Cappellano 2005 Dolcetto dAlba Gabutti (Piedmont) Something here just reaches down into the soul. Analytically, theres a rough start to deal with some chunky tannin, powerful (but not imbalanced) acidity, a textural chew to the fruit and while the wine never coheres in the way modern oenologists would wish, its all the better for it. Red tones abound. This cries out for food, and some of that missing cohesion appears when the marriage is finalized, but theres a style here that will carry great appeal for certain drinkers (and much less for others; one dining companion absolutely hates the wine until theres food on the table). Me, I think its gorgeous. (2/09)
Alandroal Pontual 2004 Alentejano (Portugal) 65% touriga naional, 35% trincadeira. Straightforward dark berries, walnut skins, some unsweetened chocolate, and what appears to be a thick, enveloping sheathe of oak (expressed more as tannin than aroma, so I could be wrong about this). Theres a lot of density here, but to little end, and I cant see anything source-specific about the wine either. Perhaps age will help. Theres nothing wrong with it, but its no joy to drink either. (2/09)
Bergqvist Vale da Clara by Quinta de la Rosa 2001 Douro (Portugal) Dark cherries and tobacco smoke, showing some resolution (in terms of maturity, not fortitude). Very pretty. This wine is gentling into maturity, yet retains a dark streak that speaks of its origins. (3/09)
Brovia 2006 Langhe Freisa La Villerina Secca (Piedmont) Corked. (2/09)
Fromm La Strada 2002 Pinot Noir (Marlborough) Smoother than the last few iterations, with the cottony tannin still very present, but less oppressive in relation to the fruit than it usually is. The fruit remains dark and brooding, yet with a clear eye of light in its midst that makes it more pinot noir than something heavier, and the finish is pure textural sensuality, albeit of a highly masculine bent. Despite the differences, theres nothing here that makes me question my general suspicion that this is a wine for earlier-term drinking, no matter the structural clues to the contrary. (3/09)
Tulocay 1999 Zinfandel (Amador County) 15%. And: wow. I remember drinking zin like this. Ridge used to make it, and then wed let it age, and much later on it would taste like this. Rolling tumblers of soft red fruit, spice (mostly of the baking genre, though there are various hues of pepper as well), earth, cinnamon cap mushrooms, and that delicious sensation of fruit-weight so crucial to zin, but without the all-too-common burn of Scotch on the finish. Long. Id call this at very early maturity, but with emphasis on the mature aspect. More, please. (3/09)
Verdier-Logel 2006 Ctes du Forez Cuve des Gourmets (Loire) Unmistakably gamay. Red fruit done in metallic shades, hints and dashes of herb, and a lively freshness full of spark and verve. Theres some dusty lead around the edges, as well. Quite linear, and the wine doesnt reward careful study, but its certainly tasty. (3/09)
Boutin Chteau La Roque 2004 Pic Saint Loup Cuve les vieilles vignes de Mourvdre (Languedoc) Totally disjointed for its first ten minutes of life, though this is hardly an unusual trick for a mourvdre to pull. Eventually, it calms down, though its no smooth-talker. Rough-grit sandpaper is the texture, earthy-smoky aromas of an old, wood-beam attic fill the glass, and the palate is thick without being sludgy. If theres fruit, its the sort grown from freshly-laid macadam, though there are suggestions of some deep black residue that might once, in another life, have been the last desiccated offspring of a berry. None of the preceding is particularly unusual for this wine at this stage, though there are some worrisome frays at the edge; coupled with a well-stained cork, I wonder if there might not have been a little more heat than would be ideal in this bottles history. (3/09)
Alandroal Pontual 2004 Alentejano (Portugal) 65% touriga naional, 35% trincadeira. Straightforward dark berries, walnut skins, some unsweetened chocolate, and what appears to be a thick, enveloping sheathe of oak (expressed more as tannin than aroma, so I could be wrong about this). Theres a lot of density here, but to little end, and I cant see anything source-specific about the wine either. Perhaps age will help. Theres nothing wrong with it, but its no joy to drink either. (2/09)
Bergqvist Vale da Clara by Quinta de la Rosa 2001 Douro (Portugal) Dark cherries and tobacco smoke, showing some resolution (in terms of maturity, not fortitude). Very pretty. This wine is gentling into maturity, yet retains a dark streak that speaks of its origins. (3/09)
Brovia 2006 Langhe Freisa La Villerina Secca (Piedmont) Corked. (2/09)
Fromm La Strada 2002 Pinot Noir (Marlborough) Smoother than the last few iterations, with the cottony tannin still very present, but less oppressive in relation to the fruit than it usually is. The fruit remains dark and brooding, yet with a clear eye of light in its midst that makes it more pinot noir than something heavier, and the finish is pure textural sensuality, albeit of a highly masculine bent. Despite the differences, theres nothing here that makes me question my general suspicion that this is a wine for earlier-term drinking, no matter the structural clues to the contrary. (3/09)
Tulocay 1999 Zinfandel (Amador County) 15%. And: wow. I remember drinking zin like this. Ridge used to make it, and then wed let it age, and much later on it would taste like this. Rolling tumblers of soft red fruit, spice (mostly of the baking genre, though there are various hues of pepper as well), earth, cinnamon cap mushrooms, and that delicious sensation of fruit-weight so crucial to zin, but without the all-too-common burn of Scotch on the finish. Long. Id call this at very early maturity, but with emphasis on the mature aspect. More, please. (3/09)
Verdier-Logel 2006 Ctes du Forez Cuve des Gourmets (Loire) Unmistakably gamay. Red fruit done in metallic shades, hints and dashes of herb, and a lively freshness full of spark and verve. Theres some dusty lead around the edges, as well. Quite linear, and the wine doesnt reward careful study, but its certainly tasty. (3/09)
Boutin Chteau La Roque 2004 Pic Saint Loup Cuve les vieilles vignes de Mourvdre (Languedoc) Totally disjointed for its first ten minutes of life, though this is hardly an unusual trick for a mourvdre to pull. Eventually, it calms down, though its no smooth-talker. Rough-grit sandpaper is the texture, earthy-smoky aromas of an old, wood-beam attic fill the glass, and the palate is thick without being sludgy. If theres fruit, its the sort grown from freshly-laid macadam, though there are suggestions of some deep black residue that might once, in another life, have been the last desiccated offspring of a berry. None of the preceding is particularly unusual for this wine at this stage, though there are some worrisome frays at the edge; coupled with a well-stained cork, I wonder if there might not have been a little more heat than would be ideal in this bottles history. (3/09)
