Brunch at our house on Sunday morning before sending J and V off to the airport....
1999 Movia Puro Rose (Goriška Brda) Disgorged into the sink with great aplomb by V. Slightly cloudy but very clean and clear in taste. Dry,crisp, with some sweet fruit. I thought this might be more yeasty but it was subtle. Very good, and an excellent match with chorizo frittata
2004 Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss Riesling Andlau (Andlau) Crisp, clean riesling with only the slightest hint of rs after it opens and warms up a bit. Lots of apple, good acidity and minerality.
1998 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Alte Reben (Kamptal) WilliB GV alte reben is the only aged gruner I've had (thanks to Dr. Weiss for numerous openings) and this is consistent with the 1997. Lots of development with walnut skin, dry honey, a bit unctous, then a cleansing citrus finish.
2002 Chateau Musar Rouge (Bekaa Valley) Who says Musar needs lots of time in the bottle? Wow, this is beautiful. Yes, it is entirely primary but the sweet fruit, soaring aromas, and wonderful balance are intoxicating.
Some 7 days later, sitting on the counter it's a mouthful of juniper and eucalyptus, lots of brambly dark fruit, and so silky. Lill describes the mouthfeel as the front roof of the mouth and tip of the tongue only, like all the bold flavor is just concentrated there. Interesting.
1989 Mas de Daumas Gassac Vin de Pays de l'Hérault (Languedoc) This wine showed fairly subdued after the Musar. Sweet fruit, some spiciness, soft texture.
1973 Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real Gran Reserva (Rioja) As good as ever with this bottle. Dried roses, tar, orange peel. The aromas are truly soaring in a too-good-to-drink sort of way. The flavors are dominated by bloody iron then some sour cherry, it's dusty and perfectly acidic and is a bunch of all around goodness.
Daishichi Houreki Junmai Daiginjo (Fukushima) 2008 07, SMV +2, acidity 1.3, amino acidity 1.2, 16.5% abv. Rainwater on clay. This is truly beautiful sake. Clean, deep, and cleansing. My first from Daishichi. wow.
2004 Jacques Puffeney Arbois Cuvée Sacha (Arbois) Showing some walnut skin and oxidized character with a solid minerally, salty, acidic core and a vibrant finish. I do like the movement of those flor-like notes up front and the crispness of the finish. I was expecing more sous voile intensity intensity.
2004 Emmanuel Houillon Arbois Pupillin Maison Pierre Overnoy (Arbois) This seems entirely shut down and not giving much at all. It was quiet and still fairly thin until Friday then the body expanded and it got all nutty and lively at once. This just might need time.
2003 Chateau Musar Blanc (Bekaa Valley) Not showing much either aromatically or in flavor. Some fruit, good acidity, a hint of tannic structure but mostly quiet. It stays quiet all week.
1988 Fiorano (Boncompagni Ludovisi) Sémillon Vino da Tavola Bianco Botte 47 (Latium) Whoa. This wine had all kinds of sediment. It has this rich texture that finishes completely dry. The closest comparison to it for me is an aged Kalin semillon with dry butterscotch, roasted pears flavors. The semillon grew larger all week. Very herbal (dried herbs), some mint, luscious body. After a week sitting in a decanter on the counter, it is turning a bit south and bitter but there was only some dregs left.
2002 Alois Kracher Chardonnay/Welschriesling Grande Cuvée TBA #7 Nouvelle Vague (Burgenland) - Lots of dried cling fruit, super sweet but with plenty of balancing acidity. Maybe more butteriness on the finish than I'd like but it is very good.
