TN: Try guessing these bottles blind!

Reporting back from one of our many blind tasting sessions. These ad-hoc events tend to be very free-form, ie. people can bring whatever wines they please and nobody will mind. Normally we tend to have wines at least a well-versed geek should have a chance of guessing correctly, but this time we had a snowball’s chance in hell trying to guess almost any of these right. Quite unsurprisingly we heard “You know what? I think I’ve never had a wine from this grape variety / region before!” rather many times over the course of the evening!

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  • 2016 Balla Géza Furmint Stone Wine - Romania, Miniş (11.11.2021)
    The wine is labeled “Sziklabor”, which translates to “Stone Wine”, so I guess this is a label for the domestic market. 100% Furmint from Öreg-dűlő (“old vineyard”), fermented spontaneously and aged for 6-8 months in old 500-liter Hungarian oak casks. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Intense and quite youthful yellow-green color. Rich, intense and quite powerful nose of peanuts and nut coat, along with honeyed sweetness, some floral notes of honeysuckle, light zesty notes of citrus fruits, a little bit ripe nectarine and a woolly hint of lanolin. The wine is broad, ripe and moderately full-bodied on the palate with an intensely nutty streak of peanut in the taste, followed by concentrated flavors of juicy apple, some clover honey tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light floral notes of honeysuckle and a woolly hint of lanolin. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of balance to the wine, while the rather high alcohol brings some obvious heat to the palate. The long finish is ripe and broad with dry, fresh flavors of juicy yellow fruits, chopped peanuts, some crunchy golden apples, light floral notes of honeysuckle, a little bit of stony minerality and a woolly hint of lanolin.

A good but somewhat weird Romanian white - I’ve had some very nutty wines, but never before I’ve had a wine that both smells and tastes exactly like chopped peanuts and even that brown peanut seed coat. From the fruit flavors, quite high acidity and quite noticeable woolly notes I guessed immediately that this was an Hungarian Furmint, most likely from Sómlo. Well, it turned out that although my guess was incorrect, I was surprisingly close: although Romanian, Géza Balla is an ethnic Hungarian, considered to be one of the best Hungarian winemakers (actually being the first non-Hungarian to be named the Hungarian winemaker of the year) and the Miniş (or Menes) region in Transilvania, western Romania, has strong cultural ties to Hungary, which lies just across the border. All in all, pretty good stuff, but due to the intensely nutty flavors, this is more of an academic curiosity than a wine of true pleasure. A wine of distinction, if anything. (88 pts.)

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  • 2019 Quinta da Boavista Dão Torre de Tavares - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (11.11.2021)
    A blend of Bical (70%) and Sercial (30%). Fermented spontaneously in a 1250-liter chestnut cask, macerated with the skins for 7-8 days, until the wine is fermented dry. Pressed and left to age on the lees in the chestnut cask for 12 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Moderately deep, somewhat extracted and slightly hazy straw-yellow color. It’s hard to assess whether the wine is aged or seen some skin contact. The nose feels sappy, herbal and slightly sauvage with aromas of honeydew melon, some crunchy red apple, light leesy notes, a little bit of beeswax, a hint of chopped aromatic herbs and a lifted touch of VA. The wine is ripe yet surprisingly light-bodied and tangy on the palate with somewhat wild flavors of waxy funk and ripe peach, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of bretty leather, light evolved notes of wizened red apples, a hint of unripe pineapple and a touch of sweet volatile lift. Rather high in acidity, but not perceptible tannins. The finish is funky, somewhat bretty and quite sauvage with a rather lengthy aftertaste of wizened apples, some waxy funk, a little bit of bretty leather, light unripe pineapple tones, a sappy hint of herbal spice and a touch of tangy salinity.

An odd bird. Not a bad wine in any way - just something that was a bit hard to grasp. The appearance didn’t really point to any clear direction and even on the palate it was hard to assess whether this was a white or an orange wine - with its more fruity than extracted flavors and complete lack of tannins, it sort of came across as a white (and I think the producer considers this to be their white wine, as their orange wine goes by the name Curtimenta), but it was still very hard to guess where it came from or if it even was a young wine or an older vintage. Distinctive and pretty enjoyable, but nevertheless somewhat sauvage. I actually think this wine might gain a bit of depth and get its game a bit better together, if left to age for a few years longer. Interesting, if anything. (87 pts.)

