Browse Tag

white

Pass the dulce

Los Bermejos Malvasía Dulce (Lanzarote) — Overt minerality, gritty and dark, with a sweetness that graces rather than coats. I love wines like this. (11/16)

This time it’s Personnelle

[trimbach]Trimbach 1997 Pinot Gris “Réserve Personnelle” (Alsace) — There’s a lot not going on here. Over the hill with entirely present oxidation, so while it’s possible other bottles will be more intact, it’s also possible this is premoxed (though I usually date Trimbach’s problems with premox to ’98, not ’97). (11/16)

CVV

[clos des briords]Ollivier “La Pépière” 2004 Muscadet Sèvre & Maine Sur Lie Clos des Briords “Cuvée Vieilles Vignes” (Loire) — Broad and deep. As purely intellectual a vinous exercise as I’ve encountered in some time; all the pleasure to be found from drinking this requires attention and understanding. There’s no way this would ever be appealing to the soif crowd, unless they’re absolutely prepared for the experience. All that said, it’s brilliant wine at the top of its game. (11/16)

Myrna Loi

[nùo]Loi “Nùo” 2013 Vermentino di Sardegna (Sardinia) — Skin contact, with all the leveling, asymptotic effects that portends. It’s still more refreshing than Dettori (isn’t everything? well, except Cornelissen), but it’s very heavy, and I’m not seeing the vermentino here. All that aside, I like it, in its lead-on-the-tongue sort of way. (11/16)

Clissondo

[clisson]La Pépière 2009 Muscadet Sèvre & Maine Clisson (Loire) — Two bottles. First is partially oxidized, likely due to cork failure. Second is tentative and restrained; an infinite blank plane of unwillingness. I’m not sure how to judge its future, given these performances. (11/16)

Gates

[mcfadden]McFadden 2013 Gewürztraminer (Potter Valley) — Acrid, sweaty, mean. Only a little bit of snappish apricot rind gives any indication that this is gewürztraminer. Poor. (11/16)

Levrette Dirksen

[marnes blanches]Domaine des Marnes Blanches 2013 Côtes du Jura Chardonnay “En Levrette” (Jura) — Soulful. Rocks, well-earned sweat, deep amber sunglow. Everything’s present but everything’s elusive. I love this wine. (11/16)

We are bourg. Gewurztraminer is futile.

[blanck]Blanck 2001 Gewurztraminer Altenbourg (Alsace) — Lychee and steel, crystals and bite. Off-dry, for sure, but there’s plenty of acidity. Hold longer? No danger in doing so, but no real reason to either; I don’t think this has bacon in its future. (10/16)

Muscat on a hot tin roof

Boxler 2012 Muscat (Alsace) — Surprisingly reticent for a muscat, taking what used to be a fairly common alternative Alsatian expression of “extremely floral riesling” more seriously than most. (10/16

Auxward states

Blanck 2012 Auxerrois “Viellies Vignes” (Alsace) — Very nervy for auxerrois, which so much more often provides the flesh for pinot blanc’s verve in bottles only labeled the latter. But there is flesh, and weight, and yet it’s the cut that’s so exciting here. Should it age? Auxerrois’ not known as a long ager, but why not? (10/16)