A very forward nose, with aromas of ripe and oxidized fruit. There's a bit of apple pie (spice, crust, and all) on the palate as well as a good hint of marzipan. Ripe, delicious, sensuous, and rich.
Quite pale colour. A nose that featured grapefruit and plums -- definitely one of the fruitier bottles I've encountered. Very rich with plenty of fruit on the palate again, but counterbalanced by lots of mineral. Ready to enjoy now, but there's really no rush.
The nose on this was really musty and funky -- almost a bit of animale going on. This was quite ripe and mineral, with unsweetened cranberry juice character. Yeah, this was quite tart, and would be a lot better in the summer.
Likely the 2010 disgorgement, but I did not notice. I believe this is one of the first "vintages" of this wine. This is downright sour, with a very strong limestone inflection. How the acid and the limestone don't react together to explode the bottle is beyond me. Primary now, I imagine this will get a lot better if it evolves the way I hope -- that angular acid really needs to chill out.
Beautiful gold colour. The nose is just the same -- golden. I almost detected a hint of botrytis? No, that can't be right... Massively rich and concentrated on the palate as you'd expect. Baked apples and fresh bread. With air, this becomes even bigger. Chalky texture on the palate too. I would decant these an hour or two in a wide decanter before serving. They become even more expressive. To say that this finishes long is an understatement.
I'm pretty sure this was fermented in chalk. There's chalk everywhere. Austere and mineral with a good steely quality to it. Initially a bit tough to drink, this needs the benefit of lots of air to loosen up that tight coil of minerality, whereupon it is a bit more approachable. A bit low on the fruit end of the spectrum, this is a pretty cerebral bottle of bubbly.
This bottle had a lovely nose of rose and red currants. The palate had a very lively freshness to it, as well as some of the same red fruit character. I got a good dose of cranberry from it.
#58-12, 12.5% abv. This comes across as a very well-balanced riesling. My impression of Keller has always been that it's a bit on the austere and dryer side of things, but this isn't that way at all. Quite ripe and fruity, but balanced. Alcohol isn't over the top either, though I do prefer a bit more acidic cut. An excellent example of the Feinherb style. This is very approachable and wholly enjoyable now.
#15-12, 7% abv. From half bottle. A good hit of clover honey on the nose from this bottle. There's a little bit of sulphur as well, and then, after those things, it's fruit all the way to the end. Pineapple seems dominant. Rich and delicious, this bottle did not feel as soft as the other two I've opened had -- there was better acidity and balance throughout.
This is classy syrah. Olives, dirt, stems, and then, layered above all of those is a bunch of very pure ripe fruit. Alas, this has a bit of a young wine smell right now that will need some time to be shed. The palate is just like the nose too, austere, but with enough fruit over top for the long haul. Very nice.
2004 Henri Goutorbe Champagne Grand Cru Special Club 93 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
A very forward nose, with aromas of ripe and oxidized fruit. There's a bit of apple pie (spice, crust, and all) on the palate as well as a good hint of marzipan. Ripe, delicious, sensuous, and rich.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
2006 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier Rubis 93 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Quite pale colour. A nose that featured grapefruit and plums -- definitely one of the fruitier bottles I've encountered. Very rich with plenty of fruit on the palate again, but counterbalanced by lots of mineral. Ready to enjoy now, but there's really no rush.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
NV Geoffroy Champagne Premier Cru Rosé de Saignée Brut 90 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
The nose on this was really musty and funky -- almost a bit of animale going on. This was quite ripe and mineral, with unsweetened cranberry juice character. Yeah, this was quite tart, and would be a lot better in the summer.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
NV Ruppert-Leroy Champagne Brut Nature Fosse-Grely 88 Points
France, Champagne
Likely the 2010 disgorgement, but I did not notice. I believe this is one of the first "vintages" of this wine. This is downright sour, with a very strong limestone inflection. How the acid and the limestone don't react together to explode the bottle is beyond me. Primary now, I imagine this will get a lot better if it evolves the way I hope -- that angular acid really needs to chill out.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1995 Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé 95 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Beautiful gold colour. The nose is just the same -- golden. I almost detected a hint of botrytis? No, that can't be right... Massively rich and concentrated on the palate as you'd expect. Baked apples and fresh bread. With air, this becomes even bigger. Chalky texture on the palate too. I would decant these an hour or two in a wide decanter before serving. They become even more expressive. To say that this finishes long is an understatement.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
NV Jean-François Ganevat Crémant du Jura "La Combe" Rotalier Oh! 88 Points
France, Jura, Crémant du Jura
I'm pretty sure this was fermented in chalk. There's chalk everywhere. Austere and mineral with a good steely quality to it. Initially a bit tough to drink, this needs the benefit of lots of air to loosen up that tight coil of minerality, whereupon it is a bit more approachable. A bit low on the fruit end of the spectrum, this is a pretty cerebral bottle of bubbly.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé 90 Points
France, Champagne
This bottle had a lovely nose of rose and red currants. The palate had a very lively freshness to it, as well as some of the same red fruit character. I got a good dose of cranberry from it.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1999 Luciano Sandrone Barbera d'Alba Flawed
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba
Volatile nose with very confected aromas. Weird.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2012 Domaine de l'Anglore Nulle parts ailleurs Blanc 60 Points
France, Vin de France
Oh god, just about everything that I don't like about wine. No acidity. Sweet and cloying fruit and spice. Perceptible alcohol.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2011 Weingut Keller Riesling RR 90 Points
Germany, Rheinhessen
#58-12, 12.5% abv. This comes across as a very well-balanced riesling. My impression of Keller has always been that it's a bit on the austere and dryer side of things, but this isn't that way at all. Quite ripe and fruity, but balanced. Alcohol isn't over the top either, though I do prefer a bit more acidic cut. An excellent example of the Feinherb style. This is very approachable and wholly enjoyable now.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2011 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese Lange Goldkapsel 95 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
#15-12, 7% abv. From half bottle. A good hit of clover honey on the nose from this bottle. There's a little bit of sulphur as well, and then, after those things, it's fruit all the way to the end. Pineapple seems dominant. Rich and delicious, this bottle did not feel as soft as the other two I've opened had -- there was better acidity and balance throughout.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
2012 Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 30 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
This is classy syrah. Olives, dirt, stems, and then, layered above all of those is a bunch of very pure ripe fruit. Alas, this has a bit of a young wine smell right now that will need some time to be shed. The palate is just like the nose too, austere, but with enough fruit over top for the long haul. Very nice.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No