wente monterey riverbank riesling 2005 (cali)
gold, a little dark ... oh, oh; pear, golden delicious, honey, bit of kero and sulphur, bit of caramel/old fruit/oxidation; quite rich entry with aforesaid pear/apple (ripe), oxidised fruit flavours, then things vanish; still some acid left in there; short; 13%; dying, bad bottle? or maybe it just cannot last the distance?; FIZZLE!
then another bottle of the loosen bernkastelar lay 07 ... notes consistent with earlier sample but very slighty leaner and with a more mineral feel overall ... but i could be dreaming ... still a BANG!
Showing posts with label us. Show all posts
Showing posts with label us. Show all posts
23 February 2009
10 February 2009
weekend past
1)grand corbin despagne 2005 (75% merlot, 24% cab franc, 1% malbec) [st emilion]
young, almost purple; plum, blackcurrant, smoke, a little vanilla, cedar, mushroom/earth, hint of musk/violets?; follows onto palate, mineral/stones; lots of furry chalky tannins and acid... said young didn't i, and with the fruit it will keep, i happen to like the tannins here; lean kind of feel now; medium bodied and length; 13.5%; BANG!(-)
2)basel cellars cab sav 2002 [walla walla ... i kid you not, washington state]
fruit from 4 different parcels, vinified separately ... blah, blah, blah ...
ruby; plum, blackcurrant, cedar, bit of vanilla, earth/ mushroom, a little funky ... old world like?; clean flavours, ripe fruit on the palate; fine tannins, acid to back that up; medium bodied, longish; 14.5%; BANG!(-); supposedly 100% new wood but pleasently surprised it's not fruit and wood monster.
3)godolphin 2005 (shiraz 80%/ cab 20%) [barossa]
speaking of fruit bombs ...
reddish purple; plum, blackcurrant, cedar, vanilla, hint of cocoa, someone said butterscotch/toffee; cherry, sweet ripe plummy jammy fruit (hmm... 4 adjectives); lotsa fine tannins; acid AWOL; smooth, plump and lush?; medium/heavy bodied with a longish ripe/jammy fruit finish; 14.5%; did i mention ripe? POP! didn't think much of it but others begged to differ. am told this is a big bob fave ... and as a friend would say, hmmm.
4)gunderloch jean baptiste kabinett 2007 [rhinehessen]
straw; lime, bit of peach; off dry, bit lean, mineral; nice sharp acidity; short; 7.5%; ho hum; POP!
5)delas freres crozes hermitage tour d'albon 2005
ruby, purple tinge; initial whiff was really herbal and spicy (long pepper/ green peppercorn very obvious), cherry, grilled meat, sweet; cherry, herbal, meat, someone said bread and butter pudding and apple cider?, clove, balsamic, chalk/mineral/ stone; lot of fine tannins with nice juicy acidity; overall, a wee bit hard now; medium bodied and length, nice herbal finish; 12.5%; nice one; BANG!(+) extremely well priced.
remember "cheap wine"?
young, almost purple; plum, blackcurrant, smoke, a little vanilla, cedar, mushroom/earth, hint of musk/violets?; follows onto palate, mineral/stones; lots of furry chalky tannins and acid... said young didn't i, and with the fruit it will keep, i happen to like the tannins here; lean kind of feel now; medium bodied and length; 13.5%; BANG!(-)
2)basel cellars cab sav 2002 [walla walla ... i kid you not, washington state]
fruit from 4 different parcels, vinified separately ... blah, blah, blah ...
ruby; plum, blackcurrant, cedar, bit of vanilla, earth/ mushroom, a little funky ... old world like?; clean flavours, ripe fruit on the palate; fine tannins, acid to back that up; medium bodied, longish; 14.5%; BANG!(-); supposedly 100% new wood but pleasently surprised it's not fruit and wood monster.
3)godolphin 2005 (shiraz 80%/ cab 20%) [barossa]
speaking of fruit bombs ...
reddish purple; plum, blackcurrant, cedar, vanilla, hint of cocoa, someone said butterscotch/toffee; cherry, sweet ripe plummy jammy fruit (hmm... 4 adjectives); lotsa fine tannins; acid AWOL; smooth, plump and lush?; medium/heavy bodied with a longish ripe/jammy fruit finish; 14.5%; did i mention ripe? POP! didn't think much of it but others begged to differ. am told this is a big bob fave ... and as a friend would say, hmmm.
4)gunderloch jean baptiste kabinett 2007 [rhinehessen]
straw; lime, bit of peach; off dry, bit lean, mineral; nice sharp acidity; short; 7.5%; ho hum; POP!
