White Icons @ my place

Netherlands
Tasted Sunday, June 20, 2010 by jkoenen with 728 views

Introduction

The main idea behind this line-up was to experience the supposed differences between the styles of Iconic producers within the same varietal.
All 27 wines served single blind. First we tried to determine the varietal, then the producer.
A very informative and entertaining tasting, with some world class wines.

Flight 1 - Welcome (1 Note)

Flight 2 - Flight #1: Sauvignon Blanc (3 Notes)

  • 1998 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux

    Light and clear yellow colour with a faint green hue. Nose is a little bit heavy on oak, but this complemented by notes which are both ripe/sweet and very mineral (flint); also some resin/pineforest in the background. On the palate this has a lovely mild and soft mouthfeel, due to its relatively low-key acidframe. Very typical fruitprofile for a middle-aged Sauvignon (baked apples, lemonzest, gooseberry). Great stuff, drink now. 18/20

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  • 2004 Domaine Pascal Cotat Sancerre La Grande Côte Flawed

    France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

    Right out of the gate there were questions whether this bottle was correct. Not obviously corked for me, but there was "something rotten in the state of Denmark". On one hand I picked up interesting notes of seaweed, flintstone, citrus and spice. But on the other hand these aromas were contaminated by echoes of a rain barrel, cardboard and sweaty socks. Not rated.

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  • 2007 Didier Dagueneau Silex 90 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

    Nice and pure on the nose, showing bright notes of gooseberry, cotton candy, lemon-peel-preserve. In the mouth this is still very young and nervous. Mineral-driven, creamy and mouth-watering. Pure like glacier water. Lovely now, but needs a few more years to become really impressive by gaining depth and complexity. 17.5/20

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Flight 3 - Flight #3: Viognier (2 Notes)

  • 2005 Château-Grillet (Neyret-Gachet) Château-Grillet 89 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Château-Grillet

    The bouquet is not very expressive, rather modest and subtle. There is some oak wafting out of the glass, not much more. On the palate this is also very understated which is quite remarkable for a viognier. Picked up some impressions of Poire Williams, chamomile tea and apricot. In fact, I really liked this serene take on the variety. It's very soft and mild, and has quite a good acid backbone (!). Well balanced, aristocratic and pure, not too heavily perfumed or sweet. Considering the fairly negative press this has had over the years, I was surprised and impressed. But the price remains a problem... 17/20

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  • 2008 Domaine Yves Cuilleron Condrieu Les Chaillets 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

    Fresh fruit, wild flowers, candyshop, mango, lychees. Extremely showy, dense and expressive, like viogniers often are. Exotic floral notes, warm, nutty scents and spicy echoes like in a Turkish bazar. Very interesting, complex and tasty but, to me, just a tad tiresome. 17.5/20

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Flight 4 - Flight #4: Riesling (4 Notes)

  • 2003 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 92 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Pale yellow revealing grey and green reflexes. Light as a feather, extremely bright and pure. Acidity is well hidden and hardly perceptible. Impeccable balance of sweetness, which feels very natural and fresh (like taking a bite out of a fresh pear or a bunch of grapes). Never dull nor heavy, which is a blessing in this vintage. Especially liked its saline minerality and complexity. And this is 'just' a Kabinett? Pfew... My first Egon and what an eye-opener. 18/20

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  • 2004 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 94 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Wow, was this wine performing this afternoon... Bright, clean, fresh and pure like rainwater. Soft candied citrusfruit, stony minerality and tangy, Asian spices like cinnamon, ginger and lemongrass. Perfect harmony between bouquet and palate, lovely sweet and sour interplay. This wine has unbelievable synergy between all components and feels almost physiologic, endogenous. So charming, elegant and filigreed, it's impossible to spit. 18.5/20

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  • 2001 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese 93 Points

