Another one of those sit-together’s at a friend’s apartment, everybody bringing in a bottle or two. I brought the Diel and Terres Dorées bottles.
Pretty superb wines all around. The Texier white CdP was a bit too big and ripe for my taste - something almost all white CdP’s are to me - and the Vie di Romans and Addimanda wines felt slightly too modern and polished to me. However, even all these were quite terrific wines in their own right and there was not a single disappointing wine opened this evening!
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2014 Emilio Rojo Ribeiro - Spain, Galicia, Ribeiro (30.7.2022)
Typically the wine is a blend of Treixadura (70-80%), Albariño (5-10%), Lado (5-10%), Loureiro (5-10%), Caiño Blanco (0-5%), Godello (0-5%) and Torrontés (0-5%) from four plots with an average age of 30 years. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks and French oak casks. Aged on the fine lees in stainless steel tanks for 16-18 months. Bottled unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Medium deep-to-moderately intense yellow-green color. Fragrant, slightly exotic and wonderfully fine-tuned nose with expressive aromas of passion fruit-driven tropical fruits, some grapey tones, a little bit of juicy red apple, light herby notes of basil and a hint of cantaloupe. The wine is juicy, balanced and beautifully textural on the palate with vibrant flavors of ripe yellow fruits and crunchy white fruits, some fresh red apple, a little bit of sappy herbal character, light grapey notes, a hint of chalky minerality and a sweet touch of honeydew melon. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of balance, freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is fresh, clean and quite long with crunchy flavors of white fruits, some sappy herbal tones, a little bit of sweet grapey fruit, light red apple tones, a mineral hint of chalk dust and a touch of cantaloupe.
A very nice, fresh and nuanced Galician white combining ripeness and substance to freshness and precision. The wine is remarkably youthful and at times even almost primary, considering it is already eight years old. Beautiful intensity and brightness here. This is drinking very well right now, but I can see it improving for many years more. Solid value at 30€. Recommended.
(92 points) -
2020 Vie di Romans Sauvignon Blanc Piere - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Isonzo (30.7.2022)
100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Piere vineyard, planted mainly to Italian clones with loose clusters rather than more tightly-packed French clones. Average vine age 18 years. Harvested in the first half of September, 2020. The grapes are first crushed and cold-soaked, after which they are fermented for three weeks in cool temperatures with selected yeasts. The wine is aged for 8 months on the lees in stainless steel tanks, MLF is blocked. The wine is left to settle and clarify naturally. Bottled in May 2021. 14,52% alcohol, 5,75 g/l acidity and pH 3,46.
Youthful, pale lime-green color. Expressive and varietally correct nose with aromas of grilled green asparagus and passion fruit, some cat's pee, light resinous notes of hop cones, a little bit of currant leaf, a hint of of fresh apple and a sweeter touch of juicy white fruits. The wine feels broad and quite concentrated on the palate with a rather full body yet coming across as surprisingly firm and fresh. Intense flavors of white peach, some tart passion fruit, a little bit of mango, light vegetal notes of currant leaves and grilled asparagus, a hint of boxwood and a touch of crunchy greencurrants. The acidity feels high and structured, whereas the rather pronounced alcohol lends some heat to the palate. The finish is ripe and broad yet firm and palate-cleansing with a long, dry and crunchy aftertaste of whitecurrants, some passion fruit, a little bit of waxy richness, light green notes of currant leaves, a hint of ripe Golden Delicious apple and a vegetal touch of cut grass. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a somewhat warm note.
A quite warm and rather modern Sauvignon Blanc with a lot of substance, fruit and intensity. To me, this wine doesn't really speak that much of place or terroir rather than cultivar - this feels like a stereotype of a high-quality Sauvignon Blanc that deft hands could've made in any part of the world where SB grows. There's no denying the fruit quality is very high indeed here and the wine shows great sense of balance, structure and intensity despite its obvious ripeness (and resulting high alcohol), but somehow I feel quite a bit of character, persona and sense of terroir gets masked by the somewhat anonymous, modern winemaking. This is obviously a great and impressive wine that will continue to improve for many years more, probably peaking after another decade or so, but somehow the very modern and technical style of the wine leaves me a bit unmoved.
