I Gruet myself

Gruet Brut (New Mexico) – Dominated by its acidity, with a scraping yellow-fruited bite and no real complexity, yeast, toast, or even enough of its fruit to make up for the zip. It’s attention-getting and palate-clearing, but it’s not what it has been in other releases. (10/08)

Buster bar

Thomas-Labaille 2005 Sancerre Les Monts Damnés “Cuvée Buster” (Loire) – Creamy and, dare I say it about a Sancerre?, thick, but in its mode there’s a fair bit of balance. It tastes more spherical than of any particular mineral or growing thing, and for about an hour or so there’s absolutely nothing about it that tastes anything like its appellation or its grape. Eventually, with a lot of air (and gentle movement towards room temperature), the barest hint of grass and gooseberry emerges, peeking out from some tiny room within the sphere. Given all this, plus a very long finish, either this needs an epic decant or, more reasonably, a good long lie-down in the cellar. (10/08)

Cow

Archimbaud-Vache “Le Clos des Cazaux” 2004 Vacqueyras “Cuvée des Templiers” (Rhône) – Blackberry and boysenberry with a bit of a heart of darkness. I don’t want to say it’s jammy, because it’s not, but the fruit edges right up to that status. Thankfully, it doesn’t tip over to the other side, and there’s some dark earth and a lot of surprising suppleness to the finish. I’d like to see where this wine is headed. (10/08)

Haag und Dasz

Fritz Haag 2002 Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett 3 03 (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) – Bizarre and difficult, as if perceived through cheesecloth. Could just be in a bad stage, or there could be a low-level taint I never picked up. (10/08)

Wolaver & play dead

Wolaver’s (Otter Creek) “Will Stevens’” Pumpkin Ale (Vermont) – One of the better pumpkin ales I’ve had in many a year, because while it tastes very clearly of pumpkin, it neither lets its spice run rampant nor forgets that it is still supposed to taste like an ale; too many beers in this category taste like mulled pumpkin mead. Not for the purist, perhaps, but a great deal of seasonal fun. (10/08)

Breakfast

Peak Organic Maple Oat Ale (Maine) – Whether intentionally or not, the combination of elements here makes the beer act more like a very light Stout, or perhaps a Porter, than a regular ale. That’s not a criticism so much as it is a warning; those expecting a light brew that replicates their maple-drizzled morning oatmeal will be a little surprised. The first bottle is a bit of a struggle for me, for this very reason, but subsequent bottles reveal the beer’s qualities, which are considerable. Not something for every day, but a fine effort. (10/08)

That Ommegang of mine

Ommegang Abbey Ale (New York) – Sorta like listening to Dana Carvey do President (George H.W.) Bush; you can’t mistake what it represents, but it’s not really the same. I’m not sure what would help this beer be more like its Belgian inspiration, but I think the word “more” would be a start. (10/08)

At sunset

Otter Creek “White Sail” (Vermont) – It attempts to be a Belgian-style white, but never gets there; the spice elements aren’t intense enough, and the underlying beer isn’t…well, it isn’t much. This is usually a very solid brewer, so it’s disappointing to see them continue to fail with this bottling. (10/08)

Muga-chaka, Muga, Muga

Muga 2007 Rioja Rosado (Center-North) – What intrigues me about this wine is how it tastes like an aged rosé – not something most people drink – without being tired or yielding to oxidation, even though there is a touch of the latter. Strawberry, persimmon, perhaps a bit of cranberry…but all in well-aged form, rather than their bright, squirty, fresh-from-the-vine expression (as found in most rosés). Perhaps the effect could best be described as a slight intellectualization of pink. (10/08)

Cork Lynching

Terres d’Avignon “Kermit Lynch” 2006 Côtes-du-Rhône (Rhône) – Corked. (10/08)

I want to be a Ramière, Ramière, Ramière

Jeune “Domaine Monpertuis” 2006 Côtes-du-Rhône Vignoble de la Ramière (Rhône) – I’d almost forgotten that Côtes-du-Rhône used to taste like this: earth-spicy old cherry, herb-laden earth, none of it striking or memorable, and certainly not over-worked or heavy, but an easy-going, eminently pleasant companion to just about any food one can throw at it. (Don’t throw your food, though; your mother would be unhappy.) There’s a hint of horse, but only the most rigidly averse will care. (10/08)

Tufi underground

Teruzzi & Puthod 2003 “Terre di tufi” (Tuscany) – Getting a bit tired already, not from age as much as the effort of supporting its brawny upper body on a rather spindly lower half. Ponderous despite a fair expression of metal-sheathed white apricot, and not for the long haul. (10/08)

Ascheri before dinner

Ascheri 2005 Langhe Arneis (Piedmont) – The expected chalk soda texture is here, but what dominates is whitewashed minerality and semi-desiccated apple; it’s a striking expression of grape and place that simply won’t be ignored. Delicious. (10/08)

Ferran

Adria “The Pilgrimage” 2007 Bierzo Godello (Northwest Spain) – There’s a layer of thickness here through which one must press, initially, and the effort leads to…well, not very much. Some wan stone fruit in an otherwise watery soup, in which the alcohol is left to fill in the gaps. Not very good. (10/08)

Chusclan of the cave bear

Texier 2000 Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Chusclan (Rhône) – I open this with trepidation, due to the synthetic cork in its neck. But this is one of the random bottles that’s survived its closure, showing rolling waves of luscious Rhônish un-fruit (underbrush, meat, herbs, dried-and-smoked red cherries in residual form), both “pretty” – if you like this sort of thing – and long. It’s a lower-volume wine, to be sure, which is only to its credit. (10/08)

For seven brothers

Seven Sisters 2007 Chenin Blanc (Yolanda) – It won’t remind anyone of the Loire Valley, but for those who like the fruity, sun-drenched expression of chenin blanc without much trickery or drapery, this is a simple pleasure. Don’t look for complexity, delicacy, or much length. You won’t find them. But it’s as drinkable as a New World wine could ever want to be. (10/08)

Etxegaraya, Etxegaraya!

Hillau “Domaine Etxegaraya” 2002 Irouleguy (Southwest France) – Harsh and metallic, with battery acid structure. A victim of its synthetic cork. (10/08)

Not so bon Felsch-ing

Le Gœuil 2004 Cairanne “Cuvée Léa Felsch” (Rhône) – Corked. (10/08)

Anker's away

Het Anker “Gouden Carolus” 2008 “Cuvee van de Keizer” (Belgium) – Wow. All the thick, spicy, sexy Belgian qualities turned up to eleven, but without sacrificing balance. It is a heady, dense wine, and you’ll feel the effects of the alcohol, but it’s strikingly complex and rich, and worth every temple-throb. (10/08)

Émile Zola

Chaussard (Briseau) “Nana, vins et cie” Vin de Table “You are so nice” (Loire) – 2006 bottling. Plays at fun, but the structure’s a bit on the scowly side, with an angry slash of tannin and acidity cutting diagonally through the wine, reducing the appeal of the fruit. Is that some granite in the background? This might just need the right food to tame the angrier elements. (10/08)