Florida Jim
Florida Jim
With a little help/advice from friends, these are the wines arriving now days (all under $25):
2017 Louis Michel, Chablis - utterly Chablis; flint and mineral lead with lemon zest and white fruit filling out the mid-palate; everything supported by a bright acid spine and such lovely overall balance that I am reminded of ballet dancers. About $23 full retail, sealed by screwcap and a wine I can’t have too much of.
(Aside: my tasting of 2017 Chablis has been mostly Michel and, at least at this house, the vintage seems structured and precise with burgeoning complexity.)
2019 Hild, Elbling Trocken - from the upper Mosel (think limestone not slate) this reminds me of Chablis with a touch more fruit and not quite the density. Lovely wine and, if I am informed correctly, there is little of this variety left anywhere.
2017 Vissoux, Fleurie Poncie - delicate but not fragile, obviously Fleurie, pretty accessible now and more finish than the palate suggests. Quite a light wine but a charming one.
2016 Dom. Guisset, Cotes du Roussillon - a perfectly good wine and well made but without any center. A step above pedestrian but just that.
2017 Lafage Bastide Miraflors, Cotes du Roussillon - 14.5% and there’s Grenache in it - that usually sends me packin’. But this is good. Broad, weighty fruit but with a firm tannic grip and ample acid. Good depth and complexity. A hint of ash but no oak in sight. And an intensity I put down to the old vine Syrah. A nice find.
2018 Vajra, Rosso - an old favorite that blends Dolcetto, Barbara and Nebbiolo to create a drink young kind of bottle that is exuberant and soulful. Not too heavy, not too light - just a pleasingly complex but relatively straight-forward delivery.
2017 Fronton de Oro, Tinto - from the Canary Islands with 3 months in barrel. A muscular, smoky, roasted fruit kind of red, that doesn’t get pruny. For heavier fare, red meats, strongly flavored foods and the like. I’m not usually a fan of cooked fruit flavored wines but this one is so authentic and rustic it seems to carry it off.
Best, jim
2017 Louis Michel, Chablis - utterly Chablis; flint and mineral lead with lemon zest and white fruit filling out the mid-palate; everything supported by a bright acid spine and such lovely overall balance that I am reminded of ballet dancers. About $23 full retail, sealed by screwcap and a wine I can’t have too much of.
(Aside: my tasting of 2017 Chablis has been mostly Michel and, at least at this house, the vintage seems structured and precise with burgeoning complexity.)
2019 Hild, Elbling Trocken - from the upper Mosel (think limestone not slate) this reminds me of Chablis with a touch more fruit and not quite the density. Lovely wine and, if I am informed correctly, there is little of this variety left anywhere.
2017 Vissoux, Fleurie Poncie - delicate but not fragile, obviously Fleurie, pretty accessible now and more finish than the palate suggests. Quite a light wine but a charming one.
2016 Dom. Guisset, Cotes du Roussillon - a perfectly good wine and well made but without any center. A step above pedestrian but just that.
2017 Lafage Bastide Miraflors, Cotes du Roussillon - 14.5% and there’s Grenache in it - that usually sends me packin’. But this is good. Broad, weighty fruit but with a firm tannic grip and ample acid. Good depth and complexity. A hint of ash but no oak in sight. And an intensity I put down to the old vine Syrah. A nice find.
2018 Vajra, Rosso - an old favorite that blends Dolcetto, Barbara and Nebbiolo to create a drink young kind of bottle that is exuberant and soulful. Not too heavy, not too light - just a pleasingly complex but relatively straight-forward delivery.
2017 Fronton de Oro, Tinto - from the Canary Islands with 3 months in barrel. A muscular, smoky, roasted fruit kind of red, that doesn’t get pruny. For heavier fare, red meats, strongly flavored foods and the like. I’m not usually a fan of cooked fruit flavored wines but this one is so authentic and rustic it seems to carry it off.
Best, jim
