Rioja Señorío de P. Peciña Gran Reserva 1998 – Bodegas Hnos. Peciña – Alc. 13% -(€22). Based on impressions at a sip and spit tasting a year ago, I expected this to be even better than the 99 Reserva about whose harmony and purity I enthused a few months ago. This Gran Reserva was certainly richer, more complex and more structured than the Reserva but I felt that purity and elegance was slightly diminished by liqueur touches in its fine berry fruit and by marginally more prominent vanilla in its aromas. The shape on the palate was similarly classical and long with slightly greater firmness towards the finish. In its 12th year, this is quite a baby for traditional Rioja so there could be progress in the next few years that will bring it out clearly ahead of the Reserva, which I will drink up in the meantime; the fine stability of the aromas coming out of the bottle’s heeltaps 16 hours after opening (with vanilla now almost imperceptible) argue for plenty more life and also for earlier decanting next time; 16.5/20.
Côtes du Rhône Villages “Les Églantiers” 2000 – Domaine de la Réméjeanne – Alc.14% -(c.€20 for current vintages), is a Syrah dominated Rhône blend. About a year ago I wrote about the 1998 that it was still remarkably youthful and vigorous in its colour, fruit and structure but did not seem to have taken on as much complexity and secondary development as I would have liked; 15.5/20. I could say the same about this 2000 with perhaps a tad more opulence and polish to its bramble style fruit and a tad less structure; 15.5/20.
Rémi Klein of Réméjeanne is one of my favourite QPR vignerons from the Southern Rhône. This is his top cuvée and I prefer, particularly as QPR, some of his more modest ones, like Chèvrefeuilles and Arbousiers (respectively €7 and €9), which are delicious for drinking young. There are also good whites.
What a difference 2-3°C makes. In September last year, when served at my usual white Burg temperature of 13-14°C, I wrote that Chardonnay “Amelia” – Casablanca Valley – 2003 – Concha y Toro (14% alc) was close to being a caricature of rich New World chard with its burgeoning bouquet, rich honeyed and buttery texture and tropical fruit; it was just saved from that by touches of fresh minerals and by the fact that its wood was by now integrated. However, we were not inclined to finish the bottle as Germaine complained of its becoming cloying and I did not feel tempted to drink her share; 15/20. This time I deliberately chilled the bottle to a colder temperature and it worked. The bouquet was better mannered, the buttery component was toned down, the texture was firmer, the alcohol was better covered and it became fresher and no longer cloyed. I think that Concho y Toro must be engineering this wine for consumption at cold fridge temperature; just 16/20 like this.