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  • 2018 Terres de Roa Tresse à Lier - France, Vin de France (11.11.2021)
    100% organically and biodynamically farmed Tressallier (aka. Sacy) from 20-40 yo vineyards in the Loire appellation of Saint-Pourçain, located in the central region of Auvergne. 13,5% alcohol.

Pale and subtly hazy straw yellow color. Sappy, herbal and slightly waxy nose with sweet aromas of cantaloupe, some leesy notes, a little bit of leathery funk, light crunchy nuances of whitecurrants and fresh apples, a lifted, ethery hint of VA and a touch of peat moss. The wine is surprisingly broad, ripe and moderately full-bodied on the palate with slightly sweet-toned flavors of mushy yellow apples and mirabelle plums, some beeswax, light juicy notes of white peach, a little bit of leathery funk and a sappy hint of herbal spice. The medium acidity keeps the wine somewhat together, but doesn’t lend that much freshness to the wine. The finish is juicy, long and subtly funky with ripe flavors of honeyed richness, some leathery funk, light ethery notes of VA, a little bit of ripe apricot and mirabelle plum, a hint of sappy herbal spice and a touch of beeswax.

A juicy, pleasant and quite tasty naturalist-Tresallier where it’s a bit hard to say where the varietal characteristics end and the wild, naturalist nuances started. An interesting exercise in getting something of depth and character out of Tresallier - a variety known to make rather bland, low-acid whites - but it’s hard to say how much it was due to the quality of the grapes and how much due to the process. Anyway, a nice little effort that seemed to get slowly better in the glass. Based on this taste it’s hard to assess whether the wine will develop in bottle or just fade away. Quite good value at 13€. (89 pts.)

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Intense, medium-deep burnished golden-yellow color. Very expressive and noticeably toasty nose with captivating, moderately evolved aromas of browned butter and autolytic brioche, some charred malty tones, a little bit of coffee character, light nutty notes of Nutella and roasted pine seeds, fruity hints of ripe citrus fruits and white peach and a touch of bruised apple. The wine is dry, focused and remarkably complex on the palate with medium-to-moderately full body and intense, dry-ish flavors of rich creaminess and browned butter, some toasty notes of brioche, a little bit of stony minerality, light oxidative notes of bruised apple, a sweet hint of ripe citrus fruits and a touch of roasted nuts and pine seeds. The mousse feels very rich and creamy yet still surprisingly crisp. The high acidity lends great sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is dry and remarkably complex, but at first it feels relatively short and clipped. However, it seems to return like a wave after a minor dip in intesity, coming back with a lengthy aftertaste of toasty brioche and browned butter, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light bitter notes of chalk dust, a hint of autolytic yeast and a touch of charred rye bread.

This was the second time I tasted this particular disgorgement and it consistently manages to deliver big time, even if this bottle came across as more evolved than the previous bottle I had in June 2020. This was a beautifully complex, structured and quite evolved bottle, showing the hallmark toasty elements on a carrying foundation of stony minerality, so typical of Charles Heidsieck with some age. As this particular bottle feels more evolved than the wine I had 1½ years ago, it feels this one is quite close to its peak and I am not sure if this would age as long, but I wouldn’t expect this wine to fall apart anytime soon, either. Drink now or over the next good handful of years. As I said with the previous bottle, Charles Heidsieck still remains firmly as one of my all-time favorite Champagne Grande Marques. (95 pts.)

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Quite intense lemon-yellow color with a neon yellow-green cue. Instantly recognizable textbook Riesling nose with aromas of lemon marmalade, some ripe golden apple, light tangerine-driven notes of fresh citrus fruits, light nuances of petrolly minerality and a cool hint of minty lift. The wine is very ripe, quite broad and slightly sweet-toned on the palate with a rather full body and rich flavors of lemon marmalade and candied ginger, some petrol tones, a little bit of ripe tangerine, light stony mineral nuances and a hint of honeycomb. The overall feel is very juicy, but also slightly soft, thanks to the only medium-to-moderately high acidity. The finish is ripe, juicy and quite long with rich, off-dry flavors of lemon marmalade, some acacia honey, a little bit of steely minerality, light petrol nuances, a hint of ripe peach and a touch of candied ginger.

