Port, douro wine and one Priorat

[Frederick Blais]

I had a few wines over the long week-end. Here are some short notes.

Castel Giocondo 1996, Brunello di montalcino: Quite evolved on the edge but it still has stuff, tannins and acidity to last another 3-5 years without declining. I prefer the 96 over the highly rated 97. It displays a nice bouquet of barnward, strawberry jam and letter. Mouth is still raw with tight tannins but the acidity balance it all.

Conumdrum 2002: I didn't like the 2002, not a big fat wine, but its doesn't have the acidity to give more than a decent mouth entry... Simply no middle palate and finale.

Quinta do la Rosa 2002, Douro : This wine was so close on the first night with high alcool presence and CO2. I don't know why, but the 2001 and 2002 I've tasted from this house all showed what I call a flaw in a dry wine. But what a surprise, I kept the 3/4 of the bottle in the fridge and 24h later it was very nice. Showing an open licorice and spicy nose. In the mouth their is decent concentration on red fruits, spices and sweet licorice, again I love the acidity in this wine.

Corkburn's Vintate 1991: The last of 5 bottles, the one before was drunk 2 years ago, and I enjoyed them all except this one. Thin and lean showing much alcool on the nose and mouth. Some candied fruits, figs and toffey flavors emerge but no intensity. In a dumb phase? It did not awake in 3 days. The first VP bottle we did not finish in all I've tasted.

And tonight a wine from Priorat, Finca Dofi 2001, the second label of Ermita. We don't feel the 14% of alcool, nice concentration on the nose, with truffle and licorice flavours. Mouth is quite silky, same flavours as on the nose, well balanced and finish is long. Tannins are bold but not rough, quite monolitic right now, but it should age well and gain complexity, though for the price you can get better stuff from Douro red wine.