The Auswine Forum

Continuing the Etna theme. This one not especially expensive.

• 2015 Azienda Agricola F. Tornatore Sicilia Etna Rosso - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia (06/09/2019)
  Lighter hued, not disimilar to a nebbiolo or pinot noir based wines, and indeed like nebbiolo there is an early browning at the rim.
  
  The nose is a fraction jammy, but not excessively and I'd expect to see this go with some bottle age. Cherry is to the fore, with swirling revealing more savoury and spicy notes.
  
  Considering the nose, the palate is more savoury than expected with a hint of white and black pepper plus blackberry & cherry fruit. Texturally, although quite light-bodied, there is a glycerine element presumably from the alcohol, and also a little alcoholic heat. The label says 14% alc, which is not as high as some, but for me it appears to be a little high for the light frame. No tannins to speak of though there is some faint bitterness on the finish, but the acidity has good cut.
  
  Overall? Interesting, but for me it's currently showing the alcohol a little too much considering its lighter frame. The other bottle will get buried for a while, as the acidity should carry it well. Maybe try again in 5 years time?
  [img]https://cdn.ct-static.com/labels/6b7fbd94-7f ... e40b52.jpg[/img]

Ian S wrote:Continuing the Etna theme. This one not especially expensive.

• 2015 Azienda Agricola F. Tornatore Sicilia Etna Rosso - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia (06/09/2019)
  Lighter hued, not disimilar to a nebbiolo or pinot noir based wines, and indeed like nebbiolo there is an early browning at the rim.
  
  The nose is a fraction jammy, but not excessively and I'd expect to see this go with some bottle age. Cherry is to the fore, with swirling revealing more savoury and spicy notes.
  
  Considering the nose, the palate is more savoury than expected with a hint of white and black pepper plus blackberry & cherry fruit. Texturally, although quite light-bodied, there is a glycerine element presumably from the alcohol, and also a little alcoholic heat. The label says 14% alc, which is not as high as some, but for me it appears to be a little high for the light frame. No tannins to speak of though there is some faint bitterness on the finish, but the acidity has good cut.
  
  Overall? Interesting, but for me it's currently showing the alcohol a little too much considering its lighter frame. The other bottle will get buried for a while, as the acidity should carry it well. Maybe try again in 5 years time?

Nerello is inherently a tannic grape, so it's unusual that you found no tannins in this wine. Perhaps some heavy handed winemaking going on here?

Hi Ozzie
Quite possibly. My guess is much reduced skin contact + ripe yet relatively high yielding grapes = light frame + decent acidity + no tannins + alcohol poking out.

However IANAW

Regards
Ian

Some interesting wines this weekend

Arras Brut Rose 2007 - More open, fruit forward, less mysterious than the 2006, which seemed much more saline and sea shells, in comparison. this one, uncomplicated brioche, bready, yeasty flavours. Long intense finish, honey, strawberries. Seems like it will age less well than its predecessor? Happy to drink this any time.

Massena Mataro 2010 - Sweet tertiary notes, cinammon/anise? notes, not unlike some aged cabernets, I think it is the French oak + age, gaminess/sourness adding interest. In some ways a strange nose. No tannic presence whatsoever to speak off. Very fine powdery deposit. Sweet in mouth, medium bodied but smooth, mouthfilling, finishing fairly long, again with that lick of sweet oak. I am not appreciative of the flavour profile but those that do will still find this good. Drink soon though.

Dry River Bunch Selection Gewurtztraminer 2009 - Botrytis wine. Sweet luscious. Still get lychee, pineapple, other primary tropical fruit notes, and big whack of high quality oak. Long, unctuous, did I forget to say very sweet? Would have scored much higher had it any acidity left. Colour is dark gold.

McWilliams Morning Light Botrytis Semillon 2010 - Worryingly brown colour. If it were wee I would be advising more drinking water. Much more water. Quince + developed notes on nose and palate, cumquat, slight bitterness. Does feel fat and viscous in the mouth, almost honey in texture and taste. Held together brilliantly at the back by some tongue tingling acid.

Leeuwin 2010 Semillon/Sauv Blanc - a bit acidic on opening in both nose and taste, but soon mellowed out into an almost chardonnay buttery goodness. Perfect to sip along with our first try of a Thai that we've been meaning to get T/A from for (nearly) 4 years. Went from thinking it might have to be poured out to thinking the bottle was too small in around 90 minutes!

Opened a bunch of aged Aussies for guests.

Balanaves Talley 1998- As different as it was interesting. Hard to pick Coonawarra but a good drink anyways.

Dalwhinnie Cabernet 1999- Drying but tertiary and Aussie bush notes make it palatable.

Grosset Gaia 1997- Lovely aromas though age hollowed it a little.

Fox Creek Cab reserve 1999- Extracted and dark, great quaffing!

Dropped in for my annual tasting at Grosset today. Notably the largest crowd I have seen at Grosset, but the punters were dutifully attended to in a professional manner. No one was in a hurry with lots of chatting occurring amongst everyone - the Alea and Gaia were the overwhelming favourites amongst the crowd.

I've heard great things about the 2019 Rieslings from the team, I can confirm all of the 2019 Rieslings are looking stunning, the fruit/acid balance is to be admired, all natural acidity with no additions. Below are some impressions of the wines:

Alea – beautiful fruit, lime cordial, florals with a touch of deft sweetness, with a nice acid balance. Drinking sensationally well

Springvale – so distinctive, nice intensity of lime tending to lemons, slate, mouth-watering acidity, well weighted palate and long lingering finish. Yum.

Polish Hill – a bit of an oxymoron, but at first it seems delicate, but then the intensity creeps up on you. Crisp, intense fruit, lemon pith, minerals, talc. The finish is long lingering and intense with the acidity carrying the wine - Excellent stuff.

Loved the Alea for its immediate drinking appeal but the Polish Hill is a ripper.

2016 Gaia – full bodied, dark fruits, black currant with subtle spice notes from the oak. Rich in the mouth, immaculately balanced with fine tannins. One of the better young Gaia’s I’ve tried.

2016 Nereus – medium / full bodied, dark berries, dark cherry, blackberry with savoury oak supporting the fruit. Firmish type tannins complete a very smart looking wine that has very good drinking appeal now. Best one I have tried to date.

1999 Gaia was opened and quickly decanted. A nice mature wine, with black currant, cedar and some saddle leather. A touch of dusty/drying tannin on the finish. Really nice to try.

Overall the wines are all looking very smart – very low yields for the 2019 rieslings - volumes are running very low. Apiana already sold out, Gaia nearly sold out too.

