2007 Edmunds St. John, Gamay Prophyry:
13% alcohol from the Barsotti Ranch in El Dorado County, CA; fresh black cherries on the nose with a background of slate; alive and vibrant in the mouth, flavors follow the nose with depth and focus, great energy and cut; good grip on a fairly long finish. Several years in the cellar has allowed this to open without any loss of verve. Comparable to the best Beaujolais cru wines in a fine vintage and delicious with veggie pizza. Bravo!
1999 Chevillon, Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges:
13.5% alcohol; raw and disjointed for the first hour or so but decanter time brings this back to its reality which is big, brooding, stylish, velvety and full of dark fruit; good finesse and yet, it maintains its firm core and clear indicators of NSG. The grip calms with air and the quality and breed become evident. Many years to peak.
2001 Bouchard, Volnay Caillerets – Ancienne Cuvée Carnot:
13.5% alcohol; here is a good wine that has been desiccated by its oak treatment; drying with no hope of any juiciness returning. I had this young and thought the oak would integrate; I was wrong. It has dried the wine out to the point where the nose is deadened and the palate is so devoid of moisture as to be all but undrinkable.
It does not smell of oak; it’s just the effects of the wood that show.
Bad winemaking.
2004 Giacosa, Nebbiolo d’Alba Valmaggiore:
13.5% alcohol; young but full on the nose, not complex but not singular either; young on the palate with big fruit and some dusty nuance, rich, clean, powerful flavors, purity, concentrated, well-balanced and long; almost hidden tannin. Clearly not Barolo or Barbaresco but so much more than a simple NdA. With grilled chicken and Caesar salad, excellent.
Best, Jim