Christian Miller (CMM)
Christian Miller
Madiran 1995, Domaine Capmartin - murky browning garnet; old but not decayed nose with hearth, cigarbox, prune/dried cherry; dry old mellow tannins underly cigar ash/earth and mixed berry jam on burnt toast, mature mellow quite dry tannins, med length. A bit like old school Pauillac, structured, slightly rustic, deep. 60% Tannat, 30% CS, 10% CF.
Clos des Papes Chateaneuf-du-Pape 1989 - Still fairly dark middle, bricking edges; full, mature aroma with baked black cherries/figs plus earthy sous bois tones and some sweet spice; full and mellow on palate, decent acid, mature soft tannin, has depth of flavor with mushroomy leather, rosemary-sage roasted black fruits, real complexity and excellent length. Quite grand and everyone loved it. From a magnum. About 2/3 Grenache, 1/5 Mou rest Syrah then others.
Ch. Canon St. Emilion Grand Cru 1982 - mature mellow classic right bank nose with melting candle, cigarbox, soft figgy jam fruit; similar flavors, med body, mouthcoating, velvetty tannins just starting to dry out a bit on the long finish.
Cote Rotie 1982, Jasmin - mature but exotic and complex aromas with earthy plum pudding, pink peppercorn, maybe a tinge of game marinade? Similar flavors, but clearly an old wine with a dry earthy tone, touch of brett, soft but still present tannin, decent acid, med-long finish. Very Northern Rhone.
Zinfandel Dry Creek Lytton Springs 2016, Ridge - powerful ripe black/raspberry pate de fruits with a tinge of woody vanilla, whiff of lovage & pink peppercorn; full body, deep rich fruit, ripe but not raisined, balanced if hefty with decent acid, dry medium-strength tannin, medium length with a slightly oaky & savory finish. Superb with chicken roasted with bay, sage, onions and orange + stir-fried chard with szechuan peppercorns. Not a lot of complexity here, but classic Lytton. 69% Zin, 23% PS, 6% Carignane, 2% Mou. 14.4% ABV
Dao "Vidente" 2017, Mira di O - a mild pleasant nose with raspberry-plum coulis plus a hint of 5 spice powder; med body, good acid, ripe sappy fruit, softening dry PN-like tannin, med length, a touch stony like modern Cru Beaujolais (and yes, it's from granitic soils). Modern wine-making but not internationalized. An interesting blend of 30% Jaen (Mencia), 30% Alfrocheiro, 20% Rufete, 10% each Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. 13% alcohol. $16
Grillo Sicilia 2018, Cantine Colosi - nice medium strength aroma with lemon oil, a hint of exotic fruit, a resiny-terpene note, plus rain on hot stones; med body, pithy fruit with a hint of marzipan, good acid, med-short. A bit Marsanne-like, and rather Mediterranean somehow. Interesting & good value at $10.99
Malbec Colchagua Valley Reserva 2019, Viu Manent - forthright ripe young blueberry fruit with anise hint plus some woody oak (chips I suspect); medium body, OK acid, succulent deep ripe blueberry-cassis young fruit with a spice (oak?) note; dry but soft and fine-grained tannin support fruit in med finish. It's a 1-note or maybe 1.5 note wine, but good in that idiom, loads of charm and drinkability. 14%. I was sceptical, but this is really good value at $9.
Clos des Papes Chateaneuf-du-Pape 1989 - Still fairly dark middle, bricking edges; full, mature aroma with baked black cherries/figs plus earthy sous bois tones and some sweet spice; full and mellow on palate, decent acid, mature soft tannin, has depth of flavor with mushroomy leather, rosemary-sage roasted black fruits, real complexity and excellent length. Quite grand and everyone loved it. From a magnum. About 2/3 Grenache, 1/5 Mou rest Syrah then others.
Ch. Canon St. Emilion Grand Cru 1982 - mature mellow classic right bank nose with melting candle, cigarbox, soft figgy jam fruit; similar flavors, med body, mouthcoating, velvetty tannins just starting to dry out a bit on the long finish.
Cote Rotie 1982, Jasmin - mature but exotic and complex aromas with earthy plum pudding, pink peppercorn, maybe a tinge of game marinade? Similar flavors, but clearly an old wine with a dry earthy tone, touch of brett, soft but still present tannin, decent acid, med-long finish. Very Northern Rhone.
Zinfandel Dry Creek Lytton Springs 2016, Ridge - powerful ripe black/raspberry pate de fruits with a tinge of woody vanilla, whiff of lovage & pink peppercorn; full body, deep rich fruit, ripe but not raisined, balanced if hefty with decent acid, dry medium-strength tannin, medium length with a slightly oaky & savory finish. Superb with chicken roasted with bay, sage, onions and orange + stir-fried chard with szechuan peppercorns. Not a lot of complexity here, but classic Lytton. 69% Zin, 23% PS, 6% Carignane, 2% Mou. 14.4% ABV
Dao "Vidente" 2017, Mira di O - a mild pleasant nose with raspberry-plum coulis plus a hint of 5 spice powder; med body, good acid, ripe sappy fruit, softening dry PN-like tannin, med length, a touch stony like modern Cru Beaujolais (and yes, it's from granitic soils). Modern wine-making but not internationalized. An interesting blend of 30% Jaen (Mencia), 30% Alfrocheiro, 20% Rufete, 10% each Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. 13% alcohol. $16
Grillo Sicilia 2018, Cantine Colosi - nice medium strength aroma with lemon oil, a hint of exotic fruit, a resiny-terpene note, plus rain on hot stones; med body, pithy fruit with a hint of marzipan, good acid, med-short. A bit Marsanne-like, and rather Mediterranean somehow. Interesting & good value at $10.99
Malbec Colchagua Valley Reserva 2019, Viu Manent - forthright ripe young blueberry fruit with anise hint plus some woody oak (chips I suspect); medium body, OK acid, succulent deep ripe blueberry-cassis young fruit with a spice (oak?) note; dry but soft and fine-grained tannin support fruit in med finish. It's a 1-note or maybe 1.5 note wine, but good in that idiom, loads of charm and drinkability. 14%. I was sceptical, but this is really good value at $9.