2004 PZ Svirce Ivan Dolac Hvar Plavac Mali Barrique (Croatia) 14.1% - smell some raisin at first, cherry/plum, smoky bark, with air, lots of fruit, smoky, juicy, light black pepper, hint of coffee/chocolate, taste beautiful silky fruit, kind of muted yet wonderful accomplished spice, good mouthfeel, mighty tasty finish, at first the finish is a challenging raisin bomb, but as the wine opens up it becomes lovely
2004 Fincastle Virginia Cabernet Franc (USA) 12.5% - smell woodsy, reserved texture, somewhat recessed, yet performs very nicely, rich and thick, taste wonderful light yet dense texture, rich berry, hint of spice, overall solid enjoyable wine with good solid fruit and nice texture
2003 Koenig Idaho Syrah Three Vineyards Cuvée (USA) 14% - smell wonderful luxurious, suave leather, deep raspberry rich, slightly warm, with air, some wheat, taste big berry thick, blueberry pie filling, watery yet chunky, black pepper, some strong wood, rotting element to berry center, overall enjoyable, bit flawed on finish, enjoyed the smell more than the taste
2004 Salwey Oberrotweiler Kirchberg Baden/Kaiserstuhl Riesling Spätlese (Germany) 8.5% - smell melon, honey, just a hint of floral, cold, taste wonderful spice, honey, apricot, thick silky texture, taste of green apple on finish, wonderful clean finish, great flavor and wonderful balance, the kind of bottle I find it impossible not to finish and move on to another—the gateway bottle, so to speak
2003 Alois Lageder Alto Adige/Südtirol Lagrein (Italy) 13% - smell slight raisin, rum, date nut bread, soft, hunger inducing, with air, some spicy sausage, somewhat rank, but interesting, mouthfeel thick stringy, very viscous, deep rich plum/cherry, lots of fruit, spice, picnic table (it just feels like I’m sitting at a picnic table—weird), light smoke and earth (or wood rotting in earth), dense minced pie, gripping on tongue, finish that really does not let go, interesting wine but bit too gripping and dense for me
2005 J Hoffstätter Alto Adige/Südtirol Lagrein (Italy) 13% - smell soft fig, recessed spice, bacon, with air, more fruit, hint of tape, soft and spicy, definitely interesting, taste cool, strong bitterness, really dark chocolate, plum, very pleasant spice, black pepper, rough burnt inside of barrel, great texture, very substantial, feels like very unsweetened but fruit rich wine, overall felt wine’s strong fruit (especially at onset—where it is too sweet/tart), very rustic with that burnt barrel feel, would go great with rough gamey meat, rough edges not quite balance—neat elements but wine does not quite come together
2001 Ch Loudenne Medoc (Bordeaux, France) (55 percent merlot, 40 percent cabernet sauvignon, remainder blend of cabernet franc and petit verdot), smell strong mineral, faint fruit, pickle juice, soft and seductive, yet stands out, with air, plump fruit, plums, cherry, leather, bit of a burn, surprising watery and faint intro, feels like nothing, incredibly recessed flavors slowly emerge, juicy, juicy, dripping down, made for steak, eating a bowl of cherries, so juicy--don’t notice dry patches, feels like perfect handshake
