So Many Tastings... So Little Time - 1/21/2009 - 1/27/2009

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Last week were two of the most important (and crowded) wine tastings the year... Thursday was the annual Terry Theise Porfolio tasting of 2007 (and some 2008) German & Austrian wines. Terry Theise is an enthusiastic importer of German / Austrian wines and he has some of the best wines from those regions. Friday was the annual UGC (Unions de Grand Crus) Bordeaux Tasing (2006 Bordeaux - Red, White, and Sauternes) Below are my brief impressions of the wines I tasted.

Note: I've employed a 5-Star system as I simply did not have adequate time to fully evaluate each wine with a full tasting note. First I listed the 06 Bordeaux, then some wines tasted at JJBuckley, and finally at the end you'll find the German & Austrian wines tasted courtesy of Terry Theise.

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1/23/2009 - UGC 2006 Bordeaux Tasting - San Francisco, CA
Although 2006 is not the best year in the history of Bordeaux, the wines are evolving nicely in bottle. Many are already approachable and certainly for early drinking (St Emilion), but a lot of wines (especially on the Left Bank- Pauillac and St Julien in particular) had some pretty massive tannins that need time to settle. I'm not quite sure every component will fully integrate. I was really impressed by the outcome of wines from St Emilion and Pessac Leognan (Reds and White)
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2006 Chateau Carbonniuex Rouge (Pessac Leognan) **+
Light Ruby color with nice bright red fruit aromas (currant, raspberry, & red cherry). Austere & tightly wound with some green undertones. This should turn out to be a very nice wine to drink over the following decade +... This may merit 3 stars next time I taste it

2006 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge (Pessac Leognan) ***
This was also tight but with some really nice fruit on the nose. In fact more fruit than the Carbonniuex. Supple and complex it should begin to drink well in its youth but age nicely for 10-15 years

2006 Hau Bailly Rouge (Pessac Leognan) ****
This was clearly the class of Pessac Leognan for me (along with a couple others)- I wrote in my tasting book "top tier". Delicious black fruits on the nose with creme de cassis and dark plum. Ripe and modern with moderate tannins. Shows great concentration and should be a candidate for long term cellaring. Simply delicious and well made

2006 Latour Martillac Rouge (Pessac Leognan) ***(+)
At this price this was easily the best wine at the tasting. Lots of dark fruits complimented by subtle oak. Soft and refined on the mid-palate with velvety tannins. I have been really impressed by this wine since the 2000 Vintage.

2006 Latour Martillac Blanc (Pessac Leognan) **(+)
Although I liked the white more than the red in 2007 (out of barrel) This time around I though the red had the edge. This blanc is however still a nice wine with lots of citrus, great acidity (almost overwhelming) and tons of chalk. Should be nice to keep for 5-10 years.

2006 Chateau Louviere Blanc (Pessac Leognan) **(+)
What a nice refreshing white wine (one of the only White Bordeaux currently under screw cap) Nice tropical fruit (guava and star fruit) with some grapefruit notes as well. This is lively and exciting on the palate with lots of citrus and some herbal tones as well. This is 2 stars plus

2006 Chateau Pape Clement Rouge (Pessac Legonan) ***
Another stellar wine. Although nowhere near the ripeness and complexity of 2005 this is a delicious wine with a lot of upside. Should be nice in 5 years and age easily for 15 more

2006 Smith Haut Lafite Blanc (Pessac Leognan) ***
This was the best 06 blanc I tried on this day. Beautiful purity of fruit. Fesh, lively, and exciting on the palate. Again lots of citrus, but the aromas are complimented by some pappaya and guava notes. Delightful wine!

2006 Smith Haut Lafite Rouge (Pessac Leognan) ***
I did not provide a tasting note but I recall really liking this wine a lot.

2006 Chateau Angelus (St Emilion) ****
TOP TIER- This is serious stuff. Although nowhere near the 03 or 05, this is a damn good wine with deep ruby color core with a brilliant ruby rim. Deep and complex armoas of coffee, pluot, and blackberry. This is a massive wine for the vintage, which should easily last 20 years. It will be showing brilliantly in the next few years for sure

2006 Beausejour Becot (St Emilion) ***
Wow this was stellar- Another great wine from this Estate. Big and complex, but remains fresh and refined. Simply great (and affordable)

2006 Canon La Gaffeliere (St Emilion) *** (+)
This is 3 stars +... A top class effot, the Canon La Gaffeliere is an elegant and pure expression of St Emilion. So clean, so well made, so hard to resist now. Those of you who can resist will be rewarded by a few years in the cellar.

