Wine Reviews: International Grab Bag

In honor of Valentine’s Day weekend, I have a mix of bubbly, fun wines from all around the globe.

This Champagne-less mix of sparkling wines includes some Crémant de Limoux from Faire La Fête, which have a refreshing 6 g/l dosage and a bright appeal. Although they lack doughy, biscuity depth, they’re balanced, lively and offer a lot of complexity for the price. Gloria Ferrer offers a solid vintage sparkler from California, and Cava makes an appearance as well. 

For reds, I recent tasted some widely-available, yummy Malbecs from Argentina, and a big, bold Montepulciano d’Abruzzo as well.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted. 

Bubbles & White Wines

N.V. Faire La Fête Crémant de Limoux Brut – France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Crémant de Limoux
SRP: $19
Medium yellow color. Aromas show tangy lemon and green apple, with chalk, bread dough, biscuits, notes of verbena and white pepper. Crisp and bright on the palate, fine bubbles, nice salty kick with almonds, chalk, crushed shells. Green apples, lemon peel, lime and grapefruit, tossed with some slight honey and bread dough. Bright, light style, but solid depth, especially considering the price. Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir and Mauzac, aged 15 months on the lees. (88 points)

N.V. Faire La Fête Crémant de Limoux Brut Rosé – France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Crémant de Limoux
SRP: $19
Medium salmon color. Nose is crisp and floral, with white cherries, wild strawberries, red McIntosh apple peel. Tangy and zippy on the palate, a light style with bright bubbles, white cherries, red apple. Notes of white pepper, baby’s breath, verbena, and a nice salty minerality that lifts it up. Solid bargain. 65% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, 15% Pinot Noir, aged 15 months on the lees. (87 points)

N.V. Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva Heredad – Spain, Cava
SRP: $30
Light gold color with fine bubbles. Bready, doughy on the nose with salty, honeyed, floral combinations over peach and lemon. Crisp acidity frames the wine well, there’s some nice bready qualities to accent the lemon and green melon fruit. Sea salt and white flowers on top of nougat, hazelnut elements, it all comes together quite well to offer a more complex but vibrant Cava. Macabeo and Parellada, aged 30 months on the lees. (88 points)

N.V. A to Z Wineworks Bubbles – USA, Oregon
SRP: $20/4, 250ml cans
Aromas of crisp red apples, raspberries and lemon, with white pepper, floral perfume, some cinnamon candies. Juicy cherry and strawberry appeal on the palate, with crisp acidity, and spritzy bubbles. Fun, fresh, with rhubarb, sea salt and sugarcane notes. Easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing stuff, this could be a big hit for summertime treks. Offers a lot more than other canned wines I’ve tasted. Carbonated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. (85 points)

2011 Gloria Ferrer Anniversary Cuvée – USA, California, Napa, Carneros
SRP: $45
Rich yellow color. The aromas show deep, doughy, biscuity notes, with honey, almond cake, but also brighter notes of chalk, sea spray and honeysuckle. Nice depth on the palate, generous texture with some richness and sugar, but also brisk acidity, which keeps things in line well. Yellow apples, papaya, lime, with deep tones of bread dough, almond brittle, honeycomb, and elements of saline, crushed limestone and chalk. Quite a bit of depth and balance here. 2/3 Pinot, 1/3 Chardonnay, 12 g/l dosage, aged 5 years on the lees. (90 points)

2018 Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Gelblack feinherb - Germany, Rheingau
SRP: $25
Pale lemon color. Bright and inviting on the nose with lime, quince, apricot, some white flowers and crushed rocks. Pleasantly plump on the palate, the bright acidity jives well with the off-dry sugar, so this tastes balanced and vibrant. Lemon, green melon and white peach fruit, tossed with chalky, floral, crushed rock elements. Lovely freshness, balance, and depth but also fun, early-drinking style. 2018 German Rieslings have a lot to offer. (89 points)
 