Wines from the last couple of weeks

• 2006 Paolo Scavino Barolo Cannubi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (9/14/2019)
  Surprisingly deep colour. Quite ripe and rich on the nose. More modern stylistically. A touch of plum and spice. Very youthful still. Opens with red fruit and then follows with a wall of fuzzy tannin. A little closed initially- comes across as a touch simple. Perhaps needs more time. (93 pts.)
• 2015 Château Sociando-Mallet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (9/13/2019)
  Ripe and spicy red berries on the nose. Deep plum and fine grained oak. Good depth of aroma. Smooth palate entry with juicy fruit and firm, rasping tannins. Medium long finish. Nice acid balance. Drinking surprisingly well now but well placed for medium term aging. Excellent value. (93 pts.)
• 2017 Partida Creus XL Ancestral - Spain, Catalunya (9/13/2019)
  Made in the “ancestral” way which involves placing the fermenting must into the bottle without adding yeast or dosage. Slightly cloudy. Distinctly cideresque as another taster has noted. Bruised apple, grapey notes, a touch of funk. Quite crisp on the palate, more like cider here. Fascinating in small doses. Not really my style. (87 pts.)
• 2017 Justin Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9/9/2019)
  Quite sweet and simple fruit dominates this. Ripe black currant and a touch of yeasty alcohol. The aging is apparently in small oak barrels and this adds a touch of vanilla. Verges on stewed fruit but just carries through a degree of freshness. Sweet and gentle in the mouth. Entirely “new world” and pleasantly drinkable albeit not complex. Poor value for what I paid in Manhattan but probably cheaper in bottle shops elsewhere. (87 pts.)
• 2012 Bodegas y Viñedos Tábula Ribera del Duero Clave de Tábula - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (9/7/2019)
  Deep magenta red. Poised nose of sweet red berries, mahogany, vanilla and a touch of clove. Rich and beguiling but not over ripe at all. The palate opens with limpid red fruit and finishes long and even with soft tannin. Drinking very well today although no rush. (94 pts.)
• 2017 Domaine des Deux Roches Saint Véran - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Saint Véran (9/7/2019)
  Mid yellow. Ripe nose. Apricot and peach. The palate is a bit disjointed with ripe fruit but jutting acidity. Some potential but maybe needs time to settle. (87 pts.)
• 2017 Dauvergne Ranvier St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (9/4/2019)
  Straight Syrah. Bright ruby red. Delicious nose of bright red cherry, some red confection and violet flowers. Soft, juicy palate with medium length and a sweet, even finish. Excellent fruit forward drinking today and great value. (90 pts.)

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

So my wife, who bought some electrical equipment from a leading retailer, received a case of this for her troubles. She did try and get a single bottle of something good instead, but no, it had to be a whole case. Vintage 2019, so young. It’s as bad as I expected. Lots of alcohol. Vanilla berry fruit, sweet, low acid. A made wine, with no redeeming features. Yuk. Not unexpected though. The plan was actually to use it as cooking wine, but it’s just not got the acidity i would want for that purpose. Really, just a waste of grapes. Imagine it’s loved by many.

mychurch wrote:

17BE1DFD-8BB2-4F3E-A77B-BA553C7CD053.jpeg

So my wife, who bought some electrical equipment from a leading retailer, received a case of this for her troubles. She did try and get a single bottle of something good instead, but no, it had to be a whole case. Vintage 2019, so young. It’s as bad as I expected. Lots of alcohol. Vanilla berry fruit, sweet, low acid. A made wine, with no redeeming features. Yuk. Not unexpected though. The plan was actually to use it as cooking wine, but it’s just not got the acidity i would want for that purpose. Really, just a waste of grapes. Imagine it’s loved by many.

You are wasting everyone's time on here with a post like that.

It is a drinking thread Matt. Most of us will get offered a glass of Wolf Blass, or the equivalent, by friends and family who think they are doing us a favour.

Not my night. The 2015 Bellwether Chardonnay from Tasmania had one of the oddest noses I have had in a while. Usually reducton gives that stuck match smell, but this was Thai Curry, slate and celery. Really unpleasant. 24 hours in the fridge opened up the wine. The smell has gone, some good quality fruit has appeared and it was quite a complex, restrained Chardonnay, with a good streak of acidity. Thing is though, most people who open this wine will probably not think to decant or leave for 24 hours and I guess they will have a bad drinking experience.

After the wine went back in the fridge I opened a bottle of Chambers Grand Muscat. Lovely stuff. Despite all me appreciation for LattaVino, Sami-Odi, Wendourre and Rugabellus, they all have to bow before the class and quality of the great stickies.

Matt@5453 wrote:

mychurch wrote:

17BE1DFD-8BB2-4F3E-A77B-BA553C7CD053.jpeg

So my wife, who bought some electrical equipment from a leading retailer, received a case of this for her troubles. She did try and get a single bottle of something good instead, but no, it had to be a whole case. Vintage 2019, so young. It’s as bad as I expected. Lots of alcohol. Vanilla berry fruit, sweet, low acid. A made wine, with no redeeming features. Yuk. Not unexpected though. The plan was actually to use it as cooking wine, but it’s just not got the acidity i would want for that purpose. Really, just a waste of grapes. Imagine it’s loved by many.