2006 La Dominique (St Emilion) ***(+)
This is a show stopper - So different and plush compared to a lot of the 'hard' tannic wines I tasted from the left bank only minues earlier. This was one of the first St Emilion's I tasted today and it was a welcome deviation from the slew of underripe left bank wines. Lush and delicious with boysenberry liquor, dark cherry, and vanilla with a hint of mocha. Look out for this wine when it hits the shelves (if it hits the shelves- This is low production stuff)

2006 Chateau Larcis Ducasse (St Emilion) ****(+)
This was the best wine I tried on this day. Simply amazing that this is from the same vinatage and region as everything else I tasted. This is worlds apart. Stunning and complex aromas of black cherry, ripe blackberry, cassis, and vanilla creme. Dark and delicious - I assume this will cost less tan half of what the 05 costs. This is a definite buy! Bravo

2006 Pavie Macquin (St Emilion) ****
Although a bit shorter on the finish than the Larcis Ducasse this was also top tier. Very ripe for this vintage with some dried black currant on the nose, anise, and kirsch. The palate is full bodied but not overwhelming with raspberry and hints of underbrush. This is an exciting wine that again will cost a fraction of what the 2005 does. This is a wine-drinkers Pavie Macquin- Well done

2006 Troplong Mondot (St Emilion) ****(+)
Along with Larcis Ducasse this was my favorite of the evening. Lush and complex without any weedy / herbaceous character. Stunning nose of black fruits, plums, and chocolate with some espresso underneath. Tightly wound but already showing beautifully. This has an extra layer on the mid-palate. It is so smooth and appealing - Every sip calls for the next. I didn't want to spit this out. Pure and clean

2006 Brane Cantenac (Margaux) ***
Terrific wine- Maybe the best example I tried fro Margaux. This has beautiful fruit character with a nice soft mouth feel. Very little herbaceous quality that adds to the complexity of this wine. I would definitely put this up there with the 2003, and 2005. I think it's better than the 04

2006 Cantenac Brown (Margaux) **(+)
Not overly complex, but a nice wine nonetheless. Nice fruit on the nose with a subtle green quality about it. A bit tart and has some hard tannins towards the back but should be a great food wine within the next 5 years

2006 Chateau Giscours (Margaux) **(+)
Candied cherry on the nose withe some coffee and raspberry as well. Slightly vegital on the mid-palate but finishes strong and long.

2006 Chateau Kirwan (Margaux) ***
Like this Estate's 2004 the (oak) wood seems to stand out a bit. Slightly green but with some nice red cherry and coffee on the nose. A bit thin, but again finishes nicely

2006 Chateau Lascombes (Margaux) **(+)
Not sure how to evaluate this yet. Very closed and young, but admittedly less herbaceous than other wines from Margaux.

2006 Chateau Malescot St Exupery (Margaux) ***(+)
Perhaps the best 06' Margaux I tasted along with the Brane Cantenac. Lacks the intense herbal component that a lot of left-bank wines had. Shows some nice cherry along with other bright red fruits. This should be drinking nicely between 2010 - 2025

2006 Prieure Lichine (Margaux) ***
Excellent nose of ripe forest berries, dark chocolate, and coffee. Well integrated oak with fine tannins and nice concentration.

2006 Rauzan Segla (Margaux) **(+)
Slightly candied fruit on the nose. A bit tart and slightly green, but rather complex effort. Nicely made in a tough year where many of their neighbors wines were simple at best

2006 Chateau Beychevelle (St Julien) ***
Nicely done - 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Nice and round. Not overly hard and tannic as I found a lot of St Julien wines in 2006. It's not the 2005, but this will provide great drinking while that beast is in the cellar.

2006 Branaire Ducru (St Julien) ***
This is also good stuff here. Although slightly tannic at present I can tell there is some serious potential here especially when you consider the price point.

2006 Lagrange (St Julien) ***
Nice meaty nose of bing cherry & strawberry with some clove / anise underneath. A touch austere but I suspect it will come around. This is better than 2 stars but maybe not quite 3 stars. I would stick this in the cellar for 5-10 years for the tannin to subside

2006 Leoville Poyferre (St Julien) ***(+)
The saving grace for St Julien in 2006 along with Leoville Barton. Altough this is nowhere near the level of the 2005 (or 2003) it is very appealing with notes of coffee and dark blackberry. Super dark core color with a bright purple rim. Nice and round towards the finish and not quite as hard / tannic as its nighbors.

2006 Talbot (St Julien) **
Some nutty funkiness on the nose. This is definitely Talbot. Tight and austere with massive tannins toward the back. Not very well integrated at this point and I honestly have a hard time giving it 2 stars, but I know it is a lot better than 1 star!

