Fritz Haag produces truly special wines, which combine power, breed & finesse with remarkable ethereal-ness, grandeur, amazing purity & impeccable balance.  I try to buy them every year I can, as it is always at the top of my list in particular his Brauneberger Juffer & Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr wines.

Here is what a friend wrote, which better explains their sites–”The classified, top locations of Brauneberger Juffer and Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr extend for about 2 km on the steep, left bank of the Mosel opposite the village of Brauneberg.  At present, the estate owns the largest and best portion of the Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenur. In addition, the estate also owns the best parts of the Brauneberger Juffer.  All sites are 100% Riesling.

I distinctly remember visiting the Tuscan wine country back in the early 1980′s when Cabernet, Merlot or Franch barrique were not politically correct to talk about.  Many vintners had them planted & made wines using all of the above…..they just did not talk about it so much publically.  Fortunately for me…..on that particular trip…….our “tour guide”……..was superstar oenologist Vittorio Fiore, who gave us very practical, highly informative insight into this “quiet” wine revolution that was perculating down in the cellars underneath the otherwise peaceful, serene Tuscan countryside.

Here is a yet another bunch of older wines we sampled in VINO.

2001 Arnaud Ente Meursault

Arnaud Ente is a relatively “new” star in Burgundy, where there are many stars, & lots of them coming from multi generational estates.  He wasn’t one of the fortunate to inherit vineyards & has instead had to work hard, buy grapes & buy parcels as he goes along & when he can afford to.  He is never the less, one heck’uv a winemaker with brilliance, passion & dedication & his wines show that.  The 2001 Meursault AOC is very captivating–wonderfully& quite ethereal, minerally, majestically perfumed, so tasty & invigorating, all done with class, seamlessness, impeccable balance & brilliance.  It really is drinking beautifully right now.

Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy’s most prized red wines & can trace its roots back to the 14th Century.  The small medieval  village of Montalcino is set at roughly 1850 feet elevation in the Siena province of Tuscany.  The many sites vary in soils & includes limestone, clay, volcanic & marl, which all can result in very different wines.  By law the sole grape variety permitted is Brunello (Sangiovese Grosso).

In 1888, Ferrucio Biondi Santi released the first modern version, after the wine spent 10 years in oak barrels.  Since then, until very recently, the number of wineries grew slowly……in the 1960′s there was but 11 producers….1980–53…& in 2000–over 200.

Last night was one of our friend’s 50th birthday & as one would imagine there was a bevy of older wines opened in the celebration.  Here are some of the highlights.

1999 Francois Jobard Meursault Premier Cru “Genevrieres”

We have been really fortunate to taste a whole slew of older Jobard wines in the past 18 months.  They have, without a doubt, been quite the revelation as each have been a truly incredible experience …..that is if you like mature, old style white Burgundy.  Eventhough this was a 1999, it seemed like a baby–still very youthful in its core, surprisingly tight fisted & unyielding.  It really was a glorious, aged Chardonnay nonetheless, which just kept opening up with additional air time.

Tonight was yet another tasting, this one featuring Californian wines from some of what we think are truly TOP vineyards, with some age on them.  Here are some of the highlights.

2005 Patz & Hall Chardonnay “Durell Vineyard”