Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 1997
Another sweet, round and fairly complex bottle thanks to my parents that seemed thicker if just as mature as e.g. the 1990 is now, with rather dissolved, less hard and flavourful tannin. No longer oaky per se, apart from the that aged marzipan touch and a slight resulting syrupiness to the faintly roasted fruit. Medium-plus body and length. Fully mature despite impeccable storage, seemingly with nowhere to go but downwards – my parents even found it slightly dissapointing. Rating: 89-/88(-?)
William Fèvre Chablis 2005
Thanks to my parents. Lightly soapy and alcoholic-sweet, but pretty enough tarragon and dill to soft lime, medium body and length. Barely different after a day in the fridge. Rating: 83-?
Bizot Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes 1996
Thanks to my parents, their last bottle. Again lightly murky raspberry-red coloured, with a pink orange hue. Very mature for a 1996, not too high-acid given it is not a particularly weighty village, with meaty-sweet, bretty/sweaty red fruit, a touch of truffle already, mild tannin, medium length. Rating: 86-/85(-?)
Robert Groffier Bourgogne Pinot Noir 1999
Thanks to my parents. Evolving slowly, if not necessarily improving, a firm and quite intense, fairly concentrated and complex, still lightly tannic Pinot with soft but pretty soil notes, and a consistent and fairly persistent finish. Amazing quality for generic Bourgogne. Rating: 88-/87(-?)
Georg Schlegel Weingut zur alten Post Jenins Pinot Noir 2007
Thanks to my parents. Medium raspberry-red colour. A pretty, typical and barely oaked regional Jeninser Blauburgunder, balanced and harmonious, and free from heaviness, with round fruit, nice metal and soft mineral underpinning, quite long on the finish. Rating: 87
Villa Trasqua Chianti Classico 2007
Thanks to my parents, who brought along sample bottles because Andreas Stössel’s Fattoria Valtellina Chiantis used to be among their handful favourites. Medium to light ruby-black, if with a youthful purple hue. Lightly curranty-floral and modern, with soft Chianti metals underneath, a bit heavy-handed and warm with alcohol (at least initially). A touch bitter tannin (although there is not much, and if balanced quantitatively enough, then not complete enough to achieve true harmony, this should drink at its (relative) best rather soon. Faint walnutty oak. Ends a bit short. Some more roundness with airing, but lacks sprightliness. Rating: 83(+/-?)
Villa Trasqua Chianti Classico Riserva 2005
Thanks to my parents. A bit fuller-coloured than the 2007 “normale”, a bit more plum juice-like. More concentrated and intense, oakier, more metallic and much more minerally, with soft violety-tannic rose petal and finely-milled grey pepper. More typical, if tougher Chianti. The fruit, as in other 2005s, already seems worn out (not the type of vintage in which I would have bottled Riserva perhaps). Rating: 83(+?)
Villa Trasqua Sangiovese Toscana Tranobili 2007
Thanks to my parents. From half litre bottle, plastic stopper. Ruby-red with minor black reflections. Modern and relatively superficial gastronomically styled, fairly polished medium-light, barrique-aged but not unbearably oaky Sangiovese with a little fruit, soft metals, tannin and acidity, medium-short on the finish. Expensive for what it is (costs more than the Riserva Chianti). Rating: 82(-?)
Peter Wegelin Malanser Blauburgunder 2007
Thanks to my parents. Bright raspberry-ruby-red colour, soft black reflections. Another well-made regional Pinot Noir, more concentrated and intense, more firmly fruity than Schlegel’s Jeninser perhaps, but noticeably nutty-smoky with new oak. Good minerality, and nice but soft acidity. Good freshness and cut. If it were not for the oak, we might have preferred this to the Schlegel. Rating: 87+?
Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg 2004
Thanks to my parents. Nicely minerally and softly spicy yet quintessentially elegant and round, with subtle grey pepper to finesseful citrus fruit, and a touch of apricoty viscosity. Fairly long. Best bottle of the 2004 “generic Schlossberg” yet, this is showing very well at present! Rating: 88+/89?
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti