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thor iverson

Writer, educator, communicator, consultant. Wine, spirits, food, cocktails, dining, travel. Authoring a book on the sensorial theory of wine & cheese pairing.

Fontodi’s wild ride

[fontodi]Fontodi 1995 Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany) — Dust and strawberry charcoal with a sharply exposed spine of tannin. Probably a few years past peak, but the lingering aromatics are as soil-driven as one could ever want. (11/16)

This time it’s Personnelle

[trimbach]Trimbach 1997 Pinot Gris “Réserve Personnelle” (Alsace) — There’s a lot not going on here. Over the hill with entirely present oxidation, so while it’s possible other bottles will be more intact, it’s also possible this is premoxed (though I usually date Trimbach’s problems with premox to ’98, not ’97). (11/16)

Border Colli

[galea rosso]i Clivi 2000 Colli Orientali del Friuli Galea Rosso (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) — Keening, yearning fruit poised between supple lusciousness and Alpine brittleness. This is really good right now, though I don’t think there’s any hurry, either. (11/16)

Head boy

[tête]Michel Tête “Domaine du Clos du Fief” 2004 Juliénas (Beaujolais) — Rich and dark and about 75% “pinotted,” this is still Juliénas but it’s a little trickier to say it’s gamay any longer. Mature sexuality. (11/16)

CVV

[clos des briords]Ollivier “La Pépière” 2004 Muscadet Sèvre & Maine Sur Lie Clos des Briords “Cuvée Vieilles Vignes” (Loire) — Broad and deep. As purely intellectual a vinous exercise as I’ve encountered in some time; all the pleasure to be found from drinking this requires attention and understanding. There’s no way this would ever be appealing to the soif crowd, unless they’re absolutely prepared for the experience. All that said, it’s brilliant wine at the top of its game. (11/16)

Heads Leeuwin, tails you lose

[leeuwin estate]Leeuwin Estate “Art Series” 1999 Shiraz (Margaret River) — Blackberry syrup and soy. I suppose this has aged, but my memory is that it was less sludgy in its youth. It’s in no danger of cliff-diving, so I suppose it might be interesting to see where it goes from here. (11/16)

Myrna Loi

[nùo]Loi “Nùo” 2013 Vermentino di Sardegna (Sardinia) — Skin contact, with all the leveling, asymptotic effects that portends. It’s still more refreshing than Dettori (isn’t everything? well, except Cornelissen), but it’s very heavy, and I’m not seeing the vermentino here. All that aside, I like it, in its lead-on-the-tongue sort of way. (11/16)

Lapalu, see? I’m home!

[lapalu]Lapalu 2014 Brouilly La Croix des Rameaux (Beaujolais) — Almost breathtakingly pretty. Crushed berries (some exotic cousin of the cherry) edged with flowers so bright they glow like neon. Lovely. (11/16)

Clissondo

[clisson]La Pépière 2009 Muscadet Sèvre & Maine Clisson (Loire) — Two bottles. First is partially oxidized, likely due to cork failure. Second is tentative and restrained; an infinite blank plane of unwillingness. I’m not sure how to judge its future, given these performances. (11/16)

Gates

[mcfadden]McFadden 2013 Gewürztraminer (Potter Valley) — Acrid, sweaty, mean. Only a little bit of snappish apricot rind gives any indication that this is gewürztraminer. Poor. (11/16)