(90 points) -
2016 Eric Texier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (30.7.2022)
A blend of Clairette and Bourboulenc from vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape averaging +50 years old. Fermented spontaneously. Aged on the fine lees for 16-20 months in old (3rd to 5th use) oak barrels. No SO2 employed before bottling. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite deep and somewhat evolved golden yellow color. The nose feels big, sweet and waxy with rich aromas of honeydew melon and cantaloupe, some lifted alcohol notes, a little bit of white peach, light apple jam tones and hints of spicy herbs and garrigue. The wine feels broad and juicy on the palate with a full body and sweetly-fruited flavors of ripe white peach and cantaloupe, some herby notes, a little bit of waxy richness, light extracted spicy tones, a hint of nectarine and a touch of overripe pear. The mouthfeel is quite oily and even slightly viscous; the medium-plus acidity keeps the wine somewhat in balance, but doesn't lend much freshness or precision to the wine. The finish is rich, juicy and somewhat sweet-toned with a little bit of alcohol warmth and moderately long flavors of ripe white peach and cantaloupe, some honeyed tones, a little bit of juicy pear, light spicy herbal notes and a hint of apricot jam.
A very rich, ripe and substantial white wine by all accounts. Although not too fat or blowzy, nor excessively alcoholic, this wine still suffers from the typical pitfalls of white CdP: too much body, too much ripeness and too little acidity. Texier manages to keep his wines more sophisticated and fine-tuned compared to his peers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but this wine is still quite ponderous and heavy compared to the lighter and more balanced Texier whites. Although we didn't guess white Châteauneuf-du-Pape immediately, we went to white Rhône varieties almost immediately and to Rhône quite soon after, so I guess the wine is quite true to the genre. Drinkable, but not my favorite style of wine, lacking the verve and freshness I look for in whites.
(87 points) -
1991 Schlossgut Diel Weissburgunder - Germany, Nahe (30.7.2022)
11% alcohol.
Pale to medium-deep golden yellow color. Evolved, waxy nose that is a bit shy in the fruit department first, showing aromas of honeycomb, some floral notes of apple blossom, a little bit of cantaloupe and light nutty notes of almonds, but with air slowly fleshing the aromas with nuances of freshly pressed apple juice, light poached pear tones and a hint of bruised apple. The wine is evolved, dry and balanced on the palate with a light body and quite complex flavors of fresh white fruits and developed waxy tones, some wizened yellow apples, a little bit of stony minerality, light crunchy nuances of white currants, a woolly hint of lanolin and a touch of poached pear. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is dry, long and evolved yet wonderfully fresh with layered flavors of waxy richness, some wizened golden apples, a little bit of evolved woolly character, light mineral notes of stone dust, a hint of crunchy whitecurrant and a touch of cantaloupe.
At first the wine felt quite evolved with somewhat waxy overall character and relatively little in the way of fruit, yet showing good sense of balance and structure, thanks to its bright acidity and cool mineral core. However, as the wine opened up in the glass (and in the bottle) over an hour or two, it fleshed out remarkably, coming across as surprisingly youthful for its age after some aeration! The evolved tones were still there, but this surprisingly youthful, vibrant fruit character seemed to appear out of nowhere while the wine was breathing, making it suddenly feel wonderfully nuanced and expressive! These older Diel wines seem to age remarkably well, and not just Rieslings - I had no big expectations of this aged Pinot Blanc, but it turned out to be not just alive and drinkable, but also immensely enjoyable effort for a Weissburgunder clocking in at +30 years of age! Terrific value at 19,30€.