Reds

2018 Domaine Jean Bousquet Gaia - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato
SRP: $20
Deep purple. Bountiful nose of sweet black cherries, blackberries, along with a pleasantly floral, herbal mix (violets, mint, eucalyptus), with cocoa and vanilla. Smooth and suave on the palate, dusty tannins, fresh acidity, supported by plenty of juicy black cherry and dark plum fruit. A lot of floral and spice elements (violets, pepper, sage), with nuanced coffee and vanilla notes. 50% Malbec, 45% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 10 months in French oak. (89 points)

2018 Alamos Malbec – Argentina, Mendoza
SRP: $13
Light purple color. Lively nose of sweet plums and cherries, along with roses, cocoa and vanilla. Smooth and velvety on the palate, fresh acidity, framed nicely with plums, raspberry and cherry fruit. Notes of cocoa powder, earth, vanilla, but there’s also some deeper, more complex notes of earth and graphite, too. Balanced, fresh, lively, I continue to find this a solid, widely-available, value-driven Malbec. (88 points)

2015 Binomio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva - Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
SRP: $52
Bright purple color. Deep aromatics of floral tea, violets with loamy, charcoal, incense sticks and clove. Full-bodied with solid grip to the tannins, but moderate acidity keeps it fresh. A tart, deep core of blackberry and plum. Lots of pencil lead, earth, tar, anise, coffee, cedar. Complex, floral, deep, this is a beauty of a Montepulciano, and while it has a lot of density, it also shows a nuance and balance, and an underlying stony minerality. This deserves three to four years in the cellar or a good decant. Aged 15 months in French oak and then six months in stainless steel. (91 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

Three Terroir-Driven Rieslings

Riesling is endlessly fascinating for its diversity and ability to translate different vineyards into flavors. A transparent grape, lovers of terroir never tire of Riesling’s complexity.

I recently tasted through three Riesling from three different regions: Germany’s Rheingau, Austria’s Kamptal and France’s Alsace. They were all exciting wines, offering entirely different takes on this one grape, showing the complexities of their unique terroir. The wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted. I had fun chatting with industry reps at @AustrianWineUSA, @DrinkAlsace and @GermanWineUSA using the #winechat hashtag.

My notes on the three Rieslings…

2011 Schloss Schönborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheingau

$24
Much more floral and honey-driven on the nose, with some riper white peach and mango nectar, lots of potpourri. Creamy and fresh on the palate, a great balance of body and acid, a hint of sweetness. White peach, caramel apple and mango, drizzled with lime. Hints of dusty earth, white flowers and clovers. The finish shows interesting notes that remind me of tonic and pencil lead. Quite complex, this could develop well over the next 3-5, probably more. I like the nerve of this wine. 9.5% alcohol. From loam, chalk, marl and sand soils. (89 points)

2011 Weingut Brandl Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal

$34
Very stony on the nose, it reminds me of mountain stream rocks, ocean jetties and crushed chalk. The fruit aromas tend toward the green apple and kiwi. Full bodied (14% alcohol) and bold but clean with fresh acid. The apricot, kiwi and green apple fruit are ripe but tart, laced with lots of chalky, crushed stone elements. Wow, really chalky, with some seashell and sea salt and jetty rocks and a whole lot of saltwater. As a surfer, I’m loving this oceanic streak. It’s tangy and mineral-driven but a full and big wine that could use some age or a decant. The chalkiest of the three, I even get some earth and library dust. I dream of drinking this with some steamed mussels, but it’s strong enough to balance out a variety of strong cheeses. Every time I’ve tasted a Heiligenstein, I’ve been excited, and this is no exception. From sandstone and siltstone soils. (91 points)

2010 Paul Blanck Riesling Schlossberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru AOC

SRP: $34
Bright gold color. Gorgeous nose of chamomile tea, clover honey, apricot jam, candied orange peel, lamp oil, some dusty notes. Crisp acid, I love the balance of tartness and richness in this wine. Clean, medium+ bodied, just a hint of sweetness. A whole fruit salad of apricot, green apple, kiwi, green melon, drizzled with honey and crushed rocks. A deep and pervasive sense of smoky minerals in this wine. Long finish with screaming acid. Age-worthy for sure. Aged on the lees in oak for a year and aged two to three years after bottling. From the granite soils of Alsace’s Grand Cru Schlossberg vineyard. 13% alcohol. (92 points)

I’d love to conduct this same tasting three or four years from now, because I’m sure these three Rieslings have many more stories to tell.

