasis was almost completely on the layered, quite intense and beautifully matured fruit flavors; the woody tones just added to the complexity without overwhelming any finer nuances. All in all, this was a superb example of aged Zinfandel - and seeing how relatively youthful the wine was, I can imagine it will still continue to improve for a handful of years more. Great value at 32,50€.
(93 points) -
2009 Allesverloren Fine Old Vintage - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (8.4.2022)
A blend of primarily Tinta Barroca, Sousão and Touriga Nacional with smaller amounts of Tempranillo, Tinta Francesa, Malvasia Rey and Pontac blended in some vintages. The grapes are sourced from vineyards that are 43 years old on average, the oldest ones planted in 1954. 20,4% alcohol, 112 g/l residual sugar, 7,67 g/l acidity and pH 3,14.
Deep, luminous and moderately translucent brick-red color with a pale, slightly golden-colored rim. The nose feels rich, vibrant and quite powerful with sweet aromas of raisins, boozy alcohol, some fragrant floral tones, a little bit of blueberry juice, light lifted nuances of VA, a hint of prunes and a touch of arctic bramble. The wine is sweet, youthful and balanced on the palate with a full body and quite intense flavors of red licorice and strawberry cotton candy, some boysenberry, light raisiny tones, a little bit of raspberry marmalade, a hint of pruney dark fruit and a touch of marshmallow. The overall feel is silky yet balanced, thanks to the quite high acidity and firm yet gentle medium tannins. The finish is long, rich and somewhat grippy with intense flavors of cherry liqueur and prunes, some marshmallow tones, a little bit of boysenberry jam, light oxidative nuances of roasted nuts, a hint of raisiny fruit and a touch of strawberry cotton candy.
A very nice, balanced and still very youthful Port-style wine with somewhat distinctive candied flavors of marshmallows and cotton candy, setting it apart from its more blueberry-and-blackberry-driven cousins from Portugal. Although the wine is quite similar to true Vintage Ports, the overall style here is a bit "less serious" with its relatively soft structure and more candied than savory flavors. However, as the wine is still quite young (as a 13-yo wine made in a style of Vintage Port should be), I can imagine this will continue to not just keep, but improve for years more. An excellent purchase at just 149 SEK (approx. 15,70€).
(90 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
I’ve collected these wines over the last decade from various internet shops and auctions.
. I had the opportunity to taste a 1979 Wienert Cabernet Sauvignon about a year ago but never any Bodegas Lopez from the 70s