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WTN - Recent bottles

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John S

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WTN - Recent bottles

by John S » Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:35 pm

A bunch of wines taken from my cellar over the last little while. The Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler wine was fascinating: not really typical, but still outstanding. The Lock & Worth Sémillon was also very different. I don't drink a lot of Canadian wines - you have to kiss a lot of frogs - but this one was definitely interesting and very tasty. The Spanish wine was horrible. One of the few times I ended up dumping most of a bottle down the sink.., I don't know what I was thinking when I bought that.

  • 2005 Domaine Cauhapé Jurançon Ballet d'Octobre - France, Southwest France, Jurançon (2018-10-08)
    Didn't take notes, but this was a very interesting and different sweet wine. This is getting on in years, and the copper/brown colour reflected that, but it was still a vibrant, fascinating wine that balanced its sweet fruit and acidity well. This was from a 375 bottle, and I have a 750 of this left, and will get to it soon. (A-)
  • 2008 Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Bernkasteler Alte Badstube am Doctorberg Riesling Großes Gewächs Bernkasteler Ring - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2018-10-07)
    Wow. This was a very interesting version of a GG, light gold in colour, and quite rich in the medium to full bodied palate. Slightly off dry, with almost a chenin-like nose and palate, with a 'rotten fruit' and pineapple note. This really was outstanding and quite different: one of those wines where you say, "Damn, I should have bought a case of this". Drinking extremely well now, but should last several years. (A)
  • 2010 Domaine Rolet Crémant du Jura Brut - France, Jura, Crémant du Jura (2018-10-07)
    Very nice bubbly, quite complex, with rich flavours from the chardonnay and a nice mousse. (A-/B+)
  • 2015 Soumah Chardonnay - Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley (2018-10-07)
    Hazy notes from last night. Everybody enjoyed this wine, I think because it straddled the line between the old fashioned and newer style of chardonnay. Some oak, but not too much, good acid as well, nice concentration and not too much butterscotch notes. (A-/B+)
  • 2016 Lock & Worth Winery Sémillon - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2018-10-07)
    Hazy notes from last week, This was a very interesting wine, unfined and unfiltered, with lots of lees still in the bottle. I'm mainly used to Hunter Valley semillon, and this had some similarities, but was a riper, richer version, with red apple and stonefruit flavours and a slight waxy and creamy texture to the wine. I might buy another bottle to see how it ages. (A-)
  • 2014 Bodegas Ateca Calatayud Atteca Old Vines - Spain, Aragón, Calatayud (2018-10-02)
    This wasn't my cup of tea. Over-ripe, rich style of grenache hammered with far too much oak. Quite smooth in texture, with no overt alcohol notes, but this is a classic 'Parkerized' version of grenache that has little charm to me. (C+)
  • 2008 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Catena Alta - Argentina, Mendoza (2018-09-26)
    This was better on the second night. Still not very complex, but a solid malbec with a nice texture and appropriate tannins and overall balance. Like most Argentinian malbecs I've tasted, rather simple and one-note (B+)
  • NV Gaston Chiquet Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (2018-09-23)
    Hazy impressions here from a bottle I think was based on the 2012 vintage? This is drinking well after 4-5 years of cellaring. A nice blend of richness and cut here, with the chardonnay showing clearly in this bottle. Not too many yeasty notes here, just nice clean fruit with a great balance and elegance. (A-)
  • 2006 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2018-09-23)
    Hazy impressions from a few days ago. This has mellowed out with age and seems like the fruit (in the tropical realm) is in a secondary phase already. Less viscous than in previous bottles, there's some botrytris notes, and not a lot of acidity, but its still a very nice wine from a tricky vintage. (A-/B+)
  • 2007 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard Select - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (2018-09-19)
    I haven't been too impressed with some of my older WA cabs and cab blends, as they haven't really improved much with age. This has aged better than most. Very dark in colour with just a very little bricking. Blackfruits and a hint of cedar - not the most complex on the nose. The medium-full bodied palate has a nice mouth-coating texture and long finish, with more blackfruits and cedar and a hint of green notes. (in a nice way) What I like most is the freshness and the excellent structure: this is no heavy, over-ripe style that WA (and this vintage) often exhibited in this time frame. This is in no danger of a major decline anytime soon, given the tannins. Nicely done! (A-)
  • 2008 Long Shadows Wineries Cabernet Sauvignon Feather - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (2018-09-10)
    Deep in colour, Blackfruits, dark cherry, black licorice and tar on the nose, and these flow into the medium-full bodied palate. There's a slightly creamy texture but still enough ripe tannins to give it considerable structure as well. A very solid WA cab that still seems fairly youthful. (A-)
  • 2007 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee Estate Seven Hills Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (2018-09-09)
    Had this a couple of days ago. I was hoping for more here: while there were many good aspects of the wine - good concentration and nice flavours for example - there were also negative aspects, like too much oak, minimal complexity and an overall unidimensionality. I don't know if this is improving with age, and the issue of over-oaking in this era of WA wine is an issue. Maybe its also a function of my tastes changing too, but I don't think this wine is on an upswing at this point of its life and I thought it was somewhat disjointed and disappointing - a little overwrought overall. (B+)
  • 2003 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (2018-09-04)
    Deeply coloured with a bit of bricking. There's a lovely, rich nose full of blackfruits, cedar and a hint of chocolate mint. Full bodied, with similar flavours, a plush texture that really coats the mouth, a healthy tannic structure and a long finish as well. Quite youthful at 15 years old! To nitpick, there is still a little overt oak on the palate, but there's certainly also powerful fruit and healthy tannins and acidity. Drinking well now, but should last several years. I'll try to hold off on my last bottle in 3-4 years. An impressive wine in the classic Coonawara style. (A-)
  • 2006 Château Haut-Bergey - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (2018-08-29)
    Hazy note from over two nights. Nice nose of red fruits (cherries, plums) and a touch of oak. Some secondary notes on the medium bodied palate, earthy red fruit, but a rather hollow midpalate and not too long of a finish. Nice, and likely at its peak, though it should last a while yet. (B+)
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Jenise

