2001 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett, Meulenhof
Deliciously good, and actually seemed to expand over dinner time. Still fresh, with pineapple/peach fruit and acidity that lingers over a fairly long taste. Lovely riesling aroma. Original price $14.2000 Gevrey-Chambertin, Faiveley, France
Rating: Very Good -
One of the better red burgundies, with some varietal aroma and flavors, cherry/raspberry fruit, and a bit of depth. Color on the lighter side, with an orange tinge. Very good acidity, some firmness without tannin or wood, and a moderately long taste. Served with roast chicken. Close-out price $23, regular price $33.1997 Conde de Valdemar Rioja Gran Reserva, Spain
Rating: Good ++
A great find at a great price. Medium-bodied with intensity and a long taste. Mild tannin and wood are well-integrated with warm cherry/blackberry fruit for some firmness, superb balance and good complexity. The color is fairly dark without the orange rim of age. The wine goes well with food, but is also a pleasure to sip. Close-out price $16, regular price $23.2004 Kumeu River Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Very Good +
NZ SB grassiness present but tamed and under control, a bit of richness without weight or residual sugar; there's intensity and depth along with refreshing acidity. Long taste. Close-out price $14, regular price $20.2005 Ponzi Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Rating: Very Good
In the burgundian style, with mild aroma, some backbone from a bit of tannin and oak, good acidity, and a touch of cinnamon. Just a little more depth than the Coldstream Hills (just below), but similar cherry/blackberry fruit. The wine opened up over time, and is a very good accompaniment to food. Fairly long taste with good flavor interest. Close-out price $24, regular price $34.2002 Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Australia
Rating: Very Good
More in a burgundy than Californian style, with some firmness, good acidity, and moderate aroma. Cherry fruit with some depth, medium-bodied, with good length. A very good deal for the price. Close-out price $14, regular price $20.2004 Fiano di Avellino, Colli di Lapio di Romano Clelia, Italy
Rating: Very Good -
A bit lacking in intensity at the start, with elegance and a long taste, but seems to gain with time. Some similarity with Gavi, dry, with good acidity. Fine rather than powerful. Close-out price $16, regular price $23.2003 Pinot Nero (Blauburgunder) Riserva, St. Michael-Eppan, Südtirol - Alto Adige, Italy
Rating: Good ++
If Italy can produce pinot noir, then this is not a good ambassador. Small-scale in every way: mild varietal aroma, below-average intensity without much depth, relatively short taste, good acidity, a bit of tannin and wood (the latter may be the riserva designation). This winery makes good whites and should perhaps stick to them. Close-out price $14, regular price $20.2005 Tenuta Pongelli, Rosso Piceno, Bucci, Ostra Vetere, Italy
Rating: Good -
A blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano (50% each). Somewhat softer than expected, with good acidity and mild wood and tannin. Medium-bodied, with moderately long taste. Close-out price $13, regular price $19.2002 Morgon, Marcel Lapierre, France
Rating: Good +
Sour-cherry character, without the Beaujolais strawberry aroma or taste. Good acidity, no great depth and moderate intensity, moderately long taste. No tannin or wood to speak of. Good accompaniment to chicken piccata. Close-out price $15, regular price $22.2003 Chassagne-Montrachet Maltroie Premier Cru, Jean Noël Gagnard, France
Rating: Good +
Elegant rather than powerful, with good fruit-acidity-wood balance to provide some complexity. There's a bit of hollowness to the taste, but it's also quite long. Surprisingly good acidity for the very hot 2003 year. The regular price had to be an error for a premier cru Chassagne-Montrachet. Close-out price $20, regular price $25.2001 Maranges, Michel Colin-Deléger & Fils, France
Rating: Very Good -
A nice white burgundy with balance and all the right characteristics, but small-scale. Good acidity, mild flavors and some buttery oak. Good length, with intensity and depth subdued. No sign of age. Close-out price $17, regular price $24.2005 Seven Terraces Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Good +
Some of the NZ SB grassiness, moderate acidity, and also some softness that signals a touch of residual sugar, though not at a bothersome level. Moderate intensity and length. A good wine that's apparently a second label for Foxes Island Wines. Close-out price $11, regular price $16.2001 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Dr. H Thanisch (Müller-Burggraef), M-S-R
Rating: Good +
And then there was the second bottle, with much more acidity, and little if any of the softness signaling residual sugar, a wine that could serve as a good ambassador of NZ SB. Bottle variation, taster variation or what???
Rating: Very Good -
Wonderful riesling character in aroma and taste, peach and pineapple with some intensity and depth. Age has developed some spice usually indicative of Rheingau wines, but it retains the fine acidity of the Mosel. Golden color, Spätlese sweetness; long, lusciaous taste. Regular price no longer known, but probably less than $20.2001 Scharzhofberg Riesling Spätlese, von Hövel, M-S-R
Rating: Very Good +
Nice riesling character, true Spätlese sweetness, good acidity. Golden color. Moderate intensity and depth, fairly long taste. Discount price $13.50.
Rating: Very Good -
Red-tag close-out sales this month:Whites:
2005 Seven Terraces Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($11, orig. $16) 2004 Kumeu River Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($14, orig. $20) 2004 Clouds Vineyards, Stellenbosch, South Africa ($12, orig. $??) 2005 Pouilly Fumé, Les Rabichottes, Célestin Blondeau, France ($14, orig. $18) 2005 Givry, Petit Marole, François Lumpp, France ($17, orig. $24) 2003 Chassagne-Montrachet, Maltroie Premier Cru, Jean Noël Gagnard, France ($20, orig. $25) 2001 Maranges, Michel Colin-Deléger & Fils, France, France ($17, orig. $24) 2004 Fiano di Avellino, Colli di Lapio di Romano Clelia, Italy ($16, orig. $23) 2004 Terra Firme Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain ($13, orig. $19) 1999 Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Auslese, Paul Anheuser, Nahe ($17, orig. $24)
Reds:
2005 Ponzi Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($24, orig. $34) 2006 Morgan Pinot Noir, Twelve Clones, Santa Lucia Highlands ($21, orig. $30) 2002 Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Australia ($14, orig. $20) 2000 Cline Zinfandel, Big Break Vineyard, Contra Costa County ($18, orig. $26) 2002 Morgon, Marcel Lapierre, France ($15, orig. $22) 2005 Tenuta Pongelli, Rosso Piceno, Bucci, Ostra Vetere, Italy ($15, orig. $22) 2003 Terrabianca Chianti Classico Riserva "Croce", Italy ($18, orig. $26) 1999 Librandi Cirò Duca san Felice Riserva, Italy ($13, orig. $19) 2003 St. Michael-Eppan, Pinot Nero (Blauburgunder) Rizerva, Südtirol - Alto Adige, Italy ($15, orig. $22) 1997 Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain ($16, orig. $23)
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