I don't think this went through earlier: I apologize if this is duplicated, from recent wines tasted the past couple of weeks.
Scala Dei, Priorat, "les Brugueres", 2001
This is a white wine made from what I believe are old-vine white garnacha vines. Slightly brown-gold colored. Fresh spring flowers with raw unfiltered honey lurking in the background. Some heavy alcohol kicking around here!@ (14%) Chill further... Yep, more like it! Waxy flowers along with packing straw, quite dry, mid-full bodied. This is calling out for roast chicken followed by a Cote Rotie or Cornas. An A- / 90-91
Bernard Amiot, Chambolle-Musigny, "aux Echeseaux", 1996
Very lightly colored, showing significant age. Initially presenting a perfumed kirsch nose that shutes down almost immediately. Luckily, this doesn't last and sweet candied cherry appears with soft forest notes. Very much in the feminine-delicate side of Burgundy. Summer strawberries and some spice notes show through on the finish, with whatever tannins this originally had a distant memory. All delicacy and perfume. Drink up. B+ / 88 (tough grade, perhaps a shade better, but didn't really show alot of complexity, very enjoyable though)
Sassotondo (Carla Benini Ventimiglia), San Lorenzo (tuscano), Ciliegiolo,
1998Deep black cherry colored, An interesting muskiness to the odor, like an antique cigar box without the cigars, slightly zinfandel like fruit on the nose (deep black fruits). The nose is more interesting than the flavors here, which seem to be concentrated red-currant and/or elderberry juice along with an alkaline dimension with a low-acid, gardenia flavored finish. Dolcetto-like tannins. One of the more interesting wine varietals tasted recently. An A- / 90
Vinnaioli Jermann, Vinnae Venezia Giulia, IGT, 1999
light, bright yellow. Lemon-honey spice drops is what I'm getting here. Hmmm...this theme continues: honey-lemon, pear-apple overtones along with oak-induced spice with refreshing acidity. Is this a Cote Maconaise? No? From Italy? Who would have thunk? Very similar in style and profile to a Saint Veran. Immediate drinking, unlike some of Jermann's other whites which I feel could age indefinately. A solid B / 85
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