Frick 2005 Muscat (Alsace) Muscat through a filter, with its perfumes and exotica dominated by a firm acidic core. Dry. This would all be fine, except that within an hour of opening the wine rather rapidly oxidizes, turning absolutely undrinkably so by hour two. I want to like this producer, given the admirable vineyard work, but wine after wine is, for me, a massive disappointment. Or, like this, an abject failurethough of course, other bottles may perform differently (such are the blessings and curses of natural wines). (10/08)
Trimbach 2003 Pinot Gris Rserve (Alsace) Not entirely insipid, but thats about all that can be said. Theres very, very wan pear, and a bit of spare minerality, and an even more useless gesture in the direction of spice. Had I not seen the bottle, Id think this was one of Hugels more useless mass-market products. Or Wolfberger. As a Trimbach even from 2003 its a failure, though I suppose a ngociant cant fail to release their core wines. Avoid. (10/08)
Bellotti Cascina degli Ulivi 2006 Gavi (Piedmont) Asian pear overwhelmed with spice (turmeric, white pepper, mace, clove), zingy and attention-dominating, yet somehow energetically affable and mild-mannered under study. This is a gorgeous, life-affirming blend of complexity and ease, simplicity and sophistication, appeal and mystery. And its only the basic bottling; the winery has better stuff in reserve. Thats tremendous work. (10/08)
Monastero Suore Cistercensi S.O. Trappiste 2005 Coenobium (Lazio) Deliciously weird; vivid and fetid, vibrant and snoozy, white and reddish. Every sip is something new, and while each of those new experiences isnt always uncomplicatedly enjoyable, the overall impression is one of compelling, complex elusivenessquite a feat for such a present wine. Everyone will not love, or even like, this. But I do. (9/08)
Edmunds St. John 2007 Heart of Gold (El Dorado County) Very cranky when opened, not showing any of the fun fruit, structure, or aromatics I expect. Damaged? Probably not, given the source; perhaps just a weird bottle. (9/08)
Edmunds St. John 2002 blonk! (Paso Robles) Drinking very well, with moderate stone fruit resolving into something in the spiced stone (as in: rocks) realm, better acidity than one expects from the Rhnish grapes involved, and a long, come-back-for-more finish. (9/08)
Tablas Creek 2006 Ctes de Tablas Blanc (Paso Robles) Grasping for easy acceptance, which it achieves with a quenching blend of stone fruit and citrus, yet blending salts and rocks into the palate that promise further development and a more sophisticated form of excitement down the road. Delish. (9/08)
Tablas Creek 2006 Ctes de Tablas Blanc (Paso Robles) Approachable and puppy-like in its drinkability, showing a garden of fruit trees (white apricot, white grapefruit, yellow plum) with all its varietal fatness braced and beaten back by fine acidity; a true accomplishment with the grapes in question. I could and probably will drink a lot of this. Will I hold it? Only by accident, though I dont doubt it will develop for a few years. (10/08)
Pighin 2005 Grave Pinot Grigio (Friuli) Theres an initial appeal of grapefruit and green grape, but the palate turns to plastic and paint, and theres no temperature at which the wine can be improved. Not as insipid a drink as some mass-market pinot grigios, but rather painful nonetheless. (10/08)
Trimbach 2003 Pinot Gris Rserve (Alsace) Not entirely insipid, but thats about all that can be said. Theres very, very wan pear, and a bit of spare minerality, and an even more useless gesture in the direction of spice. Had I not seen the bottle, Id think this was one of Hugels more useless mass-market products. Or Wolfberger. As a Trimbach even from 2003 its a failure, though I suppose a ngociant cant fail to release their core wines. Avoid. (10/08)
Bellotti Cascina degli Ulivi 2006 Gavi (Piedmont) Asian pear overwhelmed with spice (turmeric, white pepper, mace, clove), zingy and attention-dominating, yet somehow energetically affable and mild-mannered under study. This is a gorgeous, life-affirming blend of complexity and ease, simplicity and sophistication, appeal and mystery. And its only the basic bottling; the winery has better stuff in reserve. Thats tremendous work. (10/08)
Monastero Suore Cistercensi S.O. Trappiste 2005 Coenobium (Lazio) Deliciously weird; vivid and fetid, vibrant and snoozy, white and reddish. Every sip is something new, and while each of those new experiences isnt always uncomplicatedly enjoyable, the overall impression is one of compelling, complex elusivenessquite a feat for such a present wine. Everyone will not love, or even like, this. But I do. (9/08)
Edmunds St. John 2007 Heart of Gold (El Dorado County) Very cranky when opened, not showing any of the fun fruit, structure, or aromatics I expect. Damaged? Probably not, given the source; perhaps just a weird bottle. (9/08)
Edmunds St. John 2002 blonk! (Paso Robles) Drinking very well, with moderate stone fruit resolving into something in the spiced stone (as in: rocks) realm, better acidity than one expects from the Rhnish grapes involved, and a long, come-back-for-more finish. (9/08)
Tablas Creek 2006 Ctes de Tablas Blanc (Paso Robles) Grasping for easy acceptance, which it achieves with a quenching blend of stone fruit and citrus, yet blending salts and rocks into the palate that promise further development and a more sophisticated form of excitement down the road. Delish. (9/08)
Tablas Creek 2006 Ctes de Tablas Blanc (Paso Robles) Approachable and puppy-like in its drinkability, showing a garden of fruit trees (white apricot, white grapefruit, yellow plum) with all its varietal fatness braced and beaten back by fine acidity; a true accomplishment with the grapes in question. I could and probably will drink a lot of this. Will I hold it? Only by accident, though I dont doubt it will develop for a few years. (10/08)
Pighin 2005 Grave Pinot Grigio (Friuli) Theres an initial appeal of grapefruit and green grape, but the palate turns to plastic and paint, and theres no temperature at which the wine can be improved. Not as insipid a drink as some mass-market pinot grigios, but rather painful nonetheless. (10/08)