A bunch of random encounters tasted in last May. I normally don’t bother with these kinds of notes as I prefer to concentrate on tasting reports only, but since there were so many nice wines tasted over a span of just a few days, I decided to make an exception this time.
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NV Drappier Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne (25.5.2023)
A blend of Chardonnay (95%) and Blanc Vrai aka. Pinot Blanc (5%). Full MLF. About 5% of the wine is aged in oak foudres. Bottled unfiltered. 12% alcohol, dosage typically around 6,5 g/l. Lot number LH01243D308/21, so the wine might be disgorged in late 2021?
Yellow-green color. Intense and quite ripe yet still fresh and rather precise nose with aromas of sweet lemony citrus notes, some leesy tones, a little bit of mealy Golden Delicious apple, light mineral notes of chalk dust and a toasty hint of bready autolysis. The wine feels dry yet ripe and juicy with a medium body and bright flavors of fresh golden apples, some leesy notes of yeast, a little bit of ripe citrus fruits, light chalky mineral tones and a pithy hint of pomelo. Brisk yet not too lean acidity and persistent, quite voluminous and enjoyably creamy mousse. The finish is ripe and refreshing with a moderately long, palate-cleansing aftertaste of citrus fruits and juicy golden apples, some chalky mineral tones, a little bit of bready autolysis and a sweeter hint of yellow stone fruit.
A tasty, accessible and enjoyably fruity Blanc de Blancs that isn't too austere or high-strung nor too soft and bland. Pretty enjoyable stuff, although doesn't impress much right now. However, most likely the wine continues to evolve and improve for years more, so there are no hurries with this one. Unless the situation calls for an approachable, fruity fizz, let the wine wait.
(90 points) -
2017 Keringer Zweigelt 100 Days - Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee (25.5.2023)
100% Zweigelt. Fermented and macerated in stainless steel tanks for 100 days, then racked into barriques for aging. 14,5% alcohol.
Deep, dark and slightly translucent black cherry color. Very heavily oak-driven nose with a prominent streak of chocolatey mocha oak and toasty spice, some sweet black cherry tones, a little bit of butterscotch, light plummy tones, a hint of freshly ground coffee beans and a touch of wood. The wine feels dense, concentrated and polished on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe bilberries and black cherries, some oaky notes of toffee and caramel, light toasty notes of mocha and milk chocolate, a little bit of dark plummy fruit and a hint of extracted woody bitterness. Even if the wine feels big, modern and polished, it is not lacking in structure: the moderately high acidity and rather grippy tannins lend good sense of firmness and balance to the wine. The finish is toasty, moderately grippy and somewhat warm with a long, quite sweet-toned aftertaste of ripe black cherries, some oaky notes of caramel and vanilla, light bilberry notes, a little bit of blackberry jam, a hint of milk chocolate and a touch of overripe dark plums.
A huge and monolithic Zweigelt that might be surprisingly balanced for its enormous size, but there's still no denying that the wine is just way too oaky and overdone. Truly a winemaker's wine if there ever was one. I thought it would've been very interesting to see how a Zweigelt works with extended skin maceration, but it is very hard if not impossible to get any sense of the finer nuances as all one can taste is just sweet, obfuscating oak flavors. Only those sweetest and most powerful fruit flavors pack enough punch to cut through all the wood - and there is very little interest to be found there. All in all, this is not my style of wine, not at all. Maybe people who don't mind if their wines taste like chocolate milkshake and Bourbon might find this enjoyable. Hopefully some of that oak might disappear with age, as the wine seems to be built for aging - but I am not holding my breath.
(81 points) -
2019 Domaine de Gouye St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (25.5.2023)
100% organically farmed old-vine (avg. 50 yo) Syrah from St. Joseph. The grapes are crushed by foot in open-top fermentors and fermented spontaneously. Aged for 15-16 months in old oak casks. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14% alcohol.
