Originally Betsy was supposed to be out of town Friday, so I had agreed
to a night with a local tasting group. Then her plans changed, so she
was home. Luckily the tasting group was meeting at 8:30, so we had an
early dinner. Betsy made some lemon-herb duck breast, served with
leftover mushroom risotto. I opened the 1997 Ceretto "Zonchera" Barolo
Fruit-forward with ripe cherries and raspberries and quite oaky, not
bad. The following night it showed better - round, with ripe red fruit
and some tar as well as some vanilla. B+

The tasting group had a Rh=F4ne theme for this month. The wines were
served blind, and accompanied by cheese and pate.

Fruity and easy, a bit of pepper and spice. Fairly light, but quite
pleasant. It's the 2001 Jaboulet "Parallele 45" C=F4tes du Rh=F4ne. A
former QPR fave that had slipped over a few vintages, best in a while.
B

Next up is a medium-bodied red. Some smoke and grilled meat, modest red
fruit. A tad acidic. Guy who brought it says it's 100% one grape, so I
take a stab in the dark and guess St. Joseph. Turns out to be the 2002
Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage. Not awful, but not up to Graillot's
usual standards. B

Bigger, with some floral notes and leather, the next wine has mostly
black fruit but with a note of kirsch. It's the 2000 Chante Perdrix
Ch=E2teauneuf-du-Pape. Pretty good. B+/B

Next wine is even bigger, a ripe somewhat tannic red. Very ripe kirsch
and blackberry liquer fruit, a little toasty oak, low acid. I guess an
early arriving 2003 CdP, it is not, it's the 2001 Vieux Telegraphe "La
Crau" Ch=E2teauneuf-du-Pape. Nice wine, needs a little time for the
tannins to resolve. B+/A-

Next wine has some light oak, modest acidity, and rather dilute fruit.
I't's the 2001 Domaine Duseigneur "Angelique" Lirac. I'd pass. B-/C+

My wine was the 1998 Guy Bernard C=F4te-R=F4tie. Decanted a couple of
hours, it had some smoky bacon aromas.Not an especially big C-R, but a
nicely structured medium-bodied wine that developed in the glass, with
some freshly plowed earth and floral notes intertwining with the
bacon/meat aromas above the fruit. A-/B+

By this time it was midnight, the host brought out another Rhone, the
2001 Louis Bernard C=F4tes du Rh=F4ne. After the last few, this seemed
light and simple, but I'm not sure I was paying much attention so no
score.

Then Saturday we had some friends over for dinner. The appetizer was
smoked salmon canapes, with which I served the 2001 Johann Donabaum
Spitzer Point Reserve Gr=FCner Veltliner. Big rich Gruner, white fruit
with a touch of apricot and pineapple, possibly just the slightest bit
off-dry. Long finish from this mouth-filling wine. Label says there's
some light botrytis here, wouldn't have guessed except maybe that
apricot note. Best so far of the GVs from I've gottten from
winemonger.com, even if less typical than the '02 Donabaum. A-

Main course was leg of lamb (rosemary/garlic), with sides of baked rice
with almonds, salad, and a spicy green bean dish with coconut (?!). As
noted above, the '97 Barolo showed a bit better than previous night. We
also served the 1995 Ch.Quinault (St. Emilion). This is the estate now
known as Quinault l'Enclos, but the wine was made before Dr. Raynaud
bought the property. Nice medium-bodied Merlot, with sweet red plum
fruit and fully resolved tannins. There's a distinct mineral/leadpencil
note, and a bit of spice. This is fully mature, the first 1995 I
remember saying that about. Smooth and easy, and a big hit around the
table. A-

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency

Aha! Getting to know your GV tastes as we go along! We have a new wine
coming over on our next container that I think you'll quite like.

Regarding the botrytis & res. sugar level, I think that the vintner
Johann Donabaum can describe the wine best:
"This is a very outspoken Gr=FCner Veltliner; multifaceted and
multilayered. It's a Gr=FCner that can be cellared for a very long
time. It shows mineral notes from the terroir and has a very light
botrytis note: it has 30% botrytis, but over 7 g/l acid. This is more
acid than in other years, and we had to therefore harvest it quite
late: after November. When we harvested the grapes they were at 120
oechsles (21.5 kmw.) So this wine really turned out too good because we
were actually trying to make Smaragd level. That is why this one became
a Reserve. It fermented slowly, due to the high sugar, until March and
was left on the yeast until August before being filled. The result is a
wine that is very spicy with white pepper notes. A little bit of green
aromas inside in the direction of gooseberry. On the palate it is very
straight; it has force. Very elegant. The residual sugar is more
integrated now. It still needs time to become more balanced; another 3
years to become optimal."=20

E=2E

Aha! Getting to know your GV tastes as we go along! We have a new wine
coming over on our next container that I think you'll quite like.

