Chateau de Saint Cosme - Saint-Joseph 2011

We organized with friends the other day a "tongue-in-cheek" wine tasting, with a silly theme: red wines - Italy vs. French. After a long night and many heated debates (always surprises me how much emotions wine can provoke:) Italy won (by a small margin), but this particular wine was one of the wines of the tasting, and rightly so.

Saint-Joseph lived it`s heydays as early as in the 1400s, being the favorite wine region of Ludwig XII, the king of French, where he also owned a vineyard called "Clos de Tournon". The first officially recorded vineyard of the area dates back to 1668, with the name Saint-Joseph (after the eponymous saint), and was owned by the local Jesuits. Nowadays this, second largest AOC in the Northern Rhône right after Crozes-Hermitage, is kind of living it`s Renaissance, with increasing demand / popularity, and many high profile producers starting to get serious with it. There has been lately even a talk and suggestions of a possible new appellation (1er Cru Saint-Joseph). This is apparently propagated by J.L Chave and many other winemakers, in hopes of lifting the quality and prestige of the area.

Chateau de Saint Cosme - Saint-Joseph
2011
13,5%
28€ Wine-Searcher average price


This Saint-Joseph by Chateau de Saint Cosme is made with 100% Sérine, an ancient clone of Syrah grape, originating from the Northern Rhône (some people think it´s a grape of it`s own, rather than a clone). Some also claim that Sérine has actually more complexity, and more pronounced "Northern Rhône Syrah typicity" of smoke, pepper, olives, bacon fat etc. than a regular Syrah (Oh, the unfathomable abysses of wine nerdom..). Well, this wine is certainly not debunking the claim, though it isn`t proving it either. Wine is aged in 20% new oak – 40% in one year old barrels – 40% in two years old barrels.

Nice, quite transparent, ruby red color.
Not a super strong, but inviting nose of ripe strawberries, plums, smoke, a bit of oak(that faded away pretty fast), vanilla and black pepper.
On the palate wine feels very fresh, with strawberries, boysenberries, a bit af gaminess, and a good touch of pepper. Has also a strong smokey and savory character, which is highly delicious. Good acidity, and polished tannins. Alcohol is well hidden. Medium to long aftertaste of strawberries, smoke and a total white/black pepper galore, almost like a pepper bomb explosion.
Not an easy wine to understand maybe, even feels at first a bit introvert. But It`s a wine that grows on you slowly, and at the end you`re totally hooked, maybe like the Northern Rhône as a wine region in general.
Excellent and pure Northern Rhône Syrah(or Sérine) typicity. Elegant, and classical wine, which is not trying too hard. Though, I must say that this has all the elements of being even a much greater wine, and with just a little more umpf(better vintage? ageing?) it could be just that. Nevertheless an absolutely beautiful wine.
91-93

Famille Perrin - Vinsobres "Les Cornuds" 2012

I`m quite a bit into Rhône wines these days, specially Northern Rhône. It`s actually an area I`ve had an interest for years, at least "theoretically", yet somehow just manage to neglect it all the time. Go figure...
This wine is from Vinsobres, Southern Rhône, made by the Perrin family, better known for their Chateauneuf du Pape`s. Vinsobres is a tiny village which previously had a Côtes du Rhône village status, but in 2006 it was changed into it`s own AOC. Wines must be made from an equal mix of Grenache and Syrah(or Mouvedre). It`s vineyards are considered to be the most northern in the Southern Rhône area.

Famille Perrin - Vinsobres "Les Cornuds"
2012
14,5%
11€ Wine-Searcher average price

This is lovely!
Has a subtle but elegant nose of ripe dark berries, white pepper, hint of oak, but not too much. On the palate this is surprisingly fresh and lively; with strawberries, fresh blueberries, hint of woodsy stuff and spices. Vinsobres is in the border of S- Rhône and N- Rhône, in a quite high elevation, and this is showing definitely here; Northern Rhône freshness meets Southern Rhône lushness. Strong mouthfeel, good acidity, and also quite big tannins, which indicates that this will age at least a good 5-10 years. Delicious aftertaste with earthy notes, pepper and strawberries. 14,5% Alc. is very well integrated.
For the price, pretty damn delicious Rhône wine.
89-90

Baron Knyphausen - Ortslage Erbach Riesling Kabinett 2012

As the spring has officially arrived, mind turns more and more from red wines towards white`s, alas, for me, it´s fair to say, predominantly Rieslings. Theme: value wines, seems to continue here..

