Zemplén Hegyhat
Nyulászó Tokaji Szamorodni Furmint 2002
2002 vintage. Lovely amber color in this Hungarian dessert wine. Soft, honeyed apricots, pears, caramel. Candied orange peel in the finish. Definite sweetness without cloying. 12.5% ABV. — 14 days ago
Martin Pére & Fils
Cuvée Tiara du Vieux Cardinal Shiraz Grenache
Non-vintage vin de table, from The Wine Exchange. From the FIL’s collection, he had it tagged as 1991. Surprisingly drinkable. Medium-deep garnet with notable brown. Black cherry, plum, mulling spice. Pruney finish. 13.8% ABV. — a month ago
Château Le Bon Pasteur
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 1993
1993 vintage. Slight funk and some sharpness in the nose. Black cherry, plum, dark chocolate, baking spice. Starting out a tad tart, we’ll see how it progresses. (Still tart 2 hours in.) 12.5% ABV. From the FIL’s collection. — 9 days ago
Gran Passione
Gavi 2014
2014 vintage. Pale gold in appearance. Honey and apple blossoms in the nose. Honeyed lime, apple, peach, with notes of thyme and almond. Notably bland at fridge temp, let it come up a few degrees before serving. Nice with grilled fish. 12% ABV. — 21 days ago
Joseph Burrier
Pouilly-Fuisse Chardonnay 2013
2013 vintage. Beautiful straw color. Lovely lemon tart and crisp pear, with just a tad of butter. Lemon twist on the finish, slight bitterness reminiscent of ginger. 13% ABV. — a month ago
Viña Altogrado
Cariñena Garnacha 2014
2014 vintage. Medium garnet color. Prominent red fruits with a little tartness, short finish. Running hot at 15% ABV. Okay food wine, not great for casual sipping. — 12 days ago
San Marco
Pillastro Puglia Primitivo 2013
2013 vintage. Fruity and full bodied, yet balanced Primitivo. Purple/blue fruits and vanilla bean. Not syrupy. Smooth finish. 13.5% ABV. — 14 days ago
Cesari
Classico Amarone della Valpolicella Corvina Blend 2010
2010 vintage. Deep ruby in the glass. Cherry, plum, fig, a little green herb and cocoa. Moderately dry. Just a tad hot in the finish. 14.5% ABV. — 23 days ago
Collectif des Barriques
Le Siecle Merlot 1995
1995 vintage. Nose of tart cherry syrup with a whisper of anise. Well on its way to brown. Tastes sharp, harsh, corky. Well past reasonable time frame for enjoyment. From the FIL’s collection, and unfortunately I think there’s yet one more bottle. 12.5% ABV according to the label, no idea where it’s at now. — a month ago
D Scher
1990 vintage. From the FIL’s collection. Garnet heavily shaded to cinnamon. Clearly past its prime, though still drinkable. Fig, raisin, cranberry. 12.5% ABV. — 8 days ago