New Year's Week 2008/9

Northwoods
Tasted Sunday, December 28, 2008 - Sunday, January 4, 2009 by vanpe003 with 1,209 views

Introduction

A New Year's tradition in the great Northwoods of Wisconsin. Some skiing, relaxing, a lot of good food and wine with FBM's clan. I know there are more than a few wines that I've forgotten in these notes. There were too many poured to keep up with. Thanks to FBM for offering up so many fantastic wines....!!!

Flight 1 - Champagnes (9 Notes)

Of this bunch, the 1996 Henri Giraud was the standout. Quite an accomplishment given the presence of both vintage and non-vintage Krugs in the mix. The 1995 Nicolas Feuillatte wasn't far behind. In general, the champagnes were the strongest wines served over the course of the week. The most memorable are from the Dethune on down the list.

Flight 2 - Whites (3 Notes)

Surprisingly, there weren't a lot of whites opened over the course of the week. Probably because of the wealth of champagnes that took front and center. Of the whites, the "aged" Jakoby-Mathy, left over from Thanksgiving, took 1st place as "biggest surprise". The '02 Tablas Creek was the WOTF.

Flight 3 - Aged Bordeaux Blends (8 Notes)

A tough group to score. In general, the 1989 Bordeauxs were relatively nondescript as compared to others in the group. Standouts were the 96 Opus, 89 Anderson's Conn Valley, 73 Mayacamas, and 74 Inglenook. A nice batch of wines.

Flight 4 - New World Reds (5 Notes)

Served over multiple evenings, there wasn't a "dud" in this group. The '02 Firebreak was outstanding. The only "average" bottle was the JK Carriere.

  • 2002 J. K. Carriere Pinot Noir 89 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    (12/30/2008)

    Similar notes to prior tasting, though this one opened up almost immediately in the glass. The stems turn into a bit of dish soap on the nose, keeping the score down a notch. The palate finishes with some pretty overt tannins.

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

  • 2006 Javelina Leap Zinfandel 91 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    (12/29/2008)

    A bit hotter than prior btls, perhaps a tad less fruit. Update: after a day or two open, this rounded out and was every bit the wine that earlier bottles were.

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

  • 2002 Shafer Firebreak 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    (12/29/2008)

    Full-bodied Sangiovese, with a rich chocolatey mouthfeel. Long and smooth finish. This was one of my favorite reds of the week.

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

  • 2000 de Trafford Cabernet Sauvignon 92 Points

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

    (12/31/2008)

    This bottle was a bit new world in styling. Rich, full bodied. Drinking well now.

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

  • 2002 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel 92 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    (12/31/2008)

    A very good bottle that is starting to come into its own. Drinking very well, and one of the better reds opened.

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

Flight 5 - Italian / Spanish (7 Notes)

The biggest surprise for me of this bunch was the '04 Genium, which was surprisingly smooth and balanced given its relative youth. The underperformer in this group was the '98 Fontodi Flaccianello which was not as good as either of the Poggio Anticos. Both the '97 nebbiolos were excellent after a few hours open.

  • 1998 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 89 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT

    (12/30/2008)

    Nothing at all wrong with this wine, but nothing that really reaches out and grabs me. Opened for about 6 hours, no decant. The nose is the highlight of this, a mature fruit and sweaty oak. The palate for me is a bit thinner than I care for. On the plus side, none of the overt tarriness exhibited in a brunello from the night before. A minerality on the finish is slightly distracting. Some fine tannins remain. This seems on the whole to be a rather feminine rendition.

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

  • 1990 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    (12/30/2008)

    An interesting experiment. Initially, on the pop/pour, this was several points lower than the 1988. After an hour, they were going in different directions. The '88 losing a bit, while the '90 gains a bit while it loses some acidity. This still carries a fair amount of tannin, which would suggest better with food than as a sipper.

