David from Switzerland
David Plattner
Dinner at my place, all wines served single-blind.
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 1997
Thanks to Remo, who thought this the best bottle of this wine yet. Healthy ruby-black with a soft purple hue, almost opaque at the center. Nicely subtle and finesseful smoky mineral, iron, roasted herbs and fruit, nicely balanced, backed by still slightly hard, but not much and quite finely grained tannin. Racier, crisper than the La Chapelle. Softer marzipan and caramel oak than in a bottle half a year ago. Cranberry if not lingonberry. Touches of anchovy and black olive. Some grey pepper. A suggestion of lamb curry. Ever so faint bretty sewage (no more than the La Chapelle). Fresh and a bit lactic, with touch of oxalic acid (enough for Christian to find it off-putting), tiny greenish bitterness to the tannin, Rainer wondered if the grape material may have been of heterogeneous ripeness. Barely changed after 12 hours, a little sweeter and thicker in terms of mouthfeel perhaps, with a whiff of noble tobacco, but the touch of oxalic acid greenishness and tiny bitter note, albeit not too noticeable, persist. Rating: 93(+/-?)
Paul Jaboulet An Hermitage La Chapelle 1997
A pristine bottle I bought at release, on subscription, in fact. Medium-light ruby-black, looks a bit evolved, verging on orange (albeit not quite yet) at the watery rim. Noticeably smoother, rounder, sweeter and evolved (as if autumnal) than the Pavillon, meatier, with plusher tannin as Rainer noted. Strong meaty roasted Provenal herbs, soft touch of bretty sewage that really does not hurt anything, mace, blackberry and morello, a touch of hung lamb. Very long, best on the lightly nutty-sweet, minerally iron and tannic finish. A bit Barolo-like, as Rainer noted. Tiny hazelnut coffee top note here, too. Not the substance of the greatest, and albeit long on the finish, a bit loose on the aftertaste. Seemed to let down after and hour or two in the decanter, as if in need to be drunk up as quickly as possible. But utterly beautiful after 12 hours. Lovely forest earth, mild lightly truffley dried porcini, very little and sweet horse sweat. Hardly noticeable, softly cedary oak. Flavourful, lightly ginger black tea like tannin. In terms of how well it showed (and I have been lucky thus far, with only a handful so-so showings of e.g. bottles Rainer opened for us unfortunately there appear to be at least two lots, one noticeably lighter, drier, if not altogether duller), my wine of the night (not in qualitative terms they were all outstanding). Spiced orange red fruit subtlety on the finesseful finish and admittedly light, comparatively blurred aftertaste. Rating: 94+/95
Ren Rostaing Cte-Rtie Cte Blonde 2003
Thanks to Rainer. While I am always grateful for an opportunity to retaste my third favourite Rostaing Cte Blonde thus far (after the 1998 and 1999), it turned out to be (almost) a pity to open this bottle, with the wonderful primary florality it showed at release completely shut down (or almost). Deep ruby-red with some black reflections, looks fresh and youthful which it is. Strong sea salt, a touch of dried lavender, so closed at first it was uncommonly nutty with oak. Ox tail meatiness. Nice depth. Firm sea salty/minerally finish. A whiff reductive with a couple of hours airing. Remos favourite wine of the night even so. Much more open, with oak nuttiness and reductiveness all gone, after 12 hours in the decanter. Firm and racy red fruit, nicely integrated roasted rosemary and dried lavender. So tannic one can barely tell how low it is in acidity (same effect as in all the greatest Northern Rhne wines of the vintage). Well-balanced and very long. Needs and deserves several years in the cellar. Rating: 95(+?)
Greenock Creek Shiraz Barossa Valley Roennfeldt Road 2004
Thanks to Christian. Opaque purple-black. Sweet blueberry and plum juice, chocolate, fig, coffee, a mere whiff of gaminess compared to some of the in-between vintages (this was really one of my favourite Barossa Valley wineries in the early/mid-nineties). Some cinnamon and vanilla oak, of course, but no problem in a wine of this size. Thick and rich, but a much mellower, sweet and Port-like wine, not quite as overwhelmingly powerful, intense, tannic and minerally as the fearsome 1995/1996 duo (at least somewhat adapted to modern taste, Rainer and I felt). Higher in alcohol at 16.5% than either of those earlier vintages, however, unnecessarily (in my humble opinion, especially long-term) but not offensively so. Had fun serving a homemade blueberry milkshake for dessert, but only Rainer seemed to notice the similarity. Having said that, what makes Roennfeldt Road what it is (that is, to me), the unique sandy metal and mineral soil notes, that combination of terroir expression and almost salty old-viney dry extract, really came to the fore after 12 hours. Nice mocha if not the malty hazelnut coffee top note of a Heitz Marthas Vineyard from the seventies (or, in its best renditions, Clarendon Hills Astralis). Unlike the lesser Greenock Creek bottlings (and a plethora of Aussie Shirazes), there is something at the core of this monster bottling that makes it truly worth cellaring not hoping to soften it, or for the wine to become lighter and more finesseful, as Francesco (who works for the importer) said when I served him a glass this morning, but for the remarkable terroir to surface. (Mini rant: the problem I have with all these modern blueberry milkshakes is that once one cellars the lot of them for a decade or several, they taste like acidified, that is, artificial yoghurt in a best case scenario, or gamy and slightly off-putting, if not medicinal like tooth paste in a worst case scenario. It seems as if one merely had a choice of either liking them young and burly, or be satisfied with what becomes of the better ones with bottle age, be that better for some or merely different for others or give up on the paradigm. Beastly wines like this one, which miraculously pull themselves together with bottle age, well, I know they are rare, but do admittedly exceptional wines like this need to be so expensive?) All in all, an ageworthy (and I mean literally: I would not drink this now) Roennfeldt Road vintage worth owning, provided one can afford it, perhaps not quite on the level of the 1995/1996 duo, but close enough. Rating: 95(++?)
