TN: A few weekend wines (Sabelli-Frisch, Ophelie Dutraive, and Weingut Haack)

WINE TALK
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  • 2019 Sabelli-Frisch Flame Tokay Lanterna Chandler Vineyard - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi Mokelumne River (6/5/2021)
    As others noted, this is much more expressive closer to cellar temp. Underripe strawberries, grapefruit pit, mandarin oil, dried roses, crushed rocks and an earthiness I often find in qvevri aged wines (note that the 2019 version is not aged in amphoras). Slight phenolic bitterness from the extended maceration. Lovely texture. I’d serve this closer to the temp one would serve light reds.

ABV: 12%
Closure: natural cork (Adam notes he uses tested TCA-free corks from Lafitte)
Decant: N/A
Stem: Gabriel-Glass StandArt
Assemblage: Mainly from the Chandler Vineyard, crom 120 year old vines, with a bit of fruit from the Lauchland Vineyard as well. Spontaneous fermentation. 3 weeks skin contact. Aged 15 months in neutral. 120 cases produced.


  • 2019 Ophelie Dutraive Moulin-à-Vent - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (6/6/2021)
    Initially kinda bretty. After a a quick splash decant that mostly blew off. A big style Bojo. Red and black fruits. Raspberries, strawberries. With air it become more inviting. Let’s see how the other bottle evolves in a few years.

ABV: 14.1%
Closure: natural cork
Decant: 45min
Stem: Gabriel-Glass StandArt


  • 2015 Weingut Haack Riesling Alte Reben - Germany, Nahe (6/6/2021)
    The inaugural vintage from this relatively new producer in the Nahe. All four members of the Haack family decided to have a career changes and begin making wine. They purchased a farmhouse alongside 8ha of old vines that used to belong to Michael Schäfer.

Beautifully aromatic. Tart pear, grapefruit pith, finger lime, crushed rocks. Ever so slightly off-dry, like a almost dry feinherb. Prickly acidity, great mineral backbone and a long finish that really carries the wine. Deliciously crisp and refreshing on a hot summer day. Punches well above its ~$20-25 price range. Plenty of life ahead of it. Drink now-2030

ABV: 12.0%
Closure: natural cork
Decant: 30min
Stem: Gabriel-Glass StandArt

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Thank you Rodrigo. [cheers.gif]

I’ve noticed the same - it doesn’t do that well when it’s too chilled. It’s better at closer to room temp. I had one the other night myself and commented on the exact same thing to my wife and how it kept improving as it heated up. This is a common thing with skin contact whites, but also a little unfortunate for a rosé as the instinct is to serve them cold and drink them on hot days. I’ll put a little note about that on any shipments from now on.

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I appreciate this. I have seen that Haack around and it sounds good, but there are so many other German options out there, so it is hard to pull the trigger on a winery I have never heard of. Your note may push me in that direction.