WTN: New high-end arrivals at Alko

Once again, a nice group of wine-lovers met up to taste through the high-end arrivals of the past half a year or so:

Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchill 1996 was full of everything. It had a huge concentration of fruit, huge acidity (yum!) and (not so yummy) lots of vanillary and toffeeish oak. I liked the crispness and elegance of the bubbles so much that I was able to enjoy this tremendously despite the oak. Needs time.

Guado al Tasso 2001 was thick, almost syrupy but with some nice red toned nuances and herbs which bring Tuscans to mind. Though opulent, it had fair acidity. Excellent in its style (but, as is no surprise, I didn't really care for it).

Vega Sicilia Valbuena No.5 2001 was sweet and red toned, oaky, but not overdone. The nose is rather lifted and is refreshing despite the concentrated fruit and oak. It had fair acidity. I liked it, but still didn't feel like finishing my glass - very odd. Maybe I just wasn't in a Ribera mood yesterday?

Pintia 2003 is Vega Sicilia's project in Toro. Toffeed and sucrose nose, with some red tones underneath the blueberry-oak. Extremely alcoholic - so much so that I was surprised it "only" had 15%abv. The palate had harsh tannins on the finish and rather simple, juicy fruit, just as if the fruit ripened too quickly but the tannins lagged behind. Not at all to my taste, but some enjoyed this very much.

Barca Velha 1999 is an oddity among the few BVs I've tried. The others, though concentrated and fruity, have always seemed more earth than fruit driven wines and have been drier in style. The '99, however, is sweetly fruity, not as rustic (a pity), but is complex and an "honest" wine. It is raspberried and tannic yet has sweet fruit. Very nice. I really enjoyed this wine and that it doesn't have overt oak influence.

Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie "La Mordorée" 1998 wasn't very nice. It was chemical and confected on the nose with lots of cough medicine-like aromas. The palate was soft and plump, didn't have enough acidity - gobby and chemical. Quite unpleasant IMO.

Almaviva 2004 was less inelegant than most other Chileans I've had, but was still rather obvious in its style: strawberry jam, blueberry oak, lifted cassis. Big, sweet, boring and so similar in style to all other Chileans.

Clos Apalta 2004 yawn! It tastes just like all other Chileans.

Inniskillin Riesling Icewine 2004 was a fun drink but seemed a little too much like candy: tropical, pineapple rather inelegant. High acidity, but not high enough to carry the sugar elegantly. It is a bit obvious in style - but I still like it!

Max Ferd. Richter Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein** 2004 was the model of crystlline purity and elegance and Rieslingisity. The palate had enough acidity (14g/l) to carry RS. Interminable aftertaste. If all Eisweins were like this, I might actually buy some, but for some reason I very, very rarely get excited by any examples.

Krohn Colheita 1958 (no idea when this was bottled). Nutty, rumraisiny, toffeed - very deep, yet elegant nose. The palate has nice acidity to keep it from becoming cloying, perhaps a slight touch of VA but not in annoying amounts. The alcohol is well integrated. Long and lovely.

Blind red to quench our thirst:

Ben Glaetzer Amon-Ra Shiraz 2005 was a nice blind because at this group's last tasting, we had the Godolphin as the blind! This was IMO much better: the nose was lactic, but not at all in the amounts of the Godolphin. It was peppery yet sweet and red berried with lovely acidity to carry the big fruit. It isn't as jammy nor opulent as many Barossas, but no way can this be called elegant. Probably excellent if you like the style more than I do.

-O-

Max Ferd. Richter Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein** 2004 If all Eisweins were like this, I might actually buy some

What was different about this Eiswein that made you prefer it? Crystalline purity sounds like a good description for most that I've tasted.

Although perhaps the Richter style is slimmer than other houses if that's what you mean.

[David M. Bueker]

Otto,

Have you run into a lot of Eisweins with botrytis in the past? I don't like that element either, preferring the purity of fruit in my Eiswein & leaving the botrytis to BA and TBA.

Have you run into a lot of Eisweins with botrytis in the past? I don't like that element either, preferring the purity of fruit in my Eiswein & leaving the botrytis to BA and TBA.

To answer you and Rahsaan at once, this is part of the problem I've had. The other is the lack of good producers' Eisweins available here. The third is that what we've had here, and what I've had in tastings, most have had a slight rift between the structure and the sugar. The nose may have cristalline purity, but the palates have had more sweetness than the acidity can carry or then the acidity seems "fake" in that it lags behind the fruit.

Barca Velha 1999 is an oddity among the few BVs I've tried. The others, though concentrated and fruity, have always seemed more earth than fruit driven wines and have been drier in style. The '99, however, is sweetly fruity, not as rustic (a pity), but is complex and an "honest" wine. It is raspberried and tannic yet has sweet fruit. Very nice. I really enjoyed this wine and that it doesn't have overt oak influence.

Hi Otto!

When was the last Barca Velha made? My understanding is that the grapes for this wine now go into Quinto do Vale Maria (or Valle Meao, I get these confused). I know what you mean about earthy - the 1991 had it in spades.

When was the last Barca Velha made? My understanding is that the grapes for this wine now go into Quinto do Vale Maria (or Valle Meao, I get these confused). I know what you mean about earthy - the 1991 had it in spades.

I have no idea! I understand that the '99 is the most recent release, but I hadn't heard that the grapes go elsewhere now. If anyone knows, please let us know also!

-O-(fondly remembering the '91 and its spadefuls of earth)