Bott Pince Tokaji Asz 6 Puttonyos 2006
Thanks to Rainer who bought this as yet unlabelled bottle at the winery. Apparently Judit Botts (now married, her husbands name is Bod) family winerys first Asz? Bright medium golden yellow-green. Nicely calc-tuff minerality, a bit rubbery with botrytis and ripe exotic yellow fruit at first, with a touch of vanilla to the botrytis I usually only get in German Riesling (in top vintages) the same goes for that tiny blackcurrant cough drop top note (again botrytis). Intense balm mint and verbena, and softer dandelion and linden flower/lime blossom florality, more inner-mouth perfume at first than on the nose, but about equal after 12 hours in the open bottle. Nice grassy herbs. Sweet Williams pear juice (typical of Furmint, as Rainer informed our Tokaj newbies), rather viscous for 6P, probably over 200 g/l residual sugar, Rainer says (but we do not know). Ever so faintly tannic surface. Love the purity and florality, not too sure about the wines ageworthiness (at any rate, it is so pretty, hard to keep ones paws off). A tiny bit flabby on the back end for a high-acid 2006 (the sugar buffers the acidity very nicely, of course). Touch of new oak? Interestingly, the finest 2006s not only share a similarity in (high) acidity, but also a uniquely fruity-floral balm-minty white glue botrytis that is wonderfully clean and alluring (if that can be said of a youthful botrytis top note at all). Rating: 91+/92?
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________
J'ai gch vingt ans de mes plus belles annes au billard. Si c'tait refaire, je recommencerais. Roger Conti
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 1997
Thanks to Remo, who thought this the best bottle of this wine yet. Healthy ruby-black with a soft purple hue, almost opaque at the center. Nicely subtle and finesseful smoky mineral, iron, roasted herbs and fruit, nicely balanced, backed by still slightly hard, but not much and quite finely grained tannin. Racier, crisper than the La Chapelle. Softer marzipan and caramel oak than in a bottle half a year ago. Cranberry if not lingonberry. Touches of anchovy and black olive. Some grey pepper. A suggestion of lamb curry. Ever so faint bretty sewage (no more than the La Chapelle). Fresh and a bit lactic, with touch of oxalic acid (enough for Christian to find it off-putting), tiny greenish bitterness to the tannin, Rainer wondered if the grape material may have been of heterogeneous ripeness. Barely changed after 12 hours, a little sweeter and thicker in terms of mouthfeel perhaps, with a whiff of noble tobacco, but the touch of oxalic acid greenishness and tiny bitter note, albeit not too noticeable, persist. Rating: 93(+/-?)
Paul Jaboulet An Hermitage La Chapelle 1997
A pristine bottle I bought at release, on subscription, in fact. Medium-light ruby-black, looks a bit evolved, verging on orange (albeit not quite yet) at the watery rim. Noticeably smoother, rounder, sweeter and evolved (as if autumnal) than the Pavillon, meatier, with plusher tannin as Rainer noted. Strong meaty roasted Provenal herbs, soft touch of bretty sewage that really does not hurt anything, mace, blackberry and morello, a touch of hung lamb. Very long, best on the lightly nutty-sweet, minerally iron and tannic finish. A bit Barolo-like, as Rainer noted. Tiny hazelnut coffee top note here, too. Not the substance of the greatest, and albeit long on the finish, a bit loose on the aftertaste. Seemed to let down after and hour or two in the decanter, as if in need to be drunk up as quickly as possible. But utterly beautiful after 12 hours. Lovely forest earth, mild lightly truffley dried porcini, very little and sweet horse sweat. Hardly noticeable, softly cedary oak. Flavourful, lightly ginger black tea like tannin. In terms of how well it showed (and I have been lucky thus far, with only a handful so-so showings of e.g. bottles Rainer opened for us unfortunately there appear to be at least two lots, one noticeably lighter, drier, if not altogether duller), my wine of the night (not in qualitative terms they were all outstanding). Spiced orange red fruit subtlety on the finesseful finish and admittedly light, comparatively blurred aftertaste. Rating: 94+/95
Ren Rostaing Cte-Rtie Cte Blonde 2003
Thanks to Rainer. While I am always grateful for an opportunity to retaste my third favourite Rostaing Cte Blonde thus far (after the 1998 and 1999), it turned out to be (almost) a pity to open this bottle, with the wonderful primary florality it showed at release completely shut down (or almost). Deep ruby-red with some black reflections, looks fresh and youthful which it is. Strong sea salt, a touch of dried lavender, so closed at first it was uncommonly nutty with oak. Ox tail meatiness. Nice depth. Firm sea salty/minerally finish. A whiff reductive with a couple of hours airing. Remos favourite wine of the night even so. Much more open, with oak nuttiness and reductiveness all gone, after 12 hours in the decanter. Firm and racy red fruit, nicely integrated roasted rosemary and dried lavender. So tannic one can barely tell how low it is in acidity (same effect as in all the greatest Northern Rhne wines of the vintage). Well-balanced and very long. Needs and deserves several years in the cellar. Rating: 95(+?)