You are wasting everyone's time on here with a post like that.

Ease up.

It might be crap but its still a commercially available wine from a major producer that looks like at least in the past it had a selling price of about $14. Low grade for some on here for sure but its not as if he was posting a note on 5L cask Fruity Lexia or Passion Pop!

sjw_11 wrote:

Matt@5453 wrote:

mychurch wrote:

17BE1DFD-8BB2-4F3E-A77B-BA553C7CD053.jpeg

So my wife, who bought some electrical equipment from a leading retailer, received a case of this for her troubles. She did try and get a single bottle of something good instead, but no, it had to be a whole case. Vintage 2019, so young. It’s as bad as I expected. Lots of alcohol. Vanilla berry fruit, sweet, low acid. A made wine, with no redeeming features. Yuk. Not unexpected though. The plan was actually to use it as cooking wine, but it’s just not got the acidity i would want for that purpose. Really, just a waste of grapes. Imagine it’s loved by many.

You are wasting everyone's time on here with a post like that.

Ease up.

It might be crap but its still a commercially available wine from a major producer that looks like at least in the past it had a selling price of about $14. Low grade for some on here for sure but its not as if he was posting a note on 5L cask Fruity Lexia or Passion Pop!

Fair call, i was out of line , apologies

No problem.

The wine does sell for $15 at Dans, or at least that is the headline price. Maybe it just needs some time to throw off it’s puppy fat.

Having been in the Yarra and Mornington the last 2 weekends, it’s interesting to see just how popular this style of red is. Oakridge and Giant Steps make great, world class Chardonnay, but the wine I saw most people buying was the Shiraz, and the wines I always see speicial offers on at Dans are the Chardonnay’s. Oakridge told me that they were going to replant some of their vineyard to Shiraz as basically they can’t sell enough of the stuff. Both houses had a better Shiraz than the Wolf Blass, but within their portfolio it was definitely one of the weaker wines - I rated it the worst at the Giant Steps tasting.

I haven't bought a Wolf Blass wine in many, many a year (and who would?), and I was thinking of posting on a couple of 1983 Wolf Blass wines, a Yellow and Black Label, that I know is somewhere in my cellar and is well overdue for opening, but now I'm not so sure. There are some hard nosed critics on this forum.

Taking the piss ................. Mahmoud.

Actually Mahmoud, I picked up a few bottles of an 83 Cabernet in Germany a few years ago - it was Sepplt. Still pretty drinkable, with lots of fruit. Will be interesting to read about the Wolf Blass.

The Wolf Blass Black label is still a decent drink that ages well. Probably something I'd only buy at auction with all the aging done for me.

I remember a bit of a sea change a few years ago, with some labels (e.g. Gold label) signiifcantly dialling back the oak. Around that time I got a mixed 6 pack including a couple of Platinum labels. The others long gone, but a 2001 Platimum label Shiraz remains. Hoping it's aged well.

For years at the end of the 80s I used to look for the Wolf Blass Gold Label Riesling. I had a great bottle of it at the Jahangir Curry house (opened 1987), which was Dundee’s premier restaurant at the end of the 80’s. Still open - check the net - but not quite with the same reputation. In the early days the list was high end for a part of Scotland more accustomed to deep fried pizza and pie. The list of course would only have a generic title and after the first visit the ‘Australian Riesling’ entry used to change every time. Never managed to find it in the shops. I was into very sweet German wine then, so I guess it must have been off dry. No idea how the current versions taste.

Brunello vs Chianti Riserva themed night and as usual all wines served blind

As one participant quite rightly summed up the night 'Crazily good wines that all drank well'

Wine # 1 - 2010 Benanti Pietra Marina Etna Bianco Superiore
Really weighty wine here. Oily on the front palate then turned really dry at the back.
Wonderful experience and unusual. Lemon but Musky as well. Slightly purple floral notes (Violets?). Saline & Minerals. Feels old world. Love this texture, such a textural wine, like the vines are planted right next to the sea.

