Pascal Jolivet Exception 2002

17.5 / 20

Producer: Pascal Jolivet

Region: Sancerre

Country: France

I approached this bottle with some caution... although I've really liked another white wine I had tasted from Pascal Jolivet, a 10-year old white Sancerre should not be in it's finest form, for sure. Reading the producer's site and seeing that this brand, Exception, would age well for 3-5 years did nothing to make me more comfortable.

Opened and poured, the light golden color was the first sign that not everything has lost - I was expecting to find a deeply golden colored wine. Still with some caution, I approached the glass to the nose: not bad, some signs of evolution with some glyceric notes, some nuts and almonds but clearly under control. A swirl or two and a beautiful, enticing and elegant bouquet started appearing - Very mineral and fresh, with lots of rubber and phosphorus with just a hint of sweet, boiled apples. My preconceptions were starting to shatter by now.

Tasting it with a lot more confidence, the body in this is superb. Fresh and showing an almost chalky, unbelievable acidity for its age - think Chablis, here - this is a totally mineral driven white, precise and balanced, filling the palate with some subtle lemony, dry notes and finishing in a dry, long way.

It definitely lost some of fruit and grassy feel that Sauvignon Blanc usually has when young, but it gained so much more. For me, a great example of how a white wine can age gracefully and develop unexpected but very welcome aromas and flavors.

Tasted on 2012-06-24

Lajido 2002

16.0 / 20

Producer: Cooperativa Vitivinícola da Ilha do Pico

Region: Açores

Country: Portugal

A fortified wine from the Pico island, in the Azores, made with Verdelho grapes, this is a good experience for anyone interested in novel, out of the ordinary wines. These fortified wines have a long history in the island and were highly regarded in the 18th and 19th century all over Europe. Phylloxera in the 1870s destroyed most of the plants and production was very low until the 1970s, when a government led initiative led to an increase in planted vines and a renewed interest in these wines.

Light amber, almost orange in the glass, the nose has dried fruits like hazelnuts, a faint impression of honey and something like malt or cereals.

Very dry in the mouth, structured and fresh showing again notes of honey and malt. Some notes of dried figs also appear in a taste where the acidity is well balanced. Finish is long and dry.

I think there are not many fortified wines like this around - maybe some Sercials or Verdelhos from Madeira come close to this (the dryness is certainly up there). Remarkable and worth the taste.

Tasted on 2011-10-02

Quinta do Além Tanha Vinhas Velhas 2002

16.0 / 20

Producer: Quinta dos Avidagos

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

This took a while to really open up. First impressions in the nose were flowery, vanilla and some ripe red fruits, later opening up to leather and balsamic notes. Even later on, it finally reveals some really nice red wild fruits.

In the palate, this is a very balanced, streamlined wine that also needs some time in the glass. At first, the tannins seem a bit too hard but, given time, they lose their edge, helping the structure of the wine. Good acidity for a 9 year old wine and some nice leathery, earthy notes help to compose a nicely structured wine with a decent persistence.

Nicely evolved wine from a lesser year in the Douro.

Tasted on 2011-09-20

Reguengos Signature 2002

16 / 20

Producer: CARMIM

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

A special release to celebrate the centennary of the main church in Reguengos de Monsaraz, this Garrafeira is probably paired, quality wise, with the other top brand from CARMIM - the really great Garrafeira dos Sócios.

Nice evolution scents greet us, with raisins and dried plums appearing, then some dried leaves and spices and a nice touch of leather. Very subtle at first, it gains momentum and strength as it breathes, even revealing lively and sweet red fruits later on.

Feels very closed on the palate, showing some discreet jam and sweet red fruits but not much more. It has a delightful velvet-like feel to it, extremely elegant and really benefiting from the more tertiary notes. It still reveals a good acidity and a really nice structure, that grants it a good deal of life and persistence.

Nevertheless, it kept feeling closed, a bit difuse on the flavors. It feels like there's a lot it's just not showing. Maybe it needed a longer decantation or it's just going through a strange phase.