This post concludes my backlog of “old” wine tasting notes. The following are mostly wines had with dinner at home or at some friend’s place, some as recent as January/February 2007, others date back as far as August 2006. Edited these listening to one of my favourite recordings ever, Brahms’s First Piano Concerto with Leon Fleisher on Epic.
Bodegas y Viñedos Alion Ribera del Duero Reserva 1994
No need for another TN other than to confirm this is evolving beautifully, is giving much pleasure at this stage and is in no rush to be drunk up. Rating: ~90
Altesino Brunello di Montalcino 1993
Thanks to my parents. The most advanced of the three 1993 Brunelli we retasted, this is getting softer and more easy-going by the year, due to greater structural weakness than the Casanova di Neri and the Fuligni. Medium length. This really drank best until the age of ten approximately. Rating: 87-/86
Altesino Vino da Tavola Alte d'Altesi 1990
My last bottle of this blend of 70% Sangiovese Grosso and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Appear to have lost the TN, but it was hardly different from earlier bottles I reported on, not yet showing any signs of serious decline, but fully mature and no longer improving. Quite delicious, with good body and nicely firm tannin that has always shown less 1990-toughness than most Brunellos from this vintage, and yet, getting drier in bottle by the year. Rating: 90-/89
Erik Banti Morellino di Scansano Carato 2001
Thanks to my parents. Not really worth aging, as the underlying toughness seems to be gaining the upper hand. But there are still nice curranty berry top notes. A bit short. Rating: 84-/83
Henri Bonneau Vin de Table de France Les Rouliers L 01.06-02/03
Thanks to my parents. Officially, of course, VdT is non-vintage. However, the way I read this lot number, it seems to me a blend of 2002 and 2003 that was bottled in January 2006. Which, by the way, is precisely what the wine tastes like. Nicely glossy medium ruby with some black reflections. Grenache-typical garrigue, that is, roasted Provençal herbs and dusty/gun powdery black pepper. Good medium-light body, the overall weight of a 2002 with some 2003 blended in, some nicely racy red berry and violet fruit, faint beef juice, soft onion and leady steel scented acidity and some of the dusty-dry tannins of a 2003, medium-plus length. Not terribly complex but very tasty indeed. Qualitatively just a fraction behind the more harmonious first lot marketed in 2005 (presumably from the 2001 vintage), this probably will not gain from being cellared. Much better than Bonneau’s official 2002 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Rating: ~88
Henri Bonneau Vin de Table de France Les Rouliers L 05.06-03/02
Thanks to my parents. Officially, of course, VdT is non-vintage. However, the way I read this lot number, it seems to me a blend of 2003 and 2002 that was bottled in May 2006. Lightly purple ruby-black. Nicely fruity, medium weight, some beef juice and garrigue, a little lavender and stronger roasted rosemary. Faint graphite dust and smoke, but also a Kirsch top note with a touch of raspberry with airing. A touch of red beet juice austerity to the acids that made me think the inversion of the years in the lot number may be an indication that this contains a greater percentage of 2003. Hard to tell, as with Bonneau, one just tends to assume a later bottling is “better”. But another tasty Rouliers, a bottling that has quickly become a QPR favourite with my parents. Again, clearly better than the official 2002 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Rating: ~88/88+?
Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 1997
Half bottle I opened for Rainer. Not at all oxidative as I once thought it might turn. Quite good terroir expression for a 1997, round, youthful, good body, quite long. Even so, this is a 1997, and I would not hold on to half bottles. Rating: 91-?
Brigaldara Recioto della Valpolicella 2001
Several times in recent months, inevitably thanks to my parents, for whom I had bought a case. Quite Quintarelli-like, if with greater purity to the botrytis, which gives this increasing honeyedness (the sweetness itself remains the same). Harmonious, smooth and long, as always. The mildly milk-chocolatey honeyed-glyceric raisins seem to melt on the tongue. What a great QPR buy! Rating: 92/93
One bottle was particular fun to serve and overhear comments on, as my sister described it as smelling and tasting of veal sausage, dark chocolate, double cream from Gruyère and Vermicelles (the sweet chestnut-based Swiss dessert)...
