Wild Wine Ride

What a weekend of wines. I don’t know that I could express all the things I tasted and thought this weekend. The line-ups I tasted were simply over the moon! It was almost more than I could bear. Wines ranged from the obscure to the special and celebratory. I am only listing a few here that really caught my attention. So without further ado…

2003 Radikon Oslavje – Again, every Radikon I’ve had I’ve flipped for, or at least done a little happy dance. No exception was the Radikon Oslavje ’03. The same blend of grapes as the 2001 but this wine felt like perhaps the summer was very hot or the grapes were either on the vine longer or less - not sure which. It was very dry and aperitif like. Orange zest and leaves in the nose that wafted long dry notes of earthen finish. It was as other Oslavje, fiery colored, but not as intensely as the ’01. In the mouth, was a rush of very dry fruit flavor. Most pronounced was orange zest but also apricot, and something else I could not identify. The middle went to an almost sherry feel and taste and finished with a long dusty dry leafy wood taste. This again is very long and tannic in the mouth. It’s a real treat, that would be so wonderful I think with Dungeness crab or scallops. It will cut through butter and shellfish flavor but also complement them. Heck even wrap the scallops in bacon and I’d still say pour it up. This time the wine didn’t feel as old or quite as unusual as other Radikon. I must becoming accustomed to it. Try finding and tasting, then do a happy dance and Hail Radikon! $$$

As long as I am doing the hippy shake for Radikon Oslavje lets stay with this mad vintner a moment longer
2003 Radikon Merlot – What’s this? A somewhat more typical wine from Radikon? Well yes just that. A Merlot… However, this Merlot might leave you a little breathless both in tastes, in finding it, and in price. Radikon’s only red wine I happened to taste twice this weekend. At first, I was not wowed. It was nice, moderate mouthfeel, with a blueberry note in the middle and a kind of taste and smell that reminded most of the powder off of bazooka joe or other bubble gum. Somewhat undefined at the finish too. It was interesting but not worth the high price of the bottle in my opinion. However, upon trying the next day – wow this wine had changed. All who managed both tastings agreed this was a completely different animal now. Much more complex layers of fruit and mild wet earth in the nose. It had a full smell of loganberries, brier, and mossy soil to my impressions. The taste was also deep loganberries, moist and plump in the mouth, and it had a long finish to wet clay leave on the tongue. Very interesting and enjoyable, I am not sure you will find a tasting of this wine. If you do, I hope it has had a 6-8 plus hour decant time. It is also one that will relieve you of the weight of your pocketbook. $$$$ 140+/bottle

Before I go off to other European wines lets take a moment for a special, celebratory seeming, Oregon Cabernet Sauvignon.
1990 Hillcrest Cabernet Sauvignon (Umpqua Valley) – I was fortunate as well to try this wine twice this weekend. It’s a nice wine that seemed perfect for a celebratory mood somehow. Know anyone turning 28 this year? This wine is soft in the nose and I had to reach for the aroma – but it did reveal black raspberries and other black fruit, with a subtle earthiness and bit of gunpowder and black pepper. It reminds me of one of those old black cat ladyfingers… It had a slow fuse before the fun of the minor bang. Not a big kerpow but just enough anticipation and excitement. The color was a wonderful red clay color with rust around the edge. The front of the palate of this was a bit soft and flat. As it slowly snuck up on my taste buds black raspberries and other black fruit grew in intensity. The body was moderate and grew away from the shallow feel of the front. It had a nice finish of black fruit and gunpowder in the leave. Right now, I only know of this wine being available from the winery. If you want a special celebratory subtle black firecracker, this will do the trick. Open and let breath for a while, then serve with marinated stuffed portabellas and a nice pork loin I think. (cost unknown)

Can you smell, what the Rocks are cookin'?!
1979 Karthauserof Kronenberg Auslese Riesling – This may have been the belle of the ball at the tasting. 30 year old German Riesling! Bright golden color in the glass that when swirled took on a very neon green hue. It had the look and nose of an apple jolly rancher but not nearly as sweet. There was also citrus in the nose and a subtle oily greasy only German Riesling describable smell. On the palate, it was brilliant! Tart green apples, grapefruit, lichee and other exotic fruit that rumbled around the mouth on their own accord and in their own order each taste. It was a wet wine – not in meaning sweet – but very moist and refreshing. It had a long body too and I could feel it on my teeth and tongue for many minutes after. There was a nicely slate and rock finish to the wine as well; perfect structure, acid, and composition. Mild sweetness that erodes under acid, and rocky finish. Achtung Baby! $$$

2004 Strukture Riesling Qualitatswein – What a fun, bright, and young Riesling this is! This was a bonus pour at the tasting from a generous person. The nose was citrusy with perhaps a bit of star fruit and pear. Not the depth of Riesling prior, but also unfair to compare. This is a bright golden straw colored, soft and tangy wine. It has very subtle oily residue in the nose and on the palate that perhaps will develop with age. Wonderful bright citrus and yellow fruits are in the mouth and while its not a long bodied wine it has enough balance in acid to maintain a good structure. It finished nicely with a mineral flavor I would liken almost more to a white burgundy than a Riesling. A real treat, it will go wonderfully with seafood and some other foods as well. Fried Chicken? I think this is a great bridge wine too… If you haven’t had German Riesling it’s a great place to start or start friends. More body and mouthfeel than most American Riesling, with a fuller set of flavors and more defined & refined finish. All this and at about the same cost too – why wouldn’t you? $