Browse Month

May 2007

TN: Hune are you?

Trimbach 1995 Riesling Clos Ste-Hune (Alsace) – After aggressive decanting and an hour or so warming and aerating in both decanter and glass, this is only just barely getting off the ground. Not unexpected. What’s discernable: oyster shells collected at the base of a hypercube; all slashing angles and sharp acidity shattering the boundaries of dimension. Grapefruit rind, mineral soda – and eventually, with enough air, watermelon and molten steel – provide the core of a dry, dense, absolutely stunning wine that somehow manages to be full-bodied while wrapped up tighter than a prisoner; it’s simultaneously sharp, delicate, massive and light. The finish seems endless. Intense precision in a glass, this is a wine with amplitude. (5/07)

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)

TN: Dutheil-oriented

[vineyard]Couly-Dutheil 1995 Chinon Clos de l’Echo (Loire) – Very herbal (mostly thyme), but juicy, showing soy on the midpalate and a wet, white peppery edge to the tannin that scrapes across the finish. Everything else in this wine seems ripe, but the tannic bite may not be. There’s a feisty meat component as the wine opens, then tarragon and a lovely lavender grace note. The balance here is lovely, but what also stands out is the abruptness of the wine’s decline; three hours after opening, it is dead, dead, dead. So: drink up with pleasure, but do drink up. (5/07)

TN: Ridge line

Ridge 1992 Geyserville (Sonoma County) – Cedar and roasted coconut over zingy red cherries and oat bran. Richly-spiced and mildly tannic, with a pecan-skin punch to the finish. Yet this wine is clearly in the early stages of its decline, showing telltale signs of softness amidst the defiance and lingering aromatics. Drink a few years ago for maximum pleasure. (5/07)

TN: Demi-more

[label]Moncontour 1993 Vouvray Demi-Sec (Loire) – Old wax and mild oxidation…at first. This really needs air, after some of which the midpalate fattens, showing large-scaled dried pineapple and papaya. Underneath is a faded riverbed of rocks and wet chalk. The texture is downy, and though there’s both a very slight touch of softening sweetness and a lot of acid, this shows signs of an early end to its life. Which, because it’s Vouvray, could be anytime over the next two decades. (5/07)

TN: Clivi together

[label]Clivi 2002 Collio Goriziano “Brazan” (Friuli) – Extremely austere and almost tasteless at first opening. As it airs, it develops (very slowly) a magisterial air, regal and refined, showing windblown mineral dust and a powerful crescendo of intensity. The basic error was mine: I should have decanted it for a half-day, at least. Possibly longer. But there’s every indication that this is a stunner, for anyone who can exhibit some patience. (5/07)

TN: Epanomi, by any other name

[vineyard]Gerovassiliou 2004 Malagousia (Epanomi) – Fruit-forward (green melon, grapefruit, some ripe lemon) with floral squeezings and a dominant post-malolactic note. Simultaneously heavy and obvious, it would be a much better wine with a little supporting acidity. (5/07)

TN: Quivira-ing with anticipation

[grapes]Quivira 2002 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley) – Good, sun-roasted berry flavors with a thickening paste of syrupy wood. Why molest good fruit this way? The wine’s not bad for uncritical quaffing, but keener palates won’t enjoy trying to penetrate the sludgy perimeter. (5/07)

TN: Bass, baritone, alto, tenor

[vineyard]Aldo Conterno 1999 Langhe “Quartetto” (Piedmont) – Nebbiolo, barbera, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Dense, structured, heavy and a little tedious. Graceful nebbiolo aromatics dance above the surface, but beneath are thick, somewhat anonymous black cherry, chocolate, thyme, toast and tar solids. The wine doesn’t lack acidity, but it seems unintegrated. As internationalized wines go, this is a good one. But I suspect the nebbiolo alone would have been better. (5/07)

TN: Cognac the magnificent

[bottles]Pierre Ferrand Cognac “1er Cru Réserve” (Southwest France) – Warming, tanned sand and perfectly crisped potato with blended baking spices, old cider and a white pepper edge on the finish. Pretty. (5/07)