Misc. recent notes

[Florida Jim]

2000 Felsina, Chianti Classico Berardenga:

A pleasant cherry and earth nose leads to a medium bodied, firm palate that is well concentrated and balanced. Finishes slightly dry.

Good but not extraordinary and over my budget at $20, full retail.

1998 Coffaro, Estate Cuvee:

(35% cab. sauv., 32% zin., 23% carignan, 10% petite sirah)

Way too oaky for me to enjoy regardless of how long it aired. A shame, as there is some nice fruit here. This producer’s vineyards are in the hottest section of the Dry Creek Valley, so even in difficult years (eg. 1998), they seem to get ripe fruit. But this barrel regimen is shameful. About $25, on futures.

2001 Lindeman’s, Pinot Noir Bin 99:

Varietally correct, nicely concentrated and correctly balanced. At $5.69, full retail, I will drink many cases of this.

1996 Dom. de Montgilet, Anjou Villages:

Backward, hard and overwhelmed with charred green bell pepper scents and flavors. Everything green that is bad about cabernet franc, exemplified.

2000 T-Vine, Syrah:

Thick and glossy, tastes like someone added brown sugar syrup to overripe fruit. Not even the remotest hint of syrah typicity.

Grossly overpriced at $42, full retail.

1999 Alain Michaud, Brouilly Cuvee Non-Filtre:

With a string of good years in Beaujolais (save ’01) many of the wines I have had from the past four vintages have shown great aromatics, delicious flavors and excellent potential but none more than this. A remarkably concentrated, aromatically pungent wine that hits all the notes in the Beaujolais scale without dissonance. Truly fabulous juice that needs a decade. About $13, delivered.

2000 Vieux Mas des Papes, CdP:

Salty minerality and a touch of alcoholic heat set this apart from standard grade, terroir driven CdP. Nothing to get excited about but good wine. About $19, discounted.

2000 Chat. Batailley:

Light and a touch stemmy on the nose but clearly Bordeaux with underbrush tones and mineral accents to otherwise ripe, but not overripe fruit. Big structure is fairly well integrated and less than obvious. This opened some over the course of an evening and showed much better than I would have expected for its youth. About $27, discounted.

2001 Dom. le Sang des Cailloux, Vacqueyras Cuvee Lopy:

Flowers and funk on the nose, outstanding concentration with some captivating sauvage notes that highlight great fruit. Massive structure but it maintains a tenuous balance. Superb stuff that needs a decade but should be stunning with sufficient cellar time. About $26, discounted.

Best, Jim

Edited January 25, 2004 by Florida Jim (log)

[Fat Guy]

Always a pleasure to read your notes, Jim.

[tanabutler]

I always feel so wistful when I read your posts, Jim. But in a good way.

[Florida Jim]

I always feel so wistful when I read your posts, Jim. But in a good way.

Okay, you got me. Why wistful?

Best, Jim