Opinionated About Dining

Loads of Wine Tasting Notes

         

                                                                               

                      

Please forgive me but I have been late in posting my wine tasting notes. Many of these notes date back to the springtime.  A number of them come from a trip to France and Spain back in April where, in spite of the bad exchange rate, I found great bargains on many of the wine lists of top restaurants. In particular, I had a good run of Clos St. Hunes, with examples from 1973, 1979, and 1982. I also had a spate of unbelievable Riojas at local tastings, including great bottles from the 1925, 1928, 1947, and 1949 vintages. Of course, let's not forget  a number of other stunning bottles from the various regions I enjoy drinking. And while I know reading about them is not the same as tasting the wines, I hope these notes convey the feeling of drinking them.

Southern Rhone

1981 Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape – Like delicious shoe leather with tar and gravel mixed in. Violets, black olives, and red meat. Beautifully balanced. For me this is best Beaucastel over the last 25 years A

1990 Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Great stuff. Spicy violets and loads of raspberry grenache. Amazing extraction and pure fruit. A

1990 Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - Now here's a rarity. Provencal herbs. Amazing complexity and it will improve A-

1989 Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Cuvee Centenaire" - Serious and brooding and not as ripe as the 1990. Sort of like Pegau with more finesse. B+

1995 Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape - In a dumb phase. Less of that spicy raspberry grenache you get with the 1990 Rayas. Wait at least five years or you'll be wasting it. B+

1999 Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin - Closed, closed, closed. Hard to say. B+

1989 Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Les Cailloux" - Still very closed. Lots of tar and gravel. Dark and meaty. B-

2000 Domaine Richaud Cote de Rhone L'Ebrescaude - A river of purple. Chewy sucker with firm tannins and a chalky finish. This needs loads more time. C+

2000 Andre Soumade Rasteau Cuvee Confiance - A bit tannic, but it opened with time. Lots of oomph for a CdR and it got spicy with air. C+

1989 Domaine Santa Duc Gigandas Haut Garriques - Dense and extracted. Chalky on the finish. Mouthfeel not particularly smooth. C

1978 Pignan Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Not much fruit left. Considering what it's worth at auction, it's a shame to drink it. D+

1990 Chateau Pesquie Cote de Ventoux Quintessence - Over the hill, with most of the fruit dried out. D+

1978 Clos Mont-Olivet Chateuneuf-du-Pape - Old bones. I thought this would have more life from a magnum. D