Carelia is not only Helsinki's most wine friendly restaurant but is also one of the more interesting importers here, now that they started an importing business a few years ago. They kindly invited me to try some of their new products today:
whites
Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs Brut 2007 is its usual Champagne-like self: lovely crispness, pure Blanc de Blancs aromas of white flowers and minerals, bready; crisp, rich, flavorful but so Champagne-like that when served blind I sure we were in France.
Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis Domaine de Bieville 2010 was a pretty decent Chablis: sea shell aromas; quite fruity palate but with good zing. I wouldn't mind drinking this again.
Vincent Pinard Sancerre "Nuance" 2009 was weird. This is their Sancerre that sees a bit of oak, but I didn't so much sense new oak as great ripeness and marmalade aromas that made me think of botrytis! Is that possible? It was really rather sweet in a sugary rather than just a ripe way. Good acidity though. Weird.
Ferraton Père & Fils Condrieu "Le Mandouls" 2009 had pretty aromas and not of the fireworks kind. It had pretty good grip: not high in acid (is Condrieu ever?) but refreshing enough; and the grape's exuberant nature doesn't become too obvious. From the small (probably unrepresentative) sample of Condrieus I have had, this was among the more elegant and drinkable (the others have been varying degrees of cloying).
Schloss Lieser (Thomas Haag) Riesling Trocken 2010 was pretty good for a Mosel trocken (not a style usually to my liking): crisp and mineral with pure Riesling aromas.
Schloss Lieser (Thomas Haag) Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett 2010 was quite lovely. A very pure aroma, very strongly mineral; slightly sweet, seems of actual Kabinett weight than Spätlese for a change (or then my palate is getting used to the new Prädikat-system where everything is +1!); wonderfully tangy and savoury finish despite the obvious sugar. Lovely.
Josef Jamek Ried Klaus Riesling Federspiel 2009 was a nice, pure, dry, forceful Riesling, typical Wachau and in no way over the top. I don't really appreciate the super-large Smaragd style where the alcohol goes to 14,5-15%; this 12,5% was so nice as it really tasted dry! Very nice.
Joseph Scharsch Riesling Grand Cru Altenberg de Wolxheim 2008 was a nice, truly dry style, but it did have a strange aroma I hadn't noticed in the usually extremely pure Scharsch's style: orange peel as if there were some botrytis here? Is that possible? Crisp, honestly dry, but rich. Good stuff, but somewhat atypical in my experience for Scharsch.
Joseph Scharsch Gewurztraminer 2010 was lovely. I don't usually like the boisterous nature of the grape, but in some hands it makes wines I like. Scharsch has usually been one and this new vintage doesn't disappoint: rose water aromas but not super-sweet or cloying, instead it is very mineral. Moderate in richness, balanced by grip and acid and minerality. Long. Really nice - especially since it doesn't cost much!
reds
Domaine Taupenot-Merme Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru "Les Pruliers" 2002 was lovely. A tart cherry style of Pinosity, very classic unlike some other Taupenot-Mermes I have had (albeit when relatively younger) which were rather too marked by oak. Wonderfully bracing fruit. Thirst-quenching and moreish. Lovely.
Ferraton Côtes-du-Rhône Villages "Plan de Dieu" 2009 was ok, very sweet fruit; much tannin; correct aromas. If both the fruit and tannin both disappear at a similar rate, then I can imagine enjoying this in a few years.
Ferraton Cornas "Les Grands Mûriers" 2008 was a wonderfully scented but rich style: it smells of game bird's blood and ripe fruit; it tastes of ripe fruit and though it has adequate structure, it seems a little bit tame. An easy, un-rustic style of Cornas.
Quinta do Crasto "Crasto Superior" 2009 smelled of berry jam and oak. Smooth. Not really my thing.