Michael Pinkus Wine Review - From the Cellar

Dominique Piron 2015 Chiroubles

13 Mar 2023

Details: Category: Uncorked Tonight

Upon opening ... Good red colour, cork's in good shape, using a burgundy glass for this one. Piron Chiroubles

NOSE: A little floral and a lot of dark fruit on the nose. There are some tertiary notes sneaking in.

TASTE: Aggressive notes of either tannins or wood from the beginning ... I'm hoping this is not too old and that the tannins have not taken over the fruit. I'm hoping it's just cranky.

1:00 hrs later ...
The nose has become more aggressively tannic, not spicy, almost woodsy - but the palate is showing signs of mellowing and smoothing. The nose and palate are running totally opposite paths.

2:30 hrs later ...
Everything has become smooth, the nose is fruit forward, the palate is black cherry, rhubarb, and strawberry with really good acidity.

Bottom Line ...
It started slowly, closed, introverted and uninteresting - but it really opened up. You know you've just had a good wine when your last sip, taken 3-plus hours after your first, is better than that first ... So much better.

Torres 2015 Salmos

09 Mar 2023

Details: Category: Uncorked Tonight

Upon opening ... The cork comes out in fairly pristine condition, a little weak in the middle, but I had little problem putting it back in and pulling it back out. Torres Salmos

NOSE: Mostly dark and brooding - I can smell oak so I'm concerned I've either committed infanticide or there's an over use of oak.

TASTE: There's a lot going on here: black fruit and cedar, gritty and smoky with a tannin dryness that at times can overwhelm the tongue ... Happily, there is some black raspberry on the lingering finish.

2:00 hrs later ...
Hardly moved at all. There's quite a bit of oak on this wine and while the dark fruit aspect is there the oak packs a real punch. Will it come into its own and become a fully focused wine, or will this fall apart as an oak bomb? Time will tell and I give it ...

24 hrs later ...
And it has smoothed out, the dark fruit has beaten the oak down into submission and it's a beauty of a bottle of wine to drink.

Bottom Line ...
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