Upstate New York can be called many things, and usually this time of year bleak can be one of them. Winter seems to have come early, bringing snowcover to cover the brumbles and grey curtains to cover the skylights. The weather here is like soap opera elsewhere: who needs gossip when meterology can do it for you? It makes life very simple: what to cook? what wine to pop? what movie to rent? Very simple. We should all be so lucky.
Palari, Faro, 2002
From the tiniest DOC on a little tip of Sicily comes this nerello mascalese blend. The color is an attractive cranberry red with an orange-rind rim. Cherry and pomegranite aromas, along with ox musk. In the mouth, there's cherry, spearmint stick, old sherry cask...a bit angular, rocky toward the end wit hstill prominent tannin. This is nice, but worth a premium to their Rosso? A-
Clos du Marquis, Saint Julien, 2000
Funny, I just saw a discussion of this on the E-Bob board. Guess they didn't like it. I did. Not immensely, but it had all the ingredients there for a Bordeaux lover: graphite, plum, lead, leather, blackcurrants. A bit on the austere side, but solid Bordeaux, especially for the $25 or so I bought it for. A-/B+
Rizzi, Barbaresco, 'Riserva', 2001
Light maroon red color. Peppery licorice-mint nose. Surprisingly light-to-medium bodied nebbiolo, with enough varietal characteristics to make it interesting. Tastes more of the periphery (Ghemme, Roero, etc.) than of Piedmont Central. B+
Domaine Pinson, Chablis 'Montmain', 2005
Can we start a 2005 white Burgundy premox thread? This only had the slightest oxidative note, but has other attractive elements to keep it at bay: marbletop and lime, calcium wash, sunflower seed, and lemon meringue pie, coalesced in a light and delicate package. Attractively good. B+/A-
Sella, Lessona, 2001
Taking on a more stewed, autumnal profile than the spring-like bottle I tried in June. Dried strawberry-rosehip-fig jam flavors on the end. Differently good. A-
Domaine du Vissoux, Fleurie 'Poncie', 2005
From the super-spoof Beaujolais vintage, there's subtle mulberry on the nose, appearing again on the palate along with unripe black raspberries. This is drinking very smooth without much of the iodine component that I find typical of many Beaujolais. Some slight dust on the finish and a lightish body. Pig-on-a-lipstick good. A-
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes, 2001
I can see why this vintage is so mythical. Everything here is in such outsized proportion, but obscenly balanced and held in check. The envelope is pushed and becomes a no.10. Beautiful burnt sugar aromas, botrytis, pineapple and guava paste. These show up again in the mouth, perhaps the only distraction is a wavering buterscotch note: sometimes I like it, othertimes I want it to go away. Still, the feeling of weight and litheness gives this a most-excellent rating. solid A, possible A+
Sean Thackery, Petite Sirah, Mendocino County, 'Eaglepoint Ranch', 2004
Also known as "Sirius". Dark reddish purple that stains the bottle's glass sides. Dark fruit aromas. Brambleberry, tar, young Spanish leather in the mouth, slightly mourvedre-like, which I guess shouldn't be surprising. Excellent balance and sappiness, that keeps this big wine from becoming obtuse. Pretty smooth for a pet. 15.3% A-
Tardieu-Laurent, Cote Rotie, 1999
Marred by excessive VA. Toss.