WTN: Wines for broken times

M

MarkS

Mark Svereika
'Fix it', Mr. President said. 'Sir, it's not that easy. We've got a complex web of intertangled assets and loans and we may just be seeing the tip of the iceberg.' breathlessly replied the Treasury secretary. 'Might as well take up drinkin' again, let this morass pass...' 'Sir, that's the smartest thing anyone has said today!'

Foradori, Teroldego Rotaliano, 'Granato', 1999
Color of dark plum red. Despite this being a 'prestige' bottling of Foradori, it feels a bit simple, perhaps because Teroldego is a modest grape. There's a plummy boysenberry chocolaty richness here, but I'm not seeing anything that will improve with time. Okay only, but at $40, my pocket deserves better. B+

Lis Neris, Venezia Giulia IGT, 'Fiore di Campo', 2004
This is Tocai Friuliano, or Friuliano for the EC PC. Slight greyish cast to the light gold color. Aromatic herbs (esp. taragon) o nthe nose. Dull fruits with eonoki mushroom, light clover honey, evergreen needles, almost cilantro-like finish. Feels a little warm, at 13.5%. Cool label! B+

Baudry, Chinon, 'les Granges', 2004
Upon first opening, not much beyond green tomato stems and fresh cracked pepper. Comes across better the next day, making go from 'eh' to 'yeh'. Note that I probably prefer riper year Loire reds. B

Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, 'les Choisilles', 2005
With a name like a chisel, I was frankly expecting more cut and verve, but this is amazingly soft. Has an extremely chalky nose along with a lemon minerality. In the mouth it comes forward with a softish talcom and little fruit, despite feeling ripe. Disturbing high alcohol feel. 14% Turns less flattering the next day, so perhaps this needs time? B/B+

Chateau Charvin, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 1999
Color looking the part of a 9-year old greanche-based wine, with some orange rind on the rim. Heady nose of roses and crushed sassafras leaves. Sweet rosehip & strawberry jam, with an aged beef component on the end. Lush, and fully mature. Good. A-

Ceci, Emilia IGT, Malvasia 'la Luna' NV
Very hoppy and simple. Frizzante. I liked their Lambrusco better. Which also mildly sparkles.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
WTN: Wines for broken times'Fix it', Mr. President said. 'Sir, it's not that easy. We've got a complex web of intertangled assets and loans and we may just be seeing the tip of the iceberg.' breathlessly replied the Treasury secretary. 'Might as well take up drinkin' again, let this morass pass...' 'Sir, that's the smartest thing anyone has said today!'
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Aha, it's not a real quote. George Bush would not use the word morass, other than to describe someone with a big butt.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, 'les Choisilles', 2005
With a name like a chisel, I was frankly expecting more cut and verve, but this is amazingly soft. Has an extremely chalky nose along with a lemon minerality. In the mouth it comes forward with a softish talcom and little fruit, despite feeling ripe. Disturbing high alcohol feel. 14% Turns less flattering the next day, so perhaps this needs time? B/B+
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As noted in Rahsaan's thread, in my mind the balance and ageability of Chidaine's 2005s continues to be questionable, even dubious. I would love someone to convince me otherwise, though.
 
originally posted by slaton:
originally posted by MarkS:
Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, 'les Choisilles', 2005
With a name like a chisel, I was frankly expecting more cut and verve, but this is amazingly soft. Has an extremely chalky nose along with a lemon minerality. In the mouth it comes forward with a softish talcom and little fruit, despite feeling ripe. Disturbing high alcohol feel. 14% Turns less flattering the next day, so perhaps this needs time? B/B+
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As noted in Rahsaan's thread, in my mind the balance and ageability of Chidaine's 2005s continues to be questionable, even dubious. I would love someone to convince me otherwise, though.
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Another data point in this discussion: tonight we opened Chidaine's 2005 Clos Baudoin Vouvray. I am on record as having liked (quite a bit) his 2005 'Les Argiles' Vouvray, but this was another beast altogether: very rich, quite sweet and soft, lacking in definition and precision. I am no Chenin guru, but in comparison to Huet's wines (always dangerous) this wine seemed clumsy and heavy.

Mark Lipton
 
I would agrue that Teroldego is more than a modest grape. Of course when you train on guyot, plant outside the best zone, bring yeilds too far down, tart up the wine with more oak than is ideal, and then label it as prestige cuvee some people might feel $40 is too much to pay for it.There are much better examples made, almost all consumed in the region, that are transparent and bright marrying the fruit of Teroldego to the assertive mineralty of the Piana Rotaliana. Don't bother looking for that term on the Foradori, they are no longer entitled to it. Teroldego may not produce the worlds greatest wines but they are certainly competative at their price points. I am of course biased but have tried a majority of the producers and love the best results.
 
originally posted by gregory dal piaz:
TeroldegoI would agrue that Teroldego is more than a modest grape.
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Whoops, he's gone off again.

Actually, I'm inclined to agree with Greg. I've just had trouble finding really worthwhile teroldego (or lagrein for that matter). Foradori seems really oaky these days. What else is imported that is good?

And as far as lagrein, Hofsttter seems to be one of the standard bearers but unfortunately I don't see much of that around here. What do you think about Nusserhof or Niedrist?
 
Gosh, that Charvin sounds rather nice, though I will admit to a slight prejudice towards Grenache (though not as great as many disorderlies). I'll have to admit a slight interest in the grape actually, since I got to know Texier's stuff. So I'll have to look out for Charvin now. Any others that disorderlies will admit to drinking?

-O
 
Reluctant to say this (I'm normally a bit of a fan), but add me to the list of those worried about the softness in some of Chidaine's 2005. I tasted practically the entire range at La Cave Insolite about a year ago, but bought very little (including a couple of bottles of the '96 Almendra which I thought was quite interesting). I've retasted the Choisilles and the Bournais a couple of times since, not very confidence-inspiring.
 
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