The whole can be better than the sum of its parts - an adventure in blending:2003 Lagrein, Alois Lageder, Alto Adige - Südtirol, Italy2003 Rully 1er Cru "Les Margotés", Vieilles vignes; vin non filtré, Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, France
I think I'm learning that the Dureuil-Janthial Rully style is full-bodied at the expense of balancing acidity. The hot year of 2003 may not have helped. The wine was somewhat fat and heavy, closer to Californian than Burgundy, with low acidity but a restrained hand on oak. There was lots of flavor and a good long taste, but this is a style I do not favor. Close-out price $28, regular price $40.2002 Saint-Romain, Maison Champy, France
Rating: Good ++
Lean and dry, with bracing acidity, subdued chardonnay fruit, and balancing oak. Moderately long taste. Over-priced at a close-out of $28, regular price $40.Each wine seemed to have what the other was missing - low acidity but lots of flavor in the Rully, not much flavor but high acidity in the Saint-Romain. I blended them, one bottle each, and the result came much closer to the kind of white burgundy I enjoy. In my scheme, I would rate the blend as Very Good.
Rating: Good +
Dry, light-bodied red that tastes like a rose, and is in fact vinified by Lageder as one. No particular complexity or length, but pleasant. Can accompany seafood quite well (curried shrimp, in this case). Close-out price $12, regular price $18.2003 Dão Reserva, Casa de Santar, Portugal
Rating: Good
Real depth of cherry/sour cherry fruit, with good acidity, some developing complexity, and a long taste. Still fairly tannic, so it needs a few years of time to come together. Will probably be even better than the 2001. Incredible deal at a close-out price of $8, regular price $12.2006 Graham Beck Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa
Rating: Very Good
Note added 4/22/09: Two years later, and the tannin has subsided, but the wine is still very good, with real depth and length. The bottles I have left say that they cost me exactly $3.99 each, surely the best bargain ever.
Dry, with some grassiness and good acidity. Medium intensity and fairly long taste. I was impressed with a previous low-priced SB from Graham Beck a few years ago, and wasn't disappointed by this one. Well-priced at $12.2002 Byron Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
Rating: Good ++
In keeping with previous Byron PNs, this one has noticeable residual sugar, more than the 2004 Carmel Road (just below) - it gives it a slightly off-putting chemical character. There's a lovely aroma, and some depth to the fruit, with a fairly long taste. With this trend, Byron is slowly sliding off my favorites list. Close-out price $19, regular price $28.2004 Carmel Road Pinot Noir, Monterey
Rating: Good ++
Nice perfumed aroma, moderate intensity of cherry/raspberry fruit, sufficient acidity, good length. Light touch with tannin and wood, also a trace of sweetness that's not intrusive. Close-out price $17, regular price $25.2002 Guelbenzu Azul (Red Wine), Ribero del Queiles, Spain
Rating: Good ++
Fairly fleshy wine with lots of fruit, dry, with some softness, could have a bit more acidity. Moderately long taste. Mild tannins and easy on the wood. Close-out price $12, regular price $17.2006 Allan Scott Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good +
A pinot noir that shows why New Zealand is becoming a really good place for this varietal. A purplish edge to this young wine, with perfumed aroma, refreshing acidity, and lots of cherry/raspberry fruit. The taste is fairly long, and makes it a pleasure to sip as well as drink with dinner. A very fair regular price of $23.2003 Pinot Grigio, Benefizium Porer, Alois Lageder (Tor Löwengang), Alto Adige, Italy
Rating: Very Good
As best as I can tell from the Alois Lageder website, Benfizium Porer is a vineyard and Tor Löwengang (although also a vineyard) designates an Estate wine. Unfortunately, the wine is soft and of low acidity, and lacks the briskness and focus that would make it more enjoyable. There's good fruit and a light hand with wood, but it seems like an attempt to make too much of a pinot grigio. My guess is that the grapes in this vineyard were allowed to ripen to a level that reduced acidity too much. The taste is fairly long. Close-out price $15, regular price $21.2006 Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good
Immediately identifiable as NZ SB: grassiness with bracing acidity. Made in a slightly austere dry style that will take a little time to mellow and come together. Medium-bodied with a fairly long taste. A good buy at the regular price of $14.2005 Fairview Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa
Rating: Very Good -
The wine also reminded us of the outdoor café at Allan Scott where we had a fine lunch that included green-lipped mussels.
Sauvignon blanc with just a bit of grassiness and without the high acidity of many, but well put together. Moderate intensity and fairly good length. A very good buy at a close-out price of $7, or regular price of $10.2004 Bucci, Verdicchio Classsico Superiore, Castelli di Jesi, Italy
Rating: Good +
Verdicchio is often a light Italian white without much flavor. This one, with its own name, has has some flavor and depth, so that it's more medium-bodied. Golden color, and fairly long taste. The closest varietal resemblance is to pinot bianco. Close-out price $13, regular price $19.2004 Côtes du Rhône, Perrin, France
Rating: Good ++
Solid red wine with good intensity, mild tannins, light touch with the wood, and balancing acidity. Moderate length, without any particular complexity or depth. A good robust-food wine, better than the 2001 Côtes du Rhône from Eric Texier (below). Close-out price $8, regular price $12.2002 Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru "Les Vergelesses" Reserve, Vin non filtré, Domaine Marius Delarche, France
Rating: Good +
Good sour-cherry fruit with lots of acidity, a bit of tannin and light wood. Could use more PN varietal aroma and flavor. Medium-bodied, with fairly long taste, but no great complexity. Over-priced at a close-out price $29, regular price $40.2001 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett, St. Urbans-Hof, M-S-R
Rating: Good ++
On the low side of Kabinett-level sweetness, this wine had a bit of austerity rather than lusciousness. Not the opulent riesling aroma and flavor of some, but well-structured. Moderate intensity and length. Original price probably $16.2006 Gewürztraminer, Special Late Harvest, Robertson Winery, South Africa
Rating: Good ++
A 2002 Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Riesling Kabinett by Langwerth von Simmern, open at the same time, had more depth, richness, and riesling character.
