Last Week’s Tasting
Summer Whites & Reds
Light on Both Palate and Wallet
Over 11% lighter if you buy by Friday than on Saturday

It was a case of early bloomers versus wines that opened later. You expect fine wines to improve when they have been exposed to the air, but some of last week’s inexpensive wines took their time before they showed what they could do in the glass.
The 2007 Polier St. Veran En Messie wasone of those. It was crisp hard and lemony at the start of the tasting, but opened to a fine green appley minerality and richness by the end, when it received quite a a few appreciative comments.
The 2008 Lagar de Besada Albarino started early and finished strong with soft, slightly limey fruit and and a delicate almost nutty minerality,. it was a dry and balanced companion to almost any fish dish you might be serving this summer.
The 2008 Trenz Johannisberger Holle Riesling Kabinett had a sweetness that my notes last week had not indicated, probably because it was straight off the boat from Germany and still shaky from the trip. It started the tasting with two strong but separate notes of acid and sweetness but air brought up a slate infused rich fruit that bridged the two into a very satisfying whole. This wine is a bargain at its price.
The 2007 Janin Beaujolais Villages likewise showed a discordant acidity at first, but with time open raised up its fruit, it became quite pleasant. One later taster called it ‘real Beaujolais,’ and so it was, not the carbonic fruit juice that that the supermarket stores sell.
The 2007 Damien Lorieux Bourgeuil Tuffeauxhad more weight but it first showed the same sort of acid austerity, in addition to Cabernet Franc’s classic acid structure. more open later, it needs and would be perfect for richer grilled foods.
The favorite wine came last. 2007 Le Rote Chianti Colli Senesi was fruity and friendly from first to last taste, a feat it managed without losing any of its Chianti essence. At 13.99 it is a bargain for its quality and perfect for late summer, early fall drinking.

Light Wines for Summer

White

2007 Polier St. Veran En Messie; Aroma: clean creamy lactic, firm, rounded , fine; Mouth: fleshy round, nice breadth, very rich , old viney, nice dry richness & spice; Very Good Plus 15.99; Mixed Case, 14.39; Case, 13.59

2008 Trenz Johannisberger Holle Riesling Kabinett; Aroma: light very pretty dry and sweet, racy acid rather firm, fine, elegant; Mouth: lean fine acid, nice racy acidity, jut off dry, very clean , very pure, very fine acidity, long; Very Good Plus 16.99; Mixed Case, 15.29; Case, 14.44

2008 Lagar de Besada Albarino: Pale straw with green highlights. rich fruit aromas, peach and apricot with a floral edge. Dry, crisp and elegant on the palate. Very Good Plus17.99/bottle 16.19/mixed case 15.29/case

Red

2007 Paul Janin & Fils Beaujolais Villages Domaine des Vignes des Jumeaux- Biodynamic; Color: very purple; Aroma: light clean a fine granitic minerality, a touch smoky; Mouth: clean on the attack, fine acid pretty, rich, an interesting earthy quality, dry dimensioned ; Very Good Plus15.99; Mixed Case, 14.39; Case, 13.59

2007 Damien Lorieux Bourgeuil Tuffeaux; Color: light red brown; Aroma: light nutty, fleshy, clean, nice on the herbal side of franc, ; Mouth: fresh but not aggressively so, clean good acid on the attack, , but rounded, nicely fleshy, nutty on the finish, good length; Very Good 16.99; Mixed Case, 15.29; Case, 14.44

2007 Le Rote Chianti Colli Senesi: Bright ruby. Black cherry, light spice and a hint of smoke. Medium bodied palate with balanced fruit, spice and acidity. Very Good Plus 13.99/bottle 12.59/mixed case 11.89/case

7/22 Lite Wines Case: Two each of the above wines at a special price of $167