Very heavy on the Pinots this week, ranging from traditional Burgundy, NZ and US outposts, to more 'exotic' locales.
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 2001
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Main varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Ratings: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
What a way to end a 3-week detox! An understated vintage at its drinking epitome. This wine encapsulates in its expressions what I love most about this vintage's current offerings - a seamless and harmonious expression of fruit and secondary notes.
Domaine des Lambrays Les Loups Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru 2005
Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 4.5 stars; 93pts
Great from the go with many twists to its evolution. Dense, layered pinot cherry with minerals, spice, a touch of green notes and smokiness adding wonderful mouthwatering complexity. Lovely texture.
Jose Maria Da Fonseca Domingos Soares Franco Colecçâo Privada Moscatel Roxo Rosé 1998
Portugal
Main varietal: Moscatel
Ratings: 4.5 stars; 93pts
Complex, deep and mellow. 15 years young. Showing complex plum, marmalade and creme caramel notes on a long and luscious finish. Tad soft but not worth complaining about. A gift from a friend who is no longer with us. RIP brother.
Moet Chandon Champagne Brut Grand Vintage 2003
Champagne, France
Main varietal: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Ratings: 4 stars; 92pts
Complex and drinking at its best. Less than brisk, being a 2003, but nice length.
Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2011
Morgon, Beaujolais, France
Main varietal: Gamay
Ratings: 4 stars; 91pts
Succulent and harmonious. Only now coming to the fore (previous bottle approximately one year ago was taut and inaccessible). Lovely juicy cherry notes with a hint of spice. Round and voluptuous with enough complexity to make most wine lovers excited.
Charles Audoin La Charme Aux Prêtres Marsannay 2009
Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 3.5 stars; 89pts
A well-made structured pinot with some layering and good depth. Still young.
Wooing Tree Sandstorm Reserve Pinot Noir 2009
Central Otago, New Zealand
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 4 stars; 92pts
Deep and rich with good breadth. This one shows a bit of heat damage but still wonderfully palatable and expressive.
Parusso Armando Barolo 2007
Barolo, Piemonte, Italy
Main varietal: Nebbiolo
Ratings: 4 stars; 92pts
For a Barolo, this comes into its own very quickly with typical yet soft rose petals and tar.
Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne 1999
Barolo, Piemonte, Italy
Main varietal: Nebbiolo
Ratings: 4 stars; 91pts
Rich fine-grained tannins accord a serious backbone to this layered and complex treat. Took about 30 minutes to blossom and occasionally hinted at some oxidation but all is forgiven as this wine took on, and enhanced, a home-made quatro formaggio sauce.
Petrolo Torrione Toscana 2007
Tuscany, Italy
Main varietal: Sangiovese
Ratings: 3.5 stars; 89pts
Dark cherry notes and well-balanced. Drinking at its peak. I don't see room for improvement.
Escale Pinot Noir 2010
Languedoc, France
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 2 stars; 83pts
A bit barnyardy on the nose but reasonable balance on the palate. Ok for food.
Isole e Olena Cepparello 2007
Tuscany, Italy
Main varietal: Sangiovese
Ratings: 4 stars; 92pts
Balanced and intense. Still youthful. Dark stone fruit notes, layered, long.
Robertson Chardonnay 2012
Breede River Valley, South Africa
Main varietal: Chardonnay
Ratings: 3.5 stars; 90pts
Nice power. Oak not over-powering. Mild peach and vanillin notes. Great value.
Carlos Serres Reserva 2005
Rioja, Spain
Main varietal: Tempranillo
Ratings: 4 stars; 91pts
A heady and complex nose boasting delightful cherry and vanillin hints. Palate follows the nose with a wonderfully balanced and harmonious presentation. Nice maturity.
Montecastro y Llanahermosa Ribera del Duero 2007
Ribera del Duero, Spain
Main varietal: Tempranillo
Ratings: 4 stars; 91pts
Well-made with firm and focused delivery and structure. Very Bordeaux-like in some ways. Complex dark stone fruit notes with oak backbone.
Le Altanza Rioja Reserva Gaudi 2005
Rioja, Spain
Main varietal: Tempranillo
Ratings: 4.5 stars; 94pts
A slow-evolving complex wine. Attractive complex stone fruit nose slowly emerges and overpowers the initial earthy presentation. Elegant yet firm presence and persistence.
Celler Pinol Mistela Josefina Pinol Dulce Tinto 2009
Terra Alta, Spain
Main varietal: Grenache, Syrah
Ratings: 4.5 stars; 93pts
A red sweet fortified wine. A complex and slightly grainy presentation with red and blackcurrant, fruitcake vanilla and much more. Wonderful balance with no cloying personality, which makes a second or third glass very welcome.
Franz Leth Lagenreserve Wagram Roter Veltliner Scheiben 2011
Donauland, Austria
Main varietal: Roter Veltliner
Ratings: 3 stars; 88pts
Complex red and green apple notes. Acidity is soft for an Austrian wine, but good for the Asian palate. Reasonable length. Great with food.
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Malborough, New Zealand
Main varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Ratings: 3.5 stars; 90pts
Pungent, pleasant gooseberry and passionfruit notes on a soft but intense, long palate.
Conti Neri Prosecco N.V.
Veneto, Italy
Main varietal: Prosecco
Ratings: 2.5 stars
Off-dry, but reasonable balance and flavors.
Mitre Rocks Pinot Noir 2009
Central Otago, New Zealand
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 3.5 stars; 90pts
Dark cherry notes balanced with some nice greenish hints, adding complexity.
Markowitsch Pinot Noir 2011
Lower Austria, Austria
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 3 stars; 88pts
Clean pinot cherry notes with some complexity.
Marimar Estate Don Miguel Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2006
Russian River Valley, USA
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 3.5 stars; 89pts
Great cool-climate US pinot, but at the end of its life.
La Pousse d'Or Les Jarollières Pommard Premier Cru 2008
Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 3 stars; 87pts
A bit over-extracted. Needs time to open up but lacks elegance. A bit tannic.
David Bruce Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2005
Russian River Valley, USA
Main varietal: Pinot Noir
Ratings: 4 stars; 91pts
Ripe and complex dark stone fruit. Good complexity with tannins built for ageing.
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