Earlier this year our fellow berserker Mikko Tuomi sent me a PM telling he was visiting Finland for the first time since the pandemic and asking whether I was interested in meeting up and drinking some wines he’d bring over.
Well, I guess there’s no need to tell what I answered since I’m writing this thread, but I also asked some other local forumites (Ilkka & Mikko R) plus another wine geek friend of mine to join us as well. And, as usual, everybody would bring a blind bottle or two with them (on top of the five bottles Mikko T brought with him!).
And as luck would have it, I managed to fall victim to a classic scheduling conflict as the annual meeting of our housing company / association / cooperative (I don’t know, a Finnish specialty, I guess there’s no direct translation of the system we have here) was suddenly changed to the day we were supposed to meet up with Mikko (and I forgot to put it in my calendar so I noticed the conflict only on the day before). Oh well, I just had to sit through the meeting while the others met up and joined only a few hours later into the evening, once the meeting was finally over.
I had to do some catching up, since the other guys had already tasted a bunch of wines and as Ilkka was already preparing to leave, I had to open my own blind bottles ASAP. As luck would have it, they both were shot: the first one was dull and musty, most likely corked (although not showing that obvious TCA aromas); the other one was just very old and super tertiary, even though I had a superb bottle of the same wine only a little more than a year ago. Oh well, that’s some classic wine luck for you.
Nevertheless, it was both fun and educational to taste these wines blind! I managed to guess several of these wines correctly with the first guess and none of the wines called for more than 3-4 guesses (and I had to guess all the wines by myself as the other guys had tasted all the wines before I even arrived!). Tasting through all the de Négoce wines Mikko had brought was especially very interesting - although most of the wines weren’t really my cup of tea, I was baffled how very affordable the wines were for their quality - especially when taking the American level of wine price into the account! Especially the Chardonnay was dirt cheap for its quality. Considering what kind of garbage one normally gets for the relative price of $8-12 here in Finland, I think these wines really manage to bring truly excellent value for their very reasonable level of price. Thank you Mikko once more for showing us what the American “cheapo quality” can actually be if things are done correctly!
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2017 Domaine Supply-Royer Mont Baudile Le Bourboulenc de Nega Saumas - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Mont Baudile (9.5.2022)
Nega Saumas is a 0,4-hectare (1 acre) plot of centenarian Bourboulenc vines with which Supply-Royer began their production in the early 2000’s. The vines are farmed organically and the fruit is farmed spontaneously. As Eric Supply worked in Burgundy for more than a decade before the creation of Supply-Royer, the wines are vinified according to a “Burgundian” philosophy. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Intense, youthful yellow-green color. Fragrant, somewhat herby and slightly leesy nose with a slightly smoky-popcorny-reductive overall character along with aromas of green apples, some creamy notes of oak, a little bit of fresh pineapple, light aromatic notes of thyme and bay leaf and a zesty note of lemony citrus fruits. The wine is fresh and lively on the palate with a medium body and dry, bright flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some Granny Smith apple, a little bit of tangy salinity, light herby notes of thyme, a little bit of creamy oak, a hint of fresh pineapple and a reductive touch of gunpowder smoke. The mouthfeel is slightly oily or waxy, yet not at all heavy, thanks to the rather lithe body and high acidity. The finish is crisp, long and lively with bright, characterful flavors of lemony citrus fruits and tangy green apples, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice and creamy oak, light pineapple tones, a hint of thyme and a touch of savory wood.
A wonderfully fresh, bright and harmonious white that felt a bit more smoky at first, yet opened up wonderfully with a bit of air. My first guess was a 1er Cru Chablis (due to the combination of zippy fruit character, slightly smoky reduction and judicious use of oak), after which I guessed with slightly oaked Loire Chenin (based on the somewhat waxy overall feel). With my third guess I threw a wild guess and guessed Clairette, to which I was told that now we’re getting close. Got Bourboulenc correct after that. All in all, a very drinkable, enjoyable and well-made example of this variety so seldom seen on its own. Perhaps not the most impressive wine out there, but nevertheless shows good sense of harmony and character wrapped up in a somewhat Burgundian overall feel. As Bourboulenc is known to be a variety prone to oxidation, it’s hard to say how the wine will evolve from here, but based on its somewhat reductive nature, I really don’t see the wine falling apart anytime soon. All in all, a very lovely little drop - I enjoyed this quite a bit. (91 pts.)
