WTN: Five wines

2006 Weil, Riesling Estate Trocken:
First glass isn’t giving much; second glass is much better – pure floral and citrus aromas, nice fruit, spice and tonic water flavors and good length. Needs a quick decant and is a charming starter wine or accompaniment to lighter fare. I buy a case of this yearly.

2002 Alain Demon, Côte Roannaise Réserve La Perrière:
Concentrated, integrated but straight-forward gamay; a little more earthy than Beaujolais, a little less bright, as well. Good wine but not worth the wait.

2004 Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana:
A distinct milk chocolate note here with a light cherry note, some earthen tones and a bit of brown sugar (without the sweetness of sugar); elegant in the mouth with flavors that follow the nose, light-weight, clean and integrated; medium length. Nerello mascalese, often thought of us as a blending grape that provides alcohol and color, can also make wine that tastes delicious, doesn’t go over 14% and vints out translucent – and here it is. Sort of pinot noir-esque in texture and weight. Pretty stuff.

2001 Sella, Lessona:
Characteristic nebbiolo smells and flavors in a medium to lightweight package, intense, layered, balanced and long. The acidity here is the perfect foil for food and the flavors are mostly in the earthy spectrum. $20 ay Astor right now.

2004 Dom. Leroy, Bourgogne:
Very primary and a bit stemmy – but there’s more to this; density, concentration, focus – all in a latent mode. Not time to drink this but it still went well with pasta in a mushroom sauce – mostly because of its elegance and weight. Deserves future consideration.

Best, Jim

[David M. Bueker]

Jim - given your love of inexpensive, dry-style Riesling, have you considered the Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken? Despite the halbtrockn title it's pretty darned dry, and what minimal sugar it has only gives it a greater richness, rather than a real sense of sweetness. I buy a case of it every year.

Burghound suggests that the 04 Leroy Bourgogne should not be drunk before 2012. Apparently, in 2004 "Lalou Bize-Leroy took the most extraordinary step of declassifying all of her upper level wines to villages level, creating in the process the most striking examples that I have ever tasted for their respective appellations. (...) Mme. Bize ... explained that when her late husband Marcel Bize passed away, she became seriously depressed and found it difficult to take her normal interest her wines and even though she has a very capable team in place to look after them, she found the wines lacking in vibrancy and the level of quality with which she believes are what her clients deserve to find in the wines of the domaine. Thus, she elected to declassify all of them..." About this particular wine, Meadows says "As one might reasonably expect, this is by far and away the most complex nose I have ever experienced with a so-called Bourgogne, revealing notes of red raspberry, spice, earth and violets that are followed by rich, classy and stylish flavors that possess a textured, pure and wonderfully refined finish that goes on and on. This is of top 1er quality and while the structure is supple, this clearly will age."

David,
I've never seen it in my markets.

Oswald,
I'm aware of the story behind this vintage - after all, when was the last time one so a Domaine Bourgogne from Leroy? And then there's the price . . .
It would not surprise me if Allen's call on drink date is correct but I have several so I thought I'd see for myself.
Best, Jim

I have several so I thought I'd see for myself.

Good for you, Jim, unfortunately the price was such that I only bought one, out of curiosity, so must wait (what seems like an eternity) until 2012...