Wine # 2 - 2004 Arras Blanc de Blancs
Very full on nose initially. LOTS of cheesy, buttery, milky & creamy notes that were initially overpowering the wine. Thankfully they blew off after a while, but geeze it was smelly there for a little while.
When it settled down, it revealed some lovely lemon notes with some white peach.
The lack of fullness and richness to the wine made me think it was majority (if not all) chardonnay...got that bit right.
Some salty notes came in after that with fine bead and some good, yeasty length.

Wine # 3 - 2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Lovely lighter spectrum of cherry. Quite Medicinal as well, balsamic. The balance here is striking, everything in its place. Fruit, Tannin, Acid... and the lenght is wonderful. Those medicinal herbs come out, and its not over oaked in any way lead me to think Chianti, but no. Soft and very dusty tannin, pure fruit expression. Lovely!

Wine # 4 - 2012 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino
Gee just another mystifying wine here again. All fruit spectrum and again drinks like a Chianti. Sweeter fruit than the previous one, balsamic again but more red fruits. Red cherry, red currants. Lovely chalky tannin, feels more fruit tannin than oak. Medium body spectrum, enjoyed the balance and length not over oaked either. Really two great examples of the grape even if not 'classic brunello'.

Wine # 5 - 2006 Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico San Marcellino
Lovely nose, bright purple rim, leading into dark purple centre. Black Tea type tannins
Those darker fruits are in the glass as well. Black cherries, maybe some purple pastilles fruit sweetness, earthy notes as well and then some more black tea. Seems more oaky and 'larger' than the other two (i guessed brunello) and im wrong again.

Wine # 6 - 2008 Tenuta le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino Gorelli
Immediate class from colour to nose to mouth. Length is simply extraordinary. Not as fruit forward as the others, and its the tannin structure (as well as that length) that is the star here. Quite mineral as well, and possibly a bit of leather? Again some slight herbs and dried flowers..... did I mention the lenght?... wow

Wine # 7 - 2001 Eredi Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
No mistaking this one. Full on Brunello with everything wound up. Back impenetrable colour, Tar Black kind of wine & darkest of the night so far. That tar leads into the wine, Mocha and oak. Huge oak actually, but high quality and gives it a silkyness. American richness and catered for that market or is this just what a brunello riserva is?
Iron & minerals, blackberries, although the acidy does keep everything in check...just.

Wine # 8 - 2010 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova
Again another deep, dark black brunello straight away. Feels youngish still and in its infancy (obviously a very good bottle). Again large tannins although this time in the mid and back palate, so they go a long way!
Like Wine # 7 has this richness to the wine that I thought meant it could be another riserva. Deep rich earthy characters with more blackberries and coffee. Alcohol heat slightly there, maybe 14.5+%? Dark chocolate and young/fresh leather round out what is a very good wine albeit clearly for a particular market/style. Should certainly age a very very long time.

Wine # 9 - 1978 Hardy's 125th Anniversary VP
I just cant get over how good VP's and Tawnys are. Rediscovering them again has reinvigorated my
love affair with this often forgotten wine, and this example was another scintillating
offering. Raspberry, Strawberry, coffee, black & red liquorice, Richness.... oh that silky mouthfeel, weighty wine. Perfectly balanced and perfectly integrated. Old leather and sultanas at the end...Drinking exceptionally well, i cant see it getting any better.

Tried a 2017 Marius End Play last week. Distinctive Mataro nose with a bit of oak. Palate was gorgeous; mataro spice coming through, blackberry, dark fruits lingering, earth with nice supporting oak. Wonderful mouth feel and long finish. Consumed over 2 nights, very good drinking. Yum.

BYO night at Centonove

2009 Grant Burge Shadrach Cabernet
1998 Bowen Estate Ampelon Shiraz

Shadrach good, Ampelon superb

Back on the drink for the last month... some highlights from Lauren's 30th...

