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essays

TN: Blanck fate

[label]Blanck 2002 Gewurztraminer Altenbourg (Alsace) – Intense, sun-baked varietal topnotes of peach and lychee lead to deeper, spicier, more mineralized strata within. This is big and intense, but it’s also structured, and will age very nicely. Right now, it’s still in a fine, open, youthful state, though bottles here and there are starting to close. Soonish, it’ll need a half-dozen years – at least – to show its stuff. (6/07)

TN: Boutin your lip

Boutin “Château La Roque” 2004 Pic Saint-Loup “Cuvée les Vieilles vignes de Mourvèdre (Languedoc) – Ageable and thus in need of decanting, showing dark, fierce fruit and concentrated, leather-clad meat residue amidst a cowboy structure of straps and chaps. A touch untamed, and all the better for it. (6/07)

TN: Dubourdieu-be-do

Dubourdieu “Château Graville-Lacoste” 2005 Graves (Bordeaux) – Whippy green and yellow leaves around bright, ripe lemon and grapefruit, plus a foamy seashore salinity that froths over the just-barely-sufficient structure. This is a little on the ripe side, but it’s a fine effort nonetheless. (6/07)

TN: Mastroberardino of their domain

[label]Mastroberardino 2004 Greco di Tufo “NovaSerra” (Campania) – Surprisingly juicy. Ash-dusted green berries and whitewashed lemon are given lift by slick acidity. It’s a very tasty wine, but somehow seems to lack soul. Maybe age will help matters. (6/07)

TN: Ricky

[label]Texier 2000 Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages St-Gervais (Rhône) – Fully resolved, with a mélange of French underbrush and spiced-with-age old red berries. The texture is somewhat reminiscent of leather, but disintegrated rather than intact, as if everything had shattered into the finest particulate matter possible. A really lovely wine, showing authentic character but modernistic gentility, all in the same package. Synthetic cork, so drink soon; they’re not to be trusted with age. (6/07)

TN: Bach again

Trimbach 2004 Gewurztraminer (Alsace) – Structured, pure, and flavorful, with all the classic gewürztraminer notes paired with fine acidity and a pointed acidic thrust. Delicious. (6/07)

TN: The vatted calf

[bottle]Tyrrell’s 1994 Semillon “Vat 1” (Hunter Valley) – Salty, with mixed white and green melons, lime zest, and a sweet/saline backdrop hanging over a tannic and high-acid structure. The finish is nearly endless. Marvelous! Those who mistakenly think the entire vinous output of Australia runs from massive to gihuginormous should give this a try. It is – apologies to Jamie Goode – a world-class wine. (5/07)

TN: Gravner robber

Gravner 2001 Ribolla Gialla “Amfora” (Venezia Giulia) – Tannic, showing black cherry, mineral salts, and grey-white, chalky earth. (Note for the unclear: this is a white wine.) It’s long, with great balanced and structure; full-bodied and wonderful. A complex masterwork, though I suppose it’s worth noting that it tastes pretty much only of itself. Stunning. (5/07)