1996 Hirtzberger, Riesling Singerriedel:
golden; powerful nose with concentrated riesling aromas, some minerality and distinct resinous notes; the same on the palate which has delineated flavors, is texturally smooth, pretty deep and bone dry; good intensity and balance and an extremely long finish. Not the depth of the ’99 nor the breadth of the ’01 but a very solid, flavor-filled wine that is clearly from Austria.
With chicken-apple sausages and spring vegetables, excellent accompaniment.
2002 Drouhin, Volnay:
Fresh, ripe raspberries pulverized in a stone mortar and pestle; this wine has tensile strength – it’s pure and clean and focused and long. A really fine bottle drinking well now but capable of at least medium term aging.
Superb with grilled pork chops and stir-fry veggies on rice.
1999 Dugat-Py, Gevrey-Chambertin VV:
Gevrey earth and a forceful density; still closed but showing enough to make me glad to have a glass in my hand; aromatically reticent; rich and concentrated in the mouth with less of the ‘CA feel’ it had at release and more of its ‘Gevrey-ness’ with substantial complexity; very long, ripe and so together. A great wine, even now, and very good with assorted cheeses.
Best, Jim
