WTN: Miscellaneous February notes

Jean-Louis Chave Saint-Joseph Offerus 2003
Wow! Evolving even more beautifully than expected. Retains a very deep ruby, soft black reflections. Pretty garriguey/roasted herbs dissolved in sweet and ripe, lightly raisiny yet not at all dull fruit, quite complex and long. Fairly full body, a little, if nice, alcoholic warmth. The formerly lightly grainy-dry tannin seems almost fully dissolved, lovely roundness. Not one of the broad-shouldered and ageworthy 2003s, but none the worse for it. Rating: 90-/89

Marcarini Barolo Brunate 1996
Appear to have lost the TN I wrote on this one, retasted a week or two after the magnum of the 2001 that we felt had not evolved as well as expected. The 1996 remains my favourite of this bottling since the 1990, a nicely firm wine, albeit not one that retains much fruit either – it can be cellared, but is inevitably going to dry out. Could have been fresher and racier, too. Rating: 90-/89?

Penfolds Shiraz Cabernet Koonunga Hill 2006
Deep ruby-purple colour. Burnt vanilla oak, sweet and petrolly if not rubbery-jammy, but not fruity in the sense that it would cover up its fresh asphalt- and petrol-flavoured tannin. Proves how useless it is to complain about the “thickness” or “overblown character” of e.g. Grange – this here just seems big, but upon closer inspection is really too light for its own good. That is, if one liked the style at all. Held up fairly well with airing, though, seemingly balanced enough to warrant some cellaring – although I doubt there is much gain from it. Rating: 83(+?)

Château Vieux Château Certan Pomerol 2004
Thanks to Rainer. A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Strong Cabernet Franc leafiness, some new oak still noticeable, soft black truffle, a suggestion of strawberry. Green tobacco, especially also on the fairly long, but not too long finish, and somewhat longer aftertaste. More concentrated, firmer than e.g. the 2001 (among recent vintages, the one this probably best compares to), seems ageworthier, too. Rating: 91+/92+?

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[David M. Bueker]

Well at least that gives me something to drink. The '96 Brunate will likely make an appearance at my table in the next month or two.

Well at least that gives me something to drink. The '96 Brunate will likely make an appearance at my table in the next month or two.

That too will keep, same story, it may be worth taking the risk. Some Marcarinis I've had over the years didn't dry out in linear manner - once the tannin's gone, there may be some sweetness left, even if the sweetness of decay. After all, these are not wines one buys because they're fruity in the modern sense of the term, agree? I own more bottles of the 1996, and am planning to gamble, even if reason tells me it is probably hopeless - experience has taught me to. Seriously, 1996 does remind me of 1978 and 1971 that way. Not all the wines from those vintages that kept actually improved, nor were "fruity" to begin with, nor didn't ever disappoint insofar as they seemed to be drying out. Even if this is a 1996 that's probably closer to a 1982 on balance.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti