Bill Buitenhuys
Bill Buitenhuys
2006 Domaine Bourillon Dorlans Vouvray Sec Vieilles Vignes La Coule d'Argent (Loire) This is a new producer for me and Im glad to have tried it. Its more sec tendre than sec and extremely approachable at this young stage. It has plenty of waxy lemon and spiced pear flavors, good cut, and a brush of minerality. A pleasant acidic tingle on the back end is quite attractive as well.
2003 Domaine Les Hautes Nolles Muscadet Ctes de Grandlieu (Loire) Another producer I havent tried before. Quite fruit forward and rather round as one might expect from the vintage but the leesy melon flavors are intense and lengthy. Its lacking in salinity, mineral intensity, and acidity that I want in a muscadet, but again, thats not surprising. (After 2 weeks in the fridge this has much more of an acidic cut and isn't bad at all).
1996 Marqus de Riscal Rioja Gran Reserva (Rioja) Opened 4hrs prior to dinner (no decant), cork soaked all the way through. Intense aromas of fallen trees, damp dropped leaves, and dried violets leads into a wonderfully rich mouthful of silky dark sweet fruit and gritty tannins. The backend has a firm acidic lift and leaves with a bittersweet cherry trail. The last glass showed more rose water /floral tones and took on some cocoa powder flavor mixed with the fruit. Aromatically seductive now with no need to rush to open.
1971 Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Gran Reserva (Montilla-Moriles) Ultra thick fig and raisin pie flavors with a welcomed splash of black tea and cardamom. Its super sweet but it does have decent cut so as to not make it cloying. A little goes a long way though.
In Monterey
2004 Ventana Vineyards Due Amici (Arroyo Seco) This 50/50 blend of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon started with some high toned cherry aroma then tasted like red and dark fruit oozing through a Band-Aid. Its sharply acidic with some tongue searing heat finishing with a mouth full of fine grit tannins.
2003 Pietra Santa Sangiovese (Cienega Valley) Tart raw cranberry and sour cherry explosion that is enticing in its brightness but a bit hot at first. Over time, the heat mellows to rather attractive macerated cherries, licorice, hint of tobacco and a chalky mineral core.
Not in Monterey
2005 Domaine d'Orfeuilles Vouvray Les Coudraies (Loire) A very pleasing demi-sec with lovely lemony waxiness and floral tones and a rich texture that is still showing layers of babyfat over its acidic and mineral core. Quite enjoyable now but a bit round. On Day 2 (left without cork in the fridge) this wine is really beautiful. Its taken on more body and wooliness, the fruit is vibrant, and the acidity has pushed through. Hold for 3+ years for next bottle.
2001 Cline Cellars Zinfandel Live Oak Vineyard (Contra Costa County) This has matured into quite an elegant zin. In its youth it was exceedingly tannic and aggressive but it now shows subtle dried herbs and dried lilacs aromas and still has plenty of zin-berry flavors transitioning to a robust but finely grained tannic structure. The herby fruit finish is lovely as well.
2007 Fontanafredda Barbera Briccotondo (Piedmont) I love to find truffle notes in Piedmont wines but Im thinking tuber not confection. This was like letting a cinnamon dusted milk chocolate truffle melt in your mouth. The cherry fruit pushed forward over time and there was enough acidity to give it enough lift for red sauce but that chocolate core is far too distracting to make it something Id want again.
2003 Domaine Les Hautes Nolles Muscadet Ctes de Grandlieu (Loire) Another producer I havent tried before. Quite fruit forward and rather round as one might expect from the vintage but the leesy melon flavors are intense and lengthy. Its lacking in salinity, mineral intensity, and acidity that I want in a muscadet, but again, thats not surprising. (After 2 weeks in the fridge this has much more of an acidic cut and isn't bad at all).
1996 Marqus de Riscal Rioja Gran Reserva (Rioja) Opened 4hrs prior to dinner (no decant), cork soaked all the way through. Intense aromas of fallen trees, damp dropped leaves, and dried violets leads into a wonderfully rich mouthful of silky dark sweet fruit and gritty tannins. The backend has a firm acidic lift and leaves with a bittersweet cherry trail. The last glass showed more rose water /floral tones and took on some cocoa powder flavor mixed with the fruit. Aromatically seductive now with no need to rush to open.
1971 Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Gran Reserva (Montilla-Moriles) Ultra thick fig and raisin pie flavors with a welcomed splash of black tea and cardamom. Its super sweet but it does have decent cut so as to not make it cloying. A little goes a long way though.
In Monterey
2004 Ventana Vineyards Due Amici (Arroyo Seco) This 50/50 blend of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon started with some high toned cherry aroma then tasted like red and dark fruit oozing through a Band-Aid. Its sharply acidic with some tongue searing heat finishing with a mouth full of fine grit tannins.
2003 Pietra Santa Sangiovese (Cienega Valley) Tart raw cranberry and sour cherry explosion that is enticing in its brightness but a bit hot at first. Over time, the heat mellows to rather attractive macerated cherries, licorice, hint of tobacco and a chalky mineral core.
Not in Monterey
2005 Domaine d'Orfeuilles Vouvray Les Coudraies (Loire) A very pleasing demi-sec with lovely lemony waxiness and floral tones and a rich texture that is still showing layers of babyfat over its acidic and mineral core. Quite enjoyable now but a bit round. On Day 2 (left without cork in the fridge) this wine is really beautiful. Its taken on more body and wooliness, the fruit is vibrant, and the acidity has pushed through. Hold for 3+ years for next bottle.
2001 Cline Cellars Zinfandel Live Oak Vineyard (Contra Costa County) This has matured into quite an elegant zin. In its youth it was exceedingly tannic and aggressive but it now shows subtle dried herbs and dried lilacs aromas and still has plenty of zin-berry flavors transitioning to a robust but finely grained tannic structure. The herby fruit finish is lovely as well.
2007 Fontanafredda Barbera Briccotondo (Piedmont) I love to find truffle notes in Piedmont wines but Im thinking tuber not confection. This was like letting a cinnamon dusted milk chocolate truffle melt in your mouth. The cherry fruit pushed forward over time and there was enough acidity to give it enough lift for red sauce but that chocolate core is far too distracting to make it something Id want again.