Greenock Creek Shiraz Barossa Valley Roennfeldt Road 2004
Thanks to Christian. Opaque purple-black. Sweet blueberry and plum juice, chocolate, fig, coffee, a mere whiff of gaminess compared to some of the in-between vintages (this was really one of my favourite Barossa Valley wineries in the early/mid-nineties). Some cinnamon and vanilla oak, of course, but no problem in a wine of this size. Thick and rich, but a much mellower, sweet and Port-like wine, not quite as overwhelmingly powerful, intense, tannic and minerally as the fearsome 1995/1996 duo (at least somewhat adapted to modern taste, Rainer and I felt). Higher in alcohol at 16.5% than either of those earlier vintages, however, unnecessarily (in my humble opinion, especially long-term) but not offensively so. Had fun serving a homemade blueberry milkshake for dessert, but only Rainer seemed to notice the similarity. Having said that, what makes Roennfeldt Road what it is (that is, to me), the unique sandy metal and mineral soil notes, that combination of terroir expression and almost salty old-viney dry extract, really came to the fore after 12 hours. Nice mocha if not the malty hazelnut coffee top note of a Heitz Marthas Vineyard from the seventies (or, in its best renditions, Clarendon Hills Astralis). Unlike the lesser Greenock Creek bottlings (and a plethora of Aussie Shirazes), there is something at the core of this monster bottling that makes it truly worth cellaring not hoping to soften it, or for the wine to become lighter and more finesseful, as Francesco (who works for the importer) said when I served him a glass this morning, but for the remarkable terroir to surface. (Mini rant: the problem I have with all these modern blueberry milkshakes is that once one cellars the lot of them for a decade or several, they taste like acidified, that is, artificial yoghurt in a best case scenario, or gamy and slightly off-putting, if not medicinal like tooth paste in a worst case scenario. It seems as if one merely had a choice of either liking them young and burly, or be satisfied with what becomes of the better ones with bottle age, be that better for some or merely different for others or give up on the paradigm. Beastly wines like this one, which miraculously pull themselves together with bottle age, well, I know they are rare, but do admittedly exceptional wines like this need to be so expensive?) All in all, an ageworthy (and I mean literally: I would not drink this now) Roennfeldt Road vintage worth owning, provided one can afford it, perhaps not quite on the level of the 1995/1996 duo, but close enough. Rating: 95(++?)
Bott Pince Tokaji Asz 6 Puttonyos 2006
Thanks to Rainer who bought this as yet unlabelled bottle at the winery. Apparently Judit Botts (now married, her husbands name is Bod) family winerys first Asz? Bright medium golden yellow-green. Nicely calc-tuff minerality, a bit rubbery with botrytis and ripe exotic yellow fruit at first, with a touch of vanilla to the botrytis I usually only get in German Riesling (in top vintages) the same goes for that tiny blackcurrant cough drop top note (again botrytis). Intense balm mint and verbena, and softer dandelion and linden flower/lime blossom florality, more inner-mouth perfume at first than on the nose, but about equal after 12 hours in the open bottle. Nice grassy herbs. Sweet Williams pear juice (typical of Furmint, as Rainer informed our Tokaj newbies), rather viscous for 6P, probably over 200 g/l residual sugar, Rainer says (but we do not know). Ever so faintly tannic surface. Love the purity and florality, not too sure about the wines ageworthiness (at any rate, it is so pretty, hard to keep ones paws off). A tiny bit flabby on the back end for a high-acid 2006 (the sugar buffers the acidity very nicely, of course). Touch of new oak? Interestingly, the finest 2006s not only share a similarity in (high) acidity, but also a uniquely fruity-floral balm-minty white glue botrytis that is wonderfully clean and alluring (if that can be said of a youthful botrytis top note at all). Rating: 91+/92?
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________
J'ai gch vingt ans de mes plus belles annes au billard. Si c'tait refaire, je recommencerais. Roger Conti