Yannick Amirault, Bourgueil, La Petit Cave, 2010
Old school. No more than a hint of ‘good’ brett, the kind that conjures earth packed with memories of the creatures that once inhabited it, and not their fresh feces. Also red fruit and violets. Complex and tasty and finally expressing its potential. (Oct. 15, 2021)
Anselmo Mendes, Vinho Verde, Monção and Melgaço, Parcela Única Escolha, 2018
Mendes "Bourgogne-ized" the wine, make no mistake about it. You get it in the creamy texture and on the fringes of the nose, sort of shadowing the minerals, salt and pears on the palate. I'm still in a flux on whether/how much the Alvarinho character is overshadowed. (Oct. 16, 2021)
Phillipe Alliet, Chinon, 2018
Dark hued, lithe, peppery, juicy. A classic introduction that develops surprising weight and complexity for an entry level wine and shows the typical lead pencil character of Loire Cabernet Franc. (Oct. 5, 2021)
Comm. G.B. Burlotto, Barbera d’Alba, Aves, 2017
Fabio Alessandra’s Nebbiolos coped very well with the troubled 2017 vintage (so hot, the vines went into shock). His Barolos are magical! This, on the other hand, is more mundane, the fruit big and earthy. The aromatics are good but I never really care for Barbera’s sweet palate and the Aves never escapes that trap, even after many hours. Hopefully, 2018 will be more to my liking. (Oct. 8, 2021)
A producer from Monforte. His holdings mainly in the Sori Ginestra Cru. All the house’s Barolos are crus, and the closest they have to a ‘village’ Barolo is this. All the grapes come from Monforte, but the wine isn’t aged long enough to comply with the DOCG’s regulations. Despite, it come off as a mini-Barolo, which is just fine by me. It’s aged in used barriques, as opposed to foudres, but the oak influence is not really intrusive. This is lovely. The nose is deep and dark, black cherries, black tea, dried roses, spices and dry earth impregnated by truffles, echoed on the palate, where the tannins are grainy, rusty and mouth coating. Worth a repurchase and aging. (Oct. 18, 2021)
85% Syrah, 12% Peite Sirah, 3% Petit Verdot
So much has changed since I started seriously drinking wine. Even ten years ago, we'd have been wowed by the way this wine combines ripe fruit and lively acidity, by the black fruit, black pepper and graphite on the nose - and the effortless way it breaks the Cabernet Sauvignon mold. Now, it's only a notch above the level required to catch our attention. (Oct. 22, 2021)
Comments