N/V Bodegas Argüeso, Mazanilla Clásica San Léon 375ml:
15% alcohol; nicely fresh sea shore and oxidative notes; clean, mouth-watering and balanced; slim and easy finish. Not quite as fresh and appealing as the Bodegas Hidalgo, La Gitana but very close. And went surprisingly well with a dish of rice and veggies with peanut sauce.
2007 Do Ferreiro, Albariño Cepas Vellas:
13.5% alcohol; at cellar temperature, a fairly standard albariño; after decanting and warming to room temperature, anything but; spice, depth, texture and length, this wine has it all. Diane made a squash and tomato casserole and this worked beautifully. Still, I think I would take the Fillaboa, Monte Alto over this wine at half the price.
2000 François Cotat, Sancerre Le Culs de Beaujeu:
Still shows a light greenish tint to the otherwise brilliant light yellow; full on the nose and developed, without cat pee or grass and nicely fresh; much the same in the mouth, texturally enticing and quite well balanced; good length. Over the course of an hour or so, did not move in any direction; surely has years left in the cellar. A glimpse of sauvignon blanc that is entirely different from most renditions these days. Thanks Claude.
At a tasting of Dressner, Pastor, etc. imports, the following wines made an impression:
2011 Franck Peillot, Altesse de Montaigneu: fresh and lively
2010 J.L. Chave Selection, Crozes-Hermitage Silène: ripe but not overly so and very northern Rhone
2009 Clos du Mouin aux Moines, Borgogne Rouge and Pommard Clos Orgelot: the Bourgogne was rustic, fresh and lively, and, the Pommard was all class and breed
2011 Eva Fricke, Riesling Schlossberg: quiet aromatics, firm in the mouth, remarkable length, one for the cellar (probably the wine of the tasting for me)
2010 7 Fuentes, Listán Negro: complex, character driven and delicious
2009 Nusserhöf, Tyroldego: juicy and deep with a lot of character
2010 Occhipinti, Il Frappato: very ripe and showing that way but I suspect its baby fat and that this will deliver much more (if indeed, less is more) later on
Best, Jim