wien Archives - whiskytanuki

Domaine de la Denante Les Maillettes Saint-Veran 2014

May 13, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Domaine de la Denante Les Maillettes Saint-Veran 2014

Colour: Pale straw

Nose: Honey, peach, melon, stone, grass, white flower, light citrus, touch of oak.

Palate: Dry, medium+ body, medium acidity. Melon, citrus, mineral, honey.

Finish: Long finish, crushed stone, salt, faint nuts.

Score: 77+/100

First time having a wine from Saint-Veran, and it was a pleasant surprise. The wine throughout gives me a very rounded impression.

The nose was youthful, but rather complex, showing various concentrated stone fruits and touch of floral and grassiness, alongside a touch of oak.

It feels very rounded on the palate, but falls short on complexity, wouldn’t describe it as elegant either, just rather simple. Followed by a mineral driven finish with a touch of warm nuttiness in the very end.

Even though on the back label it says “Drink by 2020”, I would say this wine will definitely evolve with 1-2 more years of age. Drinking well now despite falling short on the palate, would hold.

I brought this wine to a blind tasting, since one of my whisky friend said him and his wife doesn’t enjoy chardonnay, and I went on a mission to find one that they will enjoy. I assumed he didn’t enjoy the new world, bold style, buttery Sonoma/Napa chard. This wine was a great success, it was a lot more to his liking and it feels good to re-introduce someone to a grape.

Chateau Tour Baladoz Saint Emilion Grand Cru 1998

March 12, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Chateau Tour Baladoz Saint Emilion Grand Cru 1998

Colour: Dark ruby core, clear ruby rim.

Nose: Old leather, red cherry, blackberry, liquorice, rice candy undertone, touch of floral note.

Palate: Dry, medium bodied, medium acidity, medium silky tannins. Red cherry, red currants, cocoa powder, liquorice, earthy.

Finish: Medium+ finish, liquorice, touch of menthol, and a touch of oak.

Score: 78/100

The wine is still alive, shown from its acidity. The nose is very typical of ordinary old Bordeaux, showing leather, liquorice, and some fruits. The palate is quite juicy, but rather single dimensional, still alive but not for much longer. Drink now.

Château Castigno Secret du Dieux Saint Chinian 2011, Bolla Le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2009, Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino 2011, Gundlach Bundschu Vintage Reserve Red 2012.

March 3, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Château Castigno Secret du Dieux Saint Chinian 2011

Colour: Clear medium ruby

Nose: Lower intensity nose, dates, ripe red cherry, touch of plum sauce, liquorice.

Palate: Dry, medium+ bodied, medium acidity, medium+ tannins. Plum, red cherry, touch of pine.

Finish: Medium+ finish, spice and dark fruits.

Score: 76/100

Drinking well now, could also use a few more years in the cellar.

Bolla Le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2009

Colour: Clear medium garnet

Nose: Surprisingly savoury nose, roasted red pepper, smoked meat, undertone of dried cherry, plum, and a touch of peppercorn.

Palate: Dry, medium-full bodied, medium+ acidity, medium tannins. Cherry, plum, integrated oak, Chinese five spice, hints of tobacco.

Finish: Long finish, soft plum.

Score:82/100

The roasted red pepper note caught me off-guard, surprisingly savoury and dry for Amarone, guessing more producer these days trying to go for a drier Amarone rather than an off-dry style.

Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino 2011

Colour: Clear medium garnet

Nose: Cured meat, white-out, cherry, dried strawberry, raspberry, plum, and a touch salt.

Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity, medium tannins. Plum, cured meat, liquorice, cherry candy, touch of dry flower.

Finish: Long finish, touch of oak and salt.

Score: 84/100

Still needs a few more years to get things together, got good complexity and structure to back it up. While the 2011 is approachable now, I’d say cellar for at least 3-5 more years and check back.

Gundlach Bundschu Vintage Reserve Red 2012

Colour: Clear dark purple core

Nose: Strong liquorice, blackberry, blackcurrant, green leafy note, oil paint, hint of eucalyptus.

Palate: Full-bodied, medium+ acidity, high grippy tannins. Plums, black currant, black cherry, touch of green note again, mineral.

Finish: Long finish, plums and oak.

Score: 82/100

Prime example of really ripe crop, have decent complexity and structure for further development, the tannins needs to be soften up for another 5 or so years. Personally not my style.

Small Gully Mr. Black’s Concoction Shiraz/Viognier 2013

March 1, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Small Gully Mr. Black’s Concoction Shiraz/Viognier 2013

Colour: Medium+ purple core

Nose: Immediately greeted by a whiff of smoke, followed by black cherry and black raspberry, liquorice and baking spices.

Palate: Full bodied, medium+ acidity, medium silky tannins. Spices and dark fruits in harmony, a touch of well integrated oak and vanilla. The fruit is well balanced with acidity.

Finish: Long finish, black cherry and lingering spices.

Score: 81/100

I have to admit I have a soft spot for a smoky wine, and this wine delivers. Also at a fantastic price point consider I got it for $18CAD($13.50USD) on a store clearance.