Bründlmayer Langenloiser Grüner Veltliner Kamptaler Terrassen 2004
Pale straw colour. Some residual CO2. Medium-light wine, some lime and spice, lacks depth, a bit short but quite refreshing. Slightly warming alcohol, thus best enjoyed chilled. Rating: 84
Tommaso Bussola Recioto della Valpolicella 1995
From 500 ml bottle as always. Rich garnet-red, black hue. Still a tiny bitter note and faintly nutty, even if the oak is almost fully absorbed in a cedary Port manner. Prune compote, a touch of glyceric honey, and tasty honey, too. Getting continually rounder and juicier and less bitter with airing. Soft cinnamon-like spice. A touch of orange to the medium acidity. Rating: 94+?
Château Calon-Ségur St. Estèphe 2003
Thanks to Rainer. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Deep ruby-red, opaque prune at the center, but a glossy and lively colour. Alba truffle, thick and sweet blackberry coulis on the nose. Started out primary, later showed seeming more evolved violety rose-hip. Salty with extract, good concentration, but not as minerally and without the flavourful tannin quality of the 2000. As Rainer said, the (comparatively fresh for a 2003) fruit is still on the verge of overripeness, combining caramel with a touch of tar. But showing a nicely firm structure. Probably as extracted as the concentration allowed, still on the safe side. With airing soon a bit closed, soon much oakier, chestnutty despite only 50% new oak. The 13% alcohol integrates very well indeed. A success for the vintage, no doubt, but I prefer the yet more structured-to-age 2000. Rating: 92+
Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino 1993
Thanks to my parents. Used to be my father’s favourite of the three 1993 Brunelli, more modern in style, thus easier to interpret in its youth than the Fuligni, which he know likes best for its freshness and mouth-cleansing food-friendliness. Medium-full ruby colour. Mature meaty cherry, a faint dryness to the tannin, a touch orangey on the finish and aftertaste, although not at all old yet. Rating: 88
Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne 1995
Thanks to Dani. Needs decanting, as there is some sediment in this. Black violet-ruby, almost opaque. Spicy, inky and meaty on the nose, then again on the aftertaste. A bit light yet warming and pruney-plummy, with strong tobacco and tobacco ash. Grey pepper garrigue. Sweeter and longer with a little airing, though never especially fruity, rather mature for a 1995. Just a little tannin left. Rather short finish. More red-fruity cut, more freshness with airing, a bit Burgundy-like. Rating: 88-/87
Charvin Côtes-du-Rhône 2003
Retasted now in March, thanks to my parents, this continues to show Kirsch-tinged soft red fruit with highly integrated, barely roasted Provençal herbs. The bitterness of the tannin is slowly giving way to more lavender flavoured dustiness. Tasty little wine, a bit lighter than the 2001, though still a hair more concentrated than the 2004 and 2005. What a QPR buy this wine is year after year. Rating: 86+/87?
Chave Hermitage 1996
Ordered from a restaurant wine list, possibly a tiny bit advanced (judging from experience with the cellar there, there really seemed nothing wrong with the bottle). Retains a purple hue and centre to its full ruby-black colour. Meaty-leady motor oil on the nose, iron, tarragon and tea-like tobacco leaf. A bit oily-petrolly on the palate, too. Luckily the wine’s prominent acids are not too hard, certainly a bit less so than three years earlier, even if they will in all likelihood never fully mellow. The tannin is not ideal with its minor artichoke-like bitter note and relative lack of finesse for a Chave. One of a handful vintages in which I prefer Jaboulet’s La Chapelle (even if there is really too much bottle variation to say so with confidence). Tiny bit peppery, Burgundian aged and roasted beef. Some scorched forest earth. Good concentration. Fairly full-bodied and powerful, especially on the (no more than) medium-long finish. Prefer the 1997 by a greater margin now than I used to. I remember we quipped about what in reality is no joke at all: that we would rather drink a lesser vintage of Chave than most other wine on earth. Went very well with dinner. Rating: 90-?
