The Greatest Show on Earth

Barnum and Bailey, if they are wine lovers, I believe would applaud the tasting I recently attended. A circus menagerie of grapes it lit up the big top, had its clowns, its acrobats, its tigers, and even the elephant in the room. It was a bevy of wine from around the world even moments like Cirque de Soleil. To be sure more wine was tasted than will be listed here, but like any circus some things caught my attention more than others. So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages… welcome to the show!

St. Urbans-hof Urban Mosel Riesling 2006 – hello my little leibshen. With a nice kiss of pale gold color this wine brought kerosene to the nose, white gas, plus citrus aromas. A pleasant offering that woke up the palate and showed what a German Riesling can be like. I love the scent of a Mosel Riesling. In the mouth it had a glycerin smooth feel. Short bodied, lightly off-dry, and fun and pretty; a cabaret of flavors - the tastes juggled grapefruit, candied lemon rind, green clover flower, and golden apple that finish light while running over white rock and slate. It was an enjoyable attention grabber to start things off under the lights of the circus tent. $

Bunnell Northridge Vineyard Mouvedre 2006 (Washington) – This was a showy bugger; like a man on the flying silks, or even the daredevils of the motor cross sphere. Dark sanguine crimson red in the glass. Many who were entranced by it were impressed by such a ostentatious young version of this varietal. Black pepper, currants, wet dirty sheep’s wool, and other sweaty/gamey funk in the nose; it nearly recoiled some but the fruit scents won out as the more pungent aromas blew off. Taste buds were given a show with smooth plum, black raspberry, licorice, and fireside smoke that crossed the palate. On its finish it careened, plummeting and stopping short of disaster to salted iodized meat with a leave of wet clay – leaving its audience gasping, mouths agape. $$

Maisonneuve Cahors Les Laquets 2002 – This wine was the rowdy entertainer of the evening if not in strength or subtlety in shear energy and interest. Opened at the tasting as a friendly extra, it was a sweat laden hairy legged French woman singing James Brown – I feel good hah! Dirty and funky at the same time... The nose was smelly with dirty earth, barnyard, dried fruit, astringency, and band aid scents. On the palate it was full bodied, wide oval, dry, but long and very smooth. Flavors of dried dark or black fruit transitioned to a tarter berry taste then moved to iodine and marrow with what I could only evoke as dry red desert clay soil finish. Truly a treat that had many tasters singing along – I feel good… now that I got you. Hunh! $$

Comte Armand Volnay 2005 – This was the growling tiger in the room. A sleek, strong and dynamic, but somehow contrasting delicate and perfumed sensed Burgundy that I have had once before and loved both times. Soft aromas of dark fruit and flowers – maybe jasmine or rose petals expanded from initial brambly darker scents that left thoughts of deep forest thickets that block out sunlight. Flavors were of raspberry and loganberry at first. Then the wine opened further and an unidentifiable herbal taste was present. It finished with an iron earthen flavor one taster felt was “bloody” to the point of his distaste; either from the order of tastes before or from changes in the bottle since last tasted. Certainly more power to the finish than the last time I had this wine. Engrossed I stared into the dark stained glass at the eyes of this feline but powerful Burgundy. $$$

Fougeray de Beauclair Bonnes Mares 2001 Grand Cru – The grand finale and a special share from a friend. Thank you, you know who you are. This Burgundy started right off with both flash and substance - cherries jubilee in the nose but with a background of floral tones. Flavors ranged from tart black cherry and woody spices in the start and mid-palate; to forest floor funk with decaying ferns and moss, to iodine, iron, and long subtle minerals at the finish. It was the big wine in the room. The elephant that none will forget as it showed its power and also grace that perhaps would not be expected. It drew me in and impressed me with its flavors and layers; it could even age more easily, if one wanted. Simply astounding, simply brilliant, simply a standing ovation finish under the big top. $$$$