• Free WordPress ThemesFree WordPress Themes

Category Archives: Variety

Balbas Crianza 2006

November 09, 2009   Dave Worthington   No comments

bilbas-crianza-2006This is a new one from Ce Soir, part of a range of wines from Ribera del Duero. One of the older bodegas in the region making very smart wines. Well worth seeking out. There is a dollop of Cabernet in here is well, which is quite typical and traditional for the region…I’m not usually a fan, but there is always an exception to the rule.

This is interesting straight of the bat. The nose shows bloody salami notes, dark cherry, voilets, gun smoke and hot iron…a little ceadery oak in the background too. Savory and dry, plenty of flaky tannins backed up by tangy acid. Morish. The palate shows plenty of dark red fruits, licorice and herbaceousness. Very tidy, reasonable value and shows plenty of regional character. Drink now and over the next 10 years.  92 Pts.

Source: Ce Soir Imports Price: $39 Closure: Conventional Cork

Read More

Granbazan Albariño ‘Amber’ 2007

October 14, 2009   Dave Worthington   1 Comment

img_5394From the fairly classic, but low yielding 2007 vintage comes this funky bottle of Albarino. I do like the packaging on this stuff, very old school but some how appealing. I always seem to come to the late in the game, the 2008 should almost be here by now. The amber bottling is from the first free run juice, there is also the green bottle which I think includes a bit of pressings…but I’m not sure if its imported these days.

The standard white peach, jasmine and honeysuckle, crisp pear nose of albarino is in full force here, a touch of talc to go with it. Taught and lean in the mouth, acid behind the fruit driving it along. Plenty of crisp green pear on the palate, mixed up with a bit of lemon and lime rind and sprinkling of rocky minerals. A long  finish that shows of that minerally acid and a hint of apricot that I always seem to find in this wine. Good drinkin’. 90 Pts.

Source: Rathdowne Cellars Price: $38 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.agrodebazansa.es

Other Vintages: 2005

Read More

Remelluri Reserva 2005

October 13, 2009   Dave Worthington   No comments

img_5419This is another wine that shows the differences between the 2004 and 2005 vintages in Rioja. Both are great vintages in my book, but they are so for very different reasons. 2004 is a very long lived vintage, but it isn’t really giving a lot of joy at the moment. Its full of promises, but those bottles will have to survive the late night, drunken cellar raids and ‘I just want to see how it’s travelling’ trials. The 05 on the other hand is just a joy to smell and drink at the moment, but it has a long and full life ahead of it too.

Now I liked the minerally bite of the 04 version of this wine, but the lovely perfume coming off this 05 is magic stuff. Treading the fine line between traditional and modern Rioja, this is very much in the savoury camp, yet full of ripe fruit aromas, violets and roses, a little mocha coffee, and a handful wild herbs. Very appealing on the nose, and this continues in the mouth, firm but ripe tannins, a long lingering finish, and plenty of acid to keep the balance. Slightly sour on the palate, good notes of cherry, a little cola, sage and undergrowth and a little chocolate and spice. A pleasure to drink now, this will only improve over the next 3-5 years and drink for 10 years after that. Very compelling stuff. 93+ Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $60 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.remelluri.com

Other Vintages: 2003, 2004

Read More

Bodegas y Vinedos Alion 2004

October 12, 2009   Dave Worthington   No comments

img_5413Now that the academic year is over (well for me anyway), posts should be a bit more regular. And what better way to kick things back in to gear than a bottle of Alion.  As is usual with this wine, its a hard beast to tame when it’s young. Decanting helps but really this needs at least 5 year in the cellar to really start showing what its made of. This bottle was showing loads of oak initially, and then closed up with a wall of tannins, which is fairly typical for the vintage. I’ve had a couple of bottles of this in the past year, and they have all been a little different, but all pointing towards a great, long term wine.

