Medium ruby with a tight ruby rim and violet hues, 2013 Poujeaux recalls some complexities(60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% cabernet franc) and 'class' of some excellent crus: layers of toasts, inks, lead pencil, graphite, dark fruit(blackcurrants), tones of classy new oak, minerals, melted tannins, tones of animal and game below the new, dark, berry fruity backbone.
On the palate, it's an easy, enjoyable wine, ready to drink today. The chalky finish gives structure and exceptional grip. It finishes medium-bodied, 拖, with a good length and rounded tannins. Certain sophistication sets this 2013 Poujeaux apart from other humble Cru Bourgeois.
Scores are not too high; hence we can still get this delightfully fruity 2013 at this price. DD91; also WS89.
Updated: Mar 23, 2023
Cool, delicately vegetal scent with very restrained yellow-fruity aromas. Delicate, bright, excellent fruit, soft yeasty tones, a hint of nuttiness, animating acidity, tart-mineral and slightly grippy on the palate, good to perfect, quite firm, tart finish with dry herb notes. There are always tones of muscat, apricot chutney, ginger flavours and spice on the finish.
92 Falstaff, who wrote, 'Light yellow-green, silver reflections. Fine yellow tropical fruit on the nose, hints of mango and blossom honey with mineral notes and tangerine zest in the background. Light-footed, white fruit, elegant acidity with a lemony-salty finish.'
Robert et al. commended the 2018 vintage that this is a great summer wine. Domäne Wachau is, as the name suggests, deeply rooted in the Wachau region. Close to 440 hectares of vineyards are cultivated by this quality-oriented cooperative's members, accounting for 30 per cent of the entire Wachau vineyard area. Domäne Wachau's vineyards are found on steep terraces reinforced by old, dry-stone walls and are part of a World Cultural Heritage. Famous names like 'Achleiten', 'Kollmitz', 'Loibenberg' and 'Tausend-Eimer-Berg' are found on the Domäne Wachau's vineyard map. It is the only winery in Wachau with wines from all of the most prestigious sites in the region.
It is easy to write about this wine again because the memory is still vivid: powerful; rich; edging; crunchy, fresh and ripe fruit; total and intense; lots of minerality, structure and texture. Setting-wise, the area is terraced, direct South facing and acclaimed as the Cru with the most diverse soil, hence the vast and wild taste. Nevertheless, this wine is unmistakably a Wanchau Smaragd (ripeness)and an FX Pichler(full expression). ABV balanced at 12.5%. About right to crack one bottle now.
High scores and consistent tastings, such as:
JS 96. Welcome to the riesling desert island! Super-ripe with a wealth of orange, a hint of mango aromas and a lot of power. Lovely freshness at the long, full finish. Better than 2018, but there's no hurry to drink this. (10/2017). Edited.
WE96. A faint, flinty touch of reduction still informs this wine's lifted citrus scents. A taut, textured structure on the palate sends zesty lemon flavours darting across the tongue. This still needs to open up, but all the ingredients for an explosive citrus party are here. It has concentration, freshness, fruit and potential. This may become smoother but will remain beautifully slender. Drink 2020–2035. (AK) (3/2018). Edited
WS94. A floral style, exhibiting lavender, passion fruit and apricot flavours, while the acidity cuts through the midpalate, making this firm and focused, leaving a minerally impression before the dry, mouthwatering finish takes over. A bit tight at the moment, but the components are there. Give this a few years. (Edited)
RP94. The 2016 Ried Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd is stunningly precise, cool and fresh on the nose, displaying mango, passion fruit and yellow nectarine flavours. On the palate, this is a full-bodied, piquant and concentrated Riesling with a tight structure, lovely grip and tension from healthy, crisp skins. This is a great Loibenberg that needs 5-7 years to shine. (SR) (8/2017). Edited.
