ALOIS KRACHER CUVEE TBA No. 1 NOUVELLE VAGUE 2003 Burgenland
62117
(S) 375 mL $65
This represents our largest offering ever from what many consider Austria's dessert wine master.
TASTING NOTE: 2003 #1 Trockenbeeren-auslese, Kracher's barrel-fermented 2003 essence of Welschriesling, Chardonnay (20%) and Pinot Gris (10%), smells of sultanas, truffles, musk, butterscotch and honey. The thick, satiny palate impression is not the least bit heavy due to the wine's high acidity and low alcohol. The desiccated fruit is clear and pure, with alluring accents of brown spices and resin. As for the novel-length finish, it practically snaps to attention with vivid citricity allied to apple jelly and white raisin. Only trouble is, you can't read this novel yet, all you know is it has a thousand pages. (And it took a lot of fining to get this into the bottle.) How about we revisit in 15 years, suggests Kracher. Score - 92.
(David Schildknecht,
www.erobertparker.com,
Aug. 2005)
ALOIS KRACHER TRAMINER TBA NO. 3 NOUVELLE VAGUE 2004 Burgenland
62091
(S) 375 mL $65
TASTING NOTE: Deep golden yellow. Varietally expressive aromas of orange zest, rose oil and smoke. Powerful, full-bodied and brooding, and still in need of time to digest its oak spice. Tannins give this wine a velvety texture. Lingering flavors of minerals and rose. This calls for a good five years of patience. Drink 2011 to 2025. Score - 92.
(Peter Moser,
International Wine Cellar,
Nov./Dec. 2006)
ALOIS KRACHER SCHEUREBE TBA NO. 4 ZWISCHEN DEN SEEN 2004 Burgenland
62109
(S) 375 mL $65
TASTING NOTE: Powerful golden yellow. Complex nose melds refreshing mandarin zest, gooseberry and discreet snow pea aromas, along with a pleasant grapey character. Juicy apricot and peach flavors are given lift and definition by racy acidity. Long and fruity on the aftertaste. This should offer considerable appeal to riesling fans. Drink now to 2020. Score - 93.
(Peter Moser,
International Wine Cellar,
Nov./Dec. 2006)
ALOIS KRACHER GRANDE CUVEE TBA No. 6 NOUVELLE VAGUE 2004 Burgenland
62125
(S) 375 mL $72
TASTING NOTE: (chardonnay and welschriesling) Medium yellow with brass highlights. Apple, pear, honey and vanilla aromas testify to the dominance of chardonnay. Wonderfully complex flavors of quince and creme brulee remain surprisingly elegant and refreshing due to vibrant acidity. A honeyed pear flavor lingers long on the aftertaste. Drink 2008 to 2020. Score - 94.
(Peter Moser,
International Wine Cellar,
Nov./Dec. 2006)
DR. PAULY-BERGWEILER RIESLING AUSLESE 2005 Wehlener Sonnenuhr
40600
(MS) 750 mL $41
TASTING NOTE: This is a notch up in concentration, combining apricot, lime and vanilla flavors with honey and spice from botrytis. So rich, like apples simmered in brown sugar and cinnamon, yet there's a submerged structure that makes itself known on the finish. Best from 2009 through 2030. Highly Recommended. Score - 96.
(Bruce Sanderson,
www.winespectator.com,
April 30, 2007)
ST. URBANS-HOF RIESLING SPÄTLESE FEINHERB 2005 Leiwener Laurentiuslay
62166
(MS) 750 mL $39
TASTING NOTE: Representing a blend of two fuders, one fermented spontaneously and one with cultured yeasts, the 2005 Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spatlese feinherb - at around 18 grams of residual sugar - still represents what the estate intends their customers to expect when they see "Laurentiuslay" on the label, namely a balanced, dry-tasting wine. (Without the yeasted lot to blend in, Weis points out, the sugar would have been much higher.) Grapefruit, white peach, kumquat, coriander, sage, and a site-typical hint of anise in the nose lead to a juicy, refreshing yet subtly creamy palate with supportive but barely noticeable sweetness. Delightful hints of citrus rind, mineral salts, and herb - plus a Gruner Veltliner-like note of white pepper - accent the generous pit fruit and citrus in the finish. Score - 92.
(David Schildknecht,
www.erobertparker.com,
Feb. 2007)
TASTING NOTE: This has a matchstick aroma from reduction, while the palate expresses peach, lime and mineral flavors. It has fine density and a keen-edged structure that keeps it detailed and crunchy. Long, mouthwatering finish. Best from 2009 through 2030. Score - 92.
(Bruce Sanderson,
www.winespectator.com,
April 30, 2006)
TASTING NOTE: Perfumed and creamy in texture, showing textbook lime, peach and slate flavors that mesh seamlessly with the delicate frame and the vibrant acidity. Has fine length, with a juicy, peach-infused aftertaste. This is terrific, with great harmony and intensity. Best from 2008 through 2022. Score - 97.
