- 2013 Domdechant Werner Hochheimer Domdechaney Riesling Goldkapsel trocken - Germany, Rheingau (2022-09-14)
This was drinking really well last week. A beautiful balance between and nice integration of the acid and fruit. Dry, but not too dry, with a mix of citrus, stonefruit and a slate note on the medium bodied, elegant palate. No rush, but drinking well now. (A-) - 2004 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2022-09-14)
Still dark in colour, just a touch of bricking around the edges. Classic blackfruits and a slight herbal note on nose. Medium bodied, with again classic cab and Coonawarra on the palate; no overt oak, just tasty fruit and a hint of secondary characteristics and cedar. At first, there was a pinch of VA and a weird herbal note, but these dissipated over time. After a couple of hours, this was in a good place and it even improved a bit on the second day. No rush on this, but drinking well now certainly. (A-) - 2014 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2022-09-03)
Golden in colour. This was a very nice kabinett, with lots of fruit, mainly pear, pineapple and lime, with some coconut as well on an intense and somewhat creamy, medium bodied palate. Off dry, but there is nice acidity to give it lift. Starting to come together now, but will probably be better in a few years. (A-) - 2019 Misha's Vineyard Wines Riesling Limelight - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago (2022-08-23)
A kabinett or perhaps spatlese style riesling from Central Otago. Mainly stonefruit with some tropical fruit on the medium bodied, rich, smooth palate; more acidity would give it more lift. A solid riesling, but not a top example. (B+) - 2017 Natte Valleij Cinsault - South Africa, Coastal Region, Paarl (2022-08-21)
This was a fun, very interesting wine. Served slightly chilled, there were earthy cherry and raspberry flavours and a slight herbal note on the light to medium bodied palate. Healthy acids gave this a real lift, and slight tannins gave it some gravitas. A well crafted wine that is fun though serious too. Drinking very well now. (A-) - 2018 Le Clos Jordanne Chardonnay Le Grand Clos - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Peninsula VQA (2022-08-13)
They seem to be going for the reductive style with this wine. There is that struck match note at the front of the palate, but some minerality then appears. Nicely judged oak is in the background, with fruit mainly in the stonefruit spectrum. Medium bodied, good balance, but it could use a bit more concentration and/or extract. Ready to drink now, but no rush either. (A-) - 2016 Thirty Bench Riesling - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Beamsville Bench VQA (2022-08-10)
This is still going strong. It tastes drier than previous bottles, with mainly citrus fruits and some apple on the medium bodied, elegant, slightly minerally and dry palate. Nothing special, but a solid entry level wine that is probably at peak now. (B+/A-) - 2013 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos Blue Label - Hungary, Tokaji (2022-08-07)
Hazy notes from a few days ago. A very nice Tokaji, fairly rich in style, with apricots and jam, but enough acidity to keep the fruit fresh. Not a great deal of complexity yet, but quite tasty. (A-) - 2018 Kitsch Riesling Esther’s Block - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2022-08-07)
Hazy notes from last night. A nice dry riesling, with mainly citrus fruit and a touch of stonefruit on the medium bodied palate. There's a slightly chalky texture - not taste - and the heathy acidity and well judged RS gives it a refreshing vibe. Nicely crafted, albeit without the complexity of many Old World rieslings. (B+/A-) - 2005 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Mont - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (2022-07-14)
This was a pop and pour, which was a mistake, as this improved with air (and with warming up a bit). A classic vouvray nose, with waxy and wooly notes along with apples and honey. More of the same on the medium, pure, complex, beautifully integrated palate. This is now in between a sec and demi sec in style, given it is 17 years old now. I think it will last a while yet. No rush, but lovely now. (A-/A) - 2001 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (2022-07-14)
I didn't get a chance to decant this - it was a back up wine at a tasting - but this was firing on all cylinders from the get-go. The excellent nose was quite gamy, with red fruits and garrigue. The medium to full bodied palate was concentrated, well balanced and provided a complex mix of red fruits (cherries and plums mainly) along with some game, olive and garrigue. It had a smooth, velvety texture, but also still with ripe tannins to give it structure and acidity to keep it fresh. Outstanding now, but this still has many years left. 2001 was a great, great vintage for the S. Rhone and it shows in this wine. Very impressive. (A) - 2012 Château Moncontour Vouvray Moelleux - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (2022-06-26)
A very crumby cork, and very light in colour (a surprise) and spritzy on the first pour. There is something not right here and it has some kind of flaw (or was never a good wine). NR (flawed) - 2020 Orofino Vineyards Riesling Wild Ferment Old Vines - Canada, British Columbia, Similkameen Valley (2022-06-23)
This is the sweetest Old Vines I've tasted from Orofino. Firmly on the off dry scale, as noted on the back label (nice to see the scale shown), there is a concentrated intensity to the wine, with mainly lime and other citrus but some stonefruit notes too. Is there a touch of smoke showing here? I may be imagining it - it's so much in the news now - but I caught a slight bitterness on the finish. It is very young, though, so perhaps it just needs more time. (B+) - 2019 SpearHead Pinot Noir Cuvée - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2022-06-23)
This was drinking well last night. Light cherry and earth on the nose. Medium bodied, delicate palate again with cherries and, a bit of oak notes and spice. Some tannins on the finish. Nicely balanced, nicely crafted, but young, and this will probably improve over the next few years. (B+/A-) - 2012 Undurraga Carignan Terroir Hunter (TH) - Chile, Maule Valley (2022-06-21)
I stumbled upon this in the cellar. Thought it might be over the hill, but it was still alive and well. Ripe plums, earthy notes and a slight herbal note - very nice. Medium to full bodied, with similar notes on the ripe but not too ripe palate. Still some tannins to give it structure. An interesting, well made carignan that is ready now but there's no great rush. (B+) - 2018 Bodegas Peique Bierzo Ramón Valle - Spain, Castilla y León, Bierzo (2022-06-13)
A very interesting Bierzo Mencia. Deep ruby in colour. Lots of earthy cherries, other red fruits and a slight herbal note on the powerful, lovely nose. There's pure, very concentrated flavours of cherry, cranberry and red plum on the medium to full bodied palate, and serious tannins on the finish. A little disjointed right now, I think, as the tannins will need time to subside, but an intriguing and powerful Mencia that is very good QPR. (A-) - 2015 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2022-06-13)
Hazy notes from a few days ago. This was a lovely riesling that was more open that I expected. It was also much drier than I expected for a spatlese. It's not a criticism, as this was a wonderful mix of tropical and citrus flavours, quite refreshing, good acidity, some minerality and a long, just off dry finish. This will last and improve a very long time, but no crime to open it now (AP 20 16). (A)