A few weeks ago I was fortunate to have my first experience with Don Melchor, and a double-header at that, shared with a good friend down in Wichita. I made Estouffade a la Nicois to share, which was a surprisingly good match to the NZ Sauv Blanc, and a consummate match to the 2007 Don Melchor.
Greywacke, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2011
An aromatic and expressive nose of pear, grapefruit, guava, wonderful, clean mineral; I really like the nose. Similar but not as expressive on the palate, though with excellent, ripe fruit and good density, wonderful texture (especially toward the finish); the note of guava is an important part of the body and texture. This is very fine and very well balanced. 3 Stars. [5/23/13]
Concha y Toro, Don Melchor, Cabernet Sauvignon, Puente Alto 2007
Decanted about an hour. Dark, almost opaque ruby, going to salmon at the rim. Meaty, smokey nose of red currant, loamy earth, smokey mineral, lavender, some awesome saddle leather notes, and black olive, all with lovely earthiness and glorious acidity evident (yes, even on the nose); an awesome, wonderful nose - I love it!!! On the palate, loads of high-toned red fruit, with wonderful, succulent, dark overtones, and citrus rind. As it opens, loads of black olive emerge. This could almost be from Southern France. Succulent and mouth-filling, this is a hell of wine; in fact this is stylistic perfection in Chilean Cab Sauv - a revelation! Almost at peak, with 5 more years of fine drinking ahead, maybe more. 4 Stars. [5/23/13]
Concha y Toro, Don Melchor, Cabernet Sauvignon, Puente Alto 2005
Decanted about 2 hours. Opaque ruby/garnet. On the nose, pencil lead, sweet leather, loam, orange rind, roses, a touch of tomato paste, dusty earth, and cocoa powder. Similar notes on the palate, dense and tart, with really lovely chocolate, dark spices, and dusty earth. Cinnamon emerges as it opens. This is very Medoc-ish in character, but with a hint of Tuscany; clearly a sibling to the 2007 tasted before, but completely different in character. Classical and ageworthy, this can go up to another 10 years, and needs more time to peak. Equal in quality to the captivating 2007, but I do prefer the younger sibling. 4 Stars. [5/23/13]
And now a round up of some other interesting notes. The first deserves an explanation. The local grocery store had a bunch of Columbia Crest on clearance - I strongly suspect a distributor clear out. And in the box with the 2007 Merlot were a few bottles of the 1998 Barrel Select for $6. So, of course curious and without much money at risk, I grabbed one - took it home opened it with supper, and immediately went to clean them out of the rest.
Columbia Crest, Merlot, Barrel Select, Columbia Valley 1998
Needs time to blow off some bottle funk, but then the quite a lovely mature nose emerges, aromatic and pungently earthy. On the nose and palate, a personality of black raspberry, plum, and current, with orange rind, roses, leather, gravelly earth, and touch of chocolate. Still quite full bodied, tart and fresh, and with good structure. This is my second tasting, and fully consistent with the first. Revisiting this in 3 to 5 years might be quite interesting. 3 Stars. [5/17/13]
And a few nice wines with my parents. The two Plou et Fils wines were from a small family winery in the Loire that my parents visited. They only sell at the winery.
Laboure-Roi, St. Armand VV, Beaujolais-Villages 2008
Very nice nose of pungent earth, deep dark fruit and sweet red fruits. Similar on the palate, light and little tart upfront, but succulent toward the finish, with good body. This is the best non-Cru Beaujolais I've had, though it could be more dense. 2 Stars [5/17/13]
Fontana Candida, Frascati Superiore 2010
Rich fruit, good body and presence, with some creamy nuttiness. Wonderful wine. 3 Stars [5/19/13]
Plou et Fils, Touraine 2012
Delightful, fresh-off-the-tree peach, with grapefruit, a touch of pear, and some mineral. Ripe and aromatic, rather New Zealand-ish. 2.5 Stars [5/19/13]
Plou et Fils, Brut, Touraine NV
Light and clean. Quite fine, but somewhat lacking in character. 2 Stars [5/19/13]