1989 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé
Bottle and cork in great condition.
Opened with a nice pppsssshhhtttt indicating the wine hadn't gone flat and the cork did its job for the 30years.

A light amber colour with fine persistent bubbles however very minimal mousse. Aromas of burnt butter, caramelised popcorn, creme brulee and some toffee apple. Wine opened up over the course of an hour and displayed more intense aromas of toffee apple and that burnt butter continues throughout.
Flavours of slightly bitter toffee apple, caramel popcorn. Great acidity keeping me salivating. Paired extremely well with our Japanese degustation menu.
Finish was long and was a joy to drink. The bubbles lasted through the whole bottle too which kept things even more pleasant. 94pts

1989 Marc Brédif Vouvray Grande Année
No notes taken but i remember canned pineapple (In a good way). Great acidity to match the sweetness. Everything in great condition, bottle, cork, wine. 90pts

2009 Franck Bonville Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé
Was a backup bottle, but we drank it as we were still thirsty and needed something to go with dessert.

Light golden, fine persistent bead, immediately hit with aromas of roasted nuts and brioche.
There's some apple and lemon there but this was very yeasty, nutty and bready all the way through.
Length was superb with a great acid line keeping me salivating. Had this with Japanese matcha macarons. Very good way to finish the night! 92pts

Served blind in brackets of three; lookalikes “spot the difference” the only clue
2017 Bests Pinot Meunier/Pinot Noir
2017 Bests old clone pinot noir
2017 Bests old vine pinot meunier
Three floral, pale wines that were “pinot-esque”; the middle wine with more floral strawberry notes; the final wine with a bit more stewed fruit, tannin, presence and power.

2010/2011/2012 Qupe “sawyer Lindquist” Syrah (edna Valley California)
Two very classy wines here; the 2010 with cool notes of mint, leaf and blackcurrant contrasted with wild pepper and deep dark fruits; the 2011 with violets and plums. 2012 quite a bit plainer. Shiraz my stab at variety, but no chance of picking its USA origin

2015 Craggy range Syrah
2015 Man o’war Syrah
2015 Craggy range "le sol" Syrah
Again, picked the Man of war as “different” mainly on the tannins, but popcorn is a character I don’t ever want to see in a red wine (not keen on it in whites either), and I scored it down savagely. The Craggy range wines were vibrant, racy with dark fruits and spices, very nice indeed; most of the Kiwi reds I taste are Pinots, but seems I need to pay more attention!

Then a mystery bracket of two reds
1996 Craiglee Shiraz
When I wrote “raspberry, cherry rhubarb, medium bodied, fresh and persistant” I suspected Craiglee; with options of 1996, 2005 or 2010, I instantly went for the oldest. Outstanding wine, my WOTN
2017 Bests Bin O Shiraz
Some people won’t like the transient reductive characters, but I loved the deep dark fruits and depth. Leave for a few years and drink anytime over the next twenty years or so

Then more to finish
2016 Crawford river “nectar”
Riesling, 152 g/l rs. Nettles, sherbet, very sweet and viscous, mixed tropical fruits and lemon peel. Lovely
2005 Seppeltsfield Shiraz/touriga VP
Abundant spices and almond character, but not the complexity of Portugal (and a bit sweeter too). Drinking well,and was a bargain price

deejay81 wrote:Back on the drink for the last month... some highlights from Lauren's 30th...

1989 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé
Bottle and cork in great condition.
Opened with a nice pppsssshhhtttt indicating the wine hadn't gone flat and the cork did its job for the 30years.

A light amber colour with fine persistent bubbles however very minimal mousse. Aromas of burnt butter, caramelised popcorn, creme brulee and some toffee apple. Wine opened up over the course of an hour and displayed more intense aromas of toffee apple and that burnt butter continues throughout.
Flavours of slightly bitter toffee apple, caramel popcorn. Great acidity keeping me salivating. Paired extremely well with our Japanese degustation menu.
Finish was long and was a joy to drink. The bubbles lasted through the whole bottle too which kept things even more pleasant. 94pts

Terrific! I am wondering whether to pick up some of the Piper-Heidsieck 2008. Seems pretty good value for a champagne from this vintage.

scribbler wrote:
2005 Seppeltsfield Shiraz/touriga VP
Abundant spices and almond character, but not the complexity of Portugal (and a bit sweeter too). Drinking well,and was a bargain price

Was this the one sold off cleanskin when the ownership was changing over? I've got a few of those somewhere in the cellar, glad to hear its going well.