2006 Clerc Mion (Pauillac) **
Hard and tannic- This is a massive wine but not my favorite due to the lack of fruit on the nose and on the palate. Definitely 2 stars and perhaps 3 stars with a few years of age

2006 Lynch Bages (Pauillac) ***(+)
This was a well made wine in 06... Almost on par with the 2005 at this point and better than the 2006. Not giving much on the nose but I can tell there is a lot of potential here. Great purity of fruit with soft tannins (in a hard austere vintage)

2006 Pichon Baron (Pauillac) ***(+)
Top tier Pauillac with aromas of chocolate, blueberry, and cassis. If there was a 'blockbuster' wine for Pauillac in 2006 this is it. Great concentration while remaining smooth and creamy. Long finish- Needs some time but try within 5 years and you'll be suprised

2006 Pichon Lalande (Pauillac) ***
This is one of the better Pichon Lalande I've tried in recent vinatges. This shows some great aging potential with the classic Pichon Lalande coffee and blackberry notes. Thinner than Pichon Baron but right up there

2006 Pontet Canet (Pauillac) ***(+)
This is right up there with Pichon Baron. Top tier stuff here with pure fruit flavors. Subtly weedy (but to the point where it gives complexity rather than taking away from the overall character). Dominated by nice red fruits. This is a dark colored wine without tasting too heavily extracted.

2006 Chateau Lafon Rochet (St Estephe) **(+)
Pretty fruit with a perfumed nose of sweet oak and tart red fruits. A bit thin, but could evolve into something really nice in the next few years

2006 Phelan Segur (St Estephe) **
Under-ripe and green... Needs some time to come together, but I'm not too sure it will ever be a complete wine

2006 Rayne Vigneau (Sauternes) ***
Absolutely delicious Sauternes. Lemon curd, creme brulee, and apricot on the nose. Light and crisp on the palate. I like this because it is not heavy nor cloying. Should age well, but those of us who enjoy young Sauternes will love this.

2006 La Tour Blanche (Sauternes) ***
Lovely wine with lots of peach and apricot on the nose. A little heavier than the Rayne Vigneau but it is framed nicely by brilliant acidity. Again this will be a pleasure to drink in its youth although I suspec no problems aging this for the next couple decades.

2006 Chateau Guiraud (Sauternes) ***
Excellent wine with a great balance of acid, fruit, sugar, and botrytis. Some oak shows now but I see that being overpowered by the stone fruit flavors very soon. A touch of honey and citurs present in this one as well.

2006 Suduiraut (Sauternes) ****(+)
Amazing- Great pure fruit flavors (apricot, nectarine, orange zest, and clove) with tons of acidity, which keeps this beautiful wine fresh and lively (almost drinks like a dry wine) This is D'Yquem-esque... Simply the most elegant and delightful Sauternes of the 06 vintage. This is first class stuff
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The following were tasted @ JJBuckley 1/27/2009

2005 Baltos Mencia (Bierzo, Spain) - This is only the second wine I've tried made from the Mencia grape, which is why I am bothering to write a review on this one. It has some bacon fat on the nose with a marked nutty / animale character. Deep down it has some nice juicy aromas as well. Tastes a bit like a cheaper Cotes du Rhone with a little more body. Tastes way better than it smells

2005 Prazo de Roriz (Douro, Spain) - Dark Ruby core with a violet rim. This is juicy stuff with some rose petals and cool red cruits on the nose. Forest raspberries come to mind. There is a green component as well (green pepper?) but the fruit dominates after all.
Blend: 35% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 10% Tinta Barroca, 10% Tinta Roriz, 10% Tinta Cao

1999 Ferrand Lartigue (St. Emilion France) - I was a bit shocked by this one. I suspected it would be a cheap / over-the-hill St Emilion but asit turns out there is really nice red fruits followed by vanilla and cedar on the nose. It boasts a medium ruby core with a light ruby rim. Doesn't show overt signs of its age other than the mere fact that it is elegant and refined. A little coconut, anise, and dried herbs on the mid-palate followed by bright red fruits. Nice medium - long finish. This wine will be for drinking over the next 2-3 years. This is a great way to try a 99' Bordeaux for around $20

2006 Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Napa, CA) - This did not taste like a $50 wine to me nor did it taste like a 95 Point wine (Robert Parker) . In fact it seems a bit thin and somewhat weedy. The nose is dominated by dill with an underlying core of boysenberry and red currant. This wine seems to be made in a hands-on fashion rather than a hands-off one. Seems a bit overextracted and there is simply not the body or structure to hold it up. Definitely not a bad wine at all but not a $50 wine and not a 95 Pointer by any stretch of the imagination.
NOTE: I was able to re-try this open bottle the following day and enjoyed it a whole lot more than my note gave credit for. In fact it seems like this wine just needs either decanting or some time in the bottle

2006 Stonestreet Chardonnay (Sonoma, CA) - Nice ripe nose of papaya, guava, meyer lemon, and toasty oak. Everything seems well integrated with some really bright acidity towards the finish. Not overly thick or buttery. I really like this is a light aperitif Chardonnay or with light lunch fare.