Baron Knyphausen - Ortslage Erbach Riesling Kabinett 2012
11,5%
12€ (from a Wine Shop in Berlin)



Cistercian monks from the famous Kloster Eberbach founded the Klosterhof Drais in 1141. Knyphausen family, which is now making wines in seventh generation, purchased the property in the early 1800`s. So the winery can trace it`s roots all the way back to the misty haze of High Middle Age`s. Nicht schlecht...

This Rheingau Riesling is representing the second step (Ortswein) in the new classification pyramid formed by the VDP(Verband Deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitätsweingüter). And the grapes are coming from the vineyards surrounding the village of Erbach (Rheingau).

A bit subdued aromatically (though opened more on the next day): some lemon, petrol, yeast and in the background a hint of petrichor. Quite intensive fruit on the palate: pineapple, some peach, backed apple and lime. Feels maybe a touch sweet at first, but the strong acidity keeps the sweetness in check. It cleans and lift`s the whole palate and fruit beautifully, letting it float on a higher and more elegant level. The acids surely are strong and sharp, but not too violent.
After the midpalate happens something quite crude and sudden; the fruit turns to stone. Ok, please bear with me, It really feels that the fruit, which at first attacked intensely, glided and floated, oh so elegantly, through the whole midpalate, just abruptly crashes in to a wall at 200 km/h and breaks. It breaks in to a tiny, fine-grained pieces of limestone, marl, and whatnot. And what is left on the palate, is only a long aftertaste of intense mineral dust storm, no fruit, no honey, no citrus, nothing. Just a stoic Symphony of minerals. Fascinating.
Sure, this wine may not be balanced by any stretch of imagination, it`s actually all over the place, but then again it sure is interesting. I just don`t get bored with this; like a piece of art or literature that you don´t quite understand or even enjoy, but theres just something that draw`s you in. Surprisingly thought provoking wine, but kind of hard to rate. (Dunno, I may give up using the silly point`s anyway)
But, yeah in my opinion this is about as good as it gets for the price point, for a white wine.
90

Pio Cesare - Barolo 2010

Reviews of "way too young Barolos" are continuing apparently:)

Pio Cesare is one of the most historical and storied houses in Langhe, and with it`s relatively large production and emphasis on export, it´s one of the most well known as well. Back in the days, their Barolo was probably one of the first I`ve ever tasted.
Their house style kind of balances between traditional and modern. It depends a bit on the wine, and their single wineyard Barolos are definitely on the modern side. But this blended Barolo on the other hand is leaning more toward traditional and classical style. A Barolo "normale" With grapes coming from four different wineyards in Serralunga d`Alba,(Ornato), Grinzane Cavour(Gustava), La Morra(Roncaglie), Barolo(Ravera).

Pio Cesare
Barolo
2010
DOCG
14,5%
55€ (60$) Wine-searcher average price


Nice, very translucent color of ruby red and tad bit orange on the rim.
Intense aromas of dried red and dark berries, subtle oak,(that faded away as the wine breathed), some herbs(rosemary and sage), asphalt, tar, quite a bit of mushroomy action, tobacco leaves and smoke(kind of like Latakia, a smoke-cured tobacco from Syria).
Suberb structure, massive tannins that are actually delicious, not bitter. Medium to full bodied, and silky smooth on the palate. Quite strong acidity, nice freshness, and good fruit. Delicious combination of red and dark berries, tar, liquorice, smokiness. Savory. Loads of umami here. A bit like a salty liquorice candy with a bright red berry marmalade core. There`s also a hint of subtle oak on the palate, but as in the aromas, that faded away as the wine breathed. Beautiful and long aftertaste with ashy tannins, tar, Cuban cigar and dried berries. Alcohol is totally integrated.
Sure, I`m drinking this way too young, but this is showing fantastic balance already, and is just super delicious, so it sure isn`t a crime to pop one up. I have some still in cellar, so will be interesting to see how it develops.
Refined, yet extremely powerful Barolo with an impressive balance and elegance already.
94+