An unfortunately stunted (I refer to numbers, not emotionsdespite the evidence) group gathered to welcome Rahsaan Maxwell to his upcoming foray into actual productivity in service of the Bay States countercultural youth, about 50% of which will be spent in a car on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Lucky him.
Jessey Domaine du Closel 1997 Savennires Le Clos Lavau (Loire) At first opening, the increasingly familiar stewed garbage and cabbage aromas dominate. As time goes on, these drift away, though only to an extent; even a day later, they still linger in the background. What emerges, later, is a sweat-stained minerality, like armpits in a mine, sludging its way through a wine with the texture of a dry mead. Theres some salt, too. It most definitely improves with air, and a day later its much more identifiably Savennires. That said, after much exploration, and not meaning this as a recommendation for anyone else, I dont think Im going to age Closel anymore. It just doesnt turn into anything I like. (4/09)
Cornelissen MunJebel 3 2006 Sicilia Bianco (Sicily) A blend of carricante, grecanico dorato, and coda di volpe, served blind. Theres absolutely no way to guess what it is, of course, other than that its yet another member of the orange wine set, and this time much closer to actual (cloudy) orange than most of its cohorts. As for the wine? Mixed citrus, perhaps leaning a bit towards blood orange, with a very citric acidic presence. Theres a miasma of lambic-like yeastiness, a thick dryness that would appear to be tannin (though I might be misattributing something), and then an interesting interplay of peach and pomegranate on the finish. Papaya too? Sure, why not? A fascinating wine. I like it a great deal. (4/09)
Cornelissen MunJebel 3 2005 Sicilia Rosso (Sicily) Nerello mascalese. Cloudy to the point of muddiness, and more the color of iron-rich dirt than falling anywhere in the usual range of red wine hues. Tannic and short. Very tactile, but this is far less interesting than the white of the same name. (4/09)
Pierre Frick 2002 Pinot Blanc Cuve Prcieuse (Alsace) Thick apricot with an incredibly dense texture that feels and tastes sugary, though I dont think theres much of any residual sugar here. Light oxidation only adds complexity. A really delicious wine, though one would be hard-pressed to identify it as pinot blanc. The next day, it has turned dark brown (it is sans soufre, after all), though this has no apparent affect on the organoleptics, which remain as the day before. (4/09)
Vollenweider 2001 Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Kabinett 01 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Pineapple and clean steel. Good. Thats about it. (4/09)
Othguy 2006 St-Joseph (Rhne) Tarred blackberry jacketed with iron. And dripping with blood, too, which I mean as a positive (not just for vampires). Hard stiff, even with fabulous intensity. Still, Id be much more interested in this wine after some aging; its a bit brutal now. (4/09)
Louis Sipp 1999 Riesling Kirchberg de Ribeauvill (Alsace) Good intensity. Wet iron and aluminum. Fully mature. Theres a slight soapiness thats emerging as the wine loses what acid it had, which (given the vintage) probably wasnt much. But its enjoyable now. (4/09)
Merkelbach 2001 rziger Wrzgarten Riesling Sptlese 012 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Wine turned up past ten on the volume control, but here its not a bad thing. Green herbs and ultra-ripe apple, with metal in abundance. Still very, very young. (4/09)
Occhipinti 2006 Siccagno Nero dAvola (Sicily) Fecal. Crystalline black raspberry soda, with an earthy texture later on. Its a pretty wine, despite the funk, and I like it a great deal, though I wouldnt serve it to the brett-averse. (4/09)
Kanonkop 1993 Pinotage (Stellenbosch) Corked. Oddly, this is something no one (including me) realizes the night the wines first opened, though its apparent on day two, and completely obvious by day three. A shame. (4/09)
Ogier 1997 Syrah Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes La Rosine (Rhne) Ash, mud, soy, and baked fruit. Its not bad, but its past its prime, as the tannin and acid now stick out of the wine like rabbit-ear antennae, and the usual Rhne meatfruit is getting more than a little drawn. (4/09)
Nigl 1998 Senftenberger Piri Riesling (Kremstal) Dry, dry, dry. Sand and powder. Yet, despite all this desiccation, its rounder and fuller than its stablemate Hochcher from the same vintage. But this forwardness comes at a price; the next day finds the wine turned to acrid brownness, and virtually undrinkable. Drink it quickly. (4/09)
Nigl 1998 Senftenberger Hochcher Riesling (Kremstal) Elusive, like trying to taste wind. I should note that while I never warm up to this wine, its supplier mounts an enthusiastic defense of its qualities, and I might be in the minority as to its merits. The next day, its a little less emotionally distant, but despite a more active texture it still fails to appeal. (4/09)
Trimbach 2002 Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives (Alsace) The first night, this is tightly-wound bacon-wrapped cashew and metal, with fine internal structure. The next night, its explosive, not yielding a bit of that vibrant structure, but much more generous with both the fruit (moving into orange and lychee) and the black-hearted minerality (coal and iron). Fabulous, though it will unquestionably need significant age to show its true qualities. (4/09)