Schroder & Schyler Margaux Private Reserve 1982

February 24, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Schroder & Schyler Margaux Private Reserve 1982

Schroder & Schyler own’s the famous Margaux third growth winery – Chateau Kirwan, and this is their “Private Reserve label”, which other than Margaux they also produce a Medoc and Saint-Emilion variant. This particular wine is made from 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Bottled at 12% ABV.

Colour: Medium-tawny core, light red rim.

Nose: Clean nose, worn leather, dust, plum, red currant, dark cherry, touch of spice, faint liquorice.

Palate: Dry, medium- body, medium- acidity, low-medium tannis, dusty plum, red raspberry, cured meat, touch herbal.

Finish: Medium long finish, faint suggestion of dried chili pepper.

Score: 81/100
Do note I score tighter than the average

The top part of the cork didn’t look alright, but after carefully inserting my corkpops needle into the cork via a lot of twisting and fiddling, the cork appears to be fine below.
Surprisingly it’s still alive, got some decent notes from it, but it’s definitely way past it’s prime, doesn’t have the powerful complexity of the more modern Margaux I’ve tried, and this is no match to Chateau Margaux 1982 for obvious reasons. Still have a bottle of Chateau Margaux 1982, will open that in the future and post notes.

Chateau de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet 2014, Roux Pere & Fils Les Valozieres Aloxe-Corton 2013, Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc Barolo 2011, Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

February 9, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Château de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 1er Cru 2014

Colour: Pale lemon

Nose: Clean nose, mineral, peach, pineapple, citrus, white flower.

Palate: Dry, full bodied, high acidity, citrus, pineapple, mineral.

Finish: Long finish, mineral and pineapple.

Score: 75+/100

On the simple side, aside from the long finish, nothing special.

Roux Père & Fils Les Valozières Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru 2013

Colour: Light purple core

Nose: Clean nose, cedar, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, floral, touch of smoke.

Palate: Dry, medium body, high acidity, low tannins, raspberry, salt, mineral, sour cherry, pepper.

Finish: Medium finish, raspberry, cherry, touch of oak.

Score: 80+/100

Lacks layers of complexity of a great burgundy.

Paolo Scavino Bric dël Fiasc Barolo 2011

Colour: Medium purple core

Nose: Clean nose, black tea, banana, light red fruits, floral, touch of earthiness.

Palate: Dry, medium+ body high acidity, full tannins, raspberry, sour cherries, blackberries, well integrated oak, touch of spice.

Finish: Medium+ finish, red fruits, oak.

Score: 86+/100

Classic Barolo on the nose, drinking quite well now but will definitely improve in the next 5-15 years.

Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2012

Colour: Dark purple core

Nose: Clean nose, liquorice, black currant, bell pepper, black currant leaf, black cherry, raspberry, mineral.

Palate: Dry, full body, full grippy tannins. Black currant, blackberries, raspberries, liquorice, well integrated oak, floral, pepper.

Finish: Long finish, black fruits, oak, and a touch of spice.

Score: 84+/100

Classic Napa cab sauv, showing great depth, great refinement. Wouldn’t pay $275CAD asking price for it.

**Do note I score tighter than average, and price isn’t part of the considering for scoring.

Conclusion: Burgundy and Napa over priced as usual, and there are better Barolo for less.

Rocche dei Manzoni Bricco Manzoni Langhe Rosso 2010

January 26, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Rocche dei Manzoni Bricco Manzoni Langhe Rosso 2010

Sat in the glass for 2 hours before reviewing.
Blend of 80% Nebbiolo and 20% Barbera, first time trying a wine from Langhe(Piedmont), and a blend of this sort.

Colour: Medium purple core, with some sign of ageing.

Nose: Clean nose, high intensity. Liquorice, sweet cherries, red currants, sweet bread, touch of mineral notes.
Rather complex nose that takes advantage of at least 1-2 hours of decanting.

Palate: Dry, medium+ body, medium+ acidity, full grippy tannins. Cherries, spices, raspberry, hint of leather, touch of oak. Well integrated flavor.

Finish: Long finish, violets, oak, red fruits.

Score: 82/100

Overall fairly well made from an excellent vintage in Piedmont, the tannins suggests this could benefit from perhaps another 2-5 years of ageing. The tannins makes it enjoyable with grilled meat, would love to see how this develops in the next few years.

E.Guigal Saint-Joseph 2012

January 23, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

E.Guigal Saint-Joseph 2012

Decanted for 2 hours.

Colour: Dark-purple core

Nose: Clean nose, medium+ intensity, smoked meat, red and dark fruits, sour cherry, leather, violet, touch of spice.

Palate: Dry, full bodied, medium acidity, full tannins, juicy currants, black cherries, stewed red fruits, pepper, savory meat.

Finish: Medium+ finish, more pepper, touch of earthy mushroom.

Score: 80/100

I have a soft spot for wines with smoky quality, this is a very standard Saint-Joseph expression, well balanced, flavour are nice and impactful, while retaining some of the elegance of Northern Rhone.

I think Rhone produce some of the best value wines in the world, usually very consistent in quality even at the lower price bracket.