2005 Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss Pinot Blanc Kritt

Type: White
Producer: Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss
Variety: Pinot Blanc
Vineyard: Kritt
Country: France
Region: Alsace
SubRegion: Andlau
Appellation: Alsace AOC
Price: $23.00
From: Bin Ends Wine for $18.40. This was tasted as part of Twitter Taste Live sponsored by Wilson Daniels.



The Big Wooden Guy finally gets a turn, and has big hugs for this Alsace gem.

Night One

The first impression was thickness on the palate. This was not a dry, tight, acidic summer afternoon quaff. This was a thick serious food wine. Next was the creamy softness of it. Immediately out of the bottle it was sweet and creamy, giving a first instant impression of coconut cream. Some time out of the bottle allowed that to soften, first to banana, then finally settling on pears, and very obvious pears. I expect nobody could drink this wine, thirty minutes or more after opening it, without saying "oh, pears!" out loud. It had one other flavor that was a bit unusual, first hinting at toast, but too flavored to just be dry bread. No, the best description was Zweiback, the old crackers that parents gave teething babies, but that are the real secret behind the crust of genuine New York Cheesecake (graham crackers started with cafeteria lunch ladies and condensed milk "cheesecake," but the real thing has Zweiback). The wine also had some balancing acidity and tartness. The tartness was more exotic than typical lemon, and is best described as somewhere between, or even a blend of, key lime zest and starfruit.

Night Two

Pears were the predominant, perhaps even overpowering, aroma, modified a little with a bit of tart apple and toasty Zweiback.

Pears continue to dominate the palate, as well. They are joined by exotic soft citrus tastes, something akin to ugli fruit, with a slight ginger bite. Night Two sees a bit of bitterness on the mid-palate, a bitterness reminiscent of almond skins. The finish is long, highlighting ginger and a little white pepper.

This is very good wine.

2005 Marc Kreydenweiss Costières-de-Nîmes Domaine des Perrières

Type: Red
Producer: Marc Kreydenweiss
Variety: Red Rhone Blend
Designation: Domaine des Perrières
Country: France
Region: Rhône
SubRegion: Southern Rhône
Appellation: Costières-de-Nîmes
Price: $17.00
From: Bin Ends Wine for $13.60. This was tasted as part of Twitter Taste Live sponsored by Wilson Daniels.



The Little Wooden Guy applauds any Rhone that comes in under $20 and delivers classic flavors.

Night One

The nose opens with huge barnyard smells, layered smells of animal, dirt and hay. Applewood-smoked bacon is also in the forefront, a strong classic smell. Fruits are intense, like dried cherries and raisins.

The palate opens with surprising mineral flavor, like walking through a limestone quarry and inhaling fine dust as you drink. Fruit is just as intense on the palate, tannins are very tight. The same applewood-smoked bacon shows up on the mid-palate as the limestone softens and darkens into pencil lead.

This is a terrific candidate for big Night Two changes, so stick around and see what happens.

Night Two

Most of the barnyard is gone from the palate. It opens, instead, with medium red fruit. It is not big juicy cherries. Instead, it offers pomegranate and cranberry. It is nowhere near as intense as on Night One. There is some pencil lead on the mid-palate. A clear smoked bacon flavor pops out on the finish. The wine s less intense, but far more balanced, on Night Two.

This is good wine at a great price. The explosiveness right after corking is interesting, but the greater delicacy and balance is even more delightful. To me, that is a clue that this will benefit from some time in the cellar, a couple of years before it really hits its stride.