Livin' large

[Florida Jim]

With crackers and cheese:

2001 F.X. Pichler, Riesling M:

Last year, this wine was a caricature of riesling; almost too big to be considered varietally correct. Now it is almost restrained, with lovely, deep floral elements playing on a pineapple and mineral nose, plenty of viscosity offset by solid acids, flavors that follow the nose adding notes of white pepper in the mouth, intense, very concentrated, showing good balance and length.

Before its time but delicious, nonetheless.

Imported by Vin Davino.

With broiled pork chops and red skin potato salad:

1999 Dugat-Py, Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles:

Young and linear upon opening; with air it takes on a more layered and balanced approach although it is still massively concentrated (without becoming syrah-esque) and intense, very sappy and expansive in the mouth, I suspect this wine has a long future ahead of it even though it delivers substantial pleasure now; excellent length.

Very old vines make for concentration like this; not California-like but showing the same type of density that better domestic versions can have. A joy to drink.

Imported by Weygandt-Metzler.

Best, Jim