WTN - Recent Wines
Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:24 amA few scribbles on some recent wines I've opened from my cellar...
2004 Finca Sandoval Manchuela - Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Manchuela (12/20/2012)
After about 2 hours in a decanter. Dark purple in colour. Interesting nose, with gamy notes, earth, smoke and blueberries. Medium-full bodied, with a silky, velvety, slightly sweet palate, though there are some smooth, ripe tannins in there as well. Concentrated blackfruits, chocolate, black licorice, pepper, vanilla and blueberries appear in this very interesting, powerful wine. Ready now with a decant, but will last a few years too. (A-)
2007 Sacred Hill Chardonnay Riflemans - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay (12/13/2012)
Light in colour, with a nice nose of mainly citrus and slight oak notes. Medium bodied on the palate, with great balance: grapefruit, pear, nectarine and popcorn are the main flavours. Great acidity, balance and intensity, although it could be more concentrated. Drinking nicely now, but will certainly last a few years. (A-)
2003 Alvear Montilla-Moriles Pedro Ximénez de Añada - Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles (12/11/2012)
Left one of these in the cellar to see what would happen. I had heard they didn't really improve over time, but this definitely seemed to have developed more complexity. It's still an acquired taste, very sweet with a melange of dates, figs and raisins, but it did seem to have more complexity than I remembered. I thought I had gone off PX wines, but this was very nice at the end of an evening. (A-)
1999 Château de Rayne-Vigneau - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (12/10/2012)
From a half bottle. Tropical fruit and caramel on the nose. Tobacco, pears and caramel on the rich, thick palate. Needed a little air to open up. Time to drink up I think, at least from a half bottle. (B+/A-)
2001 Irene Alemany Penedès Sot Lefriec - Spain, Catalunya, Penedès (12/9/2012)
Didn't take notes, but had this last night. It didn't get much decant time, which was unfortunate. Quite structured still, with healthy but not unpleasant tannins. Good concentration, but not a lot of complexity. Mainly black fruits on a full bodied palate. Nice wine, if lacking a sense of place for me (A-). (B+/A-)
2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (12/9/2012)
Didn't take notes, but really enjoyed this wine last night. Great nose, and similar earthy notes and redfruits with an amazing balance and complexity. Ready now with a good decant, but will last too (A-/A).
2001 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor (Private Reserve) - Chile, Central Valley, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto (12/8/2012)
Decanted for two hours. My last of three bottles, and as this wine ages, it hasn't really picked up much complexity.The fruit is a little less forward, and there's a nice harmony in this blackfruited, smooth, medium-full bodied wine. Drank with a 2000, which was fading; the 2001 was livelier and more concentrated. Nice wine that's probably at peak now. (A-)
2007 Trapiche Malbec Single Vineyard Viña Adolfo Ahumada - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato (12/8/2012)
Hazy notes from last night. Dark in colour, and very modern in style. It a concentrated wine with a mix of red and black fruits, very plush on the medium-full palate. Didn't really have any sense of place to it - not great QPR. (B+)
2007 Les Clos de Paulilles Collioure - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Collioure (12/1/2012)
Deep brick in colour, with earthy raspberry and plums on the nice nose. Medium to full bodied palate, with a very smooth and silky texture; red and black fruits, garrigue and slight gamy notes. Fruit forward, as per the 2007 vintage, but very balanced with some complexity starting to show. Very impressive, especially with some air. This should last a while, but very impressive now. (A-)
2004 Finca Sandoval Manchuela - Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Manchuela (12/20/2012)
After about 2 hours in a decanter. Dark purple in colour. Interesting nose, with gamy notes, earth, smoke and blueberries. Medium-full bodied, with a silky, velvety, slightly sweet palate, though there are some smooth, ripe tannins in there as well. Concentrated blackfruits, chocolate, black licorice, pepper, vanilla and blueberries appear in this very interesting, powerful wine. Ready now with a decant, but will last a few years too. (A-)
2007 Sacred Hill Chardonnay Riflemans - New Zealand, North Island, Hawkes Bay (12/13/2012)
Light in colour, with a nice nose of mainly citrus and slight oak notes. Medium bodied on the palate, with great balance: grapefruit, pear, nectarine and popcorn are the main flavours. Great acidity, balance and intensity, although it could be more concentrated. Drinking nicely now, but will certainly last a few years. (A-)
2003 Alvear Montilla-Moriles Pedro Ximénez de Añada - Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles (12/11/2012)
Left one of these in the cellar to see what would happen. I had heard they didn't really improve over time, but this definitely seemed to have developed more complexity. It's still an acquired taste, very sweet with a melange of dates, figs and raisins, but it did seem to have more complexity than I remembered. I thought I had gone off PX wines, but this was very nice at the end of an evening. (A-)
1999 Château de Rayne-Vigneau - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (12/10/2012)
From a half bottle. Tropical fruit and caramel on the nose. Tobacco, pears and caramel on the rich, thick palate. Needed a little air to open up. Time to drink up I think, at least from a half bottle. (B+/A-)
2001 Irene Alemany Penedès Sot Lefriec - Spain, Catalunya, Penedès (12/9/2012)
Didn't take notes, but had this last night. It didn't get much decant time, which was unfortunate. Quite structured still, with healthy but not unpleasant tannins. Good concentration, but not a lot of complexity. Mainly black fruits on a full bodied palate. Nice wine, if lacking a sense of place for me (A-). (B+/A-)
2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (12/9/2012)
Didn't take notes, but really enjoyed this wine last night. Great nose, and similar earthy notes and redfruits with an amazing balance and complexity. Ready now with a good decant, but will last too (A-/A).
2001 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor (Private Reserve) - Chile, Central Valley, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto (12/8/2012)
Decanted for two hours. My last of three bottles, and as this wine ages, it hasn't really picked up much complexity.The fruit is a little less forward, and there's a nice harmony in this blackfruited, smooth, medium-full bodied wine. Drank with a 2000, which was fading; the 2001 was livelier and more concentrated. Nice wine that's probably at peak now. (A-)
2007 Trapiche Malbec Single Vineyard Viña Adolfo Ahumada - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato (12/8/2012)
Hazy notes from last night. Dark in colour, and very modern in style. It a concentrated wine with a mix of red and black fruits, very plush on the medium-full palate. Didn't really have any sense of place to it - not great QPR. (B+)
2007 Les Clos de Paulilles Collioure - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Collioure (12/1/2012)
Deep brick in colour, with earthy raspberry and plums on the nice nose. Medium to full bodied palate, with a very smooth and silky texture; red and black fruits, garrigue and slight gamy notes. Fruit forward, as per the 2007 vintage, but very balanced with some complexity starting to show. Very impressive, especially with some air. This should last a while, but very impressive now. (A-)