Recent tastes

[Florida Jim]

2002 Tavignano, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore:

Yellow with golden/coppery tinges/

Moderate aromas of sour apple, pine resin, herbs and unripe pears; penetrating/

Medium body, flavors echo the nose with a touch of almond added, bright acids, fairly intense; no impression of viscosity, rather austere and mouth-watering on the delivery/

Medium length, clean finish.

Tasted over 2 days (bottle recorked and put in fridge); not a delicate wine; more akin in structure to a very young, acid driven sauvignon. Interesting stuff but absolutely requires food and probably will be better with a year in the cellar.

About $9.

1996 Trimbach, Gewurtztraminer, Cuvee des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre:

Smells of perm solution (so much so that I could not get much else on the nose)/

Full body, smooth texture, some spice and mango flavors but the perm solution impression persisted and essentially spoiled the experience/

Long finish.

This may be a very fine wine but once I got “perm solution” in my head I could not see the forest for the trees.

2000 Dom. de la Petite Cassagne, Costieres de Nimes:

Lovely, clear red fruit, spice and garrigue notes on the nose; very well integrated/

Medium body, very pure red fruit flavors accented with spice, black pepper and underbrush tones, complex but still all together in a smooth, clean presentation that can’t help but draw smile/

Medium length, pure finish.

Although I have found a small amount of bottle variation in the two cases of this I have been drinking through, the vast majority of bottles have been delicious; to the extent that this is now my “go to” wine whenever I think an excellent, med-weight red is required. Ready now and a screaming bargain at $9.

2001 Lindeman’s, Pinot Noir Bin 99:

Just a brief comment here; it’s time to move on to the 2002 vintage as some bottles of the ’01 are starting to show a little oxidation. These are not bottles for keeping but they are varietally correct, not overtly wooded and pleasant tasting pinot noirs for $6.

Best, Jim