Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile
'93--Nice big nose of apple, mineral
and floral notes. Round and not-too-acidic in the mouth, with citrus
and mineral flavors. A very long, refined aftertaste fleshes out a
big, yet elegant wine.
A-
For other excellent white wines, see the notes from the Hugel seminar.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
'95--OK, so this is expensive. But it's
also good. Deep nose of plum, earth and leather. Plenty of depth on
the palate, with good plum and currant flavors, along with a spicy
oak frame. A big wine with a big finish of oak and fruit. Is it worth
the money? That's between you and your wallet.
A-
Cline Zinfandel Jacuzzi Vineyard
'96--Big raspberry nose. Plenty of
blackberry, raspberry and plum flavors above a firm but smooth tannic
structure. A long finish of fruit and tannin promises good things for
the future of this wine. Another favorite of the vintage, but too
pricey for me.
A-
Clos Pegase Merlot Napa Valley
'96--Sweet blackberry nose with a touch
of alcohol. Smooth lush blackberry and plum flavors in the mouth. The
long, luxurious finish is framed by gripping tannins.
A-
Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
'96--Very lush currant and dark berry
nose. Plenty of berries, plums and currants in the mouth. Long finish
with dark fruit and decent tannins.
A-
Edmunds St. John Syrah Durell Vineyard
Sonoma Valley '95--Lovely aromas of
plums and other dark fruits; complex and full. Lush dark fruit
flavors along with leather, and a balanced, elegant finish with
plenty of blackberry flavors and soft, round tannins. Seems slightly
more closed than when I tried it last year. Needs time.
A
Ravenswood Zinfandel Monte Rosso
'96--Rich blackberry nose, with some
alcohol apparent. Lots of blackberries along with plum flavors and
obvious oak in the mouth. Fairly tannic, for a zin, on the long
berry-laced finish. One of the better zins of the vintage, IMHO.
A-
Renwood Zinfandel Grandmere Vineyard
'95--Big blackberry and raspberry nose.
Very smoothly integrated blackberry, boysenberry and plum flavors on
the palate, finishing quite long with blackberry, black cherry and an
oak note. More refined than Renwood Zins used to be, and my favorite
Zin of the tasting.
A-
Renwood Zinfandel Grandpere Vineyard
'96--Shy nose with plum and even a
floral/violet note which seemed to appear with aeration. Smooth,
abundant plum flavors which last for some time. Smooth tannins and a
healthy dose of oak round out the picture. Not my favorite style of
Zin, but a good effort.
A-
Rosenblum Zinfandel Paso Robles Richard
Sauret Vineyard '97--Leather and earth
show first on the nose, but a little swirling reveals cherries and
berries, seemed a bit closed at first. Black raspberries and
blackberries are framed by vanilla oak. Very lush mouthfeel, and not
too tannic. A nice effort.
A-
Shafer Firebreak '96--Plum and violet aromas, black cherry and plum flavors,
with a medium-length finish of black cherries, and a bit of cleansing
acidity. Moderate tannins give just enough structure.
A-
Bonny Doon Muscat Vin de Glaciere
'97--This "freezer" wine has a lush
floral and orange typical muscat nose, with only a bit of honey to
hint at what comes next. Big honeyed orange and peach flavors, with a
long, smooth finish. Like many CA dessert wines, could use more
acidity, but it drinks very well right now. Another successful
vintage for this wine.
A-
Dow Reserve Port '82--What other houses might call a "Colheita",or
single-vintage tawny Port. Layers of black fruit and vanilla seem to
go on forever. A rich, sweet Port, which actually seems somewhere
between a tawny and LBV in style.
A-
Lustau Oloroso Del Tonel Sherry
NV--Very rich, with much less oxidation
than one might expect from a sherry. Nose is a little shy, but there
are plenty of flavors of caramel, toffee, and dried fruits. A very
tasty dessert style sherry.
A-
Lustau Moscatel Solera Reserva Superior
Emilin Sherry NV--Candied orange-peel
and floral Muscat aromas. Complex flavors of orange, toffee, coffee,
caramel and candied fruit. Long, long fruit finish. Very sweet, and
sticks on the palate, but manages to stop just short of cloying. An
excellent sherry.
A-
Inniskillin Vidal Icewine Niagara
'97--Peaches and honey on the nose. The
palate shows some lychee, along with peaches, honey and cream. Very
sweet, with an acid balance. Long finish. This is what Vidal Icewine
should taste like.
A
Joseph Phelps Eisrebe '96
(?)--Concentrated apricot and honey
nose and flavors. Very sweet, but finishes clean. An excellent CA
dessert wine.
A-
Renwood Zinfandel Amador Ice
'96--OK, this Zin dessert wine isn't
for everyone, and it isn't what one normally thinks of as Zin.
However, it has generous honeyed peach and plum aromas, and plenty of
honey and peach flavors in the mouth. A long peachy finish with
bitter almond overtones. Some might find this wine a bit cloying, but
for me, it was just on the right side of the line. Still, I'd drink
it soon, as it might not have the structure to age.
A-
Quinta do Noval Colheita Port
'81--Wonderful, easy drinking yet
complex wine. Raisins, and plums dominate, though there are hints of
vanilla and spices, as well as some anise and rancio flavors on the
very long finish. A "super-tawny"...
A-
Valckenberg Chardonnay Eiswein Rheinhessen
'96--The first Chardonnay Eiswein I've
ever seen from Germany. Nose is of candied pears and peaches. Very
sweet in the mouth with honeyed peach and pear flavors. Thick and
rich. Long sweet pear and honey finish with a floral note. Unusual
and very nice dessert wine.
A
For other excellent dessert wines, see the notes from the Hugel and Tokaji seminars.
Email questions, corrections or
comments.
Copyright 1999 Marcel Lachenmann.
All rights reserved.