The so-called “Tour des Vins ’07”, where I went with Rainer on Sunday, March 18. Notes are presented here in the order the wines appear in the flyer (did not taste all 95), not as we tasted them (I prefer tasting the reds first).
By the way, have I mentioned lately that I tend to come away from trade tastings lately with always the same impression: there seem to be few surprises in terms of QPR (producers just seem to know when they have got something really good to offer). Here, we actually found a couple that, even if not cheap, were positive suprises in this regard.
Clos de Serrant Savennières Le Vieux Clos 2004
Now made by Virginie Joly, Nicolas’s daughter. Medium weight, a bit oxidative like a Tokaj Szamorodni, tasty, oily acidity that's perhaps not ideally ripe. Rating: 86
Clos de Serrant Savennières Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 2004
Now made by Virginie Joly, Nicolas’s daughter. Yields here are said to be generally 25 hl/ha. Spicier, more lime and herbs, longer, alcohol a bit warm, some straw, softly oily, a bit oxidative also, more raw material, but ultimately lighter and more elegant than in vintages from the '90s. Rating: 88+?
Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Ried Lamm 2005
Nicely firm, best on the nose, could be fresher, but some herbs and spices on the palate, alcohol is a bit High. Smells more acidic than it is. Both Rainer and I had expected more here. Rating: 86
Robert Weil Riesling Spätlese Kiedricher Gräfenberg 2001
First bottle was so mildly corked, the (otherwise knowledgeable) staff who poured had not even noticed. Good thing they know Rainer and me, and of course the difference became obvious immediately when another bottle was opened. Creamy, fresh, has weighty herbs in addition to balm mint, ethereal saffron top note is developing, great terroir. A bit evolved compared to bottles from my cellar. A top note of white cabbage made us wonder if these bottles may not have been ideally stored. Rating: 92
Christian Hermann Fläscher Blauburgunder 2005
Wet corrugated board (not TCA, i.e. not a corked bottle!), some crystallized strawberry and raspberry beneath charcoal oak, bright but leady and cool acidity, slightly bitter tannin. Rating: 82?
Christian Hermann Fläscher Blauburgunder Reserve 2005
Very oaky but also with warmer fruit, less chilled acids, tannin with at least some flavour, just some length. Rating: 84
Moric Neckenmarkter Blaufränkisch Alte Reben 2004
Spicy, almost a bit Rhône-like garriguey fruit, a bit cool perhaps but balanced and nicely concentrated. Hard to recognise as Blaufränkisch, but one of the more memorable wines of the tasting. I wish I could say there are many Austrian reds I like as much as this. Find this seriously expensive, though. Rating: 89
Puech Chaud Côteaux du Languedoc Les Combes 2003
80% Syrah plus Mourvèdre and Grenache. Some brett here, a bit clumsily oaky (surprising when one thinks of René Rostaing’s Côte-Rôtie bottlings), warm cherry chewing gum fruit, ironically a bit bitter and cool underneath, ending on an acetic touch. Even though this may be in an awkward phase, do not expect a miracle to take place in bottle here. Rating: 86+?
Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2004
60% Grenache plus Mourvèdre, Syrah etc. Pruney ruby-black. An easy to interpret 2004, if surprisingly 1999-like (thus less useful than the nicely approachable other 2004s we have so far tasted), medium weight at best, tight and a bit herbaceous, with just some gamy meatiness to little fruit, a touch rubbery. Tannin is fairly finely grained, a bit dark-chocolatey. Even with its undercurrent streak of toughness, how come every vintage since the 1998 here has brought forth wines that seem prematurely evolved? Rating: ~87?
Château de Pibarnon Bandol 2004
Chocolate- and coffee-tinged animalism, sweet in a gamy-heavy way, with top notes of onion and pheasant, and yet, there is an underlying touch of green to the tannin. My rating obviously already accounts for that benefit of doubt this bottling has earned in my experience in recent years (really a near-impossible wine to judge, plus you have to like the grape variety and the house style – I prefer my Mourvèdre to be blended into, say, a Beaucastel CdP. Rating: 87+?
