In Vino Veritas Session 1
MIT
Tasted Wednesday, January 23, 2013 by Benj with 506 views
Introduction
Importance of the grape: white grapes.
Flight 1 (12 Notes)
Closing
A great tasting with a few lovely surprises and a few disappointments.
MIT
Tasted Wednesday, January 23, 2013 by Benj with 506 views
Importance of the grape: white grapes.
A great tasting with a few lovely surprises and a few disappointments.
2007 Domaine de la Louvetrie (Landron & Fils) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie 87 Points
France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie
Very much sur lie! Very yeasty, with a fresh clean palate and decent balance. A touch oxidized - should really be drinking younger. Simple but very tasty in the right context. 12%, $12.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2011 Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin Blanc Dry Clarksburg 80 Points
USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg
Very fruity nose - pineapple and sweet red apple. If we could stop here this'd easily be an 89+. However, the palate on this baby is pretty disjointed and uninteresting. Despite only 12.5% alcohol, it comes through pretty overpoweringly. Tasted several bottles so am not willing to put this down to an off bottle. Disappointing. 12.5%. $13.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Markko Johannisberg Riesling Reserve 91 Points
USA, Ohio, Lake Erie
Superb nose - one of the most luscious honeysuckle + rubbery noses I've had in an American Riesling in a long time. Very fat, oily palate, but very nice acidity -finishes very clean. Zingy, warm baked fruit flavors, quite a lot of dried apricot and date on the finish. Wonderful - the best US Riesling I've had to date. This was Lot 0812. 11.5%. $34.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer Mambourg 78 Points
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
This goes beyond Turkish Delight or rose water to *pure* *rose* *oil* in all its raw crazy intensity, with its thick, musky thwack of oil. Strongly perfumed palate, very thick and oily, almost slightly bitter. Short finish. No good really - I hope it's a bad bottle but I was not reassured when I consulted another bottle. 13.5%, $36.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Livio Felluga Friuli Colli Orientali Pinot Grigio 84 Points
Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Colli Orientali
Nice light nose - a touch smoky/earthy. Sun-scorched detritus on a forest floor, diluted 10 times. Clean, dry, well-balanced but a little. Overpriced. 13.5%, $28.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2011 Giordano Lombardo Gavi Vigne di San Martino 88 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Gavi
Definitely sur lie - can smell the yeast. Some light (not strong or indolic) white flowers. Very nice palate - "wine-y", but in as nice a way as you can imagine. Clearly pretty polished, clean, balanced, some crisp unripe pear, slightly drying. V. nice and a decent buy. 12%, $17.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2011 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnés Flawed
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
This smells like peanuts. I smelled it the minute I put this to my nose and couldn't place it for several minutes, but once I did I was absolutely 100% convinced. Peanuts. I am assuming that this is not intentional and is a result of a very small amount of contamination from secretions of the Harmonia axyridis ladybird. That aside, a burnt metallicity, a surprisingly round flavor profile and a long finish make this a decent Sancerre - a sample from a better bottle showed very well and indicated 90+ point quality and a remarkable intensity, but my impression is colored by this experience so I don't feel in a good position to give a score. $50.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2005 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Holy moly, what a wine! Smoky, buttery, oaky through and through. Smooth, oily, warm, delicious, very long. Perfect mouthfeel. A perfect example of an amazing white Bordeaux drinking perfectly. Handles its 14% alcohol with incredible grace. A role model. 14%, $120.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay Indian Wells 90 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Very well-managed oaking. A touch of lemon peel. Decent acid, but very creamy and quite fruity. Surprisingly nicely balanced, and that very buttery aftertaste is a pleasant butter. A very good buy for people who like their Chardonnays opulent but not tasting like wood. 13.5%, $18.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2010 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc La Crau 91 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Perhaps a little oxidized - not its best showing I feel. However, pretty excellent all the same - warm, earth, a touch smoky, a lovely acid backbone. Quite beautiful, if very different from the Marsanne-dominated Northern Rhones I love so much. My understanding is that this blend is predominantly Clairette and Grenache Blanc with some Bourboulenc and Roussanne. 13.5%, $75.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Domaine Yves Cuilleron Viognier 92 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes
Spectacular! Very ripe peaches + cream ice cream, plus apricots and the fresh rich dairy scent of cottage cheese. Feels very much the same on the palate, but slightly more floral. Very oily. Low acid - be careful when pairing with food. Wonderful, and a bargain compared to the stuff from Condrieu just next door. Approx. 2000 cases. 13.5%, $35.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise Le Chant des Griolles 86 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Not enough intensity of flavor. More tropical than many other examples - lychee and mango for sure - but lacks the playfulness I love in Muscat. Probably past its prime. Unfulfilling and overpriced. 15%, $27.50 / 375 ml.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue