TN: January 2020 Tasting Notes

[sjw_11]

Kicking off another one of these threads (I like the idea, so I am going to keep it going!)

Tasting notes for the first three weeks of January...

• 2010 Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore L'Alberello - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore (1/20/2020)
  A blend of 70pc Cab sav, 25pc Cab Franc and 5pc petit Verdot. Elegant nose, with notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, and red currant. In the mouth this offers smooth red berry characters, a touch of vanilla. The tannins are still firm but don’t detract. Drinking well now but it actually freshened up over 2 days suggesting room for further improvement over 5+ years. (93 pts.)
• 2016 Famille Brunier Vaucluse Le Pigeoulet - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vaucluse (1/20/2020)
  This is a blend of 80pc Grenache, 10pc Syrah, 5pc Cinsault, and 5pc Carignan. Sweet fruited red berries on the nose. A touch of confection but also some darker fruit notes as well. Fleshy red and blue berries in the mouth. Nicely poised. Good value. (90 pts.)
• 2018 Ca'N Verdura Moll Binissalem-Mallorca SuperNova - Spain, Balearic Islands, Binissalem-Mallorca (1/19/2020)
  Pale green/yellow. Notes of fruit salad on the nose, slightly tart. This carries through on the palate, with a bit of phenolic grip. Fine but not particularly exciting. (86 pts.)
• 2016 Jaume Llabres Vi de La Tierra Mallorca Son Prim Cup - Spain, Balearic Islands, Vi de La Tierra Mallorca (1/18/2020)
  Mid red. Fresh, spicy red berries. Medium bodied and fleshy in the mouth. Delicious. Will drink well for at least 3-5 years. (91 pts.)
• 2016 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Crianza - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (1/18/2020)
  No formal notes but my general impression was “this is fine”. Gentle red fruits. Not over ripe, medium bodied. Touch simple. Pretty good value. (87 pts.)
• 2018 Bodega Fulcro Pescuda - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (1/18/2020)
  Appealing clean citrus flavors. Touch of honey or sweeter yellow fruit as well. A touch anodyne on the palate, but pleasantly crisp and clean. (86 pts.)
• 2018 Les Ombrelles Saint Véran - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Saint Véran (1/16/2020)
  Glowing yellow/green. Lovely fresh nose with white nectarine and white flowers. Crisp and moreish in the mouth. Nice balance. Fraction short but very drinkable. Excellent value. (89 pts.)
• 2011 Mondot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (1/13/2020)
  Deep red. Juicy blackberry and brambly red fruits. Good purity and fruit driven flavors for the age, still quite youthful. In the mouth this is sweetly fruited with notable, fuzzy tannins. Doesn’t fall over even when open for three days, suggesting good potential for a few years further aging. Excellent value at ~€26. (93 pts.)
• 2017 Vins Auvigue Pouilly-Fuissé Solutre - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé (1/12/2020)
  Mid yellow. Melon, cashew, and citrus on the nose. Maybe a touch of saline as well. Slightly warm and disjointed in the mouth. The acid pokes out a bit. It’s ok but I’m not entirely convinced by this. (87 pts.)
• 2016 Dominio de Anza Rioja Edicion Especial Limitada - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (1/11/2020)
  Deep blood red. Enveloping nose, juicy plums, vanillin oak, blackberry, a touch of lifted ester. Very fresh and modern seeming. Initially juicy and fleshy in the mouth, but with excellent persistence and firm tannins and lingering cherry flavors to close. Lovely clean definition of fruit. One of the sharpest young Riojas I have tried lately, from a producer which is new to me and I gather new to the region as well. Maybe a touch tricked up for the purists? Love to see it again over 10+ years. (94 pts.)
• 2017 Alheit Vineyards Cartology Bushvines - South Africa, Western Cape (1/11/2020)
  This is 87pc chenin blanc and 13pc sémillon and represents the estates “village” wine. Pale yellow. Oily and grassy on the nose, with hints of lemon pith and some floral notes. Bracing acidity in the mouth. Indeed it feels just a touch coarse for now, I am thinking a bit more time would smooth it out. Interesting wine, probably have to question the QPR. (90 pts.)
• 2017 Domaine de la Réserve d’O Coteaux du Languedoc Saint-Saturnin Bilbo - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc Saint-Saturnin (1/4/2020)
  Medium purple red. Sweet confected purple fruits but not overly lollyish. Really appealing nose and very drinkable on the palate. This is an excellent drink now proposition and good value. (90 pts.)
• 2005 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (1/3/2020)
  Mid to pale red. High boned red cherry notes. On several days looking I decided this bottle was not corked, but there could have been a touch of TCA (I’m relatively sensitive to it). Otherwise this is starting to shape up nicely. Ethereal cedar and varnish on the nose. As always with this house I find the oak sticks out, even at 14 years you can see it on the palate. Sour cherries the lingering thought. Tannins remain firm. Give it at least another 5 years to see what may be its best. (92 pts.)
• 2012 Château Brande-Bergere Cuvée O'Byrne - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (1/2/2020)
  Dark red. Fresh black berry aromas, some plum. Quite youthful for 7 years old. Fruit driven on the palate. Medium bodied. Very drinkable and good value. (91 pts.)
• 2017 Yves Boyer-Martenot Meursault Les Tillets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (1/1/2020)
  Clay and limestone soils. Light yellow in the glass. Appealing, ripe nose of peach, stone fruit, touch of melon. A lick of cream as well. Rounded and full on the palate with good structure and complexity. Excellent wine. Drinking well now although another couple of years may see interesting development. (94 pts.)
• 2006 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (1/1/2020)
  Dark red. Dense nose of dark cherry, tar, and vanilla. Quite glossy still on the opening in the mouth (cherry, red berries) followed by a solid wall of tannin. Drinking quite well although I am sure more time will see further improvement. One note of caution though- on day two some distinct underbrush was peeking through and the wine was starting to fall over, which surprised me. A decent wine although I think the WA was a bit generous giving it 96pts! (93 pts.)
• 2006 Duval-Leroy Champagne Blanc de Chardonnay Brut - France, Champagne (12/31/2019)
  Glowing green/yellow. Medium bead. Touch of autolysis on the nose, but still very fresh. Sharp citrus as well. Fresh and clean on the palate with just a touch of yeasty complexity. Nice. (92 pts.)

