Issue:
February
2011

By Manos Angelakis

The first series of the annual portfolio tastings for many major and some smaller wine importers started earlier this year, on September 13.

The wines presented to the trade and press ranged from the 2001 to 2003 vintage, for red grand reservas, 2006 and 2007 for reservas and standard reds, and 2008 and 2009 for standard red and white wines. In general, most of the wines presented with the exception of some of the 2007 French and Italian red wines were good to exceptional (in my opinion, 2007 was a particularly poor vintage for France, some areas in Italy and some in Spain). Based on my quality observations of the 2007 French vintage, I was very surprised to see suggested retail prices of $75 and up for many of the Burgundy and Bordeaux houses for that horrible vintage.

The purpose of this article is to talk about wine that I really noticed in the tastings.

First, German wines: Most from the 2008 vintage, some 2007 and 2009. Very nice, aromatic Rieslings, some Kabinetts sweeter than the Pradicat would indicate, but some of the Spätlese were drier than expected.

Exceptionally good were 2008 Barnkasteler Badstube Kabinett and 2005 Barncasteler Doctor Kabinett (this last was not showing yet the “petrol” nose of aged Rieslings) from Dr. H. Thanisch. Very good were the 2007 Trittienheimer Apotheke Kabinett and the 2008 Piersporter Goldtropchen Spätlese from Bollig Lehnert - though the nose on the Spätlese was a bit light. Also very good was the 2007 Ockfener Bockstein Kabinett from Dr. Fisher. Fitz-Ritter showed their first Stelvin™ closed wine, a 2009 Gewürztraminer Spätlese; it was extremely interesting, well balanced with an intense “mastic” nose (mastic, is the very characteristic smell of the resin of the mastic tree that only grows on the Greek island of Chios). From the same producer a non-vintage Sect that should give some name champagnes a run for their money. Dr. Pauli Bergweiler showed a good 2009 Noble House Riesling QbA that was a bit shy on the nose, and a 2008 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett with peaches and pears on the nose and a good, food friendly acidity.

Heinz-Eifel, showed new, more readable, less complicated, labels (German wine labels were traditionally very difficult to decipher – many of the wineries are starting to experiment with simpler labels that indicate the grape and vintage, whether the wine is sweet or dry, and the name of the area and vineyard). They had an exceptional 2009 Riesling Auslese and a 2009 Eiswein that was delicious, not as sweet as expected, with a bracing acidity. Considering that this is the only German ice wine I have tasted from the 2009 vintage (the winter was too warm for many of the other wineries to produce ice wine) this should be a must buy, if you are an ice wine aficionado.

Egon Müller’s 2006 Scharzhofberger Kabinett was an off-dry wine that had an intense “petrol” nose. If you don’t like the aroma that a very aged Riesling exudes, this is not a wine for the faint–of-heart. The 2006 Spätlese and 2006 Auslese did not have this heavy nose, though both had elevated, bracing acidity, which was very welcome in the Auslese since the wine was a lot sweeter than expected.

A. Christmann from the Pfalz showed the 2009 Riesling Paradiesgarten, a drier than expected wine with a very fruity nose. The same producer also showed the 2009 Gimmeldingen, that was a bit shy on the nose, with balanced acidity and a flinty character. Their Riesling that I did not much care for, was a 2008 Idig with a very intense petrol nose and an elevated acidity. Louis Guntrum, from Rheinhessen, showed a 2007 very dry Riesling, which is a bit drier than I like but would pair very well with strong flavored seafood dishes. Peter Jakob-Kühn, hand crafts wines in an organic/biodynamic vineyard. His wines are often drier than expected but maintain a nice nose and a balanced acidity. I thought that both the 2009 Landgeflecht and the 2008 Mittelheim St. Nikolaus were above average, flinty, considerably off-dry with a bracing acidity.

Schmitges, showed a 2008 QbA Riesling that was drier than expected, compared to the other Mosel Rieslings. J. Schmid’s 2008 Riesling vom Urgestein was an off-dry charmer that had started to exhibit a classic aged Riesling’s “petrol” nose. On the other hand, Clusserath Weiler’s 2007 Trittenheimer and 2007 Apotheke Riesling Spätlese were classic wines that should be drunk young before they start developing the infamous petrol nose and lose the proper acidity.    

Italy: Still waiting for the government-sponsored walk-around tastings that will be taking place in October. However, at the importer’s tastings there were some spectacular 2004 and 2005 Tuscans. The Brunellos from Il Palazzone, owned by Richard Parsons – a New Yorker – showed an exceptional range, from an outstanding 2001 Reserva (a bit overpriced at SRP $104.00 per bottle), to very good 2004 and 2005 standard Brunello that should improve even more with some judicious cellaring. Unfortunately, the 2004 Reserva seemed to be already over the hill with a definitely sourish finish. La Poderina, another well-regarded Brunello producer, pored the 2003 Brunello Poggio Banale, that was ready to drink though it was uncharacteristically shy on the nose. Salvioni, also showed  a 2003 Brunello di Montalcino, that was a bit better balanced than La Poderina, but also much higher in price. 

La Chiuse, showed a very logically priced 2001 Brunello Reserva that was ready to drink, and a standard 2004 Brunello, which needs a couple more years in cellar to develop into a very food-friendly wine.

