Calafia The Princess Rose of Pinot Noir
3 Likes
2005 Spring Mountain Elivette.
Deep garnet color in the glass.
This wine was singing! On the nose, very complex. Leather and chocolate notes, with accents of black cherries and raspberries coming in, along with hints of brown spices and some minerality.
Incredibly balanced with a long finish. Dry with medium plus body and tannins with the right amount of acidity. Decanted for two hours before drinking.
2 Likes
Really like their Elivette! Very pretty, red-fruited wine.
1 Like
Drank the Outpost Immigrant 2015 this evening. Decanted 2 hrs.
Deep purple. Very fragrant, floral nose, can really smell the cab franc. Smooth wine with a very elegant frame. Beautiful red currant streak to go with the black berries and plum.
Love this wine and it’s in a great spot.
2 Likes
2018 Luneau-Papin Clos des Allees Muscadet.
If I had tasted this wine blind, my first guess would not have been Muscadet. I would have gone with Fiano or maybe Albarino? Full of ripe non-citrus fruit, acid present but without the lemon complement that I enjoy. Its actually a pretty good wine, but I was disappointed because it did not fit the Muscadet stereotype that I was looking for.
1 Like
2015 Bodegas Muga Rioja Selección Especial
Opened yesterday, had a glass which was good but a little closed, repoured and let sit at cellar temp. Tried again today, it’s a great classic Rioja, tree bark, tart cherry, strawberries and plums. Earthy, medium grained and well integrated tannins. Some oak and dill notes yesterday but barely noticeable today. Highly enjoyable.
Yesterday I opened a bottle of 2005 Domaine Pierre Usseglio Cuvee de Mon Aieul CDP. Absolutely delicious wine! Great to taste a wine which is probably at its peak. Abundance of fruits and flowers, smooth and lingering finish, wow! Alcohol is high at 15%, a little burn as it goes down, reminding me that it’s no juice, it’s WINE.
3 Likes
Funny, opened an ‘09 cuvée de Mon aieul on Friday. Really a lovely wine. Opened a ‘14 Haut Bailly last night - fruit felt a little bound up even after a 3 hour decant. Still enjoyable, and think will be in a better place in a few years.
Camin Larredya - La Part Davant - Jurançon Sec 2019
Some of you may know this wine or the producer, Jean-Marc Grussaute. Less of the pineapple I found a year or so ago, but the nose is still a very intense blend of exotic and citrus fruits, before a crisp attack of lemon and lime, then a rich middle section of honey and pineapple, before a fresh, dry finish where the lime comes back to the fore. The back label suggested decanting, which would have been a good idea since it had settled down a lot more by the second evening.
Very interesting, the sort of wine which makes you stop and think, just a joy to drink.
2013 Giuseppe Quintarelli Ca del Merlo
Lighter than I expected, fully resolved, quite nice for a Sunday night
2 Likes
2015 Buondonno Lemme Lemme
This was one of a few bottles tasted on a 2017 visit to Chianti that we brought home with us. It was a pleasure for the memories, but more importantly for the wine itself. Absolutely delicious, smooth, full fruited, with a suggestion of balsamic for me and licorice for my wife. Excellent wine!
9/12/22 Added a little more info about this wine. (Translated from Italian on the Buondonno website). I was prompted by reading a recent BYOB post by @K_F_o_l_e_y where he mentioned Va La Vinyards Mahogany wine, an unknown to me wine with a field blend mystique that reminded me of the Lemme Lemme.
Produced from old vines married to maple planted from the 1930s to the 1950s, which survived the cultivation specialization because they are located near country roads and close to ancient buildings.
It is an “old Chianti” with a prevalence of Sangiovese but in which there are several other local varieties.
Toscana Rosso i.g.t.
Grapes: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Malvasia Nera, Colorino and other varieties
Vineyard: old rows around Casavecchia and Sicellino
Soil: clayey-calcareous with abundant stony skeleton
Altitude and exposure: 430 mt. s.l.m .; NE, East
Average density: 500 plants per hectare
Training system: vines married to field maple (loppo, opium or testucchio)
Vinification: spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and part of the stalks for a period of about one month. Light pumping over and punching down for the entire vinification period
Aging: in 400 lt ceramic (Clayver) vats. for about a year
Production: average: 1,000 bottles
2018 Goodfellow Pinot Noir Durant Vyd…Glad I let this one rest an extra year, in a nice place niw, drinking very well, no rush if ya got, plenty of stuffing here
Opened a bottle of 2011 Spottswoode yesterday. Drank just a little straight out of the bottle. It was very closed. Decanted for 3 hours, it really opened up. Had it with some oxtail stew. Went great together. Today I had a small glass during lunch, it has now blossomed wide open after one night in the fridge. Not bad for a 2011, I really expected less.
How did you like the 904? I’ve been meaning to try it as I like their Viña Ardanza and Viña Alberdi reserva.