2015 I Vigneri di Salvo Foti Etna Vinupetra

[url=https://postimg.cc/ZBv0H7yZ][img]https://i.postimg.cc/ZBv0H7yZ/MVIMG-20191003-182921.jpg[/img][/url]

13.5% ABV

First time trying a red from this iconic producer (I had the Rosé a couple years ago).

Salvo Foti is often referred to as the Godfather of Etna. Vinupetra literally translates as "wine of stone". It comes from the 'Vigna Calderara’ vineyard (0.5 of a hectare) in the Feudo di Mezzo area of Castiglione di Sicilia. 100+ year old vines on Etna's north side at 700m. This is a blend of of mostly Nerello Mascalese, together with some Nerello Cappuccio, Alicante and Francisi.

Tart red fruits, sweet black fruits, blood orange, black olives, baking spices, crushed rocks. The fruit is concentrated, yet exquisitely balanced by an etheral structure of velvety tannins, bright juicy acidity, and Etna minerality. This is Etna's "iron fist in a velvet glove". A long finish that just keeps on going and going, with a lovely twist of saline.

One of the best Etna wines I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. I would love to see this with some age on it. Will need to buy a bottle or three to cellar.

Alex F wrote:

deejay81 wrote:Back on the drink for the last month... some highlights from Lauren's 30th...

1989 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé
Bottle and cork in great condition.
Opened with a nice pppsssshhhtttt indicating the wine hadn't gone flat and the cork did its job for the 30years.

A light amber colour with fine persistent bubbles however very minimal mousse. Aromas of burnt butter, caramelised popcorn, creme brulee and some toffee apple. Wine opened up over the course of an hour and displayed more intense aromas of toffee apple and that burnt butter continues throughout.
Flavours of slightly bitter toffee apple, caramel popcorn. Great acidity keeping me salivating. Paired extremely well with our Japanese degustation menu.
Finish was long and was a joy to drink. The bubbles lasted through the whole bottle too which kept things even more pleasant. 94pts

Terrific! I am wondering whether to pick up some of the Piper-Heidsieck 2008. Seems pretty good value for a champagne from this vintage.

I tried it once... rich and ripe were the thoughts that came to mind. Enjoyable wine if early drinkers are your thing (not that it won’t have some longevity)

Haven't posted for a while as we have been drinking nice but not overly noteworthy wines. However last night another orphan was uncovered in the cellar. Yalumba 2003 Virgilius Eden Valley Viognier. Thinking this was well past its best it was opened more as a curiosity than a serious wine. Quite yellow with the usual apricot nose it surprised on the palate. Typical oily texture and still some acid. This I think is Yalumba's best straight viognier. I didn't think it would last this long. Interestingly SWMBO was not interested but for me it worth drinking. I think it was forgotten due to me thinking it it best drunk during one of n4sir's long ago annual Bring Out Your Dead tasting at Halloween.

Wines from the last few weeks...

