What else February & March 2011

I'll better write this small wrap-up before it evolves into another 48 wines post.

Champagne

NV Selosse " Version Originale / V.O." (Disgorgement date 16. November 2009)

Under normal circumstances the V.O. starts slightly oxidized and then firms up. However this was not the case here. This bottle used no time at all to strip and it was an outrageous sexy beast from glass one. One of those "sniffer" Champagnes, where you spent most of the time looking like someone that was born with a wineglass glued around your nose. It's typical Selosse; with vanilla, freshly ground butter, ripe apple juice and an utterly divine note of pistachios. But it's the intensity of these aromas, which makes it a really special bottle. Taste is beyond the scale of enjoyment with an incredible rewarding style. Is it the best V.O. I have ever tasted? I think so. So I checked again and had it two weeks later, where I was almost even better. Bravo

2005 Ulysse Colin Bdb, Champagne

I have experienced tremendous amount of bottle variations with this cuvée. Some bottles as tight as a Chablis and others quit evolved. This belongs in the latter section and on day 1 it felt like the Champagne had had it's peak and was heading down. Some of the notes are pleasing enough; acacia honey, warm croissants, browned melted butter - but the notes have very little life and on top they present themselves too overripe. Taste is dull too, even with bitter components and all action (and it's not much) takes place in the front of the mouth. Not good. I didn't drink it all and had already written it off on day two, but it actually was much better (how odd). Still not great Champagne, but some freshness had emerged. So...hmmmm, what to think? After day one I would have suggest "hurry up" and despite the come-back on day two, I would still recommend to drink it now. If looking for cellar potential I would go for the 2006 vintage.

1999 Bollinger "La Grande Anné"

It's natural that you begin to detect components of autolysis. I like those notes, but there is no doubt that drinking more and more breeds of young Champagnes with delightful pure fruit has an affect on me. When autolysis gets companionship of spices, it's required for those spices to be really delicate and fresh. Otherwise it can happen – like with this bottle, the impure spices starts blending themselves with the autolysis notes and it can end up in notes of a dusty sofa. This was the case here and even if I was presented with; black cherries, milk, butter, malt, dark bread it couldn't take away the focus from the "dusty sofa", which took purity and allure massively down. Taste plays with those darker phrasings, where you get those spices again and it's not at all good for the purity hunter like me. I felt disappointed and it's rare I feel that about Bollinger.

1999 Bollinger "La Grande Anné rosé"

I have had this a few times before and it's always a consistent performer. It's the kind of rosé which gives more perfumes of red fruit and doesn't feels like red wine with bubbles. Its gives a more salty style and brings everything to a subtle tonality. However with Bollinger you will always get some of the house classic tense and bold style. It suits this Champagne perfectly and adds a note of plum to the red raspberry aromas. There are only slight fractions of autolysis involved and in general I found it much better than the normal GA.

(Expecting guests)

2002 Vilmart " Grand Cellier Rubis Rosé"

When I bought this Champagne I was ecstatic about it - then it turned into too much happy tutti frutti red fruit with dull oak flavours. But this summer the 1999 vintage really took me by surprise (positive) and me thought why not tango with the 2002 vintage.

Well well well...it has improved and its obvious the equation with these overly red fruit birthday party rosé's is to let them cellar in order for the fruit to dry out a bit and for the notes to be saltier. This is exactly was has started to happen here, but it's not there yet - give it another 2 years. Notes are pretty intense and consist of; Currant, Pinot Noir influence, *iron, spices (there are quit hot) and iodine. Taste is very deep warm and intense and you still get the impression that you are drinking red wine with bubbles. If to say something remotely negative, it's the level of oak, which is quit heavy loaded, but it's something, which I suspect will be better integrated in two years time.

Glasses: For the first time - the Spiegelau Adina gave out some *iron components, which didn't show up in the Zalto white wine. In Zalto the wine was racier and just better. The Zalto White wine has recently been rather interesting to drink Champagne from and I want to test this glass a little more before I begin to write my glass conclusion.

NV Billecart-Salmon Rosé (@ Roka London)

Solid standard NV Champagne. Maybe not overly pure, but still has good harmony of red fruit and spices.

2007 David Léclapart "L'Amateur" (@Fiskebaren, Copenhagen)

Tasted a glass of this in a restaurant. It seemed very shy and almost impossible to approach. I hope to taste it again.

