Vinexpo--I Came, I Saw, I Spat. Part 3

[jparrott]

This post covers the morning and early afternoon of day two, up to the Union des Grands Crus tasting, which will be in the next post. Included here are two seminars on Austrian wines, one on established labels and the other on producers looking for importers.

2001 Niederhauser Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spatlese Trocken: Pure red currant and slate, with a citric edge adding definition. Long and typical. Wow.

2001 Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett: Slate and swet lime and apple here, with a sliceable quince finish.

2000 Max. Ferd-Richter Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett: A bit sulfury, but the fruit shines through. Soft and rich, reflecting the vintage's lack of focus.

1999 Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese: Sulfur.

1999 Tesch Lauhenheimer Karthauser Riesling Auslese: Floral, thick apple jam, lithe and persistent. Closed.

1999 Ress Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Auslese: Roasted, with heavy botrytis and caramel overlaying schist and volcanic tones. Intense.

1999 Kunstler Hochheimer Holle Riesling Beerenauslese: Pure honey controls the roasted, botrytis notes here. A crunchy, very mineral palate provides delineation, with

expressive roast apple, lime and slate dancing around the endless finish. Needs many years, but this is wonderful juice.

2001 Louis Jadot Morgon Bellevue: Candied, astringent, not ripe, though more typical character shows through later. Offish finish.

2001 Louis Jadot Pommard Commardine: Chunky, structured, with austere perfume. Not quite ripe.

2001 Guigal Cotes-du-Rhone rose: Wild strawberry adds interest, but this is a bit alcoholic.

2001 Guigal Tavel rose: Apple, plumskin, well structured, but lots of yucky wood.

2000 Guigal Cotes-du-Rhone rouge: Washed out and talc-like.

2000 Guigal Crozes-Hermitage: Fresh meat and plum accent the earthy palate. Ripe and lithe. Nice.

1999 Guigal Gigondas: A bit foxy and off.

1999 Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape: a little oaky, but relatively traditional nose, with wild Grenache accents.

1999 Guigal Hermitage: A bit hot, charcoal oak, nondescript. Ugh.

1999 Guigal Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde: Wild and rich, very typical, bacon, blueberry, a little woody and soft in the finish.

1998 Guigal Cote-Rotie La Mouline: Currant skin, very hard and perfumed, pure bacon on the finish. Needs a ton of time.

1998 Guigal Cote-Rotie La Landonne: Warm, expensive-style nose, more character on the palate, with raw meat and blackberry framed by a lot of oak. Will

integrate, but not for many years.

1998 Guigal Cote-Rotie La Turque: Very ripe, with asphalt accents. Very oaky and not in balance.

2001 Jurtschisch Gruner Veltliner Achenkenbichel (Spatlese trocken): Sliceable quince and white pepper on the nose, very complex white pepper, herb, apple skin and lemon verbena lead the attack. Extremely complex, with firm minerals on the finish. Nice.

2001 Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner Alte Reben: Riper and honeyed, less herbal. Fat, oily and spicy. Long, but not as complex. Needs time. Very serious stuff.

2000 Freie Weingartner Wachau Gruner Veltliner "Exceptional Reserve": A beerenauslese, vinified dry. One-third botrytised. Very honey, with orange and black

pepper. A bit hot. Complex, effervescent honey, almond, mace and quartz on the intense palate. A bit much.

1999 Heidi Schrock Ruster Ausbruch: Crunchy roasted honey and dried peach on the nose, very sweet but a bit simple on the palate, with apple jam and quince and some unintegrated sugar.

1998 Kracher TBA #4 (Welschriesling): Higher-toned pure shale, but a bit chunky. Lithe roast apple and lime on the very complex palate, with a long, bitter, floral

finish. Very nice now.

2001 Chateau Treytins Lalande-de-Pomerol: Deep cherry, herbal, very structured and meaty. Cab-franc character.

2001 Chateau Garraud Lalande-de-Pomerol: Floral, more oaky, rich black fruit, some wood tannin detracts.

2000 Chateau Garraud Lalande-de-Pomerol: Roasty a bit candied and rich, some herb, ripe structure. Very nice.

2000 Chateau L'Ancien Lalande-de-Pomerol: Oak.

1999 Chateau L'Ancien Lalande-de-Pomerol: Reduced and oaky.

1999 Chateau Garraud Lalande-de-Pomerol: Minty and complex, with a wide variety of fruit and spice. Well structured and complex on the finish.

2001 Lenz Moser Gruner Veltliner "Prestige" (Kremstal): Juicy quince and apple, with white pepper and lime edges. A bit bitter on the palate, with lime and lemongrass accents. Fruitier on the finish. Nice.

2001 Huber Gruner Veltliner Alte Setzen: More focused and mineral with lime zest and flowers providing the backbeat. Very dry, bracing and fresh. Very harmonious, very long Wow.

2001 Muller "Der Morillon" Chardonnay: Dry perfume, with leesy and apple character. Nutty and rich, round and deep. Minerals creep in on the finish, reflecting the terroir. Very nice, very expressive.

2001 Zantho Zweigelt: Spicy, with black plum, earth and rubber, a bit Beaune-like. Earthier on the long, pure finish.

1999 Riedenhoff Kadlec Lyss Rouge (St. Laurent, Zweigelt, Cabernet): Graham cracker, overripe character here, very international, harmonious, with oak integrating on the finish, but not particularly expressive.

2000 United Vineyards Pentagon (CS/Mer/Syr/Blauf/PinotN): Spicy, leathery and oaky, international character. Succulent and very ripe, and some better

structure. Could be from anywhere.

2001 Franz Klein Beerenauslese "La Metisse" (WelschR/Ries/Tram/PG): Juicy peach and roast schist lead the way here, very harmonious in the attack, but a nutty, alcoholic (15.5%?!?!) mess in the midpalate and finish.

1997 Kugler "Vinum Saxum" Cuvee Eiswein (WelschR, GV): light color, metallic and racy, with considerable mineral character. Crunchy palate, with light peach fruit. Not sure if the structure is stern enough to let this unwind.

1999 Rivolo Toscana IGT bianco: High-toned, mint, herb and quince, a bit offish.

2000 Villa Poggio Salvi Rosso di Montalcino: Spicy, leathery, with a solid core of plum and black cherry fruit. Turns chalky and lithe on the nice finish. Very good.

1999 Biondi-Santi Rosso di Montalcino: More traditional, with clay, mint, floral and leather accents to the lithe black cherry fruit. Succulent and structured.

1999 Villa Poggio Salvi Lavischio: More rubber and herb character here, well structured, floral, a bit plumy, but a nice mushroomy finish.

1997 Villa Poggio Salvi Brunello di Montalcino: Roasty, with leather and plum on the harmonious nose. Dark, chocolatey and floral. Very ripe tannins.Well-balanced.

1997 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino: More minty, with roast plum and cedar framing a very complex nose and palate. Traditional, with succulent acidity. Very, very nice.

2000 Biondi-Santi Sassoalloro: Oak spice overwhelms the plumy fruit here, with good acidity failing to lash this beast together.

1997 Montepaone IGT: Weedy and curranty with lots of oak influence on the nose. More harmonious in the palate, with plum and cassis. Very ripe, long finish.

1999 Castello di Montepo Morellino di Scansano Riserva: Minty, cherry and plum, very fresh with pleasingly light oak.

1998 Schidione IGT: Oak, oak, oak.