WTN: Alsace, Piemonte, Mittelrhein, Niagara Peninsula

My friends, Chris and Igor, were over for an informal gathering. I made a pot of almost edible risotto from Cantharellus lutescens, a lovely, if a little mild flavoured mushroom that is a species of the Chantrelle family, but apparently not a common one outside Finland. These mushrooms appear late in the year (September, October and even November) and sometimes we have to dig them from under the snow at my relatives' property up north! Yet they are still lovely mushrooms. The cheeses (old Gouda, Nevat, Camembert, Garrotxa) were rather better, though.

• 2002 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile - France, Alsace, Ribeauvillé, Alsace AOC (8/16/2008)
  This took a while to open up, but when it did it was a lovely, powerful, mineral, stern and very young and classic CFE. On day two: pure Riesling fruit, slightly honeyed and spicy. Racy and pure, but not as stern, powerful and acidic as I remember other CFEs to have been at this infant stage. Very good.
• 1997 Travaglini Gattinara Tre Vigne - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara (8/16/2008)
  Looking a bit aged, but drinks beautifully. Tobacco/ash on the nose, very ripe fruit and quite dark toned, sweeter than I usually find Nebbiolo to be, but with perfectly adequate structure. It's a nice wine, but it doesn't scream Nebbiolo at me.
• 1999 Prunotto Barolo Bussia - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (8/16/2008)
  A pretty classic style: roses, some darker tones underneath the red berry scents. Develops tarry notes with air. Bright and focused, pleasantly tannic but needs food at the moment. Long and savoury. Very enjoyable though young.
• 2005 Ratzenberger Bacharacher Wolfshöhle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Germany, Mittelrhein (8/16/2008)
  A floral, passionfruity style, at first not showing much more than just pure Riesling fruit, but it did gain some mineral complexity with air. Good fruit, fair acidity for the year, but it doesn't seem as expressive as the last bottle I tried. Very nice
• 2005 Peller Estates Vidal Blanc Oak Aged Icewine - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula (8/16/2008)
  Apricot, orange and botrytis (but I though Icewine doesn't usually have it?). Very thick and concentrated, enormous sweetness but lovely acidity too. Gladly, I don't find the oak influence that the label suggests. Very nice, but unsubtle.

Posted from CellarTracker

[David M. Bueker]

Nice notes Otto.

I don't think we'll see any truly stern vintages of CFE unless the weather turns. The 2002 is still quite nice though isn't it. I recently had the 2001 and can't really imagine a better CFE, but the 2002 is lovely in a different way.

Ratzenberger is underappreciated. Of course availability is scarce in the USA, but what I have had I really like.

Ratzenberger is underappreciated. Of course availability is scarce in the USA,.

Actually I never see any Mittelrhein wine other than occasional bottle of T. Jost.

'02 CFE sounds nice. Thanks for nose

[David M. Bueker]

No Weingart?

Otto
Interesting to see your views on the Nebbiolos. I tasted The Traviglini recently (might have been a different vintage though) and had expected to really like it (I have had some really enjoyable wines from that area). I think I had a similar experience to you though, in that it wasn't quite what I was looking for / expecting.

I'm quite a fan of Prunotto, not necessarily great, but (IMO) consistently well made, with decent typicity and fair value in an area that quite often doesn't offer sane value.

regards

Ian

The 2002 is still quite nice though isn't it. I recently had the 2001 and can't really imagine a better CFE, but the 2002 is lovely in a different way.

It is very nice. I think I also agree that the 2001 is truly special. But I'm trying to forget my impression because it hasn't been and will not be available here. It's always painful to try a wine that one truly falls in love with and then immediately being told that you can't get any.

Ian, I have tasted very little from Prunotto (and mostly Barberas, of a more oaky/barrique type than I prefer) so I was very pleasantly surprised at how classically styled this Barolo was. I assume no Barrique is used for the Barolo?

-O

Otto
I don't know wrt barrique, but thought not.

I did enjoy their Costamiole Barbera, which I suspect is the one you're referring to and I could see it not being your style Less keen on the cheaper Fiulot, the last bottle of 3 is skulking in the cellar trying to hide from the shame of it's siblings

regards

Ian

No Weingart?

Never even heard of producer. I'm in a Mittelrhein desert!