2006 Cédric Bouchard “Les Ursules” (@ The Ledbury, London)

Wonderful – loved it again.

NV Chartogne-Taillet "Cuvée Sainte-Anne" (@ Vijante, London)

Simple refreshing and flowery. Really nice

Reds

2009 Dard et Ribo Saint Joseph "Pitan"

Last summer the 2009 Crozes-Hermitage Rouge, 'C'est le Printemps' renewed my love for Rhône, simply because it wasn't very Rhôn'ish. So I gave Dard et Ribo another try and bought a new wine from them after have tasted small samples of their 2009 portfolio. This is incredible juicy stuff without being intrusive with notes of blackcurrant, menthol and Licorice. Taste is round, juicy again, incredible precise and there is a splendid floating style to the wine, which might well be related to the moderate alcohol level of 12.5%. The wine is an ambassador of that thing we call drinking pleasure and I would drink it young despite it can easily cellar another 10 years.

2008 Vogüé "Chambolle-Musigny" (@Fiskebaren, Copenhagen)

A delicious wine, with sweet cherry plum appeal and a velvet mouth feel. Maybe a tad too sweet from the oak, but so pleasing.

2004 Soldera Brunello “Case Basse Riserva” (only one glass)

Sad thing it was only one glass, because it’s outrageously good. I think it’s the most fruit driven young Case Basse I have tasted so far. Juicy, intellectual, sensual and so Italian. WOW!!!!

2004 Giacomo Conterno "Barbera d'Alba"

My last bottle - so I thought (just found an extra one last week), but what a bottle. When this wine was released it was singing with that delightful red fruit so few Barbera's has. Then is shut down and I had my doubts if it ever would shine again. This bottle was bloody nice and so Italian, just how I like it. Notes are; fresh thyme, rosemary, leather, dust, menthol and the fruit have just reached that classic stage of dry elements, which is superb. Taste warms my second Italian heart, but oozes some menthol notes on the last meters, which I think is the result of 14.5% alcohol. Despite feeling a bit more blurry than usual after the last drops, I still consider it to be a great bottle.

2004 Quinta Sardonia “QS”

Horrible. Smelled of animal blood, bacon and with a viscosity close to floating lava.

Whites:

2006 Kongsgaard Chardonnay "The Judge" (@ The Ledbury, London)

My best friend Anders is a dedicated fan of this wine. It's fun to taste this wine with him and see his passion. Wine is also about sharing and learning what drives our palates.

The wine is very oak driven from start with notes of coconut, burned butter, caramel and nail polish. It's a real beast and not really my type of wine. Taste moulds a lot in the mouth and doesn't do much to the term freshness and ends way too muscular and warm.

2002 Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet “Les Pucelles” (Only one glass)

Very classy and sleek wine. Nose has lots of flowery components, freshly ground butter and smoke. Taste is still very tight with firm and vibrant acidity. A bit of smoke on the mid-palate is the only critique – preventing full mineral explosion, but 3-4 years of cellaring could be the trick.

Links:

http://www.viajante.co.uk/

http://www.theledbury.com/

http://rokarestaurant.com/

http://www.fiskebaren.dk/da/

What else winter 2010 - 48 wines

Here are some short notes of some wines I have enjoyed in late 2010 and even a few ones from the beginning of 2011.

Lack of time, is still my biggest obstacle, but there are events where I simply can't take notes or have my camera with me. Still - most of these notes ARE composed of actually short paper notations.

You will have to excuse me for lack of sufficient image material for this post.

Champagne

2004 David Leclapart, "L’Alchimiste Rosé"

It’s one hell of a wicked rosé, which is certainly not for everyone and seems to be stuck in the same young phase. It smells of cranberry, iron, pâté and sherry. It’s almost aggressive and like a beast, which will eat you if you don’t behave. Could be fun to taste it in 10 years time, where David might have the last laugh.

1990 Salon

Sensual honey infected fruit, with the finest freshly churned butter and scents of a Parisian patisserie. Brilliant and drinking very well now.

1988 Krug (1 glass only)

“More about wine making, and not so terroir defined”, was one of the remarks, which was spot on to me. But it was Champagne with lots of confidence and dynamite concentration. However, I found the level of oak and toasted flavours too clumsy, especially when ballerina Salon had just kissed me. I think 1988 Krug is in a closed phase.