Chave Hermitage 1997
One of those shortly before Christmas dinners, a bottle I had once given to my parents and that they decided to share that night. Full lightly purple ruby with black reflections. Meat juice, lightly peppery roasted herbs, smells almost Côte-Rôtie-like despite Hermitage iron to the violet, laurel and sage, and touch of wet earth. Somewhat green tobacco flavoured tannin. Medium-plus length at first only, then soon thicker with fruit with airing, showing nice warming body and more length on the finish. Not a super vintage of Chave, but pleasant wine that could still use more time bottle to fully express itself (again: I remember ordering it from a certain restaurant wine list after release until we had drunk up all there was, and must say this was as good as Chave gets drunk young). Rating: 92+?
Château Clos de l’Oratoire St. Emilion 1994
A number of bottles thanks to my parents throughout the last few years, some of the prettiest, that is sweetest and densest with fruit, last year (as the delicious, somewhat Valpolicella-like bottle opened for Anke and Stephan in August 2006), others showing modern-style wine signs of age, in other words, disintegration (acidity and/or alcohol sticking out, tannin revealing oaky tarriness rather than spice box, fruit going dried jam-like, lacking yet more freshness). Needless to emphasize perhaps, had it not been for a blow-out sale a few years ago, I would not have bought any Neipperg (very nice guy, by the way) wines for my parents, but then, it was always intended for “guests without a clue about wine” as my mother so hospitably calls them ;^) There is probably something to be said in favour of the colour and tannin retention as well as resistance to oxidation of these wines, but I could not care less. The important message is this: drink up! Rating: 87-
Château Clos de l’Oratoire St. Emilion 1996
Same as always, it is the combination of vintage characteristics and modern style here that makes me think it should not be kept for too long. Rating: 86
Feiler-Artinger Ruster Ausbruch Pinot Cuvée 1996
A blend of Weissburgunder, Neuburger and Pinot Gris. From half bottle, as always. Opened on occasion of Dani’s birthday on the 26th of September (let him choose – not much of a risk, he is such a modest guy). Although no match for the 1995, this has been coming along well enough since release. Quite deep yellow-gold. Strong lemon zest, cumin brown bread and white glue botrytis, oily-viscous and sweet, backed by high citrusy acidity and a lemon zest bitter note. Fair enough finish, melted butter on the aftertaste. Rating: 89
Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Riserva Berardenga Rancia 1999
Thanks to Rainer. Full garnet-ruby-red. Quite concentrated, quite thick black cherry, glyceric with a touch of petrolliness, still a bit tarry with toasty oak tannin. Less hard than the 1990, but otherwise quite reminiscent. Deserves some bottle age. Rating: 92+
Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Riserva Berardenga Rancia 1988
Thanks to my parents. Full ruby-black. Nicely mature and autumnal, only faintly orangey fruit, some clean dried mushroom, medium-plus body, blood-orangey tannin and acidity that show the mild character of this easy-to-enjoy and often delicious Tuscany vintage. The integration of the barrique is virtually complete, except for a tiny marzipan aspect to the tannin. Good though not great length. A clear step down from the size, density or (at this stage relative) toughness of the 1990. Rating: 90-/89
Château de Fonsalette Côtes-du-Rhône 1989
My third to last bottle, which was exactly identical to others I reported on. Why are wines like this so rare nowadays, down-to-earth natural-tasting, alluringly perfumed, a bit austere but refreshing? It is possible that this will keep for quite a few years, but it is hard to tell if it has any more room for improvement. Rating: 92+?
Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port 1976
The bottle I opened for Anke and Stephan. One of those bottles that I decanted straight from the cellar, so that the tiny amount of sediment actually would stay behind in the bottle (until ten years ago, there simply was no sediment in this hyper-concentrated, opaque, curranty-sweet, liqueur-like Crème de Recioto-styled Port). No need to type yet another TN on this insider’s legend, other than to emphasize that it is really a PITY to open bottles of this wine unless they get a chance to rest preferably standing upright – no, NOT just for a few hours, but for several days, in fact, for as long as possible! It is bad enough that some bottles show excess volatility or coffee-like torrefaction (a disastrous drought year from which I have yet to taste another unofficially declared Vintage, that would be Single Quinta Port), one should really avoid inflicting pristine bottles with the murkiness of some the lightest and most powdery sediment I have ever seen in any wine – especially if it is as good as indiscernible due to the wine’s depth of colour. Rating: 97
Fontodi Chianti Classico 1997
Twice during this period, each time thanks to my parents:
One last autumn or winter. Full ruby-black colour, verging on pink-orange at the rim. Drier now despite some sweet if dried black cherry jam and blood orange. Good body and length. Rating: 88
One in January. Still deep ruby-black colour. Firm wine with faintly dry tannin and nice, a bit onion-scented acidity, medium fruit only, soft Chianti metals to the minerality, fair enough body and length. Top note of rice crispies. Not easy to tell where this rather successful 1997 Chianti is heading, but I seem to have liked it best two or three years ago. Rating: 88-
Foucault Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux 1995
A bottle I opened for my parents. A wine on which I reported a number of times. Sound ruby-black, perhaps more lightening at the rim now. Graphite dust, quite noble tobacco smoke, subtle enough red berries, broth cube spice, grassy chive and tarragon, tannin with an ever-so-faint touch of green (not bad at all for the vintage, but still not thoroughly ripe), medium acidity at best, good length. Cool in character compared to the wonderful 1996, but evolving in bottle almost better than the Le Bourg in this less than ideal vintage. Rating: 88
Foucault Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg 1995
A bottle I drank with my parents. Full ruby-black colour, still with a purple at the center, yet with a wider watery rim and less gloss and freshness overall. Nice graphite on the nose, a less eucalyptus-like Cabernet Franc leafiness than the 1996, simply greener and lighter, less ripe and sweet frozen raspberry and prune aromas, soft herbs. On the palate, the greenish touch to tannin and acidity continues to prevail (Cor Balfoort once said this vintage may contain excessive oxalic acid). Nowhere near the density of fruit, complexity, depth and length of the 1996. My mother said the 1995 reminds her of grass brew (no idea where she knows that sent from, the war maybe?). The 1995 oxidized a bit quickly in the decanter, by the way. Despite the greenishness, it is certainly a success for the vintage, ultimately a terroir wine with good minerality but a distinctly cool character. Difficult in hindsight why some people thought the 1995 and 1996 were on a similar qualitative level, when the difference is a rather obvious one between well-concentrated above-mediocrity here and such greatness there that French wine critic Michel Bettane, in his retrospective view of the wines of the twentieth century (in La Revue du Vin de France) gave the nod to the 1996 in the red Loire category. There is something Château Margaux-like about Foucault’s Le Bourg that I have not fully figured out yet, but it is clear that the 1995 lacks the blackcurranty and structural aspects of similarity, the most noble aspect to note about it remains its stony minerality. Rating: 89-/88?
Eredi Fuligni Vigneti dei Cottimelli Brunello di Montalcino 1993
Thanks to my parents. Luminescent garnet ruby-black. Firm, dry, mouthwatering and palate-cleansing, faintly blood-orangey cherry, touch of dried rose-hip, nice cut, some walnutty oak, a bit walnutty tannin, but some sweetness, too. Finally seems to have reached its plateau of maturity. A more traditionally-styled food accompaniment Brunello compared to the Casanova di Neri. Rating: 89
Gantenbein Pinot Noir 2003
This is a tasting note I am a bit sad to have (it appears) lost, as my parents own a few bottles. Ordered from a restaurant wine list. Quite darkly coloured, weightier and oakier than the Studach from the same vintage, still covering up its high alcohol and perhaps also exotic ripeness well at this stage, well concentrated, less peppery than last time, but also less bitter. But still not too long. At this stage, it does not look like serious competition for the 1997, despite the higher percentage of Burgundian small berry clones in the blend. Rating: 88+?
