Time to clean out the notebook!
Recently tasted wines....
Fereira, Vintage Porto, 1994
Difficult for me to judge port quality, if only because they all seem good! This has the usual brambly flavors, with a sweet rooibus finish. Alcohol begins to perk through this medium-sweet wine. Additional days bring a strong freshly ground coffee component. Nice, but would gain "points" if finished a tad more elegant. B+/ 89-90
Mas d'en Compte, Priorat, "Porrera", 1998
Purplish, almost zinny color. First impressions given are not the ones you want to last, but unfortunately they do: wood spices and berry fruits, tough and austere right now with teeth-biting astringency on the end. Not showing that much right now beyond wood, some leather, dark fruits, and acid. I question whether the wood in this will integrate. With air, this shows a little better, but this is very relative in this case. B/ 85
Casa Ferreirinha, Douro, 'Barca Velha', 1991
Deeply colored balck cherry; Leather, cherry-spice and licorice tree-bark on the nose. For a 13-year old, there is still considerable acidity and strong tannins, that, while not interfering, promise longevity. With a little airing, this is beginning to show nicely: sweet plums and turning more perfumed in the nose. Very elegant and well-balanced, and a delight to drink. A- / 90-91
Chateau Poujeaux, Moulis, 1997
Deep blackcurrant color. Sweet cassis and licorice, along with light perfumed scent. Pleasant blackcurrant, blackberry flavors along with a light spicy, cedary finish. Good medium-bodied claret drinking well now, virtually no tannins in the finish. A crowd pleasing wine for those who might like New World cabernets. B+ / 88-89
Vincent Girardin, Savigny-les-Beaune, "les Peuillets", 1999
A deeper red than pinot should be. Smokey menthol and black fruit nose. In the glass I get those same black fruits, camphor, with some spice on the finish. Obvious oak here, but this vintage can pull it off, having enough fruit to flesh it out I believe. Not my favorite style of burgundy but not bad either. Could use a couple of years to lose some of the oak and tannin. B / 87
A few more to come soon...
Mark