Youthful, luminous and quite opaque blackish-red color. The open, dark-toned and quite sunny yet not jammy nose is full of ripe blackberries, some peppery tones, a little bit of savory meaty character, light sweeter notes of juicy dark fruits and a brambly hint of raspberry. The wine feels ripe and succulent yet wonderfully savory on the palate with a full body and intense, youthful flavors of juicy blackberries and umami-driven meaty tones, some primary plummy nuances, a little bit of stony minerality, light earthy nuances, a hint of crunchy crowberry and a touch of crushed peppercorns. The overall feel is firm and pretty structure-driven yet not tough with the high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, juicy and somewhat grippy with a little bit of alcohol warmth and an intense, savory aftertaste of ripe blackberries and dark plums, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of gamey meat, light peppery nuances, a briny hint of olive and a fine touch of balancing bitterness.
A tasty, stylish and pretty serious St. Joe - maybe still a bit primary and thus feeling slightly banal at the moment, but I have no doubts the wine will lose these qualities in a year or a few, letting the vibrant fruit shine through even better. Despite its ripeness, the wine is still so very savory, packed with both fruit and non-fruit flavors and sporting an impressive structure, this wine has all the components to make wonderful old bones. Although a pretty lovely wine right now, I heartily recommend to let the wine age for at least a few years more, which should be enough to get it through that sweet primary phase. Most likely this wine will easily live up to the Northern Rhône rule of 15 years, so there's definitely no need to be hasty. If this wine is of any indication of Gouye's quality in 2019, I can't wait to taste the 24 mois de fûts version! At just 22€ the QPR here is through the roof.
(91 points) -
1988 Bruno Giacosa Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (25.5.2023)
Total production 3860 bottles, 870 magnums and 200 double magnums. This was bottle #83 of those 200 double magnums. 14% alcohol
Evolved and quite translucent brick-red color with a slightly maroon hue. The nose feels evolved, expressive and heavily mushroomy with pronounced aromas of not only just truffles but also chanterelles and fried false morels, some earthy tones, a little bit of earth, light leathery tones, a hint of dried roses, a touch of ripe sour cherry and a whiff of wizened cranberries. The wine feels ripe, rather evolved and quite savory on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of wizened cherries and sour cherry bitterness, some meaty notes of umami, a little bit of fried funnel mushroom, light earthy notes, a hint of old furniture and a touch of sous-bois. The wine is high in acidity with fine-grained yet still quite grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and tannic with an intense aftertaste of sour cherries, some wizened cranberries, a little bit of truffle and fried funnel mushroom, light leathery tones, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of dried flowers.
An excellent, albeit not particularly distinctive old Nebbiolo. Very classically styled and harmonious, all the same. Great sense of finesse and nuance. I can imagine those mushroomy notes that go way beyond truffles might be a distraction to some, but I didn't mind them one bit. All in all, a lovely Barolo at its peak. Seeing how a double magnum feels like it is at its plateau of maturity now, showing no real potential for further development, I find it possible that wines in smaller-format bottles might be in a quite advanced shape now.
(94 points) -
1987 Château d'Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (25.5.2023)
14% alcohol.
Deep, luminous golden-yellow color. The nose feels concentrated and moderately evolved yet not old or tertiary with bold aromas of dried apricots and acacia honey, some dried pineapple, light fragrant nuances of saffron, a little bit of woody oak spice, botrytis hints of orange marmalade and exotic spices and a touch of cooked cream. The wine feels pretty concentrated on the palate and opens up with a rather sweet surprisingly intense attack of acacia honey, saffron and dried pineapple, followed by lighter notes of apricot jam, a little bit of exotic and slightly peppery spice, a hint of balancing Seville orange bitterness and a touch of creaminess. Although the wine feels concentrated, pretty dense and quite full in body, the overall feel isn't oily or heavy one little bit - partly thanks to the great high acidity. The finish is sweet, concentrated and remarkably persistent with a lengthy, intense aftertaste of honey, dried apricot, saffron tones, some woody notes of savory oak, light exotic spice nuances, a little bit of stony minerality, a balancing hint of Seville orange bitterness and a touch of orange marmalade.
