Castel Juval Blauburgunder: Makes me want to try it again just to see...

Wine Name: 2006 Weingut Unterorti Blauburgunder "Castel Juval"
Wine Region:  Sud Tirol Vinschgau
Alcohol: 13%
Tasting Setting: first with friends, then with alone

Nose
Flower: 3 out of 5.  Delicate notes of crushed rose petals and violets.
Fruit: 3 out of 5.  Sour cherry notes.
Spice: 2 out of 5- Subtle hints of barrique increase complexity.  Well done and not invasive.
Complexity: 2 out of 5.
Funk: 3 out of 5. There's a hint of volatile acidity in this that is disturbing.  Not as earthy as I would have expected or liked.

Texture
Edge: 4 out of 5.  Strong acidity, even a bit out of balance, but keeps the wine lively and exciting.
Roundness: 2 out of 5.  A touch more roundess would help I think.
Body: 3 out of 5.  The right body for a Pinot Noir.
Silk: 2 out of 5- The acidity of the wine cuts through the silk that I immagine this wine had.

Taste
Power: 3 out of 5.
Length: 2 out of 5.  A bit lacking.
Personality: 4 out of 5- The acidity and linearity of the wine is nice and speaks of the intense vineyards the wine comes from.
Fruit: 3 out of 5-
Minerality- 4 out of 5
Wood: 2 out of 5.

Overall

Balance: 2 out of 5.
Harmony: : 3 out of 5.
Elegance: 3 out of 5.  Really nice use of wood both on the pallet and the nose.  The barrique gives the wine an extra tannic edge to it. 
Enjoyment: 3 out of 5
On the 20 Point scale: 14.5

Other thoughts

Since I'm an avid alpinist and ski mountaineer, I've passed Castel Juval many times and it has a history asociated with mountaineering.  It's owner is Reinhold Messner who is one of the most important alpinists in history.  He bought Castel Juval as his summer home and besides being a museum it's also dedicated to preserving alpine agriculture.  But enough on that...

These vineyards are extreme to say the least and are no more then 10 kilometers from one of the largest extents of glaciers in northeastern Italy.  The Vinschgau/ Val Venosta is a beautiful place where agriculture (mostly apples, but also wine grapes) mixes perfectly with an alpine setting.

I expected more of the wine.  I have no clue how the 2006 vintage was in Val Venosta, but it lacked balance with this strong acidic balance that showed both what I like and I don't like about the wine.  I'd like to taste another vintage because I think that in great vintages this really could be a fantastic wine.