Florida Jim
Florida Jim
Bubbles:
2005 Marques de Monistrol, Cava Winemakers Select:
Even better than their non-vintage brut, this is quite dry, spicy, focused and elegant with a continuous bead and a clean finish. Hard to beat at $15.
Whites:
2005 Luneau-Papin, Muscadet Clos des Alles:
Beautiful wine; bright, charming, flavorful and so clean; as balanced and precise a Muscadet as one can find and drinking well now.
2008 Bedrock, Cuve Caritas:
55% old vine semillon and 45% sauvignon blanc in 100% new French oak; powerfully scented with white fruit, spice and vanilla tones; an almost lyrical presentation in the mouth with semillon flavors emphasized and a touch of butterscotch oak; long finish. Needs 3-5 years to integrate the wood (although its not intrusive now) and was delicious with chicken Caesar salad.
Day two: much the same; this either has too much oak or it needs time to integrate.
2007 Quinto de Ventozelo, Douro Cisterda da Ribeira:
A Portuguese white made from 30% cdega, 30% gouveio, 20% viosinho and 20% rabigato; 13% alcohol; aromas of cream soda, citrus skin and white pepper; similar in the mouth with some unripe apricot and a light saline component added, spicy, smoothly textured but crackling acidity; a touch bitter on a very long finish. This wine is all about its acidity it carries it and drives it but does not overwhelm it. Very good with a white bean and chard dish, pretty good on its own and well worth buying again at $7.
Pinks:
2008 Bedrock, Ros Ode to Lulu:
Mourvdre based wine with a lovely fragrance, a dry, mineral driven palate, and a dry finish. In the Bandol style and quite nice with summer grilled veggies.
Reds:
2002 Clos Roche Blanche, Gamay:
Ive had a few bad bottles of this but this one is quintessential gamay charming, complete, moderate weight and good sustain. A really lovely bottle after all these years.
2005 Georges Vigouroux, Cahors Pigmentum:
Malbec that is blurry, earthy/dirty, unfocused and just not very good. If theres nothing else . . . 12.5% and about $10.
2007 Lurton, Malbec:
Industrial grade not objectionable but no better than something to drink if youve nothing else. About $9.
2008 Maipe, Malbec:
So much better that the last two malbecs that one might think it was a different grape; this shows the darker side of the variety but with balance and some finesse; drinking well now and very good with a bean, chard, turkey and quinoa stew. 14% alcohol and about $12.
(Aside: it seems the feminine, aromatic, elegant side of this variety is rare. And honestly, going up in price usually just gets me more wood or more power, neither of which I find attractive. The potential of this grape is considerable in that I have tasted occasional wines that reminded me of great pinot light, pure, scented and such beautiful textures ah, where are they when you need them?)
Best, Jim
2005 Marques de Monistrol, Cava Winemakers Select:
Even better than their non-vintage brut, this is quite dry, spicy, focused and elegant with a continuous bead and a clean finish. Hard to beat at $15.
Whites:
2005 Luneau-Papin, Muscadet Clos des Alles:
Beautiful wine; bright, charming, flavorful and so clean; as balanced and precise a Muscadet as one can find and drinking well now.
2008 Bedrock, Cuve Caritas:
55% old vine semillon and 45% sauvignon blanc in 100% new French oak; powerfully scented with white fruit, spice and vanilla tones; an almost lyrical presentation in the mouth with semillon flavors emphasized and a touch of butterscotch oak; long finish. Needs 3-5 years to integrate the wood (although its not intrusive now) and was delicious with chicken Caesar salad.
Day two: much the same; this either has too much oak or it needs time to integrate.
2007 Quinto de Ventozelo, Douro Cisterda da Ribeira:
A Portuguese white made from 30% cdega, 30% gouveio, 20% viosinho and 20% rabigato; 13% alcohol; aromas of cream soda, citrus skin and white pepper; similar in the mouth with some unripe apricot and a light saline component added, spicy, smoothly textured but crackling acidity; a touch bitter on a very long finish. This wine is all about its acidity it carries it and drives it but does not overwhelm it. Very good with a white bean and chard dish, pretty good on its own and well worth buying again at $7.
Pinks:
2008 Bedrock, Ros Ode to Lulu:
Mourvdre based wine with a lovely fragrance, a dry, mineral driven palate, and a dry finish. In the Bandol style and quite nice with summer grilled veggies.
Reds:
2002 Clos Roche Blanche, Gamay:
Ive had a few bad bottles of this but this one is quintessential gamay charming, complete, moderate weight and good sustain. A really lovely bottle after all these years.
2005 Georges Vigouroux, Cahors Pigmentum:
Malbec that is blurry, earthy/dirty, unfocused and just not very good. If theres nothing else . . . 12.5% and about $10.
2007 Lurton, Malbec:
Industrial grade not objectionable but no better than something to drink if youve nothing else. About $9.
2008 Maipe, Malbec:
So much better that the last two malbecs that one might think it was a different grape; this shows the darker side of the variety but with balance and some finesse; drinking well now and very good with a bean, chard, turkey and quinoa stew. 14% alcohol and about $12.
(Aside: it seems the feminine, aromatic, elegant side of this variety is rare. And honestly, going up in price usually just gets me more wood or more power, neither of which I find attractive. The potential of this grape is considerable in that I have tasted occasional wines that reminded me of great pinot light, pure, scented and such beautiful textures ah, where are they when you need them?)
Best, Jim