TN Midweek 26 to 29 Sept

2016 Roberto Voerzio, Langhe Nebbiolo Disanfrancesco
Translucent garnet, with rose petals and sour cherries on the nose. Medium bodied, there's serious concentration delivered by silky yet slightly drying tannins. It starts off with (almost volcanic) earth which morphs into delicious succulent yet somehow savoury pomegranate and sour cherry rounding out into a rising yet drying finish. No doubt this is a great LN that's absolutely built for the long haul, yet somehow it remains fresh and appealing and the bottle disappears very quickly. Nice to drink now but it is a wine that has not got anywhere close to its full potential. No noticeable oak. 13.5% ABV PnP from Conterno Sensory.

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Riverby Marlborough Riesling 2017
This was gorgeous! Classic New World riesling, with lively acidity that has calmed down a little over the year or so it's been in the wine shed, and the wine is all the better for that. Relatively lean and limey/appley, but this is about so much more than the fruit; it dances elegantly and beautifully in the mouth and a clean stoney finish. Joy!

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On the subject of cheapo wines....

Villa Maria Reserve Pinot - OK for a tenner, I suppose. "Smooth" and identifiable as Pinot Noir, but very little interest.
Mud House Chilean Sauvignon Blanc - Decent enough. Not as in yer face as NZ equivalents. Cheap from CostCo (About £7?)
Errazuriz Pinot Noir - on offer at Tesco. I preferred this to the Villa Maria. Quite simple but effective.
Confuron Gindre Vosne Romanée 2014 - (Not really a cheapo wine!) Tastes like red Burgundy. Quite nice and savoury, but nothing of great distinction.
 
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2021 Debajo Dry Farmed Carignan

This was a cheapie I picked up from Noel Young Wines (Or is it NY Wines these days?) possibly for the Carignan tasting. Only about £7.50 (or more, depending on where you get it).
Tell you what, this is a good buy for the money. It really has that authentic Carignan vibe going on - kind of tobacco and pencil lead in the background of lightish crunchy red fruit with a slightly tantalisingly faint hint of bitterness on the finish. Reminds me a bit of Loire Cab Franc.
A budget wine for people who like a more thought-provoking drink rather than those quaffable but bland pinots I had earlier in the week. Very good for the money.
In fact, reader, I bought some.

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Had the 'Rock Angel' from Chateau d'Esclans with a fish pie last night. This is the next rung up from Whispering Angel and quite different, the first of their various cuvees that sees some barrrel fermention. It's more gastronomic and I really liked it, though it will set you back £25. It delivers a fair bit of the style that the super expensive Garrus and Les Clans provide, at half or quarter thier price.
 
2021 Debajo Dry Farmed Carignan

This was a cheapie I picked up from Noel Young Wines (Or is it NY Wines these days?) possibly for the Carignan tasting. Only about £7.50.
Tell you what, this is a good buy for the money. It really has that authentic Carignan vibe going on - kind of tobacco and pencil lead in the background of lightish crunchy red fruit with a slightly tantalisingly faint hint of bitterness on the finish. Reminds me a bit of Loire Cab Franc.
A budget wine for people who like a more thought-provoking drink than those quaffable pinots I had earlier. Very good for the money.

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You're caning it today, Alex!
 
Černe Refošk 2020 from Istra, Slovenia. It's about 16€ in Alko and is one of my absolute faves in affordable wines. It has all that peppery and herbal sharpness of the grape but also enough fruit that it's not a painful wine. Very moreish and refreshing, almost electric in its liveliness. Fun and yummy. Buy again? Already have! I've gone through like a full case of this stuff already. Joyful.
 
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First of these and doesn’t feel in any way ready. 2010s drunk in last year have been great so back to sleep for the rest.

  • 2016 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Santenay Vieilles Vignes Ceps Centenaires - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay (9/28/2022)
    Quite a reductive gun smoke nose with some white pepper and stems.
    Initially the reductive taste elements continue on the palate but behind them comes bright redcurrants and some bramble with good intensity while still be fresh. A little peppery and tannic bite in the finish.

    Would make sure to splash decant the next bottle as the reductive elements are pretty strong here and didn’t blow off quickly.

    Not sure if rate this now but hopefully a good base here for future development. Will come back in 3-5 years
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Posted from CellarTracker
 
Yesterday a 2015 Fourrier Bourgogne Blanc which was nicely evolved but still fresh with decent acidity. Medium bodied and very good for what it is.
Then a bottle Vosne Romanee 2012 from Gerard Mugneret. Really Pinot, lots of red berries, young but open, perfect transparent ruby colour, pleasure to drink, will be interesting to see how the left overs drink tonight. Very good villages.
Cheers
Rainer
 
Yesterday a 2015 Fourrier Bourgogne Blanc which was nicely evolved but still fresh with decent acidity. Medium bodied and very good for what it is.
Then a bottle Vosne Romanee 2012 from Gerard Mugneret. Really Pinot, lots of red berries, young but open, perfect transparent ruby colour, pleasure to drink, will be interesting to see how the left overs drink tonight. Very good villages.
Cheers
Rainer
My Fourrier BB '10 and '11 still whistle clean and bright.
 
2021 Assyrtiko "Wild Ferment" from Skouras, bought at Majestic for £16 (£13 mix six price) for a WSET study session this weekend. Finished the bottle on Monday. The primary fruit was mostly green apple and grapefruit, a little floral, a lot leesy, saline, and some wet stone mineral notes (don't tell WSET I used the term "mineral"). Very fresh, and more concentrated than I expected. I'd be curious to see what this would do with a little bottle age, because I suspect it would evolve some savoury herbal notes that would be very pleasant.

I've been somewhat snobby about Majestic in the past, but I'll take it back, because I thought the entire flight was good for the prices!

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2021 Assyrtiko "Wild Ferment" from Skouras, bought at Majestic for £16 (£13 mix six price) for a WSET study session this weekend. Finished the bottle on Monday. The primary fruit was mostly green apple and grapefruit, a little floral, a lot leesy, saline, and some wet stone mineral notes (don't tell WSET I used the term "mineral"). Very fresh, and more concentrated than I expected. I'd be curious to see what this would do with a little bottle age, because I suspect it would evolve some savoury herbal notes that would be very pleasant.

I've been somewhat snobby about Majestic in the past, but I'll take it back, because I thought the entire flight was good for the prices!

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One of the things I was told recently about Assyrtiko (by the TWS buyer) was that it's assertive in name and assertive in nature. That didn't really square with my experience of Assyrtikos to date, which had been fairly unassuming in nature, but there are a few real headbangers out there (such as Skitali). I also have been bullied into avoiding the m-word! But I might have to be more Assyrtive perhaps.
 
2017 Las Carlinas Garnacha Campo de Borja.

Good natural cork, $22 Cda, 14.5% alc, cooperative, seen some new oak along the way. Cellared 18 months.
Medium cherry in color, very light rim. Red fruits and baked spice on the nose. Initial entry thought is medium bodied, soft tannins, good fruits here. Nice length in the pleasing finish. "Blackberries and cherries, complex, full-bodied, and well-balanced" from across the table, so some varying thoughts here. Could have drunk earlier but you all know me!!
 
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