(Bruce Sanderson,
www.winespectator.com,
April 30, 2007)
TASTING NOTE: When tasted in August, the 2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese A.P. #13 (or another, similar lot - because I was tasting them without benefit of identifying A.P. numbers) was richer in texture and more complex in flavors - if more restrained in their expression - than its Graach counterpart. Tasted in November, this A.P. #13 displayed significantly more sheer intensity. The aroma of cinnamon, honeysuckle, and vanilla-tinged watermelon and apple leads to a mouth-coating, rich yet delicate palate with nut oil, vanilla, and wet stones underlying the wine's exuberant, juicy fruit. Vividly fresh apple and melon along with salted lime, nut paste, honey, and wet stones inform a persistent finish and complete a picture balancing ripeness and considerable overt sweetness with delicacy and lift that is typical for the long-lived wines of this estate. There tend to be multiple Prum bottlings of a given combinations of site and Pradikat, but I am never privy to an overview of these. To sin on the side of safety, I have noted the A.P. # for wines I tasted from bottle, but Manfred Prum routinely seeks to assure me that any alternate bottlings will not differ substantially from those I have tasted, and consistent excellence - like ageworthiness - has long been a hallmark of Joh. Jos. Prum Rieslings ... Score - 92.
(David Schildknecht,
www.erobertparker.com,
Feb. 2006)
# 35 in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2006.
TASTING NOTE: The aroma is marked by matchstick now, but this is positively crunchy on the palate. The vibrant structure and clarity set the tone for its peach, citrus and mineral notes. It's refreshing and alive, with a mouthwatering finish. This needs time. Best from 2009 through 2030. Highly Recommended.
Score - 94.
(Bruce Sanderson,
www.winespectator.com,
April 30, 2006)
TASTING NOTE: Medium gold dried peel and marmalade on the nose, butter chunky marmalade on the palate, palate full and rich with lovely dried and raising peels and fruits.
Score - Gold Medal.
(Judges panel,
Decanter World Wine Awards,
2006)
ROYAL TOKAJI TOKAJI ASZÚ 6 PUTTONYOS SZT. TAMÁS 1999
944744
(S) 500 mL $79
TASTING NOTE: Positively electric. The racy style of the vintage shows in this laserlike Tokaji. The searing acidity is matched by intense flavors of apricot, orange peel, juniper, cedar and mineral. Has fine length. Drink now through 2030. Score - 95.
(Bruce Sanderson,
www.winespectator.com,
Web Only, 2007)
ROYAL TOKAJI ASZÚ ESSENCIA 1995
958587
(S) 500 mL $189
TASTING NOTE: Thick and dense yet never heavy, with aromas that flit from floral and vegetal to caramel and smoke and back again. There's noticeable sweetness matched by a brisk acidity that need time to integrate. Fine, lingering finish. Seems monolithic today, so be patient. Best from 2003 through 2015. Score - 94.
(Bruce Sanderson,
www.winespectator.com,
Oct. 31, 2001)
BODEGAS RENACIMIENTO DE OLIVARES RENTO 2003 DO Ribera del Duero
62158
(D) 750 mL $49
TASTING NOTE: This exuberant red shows blackberry and blueberry flavors accompanied by toasted almond and vanilla from oak. The tannins are well-integrated, the acidity lively. Sweet floral notes linger on the finish. Drink now through 2012. Score - 91.
(Thomas Matthews,
www.winespectator.com,
Oct. 15, 2006)
LUIS CAÑAS HIRU TRES RACIMOS 2003 DOCa Rioja
40519
(D) 750 mL $122
Generally, Luis Cañas blends small amounts of Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha into his Tempranillo-dominated wines, but with this top-range Tres Racimos, he uses only Tempranillo from very low yielding, 60+ years old vines. He ages the wines for 18 months in new French oak. The result, made only in the best years, is frequently summed up by critics with one word: wow. The wines exhibit a rich and intense aroma and flavour profile, including plum, raspberry, cedar, mushroom and blueberry. Ripe and flavourful, this wine is ready-to-drink tonight with a braised beef dish. It may also be cellared successfully for 2-4 years.
MARQUES DE VARGAS RESERVA PRIVADA TINTO 2001 DOCa Rioja
62083
(XD) 750 mL $49
TASTING NOTE: The 2001 Reserva Privada is a blend of three vineyard sites and is composed of 60% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo, 10% Garnacha, and 20% other varietals. The wine was aged for 23 months in new Russian oak. Purple-colored, it offers a full-throttle nose of scorched earth, espresso, blueberry, and blackberry jam. Mouth-filling, with great concentration and depth of flavor, this full-bodied wine is beautifully balanced and just beginning to strut its stuff. Give it another 4-6 years in bottle and drink it over the following decade.
Score - 93.
(Jay Miller,
www.erobertparker.com,
Feb. 2007)
VIÑA SALCEDA CONDE DE LA SALCEDA RESERVA 2001 DOCa Rioja
46904
(XD) 750 mL $52
TASTING NOTE: Chocolate, licorice, cardamom and mineral flavors accent a core of ripe plum fruit in this dense, balanced red. Not showy, but maintains perfect balance through the long, smoky finish. Should bloom with time. Drink now through 2015.
Score - 92.
(Thomas Matthews,
www.winespectator.com,
April 30, 2007)
CONDADO DE HAZA ALENZA GRAN RESERVA 1999 DO Ribera del Duero
723791
(D) 750 mL $79
TASTING NOTE: Deep red. Rich, smoky and wild on the nose, with scents of candied plum, cherry liqueur, charred meat, espresso, tobacco and cigar box. Powerful, densely packed dark fruit flavors are accented by exotic spice and earthy nuances, and supported by a firm, tannic frame. Although the tannins are nicely absorbed by the rich fruit with some aeration, I'd opt for cellaring this brooding wine for at least another few years, then serve it with grilled or braised lamb or game. Score - 92.
(Josh Raynolds,
International Wine Cellar,
Sept./Oct. 2006)