Drink any good Old World Riesling lately?

Cheers!

Psyched for the Summer of Riesling

Some Riesling grapes soak up the sun near the Mosel town of Bernkastel, Germany. ©IJB 

Rock on and drink Riesling! That’s the motto for the Summer of Riesling, a collaborative, season-long celebration of the world’s greatest grape. It’s a motto I fully support.

Bars and restaurants from all around the country are joining the party with Riesling-themed dinners and tasting events from June 21 through September 21. (For a list of Riesling-soaked spots in your area, click here.) These participating venues will pour three or four Rieslings by the glass all summer long, and in July at least two of those Rieslings will hail from Germany.

Why celebrate Riesling all summer long? My response is: Why the hell not? The Summer of Riesling’s web site has another explanation: “Because we must overcome this hackneyed belief that the glorious diversity of Riesling is also a fault... simply put, no grape can do what the Riesling grape can do.”

These Riesling fans are right. I love trying all different kinds of wines, but nothing tops Riesling. So, if you’re trying to beat the heat this summer, or you just want an excuse to drink great wine, why not Riesling? Of course, the Summer of Riesling is promoting the festivities using the Facebook and Twitter machines (@SummerRiesling), so it’s easy to find an event near you.

I’ll be visiting some Riesling-pouring establishments in DC this summer for sure, but I kicked off the summer a bit early with a recent Riesling tasting. Some wine nerd friends and I got together for a whole bunch of mostly German Rieslings. Demonstrating Rieslings’s diversity and aging potential, some of the wines were old, some new, some sweet, some dry. All were tasted sighted.

Here are some reasons to celebrate the Summer of Riesling (organized from oldest to youngest bottles)…

1966 Wachstum H. Schweiszthal Uerziger Würzgarten Riesling - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
A bit musty on the nose, but also some nice notes of apricot, dried mango, orange rind and crushed rocks. Still going on the palate, with flavors of apple sauce, sweet tea and dried mango. Soft and reserved, but some minerals still show through. Considering this wine is almost a half-century old, I’m impressed. (86 points)

1976 Schloss Vollrads Riesling Matuschka-Greiffenclau Spätlese rosa - Germany, Rheingau
Orange-golden color. Smells like oil, apricot marmalade and wax. On the palate, chunky mango and dried pineapple meets medium acid. Caramel, wax and nougat notes add complexity. Not subtle, but yummy. Well-aged but still alive. (88 points)

1990 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese * - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Rich golden color. Smells of canteloupe, apricots and honey. Full of creamy apricot and white peach fruit. Zippy acid makes this easy to drink. Nutty, apricot jam flavors last long onto the finish. I’m generally a big fan of 1990 rieslings, and even though I liked this, I was expecting a bit more. (88 points)

2001 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar RuwerThis Riesling is in a superb place right now. Complex, deep aromas of white peach, lime, white flowers. The palate is rich and honeyed, with apricot and caramel, but the acid never quits. Lovely mineral, lemon peel and smashed rock flavors. Long finish with the perfect amount of sweetness. Nowhere near the end of its life. (92 points)

2002 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Smells amazing: lime, dried flowers, minerals, pineapple, lamp oil. The palate is rich and full of honey and apricot, but the acid keeps it balanced. The mineral, crushed rock aspects are great, and matched with flavors of sweet caramel apple and lemon peel. Long finish. Delicious stuff. I think it’s fair to say every other person at the tasting loved this wine. (93 points)

