What did you drink tonight?

originally posted by Terry Angleton:
100 % Gringet (whatever that is)
Autochthonous grape (=> native and not related to anything else). Very little of it in the world. Dom. Belluard is the premier maker of gringet wines, approx. half sparkling and half still.
 
Weger Rosenzauber Magia Rosa Vino Da Tavola Rossa (11% + 2%)

A late harvest rosato sangiovese from Cornaiano in Alto Adige; offered as an after dinner wine, served quite cool, not much sweetness at all, but somewhat rich feeling with a taste of roses and very refreshing. No vintage that I could discern but likely a recent release. And I still love the Italian way of forcing you to do the addition to get an alcohol level.
 
originally posted by Cole Kendall:
Weger Rosenzauber Magia Rosa Vino Da Tavola Rossa (11% + 2%)

A late harvest rosato sangiovese from Cornaiano in Alto Adige; offered as an after dinner wine, served quite cool, not much sweetness at all, but somewhat rich feeling with a taste of roses and very refreshing. No vintage that I could discern but likely a recent release. And I still love the Italian way of forcing you to do the addition to get an alcohol level.

Are you sure it isn't made from Moscato Rosa? Given the location (and your description) . . . I don't even think they are allowed to plant Sangiovese.
 
For the big 50th: 1966 Haut-Batailley Pauillac is in remarkable shape for a fifty-year-old red. Stood it up in the morning, the cork came out whole and it poured clear off its sediment. Still decent color, aromas of truffle, cocoa and raspberry, seamless in the mouth with plenty of fruit and a gentle tannic grip. Opened up nicely over a few hours. Still full of life.

As a back up in case the Bordeaux was shot: 2014 Eminence Road Pinot Noir Seneca Lake is ripe this vintage but still manages some delicacy. Young.

Rare Wine Co. Historic Series Madeira Charleston Sercial Special Reserve: Served a little cold at first but with air it showed nutty caramel and citrus. Quite dry, thank you, with lovely acidity and a long finish. Can only manage a small glass as, sadly, fortified wines reliably give me a headache. Great with a date, almond, chevre and honey dessert.
 
originally posted by mark e:
originally posted by Cole Kendall:
Weger Rosenzauber Magia Rosa Vino Da Tavola Rossa (11% + 2%)

A late harvest rosato sangiovese from Cornaiano in Alto Adige; offered as an after dinner wine, served quite cool, not much sweetness at all, but somewhat rich feeling with a taste of roses and very refreshing. No vintage that I could discern but likely a recent release. And I still love the Italian way of forcing you to do the addition to get an alcohol level.

Are you sure it isn't made from Moscato Rosa? Given the location (and your description) . . . I don't even think they are allowed to plant Sangiovese.

You are probably right; I could not clearly here the waiter's explanation and was relying an a likely faulty wine store web site.
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
Innerestin', O; can you say more? I've never had a red from ze Pithon-Paillé project.

My local branch of vinho desordenado imported some wines for group consumption about three years ago, and I lobbied for Pithon-Paillé whites and reds based on a visit in 2010 (reviews in my Loire report posted at the time, easily trouvable via search motor). In addition to Jo Pithon's justly celebrated Coteau de Treilles, and a few of his lesser chenins, we also imported 2010 Bourgueil Graviers, 2011 Bourgueil Beaux Monts, and 2012 Grololo (mostly groslot, with some gamay), all of which have turned out really well. Though these are négociant reds, they are delicious and superlative bangs-for-the-buck.
 
This was last weekend, but...

2013 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm, from half bottle.
Really pretty and friendly, and absolutely delicious with a few hours' decant. Floral, brown spices, Chinese five-spice, sweetly ripe red fruits of good freshness. Some Rhys pinots feel slightly acid deficient to me, but this isn't one of them. This is really exceptional and complex for such a young wine, and is easily the best Family Farm of those I've tasted. Although non-fucked bottles of the '09 were quite delicious as well.
 
originally posted by Michael Lewis:
2004 Benetiere Cordeloux. Boy is he making great Cote Rotie.
I'm so glad to hear that. My only experience with this vintage was not dissimilar from the worst green-meanie 2004 red Burgundies I've ever had. Tasted like a zinnia stem snapped in two. That character faded a little over a couple of days but the wine never really became drinkable. Hope it was an outlier.
 
We drank a 2004 Otheguy Côte Rotie this week over a couple of days.
It was grumpy and musty and not at all happy to be opened.
Much better the next day. It opened up nicely with a lot of air. Very floral, earthy, but no meat or bacon.
Delicious, but wait until it's 15 at least by this bottle.
 
1998 Chateau Canon de Brem, Canon Fronsac: you can smell the plum skin and tar from across the kitchen. This wine has always been good but tonight it's showing so far beyond it's appellation and price it is mind boggling. All the beautiful secondary flavors and aromas you want from older Bordeaux with endless fruit and an elegant, firm texture. Lingers in the mouth forever. Drink and hold.
 
2013 Occhipinti Frappato 13.0% two nights ago was not corked, but was a bit too serious and high-toned. From my first tastings, I guess I created a preference for this variety to be more light-hearted, a kind of Sicilian Poulsard, and this seemed to aspire to being considered a "great wine."

1996 Lino Maga Oltrepo Pavese Barbacarlo 13.0%, on the other hand, was a bottle of pure joy, slightly frizzy, perfectly acidic, the tertiaries suggesting age, the sprightly body suggesting youth. Danced like a senior citizen staving off the ravages of age, and is available for a pretty penny at your local branch of Chambers St. Wines.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
2013 Occhipinti Frappato 13.0% two nights ago was not corked, but was a bit too serious and high-toned. From my first tastings, I guess I created a preference for this variety to be more light-hearted, a kind of Sicilian Poulsard, and this seemed to aspire to being considered a "great wine."

That delicate version would be COS, which I prefer. I'm wondering if you are using "high-toned" to mean VA, as it is often code for that . . .
 
originally posted by mark e:
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
2013 Occhipinti Frappato 13.0% two nights ago was not corked, but was a bit too serious and high-toned. From my first tastings, I guess I created a preference for this variety to be more light-hearted, a kind of Sicilian Poulsard, and this seemed to aspire to being considered a "great wine."

That delicate version would be COS, which I prefer. I'm wondering if you are using "high-toned" to mean VA, as it is often code for that . . .

Ah, no, perhaps this sort of thing is where I betray the fact that English is not my first language; I was thinking of tony, in a "looking down from above" kind of way.
 
Picked up a copy of this youngster, from the only crop available at Chambers, to sacrifice with reckless immediacy. Beautifully pale and translucent, like a ruby meant for stained glass, not jewelry.

Aromas are still sleepy, showing a bit of cherry and tar. Having committed the imprudence of chewing some caramels an hour before, the acidity seemed to come on too hard, followed by bellowing vandal fruit, finishing slightly lactic, as in yogurt. Having experienced several vintages of this marvel, I know it has a bright future, but at present belongs in a borstal.

Just as my thoughts wander so, the better half, who now and then disagrees, but rarely this much, exclaims: This wine has everything I look for, perfect balance of salty, bitter, sour and sweet; I could spend the whole day sipping this, what a delight! In truth, with savory food, it got better and better, and the last drops were far closer to this second impression.

So, perhaps we have a technical tie today, but undoubtedly a rout in the future, or in a present without caramels.
 
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