No, not the flavor of rubber in wines (although I've had that before), but living north of the Mason-Dixon there comes a season when one best replaces summer rubber with winter wear, as was done this week. This is when one knows that fall is "done" and one enters the nether season betwixt faded fall and not-quite-anything.
Brun, Beaujolais, 'l'Ancien', 2009 Like the Cat-in-the-Hat's Fun-in-a-Box but with only Thing 1 instead of both mischief makers, this is really fun juice for the price (under $15) but doesn't have what you need or want for holding interest or to place in the cellar. (It's got a plastic cork, for Mahmet's sake!) It is what it is, and that's not a bad thing to be. Better the first night that the two or three subsequent. A-
Fritz Hirtzberger, Wachau, Riesling, Singerriedel, smaragd, 2001
An almost painful minerality pervades this bottle from the get-go, to the point where I wonder if that is all there is? Yeah, there's citrus galore, zest of all kinds, and a searing finish of chalk and limestone, but the profile almost speaks of gruner veltliner more than riesling. Or are these interchangeable in Austrian eyes? Still, good and a glass of elegance. 13.5% A-
Alesia, Pinot Noir, Green Valley of Russian River Valley,2007
My first Kevin Harvey wine, and I can see why he sells out from mailing list only even in this tough economy. Rose petal and maraschino cherries on the exuberant nose, sweet candied cherries with spiced, mulled oranges, and good balancing acidity. becomes more serious with airtime, but I still wouldn't want to age this too much past 5 or 6 more years. On the finish, dusty barrel/oak dust tannins. [Note: cork completely twisted and 'snapped' upon opening and the ah-so couldn't retrieve the half that got stuck in the bottle, which promptly fell into the liquid. Anyone else have problems with Rhys corks?] Good, although I worry about aging these with the cork being so dry. A-
Quinta Vale D. Maria, Douro, 2004
Dark strawberry-cherry red color. Earthy cherry, plum licorice aromas. Meaty and savory flavors, cherry, and a touch of licorice and sweet guava paste and leather on the finish. Modern and bigger than the 14.5% on the label, which hits at the end. Retains balance, but not something I'll seek out again. B+
Vestini Campagnano, Terre del Volturno IGT, 'Kajanero', 2005
Bias revealed: I like this winery. That said, this is nothing ambitious and a bit of an everyday drinker. Roses, soft plums and cherry on the nose and palate, with a slight astringent bite on the finish. Simple, and yet delicious. 13% B/B+
Marcarini, Barolo, 'la Serra', 1999
Tense, nervous strawberry-unsweetened raspberry puree with an iron-rust finish. Taut. Perhaps young by a few years? B+/A- 14%
Chateau de Fieuzal, Pessac-Leognan, 2000
Youthful, purplish red colored. Cedary blackcurrant nose, on the palate followed by slightly austere fruit with a touch of wood, but having good depth on the end. Not bad, nor overblown. B+