Jessey Domaine du Closel 1997 Savennires Le Clos Lavau (Loire) At first opening, the increasingly familiar stewed garbage and cabbage aromas dominate. As time goes on, these drift away, though only to an extent; even a day later, they still linger in the background. What emerges, later, is a sweat-stained minerality, like armpits in a mine, sludging its way through a wine with the texture of a dry mead. Theres some salt, too. It most definitely improves with air, and a day later its much more identifiably Savennires. That said, after much exploration, and not meaning this as a recommendation for anyone else, I dont think Im going to age Closel anymore. It just doesnt turn into anything I like. (4/09)
Cornelissen MunJebel 3 2006 Sicilia Bianco (Sicily) A blend of carricante, grecanico dorato, and coda di volpe, served blind. Theres absolutely no way to guess what it is, of course, other than that its yet another member of the orange wine set, and this time much closer to actual (cloudy) orange than most of its cohorts. As for the wine? Mixed citrus, perhaps leaning a bit towards blood orange, with a very citric acidic presence. Theres a miasma of lambic-like yeastiness, a thick dryness that would appear to be tannin (though I might be misattributing something), and then an interesting interplay of peach and pomegranate on the finish. Papaya too? Sure, why not? A fascinating wine. I like it a great deal. (4/09)
Cornelissen MunJebel 3 2005 Sicilia Rosso (Sicily) Nerello mascalese. Cloudy to the point of muddiness, and more the color of iron-rich dirt than falling anywhere in the usual range of red wine hues. Tannic and short. Very tactile, but this is far less interesting than the white of the same name. (4/09)
Pierre Frick 2002 Pinot Blanc Cuve Prcieuse (Alsace) Thick apricot with an incredibly dense texture that feels and tastes sugary, though I dont think theres much of any residual sugar here. Light oxidation only adds complexity. A really delicious wine, though one would be hard-pressed to identify it as pinot blanc. The next day, it has turned dark brown (it is sans soufre, after all), though this has no apparent affect on the organoleptics, which remain as the day before. (4/09)
Vollenweider 2001 Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Kabinett 01 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Pineapple and clean steel. Good. Thats about it. (4/09)
Othguy 2006 St-Joseph (Rhne) Tarred blackberry jacketed with iron. And dripping with blood, too, which I mean as a positive (not just for vampires). Hard stiff, even with fabulous intensity. Still, Id be much more interested in this wine after some aging; its a bit brutal now. (4/09)
Louis Sipp 1999 Riesling Kirchberg de Ribeauvill (Alsace) Good intensity. Wet iron and aluminum. Fully mature. Theres a slight soapiness thats emerging as the wine loses what acid it had, which (given the vintage) probably wasnt much. But its enjoyable now. (4/09)
Merkelbach 2001 rziger Wrzgarten Riesling Sptlese 012 02 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Wine turned up past ten on the volume control, but here its not a bad thing. Green herbs and ultra-ripe apple, with metal in abundance. Still very, very young. (4/09)
Occhipinti 2006 Siccagno Nero dAvola (Sicily) Fecal. Crystalline black raspberry soda, with an earthy texture later on. Its a pretty wine, despite the funk, and I like it a great deal, though I wouldnt serve it to the brett-averse. (4/09)
Kanonkop 1993 Pinotage (Stellenbosch) Corked. Oddly, this is something no one (including me) realizes the night the wines first opened, though its apparent on day two, and completely obvious by day three. A shame. (4/09)
Ogier 1997 Syrah Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes La Rosine (Rhne) Ash, mud, soy, and baked fruit. Its not bad, but its past its prime, as the tannin and acid now stick out of the wine like rabbit-ear antennae, and the usual Rhne meatfruit is getting more than a little drawn. (4/09)
Nigl 1998 Senftenberger Piri Riesling (Kremstal) Dry, dry, dry. Sand and powder. Yet, despite all this desiccation, its rounder and fuller than its stablemate Hochcher from the same vintage. But this forwardness comes at a price; the next day finds the wine turned to acrid brownness, and virtually undrinkable. Drink it quickly. (4/09)
Nigl 1998 Senftenberger Hochcher Riesling (Kremstal) Elusive, like trying to taste wind. I should note that while I never warm up to this wine, its supplier mounts an enthusiastic defense of its qualities, and I might be in the minority as to its merits. The next day, its a little less emotionally distant, but despite a more active texture it still fails to appeal. (4/09)
Trimbach 2002 Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives (Alsace) The first night, this is tightly-wound bacon-wrapped cashew and metal, with fine internal structure. The next night, its explosive, not yielding a bit of that vibrant structure, but much more generous with both the fruit (moving into orange and lychee) and the black-hearted minerality (coal and iron). Fabulous, though it will unquestionably need significant age to show its true qualities. (4/09)