Mountain Wine Tasting

This was a themed "Most Interesting Bottle" based on the theme of "mountain wines", i.e. wines from steep slopes, from high altitude, with "mont", "berg" or another word in its name. The theme was rather loose. All wines were served blind and revealed after each flight.

The Chandra Kurt "Heida" Savagnin comes from one of the highest altitude vineyards in Switzerland. Nobody guessed that it would be a Savagnin, yet nobody had any idea what it could be. A very individual wine. The Karl Schaefer Pechstein 2009 was in perfect mood that night, slightly restrained, but so elegant. I wished I had some of those in my cellar.

• 2009 Provins Heida Collection Chandra Kurt 88 Points

  Switzerland, Valais

  Medium yellow with some green. In the nose, very floral with yellow and green fruit notes (mirabelle, reineclaude, kiwi), quite spicy. On the palate, this is forceful, maybe even a bit brutal, slightly alcoholic, again very spicy, creamy with mild acidity. Long. Could be more subtle, but a very good wine overall.

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• 2009 Karl Schaefer Forster Pechstein Riesling Großes Gewächs 91 Points

  Germany, Pfalz

  Light pale yellow. In the nose some notes of spontaneous fermentation, lime, grapefruit and lemons, some verveine and tarragon. Very pleasing, muscular, slim and straightforward. On the palate, it's fine with strong, grapefruity acidity, fine fruit, it's bone dry, yet juicy, mineralic, long finish. Great bottle of Pechstein.

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The Ganevat "Les Grands Teppes" was served a bit too cold and didn't get any decanting. It did develop a lot in the glass and when retasting at the end of the night, it had changed a lot. As we drank it, it was merely a Jura-tinged burgundy style Chardonnay of good class. The Bremmer Calmont was singing like the Karl Schaefer was in the previous flight. It was easily recognizable as coming from the Mosel due to its slatey notes and just simply very good.

• 2005 Jean-François Ganevat Chardonnay Les Grands Teppes Vieilles Vignes 90 Points

  France, Jura, Côtes du Jura

  Medium yellow. In the nose, very complex, fine and elegant, some yellow spices (Curry), chalky minerality, some lemon juice. On the palate, it's not too powerful, spicy again, lemony and chalky. Very elegant. Slightly short finish. Not as great as the 2005 "Chalasse Vielles Vignes", but also really, really good.

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• 2005 Franzen Bremmer Calmont Riesling Calidus Mons 92 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Light golden yellow. In the nose, it's quite nutty with yellow fruit aromas, very ripe fruit, very direct with transparency and elegance. Fine underlying notes of slate. There's also some wild honey and camomille. On the palate, it's herbal with notes of tobacco, dried green herbs, there's some honey, a touch of fruity sweetness, smoky notes, great harmony. Maybe at it's peak, but maybe also with still some reserves. Marvellous.

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Duh, I was very disappointed by this flight. Only the 2003 Mont du Toit Le Sommet was quite good, 1998 and 2000 were very disappointing, especially given that this is meant to be the luxury reserve cuvée of Mont du Toit. The wines were all too alcoholic, had aged badly and were blurry and unprecise (except for the 2003, which was quite good, if not fantastic).

• 1998 Mont du Toit Le Sommet 85 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Wellington

  Dark cherry red. In the nose, there's some junipers, cooked cherries and blackberries. At first, it's quite clean and elegant. Changes constantly in the glass, becomes more and more blurry. On the palate, it's forceful and unharmonic, yet with quite a few nuances. Soft, but precise tannin. Loses grip and precision with time in the glass. Not very convincing.

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• 2003 Mont du Toit Le Sommet 90 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Wellington

  Brownish dark red. In the nose, there are prunes and dried dates, some fall leaves, a bit of cherry, leather, cedar wood. Precise and deep. On the palate, it's rather tart, marked by tannins, finest acidity, fine fruitiness (blackberry). Medium length, but quite some depth. Miles better than 1998 and 2000.

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• 2000 Mont du Toit Le Sommet 82 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Wellington

  Thick blackish red, lots of viscosity. In the nose, it's broad, blurry, alcoholic and sweet, some volatile acidity. On the palate, it's also sweet, the tannins are grainy, the wine is brutish, alcoholic, slightly bitter. A big disappointment, not much to like.

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The Madiran after the Mont du Toit made up for the previous flight. It came cellar cold, but was really good chilled, but even better when warming up. Such an ultra-complex, big and brooding wine, such a good and typical Madiran and still so young. It motivated me to stock up on Laffont Madiran Cuvée Hecate from different vintages. Wine of the night for me.

• 2001 Domaine Laffont Madiran Cuvée Hecate 93 Points

  France, Southwest France, Madiran

  Inky, shiny dark red. Deep and brooding. In the nose, there's purity and finesse, some blueberry, blackberry, salty caramel, Espresso, leather and animalic notes. Changes constantly, very exciting, lots to discover. On the palate, it's tart with cherry notes, full tannins, fine acidity, great purity and transparence. It's slightly bitter with an Espresso-touch. A great wine with a great future.

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The next two wines were serverd separately. Nobody had any idea what the Odysseus Pedro Ximénez could be, we guessed at some vin naturel. It was a bit thin, but quite interesting. The Kracher was mainly extreme, so sweet with such high acidity. I loved the wine for what it was, but it's next to impossible to drink more than a glass of this.

• 2007 Viñedos de Ithaca Priorat Odysseus Pedro Ximénez 86 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Dark golden yellow. In the nose, lots of apple, apple must, Calvados, Cidre, some green hazelnut. Ripe pears. On the palate, it's thin, slightly adstringend with some residual sweetness. Gains structure with more temperature.

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• 2002 Alois Kracher Noble Wine #12 Zwischen den Seen 94 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee

  Amber coloured. In the nose, there's toffee, some baked apple, caramell, bonfire and peach. Very pleasing and elegant. On the palate, it's oily and thick, very thick in fact, hardly goes down the throat, extreme sweetness, yet balanced by fresh acidity, extremely long, heavy like a 10 ton truck. A really extreme, but also extremely impressive wine.

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• 2008 Passopisciaro Sicilia Contrada Porcaria 90 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Sicilia

  Transparent, light crimson. In the nose, there's some pine needles, some alcohol, cherry liqueur, licorice and printing colour. On the palate, it's unusually sweet, slightly smoky, nicely mineralic with some bite and harsh tannins in the back end. Very complex, not easy to drink, yet quite exciting.

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