    Germany, Nahe

    Fantastic nose and palate of juicy tropical fruit, with the freshness of morning dew. In the enduring aftertaste lovely clean bittes of orangepeel dominate. Distinguished, graceful and opulent at the same time. It seemed to be the sweetest of the 4 Rieslings in this flight, but no worries: everything is in the right place. Wonderful balance. Great to drink now or in three years. 18-18.5/20

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  • 2002 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Ried Kellerberg 94 Points

    Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

    Flavors of banana and mango, nutty tobacco, whiff of petrol. Herbs, spices and beautiful vegetal notes add an intriguing twist to this very rich but absolutely dry take on this variety. Very concentrated, impressive and special. Loved it! 18.5/20

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Flight 5 - Flight #5: Chenin Blanc (3 Notes)

  • 1997 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon 94 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières

    This is a regal wine showing beautiful notes of warm blonde tobacco, tomatoleaf, peaches, banana, apricot, citrus oil, honey and marshmellows. All this, elegantly framed by judiciously titrated oak. Very powerful and off-the-charts complexity and minerality. Topped off by vivid, playful acidity. Fantastic wine. 18.5/20

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  • 1995 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont 90 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

    Wonderful showing of this wine. Lots of austere, sauvage, out-doorsy, animal-like impressions. Hay, wet wool, barnyard, some seaweed, lots of toast (unless the fact that this wine didn't see any oak, so I was told). But also underripe bananas, wet pebbles. Not as fine-tuned and deep as the other wines in this flight. Slightly boastful but has good identity, fascinating and tasty. 17.5/20

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  • 1989 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 95 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant

    Allthough I encounter more than average off-bottles with this producer, this one was glorious. Perfectly mature, ripe and unctuous, almost oily in the mouth. Very individual and headstrong (like its vintner, I guess). Due to its otherworldly complexity, power and concentration, the entree seems a tad sweet and sultry. But this gathers into a wonderful clean and dry mid-palate and a tight and focussed, well-defined finish. A wine to experience and to be astonished by. 18.5-19/20

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Flight 6 - Intermezzo (1 Note)

  • 2009 De Kleine Schorre Schouwen-Druiveland Pinot Blanc & Auxerrois

    Netherlands, Zeeland, Schouwen-Duiveland

    No formal note. Served as an in-betweener while making preparations for the second part of the tasting. What a pleasant surprise this Dutch white. Fresh, open and clean. Soft and gentle fruit like peach, pears and a twist of lime. Good focus and delineation. Good stuffing on the midpalate and fairly lenghty too. Best Dutch white I ever had. Chapeau!

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Flight 7 - Flight #6: Grüner Veltliner (3 Notes)

  • 1997 Weingut Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibenberg 90 Points

    Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

    Big and dense, sultry and concentrated style and nearly dry. Sexy, outspoken and lascivious. Tropical fruit punch, earl grey tea, lemon cheesecake, orange peel. The finish is long and mouthy, but marked by a hint of alcoholic heat and could use a tad more acidity to give more lift and freshness. Very good wine, though. 17.5/20

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  • 2003 Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Honivogl 89 Points

    Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

    Immediately recognised this wine because of its typical notes of green peas. Green-tinged yellow in the glass. It certainly has an off-dry mouthfeel, but that doesn't bother me at all. In fact this wine has good freshness and lift, especially considering the vintage. Very lenghty, too. 17/20

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  • 1993 Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner Vinothek 92 Points

    Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

    Boy, was I impressed by this wine! Especially by the fact that it stayed in barrel for 15 years. Nonetheless, this made a very fresh, energetic and youthful appearance. Lots of yellow fruit, apricot, peach, guave, pine apple. Perfectly integrated and supportive oak. Stunning wine. (But, like most GruVe's, the acid deficit makes that I find it hard to score these wines higher than 18.5/20). 18/20

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Flight 8 - Flight #7: Chardonnay (Chablis) (3 Notes)

  • 2001 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

    This wine oozes with minerality... flintstone, wet pebbles, salty seashells, chalk and clay. It is dominating and very impressive with its masculinity and classical countryside notes like barnyard, springmeadows, some hay, white stonefruit, licorice and certainly has some animality in it. Old-school-Chablis as good as it gets... 18/20.

