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WTN: assorted

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Mark S

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WTN: assorted

by Mark S » Wed Jun 14, 2006 10:11 am

Recovering from the spring flu made the nose and tastebuds less dependable than they otherwise would be, but allows one the chance to taste without the dust of cumberance.

Here goes....

Cos dEstournel, St. Estephe, 1986
Not much to thrill here, old maroonish red with old cedar paneling, perhaps some soft rose. in the mouth, a fight between fruit and tannin, stern but still youthful in feeling. Scrunching on black currants with the pips intact. A B+

Barone Cornacchia, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, 'Vigna le Coste', 2001
A deep dark black cherry color. Camphorish black fruits on the nose, with dark cherries, berries, and chocolatey dusty tannins on the end. Youngish (by 1-2 years), but drinkable. Good concentration, but lacking in a little something to make it superlative. B+ Note: I've been liking MdA's as good 'pizza wine' night wines. They are supple but concentrated, masculine but with a perfumed presence.

Riecine, Toscana IGT, 'la Gioia', 1998 Dark cherry-maroon. Anise and peppermint-cherry on the nose. Sour cherry and mint with a bit of charry oak on the end. Rather gripping tannins. The strength at the finish make me think fruit will lose to the tannins in the future. Merely B

Tenuta di Gracciano Della Seta, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, 2003
Medium light maroon with a plum tint. Cherry and herbed-licorice scents, with cherry and anise on the palate, chalky tannins. Better chilled than at room temp, and also showing better the next day. Simple, and lacking in typical sangio acidity. B

Dom. Weinbach, Gewurztraminer, Altenbourg 'Cuvee Laurence', 1999
From the Clos des Capuchins site. The color was a very mature deep amber-gold. A changeable nose, alternating light rose petal, petrol, very slight hint of rubbing alcohol. Rose water appears again in the mouth, along with peach-apricot jam, clove and ginger that's been cut and sitting on the board for a few hours, also slight burnt turbinado sugar and spicy botrytis. Only mildly sweet, like a demi-sec Vouvray. Despite feeling simple, there is no clumsiness here, only good winemaking, but perhaps the vintage character shows its hand? B+

and lastly, and certainly least:
a Clarendon Hills Shiraz Moritz Vineyard 1999. This was better 2 years ago. Now the wood shows and the brew tastes more confected than before. Age has not been kind to this. Yeech.
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Re: TN: assorted

by wrcstl » Wed Jun 14, 2006 10:27 am

Mark,
Interesting notes and I share most of your comments. Have the '86 Cos and not sure if this is one of their better efforts, certainly needs time. The Barone Cornacchia is one of my favorite pizza wines and I think a very good QPR. Was at Riecene in '03 and talked to the owners. They have the strong opinion, and probably justified, that Americans like huge extraction and lots of oak. Bet this wine is exported only. Claredon Hills Shiraz, bad stuff and part of what is giving OZ a bad name. I still have two bottles of '96 that is waiting for beef stew to be made. Your bottle sounds not good enough for stew. Last time I tried the '96 it was just goopey with lots of oak.
Walt
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Re: WTN: assorted

by Jenise » Wed Jun 14, 2006 2:43 pm

Mark, good notes. I'm a little surprised by the Cos. It sounds tired. I've got one in the cellar I was hoping for more from. Maybe I shouldn't wait another year on it?
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: WTN: assorted

by Mark S » Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:10 pm

Jenise -

about the Cos: I think storage was alright for it, so doubt heat damaged it (coolish passive basement storage since it came out). Don't know why it didn't show better, but in general, I haven't been as impressed with the flavors of the 86 vintage as others. With age, they are tasting stern, like looking into the face of an old schoolmaster and finding not even a hint of humour about him. The nicest 86 Bordeaux I've had of my own have been L'Angelus (exhorbitant fruit with a great structure), Pape Clement (smoke!), and L'Arrosee (Burgundian-Cote Rotie-like softness).
Hopefully your bottle will be better, and it won't fall apart either.

Mark
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Re: WTN: assorted

by Jenise » Fri Jun 23, 2006 12:56 pm

Mark,

Good news. We opened our 86 Cos last week: nothing stern or ungiving about it. Nothing damaged or tainted or lesser, either. It was, in fact, one of the more perfect Bordeauxs I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. Which coses me to report (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) that an 86 Gruaud Larose about a month ago was also sensational where the same wine a year ago still needed time--these two might be proof that the 86 vintage is starting to open up.

Jenise
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

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