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2011 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Bournais - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (9.5.2022)
100% biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc from a 4-hectare parcel where the vine age ranges from 5 to 20 years. Fermented spontaneously, aged for approximately a year on the lees in 600-liter demi-muids. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Intense, still remarkably youthful neon-green color. The nose feels oddly vegetal and grassy, making me think of geosmin taint quite quickly. Apart from these leafy-grassy nuances, there are aromas of lemony citrus fruits, some crunchy white berries, a little bit of leesy richness, light creamy nuances of oak and a hint of ripe golden apple. Contrasting the rather fresh and somewhat green nose, the wine feels surprisingly ripe, broad and waxy on the palate with a quite full body and concentrated flavors of ripe white fruits, some grassy green nuances, a little bit of honeyed richness, light nectarine nuances, a sweet hint of lemon marmalade and a musty, vegetal touch of tilled soil or just-harvested carrots. The finish is quite long with somewhat concentrated flavors of ripe white fruits, some grassy vegetal nuances, a little bit of honeyed richness, light leafy notes, a hint of apricot and a touch of zesty lemon.
Well this was an odd fellow. I was told it’s a classic wine but coming across as pretty atypical, for one reason or other. At first I thought of Chenin because of the somewhat neutral fruit and slightly waxy overall character, but the grassy green qualities were way off the mark - however, when told the wine was a bit atypical for what it was, I guessed a Loire Chenin from a rainy vintage, like 2011. And it turned out to be exactly that. This is not the first 2011 Loire Chenin that has had that weird, vegetal green streak that either comes from geosmin (a compound commonly found in wines from damp vintages) or unripe grapes, and seeing how surprisingly ripe and weighty the wine was, I doubt the problem was with unripe grapes - unless the grapes had ripened at drastically different paces in this specific parcel! All in all, this was an acceptable and drinkable Loire Chenin Blanc, but as with many other 2011 Loire whites, not really a wine to write home about. (84 pts.)
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2017 Vigneti Massa Derthona - Italy, Piedmont, Colli Tortonesi (9.5.2022)
100% Timorasso made with fruit sourced from all Walter Massa vineyards. Cold-soaked with the skins for about 48 hours before fermentation, fermented spontaneously, aged for 12 months on the lees in stainless steel tanks. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite intense lemon-yellow color with subtle lime-green highlights. The nose feels at first somewhat restrained, then starts to slowly open up, revealing quite Riesling-ish aromas of ripe yellow apple and peachy stone fruit, some floral notes of white orchard flowers, a little bit of stony minerality, light crunchy notes of white currants, a mineral hint of chalk dust and a touch of cantaloupe. The wine is quite big and somewhat Riesling-like on the palate with a full body, slightly oily mouthfeel and somewhat tropical flavors of ripe peach and fresh red apple, a little bit of zesty citrus fruit, light floral notes of apple blossom, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of honeyed richness. While big and concentrated, the rather high acidity keeps the wine effortlessly in balance. The finish is rich, juicy and subtly oily with lengthy sweet-toned flavors of cantaloupe, some floral nuances, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, light zesty notes of lemony citrus fruit, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of chalky mineral bitterness.
Even if the wine was a bit more weighty and oily on the palate than I anticipated, I still guessed the wine was a warm-vintage Riesling - perhaps 2015 Alsace or 2018 Rheinhessen - due to its remarkably Riesling-esque aromatics. I mean, even if the mouthfeel wasn’t entirely correct, my mind was still screaming “RIESLING” with the first sniff and sip. When told I was nowhere close, I went immediately to Italy as there was aromatically something Italian lurking behind those Riesling-like qualities. At first I went just by the structure and mouthfeel, guessing Cantina Terlan Pinot Bianco Vorberg, but when told that I wasn’t correct, my third guess was Walter Massa Timorasso. Bingo. This is a youthful, vibrant and quite bold yet not particularly heavy white with lots of freshness and precision for such a big wine. It’s still maybe a bit too young for its own good and I can see this wine benefit a lot from further aging. Great stuff, especially those who are patient enough. Great value at 17,80€. (91 pts.)
