-
2016 Pierre-Marie Chermette Fleurie Les Garants - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (13.1.2021)
Moderately translucent black cherry color. Ripe, somewhat sweetish and slightly restrained nose with dark-toned aromas of black raspberries, some gravelly minerality, light sappy herbal tones and a hint of stemmy greenness. The wine is ripe but also dry, relatively weightless and enjoyably acid-driven on the palate. Fresh, savory flavors of wild strawberries, brambly raspberries, some blueberry tones, a little bit of licorice, light stemmy green notes, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of stony minerality. The licorice component seems to grow in intensity towards the aftertaste. The overall is firm yet supple, thanks to the moderately high acidity and ripe medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry, firm and very gently grippy with quite long flavors of stony minerality, wild strawberries, some ripe cranberries, a little bit of blueberry, light bitter tones and a sweet hint of black cherries.
A nice, clean and tasty Cru Bojo. The subtly stemmy greenness lends a slightly leafy Loire-like note to the wine, but otherwise this is pretty classic stuff. The overall feel is ripe and somewhat solar, yet the not-too-warm vintage manages to keep the wine well in balance; this is about freshness and acidity, not about high alcohol and sweet fruit. However, the wine might be closing down, as the nose feels somewhat reticent and the taste is slightly holding back - perhaps a few extra years in a cellar might help? Nevertheless, this is a good, balanced and thoroughly drinkable effort. (89 pts.)
The whites
Surprisingly youthful, relatively pale honey-yellow color. Developed, somewhat waxy and slightly metallic nose with nuanced aromas of beeswax, some chopped nuts, light bruised apple tones, a little bit of hay, a cool, minty hint of something vaguely herbal and a touch of woolly lanolin. The wine is lively, quite weightless and very acid-driven on the palate with a light-to-medium body and somewhat evolved flavors of chopped nuts, pronounced saline tang, some lemony tart notes, a little bit of sorrel, light evolved notes of cooked cream, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The bracing acidity lends tremendous sense of intensity to the wine. The finish is long, crisp and racy with dry flavors of spicy red apple, some evolved creamy tones, a little bit of sorrel, light nutty tones, a hint of wool and a touch of brioche.
A very stylish and wonderfully evolved white wine from the lighter end of the spectrum. With its combination of tangy salinity and bracing acidity, this feels like a combination of Manzanilla (without the aldehydic aromas) and an aged Muscadet or Riesling Trocken. The wine isn’t particularly rich or opulent despite its age, but nevertheless shows wonderful complexity and tremendous intensity. A very impressive, tasty and refreshing effort. Although the wine isn’t young anymore, it is definitely much younger than I anticipated with no obvious oxidative tones of any kind. Apparently these Beiras Arintos were made to last. At 18,60€ this is quite a bargain. (93 pts.)
Medium-deep lemon-yellow to pale golden color; remarkably youthful for a white almost 60 years old! The nose feels developed and rather tertiary yet not particularly old with wonderfully complex aromas of roasted nuts, caramel, some mushroomy tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light nuanced of dried exotic fruits and a hint of honeycomb. Truly a captivating bouquet, not unlike a combination of aged white Burgundy and a more tropical white. The wine feels medium-bodied, beautifully evolved and rather concentrated on the palate with complex, dry flavors of chopped nuts, stony minerality, dried yellow fruits, some beeswax, a little bit of ripe citrus fruits, light savory woody tones, a hint of burnt sugar bitterness and a touch of tangy salinity. The firm, high acidity keeps the overall feel wonderfully firm, balanced and quite structured, even though the mouthfeel shows some oily viscosity and sense of weight. The finish is dry, evolved and remarkably long with very complex flavors of chopped nuts, bruised apples, some saline tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light savory woody tones, fruity hints of tart pomelo and sweeter dried fruits and a touch of mushroomy funk.
