Recent tastes

[Florida Jim]

2000 Morgante, Don Antonio Nero d’Avola:

This is gently oaky on the nose but with lots of black fruit, dark chocolate and spice tones; polished on the attack but turning more rustic (and true to the variety) at mid-palate, rich and strongly flavored with good concentration and intensity, some grainy tannins; medium length, somewhat gritty finish. I was prepared not to like this wine; Roberto Cotralla consults, new oak aging, etc. but this was good and well-made. I think I like the regular Nero d’Avola bottling from this house ($11) a little better but both wines are tasty. About $18.

1995 Neyers, Cabernet Sauvignon:

I’ve had good luck with this wine in the past but this bottle was too woody and simple to be anything but standard grade cab. Quaffable albeit uninteresting. About $40, on release.

1996 Hureau, Samur-Champigny, Grand Cuvee:

This Loire cabernet franc does have an element of green/stem in the nose and, to a lesser degree, the palate but it has so much more; wonderful bottle-sweet black fruit, complex minerality, excellent depth and despite being mouth-filling, it’s a laser beam on the palate. This wine is coming into its own in fine style and accompanied pork chops beautifully. About $20.

2002 Drouhin, Macon-Village (375):

When I saw this priced at $3, I couldn’t resist. Clean earth-tinged chardonnay fruit with some depth and complexity and enough stuffing to survive a bit of cellaring. Pleasant lunch wine and holds the possibility of being more. What’s not to like?

2002 Brun, Terres Dorees Beaujolais “L’Ancien VV”:

I’ve written enough complimentary notes about this wine; this note is written only to report that it seems to be slimming down and becoming more linear than on release, which I take to mean that it is closing slightly. I doubt it will ever be completely closed; the fruit is too exuberant, but this is also a nicely structured wine so I think aging will be good to it – certainly this bottling has a track record for aging well. About $12.

Best, Jim