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2019 Sabelli-Frisch Mission La Malinche - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi Mokelumne River (9.5.2022)
100% Mission from the dry-farmed +50 yo Somers Vineyard located in Lodi, next to the Mokelumne River. Fermented spontaneously, aged in (American?) oak barrels, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Total production 600 cases. Tasted blind.
Very pale, fully translucent rusty-reddish orange color, not unlike oolong tea. The nose is sweet and fragrant with a spicy character that makes me think of Pinot Noir; there are aromas of strawberry-driven red fruits and spicy Pinosity, some sweet nuances of toasty oak, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light nuances of caramel and a hint of floral lift. The wine is clean, round and sunny on the palate with a light-to-medium body and dry flavors of brambly raspberries and overripe frozen strawberries, some oaky notes of caramel and sweet toasty spice, light crunchy nuances of caramel, a little bit of peppery Pinosity, a hint of raspberry marmalade and a touch of clove. The overall feel is a bit on the soft side, due to the quite modest acidity and light, almost imperceptible tannins that contribute a little bit to the velvety texture, but still the wine feels a bit more substantial than the appearance makes you think. The finish is juicy, long and somewhat toasty with flavors of ripe strawberries, some caramel, a little bit of cranberry sauce, light peppery notes of spicy Pinosity, a hint of mocha and a touch of sweet baking spices.
At first I was quite baffled by this wine - it looked and smelled like a very ripe Pinot Noir (with perhaps American oak), but on the palate it reminded me more of Grenache with its ripe, strawberry-driven fruit and quite soft structure. However, before I could guess anything, I was told that this wine was not a Grenache or Pinot Noir and I probably wouldn’t guess it - which immediately sent me pondering what on earth this could be. There seemed to be some American oak here, which made me think we must be in California. The color suggested a grape variety low in color, yet it wasn’t a Pinot Noir or a Grenache, and the lack of structure didn’t seem to coincide with any of the light-colored varieties grown in the US I could think of - apart from Mission, of course, so I had to go with that one - and a bullseye with the first guess! All in all, this was a nice, nuanced and surprisingly Pinot Noir-like red (I guess the combination of a light body, red-toned fruit and the oak spice imitated the spicy Pinosity one can find in, say, German Spätburgunder). However, even when served pretty cool, the overall structure was a bit on the soft side and I really could’ve used a bit more acidity and tannic grip. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the wine’s airy lightness, nuanced fruit flavors and modest, unobtrusive alcohol very much. Not a grand vin by any accounts, but a lovely, eminently drinkable light red wine all the same. Priced somewhat according to the quality at $29, but a steal at the special sale price of just $11. (88 pts.)
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2018 de Négoce Chardonnay OG N.77 - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton (9.5.2022)
100% Chardonnay from Yamhill-Carlton (although the label states only “Willamette Valley”). Fermented and aged for an undisclosed time in French oak barrels (18% new). 13,4% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, fresh yellow-green color. Nuanced and somewhat sweet-toned nose with layered aromas of ripe apple, some creamy oak, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a little bit of toasty wood spice and a sweeter hint of juicy white peach. The wine is ripe, juicy and fresh on the palate with a medium body and lively flavors of white peach, some creamy oak tones, light tropical notes of fresh pineapple and plantain, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of leesy richness and a touch of toasty oak spice. The rather high acidity keeps the sweeter nuances well at bay and lends good sense of balance to the wine. The finish is fresh and crunchy with a bright, lengthy aftertaste of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of fresh white peach, light savory wood tones, a hint of leesy character and a touch of tangy salinity.
My first guess was a Californian Chardonnay, perhaps from Santa Barbara or Santa Rita Hills. When I was told it was not Californian, I went to Oregon instead, which was correct. All in all, a very stylish and well-made effort with great sense of purity, freshness and harmony. The promotional blurb describes this wine as “Baby Montrachet”, which I really wouldn’t agree with, since I thought immediately this was an American Chardonnay, not a French one, but that is not to say this would be an over-oaked fruit bomb - on the contrary! This is very much true to the region, as the wine tastes like a classic west coast Chardonnay, but only in the best sense. Seeing how youthful and even somewhat high-strung the wine is at the moment, I think this could actually improve for many years more in a cellar, even if the wine is drinking wonderfully at the moment. At mere $12 this is a screaming bargain. (92 pts.)
