There were some good ones of the table this week but also one or two disappointments.
I enthused about Sangiovese IGT Forlí “Notturno” 2007 – Drei Donà dining at a soulless hotel in Ravenna after an unsatisfactory day; I feared that this might have suspended my critical faculties to the extent that any wine would have seemed good (I might even have liked a retsina). On a first relook at home with a bland pairing I found it leaner than I remembered, nicely mineral with a slightly metallic finish but on a second relook, with spaghetti, parmesan gratings and tomato sauce, it came into its own seeming fuller and losing the metallic streak; 15/20++.
I used to pride myself on instant recognition of Saumur-Champigny from René-Noël Legrand for its vigorous combination of red fruit, minerals, clay and firm tannins but La Chaintrée 2005 would have fooled me. With its medium/full body, nice round fruit and quite soft mouth-feel and enough ripe tannins for palate support, it was more accessible young and would probably be more widely popular than most from Legrand but I somehow feel that it is short on identity; 15.5/20+.
After TNs that I have read on Château Musar 1991, I was expecting great things and against that standard I was a little disappointed; the cork was wet and beginning to leak, which may account for some underperformance. Colour was a lovely lightish garnet with a brick rim. At first I thought that funkiness would dominate the bouquet but after a short time in the decanter, some ethereal red fruit, fine varnish and faint touches if spice came up to balance it. The palate was medium bodied, harmonious, elegant and long with a silky feel showing a similar combination of flavours to the nose. So this was a very good wine but I was expecting more inspiration, depth and “decadent” complexity of the sort which I got from my bottles of 1988; 16.5/20.
Beblenheim Riesling 2006 – Domaine Trapet, Alsace – (c.€12) was an absolutely delicious example of a dry village Riesling, showing while floral and intensely mineral aromas with hints of hydrocarbon on a crisply nervy body with just enough flesh for balance and good length; 16.5/20++ QPR!. (This estate which was new to me is owned by the wife of Burgundian Jean-Louis Trapet http://www.domaine-trapet.com/alsace.htm ; definitely an estate to follow.)