5)delas freres crozes hermitage tour d'albon 2005
ruby, purple tinge; initial whiff was really herbal and spicy (long pepper/ green peppercorn very obvious), cherry, grilled meat, sweet; cherry, herbal, meat, someone said bread and butter pudding and apple cider?, clove, balsamic, chalk/mineral/ stone; lot of fine tannins with nice juicy acidity; overall, a wee bit hard now; medium bodied and length, nice herbal finish; 12.5%; nice one; BANG!(+) extremely well priced.
remember "cheap wine"?
06 September 2008
the "pros" and the conned
the wine speculum gave their award for excellance to a non-existant restaurant...way to go boys. here
if this can happen, wonder whether they actually go through the thousands of bottles every year before bestowing their ratings...? hmmmm...and even if they did, what about human foibles (aka $$$) entering the equation...?
got to look up "hubris" on the wiki.
if this can happen, wonder whether they actually go through the thousands of bottles every year before bestowing their ratings...? hmmmm...and even if they did, what about human foibles (aka $$$) entering the equation...?
got to look up "hubris" on the wiki.
23 June 2008
last weekend ... very little joy
not a particularly successful one. nothing really refreshing ... not enough acid everywhere.
(A)
1)terramater unusual 2003
had coupla of bottles of chilean. carmenere/shiraz blend. dark red; smooth, big and fruity (plums, raspberries) but with lots of wood and vanilla (that means wood); oh, did i mention wood?; chunks of fruit and chunks of wood; unintergrated and unbalanced; not enough acid; longish with little bitterness at the very end. FIZZLE!
2)ceretto monsordo (la bernadina) 2002
then, a neb with some bourdeux bits blended in. easy, smooth and fruity. somehow a bit dull this time round. FIZZLE!
3)drouhin oregon pinot noir 1999
followed by a pinot. dull deep red; strawberry (hint), plum and cinnamon on the nose; palate of rich plummy fruit; tannins and acid (insufficient) intergrated; smooth and rounded; medium bodied; medium length; medium dull; the last bottle had many months ago was livelier. FIZZLE!
(B) slight relief
1)isole and olena chianti classico 2003
the only only thing that i really enjoyed this weekend. with lunch: pork chop. BANG! [only just, restaurant markup]
(C)
1)petaluma piccadilly chardonnay 2004 [adelaide hills]
being a dumbass, picked a stinking hot year. straw; citrus peel, pear, apple, caramel on the nose; lemon,ripe pear, creme brulee, caramel, wood; rich and buttery but where is the acid to balance things out?; not really dry initially; big mouthfeel; longish; 14.5%! FIZZLE!
an unpleasent drop. flabby and dull. the description on the rear label implied sufficient freshness and acid notwithstanding the boiled grapes that year... liars (croser should be ashamed he put his name on it).
messed up an otherwise simple but lovely (and free) meal of risotto with porcini mushrooms and parmagiano reggiano. this is usually such a superior and consistent drink ... really disapointing. heard ws gave it 92 !???
anyway, 2005's got a stelvin on it. hmmm.
(A)
1)terramater unusual 2003
had coupla of bottles of chilean. carmenere/shiraz blend. dark red; smooth, big and fruity (plums, raspberries) but with lots of wood and vanilla (that means wood); oh, did i mention wood?; chunks of fruit and chunks of wood; unintergrated and unbalanced; not enough acid; longish with little bitterness at the very end. FIZZLE!
2)ceretto monsordo (la bernadina) 2002
then, a neb with some bourdeux bits blended in. easy, smooth and fruity. somehow a bit dull this time round. FIZZLE!
3)drouhin oregon pinot noir 1999
followed by a pinot. dull deep red; strawberry (hint), plum and cinnamon on the nose; palate of rich plummy fruit; tannins and acid (insufficient) intergrated; smooth and rounded; medium bodied; medium length; medium dull; the last bottle had many months ago was livelier. FIZZLE!
(B) slight relief
1)isole and olena chianti classico 2003
the only only thing that i really enjoyed this weekend. with lunch: pork chop. BANG! [only just, restaurant markup]
(C)
1)petaluma piccadilly chardonnay 2004 [adelaide hills]
being a dumbass, picked a stinking hot year. straw; citrus peel, pear, apple, caramel on the nose; lemon,ripe pear, creme brulee, caramel, wood; rich and buttery but where is the acid to balance things out?; not really dry initially; big mouthfeel; longish; 14.5%! FIZZLE!
an unpleasent drop. flabby and dull. the description on the rear label implied sufficient freshness and acid notwithstanding the boiled grapes that year... liars (croser should be ashamed he put his name on it).
messed up an otherwise simple but lovely (and free) meal of risotto with porcini mushrooms and parmagiano reggiano. this is usually such a superior and consistent drink ... really disapointing. heard ws gave it 92 !???
anyway, 2005's got a stelvin on it. hmmm.
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