Browse Month

June 2007

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: Kerpen-tine

[vineyard]Kerpen 1995 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese *** 18 96 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Amazingly balanced, with huge acidity and somewhat developed creaminess, yet still with time left (indicated by tart remnants of lemon rind squeezed over rocks). It’s sweet, to be sure, but the acid is such that everything seems better-knit than it might. (6/07)

TN:In heaven there is no beerenauslese

Ernst Bretz 1997 Bechtolsheimer Klosterberg Riesling Beerenauslese (Rheinhessen) – I missed the AP here…21 or 27, something like that, according to my nearly-incomprehensible notes. Anyway, this is curvaceous in a slutty, obvious way, with sharp red apple cider and dark brown sugar. Lots of sugar. Lots of sugar. You’ll note that I’m continually mentioning the sugar because there’s just not that much else to say about it. There’s acid, but not enough, and the whole thing’s a little formless. (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: The Nimes of the Rose

Collard “Château Mourgues du Grès” 2006 Costières de Nimes Rosé “Fleur d’Eglantine” (Rhône) – Light and lightly sweet, with slightly fetid strawberry and raspberry covered in a little more softness than I’d like. With a different label, this might be mistaken for blush. (6/07)

Collard “Château Mourgues du Grès” 2006 Costières de Nimes Rosé “Les Galets Rosés” (Rhône) – Crisp raspberry and red apple, with a touch of volatile acidity and a generally more bracing character than the “Fleur d’Eglantine.” Still, it’s not great rosé. (6/07)

TN: The big enclosure

[bottles]Joguet 2002 Chinon Les Varennes du Grand Clos (Loire) – Surprisingly advanced, showing beautiful balance and poise, but with aromas moving quickly from primary fresh twig, berry skin, and nutshells to something more engagingly earthy and decayed/autumnal. The wine has softened a lot since release, and while there’s enough structure that there’s no need to panic, the quick advancement is puzzling. I’d have thought this would take longer to develop tertiary characteristics. (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: Gewurz of times

Trimbach 2004 Gewurztraminer (Alsace) – Lithe dried lychee, peach skin and bitter cashew oil with a firm, crisp underbelly. Were this not gewürztraminer, it could almost be labeled delicate. Finely poised and balanced, with the apparent ability to age…though I don’t know how much benefit there will ultimately be. (6/07)

TN: Quick Trim

Trimbach 2004 Riesling (Alsace) – Sharply-delineated and strong. A structure of girders – iron and steel – around which are wrapped ripe but flawlessly balanced metallic apples. Brilliant. (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)