Amesguren Ameztoi 2007 Getariako Txakolina (Northwest Spain) Very spritzy and electric, but strangely vacant. Its like a freezing wind barreling down a skyscraper wind tunnel, bringing nothing but a cold hollow to ones bones. With a lot of air, theres some hints of chalk and paper, but this never really develops into anything except a persistent live current. By a huge margin, the most disappointing bottle of this wine Ive ever tasted. Hopefully just bottle variation. (3/09)
Barrre Clos de la Vierge 2005 Juranon Sec (Southwest France) Beeswax, sand, dried pineapple bereft of all its sweetness, and beige minerality left naked by a great transparency of fruit. Theres some summer sweat, as well, but mostly the wine stands, stark and silent, waiting. Ready? Nowhere near? Wines like this are so deceptive. (3/09)
Puffeney 2002 Arbois Savagnin (Jura) Is this sherry? asks the first person who tastes this without knowing its identity. A very reasonable guess, though the wines bigger than most sherries with this particular bony profile, and there is rather more limestoney, pale green fruit especially on the finish than any dry sherry of my acquaintance would dare show. This achieves terrific presence and pressure without ever seeming heavy, which is quite a trick, and as each layer of intensity is peeled back, a new one emerges with ever-so-slight shifts in emphasis. Fantastic stuff. (3/09)
Blanck 2002 Gewurztraminer Altenbourg (Alsace) After a closed period, this has re-emerged. But to what, I wonder? Its even more forward than it was in its youth, with the complexing elements of gewrztraminer pushed towards an easier-to-understand burst of golden yellow fruit, especially sharp yellow apricots and still-yellow peaches. (Did I mention the yellow?) Residual sugar is present but not overwhelming, and the wines overall bearing is middle-of-the-road in terms of body and intensity. Yet, just lurking in the background, theres some salt and a hint of bacon. Signs of things to come, or things passed? I guess well see. (3/09)
Long Trail Brewmaster Series Coffee Stout (Vermont) They got the coffee part right, lending just enough of it to meld without dominance. Unfortunately, the stout portion is a little lacking; its wan, without the heft it needs to bring enough substance to the mix. Just OK. (3/09)
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Catamount Maple Wheat Ale (Massachusetts) Theres an odd sleight-of-brew here, in that the maple is less present as a flavorant than as a weight-lending agent, which means that the resulting ale moves into the heavier realm of (say) Scotch Ale rather than a non-traditional wheat. Its quite intriguing, and I like this a great deal. (3/09)
Barrre Clos de la Vierge 2005 Juranon Sec (Southwest France) Beeswax, sand, dried pineapple bereft of all its sweetness, and beige minerality left naked by a great transparency of fruit. Theres some summer sweat, as well, but mostly the wine stands, stark and silent, waiting. Ready? Nowhere near? Wines like this are so deceptive. (3/09)
Puffeney 2002 Arbois Savagnin (Jura) Is this sherry? asks the first person who tastes this without knowing its identity. A very reasonable guess, though the wines bigger than most sherries with this particular bony profile, and there is rather more limestoney, pale green fruit especially on the finish than any dry sherry of my acquaintance would dare show. This achieves terrific presence and pressure without ever seeming heavy, which is quite a trick, and as each layer of intensity is peeled back, a new one emerges with ever-so-slight shifts in emphasis. Fantastic stuff. (3/09)
Blanck 2002 Gewurztraminer Altenbourg (Alsace) After a closed period, this has re-emerged. But to what, I wonder? Its even more forward than it was in its youth, with the complexing elements of gewrztraminer pushed towards an easier-to-understand burst of golden yellow fruit, especially sharp yellow apricots and still-yellow peaches. (Did I mention the yellow?) Residual sugar is present but not overwhelming, and the wines overall bearing is middle-of-the-road in terms of body and intensity. Yet, just lurking in the background, theres some salt and a hint of bacon. Signs of things to come, or things passed? I guess well see. (3/09)
Long Trail Brewmaster Series Coffee Stout (Vermont) They got the coffee part right, lending just enough of it to meld without dominance. Unfortunately, the stout portion is a little lacking; its wan, without the heft it needs to bring enough substance to the mix. Just OK. (3/09)
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Catamount Maple Wheat Ale (Massachusetts) Theres an odd sleight-of-brew here, in that the maple is less present as a flavorant than as a weight-lending agent, which means that the resulting ale moves into the heavier realm of (say) Scotch Ale rather than a non-traditional wheat. Its quite intriguing, and I like this a great deal. (3/09)