After a lot of full, sweet fruited, thick textured and highly perfumed wines with soft structure, it was a pleasure to return this week to real wine, even if none were really outstanding examples. By “real” I mean wines of a more savoury character, clear focus, lively acidity and firm structure and, above all, a sense of place.
Chinon “Les Grézeaux” 2001 – Bernard Baudry – Alc. 12.5% - was quite light in colour and body but showed a fragrance of fine Darjeeling tea allied to some raspberry and delicate but noticeable structure, minerals, fine acidity and good length; 15.5/20++.
Saumur-Champigny “Les Cards” 1995 – René-Noël Legrand – Alc. 12.5% - was much more robust but with some of the same raspberry and fine tea notes combined with clay, vanilla hints and very tangy wet leather (which I love but many may dislike) and still firm tannins but no longer green and drying as with many 95s; 16.5/20+.
Chianti Classico “Castello di Mona Lisa” Riserva 1999 – Villa Vignamaggio – Alc. 13% - was a touch disappointing. Body was quite full and the fruit was richer and less acidity and minerals than often with CC and there was authentic Chianti tang and structure but also traces of a parasite flavour reminiscent of cabbages which were disappearing by the last glass. Was this a bad interaction with the pesto sauce or a sort of reduction? 15/20 as served.
Wösendorfer Kollmütz Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2007 – Rudi Pichler – Alc. 13.5% still does not lead me to understand all the fuss about GV, which apparently can “beat” Montrachet. It was full, robust quite deep and generous, rather than focussed, with blooming aromas reminiscent of apples and pears and structured with a warm finish but quite low on acidity. This was a wine which, unlike many, benefited from being further cooled to give it some of the freshness not contributed by acidity. Perhaps age is needed to contribute complexity and refinement; 15.5/20.
The Grenache dominated Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup “L’Olivette” 2006 – Clos Marie – Alc.13.5% - naturally showed sweeter dark fruit and fuller body than the previous reds but also enough tang, savoury meat hints, minerals, herbs and structure for balance; 15.5/20+.