1993 Sullivan, Merlot:
Tannic, candied oak juice with VA. Tried on successive nights. Garbage.
About $45 on release; DNPIM.
2005 Domaine Chignard, Fleurie Les Moriers:
Beautiful, authentic Fleurie. Tried on successive nights and its smoother, rounder and more complete on day two. Stunning, stunning juice. Imported by Kermit Lynch and about $21; I bought a lot.
2002 Clos de la Roilette (Coudert), Fleurie:
Hard and miserly on day one but still black fruit tasty. On day two, a strongly flavored, tannic wine that leans toward Fleurie aromas and flavors but gives more than a passing glance to Corton. Interesting, if atypical wine that I will enjoy following for the many years it has left in the cellar. Imported by Louis/Dressner and about $15 on release; I’d certainly buy it again.
2005 Drouhin, Bourgogne Laforet:
Thin Burgundy under screw top; nothing bad about it but nothing to get excited about. Imported by Dreyfus and Ashby and about $10; I won’t buy it again.
And yet . . .
On day three, this gained weight and viscosity and was really very enjoyable. ‘Never a world record but not bad at all. Judgment reservesd.
2002 Dom. les Fines Graves (Janodet) Moulin à Vent:
Oxidized; the first bottle from the case that has had a problem. All the others have been just fine.
2005 Cavalchina, Bardolina:
Plummy, light-weight wine with some structure and lots of up-front fruit. Yummy with pasta with veggies. Imported by Vin Divino, 12.5% alcohol and about $12; I’d buy it again.
2003 Dom. Ogereau, Anjou Villages:
If you want to try Dalla Valle, Maya, for about $16, this is the wine for you. But if you want Anjou, this is crap. Its 14.5% alcohol, huge, tannic but, thankfully, not over oaked; a milk-shake of a wine with all sorts of umph and gusto and power and . . . there is just nothing here that is remotely authentic. Some druggie’s rendition of Anjou. Imported by Jon-David Headrick and about $16; no way I’d ever touch this stuff again.
Best, Jim