Regarding the botrytis & res. sugar level, I think that the vintner
Johann Donabaum can describe the wine best:
"This is a very outspoken Gr=FCner Veltliner; multifaceted and
multilayered. It's a Gr=FCner that can be cellared for a very long
time. It shows mineral notes from the terroir and has a very light
botrytis note: it has 30% botrytis, but over 7 g/l acid. This is more
acid than in other years, and we had to therefore harvest it quite
late: after November. When we harvested the grapes they were at 120
oechsles (21.5 kmw.) So this wine really turned out too good because we
were actually trying to make Smaragd level. That is why this one became
a Reserve. It fermented slowly, due to the high sugar, until March and
was left on the yeast until August before being filled. The result is a
wine that is very spicy with white pepper notes. A little bit of green
aromas inside in the direction of gooseberry. On the palate it is very
straight; it has force. Very elegant. The residual sugar is more
integrated now. It still needs time to become more balanced; another 3
years to become optimal."=20

E=2E

DaleW wrote:
> Originally Betsy was supposed to be out of town Friday, so I had agreed
> to a night with a local tasting group. Then her plans changed, so she
> was home. Luckily the tasting group was meeting at 8:30, so we had an
> early dinner. Betsy made some lemon-herb duck breast, served with
> leftover mushroom risotto. I opened the 1997 Ceretto "Zonchera" Barolo
> Fruit-forward with ripe cherries and raspberries and quite oaky, not
> bad. The following night it showed better - round, with ripe red fruit
> and some tar as well as some vanilla. B+

I realize that I should know this already, but is Ceretto considered a
"modern" producer?


> Next up is a medium-bodied red. Some smoke and grilled meat, modest red
> fruit. A tad acidic. Guy who brought it says it's 100% one grape, so I
> take a stab in the dark and guess St. Joseph. Turns out to be the 2002
> Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage. Not awful, but not up to Graillot's
> usual standards. B

In all fairness to the estimable M. Graillot, '02 was a difficult year
to say the least...

> Then Saturday we had some friends over for dinner. The appetizer was
> smoked salmon canapes, with which I served the 2001 Johann Donabaum
> Spitzer Point Reserve Grüner Veltliner. Big rich Gruner, white fruit
> with a touch of apricot and pineapple, possibly just the slightest bit
> off-dry. Long finish from this mouth-filling wine. Label says there's
> some light botrytis here, wouldn't have guessed except maybe that
> apricot note. Best so far of the GVs from I've gottten from
> winemonger.com, even if less typical than the '02 Donabaum. A-

In case you'd forgotten my review of this wine:
c: deep gold
n: toasty, pepper, slightly hot
p: rich entry, apricot, melon, honey, crisp finish

Wow! As much as I liked the Smaragd, this wine was even more
impressive. It had complexity, balance and length with potential for
improvement with age.

So your pineapple is my melon ;-)

Mark Lipton
(drinking a Mauritiushof Riesling this evening)

Mark,

Ceretto is definitely modern. The Zonchera is their "low-end' (if the
term has any meaning with Barolo prices!) wine, designed for earlier
consumption.

I didn't recall your exact note, but your notes were what prompted me
to buy this wine and the '02 Loibnergarten Smaragd (next up!).

How was the Mauritiushof ?

thanks for additonal info, interesting!

DaleW wrote:
> Mark,
>
> Ceretto is definitely modern. The Zonchera is their "low-end' (if the
> term has any meaning with Barolo prices!) wine, designed for earlier
> consumption.
>
> I didn't recall your exact note, but your notes were what prompted me
> to buy this wine and the '02 Loibnergarten Smaragd (next up!).
>
> How was the Mauritiushof ?
>

It was very nice, in a lighter Riseling sort of way. We had it with
Thai curries, and it was a bit overmatched, but still good. For a
Smaragd, it was surprisingly light on the palate, but perhaps I just
need to recalibrate for Austrian Rieslings.

Mark Lipton

DaleW wrote:
> Mark,
>
> Ceretto is definitely modern. The Zonchera is their "low-end' (if the
> term has any meaning with Barolo prices!) wine, designed for earlier
> consumption.
>
> I didn't recall your exact note, but your notes were what prompted me
> to buy this wine and the '02 Loibnergarten Smaragd (next up!).
>
> How was the Mauritiushof ?
>

It was very nice, in a lighter Riseling sort of way. We had it with
Thai curries, and it was a bit overmatched, but still good. For a
Smaragd, it was surprisingly light on the palate, but perhaps I just
need to recalibrate for Austrian Rieslings.

Mark Lipton

Hi Mark-
I think you are right in general (but of course there are big, fat
Austrian Riesling exceptions!) This particular Riesling has 6.6 g/l
res. sugar, to 7 g/l acid, and while it was aged in large oak barrels,
it remains quite light. I think a better match for this wine would be
something like ceviche.

e.

wrote:

> Aha! Getting to know your GV tastes as we go along! We have a
> new wine coming over on our next container that I think you'll
> quite like.
>
> Regarding the botrytis & res. sugar level, I think that the
> vintner Johann Donabaum can describe the wine best:
> "This is a very outspoken Grüner Veltliner;

What vintage are we talking about?

M., slightly exhausted on the evening of day 2 of a two day blind
marathon of 371 GVs of the 2004 vintage.

It's his 2001.

My partner just brought back the 2004's from our vintners and I can't
wait to taste through them! Don't have to get through 371, and don't
have to do it blind, so it's all fun and games for me.

e.