- 1996 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (12/14/2007)
A lovely young Burgundy! The nose is a touch oakier than I remember, but otherwise it was just like (and just as unevolved as) two years ago. Citrussy, mineral and almost Riesling-like aromatics; bright, vibrant, acidic palate. It has much fruit, but the structure matches it. Long and mineral and absolutely wonderful. Thankfully unoxidised. - 2003 Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri Sassicaia Sassicaia - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia (12/14/2007)
Very sweet, slightly jammy nose, some savouriness. The palate is sweetly fruity but not as over-ripe as I expected. The tannins are firm and even harsh - I guess the phenolic ripeness lagged behind the sugars? Not very nice. - 2000 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Odyssey - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (12/14/2007)
Very sweet and oaky nose, but with some lift. In fact it smells like Barossa Shiraz - maybe they printed the wrong grape on the label by accident
. Sweet yet savoury fruit with nice tannins but the finish is a bit harsh. Well made, but sadly not to my taste. - 2004 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (12/14/2007)
The nose is dark toned for a wine that is wholly Grenache! The grape's sweetness and raspberried notes are however well in evidence. There is great depth and a promise that it will become interesting with age on it. The palate is big and sweet and ripe yet it has much ripe tannins. I am a bit worried about the spirity finish, though. Promising, despite my reservations about the alcohol. - 2004 Bodegas Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero Malleolus de Sanchomartin - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (12/14/2007)
Sweet, candied, supremely oaky nose - international and anonymous in style. Plump, sweet and alcoholic. It tastes self-consciously expensive. I really didn't care for it. - 2002 Montes Syrah Folly - Chile, Central Valley, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley (12/14/2007)
Some tarry notes and lots of that typically Chilean scent (grape doesn't seem to matter...) of cranberry jam. Dense, sweet, smooth palate which lacks acidity and refreshing characteristics. Well made, but not at all the style that I like. - 2004 Brokenwood Shiraz Graveyard - Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley (12/14/2007)
The nose was tarry, dark toned and slightly smoky - dark and brooding, but classic Aussie Shiraz. The palate was a surprise: more red toned in the fruit department than the nose, lighter than the nose promised, more elegant. It is fully ripe but also has lovely acidity. I might almost say it is elegant! Not bad at all. And it only has 12,5%abv! Is this known to age well? - 2005 Prats and Symington Douro Chryseia - Portugal, Douro (12/14/2007)
A very oaky nose, but under the oak, the wine is brambly and typically Douro but perhaps forced into a more "elegant" wine than it should have been. Sweet but balanced by strong but ripe tannins. It is refreshing despite the great concentration of fruit. A very good example of the "modern" Douro - but with less oak, I would have enjoyed this very much more than I did. - 2004 Mastroberardino Villa dei Misteri Pompeiano IGT - Italy, Campania, Pompeiano IGT (12/14/2007)
Piedirosso & Sciascinoso. Earthy, rustic, almost metallic nose with rusty, red fruit and even a touch of cat's piss - a very interesting nose! The palate is red toned, dry and tannic yet not to the intense degree of Aglianico. I like it - it has a great rustic personality. - 2001 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino (12/14/2007)
A ripely fruit nose, rather dark toned it its fruit, with some peanut-skin-like aromatics. The taste is plump and fruity for a Brunello, balanced and very well made, but (and here I don a tin helmet) a bit anonymous. I often have trouble understanding Sangiovese. - 2003 Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico La Fabriseria - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (12/14/2007)
A strange nose of chilli and tomato. Very sweet and dark toned, hugely tannic and lacking all refreshing notes. I didn't really care for it. - N.V. Osborne Pedro Ximénez Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Rare Sherry Pedro Ximénez Viejo - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (12/14/2007)
Very thick, dark toned and tarry nose. Like motor oil, except salty in addition to the huge sweetness. Intense and I love it.
Odds and ends: - 1999 Penfolds Bin 389 - Australia, South Australia (12/14/2007)
14% abv; 36,90€. A deep and dark scent of mulberry and American oak (though the oak is surprisingly restrained - used wood?). It has S. Aus Shiraz typicity, yet with a lifted, brighter note to it that I assume is the Cabernet, though there aren't obvious Cab aromatics. Big and sweet, but with enough tannins and acid to keep it together. The two grapes work with each other rather than against each other - I wouldn't have believed this blend to work so well. Unfortunately though it is well made, it is stylistically far from what I tend to like. - *2004 Finca y Bodega Carlos Pulenta Malbec Tomero - Argentina, Mendoza (12/14/2007)
The nose started out very oaky. It calmed down and became a very floral and red berried wine. It is meaty, but not at all as much as I expected from Argentine Malbec. Big, sweet fruit, nice tannins, extracted but not over-done. The best part of the wine is the attractively salty aftertaste. Decent, but not really my cup of tea. - 2004 Lungarotti Torgiano Rubesco - Italy, Umbria, Torgiano (12/14/2007)
12,5%, 18,85€. Bright red fruits but a bit too much vanillary aromas. Nice structure, dry yet ripe. Frankly a bit boring though it is well made.
Posted from CellarTracker
