Browse Month

July 2009

Cantarutti-toot toot

Cantarutti 2006 Colli Orientali del Friuli Ribolla Gialla (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) – Pretty classic, straightforward ribolla, with the weight, skin tones, and mild oxidation one expects. A little leafy tarragon, old rocks, a yellowish haze…it’s all there. The finish is short. A basic wine. (7/09)

Careful with that axe

Eugène Meyer 2007 Gewurztraminer (Alsace) – There’s a hint of skin bitterness underneath the stone fruit, which I like, and some icy minerality, which I really like. The tradeoff is, of course, less intense and sticky fruit than the norm, but it’s still plenty aggressive…there’s no leeching that from the grape…nor is it entirely dry, though it can pass in a pinch and with the right (covering) food-sweetness. This is by no means a “great” gewürztraminer, but it is a pleasant one. (7/09)

Tablas of contents

[label]Tablas Creek 2006 “Côtes de Tablas” Red (Paso Robles) – Though it’s no longer the bargain it once was, and there’s a good argument to be made that it’s not really worth the premium over similarly-styled Côtes-du-Rhône, it’s hard to deny the persistent quality and drinkability of this wine, which varies in complexity but gains a bit more polish with every passing year. All the purple, blue, red, and black fruits one could wish for, alongside earth and herb, and finishing with a pepper-dust grace note, yet smooth, round, and always ready with an extended, welcoming approachability. Californian, for sure, but neither brawny nor explosive…whether this is French-influenced winemaking or just an in-house preference doesn’t much matter; the wine is what it is. Very consistent, solid wine, and an easy case purchase for anyone interested in a wine on which they can rely. (7/09)

The sound of winemaking

Kreydenweiss 2005 Costières de Nîmes “Perrières” (Rhône) – Starting to lighten, which either indicates a coming closed stage or ongoing maturation; this wine hasn’t existed long enough for me to be sure. The fruit is dark and chewy nonetheless, there’s good structure that’s of a more brittle nature than is common from the region, and while the temptation is to attribute this to the sensibilities of an Alsatian winemaker, the reality is that it just may be a function of this particular site. Anyway, there would seem to be promise here, but with the right animal flesh it’s pretty tasty now…just don’t expect any complexity as of yet. (7/09)

Needle

Crochet 2008 Sancerre Pinot Rosé (Loire) – Zapped raspberry and strawberry husk, with powdery layers of dusty minerality and some green leaves in the mix. It’s nice enough, but it never really goes anywhere interesting; still, it lacks the balance issues that plague so many rosés. (7/09)

Research

[bottle]Ken Forrester “Petit” 2008 Chenin Blanc (Stellenbosch) – Sweet apricot and a hint of banana skin, but not a tropical fruit-salad wine; rather, sunny, polished, and summery fruit, clean and simple. There’s just enough acid, and maybe even the suggestion of chalk…though that may be self-suggestion. A wine for now, now, now. (7/09)

Bernede to the ground

Bernede “Clos La Coutale” 2005 Cahors (Southwest France) – Very tannic and muffled, as one would expect at this stage. What fruit is perceptible is dark, stewish, and almost espresso-like, but there are also some intriguing aromatics that struggle through the insulation. There’s little point in drinking this now. (7/09)

ZZ Top

[cellar]Bernard Baudry 2007 Chinon “Les Granges” (Loire) – Roughly chopped herbs and bits of earth with dark green-tinged fruit. Not a cocktail wine, but highly versatile with food. Balanced and lightly-structured for short-term aging. (7/09)

Getty

[vineyard]Pirie “South” 2006 “Estelle” (Tasmania) – 50% riesling, 30% gewürztraminer, 20% pinot gris. An aperitif-styled chilly chugger of a wine, full of crystal sweetness and pretty, almost icy fruit. No complexity, but I doubt any was desired. A wine for laughter. (7/09)

Ink

[bottle]Lustau “East India Solera” Sherry (Jerez) – Not as powerfully sweet as the initial whack of molten brown sugar suggests, perhaps because a thin acidity and faint haze of oxidation combat the syrup. That said, it’s still a very sweet wine…a brown sweetness that bridges the shoulder between the leafy decay of fall and the woodsmoke of a winter fireplace. Though to be honest, it’s less interesting than that. (7/09)