Côtes du Roussillon Villages Vieilles Vignes Tautavel 2004 – Domaine Gardiès – Alc. 14%, made from 70 % grenache noir and old Carignan of 60 - 80 years age vinified together, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. This showed quite full body and dense fruit with plum elements, lively acidity bringing an attractive brightness and decent tannic structure supporting a not very long finish. A very enjoyable but unexceptional wine from Roussillon; 15.5/20.
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Tufo 2009 – Casa Lisá, C.L.&C. Staffolo – Alc.13% - showed some lively fruit with fair density but also a coarse streak towards the finish, which I don’t recall before in Verdicchio. It was very young so this streak may moderate with time but we did not fell impelled to finish the bottle nor will I buy any more; 13.5/20.
Château Hautes-Rouzes Pomerol 1999 – Alc.12.5%, Merlot 80%, CabFranc 20%, was a disappointment. Both nose and palate were dominated by a steely and liquorice-like bitterness and there was none of the seduction I expect from Pomerol and an easy-going vintage like 1999. 13/20.
Morey Saint-Denis 1996 – Dominique Laurent. A second dud in two days
! I know that 1996 was a year of high acidity but I have never before had a Burgundy as acidic as this. The nose showed some fine Pinot cherry notes but also some clashing salty bacon. The acidity was fine but completely dominant (volatility?). The cork was leaky and the wine was not filtered which may have caused an accident somewhere along the way. NR.Chianti Colli Fiorentini 2006 – Lanciola – Alc.13.5% (c.€13) was a sound Chianti with red fruit, lively acidity, some minerality,tang and a touch of hardness on the finish but overpriced in our posh village’s delicatessen. It would be worth re-buying at under €10, which is where, say, Farnetella’s Colli Senesi is priced; 15/20.
Chinon Franc de Pied 2006 – Bernard Baudry – Alc.12.5% (€14) was delicious. Medium/light and beautifully shaped showing lively acidity, fresh and faintly sweet red fruit (particularly raspberry), clay and flint hints, pencil shavings, a touch of sweaty saddle and gentle tannic support for the finish. Although I would warn off the brett paranoid and note that I should drink up the remaining bottles sooner rather than later (no hardship
) in case the sweaty saddle component becomes dominant, I believe that this wine’s aromatic palette would be less complete without it; 17/20. Saint-Aubin 1er cru En Montceau (W) 1998 – Domaine Marc Colin – Alc.13.5%. I had a younger white Burg in reserve in case this bottle, like some of its predecessors, turned out to be poxed but all was well. Indeed it was remarkably fresh with strong gravelly minerality and lively acidity. Not bone dry with a nice undertow of flesh, cream and mellow fruit coming out as the bottle lost its initial chill. Not very complex nor showing much secondary development, but perhaps that would be asking too much from Saint-Aubin and 1998; 15.5/20.