Browse Month

December 2007

Here comes Montsant aClaus

Sin-Ley 2004 “G-2” Garnacha Montsant “Afinus” (Cataluña) – Very structured, with a ripe bisque of fine particulate lead forming a rich, velvety envelopment of tannin. The core isn’t much less thick, which dark plum and chokecherry dominating. This feels a lot like a Priorat, though it lacks the deformities (natural or artificial) that so often afflict the pricier, more cultish bottlings from that appellation. I think time will be very kind to this wine, but it has a certain sort of primary appeal now…though it will need something fleshy to battle back the tannin. (12/07)

Alta states

Sin-Ley 2005 “G-3” Garnacha Terra Alta “Caliu” (Cataluña) – Very structured, yet the overall impression is quite light. Well, perhaps that’s not quite correct. The flavors are heavy, mostly inhabiting a mildly sticky realm of burgundy-colored cherries and spirit-infused strawberries, but the wine itself is neither sticky nor particular fruity. If anything, it’s over-structured for what’s inside. There’s highly present acidity as well. Is this just too young, needing time to integrate? Or is it permanently discombobulated? I suspect the latter, but it’s still not an unpleasant drink (though it needs food). (12/07)

Bubb-ley

Sin-Ley 2005 “G-5” Garnacha Vinos de Madrid “Puerta Bonita” (Central Spain) – Spontaneously refermented. (12/07)

Winter Solstice

[bottle]Clos du Paradis “Domaine Viret” 1999 Vin de Pays Porte de Méditerranée “Solstice” (Rhône) – Aromatically, this is dominated by its deep, sweaty, slightly animalistic mourvèdre…a grape that is, here, pretty close to mature and drinking beautifully, albeit in a sort of anti-fruit fashion. The problem, however, is that the cabernet sauvignon and merlot still have a firm grip on the wine’s structure, which shows very little signs of resolving anytime soon. Nor are those grapes’ aromatics much developed. The result is a wine with more than a little unwelcome bipolarity. I don’t know what the solution is, other than to not do things like blending mourvèdre and grenache with cabernet and merlot. (12/07)

Chouffe off

[rotating chouffes]La Chouffe Golden Ale (Belgium) – Classic Belgian spice, wheat and old golden apples, with a powdery undercurrent and a fine, aggressive finish. Terrific. (12/07)

La Chouffe “Mc Chouffe” Brown Ale (Belgium) – Bronzed wheat, spice, froth and texture with a bitter, coffee-like sheen…not too much, though. However, the finish is a little bit on the watery side. (12/07)

La Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel “Houblan” (Belgium) – Intense and heavy creamed spice, molten iron, and caramelized apple. Very dense, but despite all that weight it finishes slightly short. Still quite good, nonetheless. (12/07)

Huggy bear

[vineyard]Hugg 2006 Pinot Blanc (Alsace) – Pear and thin apricot, which are fine as far as they go. But why is this so sweet? Someone like Boxler gets away with this sort of residual sugar because their wines are so intense and laden with flavor. This, on the other hand, is a traditionally light-bodied pinot blanc, and the sugar just makes it taste insipid. (12/07)

Happy holidays

If you’re currently standing around telling your friends and family how much they’ve disappointed you this year, then ignore this message. Otherwise, happy holidays (in whatever form you’re celebrating them…even not at all), and best wishes. The oenoLogician hopes everyone is drinking well.

And if not, he’s determined to do so for you. He feels it’s the least he can do, you know…

Vapor Barrère

Barrère “Clos de la Vierge” 2005 Jurançon Sec (Southwest France) – Very crisp, but the acidity has a refinement and place to it, and the rest of the wine exists in service to it…yet the wine is not dominated by its acidity. It’s hard to describe, I guess. There’s a beautiful, washed-granite starkness to this, and yet the palate is full of rocky generosity, with little alpine flowers clinging to the rock face. Long, exquisitely poised, and rather breathtaking. (12/07)

Chemistry or Alkoomi?

[bottle]Alkoomi 2007 Riesling (Frankland River) – Good solid riesling, on the fruity side, with big acidity. That’s the template for Aussie riesling, for better or worse, and that’s what’s offered here. There’s some makrut lime and the faintest hint of a mineral underpinning, but young Australian riesling is more about its acidity than almost any another version of this variety, anywhere. It’s baffling, really, in the context of everything else export markets see from this country. With the right food, this is a lot of fun. (12/07)

Crazy in pink

JP Brun 2006 Beaujolais “Rosé d’Folie” (Beaujolais) – For a good hour or so, this is cranky and difficult; there’s nothing specific that’s wrong with it, exactly, it just doesn’t want to play…nicely or otherwise. Afterwards, however, matters change. Striking, almost masculine floral aromas over red fruit and juicy, fresh-plucked-berry acidity form the core of this wine, but there’s a brownish-grey tint to it as well (not visually, organoleptically), one that adds a certain discord of solemnity. A wine worthy of more examination than most will give a rosé, certainly, but it does need air. (12/07)