Gantenbein Pinot Noir 2004
Ordered from a restaurant wine list. Medium raspberry-ruby, some black reflections. Lighter, much oakier and evolved, as well as less thick with superripe fruit than the 2003, while as petrolly as the exceptional, if big and almost brutish 1997, only that that petrolliness does not fit in here. Some good glycerine cannot conceal the touch of bitterness to the tannin. Medium-plus body, medium length. There is one aspect I really like, though: with the percentage of Burgundy clones increasing by the year (starting to be curious when the replanting is going to reach its end, he said something about 10% per year one time I spoke to him), the wine does indeed become more Burgundian, in particular, there is more subtlety and finesse (not a strength of e.g. the 1997, still labelled “Fläscher Blauburgunder” at the time, which was still made from at least 50% Wädenswil clones). Ironically, this means we (my family) are all wondering why we should continue buying Gantenbein Pinot Noir – better Burgundy can be had at these prices! Rating: 84+?
Vincent Girardin Pommard Chanlins Vieilles Vignes 1995
A bottle with my sister. No real need to type yet another tasting note. Except that there is no bitterness here at all, so the last, an odd one out, bottle must have had the faintest of TCA taints, as I had suspected it might. Nice cut without being severe, fine body and balance, fresh and firm yet with nice aged meat, mature enough yet far from old. Very tasty indeed. Rating: ~90
Graham Vintage Port 1985
Thanks to my parents. Excellent ruby-black colour, some saltiness that betrays some excessive volatile acidity (a consistent flaw in every bottle tasted in recent years, fortunately still not as prominent as in many other 1985s) on the palate also, otherwise clean and tasty, with glyceric pruney and lightly volatile black cherry especially on the following day, good sweetness and firm tannin, no excessive heat. Still about outstanding bottle, but the wine has been consistently on the way down since it was bottled, same as almost all 1985 Vintage Ports. My mother, who is almost as sensitive to this flaw as I am (note I have met other people who were even more so), thought this bottle a fraction less volatile than the last two, thus was rather happy with this showing. Rating: ~89/90?
Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers 1995
My second to last bottle, exactly identical to others I reported on. Just love the sweetly perfumey and thickly fruity-smooth style here. If I had to convince a newbie or non-believer of the virtues of Burgundy, even if aficionados may ultimately end up looking elsewhere, Groffier would be as good a place to start as any. Rating: 92
Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 1994
Split bottle bought at auction with Dani, as we had once thought the La Mouline from the same vintage a rather smashing success. With dinner sometime in October 2006. Contains about 7% Viognier. Full ruby-black, verging on orange at the rim, although not yet quite there. Very complex nose and palate impact. Tarragon-tinged minerally roasted bacon fat, black olive-scented licorice stick. Mainly oily-sweaty black pepper, leaner berry fruit than in top vintages, but a nicely balanced wine. There is something distinctly Burgundian about the meatiness here, lean, half gamy, half cured, and with that almost floral bacon fat top note that these wines owe to their part influence of Viognier. Dried tarragon and rosemary and a blood orangey touch of iron on the finish. Faint leathery smoke with airing, getting rounder and perhaps a fraction more viscous after two to three hours. The barely dry tannin tasted lightly oak-induced, but not offensively so at all. Like the exotism of the La Turque, but as usually prefer the La Mouline in this vintage. Rating: 92-
Fritz Haag Auslese #15 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr 1988
A bottle I opened for Rainer. Youthful pale yellow-green. Still holds CO2, smoky slate, rape-seed, still primary Granny Smith aooke, spring herbs, salt and blackcurrant, lovely tobacco and peach with airing, highly aromatic acidity impressive extract, concentrated, not especially sweet, harmonious, hugely minerally and relatively dry on the palate and palate-stainingly long finish. But fully mature? I do not think so. Not planning to open a next bottle before 2010. Rating: 92+/93