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2018 de Négoce OG N.239 GSM - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (9.5.2022)
A blend of Grenache (75%), Syrah (15%) and Mourvedre (10%) sourced mainly from Paso Robles, but supposedly including fruit from Edna Valley and Santa Maria. 65% destemmed, 35% whole cluster. Aged in French oak barrels (65-70% new), bottled on 27th of August, 2021. 15,3% alcohol. Total production 400 cases. Tasted blind.
Very deep, almost fully opaque cherry red color with a subtle pomegranate red hue. The nose feels lush, opulent and very fruit-forward with almost jammy aromas of blueberries and cherry marmalade, quite pronounced alcohol, some toasty mocha oak tones, a little bit of vanilla, light nuances of stewed strawberries and a hint of peppery spice. The wine is very ripe, dense and voluptuous on the palate with a very full body and opulent flavors of strawberry jam and wizened black cherries, some vanilla, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light blueberry juice nuances, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of boysenberry jam. The overall feel is chewy and mouthfilling, but flabby instead of firm, thanks to the quite modest acidity and very ripe and mellow tannins that offer no grip whatsoever. The high alcohol lends some obvious warmth to the palate. The finish is big, rich and quite weighty with quite a bit of heat from the high alcohol along with a lengthy, sweetly-fruited aftertaste of overripe blueberries and strawberry jam, some vanilla, a little bit of chocolatey oak, light marmaladey notes of ripe black cherries and a hint of soft black plums.
Well this was a huge wine if there ever was one. The wine is all about that super-ripe in-your-face fruit that feels way too much for me in terms of ripeness, sweetness and just overall intensity - there’s not a smidgen of finesse over here. For me this is a wine with too much of everything, but I can see how this kind of very hedonistic, soft and straight-to-the-point wine might have lots of mass appeal. Definitely not a wine geek’s wine, as there’s nothing geeky about this. I guess this might be good if served on its own and slightly chilled (just to tone down the alcohol and boost the modest acidity), but I find it hard to come up with a dish to which this kind of soft, quite structureless and rather overpowering fruit bomb of a wine could actually bring something interesting. I first guessed the wine was a very ripe Californian Syrah, based on its dark color and slightly peppery nose, but when told it was not, I guessed it still must have some Syrah, so a Californian GSM. Correctomundo. Superb value at mere $8, if you are in need of a big, sweet and rather oaky GSM blockbuster. (81 pts.)
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2018 de Négoce Cabernet Franc OG N.101 - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (9.5.2022)
A blend of estate-grown Cabernet Franc (97%), Malbec (2%) and Merlot (1%) from Walla Walla. Aged in a combination on old (65%) and new (35%) French oak barrels. Bottled on 16th of November, 2020. 500 cases made. 14,9% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very deep, only slightly translucent blackish-red color with a subtly evolved rusty hue. Ripe, rich and quite dark-toned nose with somewhat savory aromas of autumn leaves, juicy dark berries and licorice, some woody notes of oak spice, a little bit of boozy alcohol, light sweeter nuances of marmaladey dark fruit, a hint of inky character and a touch of very ripe black cherry. The wine feels ripe, dense and chewy on the palate with a full body and a taste that is surprisingly dry for such a ripe wine. There are savory flavors of licorice, ripe blackcurrants, some herbaceous notes of autumnal leaves, a little bit of blueberry, light toasty oak nuances, a hint of inky character and a touch of redcurrant juice. Although the high alcohol shows a little, the overall feel is pretty balanced, thanks to the rather high acidity and ripe, textural tannins that contribute some grip to the palate. The finish is rich, bold and somewhat warm with a little bit of tannic grip and quite savory flavors of blueberries, some leafy tones, a little bit of licorice, light oaky notes of vanilla and sweet toasty wood, a hint of blackcurrant juice and a touch of peppery spice.