• 2016 Massolino Barbera d'Alba Serralunga d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba (10/3/2019)
  Deep purple red. Intense dark berries, mulberry and gentle spice. Good concentration on the palate which shows dense juicy red fruits and brisk acidity. Lovely concentration and freshness in combo. Perhaps just a bit tart, looks it’s best with food. No rush to drink despite Barbera’s reputation for early drinking. (91 pts.)
• 2016 4 Kilos Vi de La Tierra Mallorca 4 Kilos - Spain, Balearic Islands, Vi de La Tierra Mallorca (9/29/2019)
  100% Callet. Pale to mid red. Spicy red cherries on the nose. A touch of sweet confection as well. Juicy, medium bodied palate. With air it becomes sweeter and deeper. Callet, indigenous to Mallorca, is new for me. In style it seems somewhat reminiscent of the wines of Etna but maybe a bit fleshier on the palate. Lovely wine. No idea about cellaring potential but I suspect at least 5 years would see interesting development. (91 pts.)
• 2016 Château Cap Saint George - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Georges-St. Émilion (9/29/2019)
  Deep red, with hints of purple. Lush and fruit driven nose. Dark plums, blackurrant liquer and a touch of vanilla. Plush mouth feel with sweet dark fruits and gentle, even tannin. Nice, relatively ripe expression, good for easy drinking now. Probably only mid term cellarig potential. (90 pts.)
• 2017 Angelo Negro e Figli Roero Arneis Gianat - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero (9/29/2019)
  Mid yellow, flecked with green. Sharp nose of citrus, lemon pith and pine. Angular palate with lemon and stone fruit. The acid pokes out a little bit. Nice enough, not particularly memorable. A little expensive for what it is. (89 pts.)
• 2014 Château La Vieille Cure - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac (9/25/2019)
  This is a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and Cabernet. Blood red in the glass. Bright red fruit on the nose, fragrant plum and a touch of capsicum and green leaf. Slippery palate entry followed by red berries and gentle tannin on a fairly long finish. Again just a touch of green there as well, but it doesn’t overly detract. Drinking very well now but no rush, should unwind nicely over at least 3-4 years more. Excellent value. (91 pts.)
• 2015 Château de Santenay Saint-Aubin en Vesvau - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin (9/23/2019)
  Pale mid yellow. Lovely classic Chardonnay nose in a fairly rich style- peach, butter, a hint of toast. Rounded palate with ripe stone fruit and good balance. Lingering finish. Really excellent drinking if you like fuller bodied Chardonnay (though by no means over the top) and great value. (92 pts.)
• 2016 Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Cornas Les Hauts de Pavières - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (9/23/2019)
  Deep red colour. Ripe and vibrant fruit driven nose. Sweet black plums, a hint of jubey confection. Juicy dark fruits in the mouth. Lacks complexity but offers delicious new-world style drinking. (90 pts.)
• 2006 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Alenza Gran Reserva - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (9/22/2019)
  Deep blood red. Initially quite savoury on the nose, plum, dried thyme, a touch of charcuterie. The palate is fresher and the nose opens up with air. Sweet Tempranillo fruit and a decent medium length finish. A touch of vanillin oak. I would drink sooner rather than later. (91 pts.)
• 2018 Abeille-Fabre Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/22/2019)
  Clear, pale yellow. Bright nose of stone fruit and a touch of citrus. Very fresh and clean. Carries through on the palate which finishes with zippy acidity. Pleasant drinking and excellent value (around 17 euros). (88 pts.)
• 2018 Philippe Ravier Vin de Savoie Abymes - France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie Abymes (9/22/2019)
  Clean and fresh white. Quite tart and acid driven. Probably better with food. Good value. (86 pts.)
• 2006 Giovanni Sordo Barolo Riserva Gabutti - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (9/21/2019)
  Dark colour. Good freshness on the nose. Plum, dark red fruits. Quite a rich presentation. Dense and fruit driven on the palate. Nice but lacking the ethereal quality of really good Barolo. (91 pts.)
• 2018 Les Vins de Vienne St. Péray La Viennoise Les Farnauds - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Péray (9/21/2019)
  Pleasant easy-drinking white with nice stone fruit and apricot elements and a rounded but still crisp finish. Good value. (87 pts.)
• 2015 Delas Frères Condrieu La Galopine - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu (9/20/2019)
  Quite yellow in the glass. Initially very reserved and seems quite developed, but it does open up and become a bit cleaner with air. Canned apricot dominates. Restrained on the palate. Unobjectionable but a bit anodyne for the price. (90 pts.)

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