2006 Ulysse Collin

Better than the 2005. More of everything and the oak so much better integrated, as the fruit has much more class and intensity. I will taste it again in near future.

2006 Cédric Bouchard “Haut Lamblee” (In Berlin)

Ridiculous good. It’s so elegant, exquisite and has that classy silky Cedric Bouchard appeal. The wine is about flowery perfumes, soil smoke and mineral infected fruit. I hope my fellow wine friends liked it, because I was flying. I hope to taste it again soon.

1999 Selosse Vintage (@ Restaurant Geranium)

Full speed ahead, with classic Selosse character of quince, exotic evening perfume, vanilla and a bold waxy profile. Enormous taste with a long mouth coating finish. I will also taste this again for sure. Sure it’s young, but the style of Selosse is always fun to test drive, no matter the age.

2004 David Léclapart “Apôtre” (@ Restaurant Geranium)

Came after 1999 Selosse. Looking back I would have served them the other way around. It’s very shy and in a closed phase. All of its elements are there, purity, energy and mineral affected style – it’s just a matter of patience. Don’t touch now.

NV Selosse Initiale (@ Restaurant Geranium)

Yep, it’s a solid fine Champagne. However I still prefer V.O. Missed the disgorgement date.

Fleur de L'Europe, Fleury, Champagne (@ Restaurant Geranium)

Served in a flight with Selosse. A notch down in quality – but doing okay in fact. Has an oxidative round and polished style. The finish is too short to make it really great.

NV Laherte Brut Nature

Simple, refreshing and pure. Drink it in big gulps and lots of it.

2008 Jêrôme Prévost, La Closerie “Les Béguines” (@ The wine bar Ved Stranden 10)

Very compact Champagne – but so sophisticated. It’s deadly young, possessing mysterious spice section with black cherries. Tasted in Zalto Universal glass, which was a bit weird. Rest assured, that I will taste it again.

2004 Agrapart “Venus” (@ Restaurant Fiskebaren)

Oh so fine so fine. You can find a more detailed note here.

2004 Agrapart “Avizoise” (@ The wine bar Ved Stranden 10)

Oh those tropical fruits…mango and pineapple. Loved it again. Se more detailed note here and here.

2002 Pierre Péters Cuvée Spéciale “Les Chétillons”

I decided to buy a bottle of this highly praised Champagne and see what the fuss was all about. It's a Champagne, which is very hard to judge, given its age. Very young breed, giving away flowers, yellow fruits, citrus and mineral smoke. There is a really good class to the Champagne, as it stands with terrific tallness and ultra clear flavours in the glass. The taste almost hurts and the minerals are warming the palate. But it wasn't really fun to taste - as the minerals and flavours combined gives away some bitterness.

So as you can see, it's really hard to conclude, as my experience with this producer is very limited. I sensed the material was there for sure, so was the terroir print of Mesnil - and it's indeed very well made Champagne. But I really missed some wildness to the wine, as it's on the verge of being a bit to "pretty", if you know what I mean.

NV Beaufort Rosé de Saigneé (92-92) (@ a Wine Battle)

This is blend of 1992 and 1998 vintage, which has been disgorged here in 2011 with no dosage

Served after a big battery of red wines and comes across as a fresh breeze. Incredible flavours of rosehip, strawberry, smoke and just red red fruit. It's very intriguing Champagne on the nose - with a pure and elegant taste, but I would have to have more than a glass to really judge it.

Reds

2004 Solaia (In Berlin)

Came after that adorable 2004 Brunello from Stella di Campalto. Solaia has blackcurrant, dark chocolate, thyme and tar. It has a super concentrated finish, but a wine with lesser purity and a more international style of wine. Even though I am getting tired with the IGT wines from Italy – I know Solaia is a wine, which really can age gracefully and tease critiques like me. However – here and now, I feel disappointed.

2000 Sandrone ,Barolo “Cannubi Boschis”

Nice wine, but not great. The fruit is a bit overripe and not so well defined purity.I have had this wine 3 times now, and I would still recommend cellaring, but I doubt it will ever be a classic “CB”.

2008 Jean Foillard, “Morgon Cote de Py”

So glad my fellow tasters liked this one. It’s just in need of another 1-2 years of cellaring, before the red fruit takes over. Today the wine is still inhabited by more black fruits and a meaty style. More detailed note here.