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

  • 1988 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    (12/30/2008)

    A much better bottle than the last outing, and a shade better than the 1990 also opened this evening. Light spices and cedar on the nose. Unlike the last bottle, there is nothing heavy or muddy about this. Very nicely resolved on the palate, but still with a bit of acidity and fine tannins. However, this does not gain any further depth or balance with time in the glass. In fsct for ms, this loses fruit adtsr an houd or two. May be time to drink up.

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

  • 1997 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Spuntali 93 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    (12/31/2008)

    A very well made wine. Strong hints of tar that I didn't pick out the last time I had this a couple of years ago. These diminished after some time open. I would recommend decanting this one for an hour or two prior to serving based on this bottle. A full bodied, masculine style.

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

  • 1997 Marcarini Barolo Brunate 91 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    (1/2/2009)

    A bit more masculine than the Vietti also opened tonight, with some tar on the palate. Finishes with fine tannins. Seems too early. Will try to wait a few years until the next one.

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

  • 1997 Vietti Barbaresco Masseria 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    (1/2/2009)

    Struck me as fairly feminine in style. Aromatic. On the palate starting to integrate nicely, though I think a few more years will serve this well.

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

  • 2004 Genium Celler Priorat Costers Vi de Guarda 93 Points

    Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

    (1/2/2009)

    From FBM. Didn't show much early on. After an hour or so, this really came into its own. Nicely balanced on both nose and palate. I was surprised at how well this was drinking in its relative youth. Struck me as more modern than some other Priorats I've had (less meaty / game, slightly sweeter).

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

Flight 6 - Dessert Wines (2 Notes)

The '78 Mayacamas doesn't quite fit the bill for a "dessert wine", as it's a bit lighter and more zin-like than it is a pure-form dessert wine.

Flight 7 - Back at Home" Addendum (6 Notes)

A few wines upon the return home, opened at home and at Domincin's on a snowy Saturday night and on Sunday in advance of the Viking's playoff appearance.

  • 1995 Faustino Rioja I Gran Reserva 88 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    (1/3/2009)

    A different bottle than the one we had a month or so ago. Similar impressions on the nose, but on the palate, a note of dill that I didn't detect last time around. A note that I found a bit distracting.

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

  • 2004 Argyle Pinot Noir Reserve 90 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    (1/3/2009)

    Popped/poured. Spicy sweetness on the nose. The palate is a bit more tart than I normally care for and for me doesn't match the promise of the nose. Still a very nice wine on balance. Does better as it opens up and comes to temperature.

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

  • 1998 Malvira' Langhe Barbera San Guglielmo 91 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

    (1/3/2009)

    Much better than in the past. More forward on both the nose and palate. A glass pour at Domincin's, this marries well with many of the menu items.

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

  • 2000 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 91 Points

    France, Champagne

    (1/4/2009)

    Opened this after hearing from Alecs that he hated it. I wouldn't go that far, but it's certainly not the best champagne I've had recently, nor the liveliest. Quite full on the palate, and acidic on the finish. The polar opposite to the NV Krug on New Year's Eve, which was razor sharp. Something in between would be nice. I think this is one to put away and forget about for awhile, hoping that some of the acidity will dissipate and that the wine will gain some complexity, at which point it might start to merit the pricing premium. This is really best at this point with food, and is in fact a stunning pairing with blue cheese, which serves to neutralize the acidity.

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

  • 2001 Warwick Estate Three Cape Ladies Cape Blend 91 Points

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

    (1/4/2009)

    Perhaps the best bottle I've had of this so far. Started out with the same tinge of green I noticed in a prior bottle. That faded away, leaving chocolate and smoky fruit on the nose, carrying to a medium-full bodied wine on the palate, where the smoke and chocolate flavors are somewhat reminiscent of the spices in a dark, Tex-Mex bean soup. Fully resolved, it's probably time to find the rest of these and drink them up.

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

  • 2000 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé Vintage 92 Points

    France, Champagne

    (1/3/2009)

    Also at Domincin's...seemed to have more depth than the last time around.

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

×
×