The Feiring Line

A Great Alte Reben

Lars Carlberg, an American living in the German city of Trier (which I managed to miss when I visited--a pity because it's supposed to be gorgeous) is trying to launch a collection of terroir driven Mosel wines in this country. The collection is Mosel Wine Merchant. This Riesling is one from the portfolio.

The 2005 Alte Reben Riesling is a juicy little number at an old fashioned 10% alcohol (so expect it to be a little off dry) old -fashioned acidity and splashy spritzes of peach and orange oil.

Lars wrote the copy for the catalogue (http://moselwinemerchant.com/).
I'm so glad I didn't read before I tasted the wine. Why? Whoa, would I have been prejudiced in the wine's favor? Of course! How could I not have been? Heartbreaking stuff.

About Moritz he wrote:

"His lifestyle reflects his hand-to-mouth existence with neither investors to back him nor loans from the bank. He has an independent and outdoorsy spirit, working his mostly steep vineyards all by hand with no capital investment. Expensive tools and machines are borrowed from fellow growers. The wines are handcrafted in a cellar he has rented in the center of Oberemmel from the widow of a deceased winegrower. Trained in the hotel trade both as a chef in the kitchen and as a waiter on the floor, he changed course to become a winegrower. To make ends meet, he still waits tables at a local restaurant but he is not a hobbyist."

I feel the same way about struggling to make words pay the bills. Unfortunately I don't have waiting skills. The wine is delicious.

Domaine Des 2 Anes

This is one of those miracle $10.00 wines. I've been a fan of this Corbieres but last night when I popped it open it seemed limited. Oh yes, I said, a nice little everyday wine, satisfying but no bells and whistles. So, I plugged it up.

Then tonight I reopened the bottle and the genie flew out of the bottle. This little guy started to flash its raincoat open. What a different personality. No shy thing anymore, its grip developed and so did a tart little limey tang at the rear, the nose was raisiny, pruney, with a bit of currant, which made whoopee with porcini. It's mix is about 60% carignan with some grenache noir and syrah.

When people wonder why I get excited about wine, this wine experience is one of the reasons. Yum.

Two 2004 Goodies From Faiveley

I get so many samples. 98% of them are industrial crap--even though they might be expensive. I'm always interested, however, when Faiveley shows up on my doorstep.

While I've been somewhat underwhelmed in the past few vintages I was very happy with two 2004's I recently tasted; the simple Bourgogne and the white Montagny, Domaine de la Croix Jacquelet

The basic red was not basic at all, kind of twiggy, nice vein of tannin which cut through an American Beauty rose-like pinot. A bargain at about $16. The Montagny was a tad more dense than a muscadet and had really lovely hints of preserved lemon. A very classy whitet burgundy at $20.

Red Hits From the Polaner Selections Fall Tasting

Totally minimal tasting notes, sorry, that's my style. I figure f you like this site, you'd be curious about these wines.

REDS

2005 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
(Powerfully structured beaujolais. Forward. Yum.)

2004 Chateau Champ des Sours Bel Amant Fitou
(Earth. Bramble. Licorice. Zippy.)

2004 Domaine Claude & Catherine Marechal Savigny les Beaune VV
(Earth. Violet. Pencil.)

2004 Prince Florent de Merode Corton Bressandes
(Who knows if this is 'my kind of wine' or not? I found this one--as well as their lowly Ladoix--compelling. It is forward. One can drink it now with pleasure. If I had a wine list to compile, I'd plunk it on there in a flash.)

2005 El Sequ Vinedos de El Sequ
(Mostly monastrell with a touch of syrah, cabernet and tempranillo. A wine that should hit the shelves at about $12? It's a bargain. All sunny and warm. )

White Hits From the Polaner Selections Fall Tasting

Totally minimal tasting notes, sorry, that's my style. I figure f you like this site, you'd be curious about these wines.

2005 Franck Peillot Altesse de Montagnieu. Bugey, France
(Solid, round with a fall-apple finish.)

2005 Clos Roche Blanche Tourainne Sauvignon, France
(Pure, beautiful, touch of licorice.) BARGAIN

2005 Gerard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol, France
(Killer long finish with a blast of minerality. Very appealing.)