Fritz Haag Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule #09 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr 2004
Thanks to Rainer. Same as last time, not yet too closed last year, but should be left alone now. There is that relevant bit more old-vininess to Haag’s GKA (and selected Auslesen such as the #10) and above bottlings nowadays that sometimes gives us hope there will be a return to the form of old. Rating: 89+/~90
Matthias & Thomas Hareter Chronos 2003
Kindly offered by restaurant owner Jin Loh with meal at his place with Victor. Dark colour, sweet, ripe, sound alcohol, a thick, modern and gastronomic wine, superficial but tasty. Rating: 89
Haut Brion Pessac Léognan 1993
From half bottle in perfect condition. Deeply coloured and youthful, one can see right away this is one of the most successful and concentrated wines of the vintage, with none of the toughness of tannin some other wines show, but still, more soil notes than fruit crunchiness or complexity, and just enough sweetness so it continues to deserve being referred to as well-balanced. Even so, I have had doubts for some time that the (seemingly?) less concentrated 1994 would evolve better in bottle than the 1993, but now am again less convinced. The 1993 is a typical HB, no doubt, and still seems to me the wine of the vintage in Bordeaux, a wine of medium-plus power, body and length, evolving slowly and resistant to oxidation in the open bottle, but honestly, whether or not even the vintage's best are worth cellaring seems increasingly questionable. In no immediate danger of going downhill of course, though claiming it has (much, that is) upwards potential would seem outrageous. Opened up more and more, and really was at its most fruity-complex, deep and long on the second day, when it had aired for over 30 hours. It was - no wonder given the competition! - the least attractive of the four wines we had during these three days, and yet, I am kind of looking forward to it proving me wrong in coming years, and possibly strike back with a vengeance. Rating: 89+/90-?
Knoll Riesling Smaragd Loibner "Vinothekfüllung" 2005
Ordered from a restaurant wine list, with Rainer and my parents. Structured, tannic, not especially fruity, but highly concentrated, minerally and long. Ageworthy, but how much there is to gain from cellaring this was not easy to tell. Quite masculine, straightforward and honest, Rainer said. Rating: 92+/93
Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibner "Vinothekfüllung" 2005
Kindly offered by restaurant owner Fong Loh after a meal at his place with Victor. Medium-pale yellow. Smooth, bitter Amalfi lemon, basil and balm mint, has body and warmth, freshness and healthy acidity, some glycerine, some tannin, good cut, impressive length, spicy-grapefruity, flintstony-smoky aftertaste. This year, the GV version surpasses the outstanding Riesling. Rating: 93+/94(+?)
Dr. Loosen Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Ürziger Würzgarten 1997
A half bottle thanks to Dani. More forward from his cellar or the small size bottle. The same intense, glyceric but not too sweet, spicy veggie terroir expression as always, just a bit advanced, if still semi-closed. Concentrated, old-viney, firm. This is a wine I have loved since release, not sure how representative this showing was. Rating: 92+?
Schloss Lieser Auslese** #8 Niederberg Helden 1993
The Two Star Auslese is doing so well in bottle, better even than I had hoped. Sweet vanilla slate, blackcurrant and peach aromas and flavours that never really closed down, but now seem more mature, with the fine balance unchanged, good acid backbone. So tasty! Outstanding. Drank this out of the fridge over the period of a week or more, one glass each day, and it behaved splendidly, deepening in minerality and becoming almost airier in terms of fruit subtlety. Not the ultimate in concentration perhaps, more like a Prüm or Haag in this regard than a Busch or Vollenweider. Rating: 90
Dr. Möbitz Pinot Noir Kanzel 2002
Bottle #15 of 600. A gift from Henrik Möbitz himself. Medium raspberry-ruby, minor black reflections, touch of browning. A bit simplistic but pretty wine. Some red onion rather than shallot, some rosehip-like raspberry. Medium weight. Metal, soft stony and grey pepper minerality, medium body and length. Soft rosemary top note. Tasty, uncomplicated, very well-made. Rating: 87?