The noses starts of with lovely black cherry and blackberry fruit, a touch of blueberry and raspberry at times to. Then comes the oak, in all manner of styles: chocolate, espresso, caramel, fresh wood shavings and a touch of vanilla. Dense and brooding in the glass, the colour is very dark and the palate is tight and linear. Plenty to like on the palate, fresh and juicy fruit, bloody meat, iron filings/mineral notes, and a bit of fresh cut wood. Its just a wee pup at the moment, it needs time to evolve, but it is a classic Alion and reminds me a lot of the 1996. Cellar for 5 years, then drink over the following 15.  94+ Pts

Source: Boccaccio Cellars Price: $115 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasalion.com

Other Vintages: 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1996,  2000, 2001, 2003

Read More

Condado de Haza 2006

September 22, 2009   Dave Worthington   2 Comments

Condado de Haza 2006I’ve been liking these 2006 wines from Ribera del Duero, I think this is the last for the moment. A couple of bucks cheaper that Pesquera, but every bit as enjoyable. Do decant for at least an hour, it needs a bit of time. I hear all this talk of 2006 being a poor vintage, it’s not 2004, but it’s not 2002 either. Every 2006 I’ve had so far has been tasty and the tannin/acid balance that makes these wines great with meat like lamb and pork..

A kind of stewy blend of dark cherry and blueberry mixed in with some gamey meat and wild herbs. Some iron/bloody and voilet notes as well. All class in the mouth, tight and fluid in the mouth, but expressive and lively. Refreshing acid and finishes with a lick of supple tannin. The palate is classic Ribera, dark cherry, herbs, game notes, mineral and juicy, juicy fruit. I could drink bottles of the stuff. Good now with a decant, or cellar for 3 years and drink over the following 10. 92+ Pts

Source: Bibendum Wine Co. Price: $52  Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.condadodehaza.com

Other Vintages: 2002, 2003, 2004

Read More

Hermanos Lurton Verdejo 2008

September 03, 2009   Dave Worthington   4 Comments

img_5243

A project by brothers Jacques and Francois Lurton in Rueda. They came to town looking to make outstanding Sauvignon Blanc and decided to stick to Verdejo. They seem a little obsessed with the place actually. They even make a sweet wine from verdejo called ‘de Puta Madre’. Which would be quite rude if you’re from South America. Only a Frenchman could call a wine “fuck that’s good” and get away with it…

Nice and crisp, is the first thing I think of when taking a sniff in the glass. It has the typical lemon and white flowers of verdejo, with a little pear and rocks. Nice oily texture with plenty of acid, it’s refreshing if a little flabby in the middle (like the best of us). Minerally and flinty, with a good finish. Lacks a bit of the herbal edge I like in verdejo, but that might be a good thing depending on your point of view. Still, a tasty drink with plenty to offer. 90 Pts.

Source: Ce Soir Imports Price: $32 Closure: Screwcap

Web: www.francoislurton.com

Read More

Pesquera Crianza 2006

September 01, 2009   Dave Worthington   1 Comment

Pesquera Crianza 2006I thought I’d put this one to the top of the pile, its a popular wine and its one of my favourites year in and year out. The 2004 Reserva should also be around by now too, I’ll have to see if I can get hold of some. I am still a bit iffy on this concept that tempranillo from Ribera del Duero goes through some kind of oxidative phase that looks like brett after, bottling,  shipping and about 10 years in bottle, but I can’t see anything like brett here…and the two bottles of the 2004 that I’ve had in the past 6 months have been fine too. Anyway, I think at least a 6 pack of this is in order…

This is super young at the moment, but it smells lovely. Primary, wild cherry and sage brush with a bit of vanilla oak and an minerally iron type character on the nose. There is a bit of the animal about it, like a partially tamed horse. Or something like that anyway.  Extra juicy and smooth with streamlined tannins that start to show an edge after 3 or 4 hours. Vibrant and alive. All exceptionally balanced and focused. Licorice and rocky minerals show up on the palate, over some dark cherry and blueberry fruit. A classic vintage for Pesquera. Hold for 3 to 5 years, then drink over the following 10. 92+ Pts.

