by Ian Sutton » Sat May 16, 2009 11:54 am
My TNs from a mini horizontal a few weeks ago below. I'm not used to the style, hence not deadset on them being oxidised or not. However they were pretty consistent and pretty consistently tough going. Additional age (post opening) suggested a fractional imprvement perhaps, but nothing to crow about. The lightness of the acidity was a surprise.
1999 Domaine du Closel Savennières Clos du Papillon - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières (5/9/2009)
Darker still, yet not quite golden. The nose showed bruised apple, but again a very savoury palate with just sufficient acidity. Perhaps 2nd best of the three
All in all, interesting to taste these, yet on the strength of this, no rush to try again. The 3 bottles having been recorked at the end of the evening, will be sampled over the next 2-3 days to see if talk of extended aeration as a miracle 'cure' has any effect!
1999 Domaine du Closel Savennières Les Caillardieres - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières (5/9/2009)
A touch better (than the coulees and clos du papillon of the same vintage), with slightly darker colour, maybe slightly more herby on the nose, with the palate showing pleasant butter, honey, sour-apple and really quite a decent length to the fennel-accented finish, carried with sufficient acidity. Good if still somewhat challenging.
1999 Domaine du Closel Savennières Les Coulees - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières (5/9/2009)
Straw-coloured, yet such an odd savoury, almost sweaty fruitless nose. Some honey and oilyness on the palate, but a touch bitter yet lacking in acidity. Interesting, but not exactly charming.
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