The Gang of Pour
N-JAT - Not Just Another Tasting!
1985 Côte-Rôties; Jaboulet Aine Les Jumelles & Guigal Brune et Blonde:
Two beautiful, mature Côte-Rôties, with somewhat different characteristics. Les Jumelles was soft, but rich, with smokey stewed plum-prune flavors and aromas; it's starting to take on the brick tone in color, and the raisin element in its flavor profile, that are associated with maturing red wines. Two of us clearly preferred this wine.
The Guigal was softer, with somewhat less pronounced smokey plum flavors. The color was still a rich red, with little of the brick tone; the nose had subtle smokey, meaty-bacon, black cherry nuances.
It was quite different from a bottle sampled about a year ago by this taster; that one was still big and rich. It needed four hours in the decanter to open up and show what it had. (Bottle variation? This may explain the quizzical look I got from S.E. Michigan's Merchant of Vino himself, Ed Jonna, when I told him about the long breathing period that it needed.) Nevertheless, both wines were a delight, and would make a perfect accompaniment to roast lamb with garlic and rosemary.
1993 Domaines Schlumberger Gewürztraminer Alsace Fleur de Guebwiller:
Number 91 on this years' WS Top 100. Undoubtedly the "oiliest" wine this taster has ever sampled; I'd often wondered what that description meant. This wine has a big, spicy, floral nose, with creamy peach and melon flavors. It's slightly sweet, and has good acidity; The Artist described it as "almost sparkling!" While it can accompany spicy Asian food now, this beauty will certainly benefit from another 5-10 yrs. of bottle aging, especially to soften up the "oil."
Undoubtedly the "oiliest" wine this taster has ever sampled...
IN ATTENDANCE 1-20-97
This Taster
The Artist
The Director