Posted from [url=https://www.cellartracker.com/]CellarTracker[/url]

[mychurch]

D0A95527-0B80-4BC4-A177-65BA3409DB87.jpeg

Holiday tomorrow, which meant a late online tasting with Jelle in Amsterdam was possible. 2 great wines.

We started with the Terrason, which showed a lot of the famous Aligote acidity just out of the fridge. As it warmed up it became fatter and had some popcorn like Chardonnay fruit in the mid palate. Touch of minerality on the nose. This will keep a few years and really it had me wishing I had bought some oysters.

The Tessier was more interesting. Colour was dark and there were sherry tones and grilled nuts on the nose. Reminded me of old champagne. Thought it might be heat damage, but Jelle had the same notes. Amazing thing was that over the next 30 mins the colour became lighter and the oxadative tones receded. It’s quite a big wine, with much more weight than the Terrason, Never had this style of Romorantin and it seems more Jura than Loire. It has that interest factors though, with ginger and stone stone fruit. Yum.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Last week three Capricorn boys and friends celebrated by way of the annual dinner and wine. As usual the wines were served blind.

78GloriaDinner18Jan20.jpeg

We started off with a 1985 Charles Heidsieck Brut (12%). Long in tooth, it opened with a whimper and little to no fizz. It drank like a still wine and had an ever so slight bit of mousse in the mouth if coaxed but it had all the flavour and interest of an old Champagne if you like that kind of stuff. Very much an “English palate” kind of thing. My last bottle from a stash that most of my friends bought in droves when the retail was privatized and prices dropped. I decided to cellar a few, inspired by a Decanter article by Serena Sutcliff on old Champagnes. I can honestly say that I was not disappointed by the outcome.

