- 2006 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Crémant d'Alsace Brut Prestige - France, Alsace, Crémant d'Alsace (4/30/2008)
100% Chardonnay. White flowers; crisp and pure, lively, long and mineral. Very enjoyable. - 2006 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Pinot Blanc - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
Correct and pure, appley and mineral, quite full bodied for the grape but still light on its feet and elegant. Very enjoyable. - 2006 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Muscat Vieilles Vignes - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
A very deep scent, grapey and sweet but mineral and pure; full bodied but crisp for a Muscat with a lovable mineral aftertaste. Nice! - 2006 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Cuvée V - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
A blend of Pinots Blanc, Noir and Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Oddly enough for such an unorthodox blend, the nose is pure and focused, very "Alsace" with an elegant minerality. Ripe but refreshing, a bit of tropical fruit. Nice! - 2005 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Pinot Gris - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
The nose is very typical of the grape: glue and spice, ripe, red toned fruit. Weighty but not cloying; sweet fruit, but pure and refreshing for the grape. Mineral aftertaste. Very enjoyable. - 2005 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Riesling Altenberg de Wolxheim Grand Cru - France, Alsace, Wolxheim, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
An elegant and ripe Riesling aroma of great purity and minerality. Good weight, dry but fruity, correct and charming. - 2006 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Pinot Gris Clos Saint Materne - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
The nose is very mineral, citrussy and elegant - but there are the typical, heavier scents of red fruit and spice also. Quite full bodied, but dry, mineral and very light on its feet for this so often heavy grape. Quite wonderful - one of the few PGs that I have tremendously enjoyed. - 2006 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Pinot Noir - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
A deep rosé. Slightly peppery, very vegetal and red toned in fruit - this has tremendous Pinosity. The palate is light, a bit tart, but has enough fruit to keep it well balanced. It has quite significant tannins, too. Very enjoyable. - 2007 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Pinot Noir - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
Very dark for rosé. This was more immediately attractive than the '06, because of an extra touch of sweetness that still retained the minerality and Pinosity. Lovely, sweet fruit, juicy acidity, refreshing tannins - a very joyful drink. - 2005 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Pinot Noir Cuvée Nicolas - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
I have loved almost all Scharschs I have had, but this cuvée hasn't pleased me. Though the fruit is ripe and there is stuffing that isn't usually seen in Alsace Pinot, I still find the new barrique aromas overwhelming - which is surprising as, IIRC, only 2 of the 9 barrels were new. Not to my taste. - 2005 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Gewürztraminer Vendanges Tardives - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
A little bit of botrytis, typically rosewatery and perfumed scent, but with a minerality to give a counterpoint to the sweetness. Full bodied, sweet but light on its feet, refreshing and mineral. It has a lovely, ever so slight bitterness that lends it an extra touch of freshness. A lovely dessert. - 2006 Domaine Joseph Scharsch Gewürztraminer Vendanges Tardives - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC (4/30/2008)
Not yet a VT because needs to go through some sort of regulation still to be certified, but this is what is destined to become the VT '06. It is heavier than the '05 VT, apparently more botrytised, more obvious, but it still has a refreshing edge to it so it never becomes cloying. Pleasantly mineral. Nice, but I preferred the slightly more elegant style of the '05.
Then came the others that Carelia imports:
- N.V. Henri Goutorbe Champagne Cuvée Tradition - France, Champagne, Aÿ, Champagne (4/30/2008)
A very enjoyable Pinot based Champagne: a floral and appley nose; a paradoxical palate in being both voluptiously yet reigned in/restrained - this makes for quite an exciting drink. Very enjoyable. - N.V. Vilmart Champagne Grande Réserve Brut - France, Champagne (4/30/2008)
Pinot based, floral, appley, weighty and fruity but very dry - I would assume from such steeliness that it doesn't go through malolactic? Very refreshing despite the strong fruit and weight. Nice! - 2001 Vilmart Champagne Grand Cellier d'Or 1er Cru - France, Champagne (4/30/2008)
I very much enjoyed this bottle, but was told at the tasting that it wasn't as expected! A rather rustic and oxidative/appley nose, earthy but fruity, crisp and again doesn't seem like it sees malo. Very enjoyable in a rustic way. - 2003 Gualdo del Re Sangiovese Val di Cornia Suvereto - Italy, Tuscany, Val di Cornia Suvereto (4/30/2008)
This smells too much of barrique, but at least the fruit isn't as horribly over-ripe as with most other Tuscan '03s I have tried. But sadly, there is no real varietal character discerible either. Ripe, fruity, some structure, very oaky. Balanced in its way, but not to my taste as it is too international in style. - 2004 Podere Capaccia Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico (4/30/2008)
A very enjoyable Chianti, with red cherry, tobacco and also some riper, darker toned fruit underneath. Pleasantly tart, ripe fruit but not heavy, bright. - 2004 Podere Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (4/30/2008)
A Super-Tuscan from the Chianti area. Chocolatey oak, anonymous; slightly cherried, sweet, international. Well made, but I found it rather boring and without personality. - 2006 Quinta do Crasto Douro Flor De Crasto - Portugal, Douro (4/30/2008)
A ripe and berried scent, slightly herbal - simple but pleasant and very Douro. Ripe fruit, upright structure, a bit too primary still, so a year or so would do good for it. This isn't terribly exciting, but it is very drinkable and I would never turn down a glass. - 2006 Vinařství Ilias Merlot - Czech Republic, Morava, Mikulovska, Pavlov (4/30/2008)
A little reductive (just opened for a brief taste, undecanted), but with dark and a little jammy fruit. The structure was very attractive with ripe tannins, refreshing acidity and some red berry notes to the darker, typical Merlot fruit. Not bad at all. - 2006 Vinařství Ilias Ryzlink Rýnský - Czech Republic, Morava, Mikulovska, Pavlov (4/30/2008)
This is a very pleasant Riesling with typical lifted, savoury, mineral aromas of the grape but with a slight edge of crystallised fruit. Sweet fruit, but fairly dry, refreshing acidity, well balanced and moreish. Nice! - 2006 Vinařství Ilias Veltlínské zelené - Czech Republic, Morava, Mikulovska, Pavlov (4/30/2008)
i.e. Grüner Veltliner. A mineral, slightly green aroma, but also a bit papery (NB! not corked as there was way too much fruit for that). Refreshing palate, with slightly peppery fruit. Typical for the grape, but not a terribly exciting example. I preferred the producer's Riesling. - 2007 Casata Monfort Pinot Grigio - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino (4/30/2008)
A mineral nose of chilli pepper (?!? - a bit surprising) and milder spices (not so surprising anymore) and minerals. Quite weighty, but pleasantly acidic for the grape, mineral and quite long. Nice. - 2007 Casata Monfort Traminer Aromatico - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino (4/30/2008)
Mineral, floral, rosewatery scent - very perfumed yet with steel underneath. Full bodied but refreshing and light on its feet. Mineral aftertaste. Very pleasant.