Schweizer Allerlei Teil Vier

Man könnte der Vermutung erlegen das ich ein fauler Hund bin! Abstreiten wollte ich das nicht. Mit einem guten Monat Verspätung habe ich es nun endlich geschafft den vierten Teil von Schweizer Allerlei zusammen zu trinken und wie man sehen kann mehr oder weniger gut zusammen zu schreiben. Um nicht noch mehr Zeit mit sinnfreiem Vorgeplänkel zu vergeuden schlage ich vor gleich zum Wesentlichen überzugehen! Wie auch in den drei vorangestellten Teilen geht es auch dieses Mal in die verschiedensten Landesteile der Schweiz. Etwas detailgenauer formuliert: jeweils zweimal geht es unter jeweils gleichsortigen Vorzeichen in den Kanton Waadt und an den Alpenrhein des Kantons Graubünden. Wie gewohnt findet auch diesmal der Ausklang im Tessin statt. Wieder handelt es sich bei den vorgestellten Weinen um mehr oder weniger aktuelle Jahrgänge aus der mittleren „Qualitätsschiene“ der jeweiligen Weingüter.  Im Gegensatz zum letzten Mal wurden die meisten der Weine wieder aus Halbflaschen verkostet. Die vernunftgelenkte Neigung zum eingeschränkten Überfluss hat bei mir glücklicherweise wieder Einzug gehalten ;-). Also los geht’s …

Exploring Signuradi Pinot Part 1: The Adolecent Entry Level

Signuradi? What …? Co din ins quai per englais? Difficil! Apparently, Grisons Lordships!?! Betg idea! Correct? Well, let’s stop my pretentious and deeply pathetic attempt to socialize with the native language of Girsons. The Rumantsch Grischun speaking south-eastern canton of Switzerland! In the coming weeks I would like to familiarise you guys out there with a fair amount of the Pinot Noir spectrum of the Bündner Herrschaft (aka Signuradi). Probably another pathetic attempt. This viticulture area might be small (approx. 400 ha), but a few post won’t be able to give you a comprehensive view on local Pinot anyway! Whatever, substance wasn't and won't be and will never be the strong suit of this very blog anyway. No change here then ;-)

With my first post I’d like to give you a few tasting notes of young entry level Pinot Noirs from three renowned wineries. In the forthcoming weeks there will be more to come! As you already may have realized – no background education in this Wine-Zeit zone. The author is lazy by nature after all! At least today! Only this: 80%-Pinot Noir land (besides some minorieties of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sylvaner x Riesling, Completer and a few others), average elevation of 500 m, warm Alpine chinook wind climate along the Baby Rhine River, predominantly limey schist soils and a longm, old wine growing tradition (Pinot Noir since the 17^th century).

Lil' Corton-Charlemange? Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay 2010, Elgin and a Wild Assortment of Some Other Chardonnays

On various occasions I’ve seen a concise description of this Chardonnay which always ended with the conclusion: “tastes like a little Corton-Charlemange”! Can that be true? If so, how? I anticipate a bit: No! At least not for me! I don't even know how to relocate this Chardonnay to Burgundy? The characteristics of this wine weren't all too "Burgundian-Style" (whatever that might mean). At least to me. I also don’t know what these references or insinuations might mean! Are there precise and typical characteristics to all Corton-Charlemagne wines? As far as I am concerned: not so much (perhaps anymore? If ever?)! Does that implicate high standard quality? And what the hell does “little” mean anyway? Sorry for those rude questions to an invisible addressee! I am just a bit peeved about these ongoing and totally useless marketing delusions! I can’t see any need for such comparisons! I anticipate again: It is a good wine with a certain amount of “unique” characteristics! There is no need for such marketing driven verbalisations! Guys, let the quality speak for itself! Considering its attractive price, accessibility and international ratings (for me a bit too high ones) there won’t be any problem in selling this Chardonnay! Sorry, enough bewildering bashing for today ;-)! Now the wine:

A little beauty from Willamette: Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2004 + some visiting friends

Today I got a New (partly Old) World, Old World Pinot Mash Up for you guys. Enjoy it ;-)

Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2004, Willamette Valley

 
Well OK! I know this Pinot from Oregon isn’t all too extraordinary or somehow exotic. Anyway, I just wanna mention this one on my blog, because it was simple amazing. I had this one together with two other Pinots from Switzerland. Before I tried the reds I had two Rieslings and one Chardonnay in advance. At the end I’d like to mention the others as well. But for now back to Willamette Valley:

The colour of the Drouhin Pinot appeared to me as rather dark and a bit faint. The smell was simply fantastic. I got spring blossoms, some spice, maybe at first some pickled cucumber and a butt load of cherries and raspberries. A wonderfully elegant and muscular Pinot scent! It metaphorically jumped into my face and took a bite of my nose. Its taste was bewitching. I got lean, but forceful, flavours of raspberries, dark cherries, rose hip, mildly roasted almonds, a hint of cola, ethereal spice, some flowers and slight and gentle kisses of oak. It appeared to be a very gentle and sophisticated Pinot without a certain amount of strength and definitely not without pure elegance. Very well proportionated acid and mineral components weren’t missing either. Its fruitful sweetness had a precise and dry character. The higher alcohol (14%) did not make any trouble. The best of all: the length.  It went on for ages. Great experience! I guess now is a very good time for consumption.

Weingut Scadenagut Wegelin Malenser Pinot Noir 2007, Bündner Herrschaft

Rather faint colour. At first my nose got earthy and smoky scents. A bit like from strongly smoked ham. Later aromas of cherries took the lead. The taste was very much the same. After a while the Wegelin Pinot showed very nice cherries flavours combined with some hearty, maybe even spicey, herbal flavours. Nothing to complain about. The slightly extravagant fruit sweetness or the acid proportion were just fine, but not more. Not a great Pinot, but very contenting quality. Nice wine!

Weingut Davaz Pinot Noir Fläsch 2008, Bündner Herrschaft

Very clear and fresh ruby red colour. At first the nose seemed pretty smokey, a bit earthy and slightly harsh. After some hours an extraordinary nose and taste of lime and hints of lemon evolved. Very astounding for a Pinot Noir. I assume! Very good structure and fine acid proportion. Medium length. More a cold and fresh style Pinot Noir! I could imagine this as a very dangerous wine for a blind tasting with tinted glasses. Chardonnay? Pinot? Something else?

There was some white stuff up front:

Weingut Fendel Riesling vom Klosterlay Kabinett trocken 2009, Rheingau

 
A bit crude, a bit harsh and very racy Riesling. On the first day not very enjoyable! It had very strong and unbalanced flavours of fennel and anis. On the second day the fennel remained, but in a more civilized way. Some lemon flavours appeared as well. A probably decent, but rather simple Kabinett Riesling. Still too young. 

Ökonomierat Rebholz Riesling vom Rotliegenden Spätlese trocken 2005, Pfalz

Very watery and thin. Almost no nose. Taste was disapointing as well. Apparantly rather old. Although hard to believe! I guess something must have been wrong with the bottle. No obvious faults or flaws.

Domaine Lamy-Pillot Chassange-Montrachet Pot Bois 2005, Chassange-Montrachet

Very fine and sturdy nose. Multi-layered fragrances of vanilla and lemon. Some gentle herbs, too. Very much the same with my first impression of the taste. Very well integrated oak flavours, beautiful lemon and very nice acid. A lean, mineral and fresh character. Not all too fat. At its finish it got a bit hard and impetuous. Green and harsh earthy aromas took the lead. Rahter unusual. The only (but for me important) negativ impression I go from this Chardonnay.