2008 Cécile Tremblay Vosne Romanée Vieilles Vignes (@ The wine bar Ved Stranden 10)

Interesting profile. Nose deadly young with notes of black fruit, medicine and iodine. Taste is solid, vibrant with good fresh attack

2005 Cécile Tremblay Vosne Romanée Vieilles Vignes (@ The wine bar Ved Stranden 10)

Different compared to the 2008 Vintage. Fruit core has better depth, density - yet also lovely notes of forest, dust and dried fruit. There are better complexity and more refined taste here. Not a killer wine, but still good.

2007 Kistler Vineyard (@ The wine bar Ved Stranden 10)

Came after the 2 X Tremblay. The table cheered. I didn’t like it. It has typical wow-factor of more alcohol and sweet fruit. It gives away its true character on the palate, where the fruit ends in grilled afterburners and clumsy/dull texture. Returning to the nose after having tasted it - lowered the drinking pleasure and killed it off in my book.

2008 Liger-Belair ’Clos du Chateau” (@ Restaurant Fiskebaren)

Magical wine. Transparent red colour with the most delightful shining red fruit. The drinking pleasures are among the finest and the 12% alcohol makes it impossible to resist. I have ordered some – but will I be able to find it….if so – there will be a full TN soon.

2007 Liger-Belair ’Clos du Chateau” (@ a wine battle)

So fine. Se above – the 2008 is a fraction better me think - but close race.

2006 Mugnier NSG ’Marechale’ (@ Restaurant Fiskebaren)

Served next to 2008 Liger-Belair ’Clos du Chateau” and even it’s a solid wine – there was only one red wine that evening. It has darker fruit composition and spices, but still very nice sleek feel on the palate.

2009 Domaine Gramenon, Cotes du Rhone “La Sagesse”

Me and Rhone…it’s not that great a relationship. But you might remember this summer, I had a great wine from Dard et Ribo – so I am always curious to try a new wine. I used two bottles on Christmas eve, which was good – but not really great as the alcohol was too strong. However the third bottle – here in February, was rather nice. It has a very young fruit core of purple / bluish fruit (did that make sense) – good spice section of pine needles and peppermint. Taste overall wins on its purity and fresh immediate fruit. It’s not a wine I am in love with, but a solid glass of wine.

2005 Brunello di Montalcino, Stella di Campalto (@ Restaurant Geranium)

Maybe not as structured as the 2004 vintage and with less cellar potential, but my Good it’s a pleasing wine. The red fruit is here – so is new oak, but it’s still so Italian born. I was very happy.

2004 Brunello di Montalcino, Stella di Campalto (@ a wine battle)

Stunning once again. It will soon close down – and requires a lot of air. More detailed note here.

2003 Guigal, Côte-Rôtie, Chateau d’Ampuis (@ a wine battle)

It’s the kind of wine, which makes a real impression, when it hit’s the glasses. A lot of “oooohhhhss” and “wows” around the table. It’s explodes from the glass with vitamin pills, gauze bandage, bacon, blood and overall a very animalistic and fleshy kind of wine (not good). Taste follows the same path with tons of mass an almost violent attack. It didn’t like it – as there is no gracefulness and drinking pleasure whatsoever. I have tasted this wine in 1999 vintage, which is a much better wine. Better luck next time.

1996 Vietti, Barolo "Brunate" (@ a Wine Battle)

Very structured, dry and almost harsh style of Barolo. The fruit is smoked, dried and impure. It's either a bottle, which hasn't been stored under mint conditions or just a very old-school style, which I didn't like.

2005 Bartolo Marscarello, Barolo (@ Restaurant Relæ)

More old-School Barolo - but what a darling. Not so structured and long-lived, but what a pleasing wine with scents of violets and red fruit. Great with food and a really pleasing wine. Loved it

1964 Domaine Leroy Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru (@ a Wine Battle)(Served blind)

Third time I taste this terrific wine. It's not the best example I have had, but still fantastic. Still fresh (these bottle was released some 4 years ago, directly from the cellars of Leroy) with cherries, rubber and cappuccino. Taste is sensual, light - but really warming your soul. On the last meters you have some wet forest notes, which is not bad, but takes away from purity. It should be noted the table guessed around 1990, 1989 on the vintage - so talk about fresh.

