A few notes on wines had with dinner recently.
Torgiano Rubesco riserva Vigna Monticchio 1975, Lungarotti
Brown-red colour. Browning rim. Fine and complex nose of leather, old wood, red berries, some spice. Quite typical old Lungarotti-nose. Medium bodied in the mouth. Traditional leather, old woody and complex fruit and with a certain elegance. Fine acids and still some tannins in the back. Great wine that is fully mature. Drink now, will only go down from here.
Cumeada Garrafeira 1975, Adega da Cumeada
Another traditionally made '75. Whatever this is I have no idea. The label mentions the area of Cartaxo, which is close to Lisboa. Anyone with info on this producer? Wine has a brick-red colour. Complex nose of leather, old wood, some red berries, lightly floral. Medium bodied in the mouth. Still quite concentrated, a lot of fruit left. Complex and mature. Red berries, leather, old wood. Traditional style. Perhaps a little thinner at the end. Showing it's age. Medium acids and some tannins in the back. This was surprisingly good. Perhaps more complex than the Lungarotti, but less structured and elegant. Drink up now.
Chateau de Terrefort-Quancard 1975
The third '75 is a Bordeaux. The deep brick colour looks younger. The nose shows some maderisation. With time, also some blackcurrant, dark berries, lead pencil and also florality. Fullbodied in the mouth and still quite tannic wine. Slightly rustic Bordeaux. The fruit a little faded and unfortunately too maderised. But some fine hints of blackcurrant and lead pencil.
Dragon Seal Huailai reserve 2002, Dragon Seal wines
From the Huailai-region of Hebei-province in China. Made from 100% cabernet sauvignon, 12% alcohol/vol. Deep red colour. Peculiar nose of lead pencil, blackcurrant, ash and smoke and a strange sweet hint of apricot. Medium bodied in the mouth and a medium concentrated cabernet sauvignon on the green side. Quite smoky and ashy fruit. Some blackcurrant and lead-pencil - showing the grape-character. Again the touch of sweet apricot. Does not show much oak. The finish is quite rustic. Medium tannic. Decent acids. This shows a lot of personality, but quality is modest in this bottle.
Recioto della Valpolicella-Valpantena Spumante naturale riserva 1964, Bertani
Deep brick-red colour. Just a hint of bubbles left. The nose is very fine and spicy. Hints of leather, morellos, kirsch. Powerful in the mouth, but surprisingly almost dry. Just a slight off-dry sweetness. And well balanced with acids and the slight bubbles. Little tannins. Fine and mature fruit. Again very spicy, with kirsch, morellos. Perhaps not the greatest depth, but fine fruit all the way. Drinks beautiful now.
I am also drinking my way through several 2001's from Franken (now we're talking summer wines) - mostly Wirsching. I will post notes on that later.