Walker tasting with Negociants, Solomon, and Vin Divino

Negociants

• N.V. Jansz - Australia, Tasmania
  Nice, clean acidity. Very good, but the price keeps creeping up. (87 pts.)
• 2007 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
  Grapefruit nose. Pretty standard, although well done, NZ SB. A little pricey. (87 pts.)
• 2007 Henschke Tilly's Vineyard - Australia, South Australia, Barossa
  Bright acidity. Good fruit. Solid. 86-88 (87 pts.)
• 2007 Yalumba Viognier Y Series - Australia, South Australia
  Good fruit. Nice acidity. Has a natural, what reminds me of wild yeasts, even though it's probably something else. Good, and not a peachy fruit bomb, and no bitterness on the finish. 87+ (87 pts.)
• 2007 Yalumba Viognier Eden Valley - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  5/8/09: Rich and peachy on the nose. Medium+ body. Lush palate. Finishes with a touch of bitterness/heat. Overall, very enjoyable. 88
  
  4/1/09: Peachy, but not overtly so on the nose. Lots of bright fruit. Tasty and bright. Very enjoyable. 88+ (88 pts.)
• 2006 Jim Barry Riesling The Lodge Hill - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
  Eh? Slightly off dry. Some saline qualities. Don't really get this, or the price. 82-84 (83 pts.)
• 2006 Yalumba Y Series Shiraz/Viognier - Australia, South Australia
  Liked this a little more then I did about a year ago, but still not up to vintages past. Medium weight. Nice juiciness. Good. 86-87 (86 pts.)
• 2007 Yalumba Grenache Bush Vine - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley
  I've never been a huge fan of the regular bottling of Yalumba's grenache. It's good, with bright fruit. But not really exciting. 86+? (86 pts.)
• 2005 Yalumba Shiraz & Viognier Barossa - Australia, South Australia, Barossa
  Rich, very Aussie like, but nice fruit. Maybe hints of bacon in there. 85-88 (87 pts.)
• 2006 Jim Barry Shiraz The Lodge Hill - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley
  Very rich, aussiefied wine. 87ish (87 pts.)
• N.V. Yalumba Antique Tawny Museum Release - Australia, South Australia, Barossa
  This is so good. Sweet, heady nose. Rich. Scrumptious. 91-93 (92 pts.)

Vin Divino

• N.V. Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rustico - Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene
  Good fruit. Nice acidity. Clean. 88ish (88 pts.)
• 2007 Peter Zemmer La Lot Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
  Soft and round. Easy drinking. A little fat. 84-86 (84 pts.)
• 2007 Loimer Grüner Veltliner - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal
  11/28/09: Lemony cream on the nose. Medium bodied. Well done. 88
  
  9/14/09: Ditto 87+
  
  4/1/09: Nice lemon and lime fruit. Clean, with good acidity. Very pleasant. 87-89 (88 pts.)
• 2007 Casa Silva Sauvignon Blanc Reserva - Chile, Central Valley, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley
  Clean, with some citrus notes. OK. 85-87 (86 pts.)
• 2007 Cusumano Insolia Sicilia IGT - Italy, Sicily, Sicilia IGT
  Clean, with good fruit on the nose. Pineapple. Decent palate, with good acidity. Solid bottle of wine. (86 pts.)
• 2006 Cusumano Jalé - Italy, Sicily
  Do not like this.
• 2006 Freie Weingärtner Wachau / Domäne Wachau Riesling Federspiel Terrassen - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
  Off dry. Nice fruit. Good, but seems a little pricey to me. 84-86 (85 pts.)
• 2007 Cusumano Merlot - Italy, Sicily
  4/17/09: Chocolate, olive and dark red fruits. Well balanced, not gooey, or over oaked, or green or any of that stuff. Just really nice fruit supported by a little bit of chocolate, olives and a streak of acidity. NOt very often I find a merlot of this quality at this price, or even at double this price. 88
  
  4/1/09: Here's a surprise. Great fruit, with terrific brightness on this wine. A little bit of olive component, but it adds complexity instead of veering into veggie territory. A really solid merlot. 86-87 (87 pts.)
• 2006 Feudi di San Marzano Primitivo Puglia IGT - Italy, Puglia, Puglia IGT
  Jammy. Lots of fruit, but not stewed, with decent acidity. Not bad. 85-86 (85 pts.)
• 2006 Casa Silva Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva - Chile, Central Valley, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley
  Very Chilean. Rubber, funk. Some nice fruit on the palate. Actually pretty good, under $15, give it a go, otherwise, no. (87 pts.)