A very ripe and quite fruit-forward but at the same time enjoyably harmonious and surprisingly savory Cab Franc. At first I wondered whether this was a Cabernet Sauvignon, but due to the slightly leafy overall character I decided against it and guessed Cabernet Franc. I went for California due to the rather obvious ripeness and quite high alcohol, but this turned out to be from Washington instead. Well, at least I got the American Cab Franc part correct. All in all a pretty well made effort with some oak and quite a bit of ripeness - yet still letting the varietal character shine through. Although I prefer my Cab Francs a bit lighter, with less ripeness (and perhaps more herbaceous overall character), this was still a thoroughly enjoyable example of Washington Cab Franc - especially for the very affordable price of $9. Although the wine is drinking mighty well right now, I think it could actually improve a bit more with some bottle age. An excellent everyday sipper for people who like their wines from the ripe and fruity yet not sweet nor overdone end of the spectrum. Recommended. (89 pts.)
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2019 de Négoce Cabernet Sauvignon OG N.100 - USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford (9.5.2022)
100% estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford. Aged in new French oak barrels (40% new), bottled on 18th of May, 2021. 14,8% alcohol according to the original specs, but 15,1% according to the label, probably due to changes in the final blend. Total production 850 cases. Tasted blind.
Almost fully opaque blackish-red color with an inky blueish hue. Quite voluptuous and sweet-toned nose with powerful aromas of blueberries, vanilla oak, some blackcurrant marmalade, light mocha notes of toasty wood, a little bit of overripe dark plum and a hint of cocoa powder. The wine feels ripe, thick and quite round on the palate with a full body and sweetly-fruited flavors of blueberries and crème de cassis, some vanilla-driven notes of sweet oak spice, a little bit of soft dark plums, light chocolatey nuances of mocha oak, a hint of coconut and a touch of strawberry jam. The overall feel is pretty soft and warm, thanks to the high alcohol and quite modest acidity. The tannins are ample, but also so ripe that they don’t have any grip to them, making them mainly contribute to the chewy texture, not to the structure. The rich finish is broad, round and sweet-toned with a long and juicy aftertaste of ripe bilberries and cassis, some vanilla oak, a little bit of almost overripe dark plum, light chocolatey nuances, a hint of coconut and a touch of jammy red fruit.
Ugh. To me, this felt a rather heavy, soft and overdone Napa Cab with tons of ripeness and fruit, but very little in the way of structure or nuance. Tasting OG n.100 (Cabernet Sauvignon) and n.101 (Cabernet Franc) side-by-side, the difference was simply huge - while both were ripe and almost as high in alcohol, n.101 was surprisingly firm and savory with good sense of structure and judicious use of oak, whereas n.100 had everything dialed up to eleven, except for tannins and acidity, which felt way too low for such a big wine. It’s certainly possible that this wine was opened way too early and it will get toned down with age, but I highly doubt any amount of aging will make a wine this ripe, soft and jammy turn into something particularly interesting. This is a soft and accessible crowdpleaser of a wine that is priced more or less according to its quality at $16. De Négoce says this wine would normally retail at $100+ if sold by the estate, but I must say that I’d feel ripped off if I had to pay a hundred bucks for a blowzy fruit bomb like this. (85 pts.)
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2013 Clau De Nell Cabernet Franc Anjou Rouge - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou (9.5.2022)
The fruit is sourced from biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc vineyards averaging 50 yo. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for approximately a month. Aged for 12 months in used (5-7 yo) 228-liter pièces, followed by 6 months in a large tank. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved, rusty and somewhat translucent blackish-red color. Very evolved, somewhat oxidative and quite umami-heavy nose with aromas of tomato soup, some herbaceous leafy tones, a little bit of wizened blackcurrant, light oxidative notes of beef jerky and raisiny dark fruit, a hint of earth and a touch of cigar wrapper. The wine feels dry, somewhat leafy and a bit thin on the palate with a light-to-medium body and somewhat tertiary flavors of crunchy cranberries, some herbaceous leafy nuances, a little bit of sweet raisiny dark fruit, light earthy notes, a hint of ripe redcurrant and an oxidative touch of soy sauce. The wine retains still quite a bit of structure with its high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is very evolved, moderately grippy and a bit on the thin side with dry flavors of fresh blackcurrants, some earth, a little bit of beef jerky, light oxidative notes of choppy notes, a hint of sweet raisiny fruit and a touch of ripe redcurrant.
