In honour of Easter week, I have already opened some fine bottles and a Rioja 1966 CVNE Imperial is standing up ahead of an Easter lamb dinner; I am keeping my fingers crossed and something in reserve because the level is about 1cm below the bottom of the neck. The first three which follow were excellent.
Georg Breuer Nonnenberg Monopol 2004 Rheingau (Rheingau Riesling 2004 Rauenthal Nonnenberg Qualitätswein) – Alc. 13% - is another example of idiosyncratic modern German labelling. No grape variety nor village on the front label; the fuller information in parentheses comes from the back label; there is no mention of “trocken” though the wine is dry. That gripe out of the way, I have to say that the wine was brilliant and delicious; initially dominant petrol aromas rapidly integrated into a brightly focussed, highly mineral, spicy, lightly citrus, floral, quite full and very long whole; 17.5/20++.
I know very little about Pantelleria Passito Liquoroso 2004 – Carlo Pellegrino, Marsala – Alc. 15% other than that it comes from Sicily. It was a present from my Rome resident daughter and I used it to dunk and accompany hard nutty ginger biscuit bought in Aachen. It proved invaluable to soften the biscuits and delicious in its own right with good acidity and elegantly varnished notes to temper the sweetness; 16.5/20.
Château Canon Saint-Emilion 1er grand cru classé, then made from 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet franc, was supposedly going through a bad patch in the 90s. I clearly have a weakness for “bad” Bordeaux because I found this 1990 – Alc. 13% - excellent, like the similarly “underperforming” Lascombes of the same vintage. Once I had adjusted to the shock of its rusty red colour which suggested premature evolution, I found it roundly, maturely and quite sweetly fruity, medium/full bodied, velvety and beautifully harmonious with just enough resolved ripe tannins to support the finish. The “astringent tannins and tough textured personality” complained of by Parker in 1993 were fully tamed, if they ever existed; indeed I would have liked a tad more grip. Lovely though; 17/20.
Château La Fleur Chaigneau Vieilles Vignes - Lalande de Pomerol – 1998- Alc. 13% was disappointingly light, even dilute, for its VV designation and theoretically fine right bank vintage. However there were some pretty fruit and aromas as compensation; 15/20.