Tag: tasting notes

2022-04-02

Kellerei St. Michael Eppan Cantina

Some notes on wines made by St. Michael-Eppan, a co-op winery located an arduous 600m walk from where I live. They have a large selection of wines across several ranges, of which the Sanct Valentin wines are the top of the range, and the single vineyard wines are the middle. The quality seems generally excellent.

2020 St Michael-Eppan Schulthauser Weißburgunder
Colour: medium(-) lemon-green
Nose: medium(-) intensity, secondary, youthful, clean. Fresh and stewed pear, heritage apple varieties. Lemon, lemon peel. Lemon curd. Apricots. Wet stones. Some leesy richness. Just the slightest hint of cedary French oak.
Palate: medium(+) acidity, medium alcohol (13,5%), medium bodied. Medium(+) intensity, medium(+) length finish. Fresh and stewed pear, heritage apple varieties. Lemon, lemon peel. Lemon curd. Apricots. Wet stones, saline, minerally. Some leesy richness. Just the slightest hint of cedary French oak (15% is barrel fermented). Bracing, fresh, lithe, stoney.
Conclusions: very good to outstanding. Can drink now, but suitable for ageing or further ageing.
Seal: DIAM5 cork.

2019 St Michael-Eppan Sanct Valentin Chardonnay
Colour: medium(-) lemon-green
Nose: medium intensity, secondary, youthful, clean. Lemon, lemon curd. Peach, nectarine. Passionfruit, pineapple? Cedar, hazelnut, walnut, vanilla. Honeycomb. Butter, leesy richness.
Palate: dry, medium(+) acidity, medium alcohol (14%), medium(+) bodied. Medium(+) intensity, medium(+) length finish. Lemon, lemon curd. Peach, nectarine. Passionfruit, pineapple? Cedar, hazelnut, walnut, vanilla. Honeycomb. Butter, leesy richness. Some glycerolic richness, smooth mouthfeel. Good example of a rich, riper, medium(+) bodied Chardonnay. Richness and alcohol are nicely balanced by the acidity. Don’t serve too cold!
Conclusions: very good. Can drink now, but suitable for further ageing.

2019 St Michael-Eppan Lagrein Riserva
Colour: intense purple
Nose: intense, secondary, youthful, clean. Mulberry, bramble, black plum, prunes. Blackberry fruit leather. Pomegranate. Cedar, nutmeg, cinnamon, coffee. Earthy, autumnal.
Palate: dry, medium acidity, medium(+) tannins, medium alcohol (14%), medium(+) bodied. Medium(+) intensity, medium(+) length finish. Mulberry, bramble, black plum, prunes. Blackberry fruit leather. Pomegranate. Cedar, nutmeg, cinnamon, coffee. Earthy, autumnal. Good on a winter’s evening with a nice steak.
Conclusions: very good. Can drink now, but suitable for further ageing.
Seal: natural cork

2020 St Michael-Eppan Sanct Valentin Sauvignon blanc
Colour: medium lemon green
Nose: medium(+) intensity, secondary, youthful, clean. Starfruit, maybe cape gooseberry. Elderflower, gooseberry. Passionfruit! Green snap peas, grassy. Redcurrant? Biscuity lees, touch of old oak.
Palate: dry, medium(+) acidity, medium alcohol (14%), medium(+) bodied. Medium intensity, medium length finish. Starfruit, maybe cape gooseberry. Elderflower, gooseberry. Passionfruit! Green snap peas, grassy. Redcurrant? Biscuity lees, touch of old oak, sweet spice. Some creamy, glycerolic mouthfeel.
Conclusions: very good. Quite distinct from either NZ or Loire Sauvignon. This was a noticeable step up from their single vineyard “Lahn” Sauvignon, and I think the oak added a bit of extra complexity. Can drink now, but suitable for short-term ageing.
Seal: natural cork.
Notes from a half bottle.

2020 St Michael-Eppan Sanct Valentin Gewürztraminer
Colour: medium lemon
Nose: pronounced intensity, secondary, youthful, clean. Lemon peel, lemon cordial. Lychee, pineapple, banana, honeysuckle. Ripe pear. Rose petal. Cream.
Palate: off-dry (6,5g/L residual sugar), medium(+) acidity, high alcohol (14,5%), full bodied. Medium(+) intensity, medium length finish. Lemon peel, lemon cordial. Lychee, pineapple, banana, honeysuckle. Ripe pear. Rose petal. Cream. Rounded, oily, creamy mouthfeel. Almost seems dry, especially for a Gewürztraminer — sweetness is balanced by acidity & hint of bitterness. Very aromatic.
Conclusions: very good. Drink now, likely not suited for ageing.
Seal: natural cork.

2018 St Michael-Eppan Sanct Valentin Cabernet Merlot
Colour: medium(+) purple
Nose: medium(+) intensity, secondary, youthful, clean. Blackcurrant, red and black plum, mulberry. Strawberry. Charred oak, woodsmoke, cinnamon. Touch of earthiness?
Palate: medium acidity, medium(+) tannins, high alcohol (14,5%), medium(+) bodied. Blackcurrant, red and black plum, mulberry. Strawberry. Charred oak, woodsmoke, cinnamon. Touch of earthiness? Quite restrained despite the higher alcohol: not a full throttle, full bodied Cabernet by any means.
Conclusions: very good. Can drink now, but suitable for further ageing.
Seal: natural cork

2021-09-13

A Bordeaux and a Burgundy

Two very nice wines for a birthday dinner last night… and there were no clashes, despite one being a Burgundy and the other a Bordeaux! Both represented very good value, especially the Clos de Myglands.

