One night at a wine bar in Boston

Robert Vodicka

Robert Vodicka
At Bin 26 on July 23, 2011

Both from by-the-glass bottles at the bar.

2008 Ferrando La Torrazza Erbaluce di Caluso

Had been wanting to try this for a while. Unfortunately, it disappointed me. "Rich" and oily - not my thing. Bartender said there were green apples on the nose but I couldn't find them. Really wanted something with that kind of acidity because without it, this was flabby.

2007 Coturri Carignane Testa Vineyard Menodcino County

Bartender tried to warn me off of it until I told him that I knew the wines from Coturri. Barnyard funk, menthol (I associate this characteristic with some of the wines from Musar as well) and acidity to hold it together. Speaks my language. I think of the wines from Coturri and Puzelat as wines from the land that time forgot.
 
originally posted by Robert Vodicka:
One night at a wine bar in BostonAt Bin 26 on July 23, 2011

Both from by-the-glass bottles at the bar.

2008 Ferrando La Torrazza Erbaluce di Caluso

Had been wanting to try this for a while. Unfortunately, it disappointed me. "Rich" and oily - not my thing. Bartender said there were green apples on the nose but I couldn't find them. Really wanted something with that kind of acidity because without it, this was flabby.

2007 Coturri Carignane Testa Vineyard Menodcino County

Bartender tried to warn me off of it until I told him that I knew the wines from Coturri. Barnyard funk, menthol (I associate this characteristic with some of the wines from Musar as well) and acidity to hold it together. Speaks my language. I think of the wines from Coturri and Puzelat as wines from the land that time forgot.
I like your last comment. Neither is my favorite but neither is to be dismissed out of hand.
Best, Jim
 
Two possibilities on the '08 Erbaluce. My first batch purchased a year ago (or a bit more?) was excellent and had plenty of snap/freshness to counterbalance the richer body of the wine. I loved it.

My second, recently purchased batch, has been as you describe. I hesitate to say "premox-ed" but the zing is largely gone, the color has significantly deepened and the wine shows a lot of warm/heavy/over-ripe apple. I like it much less now. So, either the wine just hasn't aged well, or more recently shipped batches of the wine weren't well cared for somewhere along the distribution trail.
 
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