Last week, I reviewed several wines from France and Germany. Here are some more that we have drunk over the past week as our ongoing search for affordable European wines.
Rhone Wines
2016 Domaine Brusset Rasteau "La Bastide" ($21.99 - Total Wine) - Rasteau is situated northeast of Avignon. Composed of Grenache and Mourvèdre, this shows a deep ruby-crimson color and a rich nose of blackberries, blueberries, currants, garrigue (lavender and herbs) and wood smoke, The flavors are robust and direct, with chewy dark fruits that are imbued with licorice, cocoa, French roast and limestone, followed by a ripe, smooth moderate tannin finish. 18/20 points.
2016 Domaine Brusset Cairanne, "Vieilles Vignes ($24.99 - Total Wine) - From a commune adjacent to Rasteau, this offers a purplish ruby color and aromas of black currant, cherry and blueberry with scents of lavender, sweet tobacco and spiced incense. The flavors are supple yet full and concentrated, with notes of licorice, cocoa and limestone and alluvial minerals. The back picks up kirsch, creme de cassis and charcoal on the way to a ripe tannin finish. 18.5/20 points.
See last week's blog for the 2016 Domaine Brusset Gigondas, "Tradition de Montmirial."
2016 Domaine La Millière Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc ($39.99 - Total Wine) - Most of the wines of Chateauneuf du Pape are red, but this is a distinctive white. Brilliant gold colored, it emits intriguing aromas of pear, apricot, grapefruit, white roses, honeysuckle, lemon verbena and white incense. The flavors are full and mouth filling, composed of yellow fruits that are intermixed with pear skin, apricot stone, and mas (cobblestone) minerals. The back reveals sensations of poire William liqueur and grapefruit peel, followed a persistently minerally finish. 19/20 points.
2015 Domaine de Durban Gigondas ($27.99 - wine.com) - This 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah combination offers a deep ruby color and a rich, smoky nose of wild raspberries, plums, black currants, rosebuds, garrigue and spiced incense. The flavors are thick and chewy, marked by notes of licorice, cocoa, roasted coffee brans and Montmirail stone. The saturation continues on the back with roasted berries and nuts, framboise and creme de cassis liqueurs, followed by a savory moderate tannin finish. 18.5/20 points.
Burgundy
2017 Domaine du Prieuré Bourgogne Pinot Noir ($50 - Whitehouse Crawford) - We had this wine with dinner at the Whitehouse Crawford Restaurant last night. It was mis-listed as a Savigny les Beaune, where the Domaine is located. But it turned out to be a winner. It comes from a vineyard just outside the commune of Savigny. From 39 year-old vines, it shows a medium brick red color and attractive aromas of strawberries, cherries, currants, rose petals and whiffs of spiced incense. The medium bodied flavors are pleasingly supple, yet well textured, with notes of cocoa powder, orange peel and alluvial minerals. The back picks up kirsch and creme de cassis liqueurs, followed a bright young fruit finish. For a restaurant wine, the price is right. Estimated retail: $20-25. 18+/20 points.
2016 Domaine Chevillon-Chezaux Nuits-St. Georges, "Vieilles Vignes" ($41.99 - Total Wine) - Deep brick red colored, this possesses enticing aromas of fraises de bois, red cherry, cassis, red rose petals, orange peel and whiffs of incense. The medium bodied flavors show considerable old vine Pinot Noir character along with lots of texture and mouth feel, imbued with licorice, cocoa and granitic minerals. The back picks up kirsch and creme de cassis liqueurs and recurring orange peel, followed by a satiny ripe tannin finish. 19/20 points.
2015 Domaine Chevillon-Chezeaux Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits ($31.99 - Total Wine) - This comes from the plateau above the Côte de Nuits. It comes on like a high elevation Pinot Noir with a medium brick red color and intriguing aromas of fraises de bois, cherry, red currant, orange peel and white incense. The medium bodied flavors mirror the aromatics with supple yet well structured red fruits that are underlain with licorice, cocoa and cobblestone minerals. The back picks up pressed berries, toasted nuts, creme de cassis and light graphite on the smooth tannin finish. 18.5/20 points.
German Wines
2017 Weinhaus Dönnhof Riesling trocken, Nahe ($28 - The Thief) - "Trocken" means dry in German, so this is a dry Riesling. It shows a brilliant lemon-gold color and intriguing aromas of pear, pear, melon, lime, pear tree blossoms, lemongrass, anise and white incense. The full bodied flavors, as well, are distinctive, with white fruits that are accented by peach stone, pear skin, and minerally earth (typical of Nahe, south of the Rhine River). The back picks up pear and peach liqueurs, melon rind and lime zest, followed by a resonant dry (fermented to 12% alcohol) but un-austere finish. 18.5/20 points.
2015 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Mosel ($38 - The Thief) - This is a beautiful example of Mittel Mosel Riesling. Brilliant lemon-gold colored, it possesses fragrant aromas of pear-apple, pear, honeydew melon and citrus with scents of apple blossoms, honeysuckle and clover. The flavors are ripe (late harvest) with notes of peach stone, melon rind and slate minerals. The resonance continues on the back with sensations of poire William liqueur and lemon zest followed by a low alcohol (7.5%) faintly honeyed lingering finish that is counterpointed by racy fruit acids. 19/20 points.
First of the Year Rosés
During the past couple of weeks, we have been attending previews of the new 2018 Rosés from Walla Walla Valley wineries. Here are capsule reviews of them. Full reviews will be in the March issue of the Review of Washington Wines which will go on line February 26.
2018 Seven Hills Dry Rosé, Columbia Valley ($18) - Predominately Cabernet Franc, this offers a light copper-pink color and enticing aromas of strawberry, Rainier cherry, watermelon and pink grapefruit. The flavors are fresh and vibrant with a kiss of fruit juice on the dry finish. 18.5/20 points.
2018 SMAK Wines "Spring Rosé" Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley ($16) - Pale copper colored, with scents of pear, peach, tangerine, spring flowers and white incense, this wine is fresh and buoyant. The flavors are crisp and lightly extracted with light alcohol (11.2%) lifted by bright fruit acids. 18.5/20 points.
2018 SMAK Wines "Summer Rosé" Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley ($16) - Made from Pinot Gris grapes given extra hang time to produce a rosé with a greyish pink-copper color and intriguing aroma pear, watermelon, tangerine, pink lilac and white incense. The flavors are vivid and refreshing, with a crisp pleasingly fruited finish. To be released in April. 18.5/20 points.
2018 Underground Wine Project "And Why I am Mr. Pink" Rosé, Columbia Valley ($13) - This collaboration of Trey Busch and Mark McNeilly offers a brilliant pink color and attractive aromas of strawberry, cherry and tangerine. The flavors are expressive and are followed by a pleasingly juicy dry finish. 18+/20 points.
2018 Vital Wines Rosé Wine, Walla Walla Valley ($19) - Predominately Sangiovese (85%) this displays a pale copper color and aromas of wild strawberries, citrus and star fruit. The flavors are bright and vivid, with sensations of fraise and kirsch liqueurs and orange peel on the persistently minerally finish. 18.5/20 points.
2018 Brook & Bull Rose, Columbia Valley ($19) - Composed of 54% Cinsault, 40% Mourvèdre and 6% Counoise, this shows a pale copper color and intriguing aromas of peach, cherry, guava, cherry blossoms and spiced white incense. The flavors are fresh and juicy, with notes of peach stone, melon rind and flint. 18.5/20 points.