Cordero di Montezemolo, Barolo Monfalletto, 2017
I suspected the 2017's might be shutting down by now. Certainly, this, a dependable, enjoyable wine that is far from the top tier of Piedmont, is on the cusp of hibernation. The palate is monolithic at the start, all sour cherries, but it develops nicely, expanding and deepening ever so slowly, gaining a velvet texture and persistent grip, if not great depth or length. The aromatics are charming, albeit not extremely complex, delineated as tar, eucalyptus and roses, growing earthier. (October 7, 2022)
Zilliken, Mosel, Riesling Butterfly, 2020
Taut and focused with acidity that would be searing on any other Riesling that feels this dry, but somehow, it works, the acidity lending the lean fruit a salty backbone. Looking at the numbers, this weighs in at 11% ABV, so just maybe it's the sweet spot where Riesling seems dry when it really isn't that dry. (Sept. 19, 2022)
Emilio Lustau, Oloroso, Don Nuno, n.v.
Oloroso should be the easiest style for newcomers to handle, as it’s made from barrels where Flor died rather early or never really caught. It’s usually the closest Sherry gets to a Tawny Port, with an abundance of roasted walnuts and spices. Don Nuno, an everyday Oloroso, is a different matter. Even though it's the lowliest of Lustau's Oloroso lineup, it's not very easygoing. Made in a dry, angular, edgy style, it can be as challenging as an Amontillado or a Palo Cortado. With distinct traces of moss and iodine, probably a side-effect of all the flor spores floating around in the bodega, it's a savory wine that intensifies over the days after opening. (Sept. 20, 2022)
Emilio Lustau, Cream, East India, n.v.
With the spicy, purple fruitiness of an LBV port, and only a subtle hint of either flor or oxidation, this is a sherry that might actually require further aging. It's a Cream Sherry, which means in this case that Palomino Fino is blended with the darker, sweeter, much more viscous Pedro Ximinez grape. Because of the way it's made - The Lustau team pours hot sea water over the barrels to simulate the effects of a sea voyage - it has a special mystique that used to appeal to me. I used to be more impressed with it in the past. I honestly got more complexity out of it. Maybe the bottles I used to get in past had been on the shelves longer and perhaps additional time scoured away the creamy, fruiter aspects? Anyway, if you like an LBV, this will be right up your alley. (Sept. 22, 2022)
Weingut Günther Steinmetz, Mosel, Kestener Paulinshofberg, Riesling, 2013
Dry, 12% ABV, non-pradikat. The complexity in the nose is all in the way aromas of peaches interact with hints of salt and wet sand. On the palate, apricots and underripe pears and few of the mineral elements I got on the nose. As much as I love Steinmetz, here I find myself waiting all evening for some excitement to break. (September 28, 2022)
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