European Cellars

• 2007 Frédéric Giachino Vin de Savoie Abymes Tradition - France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie Abymes
  4/18/09: Lemony, very bright. Not a lot of fruit, but some saline notes. A good sub for a sauv blanc. Perfect for seafood done simply. 86-87
  
  4/1/09: Lots of minerally notes. Bright style, with lime and saline qualities coming through. Very good though. 88+ (87 pts.)
• 2007 Bodegas Valdesil Valdeorras MonteNovo - Spain, Galicia, Valdeorras
  Bright lemon lime aromas. Rich, a little sweet. Not as balanced as I would like. Good for the price, but the sweetness doesn't seem to work with this, and I prefer the dry styles of Godello much more. 85-87 (86 pts.)
• 2007 Domaine Lafage Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Côte Est - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes
  4/17/09: Medium bodied, with honeyed melons the first thing that comes to mind. Also citrusy, but in a round way. Surprisingly long finish. Low acidity, with a richer, fuller feel, but the fruit gives it such a nice brightness. This is delicious. 88+
  
  4/1/09: Wow, is this a rocking bottle of wine. Beautifully aromatic nose. On the palate, it's round, with lovely citrus and tropical fruits. Just beauitful. Fantastic price, too. My notes from the tasting: Buy! Buy! 88+ (88 pts.)
• 2007 Sitios de Bodega Rueda Con Class - Spain, Castilla y León, Rueda
  Nice and clean, with nice fruit. Very good. So many Spanish whites that are impressive these days. 87+ (87 pts.)
• 2007 Gramona Penedès Gessamí - Spain, Catalunya, Penedès
  Crazy floral nose, lots of white flowers. Really beautiful. A little sweet, but this is quite good. The price isn't as hot a so many of these amazing Spanish whites, though. 87-88 (87 pts.)
• 2006 Château Pesquié Côtes du Ventoux Terrasses - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Ventoux
  I thought I'd be a little more impressed with this wine. Pretty ripe on the nose, with a little funk. Good acid, but just a little over the top for me. Especially for a CDV. Still, it's pretty damn tasty. 87-88+ (88 pts.)
• 2007 Altovinum Calatayud Evodia - Spain, Aragón, Calatayud
  Oh, I am all over this wine. Bright berry aromas. Pretty ripe, but it's yummy. Anise on the palate. Nice finish. This is tasty! (88 pts.)
• 2007 Bodegas Castaño Monastrell Yecla - Spain, Murcia, Yecla
  Very ripe, rich nose. Some nice licorice notes on this wine. Much better then the '06 I had a few months ago. Pretty fat, with lots of glycoral notes, and a little overberried. (87 pts.)
• 2005 Calvet Thunevin Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Cuvée Constance - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes
  So I loved this exactly one year ago, but not so much now. The ripeness is a little much to overcome. I'm not sure if the wine has changed, because I don't really remember it last time. One thing I do know, the price is higher. (86 pts.)
• 2006 Tomàs Cusiné Costers del Segre Vilosell - Spain, Catalunya, Costers del Segre
  Really ripe nose. Some glycerol notes. A bit of a fruit bomb. Not enough acid. With a salty quality. Not digging it. 84-85 (84 pts.)
• 2005 Bodega Mustiguillo Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo Mestizaje - Spain, Valencia, Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo
  Ripe, over the top. Not digging it. 84-86 (85 pts.)
• 2003 Château Tirecul La Gravière Monbazillac Les Pins - France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Monbazillac
  Yeah, this is tasty, sweet and rich with great acidity. I can drink this for dessert. 90-92 (91 pts.)