2001 La Spinetta, Barolo Campe (@ a Wine Battle)

I didn't take notes here, but I remember it just over the top on all parameters. The oak are the primary driver and it's taking away all personality and drinking pleasure. Not good.

2006 Arrocal, Máximo, Ribera del Duero (From Magnum) (@ a Wine Battle)

It's absolutely solid and well made wine; it's just not my kind of wine. It's opulent; polish fruit - dominated by blackberries, with a fair doze of new oak. There is some edge to the wine - but not enough to compensate for the balance between interesting fruit and oak.

1990 Leoville Barton (@ a Wine Battle)

An old friend. I have owned this wine myself, but drunk it. It's fairly cool tempered wine, with notes of blackcurrant, salami and pâté. Structured with a lot of dusty elements and in fact, still a very young wine. You have to take your hat of the cellar potential of Bordeaux. But I am sorry to say, there is no soul here for me - it's so dull. It's me, I know - if you are looking for Bordeaux advice, I am not your man.

2001 Leoville Barton (@ a Wine Battle)

Strange wine. Black fruit core, with peppery elements. Taste even worse. Young - but not good.

2000 Rayas, CNDP (@ a Wine Battle)

Loved the red kirsch fruit of this wine. Really elegant and so many Burgundy resemblances. It's however a bit too soft in structure - rather polish and a bit alcoholic on the last meters. Better nose than taste - but still a good wine.

2009 Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Cote de Py Javernieres

Very intense wine. A bit fleshy side of Beaujolais with domination of black fruits. Taste is spending, with solid energy and lush seductive appeal. I think a year in the cellar can bring out more red appealing fruit.

2008 Gevrey-Chambertain, Philippe Pacalet, (@ Restaurant Geranium)

Red fruit combined with black cherries, smoke and flowers. Good wine.

(Alexandre Jouveaux labels are small arts pieces)

Whites

2009 Alexandre Jouveaux, Vin de table

Feels like drinking directly from the press. The wine is not fully ready, but it’s a fun study. The fruit is incredible pure, juicy with freshly pressed pear/apple zest, yeasty notes, vanilla and Macadamia nuts. On the tongue there is currently a bit too much baby fat, giving the structure an elastic feel, but with air it’s constantly firming up with higher presence of firm acidity and minerality. Give it a year more in the bottle. Despite it’s age – I loved this kind of wine, as there is so much life here.

2008 Corton Charlemagne, Benjamin Leroux, Bourgogne (@ Restaurant Geranium)

A big fat and juicy wine - "dress to impress". It’s very seductive with its lush profile, but maybe a bit too cheerful on the oak, which oozes too much candy sweetness. However it did extremely well with the food – which was “Lightly smoked potatoes, dried peas & lovage”

2009 Terrassen 1958, Martin Arndorfer, Kamptal (@ Restaurant Geranium)

Without food it’s a wine almost too austere, as it’s so dry and sleek. But it really came to life with the dish: Small Scallops, horseradish, chervil stalks & Cucumber, which tempered the note of fennel (which I don’t like), to be replaced my greenish apples scent and mild spices. It’s also a very mineral driven wine. Rather nice.

2009 Alexandre Bain “Mademoiselle M”, Pouilly-Fumé

Sauvignon with oak and even a small part of residual sugar – forget it. But hey – this is an interesting wine. There is a slight oxidation to the wine, providing some smoke to a fruit core of peach, kiwi and some caramel sensations. It’s a rather complex wine, which has the ability to play on many different strings. Taste is really rewarding with that slightly oxidation, yet sleek enough to preserve allure. I liked it so much, that I decided to use as an alternative on Christmas Eve and my my, it was spot on.

2006, Aldo Conterno Bussiador (@ a wine battle)

A wine dominated with tons of oak. It gives away strong scents of nail polish and Hubba Bubba bubble gum. Taste is more of the same and you are almost knocked over with the oak infection. This wine is not in balance IMHO.

2004 Ca’del Bosco, Chardonnay (@ a wine battle)

You should know that 4 whites were presented at this wine battle. We knew what was coming, just not the serving order. Everyone guessed white Burgundy here (Leflaive). There is fair clarity and that oily sensation of honey melon with a touch of melted butter. Taste is awarding an pretty easy to drink. However, the minerality is too low, which turns the wines energy level down and makes it loose nerve. I would never buy such a wine, but it’s should be noted it has several applauses around the table and from an objective view – it’s well made wine.

