Côte Rôtie Les Grandes Places 1990 – Clusel Roch – Alc. 12.5% showed quite complex aromas of red fruit with a lot of cherry sweeter than usual and the steely notes quite subdued. The palate was medium/full bodied, beautifully shaped and long with ripe structure, quite rich without excess, showing secondary forest floor notes as well as still fresh but ripe fruit and still lively acidity with for me was enhanced by a suspicion of varnish-like volatility; a lovely harmonious wine at its peak but perhaps not quite equalling Jamet in elegance; 17/20.
Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1996 – Paul Jaboulet Ainé – Alc.13%. It was interesting to compare this to my memories of a good Crozes from Graillot. In the place of pure red/dark fruit with a sour cherry emphasis and elegant steeliness, medium body and Burgundy-like linear focus, there was darker and slightly sweeter fruit with the emphasis closer to black currant, fuller body and a broader shaped palate; acidity was moreish but still very lively and the whole was underpinned by gentle tannic structure; 16/20+++.
Shiraz Hilltops 2007 – Clonakilla – Alc.14.5%. There was a surprising family resemblance between this and the foregoing Crozes, particularly in its fruit. It was, of course, fuller, more robust and more crude and simplistic due to its youth with smoother acidity and much more marked tannins and oak influence, albeit inoffensive. I can believe that believe that there is development potential here though it will probably never have the refinement of its Shiraz/Viognier stable mate; 16/20 now.
Aglianico del Vulture Vigne di Mezzo Efesto 2001 – Feudi San Gregorio – Alc. 14% -(approx. €20)
I loved this wine just over a year ago but this time I was more bothered by a sweet but agreeable patina, probably from new oak ageing, which I felt to be diminishing full expression of varietal and terroir character. Colour was deep opaque purple. The palate was broodingly powerful with full body, deep and dark fruit, decent acidity together with opulent notes of roses and ripe blackberry and hints of tar and old books which had already been apparent on the nose; the whole was encased in the sweet patina to which I have already referred and in firm dark but not drying tannins which gave a balancing austerity to the opulent aromas. A fascinating wine, but not for the tannin allergic or quercophobic fundamentalists; 16.5/20.
Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Loibner Frauenweingarten 2004 – F.X. Pichler, Loiben, Wachau, Austria. 12% alcohol.
I opened a bottle of this in March 2007 and wrote –
N: Quite subdued but showing attractive notes of white fruit, wild flowers and spice. P: Medium weight with good length and elegance showing the same aromas, attractively crisp minerality and bright focus. The Pichler site is right when it says “structured like lace”.
I don’t think that the present stage of its development is anything like so kind to it. The aromas were more developed but less subtle with green fruit dominating and the palate seemed broader and less focussed, mainly fruity with a certain Chardonnay type creaminess coming in but also a less welcome hint of glue which I have found before in GV and there was a touch of heat on the finish. Still worth drinking and perhaps in an ungracious phase; 15/20+.
Beblenheim Riesling 2006 – Domaine Trapet, Alsace – (c.€12) was an absolutely delicious example of a dry village Riesling a year ago, showing while floral and intensely mineral aromas with hints of hydrocarbon on a crisply nervy body with just enough flesh for balance and good length and it has not changed; 16.5/20++ QPR!.