A summer tasting Chez Lawton, preceded by golf. I missed at least one wine (an Eiswein; I wrote down the name, but nothing about the wine), so there was actually more.
Jessey Domaine du Closel 1997 Savennires Moelleux Cuve Isa (Loire) Quite literally smells like garbage. The palate is chalky and rough, with a mineralistic aspect, and while the wine comes off as dry theres a thickness that can only come from the sugar. However, the wine is so utterly aromatically repellent that only the nasally-challenged could even contemplate actually putting it in their mouth. (6/08)
Baumard 1997 Savennires (Loire) White asparagus and green apples in a soup. Very thick, acid-deficient, but decent nonetheless, and still holding up OK. I see no reason to hold it longer, however. (6/08)
Zidarich 2005 Carso Vitovska (Friuli Venezia Giulia) Cloudy as hell, and full of red fruit, soda water, and salted lemongrass. Such incredible texture (like balsa wood, says someone). Stunning, but breathtakingly unconventional. (6/08)
Wittmann 1997 Westhofener Steingrube Albalonga Auslese 006 98 (Rheinhessen) Sweet tropical fruit. Simple and pure in its intent, with good acidity. (6/08)
Bernard Schwach Domaine du Moulin de Dusenbach 2004 Riesling Schlossberg (Alsace) Piercing, high-minded and treble-toned minerality comes off the wine in flakes. Long and really, really good. (6/08)
Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve (Langenlois) Grass (with dew) and wet green apple. Ripe and fruity (mostly lemon), with big acidity. Fine, but a bit obvious. (6/08)
Trimbach 2003 Riesling Cuve M (Alsace) Really intense, with a silk-and-satin texture, and coiled minerality within. That anyone could produce a wine of this poise in 2003 is baffling; that a winery that could is Trimbach is completely unsurprising. (6/08)
Serge Mathieu 1996 Champagne Brut (Champagne) Fruity tonic water and tart heirloom apple. Theres a bit of Makrut lime rind, as well. Nice.(6/08)
Dnnhoff 2006 Kreuznacher Krtenpfuhl Riesling Sptlese 09 07 (Nahe) Petrol and wet soil, naked and yet refreshed by balanced sweetness. Still, this lacks the precision and definition Id like; its a good wine, but not a very good wine. (6/08)
Deiss 2000 Schoenenbourg (Alsace) Very sweet and diffuse, though theres nice enough acidity. Long but pointless, and the finishs duration is the chief one might say the only feature of this wine. (6/08)
Alesia 2006 Pinot Noir (Green Valley) Gorgeous and complex, bringing dark berries forth in a vivid essence. Pure and long. Yow. (6/08)
Jaboulet 1990 Hermitage La Chapelle (Rhne) Corked. (6/08)
Alesia 2006 Pinot Noir Falstaff Road (Sonoma Coast) A bit heavy, with good black fruit struggling to get through a clumsy structure. Time might help; it certainly couldnt hurt. (6/08)
dAngerville 1997 Volnay Clos des Ducs (Burgundy) Complex and beautifully balanced, with a long finish buoyed by good acidity and the character of a deep, fruit-ridden Burgundian soil sample. (6/08)
Teulier Domaine du Cros 2006 Marcillac (Southwest France) Huge green and red fruit slashed by razors and shards. Difficult to approach without being flayed. (6/08)
Lillian 2004 Syrah (California) Blackberry and dense graphite, with some volatile acidity marring the nose. Anonymous and confected, but a lot of people love this style, and I cant say its not a good expression thereof. (6/08)
Nino Negri 1973 Valtellina Sfursat (Lombardy) Sharp acid and old fruit. Past it. (6/08)
Juge 1985 Cornas Coteaux (Rhne) Meaty but sophisticated, with subtleties. Impressively long. Very good. (6/08)
Pgau 1998 Chteauneuf-du-Pape Cuve Laurence (Rhne) Gorgeous, if shockingly young, with thickly-layered tannin. Needs to return to its rest for a while. (6/08)
Fratelli Barale 1967 Barolo (Piedmont) Dark and dusty. Almost dead, but that last little bit that clings to life is interesting for the brief remaining moments of existence. (6/08)
von Schubertsche 1992 Maximin Grnhuser Herrenberg Riesling Auslese 48 93 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Severe but incredibly long, with metal in cylinder, shard, and liquid forms, all dusted with aspirin. (6/08)
Faller Domaine Weinbach 1994 Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives (Alsace) Heady spiced lychee with light skin tannin. Very intense, as befits the house style, but the structure is considering abandoning this wine; while it will certainly maintain richness for many years (perhaps decades) to come, Id consider drinking it soon for maximum balance. (6/08)
Godineau Domaine des Petits Quarts 1996 Bonnezeaux La Malab (Loire) Creamy aspirin, dried fall leaves still rich with autumnal color, and a bit of tannin for balance. Long and poised. Delicious, but not at the absolute top; a bit more complexity would be needed for that. (6/08)
JJ Prm 1995 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 08 96 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Carries the lithe lightness of a kabinett, with the power of its full pradikat held in reserve. Gorgeous balance. But its an infant. An embryo. (6/08)