Domaine Courbis Saint-Joseph Les Royes 2003
Opaque pruney ruby. The 30-years-old vines give this an even old-vinier core than one would expect, a bit salty-minerally in fact, backing nice, quite subtle and finesseful berry fruit, some smoked bacon, licorice and mild tobacco. The tannin has a touch of garrigue (roasted Provençal herbs and pepper) to it, as well as a touch of underlying bitterness that made Rainer wonder if it might not be safer to drink this young, despite the nicely firm backbone. Long finish. One of the two or so QPR standouts of the tasting. Tasted twice from different bottles (the second time right after Castello di Ama’s Apparita from the same vintage, just to see how it would do after a four times as expensive Merlot) with consistent notes. Rating: 89
Bodegas Roda Rioja Reserva 2002
Spicy, a bit light but offers fair enough density. No rough edges, in need of a little time in bottle only, potentially smooth, good body and length. Ultimately a bit simplistic, but then this represents the bottom of the line. Rating: 87(+?)
Bodegas Roda Rioja Reserva Roda I 2002
Deeper, more complex as well as spicy-oaky, but also longer. Offers more meatiness, even if on the cured beef side of the spectrum. Tasty wine that we got to sample from two bottles, of which the first seemed a fraction more firmly structured. Rating: 89+/90+?
Bodegas Roda Rioja Cirsion 2005
Of the four vintages I have so far tasted of this bottling, 2005 may have brought forth the most complete wine. Except for the 2001, which needed time in bottle at release (and was not entirely to my, and not at all to Rainer’s taste), early harmony and drinkability seems to be a hallmark of this bottling. The 2005 spent only 8 months in barrique, and seems all balance, length and finesse, and is distinctly light on its feet for such a well-concentrated wine. Sweet, ripe without a hint at overripeness, opulent and dense without excess weight, this offers body and warmth without excess alcohol, fruit that is just evolved enough, and integrated, already almost completely absorbed oak. Deceptive insofar as this could easily be drunk in quantity, and yet demands and deserves one’s attention, as it is far from a brain- or soulless wine. Nicely smooth, with seemingly soft acids (also deceptive). Rainer called the finish „endless“. From a second, freshly opened bottle (Gonzalo Lainez quickly spotted we share a taste for wine, asked which wines at this forum he should sample, and in turn recommended some he felt we should not miss) it became clear this wine is fuller-bodied, and more structured, tannic and powerful, as well as denser with fruit and showing a little roasted barrique than once it gets a little air in the decanter. A lesson in how to make a Rioja that will drink well young and keep (as to whether it can improve in bottle, that seems hard to tell – it is so tasty, what could there be to gain?!). Now, if this were only a bit less costly… Rating: 95
Pago de Carraovejas Ribera del Duero Crianza 2004
85% Tinto Fino, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot aged 12 months in American and French barriques. Nice full colour. Evenly ripe, quite complex, smooth, nice body and length. Plum, cinnamon and clove with an attractive goat cheese top note and aftertaste (there was something ever so slightly weird about the 2001 at release, too, nothing to worry about). Reassuring touch of blueberry on the balanced finish. Probably the QPR buy of the tasting, Rainer even bought a bottle to serve his parents, so he could retaste this in peace. Rating: ~90
Santa Rita Maipo Valley "Triple C" 2004
55% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Carmenère from the Alte Jahuel Estate vineyard. Opaque purple-black with a tiny watery rim. Coulis-like smoothness without tasting overly sweet, well-concentrated, with notes of fennel, resin, dill, coffee and rather unique if attractive blackcurrant. Ultimately a touch bitter underneath, hard to tell if it is going to affect the wine’s evolution in bottle. Rainer and I were shocked this should be one of the more interesting wines on show that day, a very modern wine indeed, but not one without its own identity. Rating: ~90?
Huarpe Taymente 2004
Pure Malbec. Medium-spicy and -tannic wine, good body, medium length, should round off in bottle soon. Inexpensive. Rating: 86+?
