Like the hush that falls 'all over the world, tonight', winetasting allows a space in our hectic lives a little bit of this quiet hallowed ground. Sometimes we forget to slow down and enjoy our seasonings during this season, and although hope can be far from our modern eyes, if there is no hope then what? A big svieks to those assembled!
Major yums:
Nikolaihof, Mautern-Wachau, Grüner Veltliner, smaragd, 2000
Heard talk that the 2000 Austrians were collapsing (or perhaps the damage was limited to riesling?), so thought I would try this. Color a medium-light ginger gold. Lovely attacking nose of lime zest, elder sawdust with citrusy marzipan and spring field flowers. Roundish spring flowers on the palate along with wintered apples left in the field. A heady (despite the 12.5% alcohol) wine, but polished and elegant that finished with a touch of green peppercorn. Excellent.
Donnafugata, Passito di Pantelleria, 'Ben Rye', 2003
Burnt orange-cognac brown colored. Candied orange peel & tangerine, raisinated white grapes and spices emanating from the glass. Thick and unctuous, but firm, thanks to a boost of acidity that keeps this lively. Oranges and fresh mashed ripe peaches along with a spicy compote complete the lengthy finish while glancing at the long trails of glycerin on the glass.
Petrussa, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Schioppettino, 2002
Colored dark red with a stewed-fruit dimension to it. Aromas of deep redcurrants, strawberries, with a perfumed almost foxy aspect. Foxy red fruits with a tannic spine, slight bitter melon finish. Has a slighty stewed fruit taste to the fruit, feeling a bit southern and similar to an aglianico or an Etna Rosso. Better the next day.
Domaine de Belliviere, Coteaux du Loir, 'l'Effraie', 2004
Platinum gold colored. Very closed nose initially that opens to oily wet wool and with time becomes very smoky and gunflinty. A refreshing wine with calcium carbonate, lemongrass, and that flinty finish. Excellent acidity, but could be muted a bit by the vintage?
OK yums:
Matteo Correggia, Vino da Tavola, 'Anthos, NV
*advertised as a Brachetto from 2005, neither of which appears on the label. Since this is a still wine, it cannot be sold as 'Brachetto' but is basically that without the fizz.
Dark cranberry-strawberry red. Light spring flowers & strawberry flower. A light rose flavor with strawberries and a tarry finish. Light and refreshing. 12.5%
Ferrando, Carema, 1996 (white label)
Color on the rim showing a light burnt orange-sienna. Lovely floral nose that immediately comes through, lots of lilacs. In the mouth this feels mature already, but could definately go on for several more years. Be interesting to compare this to the black label of that year. Has a tannic austerity to it that lessons with glasstime. Spicy, delicate cooler-climate nebbiolo.
Gaja, Barbaresco, 1985
Drank the same meal as the Carema. Deeper colored (doh!), but not as giving in the nose, actually feeling closed after its 21 years in bottle. Much more muscular with a more cherry-plum-licorice aspect. Big and powerful, but without alot of 'there' there. Although this shows well, I'd rather have a Clerico Barolo if choosing from the modernist league and the color suggests something besides pure nebbiolo to me.
Disappoints:
The Observatory, Syrah/Carignan, Swartland, 2003
From South Africa. Cloudy cherry juice red. Muddy red raspberry aromas, with unsweetened not truly ripe raspberry juice with an acidic bent in the glass. Little if any apparent oak, this reminds me of the 2001 Brezeme VV from Texier that I disliked for about the same reasons. Could this come around? Unsure...
Felsina, Chinati Classico Riserva, 'Rancia', 2000
A dark black cherry red. Clovey, cherry-lum spice in the muted nose. Dark cherries with an herbal edge, vanillin, and spice on the dark and brooding framework. Bad time to open this? Ideally needs more time, but I would like to see a little more lush fruit in here to see it work.