(91 points) -
2018 Telmo Rodríguez Valdeorras As Caborcas - Spain, Galicia, Valdeorras (30.7.2022)
A blend of Mencía, Merenzao, Sousón, Godello and - as described as the producer - "Garnacha" from an ancient, interplanted vineyard located on the steep slopes of the Bibei river. Fermented spontaneously in old wooden fermentors and stainless steel tanks, aged in old French foudres. 13% alcohol. Total production approximately 2500 bottles. Tasted blind.
Youthful, moderately translucent cherry-red color. Beautiful, wonderfully fragrant nose of raspberries and gravelly minerality, some floral notes of violets, light lifted notes of orange rind and slightly sauvage nuances, a little bit of crunchy cranberries and a hint of blueberry. The expressive, distinctively perfumed and somewhat Pinot Noir-like overall aroma simply grabs one's attention immediately. The wine is ripe and even slightly concentrated on the palate, yet has a surprisingly airy overall feel, thanks to its light-to-medium body and bright, intense flavors of juicy black raspberries, some gravelly minerality, a little bit of earthy spice, light floral notes of violets, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of red cherry. Bright high acidity and supple, harmonious medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry, savory and slightly grippy with a concentrated yet fresh and bright aftertaste of crunchy cranberries and raspberries, some peppery spice, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light earthy notes, floral hints of violets and elderflowers and a balanced touch of phenolic bitterness.
A fantastic and enormously attractive Galician red wine with a distinctively perfumed, relatively Pinot Noir-like character with lots of fine-tuned nuances that give the wine a slightly wild and beautifully airy personality of its own. Terrific sense of freshness, finesse and precision here, combining bright and crunchy fruit with surprising intensity. The wine is drinking wonderfully right now, but I have no reason to believe the wine wouldn't continue to evolve and improve for years more. Not the cheapest wine around at 45€, but delivers for the price.
(94 points) -
2014 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Fleurie - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (30.7.2022)
100% organically farmed Gamay from the Grille-Midi cru in Fleurie. First the grapes are destemmed, after which they are fermented spontaneously with a pied de cuve and macerated with the skins for four weeks in concrete tanks. SO2 is added in two phases: 5 mg/l after the MLF and another 5 mg/l prior to bottling. 12,5% alcohol.
Luminous and still remarkably youthful dark garnet color. Fragrant and somewhat sweetish yet not particularly ripe nose with bright aromas of brambly raspberries and wild strawberries, some fresh cherry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light sanguine notes of raw meat, a hint of juicy dark forest fruits and a sweeter touch of ripe black raspberries. The wine is dry, firm and silky-smooth on the palate with a medium body and fresh, crunchy flavors of black cherries and brambly raspberries, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of gravelly minerality and some rocky notes, a little bit of savory spice and a hint of tart cranberries. The bright, high acidity lends great freshness and intensity to the wine while the balanced medium tannins lend good sense of firmness to the mouthfeel without adding much grit to the suave, silky texture of the wine. The finish is long, savory and gently grippy with dry, crunchy flavors of ripe black raspberries, some stony minerality, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light umami notes of raw meat, a hint of fresh wild strawberry and a sweeter touch of black cherry.
An excellent, sophisticated and still remarkably youthful Cru Bojo that is - true to Brun's style of Fleurie - very mineral and stony without coming across as too angular or austere. There is quite a bit of ripeness and vibrancy to the surprisingly youthful fruit here, yet the wine comes across as very fresh, lithe and crunchy, not ripe, soft or sweet. The style is markedly Burgundian and dead-serious, very unlike the fragrant, fruity and easy Beaujolais wines made with semi-carbonic fermentation. This is a superb Gamay that is drinking really well right now, but will also keep on improving for many, many years more. A bargain at just 16€.
(93 points) -
2014 Fratelli Addimanda Taurasi Starse - Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG (30.7.2022)
100% Aglianico, partly from ungrafted centenarian vineyards, harvested in late October to early November. Macerated with the skins for 25 days. Aged for three years in oak, of which in new barriques and tonneaux for 14-18 months, the remainder in botti casks. 14% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent cherry-red color. The nose shows aromas of dusty wood and sweet blackcurrant-driven forest fruits, some cedar notes of oak, a little bit of ripe plummy fruit, light jammy notes of strawberries, a hint of cocoa powder and a touch of licorice. The wine is dry, spicy and moderately extracted on the palate with a quite full body and rather bold flavors of woody oak spice, some peppery spice, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light leathery tones, a sweet hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of cocoa. The structure relies mainly on the high acidity, as the tannins - which are ample, typical of Aglianico - feel ripe, quite resolved and relatively mellow for a Taurasi. The finish is dry, quite long and moderately bitter with savory flavors of peppery spice, some dry woody notes of oak, a little bit of sweet black cherry, light leathery notes, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a chocolatey touch of mocha oak. The ample tannins make the wine end on a somewhat mouth-drying note.
Supposedly this is a superb vintage of this wine, but to me, this wine came across as quite polished and very accessible for a Taurasi. I expect a classic Aglianico to be stern, angular and pretty tough for the first decade of its life, but this was quite ripe, fruity and accessible for a Taurasi only eight years old. It feels the tannins might've been quite friendly to begin with and they've resolved pretty much, making the wine relatively supple, even soft, and the fruit department had a slightly sweetish, glossy feel to it, thanks to the quite noticeable and impactful oak character. The wine wasn't bad, just not something I'd look for when opening a bottle of Aglianico. At least the wine seemed very youthful for its age, so it's entirely possible that with enough aging the oak will integrate with the fruit well enough not to feel too obvious. At the moment I'd say the wine really isn't worth the 40€.
(87 points) -
2016 Joaquin I Viaggiatori - Italy, Campania, Campania IGT (30.7.2022)
Apart from the aging (the appellation requires the wine to be aged at least 12 months in wood), the wine is basically a Taurasi; the wine is 100% Aglianico sourced from centenarian (150-200 yo) ungrafted vines located in DOCG Taurasi. The earlier-picked grapes that don't show that much promise are used for this entry-level red, whereas the best-quality grapes are reserved for Joaquin's Taurasi. Fermented spontaneously in fiberglass tanks and open-top fermentors, macerated with the skins for 15-20 days. Aged in stainless steel tanks (90%) and old 500-liter tonneaux (10%) for 12 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved and only very slightly translucent blackish-red with a subtly developed maroon hue. Beautifully fragrant and slightly rustic nose with aromas of fresh black cherries and elderberries, some floral notes of violets and dried roses, light funky aromas of stable floor, a little bit of ripe fig, a hint of licorice root, a touch of bilberry and a whiff of ripe red apple or apple juice. The wine feels ripe, dense and rather concentrated on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of fresh black cherries and bitter sour cherries, some elderberries, a little bit of barnyardy funk, light floral notes of violets, a hint of juicy bilberry and a touch of phenolic spice. The overall feel is very dry, but the juicy, ripe fruit gives the taste a fine, subtle streak of sweetness. The high acidity and moderately grippy yet quite sophisticated tannins make the wine feel firm and muscular, yet not aggressive. The finish is long, dry and rather grippy with an intense aftertaste of elderberries and sour cherry bitterness, some bilberry tones, a little bit of savory, earthy spice, light bretty notes of barnyardy funk and horse's behind, a floral hint of violets and a touch of pipe tobacco.
A very impressive, firm and structured Aglianico that really feels like it is a Taurasi in all except name. The appearance looked quite evolved, making me think the wine is evolving at a surprisingly rapid pace, but the nose nor the palate didn't show any particularly evolved signs, making the wine feel still relatively youthful for its age. All in all, a very fine, nuanced and balanced effort with lots of finesse and complexity, counterpointed against very firm and sinewy yet not particularly tough or aggressive structure. The wine is an impressive - albeit quite substantial - effort right now, but will continue to evolve and resolve for many years more. Drink or keep. Great value at approx. 35€.