I sniffed the wine once, tasted it once, then said that this is obviously a Cabernet Franc from Loire. However, based on the quite light and restrained style I said it isn’t Chinon, but perhaps Bourgueil or Anjou. Bingo. However, I had missed out that the wine was said to be 2013, so I guessed something from the mid-1990’s - perhaps 1995 or 1996. I was floored when the wine was revealed to be Clau de Nell’s Cabernet Franc 2013 - not only because I had thought the wine was some 15-20 years older than it actually was, but also because I had tasted this exact same wine (blind then as well) only a year ago, when I guessed it was a Cab Franc-driven right-bank Bordeaux red! The bottle we had a year ago was in a great condition with potential for future development, this felt like a wine past its prime. This would’ve been pretty lovely for a mid-1990’s Cab Franc, but knowing what the wine was and how it should’ve been, this was a disappointment. The person who brought the wine told the cork seemed like it could’ve let some air in, so it’s possible that the closure was the culprit this time. Shucks.
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1983 Plozza Valtellina Superiore - Grumello - Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore - Grumello (9.5.2022)
No mention of ABV% in the label.
Translucent and very aged syrupy-brown color with a rusty maroon hue. The nose feels very aged with tertiary aromas of raisins and beef jerky, some savory notes of hoi-sin or soy sauce, a little bit of meat stew, light sweet nuances of cherry marmalade, a hint of old leather and a touch of earth. The wine is dry, old and very evolved on the palate with a medium body and tertiary flavors of beef jerky and savory soy sauce, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of sweet raisiny fruit, light earthy nuances, a hint of cherry marmalade and a touch of cracking old leather. Typical of Nebbiolo, the wine feels quite high in acidity with moderately grippy tannins. The finish is dry, long and somewhat oxidative with moderate tannic grip and tertiary flavors of soy sauce and chopped nuts, some raisiny tones, a little bit of mushroomy funk, light earthy nuances and a hint of tobacco.
Meh. Unlike the bottle I tasted 1,5 years ago, this was long past its peak. Still somewhat drinkable, mind you, but pretty much beyond all recognition. Only from the light color and still somewhat grippy tannins it was recognizable as a Nebbiolo, otherwise the wine was just too senescent to be fully appreciated. A major disappointment after a great bottle from the same lot. At just 14€ the bottles that are in great condition can be bargains, but with wines this old you are trying to find great bottles, not great wines. This time the gamble pay off. NR (flawed)
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1996 Louis Jadot Chorey-les-Beaune - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chorey-les-Beaune (9.5.2022)
13% alcohol.
Translucent cherry red color with surprisingly little of that evolved maroon hue. The nose is dull, musty and earthy with aromas of damp old cellar, some sous-bois, light notes of tobacco and a hint of decomposing wood. Very little fruit here. The wine is dull, musty and quite unpleasant on the palate with a medium body and clipped flavors of mildew, some metallic notes of rusty iron, a little bit of tobacco, light nuances of damp earth and a hint of tart lingonberry. The wine is high in acidity with quite gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is short, gently grippy and rather earthy with dull flavors of tobacco, dust, some damp cellar, a little bit of tobacco and light autumnal notes of damp leaves and sous-bois.
Some people said immediately that the wine was corked, whereas others considered it just dull and earthy, but not in good condition. I can’t say which one it was - it felt rather corked, as it didn’t taste one bit of aged Burgundy, but the aromas weren’t precisely typical for TCA either. Quite close, but not to the extent I’d immediately say the wine is definitely corked, just that it feels somewhat corked. Whatever the problem was with the wine, it really wasn’t particularly enjoyable. 20€ down the drain. NR (flawed)
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I do admit that a) Mikko’s introduction to the wine (“not the obvious grape”) helped, b) even I myself was pretty much floored when I learned my first guess was correct!