Jessey Domaine du Closel 1997 Savennires Moelleux Cuve Isa (Loire) Quite literally smells like garbage. The palate is chalky and rough, with a mineralistic aspect, and while the wine comes off as dry theres a thickness that can only come from the sugar. However, the wine is so utterly aromatically repellent that only the nasally-challenged could even contemplate actually putting it in their mouth. (6/08)
Baumard 1997 Savennires (Loire) White asparagus and green apples in a soup. Very thick, acid-deficient, but decent nonetheless, and still holding up OK. I see no reason to hold it longer, however. (6/08)
Zidarich 2005 Carso Vitovska (Friuli Venezia Giulia) Cloudy as hell, and full of red fruit, soda water, and salted lemongrass. Such incredible texture (like balsa wood, says someone). Stunning, but breathtakingly unconventional. (6/08)
Wittmann 1997 Westhofener Steingrube Albalonga Auslese 006 98 (Rheinhessen) Sweet tropical fruit. Simple and pure in its intent, with good acidity. (6/08)
Bernard Schwach Domaine du Moulin de Dusenbach 2004 Riesling Schlossberg (Alsace) Piercing, high-minded and treble-toned minerality comes off the wine in flakes. Long and really, really good. (6/08)
Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve (Langenlois) Grass (with dew) and wet green apple. Ripe and fruity (mostly lemon), with big acidity. Fine, but a bit obvious. (6/08)
Trimbach 2003 Riesling Cuve M (Alsace) Really intense, with a silk-and-satin texture, and coiled minerality within. That anyone could produce a wine of this poise in 2003 is baffling; that a winery that could is Trimbach is completely unsurprising. (6/08)
Serge Mathieu 1996 Champagne Brut (Champagne) Fruity tonic water and tart heirloom apple. Theres a bit of Makrut lime rind, as well. Nice.(6/08)
Dnnhoff 2006 Kreuznacher Krtenpfuhl Riesling Sptlese 09 07 (Nahe) Petrol and wet soil, naked and yet refreshed by balanced sweetness. Still, this lacks the precision and definition Id like; its a good wine, but not a very good wine. (6/08)
Deiss 2000 Schoenenbourg (Alsace) Very sweet and diffuse, though theres nice enough acidity. Long but pointless, and the finishs duration is the chief one might say the only feature of this wine. (6/08)
Alesia 2006 Pinot Noir (Green Valley) Gorgeous and complex, bringing dark berries forth in a vivid essence. Pure and long. Yow. (6/08)
Jaboulet 1990 Hermitage La Chapelle (Rhne) Corked. (6/08)
Alesia 2006 Pinot Noir Falstaff Road (Sonoma Coast) A bit heavy, with good black fruit struggling to get through a clumsy structure. Time might help; it certainly couldnt hurt. (6/08)
dAngerville 1997 Volnay Clos des Ducs (Burgundy) Complex and beautifully balanced, with a long finish buoyed by good acidity and the character of a deep, fruit-ridden Burgundian soil sample. (6/08)
Teulier Domaine du Cros 2006 Marcillac (Southwest France) Huge green and red fruit slashed by razors and shards. Difficult to approach without being flayed. (6/08)
Lillian 2004 Syrah (California) Blackberry and dense graphite, with some volatile acidity marring the nose. Anonymous and confected, but a lot of people love this style, and I cant say its not a good expression thereof. (6/08)
Nino Negri 1973 Valtellina Sfursat (Lombardy) Sharp acid and old fruit. Past it. (6/08)
Juge 1985 Cornas Coteaux (Rhne) Meaty but sophisticated, with subtleties. Impressively long. Very good. (6/08)
Pgau 1998 Chteauneuf-du-Pape Cuve Laurence (Rhne) Gorgeous, if shockingly young, with thickly-layered tannin. Needs to return to its rest for a while. (6/08)
Fratelli Barale 1967 Barolo (Piedmont) Dark and dusty. Almost dead, but that last little bit that clings to life is interesting for the brief remaining moments of existence. (6/08)
von Schubertsche 1992 Maximin Grnhuser Herrenberg Riesling Auslese 48 93 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Severe but incredibly long, with metal in cylinder, shard, and liquid forms, all dusted with aspirin. (6/08)
Faller Domaine Weinbach 1994 Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives (Alsace) Heady spiced lychee with light skin tannin. Very intense, as befits the house style, but the structure is considering abandoning this wine; while it will certainly maintain richness for many years (perhaps decades) to come, Id consider drinking it soon for maximum balance. (6/08)
Godineau Domaine des Petits Quarts 1996 Bonnezeaux La Malab (Loire) Creamy aspirin, dried fall leaves still rich with autumnal color, and a bit of tannin for balance. Long and poised. Delicious, but not at the absolute top; a bit more complexity would be needed for that. (6/08)
JJ Prm 1995 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 08 96 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) Carries the lithe lightness of a kabinett, with the power of its full pradikat held in reserve. Gorgeous balance. But its an infant. An embryo. (6/08)