2002 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Berg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Golden apple colored. Aromas of oil, marmalade, minerals and peanut brittle. Dry with bracing minerals on the palate. The acid is a little lower than other bottles I’ve had, but it’s still there. Lots of apricot, mango and peach, backed up by earthy, spicy, tobacco notes. Seriously, I get flavors of chewing tobacco and mushroom, especially on the finish. Very unique and funky, but perhaps time to drink up. (90 points)

2004 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Love the aromas: intense flowers, peaches, pears and a hint of salt. The sweet peach, marmalade and green pear fruit is matched with live-wire acid. Delicious bruised apple and honeysuckle lingers with lots of minerals on the finish. A pleasure to drink, and I imagine this will continue to improve for years. (91 points)

2007 Schäfer-Fröhlich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe
Another awesome Riesling from Schäfer-Fröhlich. Very light gold color. Aromas of lime, papaya, mango and honeysuckle. Juicy and full on the palate, with pineapple, guava and lemon meringue flavors. Medium acid and crystal clean minerals and slate balance out the sweet fruit. A riesling built for the long-haul, as this has a ton of complexity to unpack. (91 points)

2011 A.J. Adam Hofberg Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Intensely floral and fruity on the nose. Deep and complex, with pineapple, melon, slate and orange peel. Steely acid on the palate, but lots of rich fruit, especially for a kabinett. Apple cider, cinnamon and mango mix with slate and a rush of minerals. Long, focused finish. Delicious now, but this has the stuffing to age wonderfully for five to ten years without a problem. (92 points)

German and Austrian Rieslings to Beat the Heat

F.X. Pichler makes incredible rieslings and gruner veltliners from Austira's
Wachau, while Selbach-Oster consistently turns out classic Mosel rieslings.

It's been hot as hell in DC these past few days. So on Friday, I decided to hide from the oppressive heat and humidity, watch some DVR'd shows and drink some great rieslings. I invited a couple of friends over to enjoy the wines with me. The acid, fresh fruit and minerals in riesling can make it one of the most refreshing wines to drink . And the wines are generally far lower in alcohol than a lot of table wines, so you can keep on drinking! I chose three wines from my collection from three different regions and vintages, just to make it interesting . All the wines showed well, demonstrating what these varying regions and vintages have to show.

Notes...

2001 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheingau
The aromas were a bit hesitant at first, and really started to show fresh flowers after an hour being open. There’s an oiliness to the aromas, like lemon oil, along with orange rind and white peach. The aromas are loaded with complexity. On the palate, the surprise here is the acid… just beautiful, from start to finish, the tanginess never ceases. It’s like biting into a Granny smith apple. This really tastes like blue slate smells, and lots of sea shells. There’s also a nice apricot and dried apple flavor that I find in a lot of rieslings at about this point in their evolution. This riesling is still very young, and nowhere near the end of its life, but it’s doing beautiful things right now. (90 points)

2002 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Berg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Ah, to bask in F.X. Pichler’s rieslings, it is always a pleasure. This 2002 shows its age with a rich yellow color in the glass. It smells of pineapple and apricot, also showing aromas of oil and salt. This wine is thick on the palate, showing bold and powerful flavors, but the combination of minerals and acid keeps it pulled together quite nicely. The flavors here are darker than the German rieslings in the tasting, and focused more on apricot, peach and mango. There’s also a spiciness to this wine, like a bit of white pepper and herbs. The wine is thicker, but the acid rips, and the combination is delicious. In classic F.X. Pichler style, the minerals have a great kick to them. Very oily on the finish, but that acid still lingers. A hint of quinine on the finish. I’ve got one more bottle of this wine, and I should probably drink it in the next year or so. At the same, time, I’m always curious to age these wines, even though I think I like them earlier on. (92 points)