Huarpe 2004
75% Malbec, rest Cabernet Franc. Much oakier, spicier, noticeably old-viney (over 60-years-old vines) and more concentrated. More body and length. Needs time. Even so, neither Rainer and I find the blend with CD per se more attractive. Could not the top bottling here be a Malbec, too? Rating: 88+
Achával Ferrer Quimera 2004
From vines that are up to 100 years old. An amazingly (attractively!) cheesy wine. Ewe’s milk cheese, blueberry, pretty tannin. A rather special, impressively old-viney wine, with an almost salty extract, nice body and length. One may find it weird, but these days, anything showing identity of its own is worth special mention. Rating: ~88
Clarendon Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Hickinbotham 1999
Evolved coffee chocolate and prune, jammy-roasted black currant. The alcohol integration remains questionable and the finish bitter. My notes from six years ago already read „ a bit aggressive and oaky-bitter tannin“ – some things just never change. Then again, it remains quite complex, too. I like the Shirazes much better here, though, anyhow. Rating: 87/88?
Clarendon Hills Shiraz Astralis 2004
I was disappointed to hear the 2003 was already sold out, but glad we got to taste the 2004. Opaque purple. Bitter chocolate, thick and smooth, a bit petrolly, oily fruit, highly concentrated, some herbaceousness underneath, fairly long, less oversized than other vintages, an Astralis of medium power, almost deserves to be called elegant. We were also told that the 2005 is going to be more like the 1997 again, still our favourite vintage of this wine, the one closest in character to a Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque. Rating: 93+/94
Cuvaison Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Brandlin 2004
Sweet, very ripe fruit, Rainer called it “petrolly sweet and sour cherry chewing gum”, a little tobacco, juicy, some oak that should integrate well, faintly dusty-dry tannin. A bit simple, but tasty and well-made. Expensive for what it is. Rating: 88+?
Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2002
Deep plummy garnet-red. Smells lactic, a bit tired. A somewhat oxidative Zinfandel-like nose, Rainer said. Quite sweet, some coffee and herbs, eucalyptus among other a faint leafiness. Ultimately a bit light, just some roasted blackcurrant, good body, quite dry on the finish. Rating: 85+?
Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Martha's Vineyard 2002
The greatest Californian Cabernet Sauvignon of my wine-loving career having been Heitz’s 1985 Martha’s Vineyard (and Dunn’s 1996 Howell Mountain), this may have been the wine I had been looking forward to taste here most. Bottled in September 2006. Denser plummy ruby-black. A rather Australian nose, as Rainer observed, partly overripe with sweet gamy leather, showing coffee chocolate, prune and fig, heavy, almost cloying tannin with a certain leafiness and a mild gaminess. Although notoriously difficult to judge, the overripeness here seems to me reason for (possibly major) concern (I was reminded of some of the gamy-overripe Greenock Creek vintages, another winery whose wines I love when everything goes right, but that sometimes makes ones that are strictly over the top, examples that, needless to say, only got weirder and weirder in bottle). Note I would not complain about the price here if Heitz found back to their form of old. Rating: 88+/89+?
Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Santa Cruz Mountains 2004
Somewhat harmless wine, medium-plus ripeness, balanced and fairly long. Barely medium weight, easy to drink, simplistic, could definitely be racier, too. Rating: 85
Ridge Vineyards Geyserville 2004
75% Zinfandel plus Carignane and Petite Syrah. Now, if the point here is to strive for “elegance”, I am sorry to say someone seriously misunderstands the concept of elegance here. Also rather light, Rainer finds it simply lacks concentration, a bit oaky for its (lack of) weight, yoghurt-like and of barely medium complexity, quite herbaceous coffee and macerated flower “fruit”. Was this such a light vintage? Rating: 86?
Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs 2004
79% Zinfandel plus Petite Syrah and Carignane. Rounder, sweeter, longer, if only a fraction more concentrated, but also a fraction worn out, if less so than the Geyserville, ultimately another light 2004. This at least shows enough early harmony that it is easy to enjoy – how quickly these 2004s oxidize with airing is definitely a reason for concern. Rating: ~87?
Heidi Schröck Ruster Ausbruch “Auf den Flügeln der Morgenröte” 2004
A blend of different grape varieties, picked at 170-180 Oechsle. Nicely exotic nose, lightly bready botrytis atop tropical peach and melted butter, ripe acidity. A nicely sweet, viscous wine that is pretty on the nose, then a bit hollow from the mid-palate onwards. What about making a wine as poetic as its name (“On rosy dawn’s wings”)? Rating: 87+?
Greetings from Switzerland, David.