A very rich, ripe and concentrated Grand Cru Riesling with tons of juicy, off-dry fruit, but unfortunately a bit too soft structure that really doesn’t lend enough freshness to serve as a counterpoint to the full body and richness of the fruit. The overall style is still surprisingly youthful, however, and even though the wine doesn’t have that much in the way of structure, I can see this continuing to improve for many more years. Guessing it correctly was quite easy, because the bottle neck was visible and also very recognizable - my first guess was Wolfberger Rangen Riesling 2009 due to the obvious ripeness, another attendee guessed the same wine but 2007. After told that the wine was correct but the vintage was wrong, we both went to 2005. Bingo. All in all, enjoyable stuff for occasions that call for rich, off-dry Riesling but not that much structure. (90 pts.)

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  • 2017 Katogi Averoff Negoska Empneuseis - Greece, Macedonia, Goumenissa (11.11.2021)
    A rosé made with Negoska grapes harvested from 20-40 yo vineyards. There’s just a tiny text in the label that says “Empneuseis” in Greek letters, meaning “Inspirations”. Bottle #2115. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Somewhat evolved, slightly resinous orange color. Dry, restrained but also wonderfully fragrant and fine-tuned nose with delicate aromas of rose hips, some ripe redcurrants, a little bit of ripe red apple, light peachy tones and a hint of wild strawberry. The wine is ripe, juicy and moderately full-bodied on the palate with a balanced and very textural overall feel. Intermingling flavors of wizened strawberries, some oolong tea, light notes of rose hips, a little bit of sweet peachy fruit and apple jam, a hint of savory spice and a touch of stony minerality. The overall feel is very harmonious and gentle yet still firm enough with moderately structured acidity. The finish is juicy, complex and quite lengthy with layered flavors of wild strawberries, some oolong tea, a little bit of peachy fruit, light dried raspberry notes, a hint of chalky bitterness and a touch of savory spices.

A beautiful, wonderfully textural and very fascinating rosé. The wine is starting to show some signs of evolution, but it still isn’t coming across as particularly old or mature yet. It was nigh impossible to guess this wine, because you really couldn’t be sure whether this was an aged, light red, a skin-contact white or a rosé. I opted for rosé and got that one correct, but I was completely lost in the woods after that. However, that didn’t bother me one bit, as the wine was so enticing that I could just focus into getting to know it better instead of trying to guess what it was (although we managed to guess Greece correctly quite fast). All in all, a very impressive effort - definitely among the better rosés I’ve had. (94 pts.)

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  • 1999 Izadi Rioja Selección - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (11.11.2021)
    The wine is a selection of best fruit sourced from the vineyards in Rioja Alavesa, a blend of Tempranillo (80%) and Graciano (20%). Aged for approximately 20 months in French oak barriques, bottled on October 25th, 2001. 13,5% alcohol. Bottle #21551 of total 71130 bottles. Tasted blind.

Almost fully opaque, dark figgy color with an evolved maroon hue. The nose feels tertiary and even slightly oxidative with complex aromas of leather, some dried-fruit notes of dried figs and prunes, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light raisiny nuances, a hint of dark chocolate and a faint funky touch of barnyard. The wine is rich, full-bodied and very evolved on the palate with rather tertiary - even subtly oxidative - flavors of dried figs and raisins, some toasty mocha oak, light funky notes of leather saddle and farmhouse, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, a sweet hint of ripe red plums and a touch of savory, slightly peppery spices. Although quite big in body with moderate richness, the wine feels enjoyably balanced, thanks to its moderately high acidity and ripe and gentle yet ample and firm tannins. The finish is ripe, dark-toned and slightly sweetly-fruited with a long aftertaste of dried figs and dark raisiny fruit, some mocha tones, a little bit of old leather saddle, light oaky notes of savory wood spice, a hint of juicy red fruits and a touch of earth. The ample yet gentle tannins make the wine end on a subtly grippy note.

A rich, complex and quite evolved Rioja. Although the wine is obviously made in a rather modern fashion, evident in its still somewhat noticeable toasty French oak tones and how it does not adhere to the traditional Crianza/Reserva/Gran Reserva system of Rioja, it has lost most of its obviously modernist qualities with age, coming across as a wine with great sense of depth and harmony. Although the wine represents the more modern end of the stylistic spectrum, it is still quite recognizable for a Rioja, as so many people guessed that this might be Rioja with some age. I would’ve expected the wine to be a bit older, as 22 years should be really nothing to a proper Rioja, but I guess this is where the difference between the old-school Riojas and the modernist wines starts to get obvious - these just don’t seem to age that well. Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable effort all the same - and at its peak right now; I don’t see much upside to any further aging. Priced according to its quality at 39,90€. (91 pts.)