A fantastic, impressively structured and still surprisingly youthful Sauternes. Although sweet in taste, the wine doesn't feel as sweet as one might expect from a Sauternes, but this might be either because of the age, the lesser vintage, or both. The wine doesn't feel young anymore, but it has still stood up against the test of time remarkably well - even the color is not as dark as I would've expected from a Sauternes 35 years old. Although 1987 might be a lesser vintage in Bordeaux (and in Sauternes) this wine managed to over-deliver for the quality. There's more depth, finesse and intensity here than in many a lesser Sauternes from a much better vintage! I guess there's a good reason why Château d'Yquem is considered to be in a class of its own.
(95 points) -
2020 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Les Moulins - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (27.5.2023)
100% organically farmed Chenin Blanc from the communes Montreuil-Bellay, Brézé, and Bizay. Vineyard age ranging from the average age of 85 yo in Brézé to the average age of 30 yo in Bizay. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks. Aged for 12 months in old French oak barriques. 13% alcohol.
Quite youthful and intense yellow-green color. Aromas of ripe golden apples, some waxy tones, a little bit of mineral spice, light citrus nuances and a hint of creaminess. The wine feels ripe and a bit concentrated yet very dry and precise on the palate with a meidum-to-moderately full body and quite intense flavors of juicy golden apples and white peaches, some mineral notes of wet rocks and chalk dust, a little bit of extracted bitterness, light spicy nuances, a hint of creaminess suggesting oak aging and a touch of pomelo. The brisk, incisive acidity lends good sense of structure and freshness to the wine. The finish is ripe and concentrated with a long, dry and pretty intense aftertaste of fresh Fuji apples, some sweet white peach notes, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light stony mineral nuances, a waxy hint of extracted character and a touch of creaminess.
A very youthful yet still very impressive, clean and precise Chenin with great sense of freshness and depth. Despite the warm, dry vintage, this wine is not lacking one little bit in acidity or poise - but true to the vintage, it is still pretty ripe and concentrated in nature. There seems to be also quite a bit of dry extract here, giving the wine not only sense of concentration and substance, but also a little bit of spicy bitterness. I hope this character doesn't start to get more pronounced as the wine ages and loses its baby fat. As a whole, this wine is a terrific effort right now, but it seems to hold quite a bit of promise for the future as well. Fine stuff that can be enjoyed at the moment, but aged for another decade or even more. Recommended.
(91 points) -
NV Heiwa Shuzou Suppai Umeshu Plum Sake - Japan, Kansai, Wakayama (27.5.2023)
"Suppai" translates to "sour". A sake in which the producer uses three times more ume plums from Nankō than normally, macerating them in the sake for 3 years. 11% alcohol. According to the back label, this is bottled in October 2022.
Hazy copper color. The heady, fruity and very sweet nose is brimming with aromas of ume plums and bitter almond-like nuances of plum pits, some honeyed tones and a little bit of peach marmalade and a hint of tangerine. The sake feels very bold, intense and noticeably sweet yet also surprisingly tart on the palate with rich flavors of ume plums, some plum jam tones, a little bit of orange marmalade, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of bitter almond oil. The sake feels high in acidity, lending it a brisk, refreshing zip, yet the mouthfeel is also very rich, soft and textural, thanks to the sweetness. The finish is sweet, sticky and still pretty acid-driven with an intense and very persistent aftertaste of ume and peach jam, some orange marmalade, light bitter almond nuances of plum pit, a little bit of honeyed richness and a hint of apple peel bitterness.
A fun, characterful and ridiculously intense experience. Although this is a rather sweet beverage, I found it remarkably balanced and harmonious, due to its surprisingly zippy acidity - or maybe "sourness" might be a better word, considering how this umeshu is named? Anyways, that plum pit flavor might distract some people who find the flavor bitter almond oil disagreeable (or unpalatable), but to me this was a simply terrific new experience. I wish all umeshus were this balanced, zippy and complex! Superb stuff, highly recommended.
