WTN: Cave de Turckheim, Montesodi, Joguet, Loring etc.

Wade Hostler from California was again visiting Finland so we met up to taste a few interesting wines:

Jeruzalem Ormož Terase 2005 (Slovenia, Ljutomer-Ormož; 40% sauvignon blanc, 30% šipon, 15% chardonnay, 15% welschriesling/laski rizling)

A bright and mineral nose, refreshing and very Sauvignonny. There is nice fruit, a fair bit of acidity though it is from a warm year and the aftertaste is fairly long. A very nice drop for 10€!

Bonnaire Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru 1999

A nice, slightly vanillary nose that is rather hefty for a BdB - some toast, lots of fruit, yet transparent and light on its feet. The mousse was fairly small and intense. The palate was again rather weighty for a BdB, but with nice acidity. Fair aftertaste. A nice fruit forward champagne.

Joguet Chinon Clos du Chêne Vert 2003

Rather tight, but surprisingly typical of Chinon: not over-ripe, leafy and herbal and very Cab Francy! The palate is tannic and tight but promising despite the rather low acidity. Nice stuff and gladly not confected despite the hot year.

Marchesi de Frescobaldi Chianti Rúfina Montesodi Castello di Nipozzano 1997

A nice Sangiovese nose of red berries, a touch of earth - but it also had some darker tones which (when served blind) I thought to be from Merlot! The palate was smooth, had some nice tannins and acidity, but it really did seem more a fruit forward than structure forward wine. It was quite nice, though not really my preferred type of wine.

Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard 2000

Big. Lots of sweet, strawberry-like fruit, a touch of earth and quite a bit of toffeed oak. The palate was also big and burly and rather too alcoholic - but in this style of Pinot it is a success. It wasn't at all syrah-like, though I've seen many Lorings described as such: this was very Pinot-like in its aromatics, but was a very weighty variation. 14,7% abv was fairly well hidden though there was a touch of heat to the finish. This isn't a style of wine to my taste, but I fully accept that it is a success in its style.

Cave de Turckheim Pinot Gris Hengst 2002

The nose at first was very closed, but showed some very nice minerality and the typical PG spiciness. An hour later the nose was expressive in the more elegant spectrum of the grape. The palate was full bodied but with nice acidity and minerality. Very typical for the grape and area. Very nice.

Cave de Turckheim Riesling Brand 1999

Youthful Riesling aromas of citrus and minerals, but with a touch of petrol creeping in. The palate is dry but full bodied - not terribly elegant, but very pleasurable. Nice!

Cave de Turckheim Pinot Gris 50ème Anniversaire 1999

A dessert wine, but unfortunately corked. In that fleeting instant before TCA takes the center stage, it showed itself to be a typical PG in its aromas with a nice earthiness and minerality and nice structure to keep it firm and still youthful. It should be a very nice wine indeed from a good bottle.

-O-

Otto, nice to see the Alsace notes. Did you see the interesting thread on the UK forum about the new regulations in Alsace etc?

Otto, nice to see the Alsace notes. Did you see the interesting thread on the UK forum about the new regulations in Alsace etc?

I must have missed that one - will go and search it out. I haven't been spending as much time in wine sites recently as I should. But one site that I do visit has an article you and all Muscadet-fiends will like: The Wine Doctor tastes Muscadet! Sorry about the thread drift, but I don't mind that...

FWIW, I tasted the left overs tonight. The Montesodi had died. The person who brought it said that it had been stored at a slightly warmer temperature than ideal, but on the first day open it didn't show any effects of heat. Can it be put down to heat that this wine died after one day open? A year ago I drunk a 1993 Montesodi over two days, and it was fine the next day.

The Grand Cru Brand Riesling was doing fine. It often seems to me that Rieslings don't change as dramatically overnight as some other wines. Often it takes a young Riesling a couple hours to open up, but then it stays pretty stable for a couple days. Anyone else have similar experiences?

The Chinon was great today. It showed very similar profile to the 1997 of the same vineyard. Having now tasted this twice, I do feel like I should buy a couple bottles to age.

All other bottles were finished yesterday, so sadly didn't get a re-taste of them.

-Otto-