Good Mercurey 1er crus represent something that is increasingly rare in Burgundy: good value for money. This particular wine was drinking very nicely, despite obviously still being very young. (If you’re wondering about the odd name… it’s apparently a corruption of the English ‘My Land’, the name given to the site by an English dignitary). It was fresh and lively, with plenty of crunchy fruit, but also has the structure to age. Highly recommended.

The Sauternes was simply delicious and drinkable. Age has given it some added complexity, but really it was just beautifully rich and sweet but balanced. A dessert in a bottle. Lovely!

2016 Faiveley Mercurey 1er Cru Clos des Myglands
Colour: medium(+) ruby

Nose: medium intensity, secondary, youthful. Sour cherry, black and red cherry, strawberry, red plum, cranberry. Rhubarb? Beetroot? Cedar, baking spice, maybe bitter cocoa.

Palate: dry, medium acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol (13%), medium bodied. Sour cherry, black and red cherry, strawberry, red plum, cranberry. Rhubarb? Beetroot? Sappy. Cedar, baking spice, maybe bitter cocoa. Good balance of fruit, spice, and savouriness. Live, lithe acidity, and firm, dark, spicy, structural tannins. Really nice!

Conclusions: very good. Can drink now, but suitable for ageing or further ageing.
Seal: natural cork

2009 Château de Myrat Sauternes

Colour: deep gold

Nose: medium (+) intensity, tertiary, developing. Pear, apricot, orange marmalade, preserved quince. Barley sugar. Hint of earth and white mushrooms? Cedar, baking spice.

Palate: luscious, unctuous, rich. High acidity, high alcohol (14%), full bodied. Medium(+) length finish, medium(+) intensity. Pear, apricot, orange marmalade, preserved quince. Barley sugar. Cedar, baking spice, vanilla. Very rich and full. Very sweet, but balanced.

Conclusions: very good (esp given the price!). Can drink now but suitable for ageing or further ageing.
Seal natural cork. Notes from a half bottle.

2020-10-04

Tasting note: 2011 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay

Colour: translucent cherry red, fading to brick

Nose: strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate. Cedary oak. Sweet spice. Forest floor, mushroomy, warm mulched earth. Rose petals. Perfumed. Balsamic vinegar.

Palate: strawberry, pomegranate; sweet red berry fruit. Forest floor, earthy, leafy. Cigar box, cedary oak, sweet spice. Fresh strawberry-like acidity; very smooth, fine grained tannins; both well beautifully integrated. Earthy and savoury, showing good development. Fruity but savoury. Initially it seemed a bit simple and one-dimensional, but it opened up with a bit of air. Maybe lacks some of the complexity and length of his 1er crus, but that’s not unexpected I guess. I suspect it’s at the end of its drinking window. Really, really nice, very drinkable.

Medium bodied, 13% alcohol. Seal: natural cork.

— Gavin Duley, 2nd October 2020
2011 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay

2020-05-24

Two Burgundies

A couple of tasting notes of two more reasonably priced Burgundies. The crémant was particularly good value, and while it no doubt lacks the complexity of good Champagne (I don’t drink enough Champagne to comment!), was very drinkable.

NV Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne Brut

Colour: medium straw

Nose: strawberry, raspberry; beurre bosc pear, apricot, lemon. Waxy, honeyed, nougat. Pineapple?

Palate: strawberry, raspberry; beurre bosc pear, lemon, pineapple. Russet apples. Waxy, honeyed, nougat. Quite rich, but with linear, brisk acidity. Crunchy and fresh, but with some richness. Quite oxidative, I guess. Lots of persistent bead, overflowing when first opened. Maybe not as complex as some (bearing in mind that I’m an infrequent drinker of sparkling wines), but very nice. 12% alcohol. Seal: cork capsule.

DAY 2: left open overnight (& not properly sealed), now at (winter) room temperature (ie about 15°C). Still has some bead left, just. Rich, oxidative flavours are accentuated, eg mandarin, lemon marmalade, fleshy lemon, pineapple, russet apples, lemon curd. Still very nice, actually. Lovely, rich, oxidative style, run through with a lithe, persistent acidity.

2014 Domaine Michel Gay et Fils Chorey-lès-Beaune Vieilles Vignes

Colour: translucent cherry

Nose: sour cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, cranberry. Balsamic vinegar. Tobacco, earthy, cigar box. Old oak. Green apple? Fresh, lively.

Palate: sour cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, cranberry, maybe plum. Balsamic vinegar? Tobacco, earthy, cigar box. Old oak. Green apple? Fresh, lithe, linear acidity; smooth, fine grained, moderate tannins, slightly drying. Fresh, lithe, but with some earthy complexity. Medium to light bodied, 13% alcohol. Seal: natural cork.

DAY 2: hasn’t really improved overnight. There’s still quite a lot of sour cherry, pomegranate, and some leathery earthiness, plus a touch of green apple (malic acid?) in the background. Better yesterday. Fresh, lithe, and linear. Pretty decent, but perhaps with a bit less complexity than you’d hope for a village level Burgundy?