So as flight one didn’t reveal any Leflaive wines – they had to be here.

2004 Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet “Les Folatières” (@ a wine battle)

Pardon my French, but this wine smelled of horse piss. What the hell went wrong here? Off bottle or not – it was impossible to continue the journey. I taste it once and it was in fact better, with some clarification going on – but my Good that nose…..????

2005 Leflaive “Puligny-Montrachet” (@ a wine battle)

To smell this wine in comparison is of course a relief. But it’s a fair wine – not a great wine. This is reminder why I am not that much a white Burgundy fan. When you get that classic oily, flower, buttery, vanilla and melon thing (that’s exactly what you get here), I get really bored. There HAS to be some sort of edge –which was not the case. Too bad really, as I consider Leflaive a magician.

Sparkling

2009 Grainds de Folie, Bruno Rochard (@ Restaurant Geranium)

Very flowery and perfumed. Not so much dept, but has good clarity and drinking pleasure with a delightful easy going style. Could be nice on a summer day.

SAV, Sparkling birch Juice, Sweden (@ Restaurant Geranium)

One of the weirdest wines I have ever tasted. Kinky!!! sure it’s funny to be teased and loosen up when you are having dinner, but I can’t take it as a serious wine. The aromas is very funky and smell of yes: Birch and wet trees.

(Hard work)

That’s all I remember. I know I have missed a few…but c'est la vie

Links:

Restaurant Geranium

Wine Bar Ved Stranden 10

Fiskebaren

Restaurant Relæ

2001 Aalto PS, Spain

There are two dilemmas concerning this wine. One – the fact that I have enjoyed the wine 3 times before with great pleasure, but have changed palate preference since. The second dilemma is that this wine is 98+ pts by Robert Parker. Why is the latter a dilemma? – I will come back to that. But let’s take a closer look what's inside. First – tasted it with some Italian delicatessen from Copenhagen’s finest Cibi e Vini as you can se from the picture. I Changed glasses a couple of times. The ones you see on the picture are from Zalto “Bordeaux”. They provide the wine with more herbal notes and freshness, but take away the instant fruit bomb appeal. If you like the fruit attack – then take the Riedel Sommeliers “Tinto Riserva”. Now - it opens not so great in my opinion. Way too one-dimensional with cheerful blackcurrant, blackberries and a load of oak flavours. On the palate it almost burns, even if it's not a high alcohol wine (14%). However this dilemma was solved as we started to have some food with it. With air it also gains some fair structure, herbal expression and the sense of minerals. I really like the warm-blooded soul of this wine, and it's really easy to drink and enjoy. The taste is rather long lived, but I don't like that it's still so happy and almost aggressive in fruit. So I could end the TN here -but if I had to relate to RP-point dilemma, I would have to say that the wine offers nothing but good solid fruit. No finesse, no elegancy, no real complexity or edge, nor does it touches me in any way.

So there you go – and I am back from holiday with loads of TN in the bag.

2006 Fillaboa

(Drukket over 2 dage - Glas; Zalto White wine)

Sprød og spændstig hvidvin fra Spanien, som jeg har drukket en del gange. Albarino druen har en klar og rank syre, som her følges fint op ad grape, melon og fennikel. Det er en enkelt vin – ikke stor og kompleks, men en dejlig sommerlig sag, som med sine fine syre gør sig godt til mad.

2001 ”Alion” Ribera del Duero, Spain

(Glas: Riedel Sommeliers ”Tinto Riserva”)

En gennemgående rigtig god vin og min sidste flaske. Frugten er sund og struttende med rigtig gode lædertoner, mocca og sorte kirsebær. Alt er holdt i et stramt klassisk greb og på intet tidspunkt falder vinen ved siden af. Smagen har herlig fylde - frisk og på samme tid cremet. Noget af det bedste er denne varmblodighed, som jeg er vild med, især når den holdes i så kontrollerbar form. Yderst appetitlig sag.

