Riesling, Hugel "Hommage a Jean Hugel" 1998
This wine slots in between the "Jubilee" and the Vendage Tardive. It has 33g/l RS. What? Hugel with 33g/l! What is the world coming to? This wine is sourced from the Grand Cru 'Schoenenbourg'
Unique aromas. Marjoram and sage mingle with coconut, sweet lemon creme and ripe yellow pear. Not really overripe but warmly supple and perhaps a touch imprecise. The marjoram is incredibly captivating and avoids becoming soapy. The coconut is neither vulger nor cloying.
The acids are quite snappy, holding the RS right in check, with little to no excess weight. The length is very good and bordering on great. It has a sneakiness with flavors and textures washing in very subtle waves. Flavors are very similar to the nose, complex and delicious. If I have a quilbble, it lacks the firm minerality I crave in Alsatian wine. That may be more a fault of the vintage and the vineyard. I haven't found many 98's particularly mineral rich and even fewer Schoenenbourg's.
The wine isn't amazing, but its as good as the vintage allowed and more than enjoyable. I'd drink several cases and be happy. Oh, and it was a solitary bottle in the 'rare wine room' of a pa state store. Score!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
9/23/09
Hermitage, "La Chappelle", Jaboulet Aine 1999
Many of my wine professional friends call "La Chappelle" shit: spoofilated, bastardized, garbage. Maybe they really mean to compliment what the wine once was, because wow, it really was good. And while I agree that Chappelle is not what it used to be, I don't find it undrinkable.
Smells of waxy crayola crayon with brined olive and some faint citrus zest. Thin fruit aromas, not distinct enough to hint at a vintage, but not unlike what one would expect from Hermitage. With air it develops a thickness: herbal and very waxy - a touch of alcohol. Not complex, but certainly correct and without the smell of gourmet enzymes, toasty wood or fancy yeast.
The palate never really develops - It feels somewhat expensive but with angular unresolved tannin. The texture is flat and suggests more maturity than its age. It's good wine. But its not great wine. Maybe not even very good wine. When I think of the name "La Chappelle" its merely ok.
This note reminds me of the '99 Jasmin Cote Rotie I wrote about a while back. Like the '99 Jasmin (which is a truly spoofilated mess) the "Chappelle" is very vintage specific. I don't like the '99's. They are bland with characterless fruit. I don't believe the tannins will ever resolve. The best have moderate balance and are unoffensive; the worst are tannic, alcoholic and roasted. I'll take the greenish '97's and the soft '98's.
Many of my wine professional friends call "La Chappelle" shit: spoofilated, bastardized, garbage. Maybe they really mean to compliment what the wine once was, because wow, it really was good. And while I agree that Chappelle is not what it used to be, I don't find it undrinkable.
Smells of waxy crayola crayon with brined olive and some faint citrus zest. Thin fruit aromas, not distinct enough to hint at a vintage, but not unlike what one would expect from Hermitage. With air it develops a thickness: herbal and very waxy - a touch of alcohol. Not complex, but certainly correct and without the smell of gourmet enzymes, toasty wood or fancy yeast.
The palate never really develops - It feels somewhat expensive but with angular unresolved tannin. The texture is flat and suggests more maturity than its age. It's good wine. But its not great wine. Maybe not even very good wine. When I think of the name "La Chappelle" its merely ok.
This note reminds me of the '99 Jasmin Cote Rotie I wrote about a while back. Like the '99 Jasmin (which is a truly spoofilated mess) the "Chappelle" is very vintage specific. I don't like the '99's. They are bland with characterless fruit. I don't believe the tannins will ever resolve. The best have moderate balance and are unoffensive; the worst are tannic, alcoholic and roasted. I'll take the greenish '97's and the soft '98's.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
9/15/09
Brunello di Montalcino, Biondi Santi, 'Il Greppo' 1993
Dark garnet color with bricking turning brown at the edges. Initially a sleepy, disjointed nose of mushrooms, decaying leaves, alcohol, burnt wood and tar. A hater would have written it off as dried out and tired.
After two hours of half of the bottle being decanted.
Sublime nose of true Brunello character. Loamy soil undertones play a perfect harmony beneath an evocative melody of Campfire smoke mingling with burnt orange peel and bright strawberry rose petal fruit. On the palate it has classic '93 characteristics with a terrific push and pull between creamy glycerine and sneaky acids. The length is subtle and persistant and while the wine is muscular, it is also quite graceful.
I've had tons of Biondi Santi and none have ever compared to this. It is hard to avoid a comparison to Soldera. Heresy I know, but still, it reminds me of the '95 Institieti. The 'Il Greppo is less concentrated and less perfumed in the mouth but a great wine none the less. Makes me lament the dirth of "real" Brunello. This was my last '93 Brunello and I'm sad it's gone. '93 marked the last vintage this DOCG produced inspired wines.
Dark garnet color with bricking turning brown at the edges. Initially a sleepy, disjointed nose of mushrooms, decaying leaves, alcohol, burnt wood and tar. A hater would have written it off as dried out and tired.
After two hours of half of the bottle being decanted.
Sublime nose of true Brunello character. Loamy soil undertones play a perfect harmony beneath an evocative melody of Campfire smoke mingling with burnt orange peel and bright strawberry rose petal fruit. On the palate it has classic '93 characteristics with a terrific push and pull between creamy glycerine and sneaky acids. The length is subtle and persistant and while the wine is muscular, it is also quite graceful.
I've had tons of Biondi Santi and none have ever compared to this. It is hard to avoid a comparison to Soldera. Heresy I know, but still, it reminds me of the '95 Institieti. The 'Il Greppo is less concentrated and less perfumed in the mouth but a great wine none the less. Makes me lament the dirth of "real" Brunello. This was my last '93 Brunello and I'm sad it's gone. '93 marked the last vintage this DOCG produced inspired wines.
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