The next two wines were served with Penne a la Gorgonzola. One of my friends brought a white and said he was unsure of how it would perform and asked me to have a backup. It showed well but we couldn’t decide whether it was a Burgundy or white Chateauneuf. It was neither but was geographically in the middle, a 2005 Cave de Tain Hermitage (14%) which was all marsanne. When it was revealed I had no choice but to open the backup wine I had selected, coincidentally another marsanne in the form of a 1998 Tahbilk ‘1927 Vines’ Marsanne, Victoria (13%). As I returned with my bottle in a brown paper bag the table conversation was about the availability of some 2014 Tahbilk Marsanne. For a moment I thought my ruse wouldn’t work, but it did, again no one being able to detect it for a marsanne. Clearly, we don’t drink enough of the stuff. The Tahbilk was light golden in colour and quite full, showing some tropicality and richness. This is probably at its peak but the ullage was low in my bottle so no telling how a better bottle might fare with more time. A regular bottle of the 1992 at the same age was even better some years ago, and darker in colour.

Next up, with the roast duck, was a 1999 Le Pousse d’Or Pommard 1er Cru ‘Les Jarollieres‘ (13%) . There was something wrong with this bottle and we struggled to guess what it was. If it was corked (it was not obvious) it might have been a combination of it being slightly so combined with what I can only imagine as a brooding awkward stage where the tannic structure was at the fore. We recovered with a 1992 D’Arenberg ‘D’Arry’s Original’ Shiraz-Grenache. This is a bottle from a legendary batch that was found in a small town store some years ago when it was already a decade old. I’ve heard glowing reports but this was my first taste. It was lovely, mature and complex, but with a dark-fruited depth, that led me to northern Rhone. The syrah element was front and centre on this wine. It is in do danger of falling over anytime soon. (It’s not in the picture because my friend took the empty bottle home.)

With the roast lamb course I brought out the title of this thread, a 1978 Chateau Gloria, St. Julien (12%). There was no fooling anybody at the table, they all went Bordeaux, most to the left bank. This wasn’t a big wine but afforded all that one might want in a finely tuned, old fashioned claret that is lingering more so than fading. I’ve always liked mature Bordeaux and this one ticked most of the boxes for me. I think the oldest anyone guessed was 1988 or 89. It was later judged the wine of the evening. The last red was a new one to me, a 2009 Sinergi-VT ‘Icaro’, Mexico (13.5%). This was young and brooding, with plenty of inky, black fruit and mineral depth. We had a hard time and failed at identifying it as a nebbiolo. Give this another decade if not plenty more.

With the almond torte I served a 1987 Banfi Moscadello de Montalcino Liquoroso (16%) that I had to decant off the fine, dusty sediment. Whatever it may have been when it was young it had now turned into a vin santo, nutty and notes of rancio, and a slight off dry aspect. Finally we ended on a 2000 Patricius Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos (11.5%). It was very elegant, lithe on the palate but with a hidden depth, tropical fruit nicely intwined with the botrytis. I thought I was drinking Sauterne.

This how we got another year older - our three birthdays are a week apart.

Cheers ....................... Mahmoud.

[AdamR]

Not sure if this over laps or misses some from the last post but nevermind.

2010 Pichler-Krutzler, Durnsteiner In Der Wand, Riesling, Wachau, Austria
An imperfect bottle, not as good as the previous three. Simpler nose, more subtle. Minerals, honey, and stone fruits. Palate has a nice balance but tastes much older than it should. Similar flavors to the nose. Decent acidity. Just not as good as previous bottles.

