Rainoldi, Valtellina, Sfursat 'Fruttaio Ca'Rizzieri', 1999
medium maroonish red colored. Cherry-plum and burnt pumpkin spice, slight motor grease to the nose. Cherry-plum stick with dried, concentrated flavors. Feels fresher than a wine of 14.5% alcohol, tasting lively, not heavy at all. Although done in the same dried-grape methods as Amarones, this has a lighter feel to those sometimes volatile feeling wines. But also, the method takes away some of the distinctiveness of the nebbiolo it comes from. An interesting first experience. A-
Rene Rostaing, Côte Rotie, 1995
This is the basic bottling otherwise known as 'cuvee classique' in winesellers catalogs. Nothing great or special here, just honest, mature syrah without spoof. Quite elegant and a little on the light side, with iron rust, Italian plums, and Faygo Redpop®. Metallic notes show even more with extended airing. B+/A-
Campogiovanni, Brunello di Montalcino, 1997
Deeply maroon ruby. Plums and frutti di bosco on the nose. The first night this had sour plums and sour cherry components, with mild licorice root, firm tannins giving in to a very glycerin-ry finish. The second night, this showed much better, more balanced, and it lost that glycerin gravy it had the first night (don't ask me to explain how!). The first night was good, but the second made me say "yea-uh". B+ to A-
13.5%
Domaine Saint Anne, Saint Gervais (Côte du Rhône Villages), 'les Mourillons', 2001
[This is the 100% syrah blend aged in barrique] Smoky thyme-soaked plums on the deep nose. Deep plum and mulberry, nice cutting acidity to keep things lively. Strong and hearty, but the finish is a little short. Still youthful. Tastes of a mourvedre component, even though this is 100% syrah (or supposed to be). Try next bottle in 3-4 years. Delicious, and better than the 1999. A-
Schäfer-Fröhlich, Schlossbökelheimer Felsenberg, Riesling - S, 2006
First 2006 German riesling I've had. I could see how this would be construed as ripe: tropical fruits, namely kumquat and guanabana, with a whack of sweet-sour sugar on the finish. But this also has some lovely acidity as well, something nearly every German vintage still brings with it regardless of the vintage. That said, it doesn't have the feel of a long-ager to me, but for something over the next 5-6 years? I think so. A-, on pure pleasure. 7.5%
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