An extraordinary, remarkably balanced and exceptionally complex wine that is in no way as old as I anticipated. The wine certainly feels quite mature, but more like how a white wine would be at 20 to 30 years of age; the color is remarkably pale and not showing any signs of age (actually the wine was lighter in color than the 1994 Arinto that was tasted alongside) and although both the nose and the taste are undeniably very evolved, they don’t feel like the wine would’ve gone downhill one inch yet. Most likely the wine is at its plateau of maturity, has been there for quite some time, and will continue to be there for some time more. Although the wine feels slightly more tropical than your typical Burgundy, if somebody poured me this wine blind and said this was old Grand Cru Burgundy, I would have no reason to suspect this wasn’t the case - this wine is all you could ask for an aged white Burgundy, at the fraction of the price. Simply fantastic. At 39,50€ this is a steal. (95 pts.)
-
1986 Adega da Cartuxa Cartuxa Branco - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo, Évora (13.1.2021)
A blend of mainly Roupeiro with some Tamarez, Arinto and Assario. The grapes are harvested late and slightly botrytized, then left to dry for a short time. Despite being a late-harvest wine, it is nevertheless vinified like a dry white wine. Aged in new oak casks. 12% alcohol. Bottle #8019 of total 13,947 bottles.
Very aged, deep syrupy-brown color with a subtle bronze hue. Tertiary and very complex nose with aromas of peanut butter, caramel, some Sultana raisins, light browned butter tones, a little bit of apple core, slightly musty aromas of Madeirized fruit, decomposing wood and old attic, a touch of sweet smoke and a touch of sweaty wool socks. To say there’s a lot of stuff going on here would be an understatement. The wine feels aged, concentrated and somewhat oily on the palate with a medium body and tertiary, dry-to-dry-ish flavors of bruised apple, roasted walnuts, some burnt sugar bitterness, light developed notes of decomposing wood, mushroomy tones and madeirized fruit, a little bit of sorrel and a sweeter hint of Sultana. The high acidity keeps the wine firm, focused and enjoyably structured. The finish is complex, tertiary and remarkably long with intense, dry aftertaste of roasted nuts, bruised apple, some hay, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light tangy notes of salinity, a hint of minerality and a musty touch of sweaty wool socks.
A remarkably complex and substantial white wine. I expected it to be a dessert wine, what with all the Colheita Tardia name and stuff about botrytis in the back label. Nevertheless, this is an aged, dry botrytis white. Tasting this alongside with two other Portuguese whites (1994 and 1963), this was by far the most evolved and tertiary of these three, yet even this wine wasn’t in pieces yet (even though one might’ve thought otherwise by the dark, brown color of the wine). Most likely the wine is peaking now or slightly going downhill, but still fully enjoyable. To me this wine wasn’t as impressive as the other two whites were - especially the musty notes of old, sweaty wool socks takes its toll - but this is nevertheless an impressive and impressively complex white wine with a lot of age. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 50€, but as this was purchased at 50% discount, it was quite a bargain at 25€. (91 pts.)
The reds
-
2001 Cortes de Cima Courela - Portugal, Alentejano, Vinho Regional Alentejano (13.1.2021)
Nowadays Courela is a blend of Syrah, Aragonez (Tempranillo) and Touriga Nacional, but I’ve no idea if this wine is made with the same blend. A simple, early-drinking red, aged in stainless steel tanks. 13% alcohol.
Moderately translucent and beautifully luminous ruby red color with a subtly developed pomegranate hue. Ripe, sunny and somewhat restrained nose with slightly evolved aromas of ripe plummy fruit, some boysenberries, light blackcurrant candy tones, a little bit of strawberry jam and a mature hint of meatiness. The wine is ripe and sunny yet dry and medium-bodied on the palate with fruit-forward flavors of strawberries, ripe plummy fruit, some juicy blackcurrant tones, a little bit of meaty umami, light bitter notes of charred gamey meat and a brambly hint of fresh blackberry. The overall feel is quite soft and accessible, thanks to the medium acidity and rather supple and gentle medium-minus tannins. The finish is dry and very slightly grippy with medium-long flavors of fresh blackcurrants and boysenberries, some meaty umami, light bitter tones, a hint of red plummy fruit and a sweeter touch of strawberry jam.
