Wines from Alsace

I had a few wines from Alsace that were sitting around so I thought I'd take 20 minutes to go through them. I know that a lot of people from the US are not the Alsace wine drinking type but these types of wines are great.

2006 Hugel et Fils Riesling, Alsace $16.99

There is a light hint of yellow in color. Notes of rubber and minerals. On the palate there are some great notes of wet rock, stone fruit and a bit of sea salt. The finish is was a bit off as the wine seemed to be a bit flabby at the the end.

Tasted 8/09

2006 Hugel et Fils Gentil, Alsace $13.99

Almost pee in color with a hint of scotch whiskey with minerals and nutmeg, which was a bit odd! Solid on the palate with a slight spice of sea salt and minerals. Finish is smooth and kind of light. Pretty nice wine but again I think most from the US might not like the way this wine is made.

Tasted 8/09

2007 Pierre Sparr Riesling, Alsace $12.99

Clear with a light color of Champagne. Hints of lime peel with a dose of green crisp apple. Good acidity on the palate with some soft wet stone on the finish. Mineral notes are something that come to note on the Riesling. (People from the US might not like this one)

Tasted 8/09

2002 Pierre Sparr Riesling "Mamburg" Alsace $25.99

I'd have to say that this was and is a great Gran Cru Riesling from Alsace. Clear with a light Chardonnay in color, almost a hint past hay color. Wet stone with some minerals or vitamins on the nose, hints of light ginger followed. Good amount of RS with a soft silk-likeness on the palate. The wine flows through the palate like a wave of silk! Medium bodied with some pretty good acidity. Great wine.

Tasted 8/10/09

1971 von Simmern, Langwerth - Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling Auslese $175

If you really know me then you know that I'm kind of a German Riesling nut! When I come across a nice old bottle of juice, my wife usually can tell that something is up an will take my debit card away!

Riesling was a bit lighter than honey in color. Rich petrol, wet rock and fresh rain on the nose. On the palate this thing covered your mouth like a shot of Nyquil (not sure on the flavor, oil if they made it).

The finish was dry with more great petrol notes and nice notes of stone fruit. The acidity on this bitch could last another 5 years though! I love it!

**Image in not actual bottle

1986 Maison Leroy Gevrey Chambertin, Estournelles St. Jacques, Cote de Nuits $80

The first bottle I tried was cooked. Bottle two was a bit different though.

Bright red berry fruit on the nose as the color of the wines was less ruby and more brown than anything. Hints of light spices with red fruit on the palate. Wine actually held up pretty well for a 1er cru that was 20 years old.

On the finish it was silky soft with very light tannins. I think this wine is ready now and should be consumed within the next few years of less.

Tasted 1/07

1985 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $95

Deep red in color with a hint of brown on the rim. Brown spices and sugar on the nose with hints of dried fruit. There was pretty good acidity considering it was a 20 year old cab from CA. There was a light lemon zest on the finish which was strange since it was a red and I was tasting things that usually come from a white?

1979 Château Haut-Batailley, Pauillac $125

Deep red with light purple notes. Very veggie on the nose with a palate of green shrubs. This wine did not hold up well at all. Acidity was not there and the palate was kinda shot.

1978 Maison Jaffelin Echezeaux, Cote de Nuits $150

Almost a shade of brown in color with a nose of baked potato that headed toward dried flowers and light herbs. Light strawberry and cherries on the palate with little tannins coming into play. The acidity was pretty low as I think this baby was past her prime but still showing what a textbook Echezeaux nose is. It was nice.

1933 Justino's Malmsey Madeira $300

This was a wine or Madeira that I had been wanting to taste for years. This is the reason I got into the wine world.

The color of the beauty was like a light suede jacket. The nose was worth just sitting there and sniffing for a few days. With loads of caramel, butterscotch, and rusted nuts...I was willing to take the rest of the day off.

On the palate it had good dryness and light hints of cocoa, lime and more nuts. There was also a light hint of field grass.

Overall, this was something I was proud to put my name behind. It had enough acidity to last another 20 years but why would I want to wait? I want all my friends to try it. Maybe the reason why I bought 6 bottles.

Tasted 1/07 while assessing a cellar.

2000 La Spinetta, Barolo $120

Deep red to almost black in color. Nose of Jasmine and fancy soap. Lots of laundry and huge tannins on the palate. Less fruit but more wood, very strange since my last bottle was the opposite. The finish was pretty damn big and could use some air before taking the journey.

Tasted 1/07 while assessing a cellar.

1974 Bertani Amarone, Veneto $200

Bottle was in great condition so we decided that it was the best one to taste. Brown on the rim but blood red in the center. The nose was full of red licorice, candies, and light green bell peppers. On the palate it was holding up pretty well for a 33 year old Amarone.

Very sweet tannins with a nice rich prune/spice finish. Very soft on the finish. At $200 per bottle this wine was a gem. I wish I could have picked up a few but my wife would have killed me.

Tasted 1/07 while assessing a cellar.

1989 Chateau La Fleur-Petrus, Pomerol $120

Pretty deep red in color with a light brown rim. Rich wild blackberry on the nose with hints of pencil shavings. On the palate this wine was a full belly sit down! Rich tannins with a light herbal hint. Finish was a bit rough, almost like sandpaper. Give it a few more years or decant this bitch for a few hours.

Tasted 12/06 while assessing a cellar.

1982 Chateau Palmer, Margaux $200

Wine was great color for its age. Almost looking like a fresh Burgundy. nose of wet herbs and light berry jam. Very light on the palate with very soft tannins. On the finish there as more herbs with a very silky finish of light mocha and truffles. Wine was doing great and I think it is at its prime. Drink them up if you have them.

Tasted 12/06 while assessing a cellar.

1977 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port $130

Color of the port looked thin and brown. Nose was full of spices like Cinnamon. Pepper and spices on the palate with some nice rich tannins. Port was very well balanced and ready to rock and roll.

Tasted 12/06 assessing a cellar.

1987 Chateau Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac $45

the color was heading to the brown side of things. Nose of crushed green bell peppers. Soft on the palate with hints of spices and nutmeg on the end. Pretty on the finish with a light finish as well.

Tasted 12/06 assessing a cellar.

1943 Chateau Haut-Brion, Pessac Leognan $650

Wine was ruby in color with soft red fruit with just a light-hint of VA. On the palate there were load of rust and iron. After 20 minutes or so the VA blew off and left some nice bright red berries and light minerals. Funny thing was that there was a little heat as well. Nice wine being that it was 63 years old.

Tasted 12/06 assessing a cellar.

1969 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue, Musigny-Blanc $800

The picture shows a bottle of 1983, but the one I tasted was a 1969.

Golden yellow in color with it heading toward the cider side of things. Hazelnut on the nose with a hint of astringent. On the palate the acidity was pretty big with notes of lemon peel.

At first I thought it was lousy, then I tasted it again. By the third taste I was in love. I'd pick a few up if they came around, but my wife would kill me.

Tasted 12/06 assessing a cellar.

1975 Peturs, Pomerol $1600

The color of the wine was the color of a fresh Pinot Noir. Port-like nose, possibly slightly oxidized or maybe was cooked. A few minutes later the wine went toward the dried flower side of things with hints of light lead and minerals.

The funny thing was that the tannins came into play toward the end of the palate. Tannins were quick and medium bodied. Funny that Parker gave this wine 98 points, I would have gave it a lot less, maybe around 89 points.

This is the end result of someone trying to auction off wines.

Tasted 12/06 while assessing a cellar.