Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/39104
2010 Morgon Jean- Ernest Descombes, France ($18) Smooth red cherry and lush texture; juicy and bright, fresh and charming with balance and good length. IMPORTS 90 Georges Duboeuf W. J. DEUTSCH 90 Forrest Estate 2010 The Doctors’ Riesling, Marlborough, New Zealand ($18) Bright, juicy green apple and citrus with tangy acidity and spice; bracing, long and showing a bit of sweetness; lovely. THE AUSTRALIAN WINE CONNECTION 90 Alois Lageder 2009 Beta Delta, Tenutæ Lageder, Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Italy ($20) A 50% Chardonnay/50% Pinot Grigio that’s peachy and fresh, delicate floral notes; crisp, clean and racy with nice depth and style. DALLA TERRA 89 ($20) Fresh and peachy with racy acidity, tangy citrus and apple; lively, clean and juicy; balanced and long; sustainable. 90 Goldtröpfchen, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany ($31) Pure and racy with lovely citrus and tangy acidity; elegant, fresh and balanced with great length and style. VALCKENBERG INTL. 91 Maximin Grünhaus 2010 Riesling, Spätlese, Mosel-Saar- Ruwer,, Germany ($38) Fresh and spritzy with elegant, racy peach, tangy passion fruit and delicate citrus; long, complex and amazing. VALCKENBERG INTL. 96 LOEST & MCNAMEE Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt 2010 Riesling Kabinett Piesporter Carrick Wines 2010 Riesling, Central Otago, New Zealand Stoneleigh Winery 2009 Pinot Noir, Marlborough ($19) Smooth and tangy with sweet, supple cherry and spice; juicy, deep and quite pretty with good acid structure and a bright finish. PERNOD RICARD USA A Walk in the Park Cognac Park Brings A New Approach To A French Tradition CREATING A NEW COGNAC HOUSE, in a region where tradition is measured in centuries rather than decades, is not undertaken lightly. But Scotsman Dominic Park, who worked for years in the London wine and spirits trade (at Berry Bros. & Rudd, among others), pulled it off with panache. He created Cognac Park in the 1990s, with the aim of offering stylish, straightforward cognacs in unaffected packaging—a refreshing change from caramel-laced, overly-wooded versions sold in gold-encrusted crystal decanters. Park had originally moved in the Cognac region to retire but he quickly became fond of the local business of Cognacs, and could not help to start his own brand. The problem was to find a supplier that would allow him to create authentic and consistent cognacs. Park’s partnership with the Tessendier distilling family, négociants who provide eaux-de-vie to some of the top names in the region, meant that he was able to access to the finest and rarest aged spirits in the region. He created the original blends to produce some of the most rewarding (and fairly priced) cognacs on the market still today. In 2008, Dominic Park finally retired and it was only natural for the Tessendiers to take over the ownership of Cognac Park. Nothing has changed, but perhaps the cognac from the Borderies cru which is even better than before since the Tessendiers are blending even older eaux-de-vie from their own vineyards now. Cognac Park VSOP, France ($40) Smooth, toasty nose; rich, toasty and dense with spice, butterscotch and dried fruits; balanced, creamy and long; floral, seductive and elegant. 90 91 ($55) Fragrant and lush nose; creamy and ripe with lovely caramel and vanilla; rich, floral and sweet with elegance and feminine style; long and very smooth. 92 93 Cognac Park XO Traditional Reserve, France ($88) Rich amber color; nose of vanilla and dried fruits; rich and deep with mellow flavors of toasted oak, spice and dried apple; warm and intense with very smooth texture and a long, lingering finish. COGNAC PARK IS IMPORTED BY TESSENDIER USA. august 201 1 / the tasting panel / 61 Cognac Park Borderies Single Vineyard, France Cognac Park VS Carte Blanche, France ($30) Smooth and spicy with lovely floral notes; lush and creamy-textured with light but rich flavors of vanilla and oak; seductive and long with a graceful finish.