A pleasant and quite tasty Alentejano red that is surprisingly youthful for its age. However, despite its age, the wine feels rather simple and straightforward - nothing more than a simple entry-level Alentejano that has managed to beat the odds and survive for 20 years, even though it is meant to be drunk within its first few years. The overall feel is enjoyably dry and fresh, which isn’t something one can count on when it comes to the sunny, warm Alentejo. All in all, a good albeit harmless 20-yo red. Drinks easily, but doesn’t leave a lasting impression. All the same, this was good value for the money at 12€. (87 pts.)
Quite deep, moderately translucent and beautifully luminous ruby red color with an evolved blood-red hue. Remarkably youthful appearance for a 20-yo Douro red. Big, open and fruit-driven nose with aromas of developed, wizened cherries and blackberries, some ripe figs, a little bit of juicy black cherry, light buttery off notes of diacetyl, a sweet hint of raspberry candies and an evolved hint of marmaladey fruit. The wine is quite full-bodied on the palate, but contrasting the sweet nose, also relatively dry, firm and acid-driven as well. Intense and enjoyably juicy flavors of sour cherries, crunchy redcurrants, some brambly raspberries, light figgy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of earthy spice and a creamy - almost buttery - touch of diacetyl. The structure seems to rely as much on the high acidity as on the silky-textured yet still surprisingly grippy and assertive tannins. The finish is relatively gently tannic with long, dry flavors of sour cherries and tart lingonberries, some crunchy redcurrants, a little bit of stony minerality, light sanguine notes of iron, a hint of earthy spice and a sweeter touch of raspberry marmalade.
A surprisingly fresh, firm and precise wine for a Douro - had somebody served this wine blind to me, I wouldn’t even thought it was from a warm/hot wine region! Tasting this alongside the surprisingly youthful 2001 Cortes de Cima Courela, this wine was similarly youthful and vibrant in fruit, but showing more depth and sense of structure in comparison. There’s also a subtle off note of diacetyl, which at times bothers a bit, lending the wine a sort of buttery undertone, but for the most part the wine drinks just really well. Seeing how remarkably young and structured the wine is now, at +20 years of age, I can imagine it will continue to keep and improve for years more. A steal at 12€. Very nice. (91 pts.)
-
1997 Luis Pato Bairrada Quinta do Ribeirinho Pé Franco - Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada (13.1.2021)
From a very low-yielding 2,5-hectare vineyard planted in 1988 to their own roots on sandy soil. A single vine produces just one bunch of grapes, so the yield per hectare is extremely small. 13% alcohol.
Quite opaque, slightly hazy mahogany color with a reddish hue. Smoky and somewhat oxidative nose with a ridiculously meaty nose of speck and kabanos sausage, followed by notes of wizened figs, a little bit of horse sweat, light smoked herring tones and a sweet hint of dried dates. Feels rather old. The wine is full-bodied, tertiary and quite extracted on the palate with concentrated, oxidative flavors of nuttiness, soy sauce, some salami, a little bit of raisiny fruit, light bitter notes of chokeberries, a sweeter hint of prunes and a touch of smoked fish. The overall feel is very tightly-knit and structured, thanks to the high acidity and intensely grippy, ample tannins. The finish is long, very tannic and quite flat with oxidative flavors of soy sauce, some meaty notes beef jerky, speck and salami, light smoky tones, a little bit of chokeberry bitterness and a hint of tar.
