What’s the best wine for Thai takeout? Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling cuts the heat of shrimp curry with lemongrass perfectly, according to NorthJersey.com.
As for Deiss’ premier- and grand-cru offerings, check out these videos (all in French) of him explaining the distinction anf interplay between grape varietal and terroir in providing character in Alsatian wines, along with lengthy discussions of Altenberg de Bergheim, Burg, Rotenberg, and Burlenberg.
Jaime Goode of Wine Anorak has an excellent post up on Noval BLACK, which has just launched in the UK and is meeting with the same success it’s had in the US. Jaime loves how both the style of the wine and especially the packaging have effectively shaken up what he admits is “a sector in need of some new ideas.”
“Quinta do Noval’s ‘Noval BLACK’ is a brilliant idea. The simple label and the direct name are inspired. The wine is pretty good, too, of the quality of a decent LBV with slightly grippy, sweet raspberry pastille fruit with a hint of raisiny richness. It’s dense, spicy and quite pure. I’m drinking it now and it is delicious.”
Quite the praise from a man who loves his port. Jaime’s full post is here.
“Rarely has a young Bordeaux vintage been so much fun to taste as 2009.” So says Ian D’Agata, Stephen Tanzer’s man in Bordeaux and the director of the International Wine Academy of Rome, in the latest International Wine Cellar.
“If anything, the best wines of 2009 have a vaguely Burgundian quality to them, as difficult as that may be for the Bordelais to stomach! In my experience, this Burgundy quality is only to be found in great vintages. While it’s not too difficult to get powerful, balanced wines from cabernet and merlot in good vintages, it is a much rarer thing to unite the brute force those varieties are capable of achieving with the dainty, almost ethereal aromatics and gentle tannic architecture of 2009. And the best Bordeaux of 2009 are indeed wines of uncommon power, charm and perfume.”
In D’Agata’s telling, Châteaux Pétrus and Margaux come in for particular praise, and he calls Pavillon Rouge “my candidate for the best second wine of the year.” Full reviews are below the jump.
Disznókő’s 2008 Late Harvest has been awarded 90 points by the Wine Spectator! The Late Harvest, also called Késói Szüretelésú in Hungarian, is a traditional late-harvest style wine, made from shriveled, botrycized Furmint grapes and barrel fermented in the style of Sauternes. This process preserves the fresh acidity of the Furmint grape, creating wines with lift and verve. It’s a fantastic expression of the Disznókő vineyard.
Disznókő Late Harvest 2008, Tokaj
“A late-harvest style, medium-sweet, boasting apricot, spice, mineral and a lush texture. It remains clean and elegant, with fine balance and a bitter grapefruit aftertaste.” 90 Wine Spectator
Decanter’s Susie Barrie, MW, finds much to celebrate in “hot pinks”−rosé Champagnes−to wisk away the winter blues. Says Barrie, “the Champenois are finally sitting up and taking notice of the growing popularity of rosé and, as a result, the quality and the range of wines on offer is better than it has ever been.” Among her top five picks is Bruno Paillard’s Brut Rosé Première Cuvée, garnering four stars.
Bruno Paillard’s Brut Rosé Première Cuvée
“A restrained and yeasty style of rosé with a pale, onion skin colour. Made from mostly Pinot Noir with a touch of Chardonnay, it shows plenty of red apple fruit and has a fresh and appealing floral note on the nose.” 18/20 Decanter
“The best vintage of my lifetime.” That’s how Decanter’s Steven Spurrier describes the 2009 vintage in Bordeaux. Spurrier and colleagues James Lawther, MW, and Michel Bettane, have high praise across all appellations. Most astounding is a perfect score, 20 out of 20 points, awarded to Château Margaux, the highest rated wine of the vintage! Full reviews are below, and you can track Decanter’s coverage here.
Pomerol
Château Pétrus 2009, Pomerol
“A powerful tannic frame provides the structure, length and classicism of a grand Bordeaux but there’s also a modern purity and freshness of fruit. Winemaker Olivier Berrouet harvested slightly later, at the beginning of October, to guarantee maturity. Dense, complex and profound.” 19/20 Decanter
Château La Fleur-Pétrus 2009, Pomerol
“Fine, fragrant. Seduces by its elegance. Silky, smooth tannins provide length and persistence. Ripe and warm but balanced.” 17.5/20 Decanter
Margaux
Château Margaux 2009. Margaux
“Fine black red, quite magical bouquet, pure quality of cashmere silkiness on the palate with a touch of fragrance from Cabernet Franc, blending softness of attack with pure density. A wine of stunning fragrance and purity, the most perfect expression imaginable of the greatest of Margaux vineyards.” 20/20 Decanter
Pavillion Rouge 2009, Margaux
“Fine deep colour, great purity of Cabernet on the nose, a really beautiful wine, pure Margaux, perfect balance and unexpected length.” 18/20 Decanter
Pavillon Blanc 2009, Margaux
“Lemon pale, fresh and floral, much lighter in alcohol than in recent years and what it has lost in richness it has gained in minerality, both floral and steely and will age well.” 18/20 Decanter
Saint Estèphe
Chateau Cos d’Estournel 2009, Saint-Estèphe
“Superb black red, very full and spicy, very broadly structured, really quite massive and will take years to pick up finesse, a ‘baroque’ almost Porty wine, explosively rich and definitely impressive if not a typical Saint-Estèphe.” 18.5/20 Decanter