Trimbach 1989 Riesling Cuve Frdric mile Vendanges Tardives (Alsace) Weirdly muted and overly mature. The signs of a great old late-harvest CFE are there creamed steel and corn starch, salt, lead crystal but the wines just not what it should be. The cork seems fine, and over the course of three days theres no whiff of TCA from cork or (empty) bottle, butwell, this is a disappointment. Something most likely the cork, absent any signs or signatures of heat damage failed here. (5/09)
Boxler 2006 Riesling Sommerberg D (Alsace) A crystal cylinder of rieslingness, bold and multi-faceted, yet retaining near-infinite grace. Theres just a touch of sweetness, but the acid knocks it into the background, and wrapped about it are fiber-optic threads of latticed iron and idealized apple. The finish is long and linear. (5/09)
Ollivier 2004 Muscadet Svre & Maine Sur Lie Cuve Eden Vieilles Vignes (Loire) Forward, butwell, the broken-shell texture of the wine is harsh, and seems to be shoving hard against some unseen barrier. In a weird place right now. Hold or hold. (5/09)
Barral 2004 Vin de Pays de lHrault Blanc (Languedoc) Refermented in the bottle. (6/09)
Boxler 2006 Riesling Sommerberg D (Alsace) A crystal cylinder of rieslingness, bold and multi-faceted, yet retaining near-infinite grace. Theres just a touch of sweetness, but the acid knocks it into the background, and wrapped about it are fiber-optic threads of latticed iron and idealized apple. The finish is long and linear. (5/09)
Ollivier 2004 Muscadet Svre & Maine Sur Lie Cuve Eden Vieilles Vignes (Loire) Forward, butwell, the broken-shell texture of the wine is harsh, and seems to be shoving hard against some unseen barrier. In a weird place right now. Hold or hold. (5/09)
Barral 2004 Vin de Pays de lHrault Blanc (Languedoc) Refermented in the bottle. (6/09)