Basel Weinmesse

Yesterday we visited the Basel Weinmesse and tried some quite nice stuff (we also tried some complete swill, but that was quasi-inevitable).

Particularly interesting things, listed here just to have them recorded somewhere.

South African (imported by Savinis in Muttenz):

• Pinotage: L'Avenir, Kanonkop; We liked both, L'Avenir more
  
• Syrah/Shiraz: Lievland, Rudera; We liked both
  
• Bordeauz blends: Welgemeend, Meerlust (Rubicon); neither of us much cared for Welgemeend (I'm sure they meant well), the Rubicon has potential, but it's not there yet.

Spanish (importer Dovinasol in Zurich):

• Ramon Bilbao 1995 Riserva Rioja - I found this absolutely fascinating. It reminds me of the 1993 Zin that we picked up in Russian River this spring. Maybe it's just the fascination of older wine.
  
• Ochoa 1998 Riserva Navarrao - less interesting
• Negra Barbara Fores 2002 Terra Alta
• Clos Socarrat 2003 Riserva Priorat

Ticino Merlot (from Vini Le Orchidee)

• Le Orchidee, 2004 Merlot: lovely wine, very lovely
• Sensazione, 2004 Merlot: Similar grapes, but they spent 7 months in a mixture of new and old oak barrels. This seemed somehow closed, but maybe has some potential in the future. I'm not sure if it makes sense that putting the wine in oak would make it more closed.
• Purpuratum, 2004 Merlot: "old-vine" (25 year) grapes, 12 months in new oak. Both of us thought this was overpoweringly oaky.