The wine is either past its peak or poorly cellared. The structure has budged very little if at all, but the fruit department feels quite flat and the overall taste is pretty oxidative, lending the wine at times even ridiculously weird flavors of smoked herring and salame. Seeing how ridiculously structured the wine is, it would’ve been nice to taste some fruit around the tough, tannic core. I really hope we had just a poor bottle with compromised cork - it would be odd if a wine this structured and so obviously ageworthy would fade out this quickly. Although still barely drinkable, I wouldn’t say this was worth the 60€. But as the saying goes, there are no great old wines, just great old bottles of wine. We didn’t get one this time. NR (flawed)
Somewhat dull, rusted reddish-brown color with a thin, colorless rim. Dry, somewhat tertiary and slightly oxidative nose with rusty aromas of earth, some wizened figs, light beef jerky tones, a little bit of hoi sin and a sweet hint of ripe blackcurrant. The wine is dry, evolved and medium-bodied on the palate with tertiary flavors of wizened forest fruits, plum liqueur, some earth, light metallic notes of rusted iron, a little bit of wizened figs, a salty-umami hint of sou sauce and a touch of old leather. The taste feels a bit more youthful than the seemingly old nose, but only marginally. The structure seems to rely pretty much on the high acidity, as the firm, textural tannins feels fully resolved and retain very little if any grip. The finish is ripe, dry and fully mature with tertiary flavors of juicy blackcurrants, some beef jerky, a little bit of old leathery funk, light hoi sin tones, a hint of dried, pruney dark fruits and a touch of earth. The textural tannins lend a hint of gentle grip to the gums.
The wine is a quite tasty old wine, but one that is already going downhill, showing somewhat oxidative overall character. Although, tasting this side-by-side with 10 years younger flagship wine Pato Quinta do Ribeirinho 1997, this wine was the more youthful of these two. All the same, this wine feels like it would’ve been very enjoyable a decade or so ago, but it feels like it wasn’t built to last for +30 years - or then we just got a poorly kept bottle. After all, it’s always a crapshoot if these older bottles are in good condition. Seeing how the wine was still drinkable, I’d rather rate it than mark it as “oxidized”, but there aren’t that many miles left in the tank anymore. (83 pts.)
-
1982 Bacalhoa Cabernet Sauvignon Quinta da Bacalhôa - Portugal, Península de Setúbal, Vinho Regional Península de Setúbal (13.1.2021)
The label doesn’t say anything about Cabernet Sauvignon, but the label does look very much like the wine that later become Bacalhôa Cabernet Sauvignon, so it’s possible that this is the same wine. 11,5% alcohol.
Cloudy, brown, fully opaque appearance. Unpleasant, oxidized nose of rancid nuts, stale bread, some raisin and a little bit of dusty attic. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and flat on the palate with unpleasant flavors of raisins, madeirized fruit, some rancid nuts, a little bit of mouldy rye bread, light soy sauce tones and a hint of earth. The overall feel is quite high in acidity with rather firm and assertive tannins. The finish is long, dry and somewhat grippy with a flat, oxidized and dull aftertaste of nuts and stale rye bread.
Unpleasant and rather repulsive. Horribly oxidized. Nothing alive here. NR (flawed)
-
1975 Vinhos Sogrape Dão Grão Vasco Garrafeira - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (13.1.2021)
Dark and moderately translucent brick-red color. Aged, somewhat dusty and slightly earthy nose with rather tertiary aromas of licorice root, decomposing wood, some ripe red cherry tones, light wizened red plummy notes, a little bit of wild strawberry, a slightly buttery hint of diacetyl and a fragrant touch of dried flowers. The wine feels dry, medium-bodied and somewhat rustic on the palate with evolved and slightly thin fruit, some earthy tones, fruity flavors of crunchy cranberries, some wizened red cherries, a little bit of tart red plums, light leathery tones, a hint of burnt hair and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The overall feel is textural, somewhat grainy and quite structured with the high acidity and rather tough and grippy tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and quite grippy with rather persistent flavors of cranberries, sour cherry bitterness, some leathery funk, a little bit of earth, light licorice root, tones, an oxidative hint of salt-cured beef and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A nice, surprisingly drinkable and still surprisingly vibrant old Portuguese red that is holding up relatively nicely - the oxidation hasn’t crept in and the fruit hasn’t thinned out entirely. However, the wine has seen some better days, as it feels the fruit isn’t going to hold up much longer even though it hasn’t fallen apart yet. Overall the wine feels like a straightforward, rustic old wine - you can taste that it has been built to be a vin de garde yet it has never been a grand vin. This is good, but when you look at the wines produced now, Dão can do so much better. A pleasant old fella this is, but nothing much beyond that. Drink up - won’t benefit from any further aging. (88 pts.)
