2006 Josmeyer Pinot Gris Brand - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru AOC (9/4/2013)
c.30€; 14% abv; 4 g/l RS. A spicy nose with even something smelling a bit like botrytis - very sweet and honeyed and really concentrated, something that promises much sweetness on the palate. But that sweetness never materializes. This might sound like it therefore lacks a logic and that there is a discontinuity from the nose to the palate. Yet that isn't the case either. It tastes dry but very rich, but has enough acidity to keep it moreish. Amazingly moreish, in fact, for a wine so rich. So yes, this is a good PG.
2010 Philipp Kuhn Spätburgunder Tradition - Germany, Pfalz (9/4/2013)
c.20€; 14% abv. It has that typical ripe, almost sucrose sensation that Pfalz Pinot for some reason so often has. It seems like a more warm climate style than Burgundy - in fact the typical Pfalz style (if my admittedly small sample is representative) is closer to an elegant Oregon or Californian style than it is to any European Pinot. But that can be a perfectly attractive style of Pinot, too. And this doesn't disappoint. Sexy Pinot aromas with a bit of spiciness and enough grip to keep it moreish despite the high alcohol. The alcohol does become obvious once it warms up, so my advice is to keep it a bit cooler than modern day room temperature (ummm. yeah. this goes for all wines so a fat lot of good this advice is.) and have some liver (fegato alla veneziana worked wonderfully today) and enjoy. Nice wine.
2012 Yering Station Pinot Noir Little Yering - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley (8/31/2013)
13,5% abv; c.15€. Quite a pleasant surprise for being a cheap Pinot Noir (by Finnish standards) and for not conforming to the stereotypes of Aussie wines (thanks to our inept monopoly we usually only see a certain stereotype of Aussie wine here). This smells of Pinosity instead of overripe fruit and oak. It is quite weighty when compared to the Pinots I'm more familiar with but still shows Pinosity and liveliness and - compared to the very few other Aussie PNs I've had - it is a relatively cool climate style. I quite enjoyed this bottle though it isn't a grand wine.
2011 Joseph Drouhin Givry
As a single man who loves Pinosity I am over the moon about Alko having bought a small batch of Joseph Drouhin Givry 2011 in halves. I think I might have tasted one or two Givrys before, but it's not an area of Burgundy that I have really any experience with. Therefore, I can't say if this is typical of the appellation, and would appreciate comments on what the appellation is like.
But I have always enjoyed Drouhin's reds, and this didn't disappoint. Quite an attractive Pinosity, earthy already despite being very young, with quite a ripe strawberry aroma; a savoury and robust wine instead of one of great finesse. I'd like to use the word rustic but that doesn't really apply to Drouhin's style, does it? So maybe I should say that within Drouhin's style this is relatively rustic? Oh well, whatever it is, it is a fun wine. And even though we Finns are supposed to be able to drink any quantity of booze, I'm still happy about a half being available.
Rhetorical question: can one be so enthusiastic about such a little wine anywhere else than in Finland?