WTN: Lapierre, Cornelissen, spoof, Palo Cortado

M. Lapierre's VdPdGaules 2007 which from my experience this summer had seen its best days. But bottle variation is apparently reality even with screw caps: the three bottles I opened during my sister's wedding this weekend were all outstandingly lovely. It was a joyful wine for a joyful occasion. Pure, crisp, sexy red fruit, ripe but wonderfully invigorating and moreish. This is truly an outstanding wine and apart from a brownish tint there was nothing to suggest that this would be fading. But I will drink up the remaining three very quickly. Gladly the 2009 is shaping up to be just as wonderful - and quite a few of those were opened too. It is kind of a macabre thought, however, that he lay dying when we found his product most life affirming. But I am sure he would have approved of all the joy his wines brought to all of us.

And one more Cornelissen Contadino 7 was opened, too. And it was lovely. Though a poster boy for the natural wine movement, this isn't actually all that radical a wine if viewed simply organoleptically without delving into the methods. The colour, I admit, is a bit odd in being so vivid. But the scent is full of brightness and vulcanic character; refreshing tannins, rich but vivacious. If so much hadn't been written about how weird these wines are supposed to be, I would never understand what the fuss is about. This is one lovely wine among many lovely wines.

Ch. Pique-Sègue Terre de Pique-Seque "Anima Vitis" 2002
It is exactly three years today since I last tried this wine. And time has done nothing for it. It is still dark in its fruit, it is still massively and bitterly oaky and the structure is too soft without enough grip from tannins nor enough vivacity from acidity. Highlights everything that is bad about so called "modern" wines in one convenient package, apart from the alcohol being far too moderate at only 13%...

Williams & Humbert Dos Cortados Rare Old Dry Palo Cortado Solera Especial Aged 20 years
Fully dry. I have had one or two very good Palo Cortados with a touch of PX induced sweetness, but really the most satisfying experiences have been with these bone dry, painfully intense examples. And this W&H is IMO quite fantastic: lovely rancio aromas, invigoratingly intense. I have to quote Andrew Stevenson again: fuck me this is good.

My Contadino 7 should be arriving any day.. so looking forward to that. And with that final tag line on the Dos Cortados, how can I not not look for some??

Otto -

Thanks for your notes, especially on the Cornelissen Contadino 7. I actually just tried this wine this weekend, having not had any of Cornelissen's wines before. Although I like seeking out natural wines, and drink a lot of Italian wines, most natural wines that I have had have been from either France or California.

I'll post a note soon, but essentially agree with you that the aromatics aren't all that unusual, compared to some other natural wines. As you say, what really jumps out as being different is the color. The balance and elegance were really quite nice.

Anyway, I definitely plan on trying more of Cornelissen's wines, at least those that are affordable to me (the Magma is quite expensive from what I have seen.)