Translucent, subtly hazy and very evolved, light syrupy-brown color with a deep, brick-red hue. Evolved, dried-up and quite seductive nose with fragrant, aged and slightly sweet-toned aromas of wizened black cherries, some earth and forest floor, a little bit of tar, light perfumed notes of dried flowers, a rich, sweetish touch of kirsch and a understated yet pungent whiff of sweat. The wine feels aged, tertiary and very slightly oxidative on the palate with a medium body, wonderfully silky texture and dry flavors of sour cherries, wizened forest fruits, some tart lingonberries, a little bit of licorice root, light earthy notes of sous-bois, evolved hints of leather and savory umami character and a touch of tar. The textural, fully resolved tannins lend some firmness to the mouthfeel, while the structure relies mostly on the high acidity. The finish is dry, savory and subtly grippy with long, harmonious aftertaste of crunchy cranberries, wizened sour cherries, some tar, a little bit of savory, meaty umami, light forest floor tones and a tart hint of lingonberries.
A very attractive and wonderfully evolved Gattinara that is still surprisingly alive for its age - the wine has kept its cool remarkably well for over 60 years now. I must confess that this is not the most extraordinary Alto Piemonte wine and it’s obvious that the wine is either going to decline soon or sliding on a downhill already. Nevertheless, it is as classic as an Alto Piemonte Spanna gets and ticks all the boxes one could look for in a Nebbiolo over half a century old. Time to drink up - this is not going to gain anything of value in a cellar anymore. (93 pts.)
Deep, dark and almost fully opaque maroon color with a dried-blood hue. Sweet, tertiary and slightly oxidative nose with aromas of syrupy Tawny Port, some raisiny tones, a little bit of ferrous blood and game, light lifted notes of VA, a perfumed hint of dried flowers and a touch of balsamico. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and ridiculously tannic on the palate. Tertiary and fully mature flavors of tart lingonberries and crunchy cranberries, some dried sour cherries, light oxidative notes of beef jerky and salty soy sauce, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of earth and a touch of old leather saddle. Overall the taste seems to cover all the basic tastes: the dried-fruit flavors contribute to the sweetness, high acidity to the sourness, the sour cherry nuances to the bitterness, the oxidative and slightly aldehydic nuances of soy sauce bring in a touch of saline tang and the overall tertiary feel lends a rich, savory note of umami. The overall feel is still impressively structured, even though the fruit department seems to be getting somewhat oxidative and past its peak, thanks to the high acidity and very tough, assertive and noticeably grippy tannins. The tertiary finish is long, savory and quite powerful with flavors of beef jerky, sour cherries, some wizened cranberries, light savory wood tones, a little bit of tangy soy sauce, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of prunes. The ample tannins make the wine end on a very grippy note.
Perhaps the wine is slightly past its peak, but it is still fully enjoyable and I must admit the overall feel is impressively structured given the age of +60 years. The wine was tasted alongside a 1958 Gattinara, which felt slightly more youthful than this, whereas this wine came across as more powerful and tannic in comparison. The overall feel is quite robust and unpolished; even this much aging can’t sand the rustic grit away. All in all, an impressive effort; this must’ve been quite a muscular behemoth in its youth - even though this isn’t and I doubt this has ever been a big, ripe and full-bodied blockbuster. Great stuff. Drink now or very soon, as the wine is not going anywhere from here but down. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
