Verkostungsnotiz Mai 2007: Zwischendurch

 

 

 

2001 Gravner, Ribolla Anfora, Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli, Italy: 91

Optic: Light amber, clear.
Bouquet: Quite closed (especially if served rather cold as usual for a "white" wine), then hints of dried flowers and dried grass
Taste: Medium body, no fruit, quite austere, good acidity, intense silky tannins, astringent like a red wine. Medium long finish, persistent tannins.
Overall: Fermentation on the mash in amphorae and made without SO2, no esoteric approach but very professional - this is highly interesting. There is a parallel line of wines not made in amphorae - as far as I can see now not of equal interest. But if you get a hand on a Ribolla or Breg 1994 or before - jump on it.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 8 for overall = total score of 91.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Design wine glass bowl (with two nipples for holding with one hand) - quite a surprise (Le Calandre)

 

2001 Aldo Conterno, Bussia Soprana, Barolo, Piedmont, Italy: 91

Optic: Light ruby, bright, fat tears.
Bouquet: Clean dark fruit, mineral and mushroom notes.
Taste: Medium body, dark red fruit, mineral notes, good acidity, tannins with good grip. Medium to long finish, persistent tannins with mineral touch in the aftertaste.
Overall: Very Conterno, similar to the 1990 vintage, only (what a surprise) younger.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 91.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Generic restaurant Syrahglass

 

2001 Badia a Coltibuono, Sangioveto, Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy: 89

Optic: Dark garnet, bright.
Bouquet: Sweet dark fruity perfumed.
Taste: Medium body, bitter sweet dark fruit, bit oaky. Rooty tannins in the aftertaste.
Overall: Slightly unbalanced.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 89.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Generic household stemware

 

2001 Capannelle, Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy: 91

Optic: Dark garnet with black core, fat tears, heavy sediment.
Bouquet: Dark fruit, velvety oak.
Taste: Medium body, dark red fruit, good acidity, persistent silky tannins. Medium long finish, tannins with good grip in the aftertaste.
Overall: Not exactly a vin de garde but certainly with some weight.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 91.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Generic household stemware

 

2003 Riecine, La Gioia, Sangiovese, IGT Tuscany, Italy: 91

Optic: Medium ruby, fat tears.
Bouquet: Tuscany nose.
Taste: Medium to medium full body, some dark red fruit, crisp silky acidity, velvety tannins. Medium long finish, mouth impregnating tannins in the aftertaste.
Overall: 100% Sangiovese.
Score: 50 + 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 91.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Generic household stemware

 

2001 Gravner, Breg Anfora, Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli, Italy: 87

Optic: Amber with rose hue, fat tears.
Bouquet: Dried flowers, dried grass, dried herbs, hint of sherry.
Taste: Rather full body, astringent but same time slightly sweet and fat, even hot. Very intense persistent tannins in the aftertaste.
Overall: Bit too sweet and hot for this type of wine - sometimes less is more. Cuvée of Sauvignon blanc (38%), Pinot Grigio (28%), Chardonnay (26%), Riesling (8%). Alcohol content 13,4%.
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 6 for overall = total score of 87.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Riedel Sommelier Chardonnayglass

 

2004 Rocca di Castagnoli, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy: 90

Optic: Dark garnet, brilliant, nice tears.
Bouquet: Clean soft red fruit, after a while a decent and agreeable animal touch.
Taste: Medium body, clean red fruit, after some time in the glass hint of raspberry, crisp well integrated acidity, soft tannins. Medium long finish, soft tannins with nice red fruit in the aftertaste.
Overall: 2004 is not such a good Chianti vintage (no Riserva made, so also the better grapes were used for the standard wine), so this is far from being a great wine - but clearly a textbook Chianti simply delivering pleasure and a good match for your meal too.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 13 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 90.

Not blind. Not decanted. Small ISO standard tasting glass. Bottle count reduced by one

 

2003 San Giusto A Rentennano, Percarlo, Tuscany, Italy: Corked

In the nose unspectacular, but in taste completely masked fruit. Rats
NoScore. Not blind. Not decanted. Small ISO standard tasting glass. Bottle count reduced by one

 

2001 Capannelle, Solare, IGT Toscana, Tuscany, Italy: 86

Optic: Dark garnet/light ruby, brilliant, fat tears.
Bouquet: Oaked animal note.
Taste: Medium to slim body, thin acidity (may be tad too much IVA), acid red fruit, palate coating coarse tannins. Medium long finish, not so nice burning tannins in the aftertaste.
Overall: Should be a Super Tuscan. For such a highly praised vintage this is rather disappointing. May be a bottle problem.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 15 for taste + 5 for overall = total score of 86.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Generic household stemware Small ISO standard tasting glass.

 

1994 Montrose, St. Estephe, Bordeaux, France: 90

Optic: Dark purple, tartaric sediment.
Bouquet: First moment quite bretty, later on soft dark fruity nose.
Taste: Medium body, soft dark fruit, bit thin acidity, soft velvety tannins. Medium long finish, soft dark fruity velvety tannins in the aftertaste.
Overall: Once again - you have to give a seemingly faulty wine a chance to develop in the open bottle or by decanting.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 90.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Small ISO standard tasting glass. Bottle count reduced by one.

 

2004 Hillinger, Hill 1, Jois, Burgenland, Austria: 90

Optic: Purple, brilliant, tints the glass.
Bouquet: Dark fruit in the nose, velvety, bit oaky vanilla.
Taste: Medium full body, velvety dark fruit, well integrated acidity, velvety bit oaky tannins. Long finish, persistent tannins in the aftertaste finish.
Overall: Cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zweigelt and Syrah. Slightly overoaked, but else nice wine.
Score: 50 + 4 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 17 for taste + 7 for overall = total score of 90.

From memory. Not blind. Not decanted. Generic restaurant red wine stemware.

 

2004 Ksara, Reserve du Couvent, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon: 86

Optic: Light purple, good viscosity, bright.
Bouquet: Hint of brett, else clean dark fruit, hint of licorice.
Taste: Medium body, hint of brett, clean dark red fruit, good acidity, soft tannins. Medium long finish, soft fruity tannins in the aftertaste.
Overall: Cuvée of Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Decent enough wine to go with a simple meal
Score: 50 + 3 for optic + 12 for bouquet + 16 for taste + 5 for overall = total score of 86.

Not blind. Not decanted. Small ISO standard tasting glass.

 

 

2007-06-01/Schriftführer e.h.