(93 points) -
1998 Château Larmande - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (30.7.2022)
Typically a blend of Merlot (2/3), Cabernet Franc (1/3) and a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Somewhat translucent and slightly evolved dark dried-blood color. Savory, dark-toned nose with aromas of licorice root and wizened dark plums, some autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of cigar box, light ferrous notes of blood, a crunchy hint of fresh redcurrants, a touch of earth and a whiff of pouch tobacco. The wine feels dry, quite dense and enjoyably textural on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and flavors of gamey meat and savory umami, some wizened black cherry tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light earthy notes, a hint of tobacco and a touch of autumnal leaves. The wine still retains quite a bit of firmness and structure with its rather high acidity and still quite grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is savory and quite grippy with a long, dry aftertaste of game and autumnal leaves, some tobacco, a little bit of ripe redcurrant, light earthy notes, a sweeter hint of dark plummy fruit and a touch of leather.
An evolved but still wonderfully vibrant and expressive St. Ém. that feels like it is slowly approaching its plateau of maturity. The fruit has developed some tertiary characteristics, but there is still quite a bit of vibrant fruit left and the tannins come across as quite assertive and grippy, even after all these years, making me think it will take more than a few years to resolve them fully. Virtually everybody was in Bordeaux with this one, but most of us thought 1990's Left Bank - only one went (correctly) to Right Bank right with the first guess. All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable, still impressively structured and enjoyably dry and savory Right Bank Bordeaux with still a little bit of upside to it - seeing how many have commented how the wine has no tannins left and the fruit seems over the hill, I'm starting to wonder if there has been a bigger batch with storage issues? At least this wine didn't seem to fit those kinds of descriptions at all. If anything, this calls for food if opened now. Priced according to its quality at 38,50€
(93 points) -
2000 Château Soutard - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (30.7.2022)
A blend of Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Franc (30%). Fermented and macerated in stainless steel tanks, moved into barriques for the MLF. Aged in predominantly new (approx. 3/4) oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, dark and quite translucent cherry-red color. Sweetish but also surprisingly restrained nose with fine-tuned and quite reticent aromas of ripe redcurrants, some mocha oak, a little bit of sweet pipe tobacco, light woody notes of cigar box, a sweet hint of wizened blackcurrants and a touch of alcohol. The wine feels dense, quite extracted and rather chewy on the palate with a full body and dry, somewhat reticent flavors of ripe dark berries and old leather, some tobacco, a little bit of of earth, light ferrous notes of blood, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a crunchy touch of fresh red plums. The overall feel is a bit warm as the somewhat understated fruit doesn't really help masking the alcohol. The high acidity and rather assertive and quite grippy tannins make the wine feel rather stern, structured and tightly-knit. The finish is juicy, grippy and slightly warm with a dry aftertaste of game and meaty umami, some fresh red plums, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of leather and a sweeter, toasty touch of mocha oak.
A firm, stern and quite impressive St. Ém that feels like it might've been quite oaky in its youth - based on the slightly unintegrated toasty notes that still linger here - but has shed most of the oaky character over these two decades. However, it was surprising how remarkably closed the wine was; we thought the wine would just need some aeration, but it really didn't become much more expressive over two hours of aeration. Based on how so many Bordeaux reds from the 2000 vintage have seemed like they're built for the really long haul, I wouldn't be surprised if this wine needed another decade or two before it really started to open up. Now the wine is a dead-serious food wine that doesn't have much to tell. I'd let the wine wait for a long time, because it is still underperforming. It might not be worth the 54€ at the moment, but things might change as the wine ages further and (hopefully) starts to unfurl at some point.
(89 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
