WTN: BYO at the Wienerberg

Still saving old TNs typed on my mobile phone:

25 April 2015

Incidentally, an evening at the end of which a certain someone had the cheek to ask if I couldn’t bring along “something decent once in a while”…

Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 1998
Mine, from perfect storage, and thus so youthful and primary it seemed like a bad joke. Full plummy ruby, minor watery rim. A bit animal, loads of Kirsch Schnaps fruit, plum, alcohol, most impressive minerality, very long finish. Remains a bit hot, the only negative aspect, apart from the fact it seemed lightyears away from maturity. Then again, nicely thick with airing. Fruitiest wine of the night. 24 hours later dry-Port-like, very sweet strawberry jam, huge tannin, impeccable freshness, with the excess alcohol blown off. Promising! dp 96+/97(+?)

Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Unico Reserva 1994
Thanks to Remo, a bottle he bought out of a business acquaintance’s cellar. Opaque garnet-black. Disappointingly evolved, lightly bitter bottle compared to the earlier bottles I've had, question on the storage if not the cork here. Some nutty oak and tannin. Touch of duck meat. Nicely oily-thick. Balanced, harmonious wine. Shorter than the best bottles, good body and sweetness. Not too far removed from what it should be, but by far the least impressive bottle of the 1994 I’ve had so far. Everyone seemed to be raving about it, though... dp 93+/94(+?)

Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 2000
Thanks to Christian. Not my favourite vintage of the era, but I was looking forward to retasting it. Wide orange rim to the evolved orange-garnet. Evolved as well as a bit closed. But opening up, increasingly longer, nice herbs, subtlety, a touch of caramel. Different enough from when I last had this that I kept wondering (although I kept my opinion to myself) if this bottle was stored ideally (a local wine shop selling these is well-known for turning up the temperature during tastings, which may please some customers, but not me, as it can’t be good for the wines). dp 94(+?)

Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo 1990
Thanks to Oliver. Opaque glossy ruby-black. Very well-stored, fresh blood orange to a little tar, excellent lively acids, faintly grainy-dry tannin unlike e.g. the 1997. Same as always really, complex, balanced, firm. Pretty little smokiness on the back end. Wine of the night, except I may have been the only one who thought so… dp 97-/96?

Mouton-Rothschild Pauillac 1971
Thanks to Christian. Mid-shoulder level fill. Medium garnet-red, watery-orange rim. Some dried lemon rind, mild but little residual fruit. A bit peaty. A bit light. Soft fruit. Little, lightly dry tannin. Bit more complexity with airing. Looked scary, but somewhat surprisingly turned out to be as good as it gets (for what it is - given it might as well have been dead). Christian’s favourite wine of the night. dp 89-

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[Jenise]

Great notes, David, loved reading them. The 71 Mouton was particularly suspenseful--I was not betting on it turning out so well after the first few words, was certain it would tank. Love it when that DOESN'T happen.

[David M. Bueker]

Sorry about the Unico. I have read numerous bad reports about it. Glad I passed when it was offered.

Sorry about the Unico. I have read numerous bad reports about it. Glad I passed when it was offered.

In perfect condition, it's the finest Unico of the decade, though, which is the same as to say, since the 1970. As pointed out, this bottle was clearly subpar, and it may still have been the consensus favorite wine of the night. Merely not mine - I'm reacting "allergic" to wine that I know well and can tell isn't what it should be. I'm always assuming the best bottle of a wine I've had is representative of what it's supposed to be, and this was the only "off" bottle so far (and it wasn't far off, just sufficiently so to disappoint in context).

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[David M. Bueker]

I have seen any number of bad notes from the US side on the '94. I wonder if it suffered somewhere in the import process.

I have seen any number of bad notes from the US side on the '94. I wonder if it suffered somewhere in the import process.

Most likely. Also, there are wines that take less than perfect storage throughout even worse than others, and I've always thought Vega Sicilia among those.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti