Wines of the week

The above title is a misnomer at best. I drink only a couple of new wines in a week and if I like them, then I make a note of it. This week has been a little more eventful than usual. Here we go:

Ch. Latour - 1999 Bordeaux, France(Paulliac) - Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot
Too tannic now. On the second sip, I was able to experience some of the complexity this wine will have to offer in years to come. Nice fruit until the tannin takes over but you already get some nice oak and a trace of that coffee, tobacco-ish stuff you'd expect from a wine like this. For a weak vintage, it's extremely good. Really full and long-ass finish. Flowery nose, too.

Opus One - 1998 Napa Valley - Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc
I, too, am joining the chorus in stating that this wine is overrated and overpriced. $150, are you kidding me? I don't care if it's the lovechild of Mondavi and Mouton-Rothchild. It's a fine wine but better wines can be found at the $20, even the $10 level. If I don't have to pay for it, say at a dinner of a friend's, I gladly drink it and enjoy it, but I'll never ever plunk down that amount of change for it. Not exactly a recommendation but worthy of a mention due to its high profile. Also, I tried it right after the Latour.

Taurino Notarpanaro - 1997 Puglia, Italy - Negroamaro, Malvasia Nero
Their Salice Salentino is fabulous so I finally decided to try their estate bottled version. Some dried fruit flavors with some tobacco in the finish. A little sweet, too. Very affordable.

Firestone - 2001 Napa Valley, Calfornia - Sauv Blanc
Light but more complex than you'd expect. Very grapefruity like a Graves but it changes character toward the end. Good stuff, not too bad pricewise.