Gigondas AOC Cuvée Florence 1995 from Domaine Les Goubert- Alc; 13.5%. Grenache represents roughly 63% of the estate’s red vines, Syrah 17% and the rest Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Carignan and “autres”.
This was even better and more expressive than my notes reveal of a bottle some three years ago. Colour was still medium depth carmine with paling at the rim. The nose was more open and fresher with a subtle mix of crème de cassis, ivy and minerals with just hints of tar and leather. The palate was medium bodied showing good shape with some velvety depth and richness combined with bright and savoury flavours and similar aromas to the nose, good structure and length. I opined in 2007 than the wine would get no better; well, it has. I would even say that it has acquired a certain elegance which is not the descriptor which immediately comes to mind for 99% of gutsy Gigondas; 17/20.
Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett – 11 – 1999 – Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff – Alc.9%. I have memories of a bottle of this as being rather blowsy and lacking in grip and notes of a better showing with Thai food. This better showing is confirmed here. The wine had the usual Dönnhoff elegant combination of a certain creamy roundness with fine white fruit, spice, minerals and mouth-watering acidity. To be sure the balance was tilted more than often in favour of the creamy roundness but the result was still very good; 16/20.
Bandol Cuvée Spéciale La Tourtine 1997 – Domaine Tempier – Alc. 13%. A previous bottle of this (or was it Migoua?) was close to my brett intolerance threshold but this one was fine. Colour was not very deep with slight bricking. The nose was lovely with rose, tar and mineral elements with a fresh and lively edge. The palate showed medium body at most but with depth and complexity. There was still an element of lively primary fruit and acidity, some secondary notes of forest floor and touches of leather, fine shape and good length with the aromas from the nose replaying diminuendo on the aftertaste. The overall effect was of a warm Mediterranean elegance as one expects from fine Bandol; 17/20.
Pouilly-Fuissé AOC – “Vieilles Vignes” – 2005 – Domaine Cordier Père et Fils – Alc. 13.5%.
Compared with a bottle opened a couple of years ago, when I commented on creamy suavity combined with bright mineral acidity, the balance in this bottle seems to have tilted in favour of minerality and backbone with the discreet fruit, good “gras” (literally “fat”) and classically structured long palate still in evidence but the wood ageing even less so. I marginally prefer it in this guise; 16/20+++.
Château Puygueraud – Bordeaux Côtes de Francs – 2001 – Héritiers Georges Thienpont, Nicolas Thienpont – Alc. 13%, estate planted with Merlot 80%, CabFranc 15% and Malbec 5%.
Just over a year ago, I complained that the 2002 was soft centred. This 2001 is much better. The nose showed quite complex aromas of pretty fruit with cherry, red currant and spice touches and the palate was medium bodied with roundness and some depth encasing the aromas already noted, smooth/lively acidity and enough tannic grip towards the finish to balance the whole; 16/20.
Touraine Tradition 2006 – Domaine des Caillots – Alc.12% (€8), made from Côt (=Malbec) and Cabernet franc, was sold to me when I was asking for a Saumur-Champigny and I only looked at the label for appellation and varietal details when I got home. I thought about taking it back but I’m glad I didn’t. The nose gave surprisingly subdued red fruit and minerals but the palate was expressive and quite complex with red veering to dark bramble style fruit, notes of anis and tar (the contribution of Côt?) and backbone and grip. A very nice wine quite different from the usual 100% Cabernet franc from the region; 15.5/20+ QPR!