Clos de Mangold Gypsum Vieilles Vignes Cornulus 2006
Still lightly floral-limey Chasselas, now with a greater emphasis on (nice!) strawy-herbaceous and minerally stone dust (calcium sulphate), faint little bitter note, nice body and length. Retains a tiny little CO2, keeping it fresh. Still hints at ever so slightly at Swiss chard (nomen est omen in “Mangold”?) or leaf beet. Appears to be improving with bottle age. Pretty wine. Rating: 86(+?)
Fattoria Valtellina Chianti Classico 2001
Medium-deep ruby-red. Started out a bit tight and hard, but soon turned sweet with a Malaga overtone to lovely, mild yet fairly thick and complex, Brunello-like fruit, and a touch of black truffle. Round and quite long. Not on the level of the 1997 and 1999 (nor even the 1995), but a great pleasure to drink. Rating: 89-/88(-?)
Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Berardenga Rancia 1999
Full garnet-ruby-red. Quite youthful, quite fresh. Firmer, more structured and ageworthy yet also elegant, complex and finesseful. Nice acids, with the tannin still quite racy and hard. The oak tarriness is almost completely integrated. Blackberry, black cherry, some minerality. Consistent and persistent finish. Deserves more bottle age, I am planning to drink the next bottle when this reaches age fifteen. Qualitatively, the 1999 falls right in-between the 1988 and 1990, in other words, an outstanding vintage that falls slightly short of greatness. Rating: 91+/92
Azienda Agricola Brigaldara Recioto della Valpolicella 2001
The last bottle and one of the two finest of a whole case we went through over the years (same dessert wine we brought along last year), glossy-shiny deep plummy colour, syrupy raisin, candied prune and milk chocolate flavours with a hint at ancient style Port-like cedary honeyedness, very long and nicely viscous on the finish. No excess heat at “only” 14% alcohol. People virtually fought over the last drops. Rating: 92-
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