2005 Antoine Arena Patrimonio Blanc Grotte di Sole. Corsica
(Succulent Vermentino from Cosica!! YES! This was also a winner at the Dressner tasting. )

2004 Fontaine -Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet, La Romane, Burgundy
(Sorry, all I wrote was THIS ONE. )

Abarbarnel Riesling

Wine on Passover is essential and usually a conundrum because most out there are the inauthentic confections of marketing departments. So, on the day I headed out to Chez Mom for Passover I stocked up on possibilities at Astor Place. I struck out with a crappy micro-oxed Rioja, there was a drinkable red blend from Israel (a little bit like E&J Gallo Hearty Burgundy), but the best kosher wine I've had in ages was a perfectly swell 2002 Alsatian Riesling produced by Abarbanel. At $18, it was great, kosher or not. It had all of the characteristic notes, intense flower, petrol. It hits the nose with power and promise and then dissolves into a dry and mineral hopping wine, perhaps just a tad dulled by the flash pasteurization of the meshuval practice.

Andre Rampon Rgni

The top three Gamays in the All Gamay tasting gave the Coudert (about $20) and two non Beaujolais (Cousin Anjou and the Souteronne from Herve Souhaut) as the top winners. But another wine that slipped into top honors, is a lovely bargain--the 2002 Rgni from ANDRE RAMPON (about $15).

In a blind tasting the powerful wines stand out as the 'best' and something this pretty can be overlooked. But this is a very sophisticated little wine with pure, delicate rose aroma and a mix of great minerality and a touch of animal power.

Clos de Coutale 2002 Cahors

I don�t know if I agree with the 20% addition of merlot but I always did like this wine. At first sniff there�s ground ivy crawling in the hills of the Catskills. Cahors doesn�t look like anything I�ve ever seen in the Catskills but it�s in this wine. Maybe I need to go to the country for a while. Maybe that�s what the wine is telling me. But the most important thing this wine is telling me is whispering to me to travel. And that�s more than I can ask for in a wine. As far as real wine speak? There�s a high-toned acidity, long tannic finish and a hint of blackberries just ready�but not too ready for picking (about $13)

(WARNING: I WANT TO DO A RIP THING HERE ON THE 2004 VINTAGE. HAD IT THE OTHER NIGHT AND ALMOST CRIED INTO THE WINE. NEW OAK, THE SCOURGE HAD LFET ITS IMPRINT ON THE WINE)

Georg Breuer 2002 Spatburgunder

Most know I�m not a fan of 2003 German wines but the reds are a different story especially in good hands, like at Georg Breuer in Rudersheim. I tasted with Heinrich last summer and was impressed. Tasted in the comfort of my own home, it�s still good. Very good. Not even terribly expensive (under $25? Don�t quote me). There�s fainted rose on the nose, well, more like rose dust. And then there are clinging tannins on the back of the throat and these should sweeten up, evolving into a pretty spicy addition. Awfully minerally a lovely wine in a medium weight package. Very lovely.

Pacalet's 2004 Burgundy mini-notes

1) Gevrey Chambertin

Intense rose petal and carnation pollen.

2) Nuits St. George

Backward at this point. Kind of twiggy (a good thing). Is now throwing gas. He says this is because he just rolled the cask last week.

3) Chambolle Musigny, Les Combettes

Terroir? OK. I'll tell you terroir. I looked back at my notes on a wine I had had previously in Paris at the wine bar/resto Le Baratin. I had his 2002 Chambolle Musigny and what did I write as my note? Cinnamon. Now, I don't really think of this area as throwing cinnamon. I think of it as rosy. But here we are, two years later and there it is, my first note, cinnamon. But it has the same velvet texture, and strong intense nose that seems rather poetic.

4) Pommard

Chanel #5. Intense. It's a hotter wine with violet and raisin and a long finish.

5) Beaune 1er Cru
(Philippe tells me his plot is near Clos de la Mouche)
Floral and a touch of orange juice and black tea. Fascinating.

6) Chambolle 1er Cru (near Amoreuse & Musigny)

Backwards. Needs time. Nose is quiet, touch of tea and cherry.

7) Gevrey -Chambertin 1er Cru Les Perrires (near Mazis)
Strawberry. Dark. Still finishing up malo.

8) Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (near Clos de Beze)

Very backward. More square, meaty and masculine with cumin seed.

9) Pommard 1er Cru

Mineral and stony nose with complete follow through on the palate.

10) Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru

Rosy, meaty, chewy, long and peony-like.

11) Ruchots Chambertin, GC

Built and corseted. Dominated by bones.