Preamble Tasting October 2003 
Return Ticket - Austria and Back, via Italy
Frank Searson and Brian Smullen

1. Huai Winery Pukenga Winery, Marlborough Riesling, New Zealand, 2002
A bit closed.  No hint of petrol.  Good fruit and acidity, appley, hint of Alsatian Riesling character at the finish. Natural yeasts.
€16.50

2.Weissenkircher Achleiten Riesling Smaragd, Freie Weingartner, Wachau, Austria
More definitive nose.  Some honey added to the petrol. Good acid, minerally, a little residual sugar, very long, lemony finish. 13%.  A good wine. Reading the label:  Weissenkircher is the village; Achleiten the vineyard;  Riesling grape; Smaragd (Emerald) is the highest level of quality, producer is Freie Weingartner, Wachau is the area (on the Danube).
€23.50

3. Josephshofer Riesling Spatlese, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Mosel, Germany, 1999
A big, upfront nose. Incredibly rich, quite sweet and with a good blast of petrol coming behind. Not so minerally, lovely honey.  Josephshofer is a monopole: This great and historic vineyard is sandwiched between two of the Mosel’s most revered sites: the Graacher Domprobst and the Wehlener Sonnenuhr.  The co-owner and winemaker is Annegret Reh-Gartner; all her vineyards are 100% Riesling.
 €23.50

4. Primitivo Salento, San Giorgio, Italy, 2001
Nice light colour.  Quite restrained nose.  Quite minerally, good fruit and tannin. Perhaps too bitter without the body/structure to support it.  13.5%
 €9.99

5. Il Labirinto, Rosso di Toscana, Fattoria Poggerino, 2000
Light, clean red.  Light, almost feminine wine, cherry fruit and supple oak with herb overtones.  Better in the mouth than the nose suggests. 100% Sangiovese. Very nice.
€15.99

6. Barbera d'Alba, Ansisa, Cantine Terre da Vino, 2001
Rounded, smooth, brambly fruit.  For drinking now. Pleasant.
€13.85

7. Palistorti, Colline Lucchesi, Tenuta di Valgiano, 1999
Deep red.  Loads of fruit and crunchy tannins in a very well-balanced, very together wine.  Long finish.  Lovely.  70% Sangiovese, 20% Syrah, 10% Merlot.
€19.99

8. Valpolicella Superiore, Ripassa, Zenaot, 2000
Dark.  Long legs.  Rich, fruity, great bitter kick.  Some residual sugar. Will last 4-5 years.  Mostly Corvina (60%) with Rondinella and Molinara.  Lovely.
€18.50

9. Ripasso di Valpolicella Superiore, Corte Sant' Alda, 1999
Somewhat lighter.  More serious nose; fresher, more mineral, much more bitterness; smoky, leathery, leaner, more structured.  Needs time.  Not sure I'd drink a lot of it.
€23.50

10. Alberto, Vino Rosso del Veneto, Zenato, San Benedetto di Lugana, 1998
Dark but clean.  Big bitter almond nose.  rich, herbaceous, big extract.  Meaty, dense; a little sweetness at the end complements the silky tannins.  Beautifully balanced. 40% Cab Sauv, 30% Merlot, 30% Corvina. Very small production from Sergio's son.  Superb but a bit pricey.
€34.99

11. Exceptional Reserve Riesling, Freie Weingartner, Wachau, Austria, 2000
Deep yellow green. A more refined petrol on the nose.  on the palate semi-dry, honeyed, good blast of fresh acidity, orange peel.  Extremely clean.  Harvested as late as 9th November and fermentation stropped at 13%.  residual 15g/l.  Gorgeous. Shame about the price.
€32.50


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