2015 Bicknell SC, Applecross Chardonnay, Yarra Valley
Really like it. Good wine.

NV Pol Roger Reserve Brut, champagne
A much more preferable champagne. More minerals, more lemon, a little brioche, much more dynamic. Light on the palate. But decent length. Much more to my style but more support for my money staying in Tasmania.

2012 Giesen Brookby Rd Vineyard, Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Marlborough.
Doesn’t help my views on the average NZ Pinot. Big, oaky Pinot. Some nice fruit there, but supports an older thought of mine that if you want a Shiraz with a meal but don’t have one, you can substitute a NZ Pinot. Not very long or sophisticated.

2018 Hughes and Hughes Riesling, Tasmania
A very unique Riesling for Aus. Pears, apples and rocks. I would pick it as a German blind. Good balance and length. Very enjoyable.

From Sunday, Bambino Nebbiolo, Adelaide Hills
Very aromatic. Light bodied palate and tannins but with some decent acidic length. I could drink lots of this. Probably the best aussie Nebbiolo nose I’ve had.

2001 Bianchi Gattinara docg Itali
Gone.

2000 Pipers Brook Reserve Pinot noir, Tasmania
Lovely old Pinot. Very resolved. A mix of spiced cherries and high toned berries. Still complex on the nose if not shifting. On the palate lighter flavors such as berries and great acid. Just a nice wine. Glad I have two more.

2017 O’LearyWalker Polish Hill Riesling, Clare valley.
Really enjoy this wine. Texture seems better, still pretty with delicate florals. Nice length and cleansing.

1981 Diamond Valley Vineyard,Rhine River Riesling, Victoria
Somewhat typical of an old Auslese that’s past prime but not dead. Lost much complexity, but held onto the honey, some ripe fruit and citrus on the palate. The length is okay and the mouth feel light. Great with Thai

2001 Suckfizzle, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
Lots of dark red and black fruits on the nose. I feel plums, blackberries and then the savory brambles as well. Not insanely complex to me, though it seems resolved. Maybe a little past it’s prime. Bigger than I remember the last to be.

2015 BK Wines, Cult Vineyard Syrah, Lobethal Adelaide Hills
Decanted for 3 plus hours and as I’ve found needs it desperately. Quite floral on the nose, red licorice, flowers, sappy, very engaging. Nice balance of sweetness and acidity with tart red fruits on the palate and a nice twist of bitterness on the finish. Goes well with steak. Still impressed with this wine, don’t know what it’ll do in the future. I don’t feel it has the stuffing for a long life and enjoy the sweetness now. However I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns into something lovely.

2006 By Farr Sangreal, Pinot Noir, Geelong
I’m a big fan of their wines. Out of the bottle this doesn’t excite me. With air and an hour in the decanter it wakes up. The nose comes up complex, spicy, very earthy and sometimes pretty flowers and a touch of rhubarb. The body is fresh, light and young and kind of explodes over the palate. The length is decent. With more flavor after it’s swallowed. Savory primarily with the concept of undergrowth and and beetroot that expands into spice and fades into berries.

[Hacker]

Had a 2008 Yarra Yering Red 1 last night. Amazing wine. Pure, still young, the best Yarra red I have tried. No hurry to drink, should go at least 5 more years easy. The last glass was the best, always a good sign.

[phillisc]

2001 Bests Bin 0, a lovely wine with a core of black fruit, twinges of oak, earth and spice. Entering a secondary phase on the palate with medium weight and oh so gentle tannin...will hold for 5 but not likely to improve any further...a nice old wine, however, completely smashed by

1991 Wynns John Riddoch (magnum)...cork serviceable, stained 10 mm, still inky black to very dark purple, berry, cloves, a hint of olive, cedar, cigar box and all that. Wood all soaked up and a fabulous palate, gutsy and long lasting, a twinge of that lovely Coonawarra sweetness, with chalky fine tannins. An absolute treat here and probably fluked a good bottle. Have about 9-10 singles left so will look at one soon. Based on this, an easy decade before this looks like anywhere near falling over. Happy days
Cheers craig