1997 Tignanello, 1997 Pian delle Vigne, 2002 Quarts de Chaume, 1998 Kracher No. 9 & a secret wine

I invited two couples to a wine tasting dinner at my apartment in Monterrey. One of myfriends is ITB, having worked as a buyer for a major retailer for many years. He recently started his own retail business.

I offered Parmiggiano Reggiano and Iberico ham as appetizers with thin crust gourmet pizzas as the main course. For the sweet wines I offered aRoquefort Cheese plate.

I wanted to check on these two wines, gievn that they are already 12 years old. Both are in healthy condition and will last several more years.

• 1997 Antinori Tignanello 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Great nose of dried cherries, pine tree and spice. In the palate, it has nice acidity (although not as much as previous bottles, which is nice), medium body, very supple texture and barely noticeable tannin. While not as fruit forward and voluptuos as in its youth, it has settled down in good fashion.
  
  Nariz muy atractiva, llena de cerezas secas, hojas de pino y un punto de especias. En boca tiene acidez buena (mucho menos perceptible que en botellas anteriores, cosa que se agradece), cuerpo medio, de textura muy suave, los taninos son apenas perceptibles. Este vino ya no es el jovencito lleno de fruta y voluptuoso de su juventud, pero la edad le ha cambiado para bien.

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• 1997 Pian Delle Vigne (Antinori) Brunello di Montalcino 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  More serious and reserved than the Tignanello. The nose runs more to tobacco, forest floor and dark fruits, although it is not as expressive as that of it stablemate. Fuller bodied, denser, with more noticeable tannin, but a little shy and short.
  
  Más serio y reservado que el Tignanello. La nariz corre más hacia el tabaco, sotobosque y frutas obscuras, aunque no llega a la intensidad de la de su hermano. Con más cuerpo y tanino que el Tignanello, se queda un poco corto e introvertido.

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Humberto brought a "secret" wine for us to taste blind. He hoped to change my mind about a region, but he succeeded only slightly.

• 2007 Aborigen Grenache El Sueño 92 Points

  Mexico, Baja California, Valle de Guadalupe

  Humberto wanted to trick me with this bottle. He said nothing about the origin and brought it covered in tin foil. He wanted to know what I thought. The color was raspberry red. The nose was flamboyant, very jammy, obviously from a very ripe year, with a touch of minerality and yelling "Grenache". The color and palate impression confirmed my gut feeling. Medium bodied, jammy sweet, very long and nearly over the top (over the top for many). A mouthfull of a wine with noticeable heat and very low acidity. If you like California Pinto Noir fruit bombs, you will love this. I ventured to guess "2007 Chateauneuf du Pape". I was wrong. This is old vine (60 years) Garnacha from Mexico's Guadalupe Valley. Humberto, James Suckling (the Wine Spectator critc) and John Gray bought this single barrique from Aborigen and had it privately bottled for their personal consumption.
  
  Humberto quería engañarme con esta botella. No dijo nada de su origen, yla trajo cubierta con papel aluminio. Quería saber qué opinaba. El color era de frambuesa, un poco translúcido. La nariz es explosiva, hedonista, exótica, llena de mermelada de frutas rojas y un punto de mineralidad. Grita "Garnacha!". El color y la impresión en boca confirman mi sospecha de varietal. De cuerpo mediano, con dulzor producto de gran madurez, muy largo y casi excedido de madurez (definitivamente excedido dirían algunos). Un vino extrovertido con el alcohol un poco fuera de balance y muy baja acidez. Si te gustan los Pinot Noirs Californianos sobre maduros, te encantará este vino. Adiviné "un Chateauneuf du pape del 2007". Me equivoqué. Es un vino hecho con fruta de viñedos cde Garnacha de 60 años de edad del Valle de Guadalupe en México. Humberto, James Suckling (el crítico de Wine Spectator) y John Gray le compraron esta barrica a Aborigen para vinificarla y embotellarla para su consumo personal.

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My friends had never tasted wines from these regions or producers, so it was a good oportunity to help expand their knowledge.

• 2002 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru

  Pure essence of pineapple, this wine is juicy, light on its feet and ethereal. Those that find cloyinness in sweet wines objectionable, they should try this.
  
  Esencia pura de piña. Jugoso, ligero y etéreo. Aquellos que objetan lo empalagoso en los vinos dulces deberían de probar este vino y regocijarse.

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• 1998 Alois Kracher Chardonnay TBA #9 Nouvelle Vague 95 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee

  Deep gold color. This is a completely different animal from the Quarts de Chaume. Similarly tropical, but adding butterscotch, vanilla and caramel with tremendous levels of intensity. Full bodied, viscous, deep and very sweet, this is a wine that explodes in your face with intensity. Not for lovers of subtlety.
  
  Color dorado profundo. Este es un vino completamente diferente al Quarts de Chaume. De naturaleza aromática similar en cuanto a la presencia de frutas tropicales, añade caramelo, cajeta y vainilla con niveles tremendos de intensidad. De gran cuerpo, viscoso, profundo y muy dulce, este vino le explota a uno con tremenda intensidad. No recomendable para los amantes de lo sutil. Con un punto adicional de acidez, se habría ganado 2 puntos más.

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A great night of wines with folks that appreciate wine.

Humberto wanted me to say that Mexican wines have finally arrived to the top of the world's echelon, but I am afraid that, despite how unique the El Sueño is, the road will be long and hard for Mexican wines. I will admit, though, that El Sueño is the best Mexican Grenache I have tasted and clearly shows the varietal typicity that Baja should pursue (in my humble opinion).