Hacienda Monasterio Ribera del Duero 2003
Tasted in passing at a wine shop. A sweetly ripe, high-alcohol blend of Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with good concentration, which Dani recommended I should have a closer look at. Modern in style, with round but firm enough tannin, creamy and rather chocolatey, fairly complex at least superficially (the fact it is a blend shows, even though the wine on the whole seems balanced enough), not really a wine of depth, but the advantange here clearly is that it can be drunk now, yet may keep for up to a decade (unless it gets hotter and rather less than more harmonious – which with modern-styled wine like there this is a certain risk). But seriously, a highly gastronomic wine, so who cares what will become of it in the long run? Even if not really my cup of tea, no doubt a wine that will please many. Rating: 89+?
Tenuta dell’Ornellaia (Marchese Lodovico Antinori) Masseto 1994
My second to last bottle. Medium-deep ruby-red with black reflections. One of the more Pétrus-like bottles, firm enough yet rich, round and satiny with fruit, nice warmth, body and length, but also one of the most mature bottles, turning a touch dry with too much airing. Tasty, an “old-style” Masseto (the era between 1988 and 1995) that has always gone extremely well with food. Rating: 91
F. X. Pichler Gelber Muskateller Trockenbeerenauslese 1998
From half bottle, as always. If anyone had told me I would get to taste this rarity twice in the same year, I would not have believed it. But then, it was me who had promised to open one of these for a dear friend, and I will admit I was curious to see if a bottle from my cool cellar would be less evolved than the one Erik had opened a couple of months before (see earlier post). It was. Rating: 99+?
Bodegas y Viñedos Pintia Toro 2003
Tasted in passing at a wine shop. A deeply coloured, well-concentrated, firmly tannic wine with good depth (put next to the Hacienda Monasterio, it seemed also most obvious this is not a blend), quite powerful and full-bodied, with perfectly integrated alcoholic warmth for the vintage, quite long, with impressive, sweet and subtle retro-olfaction. Showing well already, but could use a little bottle age. Also modern in style, but free from superficiality. Rating: ~90
Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule #26 Wehlener Sonnenuhr 1982
Thanks to Dani, his last bottle. I finished mine several years ago, and indeed, the wine is no longer improving, nor in decline. Still fairly pale gold with a faint green hue and some bubbles thanks to carbondioxide. Petrolly-slatey minerals, mature, softly spiced and macerated apple and mild spring flower fruit, off-dry rather than sweet, nice, perhaps ever-so-slightly brittle acidity, good length on the nicely minerally-dry finish. As tasty as ever. Goes quite well with food, too. Excellent pushing outstanding quality, especially considering the wine's age and the fact that it was made in a so-so vintage. Consistently preferred the #26 over the #28 bottling, by the way. Rating: 90-/89
Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling Auslese #7 Graacher Himmelreich 1988
A bottle I opened for Rainer one weekend. Medium yellow-green colour. Retains some CO2 to this day, just off-dry at this stage. Not as floral as the Wehlener Sonnenuhr, nice aged apple, quite noble slate minerality. Rating: ~90?
Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore Vigneto di Monte Cà Paletta 1992
My last bottle of this tasty wine. Fallen autumnal leaves maderisation, a bit musty on the nose. Quite round and sweet, without a hint of bitterness on the palate. Raisins (always been a bit more Amarone-like for a Valpolicella, this one), chocolate, smoke, some orange. While the mustiness blew off, this was a slightly volatile bottle. Drank well all the same. Rating: 89-/88
Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port 1980
Well-coloured dark ruby-black, bit lighter at the rim but no orange so far, nicely firm fruit and good tannin, a well-structured, flavourful and quite long Port, one of the best of the vintage, not as complex as e.g. the 1977, but an about outstanding quality Port to drink or cellar. Rating: ~90
Trimbach Gewürztraminer Cuvée Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre 1998
Ordered from a restaurant wine list. Must admit that for a 1998, the lightly glyceric-sweet and quite precise fruitiness and subtlety, perfect alcohol integration, and especially the expressiveness and freshness (more on the lychee side of the spectrum perhaps than rose petal) were quite surprising. It is no secret of course that Trimbach enjoyed great success with their Rieslings in this vintage, but noteworthy 1998 GTs seem to be much more rare (especially of course coming after 1997, a vintage that seems to have favoured Gewürztraminer above all other varieties in Alsace). About outstanding quality, this went so well with all the different dishes (including a first course with mushroom and cheese, sea bass, quail etc.). Rating: 89+/~90?
Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2000
13.4% alc., 23 g/l dry extract (the highest so far in a CFE), less than 3 g/l residual sugar. Still not too closed, extremely tasty yet structured to age. Ripe lime, fresh herbs such as persil and chives, but also red Thai basil-like mint. Lovely minerally-stone-dusty depth. Lively and concentrated and yet light on its feet, virtually ideal acid balance, aromatic acidity, long and finesseful on the finish. The finest CFE since the 1983, I believe, truly a highly successful vintage for this bottling, in fact, for all the Trimbach wines I have had an opportunity to taste or drink. But should really be left alone in the cellar now. Rating: 92+?
Úri Borok (Vince Gergely) Tokaji Aszúessencia 1993
This single-vineyard Bojta insider’s legend is one of those wines I sometimes dream of when I find no sleep late at night. How could a wine be so long and finesseful, and, perhaps best of all to a tea lover like me, offer all those Japanese green tea subtleties? To which, with age, it seems to be adding some of the more common black tea aromas and flavours, too. The last bottle, which I opened for a dear friend was no different from any earlier one – no need to type yet another TN perhaps, other than to mention that it more than held its own put against another insider’s legend, F.X. Pichler’s 1998 Muskateller TBA. At just 10.5% alcohol and something between 200 and 220 g/l residual sugar, in other words, no more than medium-plus body and sweetness, and backed by wonderfully aromatic, flavourful acidity that does not appear particularly high either, it represents the embodiment of harmony and smoothness – it would be, in fact, easy to gulp down in quantity if it did not hold one’s attention to such a memorable degree. Still needs to be opened and aired well in advance at this early stage (half a day to a full day is not too much), though, or may come across as slightly monolithic. Rating: 97+?
Fattoria Valtellina (Giorgio Regni) Chianti Classico 1999
Still too young to drink, some metals, not forthcoming enough yet, needs more time. Rated cautiously. Rating: 87+
Robert Weil Riesling Spätlese #30 Kiedrich Gräfenberg 1999
Thanks to Ned, if I remember correctly. From a lighter vintage, and it shows. Still pale colour, but a bit forward, already shows the saffron note of more mature Weil. Fairly long. Rating: 89
Nicolas Zufferey Petite Arvine Les Côteaux de Sierre 1997
Our last bottle. Medium strawy green colour, looks as youthful as ever. A little CO2 left, fresh and complex, fruity with an impressive depth of herbs, light minerality. Very good body and depth. A bit glyceric, a ripe wine with perfect, round, flavourful acidity for a Petite Arvine. Later increasingly stronger flintstony minerality, too. Perhaps the finest of this grape variety I have ever tasted, this really improved in bottle (honestly thought of it as an experiment to cellar a couple of bottles). My mother actually remarked she should have listened to me and bought more! Rating: ~90
Greetings from Switzerland, David.