Movia 2007 Lunar (Gorika Brda) Like drinking electronica and eating Dadaism in a black light-lit funhouse. Absolutely, deliriously weird and yet utterly compelling. This is far from the most representative of the orange wine cohort, but its eccentricities are as appealing as they are legion. (6/10)
Kirlyudvar 2006 Tokaji Sec (Hungary) Arid and a little muted, blossoming texturally but not as aromatically as Id expect. That texture is dense, coating, and rich with promise, but other than some waxiness and a minor floral note, theres not much going on. A strange performance. (5/10)
Two Hands 2008 Shiraz Gnarly Dudes (Barossa Valley) 14.9%. Concentrated blackberry jam with lots of (iffy) acidity and just enough scraping tannin. Some grappa, as well. A fruit bludgeon, adorned with peppery studs and juicy-fruit rivets. Gluggable, though youll feel it later. (5/10)
Gurrutxaga 2009 Bizkaiko Txakolina Txakoli Ros (Northwest Spain) In the context of pink Txakolina, this is heavywhich, of course, means its bright, brittle, and whipsnapped with strawberry crispness compared to most other pink wines. That said, its short, simple-minded, and a little stale. The weight doesnt add anything here. (5/10)
Las Rocas de San Alejandro 2007 Catalayud Garnacha (Aragn) Big, fruity wine. Soupy, perhaps, with lots of unfocused berries and a slightly numbing weight. Simple-minded, too. But at a low enough price, decently drinkable. (6/10)
Kracher 2006 Beerenauslese Cuve (Burgenland) Sweet. Concentrated and sweet. Very rich, but I cant quite identify in what vein its richness flows. Something stone-fruity? Maybe. Its vague, if so. (5/10)
Cruz Alta 2008 Malbec Reserve (Mendoza) Coconut milkshake with chocolate Hersheys would have rejected as too insipid, synthetic berry jelly, and powerful alcohol. Ugh. (5/10)
Creta Olympias 2007 Vin de Crete ΚΡΗΤΙΚΟΣ (Crete) Wedge bucket of ice in sand. Shove bottle into bucket Wait a few minutes. Uncork, pour. Let the condensation bead and run down the glass, bringing a momentary pinprick of coolness to your thigh. Drink, staring out at sea and sky. Stick a small umbrella in it, if you want. Its that sort of wine. (7/10)
Quinta do Infantado Tawny Porto (Douro) Caramel, brown sugar, baked plum. Silky and only a little bit hot. Simple, but nice. (5/10)
Quinta do Noval Black Porto (Douro) Alas, heat-damaged. (7/10)
Lakeview 2007 Vidal Icewine (Niagara Peninsula) 200 ml. Powerfully sweet Im glad this bottle isnt any bigger, frankly with rhinestone minerality and some nice fruit skin/vegetal counterpoints. (5/10)
The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Scotch (Scotland) Over-wooded Scotch. Overly pleasant and genial, not nearly interesting enough. (6/10)
Aberlour 12-Year Scotch Double Cask Matured (Highland) Extremely fruity and sweet. So much so that if they claimed one of the casks was sourced from Sauternes, I wouldnt be the least bit surprised. Not my kind of Scotch. (7/10)
Kirlyudvar 2006 Tokaji Sec (Hungary) Arid and a little muted, blossoming texturally but not as aromatically as Id expect. That texture is dense, coating, and rich with promise, but other than some waxiness and a minor floral note, theres not much going on. A strange performance. (5/10)
Two Hands 2008 Shiraz Gnarly Dudes (Barossa Valley) 14.9%. Concentrated blackberry jam with lots of (iffy) acidity and just enough scraping tannin. Some grappa, as well. A fruit bludgeon, adorned with peppery studs and juicy-fruit rivets. Gluggable, though youll feel it later. (5/10)
Gurrutxaga 2009 Bizkaiko Txakolina Txakoli Ros (Northwest Spain) In the context of pink Txakolina, this is heavywhich, of course, means its bright, brittle, and whipsnapped with strawberry crispness compared to most other pink wines. That said, its short, simple-minded, and a little stale. The weight doesnt add anything here. (5/10)
Las Rocas de San Alejandro 2007 Catalayud Garnacha (Aragn) Big, fruity wine. Soupy, perhaps, with lots of unfocused berries and a slightly numbing weight. Simple-minded, too. But at a low enough price, decently drinkable. (6/10)
Kracher 2006 Beerenauslese Cuve (Burgenland) Sweet. Concentrated and sweet. Very rich, but I cant quite identify in what vein its richness flows. Something stone-fruity? Maybe. Its vague, if so. (5/10)
Cruz Alta 2008 Malbec Reserve (Mendoza) Coconut milkshake with chocolate Hersheys would have rejected as too insipid, synthetic berry jelly, and powerful alcohol. Ugh. (5/10)
Creta Olympias 2007 Vin de Crete ΚΡΗΤΙΚΟΣ (Crete) Wedge bucket of ice in sand. Shove bottle into bucket Wait a few minutes. Uncork, pour. Let the condensation bead and run down the glass, bringing a momentary pinprick of coolness to your thigh. Drink, staring out at sea and sky. Stick a small umbrella in it, if you want. Its that sort of wine. (7/10)
Quinta do Infantado Tawny Porto (Douro) Caramel, brown sugar, baked plum. Silky and only a little bit hot. Simple, but nice. (5/10)
Quinta do Noval Black Porto (Douro) Alas, heat-damaged. (7/10)
Lakeview 2007 Vidal Icewine (Niagara Peninsula) 200 ml. Powerfully sweet Im glad this bottle isnt any bigger, frankly with rhinestone minerality and some nice fruit skin/vegetal counterpoints. (5/10)
The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Scotch (Scotland) Over-wooded Scotch. Overly pleasant and genial, not nearly interesting enough. (6/10)
Aberlour 12-Year Scotch Double Cask Matured (Highland) Extremely fruity and sweet. So much so that if they claimed one of the casks was sourced from Sauternes, I wouldnt be the least bit surprised. Not my kind of Scotch. (7/10)