WTN: Some June Wines

[Brad Ballinger]

I haven’t been able to get online much because of a shot DSL line at home. The switchover to cable will take a couple more weeks yet. So while I have a chance, I thought I’d post some short notes on recent wines.

2002 Pieropan Soave Classico. This wine had taken on a slightly mature complexity – resin, nuts, and an earthy quality. But that’s not to say there wasn’t any fruit in it. There was a good carambola profile sprinkled with lime. Bright finish. The wine showed me that Soave – at least Soave from Pieropan – can take on some complexity with a short amount of cellaring.

1996 Jospeh Matrot Puligny-Montrachet, Les Chalumeaux. A guest brought this wine over for dinner. He thought it may be over the hill. Well, let me put it this way: it was no longer ascending the hill. But it hadn’t rolled to the bottom of the other side either. And, actually, with some aeration in the glass it blossomed a bit before starting to fade. A mineral core took center stage supported by a cast of golden delicious apples, a bit of cream. Pure Burgundy without overstatement. I would’ve loved to have had it about 2-3 years ago.

1993 Turley Petite Syrah, Hayne Vineyard, Napa Valley. This is my third experience with this wine. I had purchased two bottles of this when it was released (Arpy gave it 98 points) and it was only $25. I also picked up some of the Aida PS. Earlier drinking of the Aida led me to believe the Hayne would hold it own easily for 15 years or so. My most recent experience with the Hayne was a couple of years back and it was pleasing, if not a bit clumsy. Upon this drinking it was pleasing, if not unexciting. The fruit no longer “exploded” from the glass, but it didn’t need a cane either. It was gobby, but didn’t have the structure or complexity to be anything more. I like pairing petit sirah with flank steak, but this really wasn’t a food wine. My guest, who brought the wine, and I talked about how we no longer have any Turley wines (this was his last one). We mused that we should’ve perhaps held onto our 1993 Hayne PS to see what it would’ve yielded at auction. After all, it was Turley’s first release and some trophy hunter’s cellar would’ve been incomplete without one, but…

1997 Ricasoli Castello di Brolio, Chianti Classico. This was a better partner to the grilled flank steak. In fact, we drained this bottle rather easily, and I still have some of the Turley leftover to use as cooking wine. This Chianti was still going strong. It showed great balance between fruit, graphite minerality, and oak. Dried cherries with a bit of leather. Plenty of acidity to pair well with food, and softened, silky tannins. A glass of this reminded me why I drink wine.

2004 Paul Achs Chardonnay Trocken, Burgenland. Paul Achs is developing a reputation as an upcoming producer of red varietal wines from Austria’s Burgenland region. His Blaufrankisch, Zwiegelt, and single-vineyard Pinot Noir have been well-received. He also has a playful “picnic red” labeled Gols Rot. His chardonnay is unoaked. It’s all about the fruit, and this wine is a mouthful of pear, apple, and lemon. Good degree of acidity. Tiny bit of mineral. Don’t look for layered complexity or age-worthiness; but if you’re in the mood for a summer sipper, this is a good choice that would also pair well with lighter fare.

[Florida Jim]

A glass of this reminded me why I drink wine.

There it is.

What more could one ask?

Best, Jim