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Re: WTN - Recent bottles

by Jenise » Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:55 am

Interesting notes on the WA wines, John. Totally understand what you meant about the way (some) Washington wines age. Many don't don't develop the heady secondary nuances you and I live for, they just fade away. And that governs my buying, I tend to buy proven agers. Boudreaux, Delille, Woodward Canyon are favorites because they age well. I'll never buy another Abeja because it doesn't. I haven't found that L'Ecole wines get very interesting, either. And 07--I skipped the vintage. Most were just too ripe and alcoholic. I'm sorry not surprised by your disappointment in the few you had.

I laughed at your reaction to the garnacha. CT should develop a daming default score, like the box you can check for flawed bottles, that would indicate: "Just what was I thinking?" We all do it!
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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David M. Bueker

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Re: WTN - Recent bottles

by David M. Bueker » Sat Oct 13, 2018 12:06 pm

Gaston-Chiquet NV based on 2012 would have been 2016 or perhaps late 2015 disgorgement, so probably not something in the cellar for 4 or 5 years.

That being said, I do love their wines. Their Brut Tradition was our house Champagne for many years.
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Re: WTN - Recent bottles

by Jenise » Sat Oct 13, 2018 6:52 pm

John, wild coincidence: just learned a dinner guest is bringing a 2002 Perigee. Will report back!
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: WTN - Recent bottles

by John S » Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:31 am

I'm beginning to think that it's best to drink them on the young side...hope the 2002 drinks well!
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Re: WTN - Recent bottles

by Jenise » Sun Oct 14, 2018 9:57 am

John S wrote:I'm beginning to think that it's best to drink them on the young side...hope the 2002 drinks well!


It was excellent. Had a perfect balance of pretty fruit and secondary nuances. I opened a 2002 O'Shaughnessy cab from Napa to pair with it--the latter was at a very similar stage but earthier. We all preferred the Perigee.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

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