2009 Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
The aromas in this wine are incredibly fresh and vibrant. The youth of this wine explodes from the glass in aromas of lime, white peach, kiwi and ocean breeze. The palate shows great balance of plump, fresh fruit (apple, peach and orange rind) and acid, which keeps the wine focused and precise. It shows that great blend of ripe fruit, mineral and acid I look for in a 2009 Mosel riesling. There are some underlying flavors of apricot and yellow apple that I think will grow with more time. The minerals keep this wine light and tangy. Lovely honey on the finish, but the acid keeps going until the very end. This will improve for at least a decade, although it’s so pure, rich and balanced now, that I’m glad I opened it. This wine has a special place in my heart because it reminds me of the time my girlfriend and I stayed in Bernkastel at the foot of this vineyard, drinking lots of riesling from 2009 and 2010 and enjoying the hell out of ourselves. I can’t really ask for more from a $25 wine! (91 points)

Rheingau Riesling, Bitte

2009 Joachim Flick Riesling QbA trocken "F. Vini et Vita" (Germany, Rheingau)

I picked this bottle up at a weinschenk in Hamburg during my European vacation last year. My girlfriend and I were roaming the city of her ancestors, drinking beer and taking pictures when I stumbled across a tiny wine shop bursting with rieslings from Germany's Rheingau and Mosel regions. I bought this bottle for about 8 Euros. Now I wish I would’ve bought a half-case.

I had planned on drinking this wine later in the trip when we spent several days in the Mosel Valley, but I had more wine than I knew what to do with, so I ended up bringing it back to the states with a bunch of other hand-picked German rieslings. Last night my girlfriend and I put together a German meal of paprika-spiced pork chops, cauliflower and potato mash and pickled red cabbage. With a meal like this, riesling is a no-brainer.

The aromas are the epitome of freshness: lots of white flowers, lemon zest, minerals. The intensity of the aromas is impressive.

On the palate, this wine is full of tangy acid, which is matched by lots of fresh fruit. The wine has a plump feel, especially on the finish, but the acid is ever-present, keeping it balanced. It starts off with fresh lime and ruby red grapefruit flavors, and transitions to nectarine and fresh apricot. The fruit is absolutely delicious. And this wine is “trocken,” meaning it’s a dry wine, so the fruit doesn’t taste sweet or goopy.

This is what I look for in the 2009 vintage, that pure fruit, but also some brisk acid and minerality to give it that firm backbone. The finish tingles with Meyer lemon and minerals.

German rieslings. This is why I love them. And the pairing worked out perfectly.

Prost!

The Gem Tasting

One of the best parts about being a wine lover is having the opportunity to share your wine with close friends. That has been the idea behind my wine tasting group’s Gem Tastings. Once a year, we all get together and bring a bottle (or two) we consider to be a "gem." There is no objective criteria for what makes a bottle of wine a gem. It's not about price point, or how high Wine Spectator or Robert Parker scored the wine. It’s about personal preference, rarity, uniqueness, and the desire to share a special bottle with other people who would appreciate it.

After much planning, we finally got together this week at Palena in Washington D.C.’s Cleveland Park neighborhood. We’d organized the wines into flights beforehand and given that information to the restaurant, who in turn devised several courses to go along with the wines. The food was great, the wine and conversation even greater.

This tasting in particular was a good chance to taste a wide variety of special bottles, many from regions I haven’t focused on for a long time. Without further delay, here are my notes from what turned out to be an epic evening. Cheers!


A Muscadet to Start
1997 Domaine Pierre de la Grange (Luneau-Papin) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Le "L" d'Or - France, Loire Valley, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
While waiting at Weygandt Wines for everyone to arrive for the tasting, we popped this aged muscadet. My experience with aged muscadet has been very good, as I really enjoy the complexity of flavors these wines have to offer. I was really impressed with this bottle. Aromas of lemon peel, sea salt and mixed nuts. The combination of nervy acidity and mature, nutty fruit is spectacular. Still vibrant and solid, and I'd love the opportunity to drink this over the course of a few hours to see how it develops. (90 pts.)


Champagne
1995 Pommery Champagne Brut - France, Champagne
Unfortunately, the first Champagne was corked. At first it smelled a lot of yeast, with a slight cork taint. But over time the cork taint became much more evident, and on the palate the wine really dropped off and left me with a gross moldy taste. (FLAWED)

1998 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne
Since the 1995 Pommery was corked, I spent a lot of time with this Champagne. What a beauty. Aromas of lemon, almond, some musk. The aromas are powerful at first, yet the longer I smelled the wine the more subtle and complex it got. The palate is bright and bold, with tangy acid, bracing minerals and delicious fruit. Lots of golden apple and almond paste, and accentuated by sea salt, minerals and toast. Delicious, long finish. Thanks Tim! (92 pts.)


2008 Raveneau Chablis
François Raveneau just makes some of the best damn Chablis, period. And I love what he's done with the 2008 vintage. These two wines were so young, and what they showed at the tasting is only a fraction of what they will have to offer in the future. Still, they were great. Richer maybe than some 2008s I've had, but the balance, minerals and cut to these wines is just stellar.

2008 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre - France, Burgundy, Chablis
This flight was such a great addition to the evening. I always love Raveneau, and even though these wines were young, they showed tremendous potential. The Montée de Tonnerre is everything I love about young Chablis, and the 2008 vintage in particular. Intoxicating aromas of lemon peel, green appled, limestone and fresh cream butter. The richness, intensity and freshness of the palate combine to form a lovely, balanced young wine. Fresh pear, whipped butter and lemon zest flavors line up perfectly with the med+ acid and the complex minerality. A cream and almond flavor carry the finish. This shows the acidity and minerality of the 2008 vintage, but there's also a creaminess and a lushness that I find amazing. Having tasted a 2001 from this producer and vineyard, I would love to get a case of this and drink one every two years or so. Thanks, Tim, for representing chardonnay so well. (92 pts.)

2008 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux - France, Burgundy, Chablis
I know we were killing these 2008 Chablis far too soon, but they were both just so delicious. The 2008 Butteaux showed explosive aromas of green melon, lemon peel, sea shell and just a hint of seaweed. The hint of seaweed on the nose brought this wine a level just above the 2008 Montée de Tonnerre, at least for me. The aromas in this wine need many years to define themselves, but they can still sing now, even at this young age. The palate starts off with a plump, butterscotch flavor, with some green apple. Then the acid streaks in, along with racy minerals. A sea shell flavor combines with yellow apple and popcorn butter. The finish is laced with acid and minerals, but also some nutty, buttery flavors. It has the minerality and oceanic elements of the best Chablis with some of the richness of Cote de Beaune chardonnay. The complexity packed in this wine will take a decade+ to unwind, when it will emerge an even more glorious Chablis. Thanks, Tom. (93 pts.)

 

Aged Produttori del Barbaresco
Thanks to Bob and Ian, we were able to scrape together a mini Produttori del Barbaresco flight. Both wines were really unique and delicious, and it was interesting to taste two old Barbarescos back to back. I know a lot of people who have fallen head over heels for Barolo and Barbaresco, and it’s a love affair they never walk away from. Both of these wines are made from 100 percent nebbiolo grown in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. We started off with the aged wines because they would show more subtlety and restraint than the brawny young Barbarescos.


I'd hear good things about the 1967 vintage in Barbaresco, and they turned out to be correct. Since my experience with 1970s Barbaresco is next to nil, I asked some wine forum friends what they thought of the 1975 vintage. Based on their responses, and a search of tasting notes from 1975 Barbarescos, my impression was that these wines should've been consumed many moons ago. Wine drinking being an ever-surprising endeavor, I was luckily wrong about the 1975.

1967 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Barbaresco
I had no idea what to expect with a Barbaresco this old, and that was part of the fun of drinking it. The color is an auburn red. The first aromas out of the glass were blood and iron. Aromas developed into dried cranberry, violets and hints of balsamic. It wasn't vinegary, but it had that rich aroma of balsamic that I love. The tannins have softened, but they still provide structure, and the acid was high. The flavors were really interesting, starting off with corned beef and peppercorn, later some flavors of oregano, dried cranberry, meat drippings and iron. Acid lingers on the finishing, keeping the wine fresh. This is one of those wines that you can critique and analyze all you want, but in the end it's about the experience. And I absolutely loved the experience of this wine. (91 pts.) 

1975 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Barbaresco
The second Produttori Barbaresco of the evening was much darker in the glass. The nose showed a plethora of aromas. The fruit was more vibrant than the largely fruitless 1967, showing plum and ripe cranberry aromas, as well as smoked meat and roasted lamb. The palate is dense with fine tannins. My initial reaction was that this wine seemed much younger than it is. High acid. Flavors of plum pits, smoke, a little beef. While the 67 showed more stewed meat and drippings flavors, the 75 tended toward more rare red meat flavors. This wine was really complex, and I'm surprised by how well it showed considering its age and the vintage. (90 pts.)



Pinot Noir
Brett was kind enough to bring a Magnum of Cameron's "Clos Electrique" pinor noir. We've shared other vintages of this wine, and I am not exaggerating when I say I think it is one of the best domestic pinot noirs. It's always stunned my palate. Well, the cork gods were against us, apparently, because the wine was tainted. I felt bad because I was sure the wine would be thrilling. Fortunately, we had Tim's 2001 Bonnes-Mares to save the filght.

1998 Cameron Pinot Noir Clos Electrique - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Damn it, the cork taint strikes again. This time, it was much more disappointing, because I've loved more recent vintages and was looking forward to trying one with more age on it. At first, the cork taint was mild, but as the wine aired out, it became much more dominant. Too bad. (FLAWED)

2001 Domaine Robert Groffier Bonnes Mares - France, Burgundy, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
When Robert Groffier is on, he is on. This Bonnes Mares originally made an appearance at the previous Gem Tasting, which I missed, so I was thrilled to try it this time. And what a gorgeous wine it is. Vibrant purple color with brick red rims. The aromas alone made this the wine of the night. Sexy, smooth, pure aromas of cranberry, white pepper and potpouri, a hint of Indian spices. The palate starts off brisk, almost tart, but then a wave of fine-grained tannins and lush fruit pour in. Roses, ripe cherries, dark soil flavors, but acid sails through the whole time. The purity of flavor on the finish... it's just incredible. For my palate, this wine had that pefect balance of power and elegance. I would love to revisit this in another five years, as some of those mature flavors start to develop. This was my wine of the night, for sure. (95 pts.)


Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco "Santo Stefano"
Faryan and his brother contributed two vintages of this superb Barbaresco, and both were incredible and different.

1997 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano - Italy, Piedmont, Barbaresco
Right out of the bottle, this wine was singing. I believe Faryan decanted it for some time, which helped it open up and show aromas of dried flower potpouri, fresh cherries, and hints of mushroom and meat. The palate is gorgeous, a combination of gritty tannins and lush fruit. The meaty, leathery aspect of this wine is just great, and it went so well with venison steak. The wine was still vibrantly young, with fresh fruit and strong tannins, not to mention superb acid. This wine is amazing right now, but I'd love to revisit this in five years. It has the stuffing to go for a very long time. (93 pts.)

2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano - Italy, Piedmont, Barbaresco
It goes without saying that this wine is way too young. But that doesn't mean it isn't tasty. Gorgeous purple-red color. A burst of aromas: tar, plum, black cherry, and a medley of spices. Even after decanting, this wine just needed more air to show its full stuff. The palate is full of dense tannins, spicy acid, and gritty plum fruit. There's a hint of brine that is just delicious. It's a gritty wine that needs time to settle down, but it was delicious with the venison. As Tim put it, "Only twenty years too young." (92 pts.)


