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TN: Hairy Potter

Kalin 1996 Semillon (Livermore Valley) – Lightly oxidized, but in a good way, with waxy Rainier cherry, preserved citrus rind, gravel and honeysuckle slashed by cider. The density is striking, as is the acidity, but if there’s a flaw it’s that the wine is a bit hot for the form. It won’t be for everyone, but I like it. I think. (5/07)

Kalin 1990 Sauvignon Blanc “Reserve” (Potter Valley) – Flop sweat and sweet, metal-encased apples and pine. There’s a strongly insistent note of old Sherry wood as well. This draws raves from everyone but me; I think it’s very good, but that it has reached that asymptotic old wine stage where everything tastes the same. It’s not bad because it’s at that point, but it’s not declarative either. (5/07)

TN: Fleetwood Mac

Silver Springs 2003 Delaware (Seneca Lake) – Served blind; I think I guess some sort of fruit wine. It would have been preferable to somehow mask the taste rather than the label, as this shows fermented lemon-lime Pixy Stix and other sticky, sour candies, and watermelon Jolly Rancher with too much sweetness and disjointed acidity. Blech. And the less said about the owner, the better. (5/07)

TN: Just the Fiacre, ma’am

[label]Chartogne-Taillet 1996 Champagne Brut “Fiacre” (Champagne) – Geranium and sand, with funereal white flowers obscuring the nose. Eventually, the palate struggles through, showing tangerine, bleached cherries and a vanilla/marshmallow thickening on the finish. Interesting. (6/07)

TN: Edel weiss

Boxler 2002 Edelzwicker “Réserve” (Alsace) – Sundried tomato and minerals with a transparent coal character that softens to something sweaty on the finish. It’s big and slightly clumsy, but again that could be the context; the acid’s fine and the weight much more impressive for a blend of this type. Still, this is the lowest end of Boxler’s range, and there’s a reason. (6/07)

TN: I rancia so far away

[bottle]Fèlsina “Berardenga” 1995 Chianti Classico Riserva “Rancia” (Tuscany) – Whipped strawberries squeezed into granite. Very structured, with thick, barky tannin, but of a texturally appealing kind…coarse-grained satin, perhaps. This is a beautiful wine showing signs of both primary fruit and developing maturity, and I don’t think it’s anywhere near done aging. It’s on the more muscular side, certainly, but gives up nothing essential for it. (6/07)

TN: Hommage blanc

Trimbach 1996 Pinot Gris “Hommage de Georgette Trimbach” (Alsace) – Molten blended metals, pear juice and huge acidity with a finish that recedes back to purely metallic firmness despite the midpalate crescendo of residual sugar. Contrary to some recent reports from friends, I don’t think this is anywhere near maturity, as it still seems more primary than developed; for example, spice hasn’t really entered the picture as yes. But the structure is as shockingly brilliant as it has always been, and I still expect great things down the road. (6/07)

TN: Bella up to the bar

[label]Bella 2004 Zinfandel Big River Ranch (Alexander Valley) – 15%. Huge. Thick blackberry and boysenberry sludge with plenty of spreadable oak, yet it’s “balanced” in that strange, youthful-but-ageable zin fashion. It’s a bit much to take right now, but with a decade or so, I think pretty much everyone will be happy. It tastes a lot like a Dashe zin, or a Ridge, and there’s a reason for that… (6/07)

TN: Rocky Recougne

[château]Milhade “Château Recougne” 2003 Bordeaux Supérieur (Bordeaux) – A thick, sludgy fruit stew of blackberries and blueberries with some velvety tannin but not even the vaguest hint of acidity or balance. In other words, a typical 2003. (6/07)

TN: All sass

[vineyard]Kuentz-Bas 2004 Alsace (Alsace) – Fully-knit, showing light mineral spice, pear skin and good acidity underneath a thin but dense layer of weight. This is probably peaking right now; Alsace in précis. (6/07)

TN: Tempier worker

[vineyard]Peyraud “Domaine Tempier” 1993 Bandol (Provence) – A wine that writhes, spreads and coats…from the initial squirt of bubblegum to old, mildewed morels and a hearty dusting of cocoa on the finish. The acidity is high by modern standards, the tannin is still present and will probably go unresolved as this wine goes softly into its good night, but the fruit is almost surprisingly clean; lovers of the funk will be mildly disappointed. They shouldn’t be, as this is a lovely wine in the very early stages of its retirement. (5/07)