Source: Boccaccio Cellars RRP: $46 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.pesqueraafernandez.com

Other Vintages: 2004, 2005

Read More

Bodega Teso la Monja Almirez 2007

August 28, 2009   Dave Worthington   6 Comments

img_5343If you remember Numanthia, the estate that the Egurens sold to LVMH in 2008, you’ll be familar with this wine. As far as I know, we never got the entry level wine from Numanthia but this is the direct replacement from the Eguren’s new estate, Teso la Monja. The will be a ‘premium’ and ‘super-premium’ wine as well. Personally, I think this wine is a step up from the previous one from Numanthia, it is very savoury and shows some serious restraint in terms of winemaking, it’s not overoaked, it isn’t overworked, and the result is about as far from ‘sunshine in a bottle’ that Toro is well known for, yet I can still see the classic Toro characters in there.

Nose is fully of bloody meat, salami, violets, wild herbs, cedery oak and a touch of liquorice. You’ll notice there isn’t one fruit descriptor in there, as its not overly fruity more savoury and secondary. OK there is some cherry and plum in there. Round and lush in the mouth, but there is some spine there, and plenty of acid to give the finish a nice tart note. Savory, complex and spicy in the mouth, small but plentiful tannins lend some pleasing texture. Its a serious, adult wine that you can happily drink now or over the next 8 or 10 years. But be quick, I’m told there is very little stock for this vintage. 92 Pts

Source: Toro Wines Price: Around $55 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.eguren.com

Read More

Martinet Bru 2005

August 27, 2009   Dave Worthington   No comments

img_5352This is a new import from the guys at Toro wines and there is plenty to like here. This is the second wine of Clos Martinet, it’s a little bit different from it’s contemoraries as its about half Merlot, with the rest made up of cabernet sauvignon and garnacha. The merlot gives is an open weave, lush feel which is ofset by the rocky minerals and firm acid. The oak work is mainly in older french oak, so you get a good look at the fruit without that huge lick of oak. Classy stuff.

Full of wood and soot on the nose, a little violet, blackcurrant and dark cherry, some coffee and vanilla. Maybe just a touch of spearmint. More of that really nice wood in the mouth, it’s supporting and high toned, not smothering. Lighter than the nose suggests. Plenty of dark cherry and  blueberry fruit, spice, dusty tannins and a sparkle of acid on the finish. Lovely, and dare I say it, elegant. Lovely stuff, highly drinkable now, but it will hold over the next 5 years. 92 Pts.

Source: Toro Wines Price: Around $55 Closure: Conventional Cork

Read More

La Perla del Priorat ‘Noster’ 2005

August 26, 2009   Dave Worthington   No comments

img_5302

I’ve got a couple of entry level on the tasting bench at the moment, this is the first. This was a big hit for me last year, a wine from Priorat at this price level and quality was quite rare at the time. But now wines in the $40-$60 price bracket are the must have item for many importers. And who’s complaining, seeing as the top wines from the region are going up again this year? There doesn’t seem to be one style at the price point, some are big rounded, easy drinking things, others are a bit tighter and focused. This falls into the later camp…

Plenty of Priorat character here, sooty, black coal kind of notes up on the nose first off, then a bit of hot tar and violets. After that the fruit: raspberry, plum and light cherry notes. The tannins are a little gritty and grainy, but it’s all nicely balanced and there is acid, enough to keep the finish sparkling clean, tangy and long. A similar profile on the palate, a bit of licorice and wood spice adds a bit extra. Overall, an excellent example of Priorat that doesn’t wander off in to rustic red wine, it looks like fine wine from Priorat.91 Pts

Source: Ce Soir Imports Price: $39 Closure: Conventional Cork

Other Vintages: 2004

Read More
« Older posts
Newer posts »

  • Calendar

    May 2012
    M T W T F S S
    « Jun    
     123456
    78910111213
    14151617181920
    21222324252627
    28293031