A very patchy week for wine. Good Sociando-Mallet '98 but, since Germaine had a painful bunion operation on Friday, she has been off booze and I have been opening lesser bottles which should in theory stand up better to being left over 24 hours half full. In the event I have never thrown away so much wine in such a short time. The first bottle, a 32 year old, was an honourable exception.
A plus point was that, after reading David Bueker's praise of Emiliana, I spotted one in a local supermarket and am quite pleased with my first try of this bodega, which even has the elegance of providing a back label in French for this market (most Chileans are in English and Spanish only).
1982 René Noël Legrand Saumur-Champigny - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (12/19/2014)
How does one score a bottle like this? Because of its age it has faults but also retains great beauties. Colour was a quite transparent carmine but with surprisingly little bricking. The nose was almost Burgundian with ripe cherry notes enlivened by typically Loire touches of charcoal and pencil shavings. The palate was quite small but round and rich with a velvety texture and played variations on the aromas from the nose, showing apparent sweetness akin to that of unsugared Darjeeling tea. Acidity was low but adequate and tannic structure had almost disappeared leaving traces of pastiness on the finish, which slightly marred the overall picture. Nevertheless a lovely bottle. The grower was selling these off for a song a few years ago and I got some!
PS: 24 hours later from the fridge, this bottle is still showing surprisingly well. Loire character, e.g. charcoal and pencil, is more pronounced and there is some loss of bloom but it remains fresh and elegant.
2012 Château de la Négly Coteaux du Languedoc Tradition - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc (12/19/2014)
Corked. NR (flawed)
2013 Les Clos de Paulilles Collioure Cuvée Valenti - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Collioure (12/20/2014)
I am especially disappointed because this wine was recommended by the Revue du Vin de France, whose palates are usually closer to mine than , say, are the Wine Advocate's? Deep purple tinted carmine and nose of synthetic red fruit, rose hip oil and liquorice. The quite full body showed perfumed red fruit akin to that of an industrial ice cream, more rose hip, slight sweetness and harsh underlying liquorice, quinine and dry caramel becoming more pronounced towards the finish. The estate is now owned by la Maison Cazes which has a good reputation which makes this showing puzzling. I'll leave my other bottle a few years to see if there is improvement. There is certainly no temptation to reach for it.
2010 Emiliana Adobe Syrah Reserva - Chile, Rapel Valley (12/21/2014)
Yesterday's curiously harsh Collioure was no better today so I consigned the remaining half of the bottle to the sink. This bottle of red Syrah from Chile was in the same mode but much better. Colour was a deep and quite opaque carmine. The nose showed dark fruit, rich but discreetly scented rose together with tar and muslin hints. The palate was quite full bodied with good depth of fruit together more of the muslin and noticeable old book which I love but could be thought premature in a four year old wine. There was plenty of structure and liquorice tinged firmness on the finish but nothing like the harsh exaggeration of the Collioure. I often think that Chile makes competent varietal wines which add nothing distinctive to the same grapes from elsewhere but this one did in a positive way unlike much warm climate Syrah/Shiraz. The nearest I can think of is Syrah dominated wine from S.Rhône like from Domaine Ste.Anne, which costs more. This is good wine and good QPR at €6.
Earlier in the week, Sociando-Mallet '98 was showing well -
1998 Château Sociando-Mallet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (12/18/2014)
I was surprised how good this bottle was given both some unenthusiastic TNs here on CT and the vintage's so-so reputation on the left-bank. Colour was a deep vigorous red with little signs of age and the nose showed very attractive red fruit and violet notes with a hint of leather. The palate was medium/full bodied with good density of plum fruit, considerable aromatic expression, lively acidity, beginnings of forest floor and velvety texture leading to a finish supported by much riper tannins than I was expecting. At its peak, I guess, but I am in no hurry to drink my remaining 5 bottles. Very good.
Posted from CellarTracker
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