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  • 2017 Château Carsin Cabernet Franc Amfora - France, Vin de France (11.11.2021)
    In 2017 Château Carsin started to experiment with amphorae, making two amphorae reds, Cabernet Franc and Carménère. This organically farmed Cabernet Franc is sourced from a 40-yo Saint Nicolas vineyard in Entre-Deux-Mers, fermented and macerated with the skins in amphorae, then pressed and aged for 12 months in amphorae until bottling. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Youthful, almost completely opaque blackish-red color with a youthful, purplish hue. Clean, quite ripe and fruity nose with aromas of sweet dark berries, some fresh and crunchy blueberries and chokeberries, a little bit of sappy herbal spice, light leafy tones, a hint of inky character and a touch of burnt dog hair. The wine is ripe and silky-textured yet fresh and sappy on the palate with a quite full body and bright, clean flavors of ripe dark berries, some sappy herbal tones, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light sweet notes of black cherries, a solar hint of almost jammy dark fruit and a touch of something vaguely smoky. The overall feel is rather soft and gentle, thanks to the quite modest acidity and very ripe, friendly tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and sweetly-fruited with rather long flavors of juicy dark berries, some soft black cherries, a little bit of borderline jammy dark fruit, a hint of sappy herbal spice and a touch of leafy character.

With its ripe, fruit-forward character and almost inky appearance, the wine comes across like an Argentinian Malbec from Mendoza, but it has a distinctively cooler-climate feel to it. So this was like a cool-climate Mendoza Malbec, if that makes sense. Although the wine exhibits some classic, leafy Cab Franc qualities, the overall feel didn’t feel that much true to the variety, making the wine feel somewhat generic - sort of new world, but not in an overtly modernist kind of sense. The guesses started from Argentina and went through several new world countries; getting to Bordeaux took quite a while. All in all, this is an enjoyable but a bit linear and easy wine that really could use some structure - while the fruit department is quite nice here, the modest acidity and gentle tannins make the wine is lacking in structure. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at 30€. (86 pts.)

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  • 2009 Ridge Geyserville - USA, California, Sonoma County (11.11.2021)
    According to the label, this is a blend of Zinfandel (74%), Carignan (19%) and Petite Sirah (7%), but according to the website, this is a blend of Zinfandel (74%), Carignan (17%), Petite Sirah (6%), Alicante Bouschet (2%) and Mourvèdre (1%). Aged for 15 months in American oak barrels (20% new, 47% 1-2 years old, 33% 3-4 years old). Fermented spontaneously. 14,3% alcohol, 105 mg/l total SO2. Tasted blind.

Quite dense and almost fully opaque figgy-red color with an evolved dried-blood hue. The nose is sweet, fragrant and moderately oak-forward with aromas of sweet, toasty oak spice and mocha, some boysenberry jam, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light cherry marmalade tones, a hint of coconut and a subtly lifted touch of nail polish. The wine is juicy, full-bodied and quite ripe on the palate with a silky texture and lush, subtly sweet-toned flavors of boysenberry jam and cherry marmalade, some evolved notes of wizened figs, light oaky notes of vanilla and coconut, a little bit of toasty mocha character, a succulent hint of dark, plummy fruit and a fresh, fruity touch of bramble. The overall feel is rather big, but also enjoyably firm and balanced, thanks to the moderately high acidity and well-managed medium-minus tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is rich, ripe and juicy with gently grippy tannins and lengthy flavors of boysenberry jam, some wizened figs, a little bit of mocha oak, light raisiny tones, a hint of ripe dark plums and a touch of coconut. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the aftertaste.

A surprisingly rich and oak-driven vintage of Geyserville. Although Ridge is known for their use of American oak, I’ve never before found Geyserville particularly oaky - at most they’ve shows only a little bit of vanilla, whereas the emphasis has been on the vibrant Zin-driven fruit. However, this wine showed more emphasis on the brooding notes of toasty oak spice and coconut, competing with the fruit for the attention. Although not an oaky blockbuster by any means, this was nevertheless a bit too soft, sweet-toned and oak-heavy for my taste. The wine really didn’t seem to speak that much of the house style either, as we guessed virtually every new world wine country (and even some old world countries) before somebody managed to correctly guess California. Although a nice and enjoyable Zin blend, this didn’t really hit the heights the best vintages of Geyserville can reach. Hopefully with some age the wine will integrate its somewhat noticeable oak influence better with the fruit - at least the wine seems to hold some promise for future development, although it is starting to show the first signs of tertiary complexity. (90 pts.)

