Navarro 1997 Gewrztraminer Late Harvest Cluster Select (Anderson Valley) 375 ml., 9.6%. Fully mature, and very impressive, with dark bronzed lychee met in equal measure by freshly-dug black truffle, old peach liqueur (minus the heat), and exotic nut oils. Very sweet, but nicely balanced, long, and laden with spice. (9/08)
JP Brun FRV100 (Beaujolais) I would normally say that I could never get tired of drinking this, but after a summer of doing just that, I find that the persistent sticky character to the fruit is just a little enervating, and despite the unmistakable appeal to those who are having their first encounter with its charms (I served this particular bottle at a non-geek dinner party), Im left bereft of enchantment. This is a very fun wine, but ultimately I think the Renardat-Fache or Bottex Bugey Cerdons are more compelling, perhaps because theyre just less slutty. None of this should be taken as a denouncement of the wine, which is eminently recommendable and incomparably drinkable. Im just full of jaded ennui, and not to my credit. (10/08)
Poverty Lane Farnum Hill 2006 Kingston Black Cider Reserve (New Hampshire) Sweaty and deeply complex, showing skin bitterness, tart but modulating acidity, and a series of metal sheathes around the core of cold apple-osity. Unquestionably the best domestic cider Ive ever tasted, though I havent tasted more than a few dozen. (10/08)
Roederer Estate 25th Anniversary Brut (Anderson Valley) A reliable performer. This version tastes a little more like a balance between ripe chardonnay stone-fruitiness and deeper, redder pinot tones (usually, the wine leans towards its red grapes), and gives the impression of more fatness than it actually possesses; the finish ends up being quite balanced. (9/08)
Villerambert-Julien 2007 Minervois Ros (Languedoc) Sharp, then soft, then anonymous. OKstrawberry, leaves, cranberry, some sun-dried soil, some tomatobut mostly a chug-and-forget ros. Very, very dry, and perhaps not entirely to its benefit. This has been significantly better in other vintages. (10/08)
JP Brun FRV100 (Beaujolais) I would normally say that I could never get tired of drinking this, but after a summer of doing just that, I find that the persistent sticky character to the fruit is just a little enervating, and despite the unmistakable appeal to those who are having their first encounter with its charms (I served this particular bottle at a non-geek dinner party), Im left bereft of enchantment. This is a very fun wine, but ultimately I think the Renardat-Fache or Bottex Bugey Cerdons are more compelling, perhaps because theyre just less slutty. None of this should be taken as a denouncement of the wine, which is eminently recommendable and incomparably drinkable. Im just full of jaded ennui, and not to my credit. (10/08)
Poverty Lane Farnum Hill 2006 Kingston Black Cider Reserve (New Hampshire) Sweaty and deeply complex, showing skin bitterness, tart but modulating acidity, and a series of metal sheathes around the core of cold apple-osity. Unquestionably the best domestic cider Ive ever tasted, though I havent tasted more than a few dozen. (10/08)
Roederer Estate 25th Anniversary Brut (Anderson Valley) A reliable performer. This version tastes a little more like a balance between ripe chardonnay stone-fruitiness and deeper, redder pinot tones (usually, the wine leans towards its red grapes), and gives the impression of more fatness than it actually possesses; the finish ends up being quite balanced. (9/08)
Villerambert-Julien 2007 Minervois Ros (Languedoc) Sharp, then soft, then anonymous. OKstrawberry, leaves, cranberry, some sun-dried soil, some tomatobut mostly a chug-and-forget ros. Very, very dry, and perhaps not entirely to its benefit. This has been significantly better in other vintages. (10/08)