Friday 28 February 2014

Six Bottles Of Riesling

Aaaah Riesling - sometimes I wonder if I really need something else...?
But of course I do! :-)
These bottles were drunk over the last couple of weeks.

2009 Bacharacher Wolfshöhle Riesling GG, Frierich Bastian
A fine, elegant, cool nose with notes of lemon peel, white pears, chalk, grapefruit and a touch of vanilla ice cream. Very, very fine. A lot of minerals after a while. Deep.
The taste is young, taut and crisp with notes of lemon peel, grapefruit juice, white currants and tons of minerals. The finish is long, balanced and seductive. This is good!
91p   (tasted 2014/02)
 

1990 Riesling Spätlese Rosasilber Trocken, Scloss Vollrads
A mature, dry and medium deep nose with notes of dry honey, rubber boots, moist earth, band aid and a hint of bonfire. Good.
The taste is mature and semi dry with notes of grilled lemons, dry honey, dried sage and some rubber. A medium long taste. This is ok but should have been drunk 10+ years ago.
78p   (tasted 2014/02)
 


2010 Hatzenport Kirchberg Reserve GG, Heymann-Löwenstein
An elegant, understated, fresh nose with notes of  passion fruit juice, grilles lemons, lime peel, oyster shells and lots of chalk. Very, very good.
The taste is  very young, fresh and focused with notes of star fruits, unripe pears, chalk and sweet/sour lemons. The acidity is high and very good. Needs time to come together. Will become really, really good with 4-8 years in the cellar.
90p   (tasted 2014/02)

1990 Piesporter Goldtröpchen Riesling Auslese***, Bollig-Lehnert
A ripe, mature, round nose with notes of dried pine apple, lemoncello, band aid and some coconut. Fully mature. It has a fine salty scent. Very good.
The taste is mature and ripe with notes of dried tropical fruits, wool, tangerine peel and band aid. A medium long, fine finish that ends semi dry. This has matured in a good way.
87p   (tasted 2014/01)

2011 Riesling Spätlese Trocken, Bernhard Pawis
A light, fresh nose with notes of yellow apples, slate, rhubarbs and cap gun smoke. Nice, although on the light side of things.
The taste is medium bodied with notes of sweet and sour lemon caramels, slate, wet grass and a hint of licorice. The finish is a tad short. Good acidity.
80p   (tasted 2014/01)


2011 Saarburg Rausch Riesling Kabinett 1V, Ziliken
A very young, fresh, primary nose with notes of white pears, grapefruit, wet rocks, wet grass and a touch of eraser. Very fresh and light on its feet. This is good!
A taut, fresh and pure taste with notes of star fruit, a touch of anise, pears, grapefruit and lots and loys of slate. The acidity is like a laser sword and leaves the mouth fresh and wanting more. This is like drinking mountain river water. Soooooo good!
93p   (tasted 2014/02)


 

Wednesday 26 February 2014

2010 Moulin-á-Vent Chateau des Jacques, Louis Jadot

A tasting sample from VinUnic arrived in time for dinner.

2010 Moulin-á-Vent Chateau des Jacques, Louis Jadot
A very young, fresh, herbal nose with notes of sweet red currants, raspberry lemonade, green pepper, violets and strawberry liquorice. Very good. A fresh, upfront, juicy fruit.
The taste is cool, fresh and with the right amount of backbone. Fine notes of sweet lingonberries, violets, liquorice and fresh herbs. A medium long finish with fine sandy tannins in the end. This is drinking fine now but could surely be kept for 8-10 years. For 21 Euro, I think it is a bargain. And why Chateaux doesn´t have a ^ over the a in Chateaux is one of the worlds great mysteries....:-)
87p   (tasted 2014/02)

Drinking It Again - 1976 Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsort, Domaine Clos Frantin

I opened the first bottle out of a six bottle case three months ago. This time I took a bottle with just a 1,5 cm ullage but with no label. The cork came up in one piece and the aroma out of the bottle was beautiful!

1976 Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsort, Domaine Clos Frantin
Right out of the bottle this has a deep nose of moist undergrowth with lots of mushrooms. When it unfolds in the glass there are gorgeous aromas of dried raspberries, dark cherries, worn leather, fried herbs and a touch of coffee powder. This one is deeper and darker than the previous one. Very, very good.
The taste is mature and velvety with notes of raspberries, cherries, liquorice, dried mushrooms and leather. The finish is long and fine with a salivating acidity. Yet again, the content on the bottle just vanished...
92p   (tasted 2014/02)

Saturday 22 February 2014

Just Bought

I got inspired by the latest tasting in our tasting group - four vintages of Château Rieussec - and when I noticed this old bottle of 1955 Rieussec, I jumped at the chance - I hope it will be good....:-)

 
 
 

Two Times 1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Yet again, I ransacked my stack of Châteaneuf´s from 1998. I have done it before - here and here.

Tonight, with bacon and rosemary wrapped fillets of pork with Hasselback potatoes and a red wines sauce, I opened these two.

