Wine tasting in restaurant IMES on 28 February 2008
1. Cekorov Winery
Riesling 2005
This wine shows a very attractive rich and golden honey like colour. Great Riesling typicity on the nose. Quite petrolly with a good floral character, slightly grassy and lovely round citrus fruit. Delightful intense well rounded palate, with grassy floral flavors coming through as it carries viscous oily sappy sweet citrus and mandarin edged fruit. Dancing in the back an excellent touch of butter and soft acidity. Although I found this wine difficult to spit out I’m sure it will divide people’s opinions. Leaning towards a rather heavier Alsace style it is quite different from most clean fresh zesty made German Rieslings. To let your special moments last longer…indeed!
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
A fantastic delicious dark ruby purple glossy looking colour. A Cabernet stylish nose, with distinguished notes of graphity minerals, freshly crushed green peppers and abundant gorgeous succulent rasp-straw-bleu-black berry fruits. Likewise the palate is richly loaded with generous layers of seductive luscious cassis, black currants, straw- and raspberries, sitting along side… notes of discrete sweet spiced vanilla and again some green peppercorn bite. Good balance of acidity and ripe tannins. A very nicely crafted wine that will continue to improve for a few years. Splendid pleasing stuff…
Vranec 2004
Lovely deep dark red-purple colour of Vranec youth. The nose, after a few minutes, gives off some delightful sweet dark berry forest fruit. Later more vivid opulent dark cherry fruit and violet flower perfumes appear. Plenty of unwrapping extract on the palate, which has soft sweet liquorish black cherry jam on top of the traditional lush meaty dark forest berries, dried plums and an smooth integrated chocolaty mouth feel. Could it be Belgian? Delightful freshness and a fine grip that slightly pleasantly tingles the inner cheeks. Quelle meirveille!!!
2. RADEVSKI WINERY
Chardonnay 2006
Almost non Chardonnay like in colour. Surprisingly transparent, bright pale yellowish wine steering massive oily legs along the glass, giving up the alcohol. I need to check the label. Wow 14.9 %. Although the nose surpasses my expectations. Masses of succulent mashed banana, vibrant pineapple freshness, white flowers and juicy sweet ripe white pear. A huge palate, showing massive opulence, confirms the nosy wealth of the utterly seductive white fruits and mandarin wrapped around a clean crisp citrus core of fresh sweet and sour pineapple that tingles the finish. A winner!!!
Cabernet 2006
This Cab has a decent brilliant medium deep ruby purple colour. There is an elegant purity of fruit on the nose, characterized by ripe sweet red currant red berry jam spiced up with some black pepper and a slight touch of green aspargles tips. The palate has firm but very integrated, well knit tannins and a precise acidity, packed with mouth watering, soft liquorish, red and dark berry fruits. Well aimed straightforward yummy…for no money.
Merlot 2006
Beautiful deep brick red purple colour in my glass. A more seductive style on the nose here, with appealing, spicy jammy red currant, sweet red cherry and strawberry aromas.
There is a round midweight elegance on the palate with fleshy ripe sweet red fruit flavours and a liquorish edge. Tannins and 13.6% alcohol are appropriate, well covered by the fruit, giving a good grip, but with a balanced, attractive style. C’est si bon…
Vranec 2006
Nothing wrong with this Brilliant dark red purple colour that shades the glass violet after a good swirl. A lovely very expressive nose of ripe chocolaty dark forest fruit and soft red cherry liquor precedes the gorgeously extracted ripe red cherry, red and dark berry jam flavors on the palate. Rather a persistent I detected some green apple in the aftertaste which gave the ensemble some crunchy fresh acidity on the finish. Interesting…
3. KARTAL WINERY
Riesling 2006
A very pale, lemon yellow wine with a typical green tinge. A crisp, fresh, minerally, slightly petrolly-edged, zesty citrus lemony fruit nose with nuances of with flowers.
Crispy well focused freshness immediately apparent on the palate going hand-in-hand with an explosion of ripe sappy grapefruit, a luscious lemony pineapple combo, discrete zesty star fruit and hints of slightly grassy green apple cider. Good complexity, grip, balance and length here. Modern made, crisp fresh and clean solid entry level Riesling.
Stunning first effort…Bravo gentlemen.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
The lovely depth in the dark red purple edged colored wine gives an interesting forward aromatic nose here, showing impressive peppery confit cherry fruit blended with crunchy red currants. Good polished dry style on the palate unwraps typical mineral crunchy fresh red currants, bursting sour red cherries and delicate crushed green pepper topped off by a creamy silky butter touch. Nicely firm proportioned tannins. This is a well structured, extracted, very balanced, modern dry composed wine that drinks well now, but will certainly improve in the bottle. Very focused…Very Cab, ambitious.
Vranec 2006
Classy dark Vranec core surrounded by distinct purple Cab edges lift up a dark berry fruit nose. Oozing bleu and red berries, with a sniff of blackcurrant. Ripe, balanced, and seamless in structure. Subtle pomegranate on entry, but real explosive luscious fresh red/blue berry fruit picks up through the midpalate packed with loads of delicious sour cherries and lush firm tannin. Good spicy length and presence on this surprisingly dry but fresh clean styled offering. Ambitious modern made pleasure….
4. VINAR WINERY
Riesling 2007
A light medium yellow golden colour dances in my swirling glass opening a sweet citrus lemony green apple fruit nose filled with sappy ripe white pears, zesty grapefruit and dried pineapple. I was not sure about the hint of white flowers so I’m not mentioning it.
Nice fresh dry solid citrus and white fruit attack with a rounded green apple, grapefruit and pineapple core. Very exotic with little acidity. For this price… a steel!!!
Merlot 2007
Some purple density of colour here followed by an intense Merlot sniff of sweet, ripe, warm, dark forest liquor like fruit with a honey, caramel edge. Quite stylish soft rounded palate giving a generous sweet sappy juicy dark cherry and candy like dark forest fruit mix. Little tannin on the finish. Expressive meaty ripe full fruity juice. Very good though
drink it now. Huge enjoyment guaranteed…
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
A moderately rich looking purple wine. Another classic yummy sweet kirsch dark/rasp berry claret nose. The palate has intense rich ripe dark forest and sweet raspberry fruit. Again a lovely kirsch like texture, with a touch of dried red fruit. A pleasant, very soft tannic backbone. Seductive little butter/vanilla pudding point and delicate peppercorn in the finish. Gorgeous round yummy Cab…so nice even for 20 MKD more…
Vranec 2007
This wine has a slightly darker red-purple colour setting it apart from the others a little. The elegant nose offers some earthy sweet plums and ripe full bodied dark forest fruits.
El palate is fairly juicy, ripe and creamy round, flushing jammy quirky dark forest fruit, black berries and sticky dried plums. Attractive sweet fruit follows through with good integrated tannins towards the finish. Tut,tut,tut…Fruit bomb alarm !!!
Vranec Barrique 2004
Lights out. Black core, edged by a deep dark purple colored rim. Swirling paints the glass deep purple. This is powerful oily stuff. In the nose tons of gorgeous perfumed over-the-top ripe dark forest fruits, liquorish dark cherries and rich elegant roasted mocha vanilla from the new oak. Following the nose, there is serious thunder on the palate with again unwrapping layers of luscious sweet ripe quirky dark berry fruit, lush raspberries, generous black plums and some leafy undergrowth balanced by well integrated sweet tobacco roasted vanilla and a silky cup of mocha. Gentle shavings of bitter dark chocolate and focused soft tannins in the quite long finish. Outrageous weight with tremendous backbone. This wine is rocking…
Willy |
