Valdeorras Godello “Pezas de Portela” 2004 – Bodegas Valdelsil (white) – Alc. 13% - is more confirmation of the quality coming from the Godello grape variety in Valdeorras. It shows rich creamy white and exotic fruit wound with minerals and fine lively acidity on a full body; the caramel note towards the finish which I noted at a tasting a year or so ago has now fully integrated. It is slightly richer and more intense that the excellent basic cuvée, Val de Sil, and can be used to substitute for a good Meursault but with its own character and less expensive. I do not know whether it would gain a lot by ageing like a good (premox-free) Meursault; it seems mature right now; 16.5/20++.
My memory of a previous bottle of Rioja “Oscar Tobía” Tempranillo Reserva 2002 – Bodegas Tobía – Alc. 13.5% - about 15 months ago was of dominating vanilla on the nose and palate but, on this bottle, the vanilla had receded to being just one element of the aromas alongside strawberry and plum and the palate was medium/full bodied, roundly fruited and quite robust with good mouth-fill; 15.5/20+.
Rioja Contino Reserva 1994 – Viñedos del Contino – Alc. 13% - was finer, sweeter, fresher, more subtle, ingratiating, elegant and complex adding notes of cherry and kirsch to the above aromas but was, surprisingly, more subdued in aroma, slightly lighter in body and less full in fruit than the previous and much less so than a Contino Crianza 1996 on which I wrote a note a few months ago. (I wonder whether this slight undernourishment did not come from a defective cork which was moist up to the top though there was no sign of leakage.) Distinguished and very enjoyable, though; 16/20.
Beaujolais Nouveau 2008 – Georges Duboeuf – Alc. 12% was lean, almost mean, with very marked acidity, some fairly attractive red fruit with just touches of the famous banana and a bitter note on the finish; not very quaffable and I won’t be buying any more from this source; 13/20.