1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine de Marcoux
A big, mature, warm nose with notes of red currants, dried raspberries, garrigue, dried resin and some animal scents, in a good way. Ripe and fine. This has matured gracefully into a deep, hedonistic bottle of Châteauneuf.
The taste is warm, mature and round with notes of undergrowth, resin, dried raspberries, meat stock and fried herbs. The finish is long, warm and fine. Drinking very fine on this night. Perfectly mature.
90p   (tasted 2014/02)


1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Benoit XII, Auguste Bessac
A big, somewhat foursquare nose with notes of lingonberry bushes, dried herbs, bonfire, boar sausage and dried balsam vinegar. A little odd but good. A touch of alcohol on the nose when it evolves in the glass.
The taste is big and broad with lot of alcohol infused red fruits, dried resin, fried herbs and hot gravel. The finish is long and with a noticable alcohol touch. Not as fine as the Marcoux above but it behaved nicely with the food. But all in all a tad too warm.
76p   (tasted 2014/02)



Tuesday 18 February 2014

2008 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux, Comte Armand

Drank this at a restaurant a couple of days ago.  Went perfectly with braised ox cheeks and a truffle potatoe puree.
For more vintages of Clos des Epeneaux tasted, see http://barolista.blogspot.se/2011/12/past-glorys-tasting-dinner-with.html

2008 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux, Comte Armand
A young, fresh, fine nose with notes of red and black cherries, undergrowth, fresh herbs, a touch of tobacco and a hint of oak. With air it becomes fatter and a bit more sturdy. Needs time. Very, very good.
The taste is young, ripe and mediun bodied with notes of red cherries, rosemary, dried raspberries, tobacco leaves and earth. It has a lot of perky tannins in the finish. Works great with the food but it shows its ungainly youth on its own. Should turn out fine if you leave it in the cellar for 8+ years.
90p   (tasted 2014/02)


Friday 14 February 2014

Valentine´s Day Barolo - 2001 Via Nuova & Cannubi, E. Pira

Its Valentine´s Day and I love Barolo! Lets open two bottles!

I have with friends visited Chiara two times over the years and they have been great visits. At one of them, she said after a while that she within an hour was expecting a visit from Mr and Mrs Parker from Maryland, USA. Guess who we thought it was...? :-)
So we hanged around for an hour, and to our disappointment (? :-)) Mr and Mrs Parker was a very nice couple from Maryland but not that Mr Parker, if you know what I mean.
At the next visit Chiara sabered a bottle of Champagne upon our arrival and we drank a 1971 E. Pira, that we brought. I have some pictures, but from the moment I can´t find them. I will update this post when I do.

2001 Barolo Via Nuova, E. Pira
A fine, pure, creamy nose with notes of ripe red cherries, rosehips, boiled beets, rosemary soap and lots of minerals. Very fresh and fine. Elegant. Still a little restrained, even with some time in the glass.
The taste is young, tight and seedy with notes of hard cherry candy, rosemary bushes, mushrooms, rosehips and earth. The finish is medium long, dry and with a fine warmth. Needs another 5+ years to blossom. This is good!
91p   (tasted 2014/02)

2001 Barolo Cannubi, E. Pira
A deep and beautiful nose with stunning notes of red cherries, ceps, fresh herbs, black tea, a hint of tobacco and a bucket full of rose petals. Just gorgeously balanced, lively and fresh. A lovely sweetness to the fruit. Striking!
The taste is pure, complex and young with notes of cherry pips, hard cherry candy, ceps, rose petals and autumn leaves. The tannins are sandy and fine yet packing a nice punch. Gorgeous now, but will evolve into something really special with 6-8 years in a cool cellar.
94p   (tasted 2014/02)


Thursday 13 February 2014

In Need Of More Barolo - 1966 Barolo, Marchesi di Barolo

As I mentioned in the previous post, Barolo have been somewhat neglected recently. Tonight I open a bottle of mature Nebbiolo juice.

1966 Barolo, Marchesi di Barolo
It opens a bit funky but with an hour in a decanter the glass is full of aromas of dried mushrooms, cherry candy, sweet tobacco, overripe plums and moist, worm filled earth. A touch meaty. Old fashioned and fine. Lots of dried up sweetness. Very good.
The taste is rather big, mature and seedy with notes of dried cherries, chewing tobacco, cold coffee, autumn leaves and mushrooms. A medium long, dry finish with a nice warmth. Still drinking fine, but this is a tad over the hill. Better on the nose.
83p   (tasted 2014/02)

Sunday 9 February 2014

What I Drank Last Night - 2004 Barolo Cannubi Boschis, Sandrone

I ought to be ashamed of myself! I have called this blog Barolista, in homage to the wines I love from the foggy hills in Piedmonte. And when was the latest post with a Barolo?

Ok, I did open a 64 a week ago. But before that?!

October last year... - maybe I should rename the blog to "Everything Else Besides Barolo..."?
I have to start to rectify this behaviour. I started last night...