(90 points) -
2018 von Winning Forster Pechstein Riesling Ozyetra - Germany, Pfalz (28.5.2023)
Ozyetra is a special selection of the best barrels of von Winning's Forster Pechstein GG Riesling. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels. Aged on the lees in oak barrels for two years. 13% alcohol, 4,6 g/l residual sugar, 7,7 g/l acidity.
Quite deep, very intense but still strikingly youthful neon yellow-green color. Very intense and noticeably reductive nose with a big smack of flint smoke followed by concentrated aromas of grilled lemon and lemon rind, some salty liquorice powder, a little bit of singed wood, light spicy notes of white pepper, a sweeter hint of ripe Golden Delicious apple and a fragrant touch of apple blossom and other white flowers. The wine feels dry, focused and moderately reductive on the palate with a medium body and very intense flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits and salty liquorice powder, some woody notes of savory oak spice, light reductive nuances of gunpowder smoke and struck flint, a little bit of white pepper, mineral hints of wet rock and tangy salinity and a touch of creamy oak. The brisk, racy acidity lends great sense of structure and electric energy to the wine. The palate-cleansing finish is crisp, focused and remarkably persistent with a dry aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and tart Granny Smith apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light creamy notes of oak, a hint of spicy red apple and a flinty touch of smoky reduction.
A very impressive, structure-driven and pretty idiosyncratic super-GG that might be ripe in its own way, but lacks the fat and weight many 2018 Pfalz Rieslings have shown. This wine is all about ripe yet dry fruit flavors, pronounced minerality and - surprisingly for a 2018 Riesling - very structured acidity. And reduction. Yes, there's tons of smoky, flinty reduction, making this wine first feel more like a reductively made white Burgundy or Western Australia Chardonnay rather than a GG Riesling. However, with some air the Riesling qualities start to punch through and with about 30 to 60 minutes the reduction has dissipated enough to let the wine fire on all cylinders - although the smoky qualities never go fully away. At the moment the wine is still a bit nervous and not fully integrated - the woody nuances feel slightly disjointed at times and the overall feel is still dominated by the reductive characteristics. However, as the wine feels it is all about cellaring potential, I have no doubts this will age gracefully for years and turn into something even more impressive as it gets older. Let the wine age for at least another 5 years, maybe 10.
(94 points) -
2007 Edi Kante Vitovska - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (30.5.2023)
100% Vitovska. Fermented and aged for 12 months in old French oak barriques, then racked into stainless steel tanks and aged for another 6 months. Bottled unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color. The sweetish, characterful and somewhat evolved nose opens up to reveal fragrant aromas of ripe red apples, some hay, a little bit of marzipan, light zesty nuances of juicy citrus fruits, a hint of chopped aromatic herbs, a touch of turmeric powder and a whiff of dried peach or apricot. The wine feels evolved yet firm and precise on the palate with a medium body and complex flavors of mirabelle plums, ripe red apples and waxy apricot character, some almond paste notes, a little bit of herby spice, light honeyed nuances, a leesy hint of creaminess and a touch of chanterelle mushroom. The high acidity lends great sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is long, characterful and wonderfully nuanced with a dry, complex aftertaste of ripe citrus fruit and zesty lemony notes, some herby spice, a little bit of acacia honey, light sweet nuances of honey, beeswax and mirabelle plum, a mineral hint of slightly bitter chalk dust character and a faint touch of chanterelle mushroom.
A fantastic, beautifully evolved and complex Friuli white that is in an excellent shape right now. It feels as though the wine has developed some evolved nuances and tertiary complexity without losing any of its vibrant youthful character. With its bright, high acidity and mineral overtones, the freshness here is just on point. This is a fantastic and quite singular Italian white with a lot of that je-ne-sais-quoi. Although this is drinking fantastically right now, I have no doubts the wine will at least keep - if not evolve - for many years more. At 23€ for a half-liter bottle, this has been an terrific purchase.
(93 points)
Posted from CellarTracker