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  • 2015 Lukasi Kisi Traditional - Georgia, Kakheti (11.11.2021)
    Macerated with the Kisi grape skins for 1-2 weeks. Some sources say this is aged in kvevri, other just mention the wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels. 12% alcohol.

Luminous and quite pale amber color. Ripe and somewhat sweet-toned but also rather restrained nose with quite light aromas of waxy tones, juicy cloudberries, some resinous phenolic notes, a little bit of exotic spice, light floral notes of Labrador tea and hint of oolong tea. The wine really does require some aeration before it starts to open up. It feels pretty dry and somewhat lean on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of resinous phenolic character and fresh golden currants, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of juicy yet crunchy quince, light beeswax notes, a hint of sweeter white fruit and a touch of caramel oak. The overall feel is quite firm and tightly-knit, thanks to the balanced, moderately high acidity and rather assertive tannins that lend quite a bit of grip to the gums. The finish is rich, long and slightly sweet-toned with moderate tannic grip and complex flavors of ripe peach, some oolong tea, light bitter notes of phenolic spice, a little bit of crunchy quince, a hint of resinous character and a touch of caramel oak.

A stern yet at the same time relatively approachable Georgian amber wine with good sense of structure, yet enough roundness and richness from the oak treatment that sort of round out the edges a bit without making the wine feel too polished or overdone. Despite its slightly modernist overtones, this is a very enjoyable and quite harmonious effort that is still very young - most likely the wine will continue to evolve and improve for many years more. Priced according to its quality at 80 GEL (approx. 25€). (93 pts.)

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Very dark and rather opaque blackish-red color with a youthful blueish hue. Youthful, sappy and surprisingly green-toned nose with aromas of sweet bilberries, some vegetal notes of beetroot, light leafy tones, a little bit of sour cherry and a brambly hint of black raspberry. The wine is cool, silky and subtly sweet-toned on the palate with a medium body and quite crunchy flavors of brambly black raspberry, some ripe bilberry tones, a little bit of sappy herbal spice, light inky tones, a vegetal hint of beetroot and a touch of vague savory spice. The overall feel is quite firm and sinewy, thanks to its moderately high acidity and medium tannins. The finish is juicy and slightly grippy with medium-long flavors of sweet forest fruits, some brambly black raspberry tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light nuances of black cherries, a hint of inky character and a touch of herbaceous greenness.

A curious fellow, this. The wine feels relatively ripe and somewhat vegetal at the same time, as if some of the grapes got fully ripe and some were borderline underripe, lending a somewhat vegetal, green-toned note to the wine. Overall the wine isn’t bad, but it isn’t particularly characterful either - coming across as somewhat generic in style and not showing that much depth and complexity, just fresh dark berry flavors and some slightly green overtones. The wine might get a bit better with a few additional years, but I doubt it will ever become anything particularly memorable or impressive. However, when it comes to the Terra Galos range of wines, this was definitely from the better end. However, at 24,90€ the quality of the wine doesn’t really match the expectations set by the price. (85 pts.)

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  • 2015 Losonci Turan Mocus - Hungary, Felső-Magyarország, Mátra (11.11.2021)
    100% Turán from Mátra, the mountainous region close to Eger in northern Hungary. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Luminous and rather opaque black cherry color with a youthful, subtly purplish hue. Sweet, aromatic and slightly lifted nose with quite singular aromas of perfumed floral tones, some zesty citrus rind tones, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light bilberry tones, a hint of cherry marmalade, an acetic touch of vinegary VA and a touch of burnt dog hair. The perfumed aromas seem to subside as the wine opens up in the glass and the funkier nuances come more to the fore. The wine is ripe, fruit-driven and somewhat sauvage on the palate with a medium body and flavors of tart and slightly bitter red berries and ripe bilberries, some sweet black cherry tones, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light acetic notes of balsamico, a floral hint of roses and a meaty touch of salami. The wine is relatively soft and lacking a bit in structure, thanks to the relatively modest acidity and medium tannins that show quite limited grip. However, the slightly bitter flavors serve as a nice counterpoint to the sweeter fruit flavors. The medium-long finish is juicy, somewhat wild and volatile and even slightly acetic with very gentle tannic grip and slightly sauvage flavors of ripe black cherries and black raspberry jam, some acetic VA, light floral notes of roses and violets, a little bit of crunchy and somewhat bitter chokeberry, a hint of burnt hair and a touch of salami.

An interesting and somewhat wild and even quite sauvage Hungarian red with a very distinctive overall character, combining ripe fruit flavors, somewhat floral nuances, light yet noticeable streak of bitterness and even some rather weird notes like burnt hair and salami. I found the wine moderately lifted and even slightly acetic with quite elevated levels of VA, while others didn’t seem to notice this to the same extent, instead finding the wine very floral and perfumed - couple people even guessed if the wine was Ruchè due to its floral overall character. Interesting stuff, but its appeal might be a bit limited due to its somewhat quirky, atypical nature. Interesting stuff all the same. (87 pts.)

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Very deep and dark black cherry with an evolved, slightly rusty-brown hue. An evolved and enjoyably complex nose true to the regional style; aromas of sweet, wizened figs and leather saddle, some dried dates, a little bit of strawberry jam, light earthy notes, a hint of Cabernet’s blackcurrant character and a touch of dried dill. The wine is dry, ripe and silky on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and complex, subtly sweet-toned flavors of leather saddle and tobacco, some dill, light dried-fruit flavors of wizened figs and raisins, a little bit of ferrous blood, a rustic hint of stable floor and a touch of vanilla. The structure relies more on the moderately grippy medium-plus tannins than on the rather modest acidity. the finish is long, complex and moderately grippy with flavors of wizened figs and leather saddle, some stable floor, a little bit of pruney dark fruit, light oaky notes of vanilla and cloves, a hint of dill and a subtly oxidative touch of meat stew.

An excellent, wonderfully evolved Rioja that is very true to the region - most attendees guessed Rioja almost immediately. My guess was 1994 Rioja Gran Reserva, so not that far from the truth, although not a bullseye either. Pretty great stuff now. With the understated blackcurrant nuances and still somewhat noticeable oaky tones, it feels like this must’ve been stylistically much more “modernist” in its youth, but age has done its thing and integrated the flavors together nicely, so the wine feels quite classically styled now, 25 years after the vintage. All in all, an enjoyable effort with a pleasantly rustic overall feel and firm tannic structure. I would’ve enjoyed a bit higher acidity, as the wine feels a bit soft and round in that respect, but otherwise this was pretty terrific stuff. A steal at mere 12€. (92 pts.)

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Pale and very translucent cherry red color with a wide, clear rim. Classic and immediately recognizable Nebbiolo nose with layered aromas of cherries and tobacco, some pine tar, a little bit of ripe raspberry, light gravelly minerality, a hint of old, dry leather, a fragrant touch of dried flowers and a whiff of ripe pomegranate. The wine is ripe, dense and quite rich for a Valtellina Nebbiolo on the palate with a moderately full body and dry-ish flavors of ripe red plums and juicy cherries, some meaty tones, a little bit of tobacco, light crunchy notes of tart cranberries, a hint of tar and a touch of gravelly minerality. The rather high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The overall impression is quite open-knit and approachable, thanks to the balanced, moderately high acidity and gentle, fine-grained tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The moderately long finish is rich, silky and gently grippy with a little bit of alcohol warmth and ripe flavors of wild strawberries and juicy cherries, some tobacco, a little bit of tar, light meaty notes, a tart, crunchy hint of fresh red plums and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.

A firm and balanced but also surprisingly rich and weighty effort for a Valtellina Nebbiolo - normally the Nebbiolos from this region (apart from Sfursat) tend to be fresh, quite delicate and stylistically rather Burgundian, but this wine comes across more “Langhe” in its expression. In a blind tasting, I’d probably go for Barbaresco instead of Valtellina, due to the sense of ripeness, weight and bold fruit character. However, this is a quite enjoyable and balanced effort despite all the ripeness. I would’ve enjoyed a bit higher acidity and less sweet-toned fruit, but this is fine stuff all the same. Drinking mighty well right now, but most likely will continue to evolve at least another handful of years, if not more - and will keep just fine for much longer. Priced according to its quality at 27€. (90 pts.)

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