2004 Barolo Cannubi Boschis, Sandrone
Cannubi Boschis from Sandrone usually strike a chord deep inside me. Both the 1990 and the 2001 are perfect wines in my book. Lets see how one bottle from the 04 vintage performs.
The nose is a bit slow out of the gate but soon picks up pace and display beautiful aromas of red currants, hard cherry candy, forest floor with lots of mushrooms, rosehips and a tiny note of mint. Still young, but with air it shows of the beauty of Cannubi in Sandrone´s expression.
The taste is young, tight and focused with notes of sweet red cherries, lingonberries, forest floor, a touch of tobacco and lots of violet pastilles. There is a big handful of cheeky tannins at the end of the finish, giving me the clear message - "leave me in the cellar for another 5+ years"! I will... Not in the league of the 2001 but an impressive bottle of Nebbiolo.
93p   (tasted 2014/02)

Friday 7 February 2014

Four Vintages Of Château Rieussec

HG invited to the last tasting group get together and announced beforehand that it was going to be sweet. And that it was! With hefty portions of goose and duck liver and three (!) different Rocquefort´s, my stomach was almost aching on my way home, but in a good way...:-)

What surprised us the most (when the bottles was revealed...) was the lack of botrytis. It was there, especially in the 2010 and 2009, but in very moderate levels. Remembering the 89 and 90`s in their youth, there were spades of rick botrytis oozing up from the glasses. I have tasted to little Sauternes over the years to analyse further, but these creatures are less rich and heavy than the 89 and 90´s at the same age. In a good way.

Of some strange reason I forgot to take pictures of the bottles, so the pictures in this post comes from the Rieussec webpage.
Tasted double blind.

2010 Château Riesussec
92% Semillon, 5% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle. The nose is young, fresh and concentrated with notes of sweet William pears, pineapple, candied lemon peel, pickles ginger and some band aid. Rich and complex. Very, very fine.
The taste is young, intense and viscous with notes of spicy pine apple, white peaches, ginger and band aid. The finish is very long, very sweet and very young. Still an infant, this manage to make a lasting impression. This is going to be really great in 10+ years time.
92p   (tasted 2014/01)


2009 Château Riesussec
Granted, the year have not lasted that long yet, but this is the best wine tasted so far. Made out of 84% Semillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 4% Muscadelle, this beauty has a deep, intoxicating, profound nose with notes of candied apricots, persimmon, pears, liquorice, a medicine locker and a beautiful perfumed note. Light as a ballerina. Very, very deep. Stunning!
The taste is enormous, tight and focused with notes of lemon suryp, peaches, apricots, liquorice, saffron and a medicinal note. The finish goes on for two minutes. At the end there is a taste of grapefruit peel. Very oily and intense, yet it makes a balanced and refined impression. In 8+ years, this should be a candidate for perfection.
97p   (tasted 2014/01)

2007 Château Riesussec
This should have been great - vintage 2007 and Rieussec - but it isn´t. There is something wrong with this bottle, not corked, not cooked, but there is like a membrane over both the nose and taste. Drinkable but not what it should be, I´m sure.
Not rated   (tasted 2014/01)

2005 Château Riesussec
The 05 vintage seemed more mature than one would expect - our guesses were that it was some 10 years older. But make no mistake about it - this is a fine wine. The nose is very deep, honeyed and ripe with notes of (over)mature peaches, matchbox, orange marmalade and vanilla ice cream. Complex and fine.
The taste is big, intense and sweet with notes of peach cobbler, spicy lemon cream, liquorice, dried summer flowers and matchbox. The finish is very long and oily. Evolves very nicely in the glass and becomes more "rigid" with air (in a positive way). This is fine but it is hard to make an assertion of the future, based on this bottle. Would love to try it again.
91p   (tasted 2014/01)


P.S. Have been suffering from a severe cold a whole week - I am ravenous for some good wine tonight! What will it be...? :-) D.S.

Saturday 1 February 2014

180 Bottles Of Wine On The Wall...

I came to think of that old repetitive song when I opened one of the 1964´s that I have collected over the years. This year it will happen - I will turn 50....

Everyone knows that 1964 is one of the best vintages ever, everywhere! :-) Therefore I have amassed an interesting collection of bottles from my birth year.
More precisely 181 bottles, or 180 after tonight.
All will be drunk over this year.

181 bottles of wine on the wall, 181 bottles of wine.
Take one down and pass it around, 180 bottles of wine on the wall...

1964 Barolo, Orsolani
Being locked up for years and years, this needed some time to open up in the glass. But when it did, it displayed gorgeous notes of a mature Barolo - dried mushrooms, lingonberry bushes, tar, rosehips, pipe tobacco and leather. Very fresh for its age. A touch of truffles at the end when the sediment is poured in the glass. If I drink that? You bet - it will make me 100 years old, at least! :-)
The taste is soft, mature and with a fine dried up sweetness, with notes of dried raspberries, rosehips, tar, undergrowth, worn leather and lots of dried ceps. A medium long finish that ends dry. The nose is more lively than the taste, but this is a fine drinking 64 Barolo, especially with some veal chops, oven potatoes and a red wine sauce. I hope that the 52 other 1964 Baroli will be this good, or even better...
88p   (tasted 2014/01)