Single-Malt-Scotch-Whisky, Campbeltown, Springback Distillery

Color: Hay
Nose: Smokey Malt, Herbs, Peach drops
Palate: Full and lush. Red Miso paste component. Some fruitiness, but smoke seems almost pushed back…
Finish: 3,2,1 bam. The smoke hits after a few seconds.

They say it’s as nearly as peated as Ardbeg and Laphroaig, but the smoke is veiled. There is a different maritime character here compared to the Islays - it’s salty but no iodine or seaweed to bolster it. Instead, more herbal and fruit notes and an honest maltiness. The smoke hits in the finish, almost as a surprise and a payoff from the nose. Intriguing. After hibachi dinner.

Château Charmail, Haut Médoc, Bordeaux France 2003: Deeply aromatic and classically Medoc - big black currant and leather. A sweet palate - new oak influence is clearly evident, but I didn’t mind it because it was still balanced by the ripe fruits. Good acidity despite the vintage and drinking very well right out of the gates. Not great, but a good value bordeaux under $30 that would be perfect with a rib steak.

Francois Chidaine Vouvray le Bouchet 2005: An excellent Vouvray - I’ve been drinking a lot of Riesling lately, and have forgotten how much I enjoy Chenin Blanc. Wonderful green vegetables and Pink Lady apples on the nose. English peas and white asparagus soaked in really fresh apple cider. Long, juciy, mercurial,  and wonderfully balanced - the sweetness of an apple with enough acidity to tame the sugar. Again with Chidaine’s wines, I have no idea how to classify the sweetness - I wouldn’t call this sweet, but I would certainly call it an excellent wine.

~$US35, 85% Grenache, remainder Mourvedre, Syrah, etc. Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone, FranceLess opaque than expected, but a nice garnet hue. Killer nose that just gave and gave and gave. The kind of wine you could just sniff and be satisfied for the evening. Explosive red cherries, serious cigar box (like Cuban Bolivars in a cedar cabinet), some herbal tones of basil and fennel and anise. Rich, but not reductive or jammy. The palate showed signs of serious craftsmanship and longevity for a wine in this price range. Medium-bodied, but deeply flavorful and dry, but not tannic. While enjoyable shortly after opening, the wine still was tight after 6 hours of decanting - not tight in a bad way because the flavors were all there the whole time. The wine simple put itself together continuously organizing the tannins, fruit, herbs, wood, acidity, etc in a way that become more and more harmonious.An excellent wine all said and done - one that you might pair with a good dry-aged steak. I think you’d have to enjoy a flavor-profile that favors herbs and cedar with fruit 2nd (I do!) to really enjoy this. This definitely has a long lifespan ahead, and if I get another bottle, I’ll wait till 2010. This is one of those wines, that despite all the recent popularity and hoopla, shows me why C-d-P is so near and dear to my heart. Big thanks to the 3 Wine Guys for the heads up on this bottle.

 ~US$32, 100% Sangiovese, Chianti Classico Reserva

 Quite simply one of the most compelling, proportionate, and interesting wines I’ve had in the last 3 months. A Gestalt wine, where the components each play a part in creating something greater. Purple black in color.  Aromas of violets, truffles, red cherries, cedar and tobacco. Light on it’s feet but required a bit of time to open up, the palate for enveloping but refreshing - more like a great Pinot than a traditional Chianti. Excellent fruit ripeness but the greatness lies in the overall elegance, where the wood, tannins, acidity, fruit just sing together - you can dive deeper into each  piece of the puzzle and be rewarded, or just sit back, sip and enjoy with medium-bodied food. This is a wine meant for the table, and presents a great value for the quality of the juice when compared to some of the other big B’s (Brunello, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Barolo, etc).

 ~US$20, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah and 25% Merlot

  Dark plum. Densely aromatic nose, with earthy currant, tobacco, cocoa, and black cherries.  Medium-full bodied presenting good structure in the palate - with Tuscany’s firm acidity and integrated tannins being proportionate and in balance - but the wine falls apart halfway through. It disintegrates into bitter green peppery flavors and a awkward oakiness as it moves towards the finish. Not terribly “clean” or pure. Despite the flaw, I can see it pairing well with a pasta bolognese or other rich meat sauces or braises. In sum, great aromas but a letdown on the palate. This may be way too young  - I could imagine the wine putting itself together a little more in the cellar, because from a winemaking standpoint, everything seemed right - except for the spike of bitterness. A decent cabernet blend for the price, but I probably wont be buying again - I’d rather be drinking one of Italy’s more interesting indigenous varieties (Barbera, Sangiovese, Corvina, Negroamaro, Primitivo, etc). 

Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Northern Highlands, 43% ABV

Very pale fino sherry color - no artificial coloring or evidence of sherry casking.  Classic Clynelish nose - absolutely distinctive watercress, wet stones, and white fruits. A smooth medium-bodied palate, with a little white-pepper spiciness and a fine interplay between the savory ‘green’ flavors and the resiny peach and plum hard-candy sweetness. Long woody finish - like mild sandlewood / dry sauna flavors. Excellent Clynelish from the early 80’s - when it’s twin distillery Brora was still around.

~ $10US, 100% Primitivo, Salento Italy Deep purple/red. Old-world vs. New World nose. Great tension between floral, meaty, and straw aromas and stewed berries and jam.  Juicy and full-bodied in the mouth, with mild tannins and a touch of acidic lift. Another great value from this producer - not as refined and complex as the Passamante, but a little easier to chill out with. This would be great with a simple grilled steak w/ rosemary or prosciutto dishes.  Probably not one for the cellar, but who knows… 

  (<- borrowed wrong label) ~$12US / LITER!, 100% Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Very tropical on the nose - pineapple, lime, and peaches. Spritzy with very firm acidity - moreso than the last 2 rieslings I’ve had, despite the overall impression of this as being sweeter on the palate.The signature Mosel slate-flavors seem to be subdued, but for the price, this really deliver great fruit and food-friendliness.  It paired will with Korean short-ribs.Wicked value for the liter. 

~$17US, 100% Riesling, Nahe GermanyUber-fresh, and little spritzy. Canned peaches, definite lime and a little gravel. Extremely fruity and concentrated. Creamy mouthfeel, with very integrated mineral flavors - a little slack in the acid department, so the overall impression is quite ripe - but the quality of the fruit is top-class. A little bitterness as it moves towards the finish, but the finish itself is nice and long.Overall, this effort is more ripe and decadent and less complex, but the wine shows plenty of vineyard and regional character to give it uniqueness. Perfect with a wide range of food . I’d recommend this to Riesling beginners, but it is easily enjoyed by all.