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  • 2004 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

    I really like those mineral, restrained takes on Chardonnay! This one was very transparant, though dense and complex. Chalky minerality, lemon oil, pink grapefruit. Lively, mouthwatering acidity that leaves the palate clean and urging for more. Classic sea-food wine to drink now or within 3-5 years. 17.5-18/20

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  • 2005 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 89 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

    Slightly disappointed. Nose is locked and pale, on the palate this seems thicker, more concentrated than the other two in this flight. Minerality seems to be covered by the lush fruit. Maybe some extra years in the cellar will turn this slightly inconspicuous wine into a bruiser. 17/20

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Flight 9 - Flight #8: Rhône (2 Notes)

  • 1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    This was killer, and one of the best wines in this tasting. Deep golden yellow. Very harmonious and perfectly balanced. In a very fine place, right now. Dried apricot and candied lime-notes are on the background, but beautiful hints of evolution scream for your attention: nutty blond tobacco, beeswax, antique-shop, fresh-cut hay. And... this never gets heavy or clumsy. No, it's refreshing like an eveningbreeze after a hot summersday. 18.5/20

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  • 2004 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Extremely impressive and luxurious bouquet, which is in good harmonay with the broad and extensive palate. Peach juice, coconut, passionfruit, pine kernels. Always difficult to estimate when to open the next bottle of these kind of wines. Is it closing down or will it open up in a few years time? Dunno... But it was wonderful tonight. 18/20

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Flight 10 - Flight #9: Odd Balls (2 Notes)

  • 2000 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 94 Points

    Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

    This is a real 'odd-ball'... Citrusfruit, apricot and red berries are seasoned with spices like nutmeg, vanilla, black pepper and thyme. It has a light and fresh presentation at first but then firms up in your mouth. Hard to discribe since it hardly has any resemblance to any other white wine I know. Noble, but tenacious and intriguing. 18.5/20

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  • 1997 Sine Qua Non Twisted and Bent 95 Points

    USA, California

    This puppy certainly was NOT over the hill. It was shining all night and even more so after a couple of days in the fridge!
    Of course it's evolved. But that adds complexity and depth to a wine that probably also was very impressive in its youth. The concentration is unbelievable, but I did not think that it was out of place. Somehow it fits in beautifully. Interesting notes of cappuccino, truffles and rubber on top of a banana/mango/passionfruit-coulis. One of my most memorable whites ever. Awesome. 18.5-19/20

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Flight 11 - Flight #10: Chardonnay (reprise) (3 Notes)

  • 2004 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

    Firm oak use, but there is enough fruit and juiciness to cover that up. Interesting green vegetable/herbal thing going on. Red apples, Banana-split, lemon curd. Feels quite restrained and subtle, certainly compared to the other two in this flight. Delicious.18/20

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  • 2005 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 94 Points

    Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

    This one stunned everyone at our White-Icon-Tasting, including the classicists! Extremely fresh and balanced, good poise and a the wine keeps a beautiful tension all the way to the end. Oak is completely integrated and plays a supporting role, just like it ought to do. Wish all white Burgundy was at this level AND price-point! Top of the bill, must definately buy more. 18.5/20

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  • 2006 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Whoa, this is heavy sh*t. To me, it's over the top. Nose is dominated by oak, amaretto, vanilla and butterscotch. Also a lot of thick, sweet floral notes like honeysuckle, lilac and hyacinth. Felt priviliged to be able to savour The Judge again, but it was clearly outclassed by the Leeuwin Art Series today. 17.5/20

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Closing

Personal WOTN: 1997 Sine Qua Non - Twisted and Bent
Other wines to look out for: FX Pichler Kellerberg Riesling, Baumard Clos du Papillon, Nikolaihof GruVe Vinothek, Raveneau Chablis, Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay.

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