France vs. Italy @ Roel's

Netherlands
Tasted Thursday, May 16, 2013 by jkoenen with 462 views

Introduction

Once in a while, I join Roel and David at a cosy, informal get-together to evaluate some of our wines.
Theme was 'France vs. Italy', a saucy yet light-hearted title that left us with plenty of room in interpretation.
Wines were served blind.

Flight 1 (1 Note)

2010 Joseph Drouhin / Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis 1er Cru 88 Points

France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

Pale yellow. Stony minerality, some pear, citrus and chalk, prominent fresh, green vegetal aromas. On the palate there is also a chalky roughness and a certain saline mouthfeel. Fresh, lively and brisk, this wine has good structure and even some volume. Clear, clean, pretty. 16,5/20

Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 2 (3 Notes)

1989 Château Certan-Marzelle 92 Points

France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

Some bricking towards the glass, ruby red in the core. This wine breathes a very soft, mature, velvety nose of turned soil, tobacco, tree bark. I also picked up the powdery spicyness of cinnamon and liquorice, followed by complex nuances of old leather, beef stew, fig jam and gingerbread. Beautiful, sophisticated and soft palate showed some graphite roughness, toast, smoke, pinch of melting tannines. Although this wine certainly has moved into its tertiairy phase, it still has lots of complexity and stuffing. It's vital, fresh and friendly, wafting with feminine low-key elegance. Great wine. 18/20

Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1997 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 93 Points

Italy, Tuscany, Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT

Opens kinda poopy, but underneath that there are warm and lush aromas of balsamico, toast, grilled bell-pepper, crayons, blackberries. A sip reveals smokey, creamy well integrated oak, sundried tomatoes, olives, blackberries again, dried hams, melted cheese. Main attraction of this wine is its impeccable balance and effortlessness in its presentation. Beautiful ripe tannines provide bite and structure, this is a broad shouldered wine in a very stylish outfit. After a while it hit me, that somehow this wine tasted EXACTLY like that gorgeous crispy lasagna crust that's left in the baking dish after you finish it... Lovely! 18-18.5/20

Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2004 Rocca delle Macìe Chianti Classico Famiglia Zingarelli Riserva 91 Points

Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

Floral bouquet, some volatilaty hovering out of the glass, sour cherry, bay leaf, grenadine, acidic impressions on the nose. Young and tannic in the mouth, bright acidity, snappy and zestful. Compact and concealed in its aromatics, shy notes of cassis, tar, red cabbage and apple. This is a wine of cool stature and has nice sweet-n-sour interplay. Made me think Nebbiolo... 17.5-18/20

Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 3 (3 Notes)

2009 David Hook Wines Barbera Hunter Valley 89 Points

Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

Youthful, sweet, volatile bouquet. Cherry-chapstick! Blueberry pancakes, candied black cherry. Hint of dried herbs like garrigue. Zippy, almost petillant mouthfeel, full throttle sweetness. Too sweet to my taste. Lacking depth and complexity at the moment, searching for balance. Maybe time will help this one to get into shape. My guess Southern Rhone 07? 17/20

Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2002 Château Pontet-Canet 88 Points

France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

Wet rocks, cardboard, ink, banana, some VA. Difficult nose, reticent. On the palate this feels more like a Bordeaux. Roasted bell-peppers, tapenade, fingerpaint, cherry fruit, prunes and cassis. Some cedar and a small tuft of tobacco. Seems muddled, closed. Nose is not catching up with the palate. Fine, though not up to the reputation of the Chateau. 16,5/20
Brother told us that it was much better on day 2. So it probably needed more air.

Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1997 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 94 Points

France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

This is androgynous stuff... At first I recognise a sturdy, masculine juice: leather, roast beef, smoke, tar, earth, bacon, printing ink. But underneath this is utterly digestible, full of finesse and completely in touch with its feminine side: currants, dates, figs, dried herbal action, pepper and cloves, dried flowers as well. Wonderful nuances of bread crust! Need I say that complexity and elegance are its main virtues? Great, great wine. At peak. 18.5/20

Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No