The Chianti Classico region showed some very good wines, and some highly overpriced ones. For example the well-priced 2003 Chianti Classico Reserva from Castell’in Villa was a full bodied, mouth-filling wine, a real “classic” Sangiovese, aged in big oak casks, not barriques. I believe that Principessa Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa, the owner and winemaker, understands very well how great wines are made. While the nose shows sweet and ripe cherries and plums, the palate is fruit-driven with herbs, earth and spicy notes. Fattorie Melini, showed two - also well priced - Chianti Classicos, the 2007 “Cranaio”, a rather intense young wine that needs a few years in cellar to age to respectability and a 2006 Riserva “la Selvenella” that, even though it was only a year older than the “Cranaio”, was starting to show the mellowness of middle age.    

Fontanafredda, from Piedmont (Piemonte) showed a respectable 2008 Dolchetto (a steal at SRP $9.50 per bottle), and a very nice 2009 Barbera Briccotondo (also at a very good price). The two Barolos, a 2006 Serralunga and 2004 La Rosa, were equal in quality to the Brunellos. Buy and cellar, though both are almost ready to drink upon purchase.

A wine from Piemonte that I tasted for the first time and liked very much was the 2001 Barolo “Sori Gepin” from La Spinona. A very classic Nebiolo-based wine that had plenty of time in the producer’s cellar to develop to a food friendly charmer. From the same producer, the 2004 Barbaresco “Bricco Faset”. A black fruit, very attractive nose, and a palate that showed a wine ready to drink, even though some slightly harsh tannins were still present. Castelvero’s 2009 Barbera was a classic, inexpensive wine, very reminiscent of a “vino di tavola”. Marenco’s 2009 Brachetto d’Acqui “Pineto” was a demi-sec sparkler with an intense nose of roses, honeysuckle  and hyacinths. One of the better Brachettos I tasted this season.

Damilano’s 2004 Barolo Cannubi, vividly exhibited why wines from the storied Canubbi vineyards are held in such high esteem. With some years in the bottle, the wine had started to mellow, showing softer tannins and a plush mouthfeel. The price is also very affordable for a Canubbi Barolo. Produttori del Barbaresco showed a 2004 and 2005 “Pora”. Both seemed to young with high tannins; give them at least 5 to 6 years in cellar and you will have wines to talk about.

Another wine that I liked because of its full body was the 2009 Gavi di Gavi from Piedmont’s Dei Marchesi and the 2008 Filagnotti from Cascina degli Ulivi also from Piedmont. Both are well priced. Another very good Gavi di Gavi, the 2008 Black Label, even though it is rather pricy, it was a joy to taste.

From the Veneto, the lovely 2005 Amarone della Valpolicella “Proemio” showed why good Amarones are so much beloved and in demand both in Italy and the US. Galtarossa, also showed a good 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella, but I thought that the more logically priced Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso “Corte Colombara” was a much better value for the money. Dal Forno Romano, pored a 2004 Valpolicella Superiore that exhibited a resiny nose on a full body.   

Bisol, showed a number of good Proseccos. Especially nice was the 2009 Prosecco Crede, a slightly off-dry sparkler with hints of white peaches on the nose and palate. There was also the non-vintage Cuvee Rosé Brut that was a bit drier than expected but with a slight rose and jasmine nose.  

At one of the tastings, there were some wines from better Greek boutique wineries that are now starting to appear in the US market. From the island of Santorini, an excellent, 100% Asyrtiko, the 2009 from Domaine Sigalas – a white aromatic wine that is an excellent foil to charcoal-grilled fish and seafood. This particular example was outstanding, slightly off-dry, with a subtle nose of honeysuckle and hyacinth. From the same winery, a blend of the Asyrtico and Athiri, another strictly Greek white varietal. The lightly elevated acidity would take care of some of the heavier, olive-oil drenched, vegetable dishes for which the Greek kitchen is so famous.

From Nemea, a major wine producing area of the Peloponnese, Domaine Skouras creates some very interesting wines and blends, mostly based on the Agiorgitiko grape. Agiorgitiko is a distant cousin of the Sangiovese grape, while another famous Greek cultivar that is mostly found in Northern Greece, Xinomavro, is a very, very distant relative of Nebiolo. The 2006 Synoro, is a blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Agiorgitiko. Bone dry with a bit of vanilla, from the oak barriques used in agin, on the nose. This is a wine that pairs very well with charcoal grilled meats, a culinary preference of the Greeks. Another of the excellent wines Skouras produces is the 2006 “Megas Oenos” (translation, Grand Wine) another outstanding red that is a blend of 80% Agiorgitiko and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Alpha Estate has a nice Sauvignon Blanc that is a bit shy on the nose. If you like South American Sauvignon Blancs, this is not a wine I would suggest, but if French Sauvignon Blanc wines are your preference, perhaps you should give this wine a try.

The aforementioned Xinomavro grape is cultivated mostly in Greek Macedonia and Thrace. It is a cold climate grape that creates big-bodied reds. Both Alpha Estate and Domaine Karydas showed impressive wines from that grape, the 2007 “Hedgehog” from Alpha and a very aromatic 2006 Xinomavro from Karydas. Fairly well priced, you would probably like them if you drink mid-priced Chilean wines.

In a following issue I will talk about the Spanish, Portuguese, French and South American tastings.     

Editor’s Note: This year in Eastern Canada they have been picking grapes 3 weeks early. Warmer days than usual, appropriate amount of rain and cool nights should result into a spectacular vintage. 

To your health.

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