Sep-2008

NV Vega Sicilia "Unico" Reserva Especial, Spain

A blend of the 1989, 1990 and 1994. Blackberries, prunes, almonds, vanilla, paté and notable new oak. The wine is really nice, but lacks in definition and some purity. Taste is better – it has a lovely cool breeze and the structure is really well defined. If the nose could gain an edge in time I would score it higher. (94+)

Feb-2007

2005 ”Nelin” – den hvide fra Clos Mogador

(Glas; Zalto Bourgogne)

Smagt flere gange før. Her på terrassen og med Ceaser salat på tallerknen gør den sig fint. Gode krydrede elementer og røg fra faddet men også en fin lethed. Raffineret terrassebasker.

Jul-2008

2005 Clos Mogador ”Nelin”

Slet ikke i nærheden af min seneste oplevelse – alt for meget fad, med karamel og brændte indslag.

2006 Filliaboa, Spanien

Den perfekte skaldyrsvin med spændstigt syrespil, havluft, grape, citrus og sydlige himmelstrøg. Sommer og sol.

2001 Alion, Ribera Del Duero

Mit seneste møde med denne vin stammer fra dec-05. Jeg har netop luret i mit SN og ganske rigtigt – mørke kirsebær og mocha toner. Her i 2008 har lagringen transformeret denne vin til en smuk svane. Vil man tale om drikkeglæde, så er denne vin et perfekt eksemplar. Næsen består af betagende kirsebær, som blander lyse og mørke forekomster. Lædertonerne brøler i vinden og vidste man ikke bedre ville tankerne gå til en Brunello eller top Chianti. Dog bliver den geografiske placering mere tydelig, ved de mere mørke bær og fløde (Mocha’en er igen på spil), som giver varmen i kinder og smilet på læben, fordi varmen og elegance smelter sammen på et plateau, hvor sjælelig drikkeglæde forenes. Smagen er frisk, cremet, elegant og så sindssyg lækker, at smagsløgne rækker hånden frem på en tiltrængt re-fill. Kryber man helt ned i den nørdede Nato-stilling, kunne man måske udbede sig nogle enkelte flere akkorder til at hylde den endelige storhed. Men jeg vil stadig stå fast på, at dette er en himmelsk vin, som jeg kun kan anbefale på det varmeste.

Feb-2008

2000 Numanthia, Toro

Totalt patetisk vin på førstedagen, trods den tilbragte 3 timer på en karaffel. Fuldstændig inficeret af hed frugt og ustyrlig meget fad. Den nærmest grillede ganen og væltede en omkuld med alkoholiske toner – den var tæt på at ryge i vasken. På dag to – bedre. Den første time kæmpede den stadig, men langsomt kom der noget, som mindede om vin. Frugten er seriøs mørk og det er som om alle noter er sværtet til i sort lakrids, likør, sveskejuice og balsamico. Langsomt får brombærkernen overtaget og et element af fasthed tager fat i vinen. I munden føles væsken ikke tung, men heller ikke overbevisende. Smagen er meget (varm)blodig og det lykkedes aldrig, at smide den noget alkoholiserede overfrakke. Hmmm…langsom starter må man sige – prøv at gem den 5-7 år endnu – Ikke nogen fornøjelse nu.

Jan-2008

2005 Pintia, Toro

Ærgeligt! – Jeg dekanterede den for længe. Den åbnede ellers med dyb og sødlige kirsebær – ret betagende. Men da jeg 4 timer senere skulle sætte tænderne i dyret, havde den mørke balsamico stil nærmest sværtet vinen til i tjærebefængt frugt. Helt umuligt at trænge ind til de sødlige kirsebær fra åbningen og smagen har alt for mange grill og bitterstoffer.

2005 ”Nelin” Clos Mogador

Meget spændende hvidvin fra Rene Barbier. Lad os starte med druesammensætningen – 60% Grenache Blanc – resten; Pinot Noir, Viognier, Macabeu, Marsanne og Rousanne. Jeg ved ikke hvad jeg havde forventet – men i hvert fald ikke det her. Vinen er utrolig let og dansende og man får med det sammen sydlige himmelstrøg på nethinden. Jeg elsker sådanne type vine, som ikke er forbydende store sammensatte vine, men en vin, som oser af friskhed og får tænderne til at løbe i vand. Noterne fra næsen er; popcorn, eksotisk frugtsaft (primært ananas), blomsterstøv og så denne fornemmelse af at sutte på våde sten. Smagen er crisp, let og super delikat….en genial sommervin med kant.