WTN: Raboso, Cava, Rosenblum, Conde de Siruela, Tormaresca, Phelan Segur

Notes from wines at home and at Barcino Gourmet with the usual suspects.

Before going to Barcino, had dinner of bacon cheeseburgers at home accmpanied by:

Azienda Agricola Riboni Raboso NV - Sparkling Italian red. Bought it because it was on sale. Some noticeable sweetness, very gentle fizz, simple but easy, juicy. Probably better with pizza than burgers but still a decent match.

After dinner, off to Barcino Gourmet to meet up with Johnny, Dicky, Arnie, Helen and Vince.

Valformosa Cava Brut 2003 - Some butterscotch. Weak finish. Not really all that dry. Not bad.

Conde de Siruela Elite 2004 - From Ribera del Duero. I've had the non-Elite versions of this which I thought quite good. This Elite was oaky, modern, sweet but lean. A good wine in the international style and very difficult to identify as Spanish. Looks like it was made to get the points. Drinking well now.

Rosenblum Zinfandel Vintner's Cuvee XXVIII - Not much on the nose. Soft and sweet but has a bit of grip on the finish. Obvious oakiness but just shy of being overbearing. Easy, not bad.

Tomaresca Torcicoda Primitivo Salento 2003 - Smokey, bacony nose. Oaky. Starts out sweet but finishes dry and tannic.

After those three rather oaky, international-style wines it was a relief to taste:

Chateau Phelan-Segur 2001 - Berryish nose. Ripe fruit but dry wine. Meaty. Polished for the most part but with slightly coarse tannins in the finish. Very nice and a refreshing change of pace.

So the sparkler was made from Raboso? I have tasted only one Raboso (still red) and I really enjoyed it: funky, herbal, rustic and the very antithesis of spoofulated. Weird but great stuff. What is happening to the grape? Is there any chance of a revival in its fortunes or is it all going to disappear?

After those three rather oaky, international-style wines it was a relief to taste:

Chateau Phelan-Segur 2001 - Berryish nose. Ripe fruit but dry wine. Meaty. Polished for the most part but with slightly coarse tannins in the finish. Very nice and a refreshing change of pace.

I also like Phélan-Ségur. Very St-Estephy - rather rugged, with a charm that isn't immediately obvious but which grows on you. I don't think I've tasted post-'98s so I'm happy to read that they seem to be doing their usual stuff.

Otto,

Yes, the sparkler was made from Raboso ( I forgot to include that info in my post but I've edited it). The only info I have on this grape is from the Oxford which says plantings continue to decline and and only 2300 hl are made every year. Too bad.