Patrick’s and his brother Guglielmo’s birthdays are just two days apart (which once led me to offer a silly remark about certain aspects of – err – life being linked to certain seasons, that I’m afraid I’ll have to spare you, and that for the time being we must assume it’s purely coincidental that they were both born in early June, even though that in turn seems to raise the issue of climatic distinctions betwixt Eastern Switzerland and the Costiera Amalfitana...).
What I find perplexing in hindsight is that no more dry reds were opened after a couple that turned out to be, virtually and/or literally undrinkable. I tend to scribble on scraps of paper sometimes – is it possible I lost one? Hmm...
Trimbach Riesling Vendanges Tardives Clos Ste-Hune 1989
Contribution of mine. Although this no longer needs twelve hours of airing to open up, it still needed at least six – at least in such pristine condition. As good a bottle of this wine as I have had, closer in quality to the Hors Choix version (of which I opened a bottle a week or two later) in hindsight than one might think, or perhaps more to the point, drinking better relatively speaking, as it appears closer to being out of that in-between phase both 1989 CSHs entered a few years ago. More open and floral, less exotic and roasted the Hors Choix, even so, showing less primary fruit than at release, more tertiary complexity and finesse notes, and yet, the wine showed absolutely no lack of freshness, quite on the contrary. Botrytised and quite BA-like, thick and mouth-coating fruit backed by the wonderful, sea-salty, deep argillo-calcerous minerality of the hallowed Clos Ste-Hune terroir, and the beautiful acidity. Oily-glyceric and smooth on the palate, as well as the extremely long finish and aftertaste. Terrific balance and harmony. This appears to be slowly entering its plateau of maturity now. My guests quickly agreed they had never had such a white wine. An unusual (since botrytised) Clos Ste-Hune, but one of a my favourite vintages ever. Rating: 97+/98(+?)
Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1998
Thanks to Remo, an obviously misstored magnum he bought at (eBay!) auction. What a pity! The colour looked evolved (in complete contrast to e.g. the same wine from half bottles in my collection). Tasted like an oaky, nutty-cedary mulled wine, far from undrinkable at first (several guests finished their first glass), although the tannin started tasting slightly bitter after an hour or two even though the wine appeared not to be cork-tainted at all. Prepared a huge stew with it a few days later. Rating: N/R
Jim Barry Clare Valley Shiraz The Armagh 1996
Thanks to Patrick. Some sediment in the bottle, needs decanting (not that it helped...). Deep garnet-purple-black. Not at all cork-tainted, yet undrinkable, this must have refermented in bottle: foamed up on the pour, and smelled of CO2. Toothpaste-like medicinality, slightly burnt iodine, extremely oaky (not unusually so for this bottling), plummy-gamy fruit, totally artificial-tasting acidity. So vile, I could not even use any to cook with. Rating: N/R
Péter Kállai Essencia Csontos Dülö 2000
Thanks to Patrick. 100% unfiltered Furmint with over 600 g/l residual sugar. Again, no different than a year ago. Lightly amber orange colour with the faint milky murkiness of unfiltered Eszencia. Some dead yeast at the bottom of the bottle, bubbles at the top, this continues to smell as if it were still fermenting (I still believe it may be risky to hold on to remaining bottles, and that those should be cellared as coolly as possible). Honey-like viscosity. Pollen, incense, dried apricot, pear juice concentrate, quince and paprika powder. Still quite bright and aromatic acidity, if not particularly high for Tokaji Eszencia. Never the most complex nor minerally-deep Eszencia, but tasty, unadulterated (natural-tasting) and a fine QPR. Even so, out of four bottles over the last three years, each one has been a little less intense, sweet, complex, rich and long. Drink up! Rating: 91-/90-?
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
