WTN: Ducru Montiano Terrabianca Pichon Baron Hugel
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 7:40 pm
Notes from an especially enjoyable lunch before the Canadian long weekend.
1993 Dom. du Closel Savennieres Clos du Papillon – this Chenin blanc based wine was a single bottle I found in my cellar after I’d thought I’d drunk it up. Long aged wines, (they need about 7 years after the vintage to mute the aggressive acidity) this turned out to be a winner. A nose of pears with slight oxidative notes, medium ellow colour, dry with good length and balance. Still has time – wish I had more.
1995 Lopez Heredia Vina Tondonia Riserva – this fully mature Rioja showed a medium light colour and some almost pinot notes in the nose, although wood did feature strongly. Some earth and ripe fruit and soft tannins, and good acidity and balance. Nice wine.
1993 Remoissenet Volnay – a recent release here, and a typical fruit based elegant nose from a fairly pale wine, clean and balanced. Nice now, don’t hold.
1985 Ch. Ducru Beaucallou – killer wine! Good colour, classic lead pencil nose, this drinks perfectly now - beautiful claret with ample fruit and long finish. Will hold awhile too.
2009 Famille Perrin Vinsobres – bargain wine of the day – under $20 and will last for several years. Sweet fruit in the nose, good depth of flavour and medium length. Now and for at least 5 years.
1996 Falesco Montiano – I was really pleased with this merlot based wine (and not just because I brought it). A very Bordeaux nose led to guesses about France, and it was sweet and round in the mouth with excellent acidity. Pity the people that drank this up in the first flush of youth – they missed out.
1998 Terrabianca Cepatte – an other excellent IGT, this time cab with the merlot. Dark, with a ripe nose of vanilla with hints of tar, good fruit and lots of stuffing and extraction. No rush.
2008 Giacosa Falletto Dolcetto d’Alba – dark ripe wine with basically no tannins at all, quiet sweet in the mouth and pleasant.
1994 Ch. Pichon Baron – dark with hints of mint in the nose, and blackberries, good structure and length. Hard to spot as a 94 – one of the best, even better than the last Pichon Lalande I opened.
1995 Beaucastel CNduP – a back up wine opened in the holiday spirit and a pleasure to taste. Nose of dark fruit (cherry and plum?) ripe and with hints of road tar, and in the mouth amazingly smooth with softening tannins and excellent length. I haven’t started on my stash of a case and a half, but based on this I’ll probably try a bottle a year from now on until it snaps totally into focus.
2010 AndCo. The Supernatural (New Zealand) – this sauv blanc was interesting – varietal nose, and decent, but lacking acidity and balance.
2001 Hugel Pinot Gris ‘Hugel’ Vendage Tardive - lots of peaches in this fragrant nose, and good weight and acidity, an elegant wine with significant residual sugar. Loved this one.
1993 Dom. du Closel Savennieres Clos du Papillon – this Chenin blanc based wine was a single bottle I found in my cellar after I’d thought I’d drunk it up. Long aged wines, (they need about 7 years after the vintage to mute the aggressive acidity) this turned out to be a winner. A nose of pears with slight oxidative notes, medium ellow colour, dry with good length and balance. Still has time – wish I had more.
1995 Lopez Heredia Vina Tondonia Riserva – this fully mature Rioja showed a medium light colour and some almost pinot notes in the nose, although wood did feature strongly. Some earth and ripe fruit and soft tannins, and good acidity and balance. Nice wine.
1993 Remoissenet Volnay – a recent release here, and a typical fruit based elegant nose from a fairly pale wine, clean and balanced. Nice now, don’t hold.
1985 Ch. Ducru Beaucallou – killer wine! Good colour, classic lead pencil nose, this drinks perfectly now - beautiful claret with ample fruit and long finish. Will hold awhile too.
2009 Famille Perrin Vinsobres – bargain wine of the day – under $20 and will last for several years. Sweet fruit in the nose, good depth of flavour and medium length. Now and for at least 5 years.
1996 Falesco Montiano – I was really pleased with this merlot based wine (and not just because I brought it). A very Bordeaux nose led to guesses about France, and it was sweet and round in the mouth with excellent acidity. Pity the people that drank this up in the first flush of youth – they missed out.
1998 Terrabianca Cepatte – an other excellent IGT, this time cab with the merlot. Dark, with a ripe nose of vanilla with hints of tar, good fruit and lots of stuffing and extraction. No rush.
2008 Giacosa Falletto Dolcetto d’Alba – dark ripe wine with basically no tannins at all, quiet sweet in the mouth and pleasant.
1994 Ch. Pichon Baron – dark with hints of mint in the nose, and blackberries, good structure and length. Hard to spot as a 94 – one of the best, even better than the last Pichon Lalande I opened.
1995 Beaucastel CNduP – a back up wine opened in the holiday spirit and a pleasure to taste. Nose of dark fruit (cherry and plum?) ripe and with hints of road tar, and in the mouth amazingly smooth with softening tannins and excellent length. I haven’t started on my stash of a case and a half, but based on this I’ll probably try a bottle a year from now on until it snaps totally into focus.
2010 AndCo. The Supernatural (New Zealand) – this sauv blanc was interesting – varietal nose, and decent, but lacking acidity and balance.
2001 Hugel Pinot Gris ‘Hugel’ Vendage Tardive - lots of peaches in this fragrant nose, and good weight and acidity, an elegant wine with significant residual sugar. Loved this one.