A real bargain for the price. There's lots of the unmistakeable musty-apple varietal aroma and flavor. Moderate intensity and length. The late-harvest sweetness corresponds to German Spätlese levels and suits the wine well. Acidity is moderate, which is a feat in itself for this low-acidity varietal. Sale price 3 for $25.2005 Wild Horse Pinot Noir, Central Coast
Rating: Good ++
High acidity, mild aroma, a hint of clove, a tinge of purplish color, a bit of tannin, and sour-cherry fruit. Moderate intensity and length. A bit left in the glass quickly shows only sourness, so there doesn't appear to be much body. After two days though, it seems to develop some fullness while retaining the high acidity. Close-out price $19, regular price $27.1996 Barbera d'Alba, Vin del Ross, Bussia Soprana, Italy
Rating: Good +
Lots of age on this one, and still a good wine. Sustantial acidity, as befits a barbera, sour-cherry fruit with some residual tannin, some complexity although one looks for more, moderate intensity and length. Good enough to sip; with food it turns into more generic red wine. Close-out price of $11 is a bargain, the regular price of $38 is too high.2003 Roessler Pinot Noir, Red Label, Sonoma County
Rating: Good +
Lots of fruit, some tannin, pinot noir aroma, good intensity and fairly long taste. Still, one can't help but notice the residual sugar that's off-putting in what would otherwise be quite a good wine. Not my style. Close-out price $22, regular price $30.2004 Elk Cove Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Rating: Good
Made in a style with which I do not find favor: a bit fat, relatively low acidity and a touch of residual sugar. Moderate intensity and good length, soft and smooth. Close-out price $12, regular price $17.2001 Côtes du Rhône, Eric Texier, France
Rating: Good -
Tastes like a good red wine of no particular character or distinction. Fairly dark color, mildly tannic, moderate intensity, taste none too long. Close-out price $10, regular price $15.2001 Barolo, Stefano Farina, Italy
Rating: Good
From North Berkeley Imports. The emerging pattern is that I have great trust in their white burgundies, but don't care for their red selections, which tend toward being lean and acidic.
It's unusual for a Barolo to be in a bordeaux- rather than burgundy-style bottle, but this one is. Not weighty and tarry as one expects some barolos to be be, this one seems more like a tannic chianti classico. There's good fruit and acidity, the aforementioned tannin, but no complexity or long taste. It doesn't ssem like it will develop with age either. Close-out price $20, regular price $30.
Rating: Good
Whites:
2004 Chablis, J. Moreau & Fils, France
[Worth a try at the price]($7, orig. $11) 2002 Pernand-Vergelesses, Domaine Marius Delarche, France ($21, orig. $30) 2002 Rully 1er Cru "Les Margotés", Vieilles vignes, vin non filtré, Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, France ($28, orig. $40) 2002 Montagny Les Joncs, Faiveley, France ($16, orig. $30) 2002 Saint-Romain, Maison Champy, France ($26, orig. $38) 2004 Bucci, Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Classsico Superiore, Italy ($13, orig. $19) 2003 Alois Lageder (Tor Löwengang) Pinot Grigio, Benefizium Porer, Italy ($15, orig. $21) 2005 Fairview Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa ($7, orig. $10) 2003 Johannisberger Klaus Riesling Kabinett, Prinz von Hesen, Rheingau ($11, orig. $16) 2001 Niersteiner Brückchen Riesling Kabinett, J.&H.A. Strub, Rheinhessen ($10, orig. $14) 2004 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett, Hoffmann-Simon, M-S-R ($10, orig. $14)
Reds:
2002 Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru "Les Vergelesses", Réserve, vin non filtré, Marius Delarche, France ($29, orig. $40) 2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Les Sinards, Perrin & Fils, France ($23, orig. $33) 2004 Côtes du Rhône Réserve, Perrin, France ($8, orig. $12) 1996 Barbera d'Alba, Vin del Ross, Bussia Soprana, Italy
[Either a great deal or not much lost]($11, orig. $38) 2001 Casa de Santar Dão Reserva, Portugal ($7, orig. $10) 2003 Casa de Santar Dão Reserva, Portugal ($8, orig. $12) 2002 Guelbenzu Azul, Red Wine, Ribero del Queiles, Spain ($12, orig. $17) 2003 Lagrein, Alois Lageder, Alto Adige - Südtirol, Italy ($12, orig. $17) 2005 Wild Horse Pinot Noir, Central Coast ($19, orig. $27) 2004 Carmel Road Pinot Noir, Monterey ($17, orig. $25) 2003 Silverado Vineyards Sangiovese, Napa Valley ($12, orig. $15)
|
|
|
|