From the past couple o' weeks:
Artadi, Rioja, Vinas de Gain, Crianza, 1997
Deeply colored dull-red. Smokey cherry with some blackcurrant in the background on the nose. Smoke, sweetish oak (but okay, not overdone), cherry along with prune filling (lekvar). The lightish tannins and smooth nature of the beast say "Drink meeee...". Worth the closeout price of $12US B/86
Carlisle, Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, "Carlisle Vynd", 2001
This *must* be young: the cork isn't even STAINED yet. Smokey zinberry and menthol float toward you. Crushed boysenberries (lots of 'em), rather open for such a yound wine, very smooth but not as concentrated in flavor as I (or the 16.4% alcohol content) would have thought. Alcohol definately drags this down a notch from what it could be; this wine wallops you over the head with it by the end of the glass. Drink within 3 years before the goregous fruit fades. B+/89
Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint Julien, 1988
From not the best loved Bordeaux vintage out there, this wine is still going, still deeply colored at 15 years old...a teenager! Luckilly not being belligerent today, as it was the last time I had this in 2000. Very classic: plenty of tobacco and cedar, with some old hanger plums. Finishes a bit short. Power combined with elegance. B+/89
Leroy, Volnay, "Champan", 1998
light cranberry juice color with strawberry aromas. Strawberry and oak on the finish. Not much depth but drinking 'pretty' right now. Actually better over the next 2 days than when first opened, suggesting this might be a little better with 2 or so more years of bottle age behind it. Not bad for the closeout price of $25. B/84-85
Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet, "en Virondot", 2000
Very closed nose at the moment, but shows better during tasting, with light pear, calcium, minerals, and light pie spice. Delicate, but needs more time. A-/90
Bernard Ambroise, Nuits-St-Georges, 1999
Very deeply coloured. Cherry cough syrup nose, quite New World. Medium to full-bodied, tight and tough right now with simple black cherry and oak, some calcium on the finish. Tannins need to resolve. Give it a coupl of years. B+/88
Delectus, Merlot, Napa Valley, "Stanton Vynd", 1998
Deep plum aromas with an pleasant herbal component. Plum, cassis and euculyptus, with a cinnamon-bun finish. Nice, without a lot of complexity. I have no idea what the price on this is, but I would pay $20 for it. B+/89-90
Broadley, Pinot Noir, "Claudia's Choice", Willamette Valley, 1999
Smoke-filled clubhouse and medicinal thing going on. Iodine and straw, dark fruits and LOTS of wood. Something doesn't feel right here. Not my style. Yeeech. B/83
Bisson, Golfo del Tigullio, Ciliegiolo (Rose), 2001
Finally, in homage to summer: a Pink :) Nice color, decent acidity and pleasant strawberry-kiwi flavors. Excellent picnic wine. Why can't Gallo make something like this? About $12. B+/88
till next time....
Mark S
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