Aged Reds
This flight of aged reds was a lot of fun. The two New World wines in the tasting both showed really well. It was fun to revisit the López de Heredia Viña Bosconia, and to taste Chateau Musar for the first time.

1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia - Spain, Rioja
I tasted this wine in 2010, and I liked it even more this time. Aromas of sour cherry, but also some seaweed and cheese rind. The palate was soft and silky, with fresh cherry fruit. It still had this tomato paste and celery seed flavor, along with sour cherries and hemp. It's a funky wine, and it's really fun to have a glass of. But it is kind of abrasive, so share it with friends. Still, in my book, this gets serious crazy points. (89 pts.)

1995 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
Brett brought this bottle, and it was a welcome addition to the tasting. The aromas were really unique: burned sugar, caramel, red apple and plum. Smooth palate, balanced tannins and acid. Even in a tasting with this many wines, this one stood out with its bizarre but delicious flavors: caramelized sugar, raspberry, sweet plums. This wine tasted really sweet to me, but it had enough funky earth flavors to keep it interesting. I would like more time with this wine, as I think it deserves attention. My first time tasting a Chateau Musar, and I'm definitely intrigued. (90 pts.)

1984 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
This wine was an interesting auburn-plum color in the glass. The aromas remind me of stewed plums, rhubarb and anise. The palate showed a complicated medley of medium tannins and sour cherry, plum, must and tobacco flavors. A hint of seaweed to keep you guessing. I thought this wine would be spent, but it's still got enough going on to keep me interested. Actually, over time it opened up to show some green pepper and sweet cherries. Surprisingly good, and it goes to show once again that I like older Napa cabernet much more than younger ones. (89 pts.)

1999 Renaissance Cabernet Sauvignon Vin de Terroir - USA, California, North Yuba
Jeremy brought this cabernet from a producer I'd never heard of, from a region I have little experience with. It showed remarkably well, however, and the whole crew seemed to enjoy it. The nose showed dark chocolate, black cherry juice, and some funky, earthy atomas. The palate is tangy with soft tannins. It's a really soft wine all over. Dark and plummy, but elegant. This wine was by far the most New World, but it maintained a juicy acid to keep it fresh. I really enjoyed this wine, and would love to try it again on its own. (90 pts.)


Rieslings to Top Off the Night
To end the night, we compiled three rieslings and a weisburgunder eiswein. I expected a bit more from J.J. Prüm, but the Trimbach Cuvée Frédéric Emile Vendange Tardive was phenomenal.

1994 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Rheingau
This riesling was a golden amber color in the glass. Fat, full aromas of oil, orange marmelade, and nougat. The palate is full of nougat, almond paste, oil and caramel. The acid is lower than I usually like, but I still really enjoyed this wine. Gorgeous finish with lovely diesel and marmelade. This has aged well, but I'm glad I popped this now because I'm not sure how much longer it can go with low acid. (91 pts.)

2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
The nose on this riesling showed oil, lemons and nuts. The palate seemed a bit flatter than I was expecting. Lovely salty flavor to accent the oil, lemon and nutshell flavors. (88 pts.)

2001 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile Vendange Tardive - France, Alsace
Wow, this riesling really kicked some ass. Gorgeous golden color in the glass. Lush aromas of lemon oil, wax, petrol and guava. The palate is really plump and delicious, just oozing with marmelade, pear and peach fruit, combined with minerals and slate. This is still a really young wine, with layers of complexity. Orgasmic. (93 pts.)

2004 Eugen Müller Forster Weissburgunder Eiswein - Germany, Pfalz
Okay, so this wasn't a riesling, but what a way to end the evening. This was quite possibly my first weissburgunder eiswein, but it won't be my last. Golden orange colored and thick in the glass. The nose shows fresh peach, apricot and caramel. The palate is fresh, plush and silky. Deliciously nutty, with honey, almond and apricot. Endless finish. Very rich, but maintains balance and finesse. (93 pts.)