Early April dinner at my parents’ place, all wines served non-blind.
Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano di Neive 1998
Thanks to Oliver. Garnet ruby-black, amber rim. Truffley nose, brown spice, touches of soy/Hoisin sauce, ginger and anise. Burgundian meat-juicy morello. Round, quite smooth and very long. Nice medium black tea-like tannin, ever so faintly drier than ideal, soft blood orangey acidity. Pretty wine, possibly the most ageworthy of his 1998 portfolio, but in terms of depth, one of the least attractive, that is, expressive red/maroon label (= Riserva) Giacosas I have ever had: I may in fact prefer the more primary and exotic white-label Rabajà in this vintage, and of all of Giacosas Santo Stefano Riservas I have had, the 1998 may be superior, if at all, only to the 1988, but certainly not the best (e.g. 1990, 1989 and, still my reference for this site, the 1978 “Speciale”). Having said that, Giacosa Riserva is inevitably a highlight to me. Rating: 92
Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes 1997
Underestimated this wine’s long-term potential at release, assuming it would be drinkable relatively soon. Medium-light ruby-black, amber touch. Most impressive tree bark intensity on the nose. Very if not extremely long on the palate with rusty iron, forest floor earth and undergrowth, firm raspberry, orange and mace fruit, increasingly racier and more complex with airing, of which it currently needs (deserves!) plenty: easily four to five hours! Curiously lactic at first, livelier and more precise with airing. Noble tobacco leaf. “Sandy”/beachy minerality. Soft if quite deep tannin. Creamier with airing, as well as more serious. As Wolfgang concluded, this should profit from ten more years in the cellar. Rating: 93+/94(+?)
Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Da Capo 2007
Thanks to Wolfgang. From 80-year-old vines, 90% Grenache, with the rest all of the other twelve permitted grape varieties, according to Raymond Silvani a single parcel wine of La Crau old vines adjacent to Henri Bonneau's. Opaque plummy ruby. Exceptional depth on the nose. Roasted Provençal herbs, tobacco, smoky-pebbly minerality, spiced dried black olive – but that does not fully explain the superlative complexity that is partly a function of the wine’s combination of intensity, ripeness, freshness and liveliness. Sweet yet tannic. “Like candy”, my dad said. Great concentration, nicely thick and mouth-coating. Truly exceptional dried lavender tannin quality. Terrific balance, with the 15.8% alcohol as well-integrated as one could wish. Very, if not extremely long on the fruity, thick and rich, lightly syrupy (in the best possible way) Kirsch Schnaps finish. Wolfgang and I were musing about (mentally comparing) the four Da Capo vintages produced thus far, and came to the conclusion that, although they are all great, the 1998 remains the most powerful and tannic, a wine that may outlive the others and ultimately prove the greatest of all, but it seems to us the 2007 is the most harmonious and beautiful so far (more so even than the 2000 and 2003 at the same stage), and by far the most refreshing and lively. I can hardly express how impressed we were, and at the same time, how much we enjoyed it – a wine to satisfy body and soul. It started to close down after two and a half hours’ worth of airing, no wonder as it is a youthfully primary, well-structured and very ageworthy wine, but then, it is drop-dead gorgeous right now, and I would not hesitate to open a bottle before it enters a dumb phase. Rating: 97+/98(+?)
Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port 1976
Had promised Wolfgang to open another bottle, unfortunately, this one was a tiny bit volatile (in this particular case giving the wine a touch of as-if saltiness) as well, if clearly superior to one in September last year (fact is, bottles bought many years ago and stored here in Switzerland are rarely or never volatile, whereas almost a third of the ones imported from Portugal a few years ago by the general importer are – a huge pity given this is/can be a wine of legendary proportions). Opaque lightly pruney ruby-black, incredibly deep colour as always – cannot repeat this enough, but this looks, smells and tastes like Recioto made from Port grapes. Tiny coffee torrefaction top note only this time (a drought year if there ever was one). Prune jam, dried fruit such as date and fig, sweet and Recioto-like yet tannic, roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate. Terrific concentration and mouthfeel, yet reasonably light on its feet. Very long. Rating: 96(+?) (this bottle, pristine ones can be near perfection)
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________
„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti