jrufusj
-
Posts
382 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Store
Help Articles
Posts posted by jrufusj
-
-
Yeah, what he said. And Prà is a producer that has pleased on that front before with nice, taut wines.
Also, just so I don't treat Prà unfairly...
This was not fat or flabby. It just had a little less tension than I am accustomed to seeing from the producer. I'll still drink more of it, but look forward to the 2004 replacing the 2003 in the Cruvinet.
Jim
-
Steve:
Last week I noticed that the Krug 85 was in stock downstairs. Haven't picked any up yet. I'll probably do a quick bit of shopping around as I recall the price was relatively steep, even for Krug 85. But I've just discovered that '85 Krug is the absolute favorite wine of a close friend, so I need to pick some up somewhere. I find my shop downstairs sometimes to present very fair (even good) prices and other times to be a bit dear. In any case, though, I always know things have been well shipped and well stored. That's worth more than a few dollars in my book, when buying mature wine.
The bottle Friday night was from the wine bar list, as they had it at a pretty good price. It was one of the politeness bottles one always buys when doing BYOB.
I did pick up the Huët downstairs. They've still got it, as well as the '90 Clos de Bourg Premier Trie.
The Grands was double decanted then recorked the night before. It got about two hours in the decanter on the night of drinking.
I've got high hopes and anticipation for Jan 20th. Not high expectations -- I never have high expectations for older wines, as it's a recipe for disappointment. But I do have high hopes and am very excited about it.
I'd be ecstatic over any night when the wines perform as well as they did Friday night.
Take care,
Jim
-
- 2003 Prà Soave Soave Classico DOC Monte Grande - Italy, Veneto, Soave (12/10/2005)
By the glass from Vineyards at TAC with lightly fried softshell crab and fresh vegetable spring rolls (not fried). Light, clean, and freshly appealing straw color. Nose shows bright citrus and white peach with a touch of floral interest thrown in. Smooth and light on entry, the mid-palate doesn’t exactly explode, but fills out nicely with round white fruit and a light mineral core. Medium finish continues more of the same, plus a little fresh field grass. Perhaps lacking a bit of definition and acid versus Prà offerings from other vintages, I would drink this up now while it is fresh and refreshing. A nice foil to the food, as long as one avoids the (unnecessary) spicy dipping sauce. What simple regional whites should achieve more often.
Posted from CellarTracker
- 2003 Prà Soave Soave Classico DOC Monte Grande - Italy, Veneto, Soave (12/10/2005)
-
Kudos to Oliver for putting together this event. Limited to six people so the pours were generous. So, by the way, is Oliver. He contributed several gems from his cellar, including the Lafleur. While I was promised that it was well-bought a while back, I'm simply thrilled and honored to have been chosen to share the benefits of his foresight!
Starters
Amuse of a muniere-style oyster and a beautifully light hash of squid and raw tomato. Followed by a perfectly simple but delightful parsley-seasoned sauté of wild mushrooms.
- 1985 Krug Champagne Brut - France, Champagne
Deep maturing yellow, but what really catches the eye are the beautiful billowing ribbons of fine bubbles that just dance and twist through the glass. Nose initially shows lemon pastry over a tremendous depth of fruit that features delectable peach skin. On the palate, it is at that great transition from a young fine pointal texture to cream – like cream that prickles. That almost overbearing sense of sweetness on entry that stays just on the delicious side of cloying – almost like the exotic sweetness of Indian spices that threaten to be sickly sweet but instead delight. Never gets fat or anything less than graceful, but there is simply no edge or angularity there – absolutely seamless. Finishes with a very long sweet brioche element. This seems to get a little tighter (in a good way) as it sits. Simply delicious.
Poisson
Another simple but delightful dish -- madai (sea bream of a sort not found in American or European waters) in a butter sauce.
- 2002 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Charmes 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
The linens and tableware were a mix of saffron gold and bright white, so it was a little hard to assess color, but this seemed to be on the light side for Lafon, but not versus other producers. Nose is high-toned with an intense fruit and minerality that completely hides the oak. So very young and tight that it is very hard to pull the detail out, but there certainly is sweet apple, stone, a little floral element, and some kind of round and rich stone fruit. So young and intense that there is almost a textural waxy quality to the nose. On the palate, the oak shows very strongly, but not strongly enough to blunt the same fruit and mineral attack from the nose, which is joined by a honeyed oat quality. This was amazingly smooth and integrated, but oh so tight even through the very long finish. At every stage, the wine showed an incredible purity of fruit and site that it promises to be tremendous. A great hedonistic beam of fruit pleasure now. I could drink this everyday, but it is a crime not to let it evolve for another ten or more years.
Mid-meal decadence
A cold confit of foie gras with an eclectic array of garnish including vegetable, fruit, and cornichon. (Someone please help my failing memory here!)
- 2000 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc L'Orée - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Beautiful deep gold and evident viscosity. Despite a good decanting (several hours?), the nose was very closed at first. I got a good workout swirling this try to get it to open up. Finally, it does open up to show a rich, deep, and almost undefinable nose that passes through stages of Armagnac, fresia, ginger spice, and tropical and stone fruit. This wine is quite a workout for the arm. Swirl vigorously and it opens to show something new. Let it rest a second and it closes back up. Swirl again and there’s something else to enjoy. Let it sit and it closes up again. Palate is relatively more closed than the nose, showing mostly a rich and clingy fruit-sweet texture that never quite gets spirity. Dominant note other than fruit is white pepper on the otherwise mostly textural finish. This has all of one foot and most of the other over the “shut down hard” line. Give it a decade or more. Not sure it’s equal to the Parker review at this point in time, but there’s no question it will have a lot to offer when it comes out of hibernation. I’d love to try it then.
Meat -- for a meaty young wine
A roasted venison dish that the proprietor was dead right in pushing us to have with the Grands.
- 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Flagey-Echezeaux
Deep and rich burgundy red, one can almost taste the density with the eyes. Wickedly pure pinot nose with a centerline of typical beetroot fleshed out by red and black berries and dark cherry. With a little time, a certain smokiness is joined by the sweet oak. Amazingly true to its terroir, this is textbook Grands Echezeaux. It has none of the exotic spice of RSV or La Tache, but has every possible ounce and nuance of pure and sweet pinot fruit. I always think that, if Cali pinot aspired to be Burg (which it shouldn’t), this is where it should aim. On the palate, it is still strongly tannic but has an amazing combination of youthful vigorous strength and size with almost impossibly deft dancing delicacy. On the finish it is just starting to spread out to show the breadth that will come with another fifteen years in hand. Like a ’98 Mugnier Moose tasted last year, this is the essence of what I look for in very young Burg – that sappiness that feels like you’ve gotten every drop of concentration between root tips and grape pips combined with enough of a fantail on the finish to make the future enticing.
A beautiful interlude
We selected a couple of hard cheeses to accompany the Lafleur. Anything else would have been interference. As it was, I drank the Lafleur mostly alone and saved the cheeses to soften up the Haut-Brion. (Which Haut-Brion was not in the original plan, but we were on a roll and needed something big and young. Anything attempting aged beauty and complexity would have been wasted in the wake of the Lafleur.)
- 1982 Château Lafleur - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Showing definite orange at edge, but that’s all the visual assessment this gets as an intense, super-concentrated purée of blackcurrants simply leaps out of the glass. Creates such a visceral reaction that we suddenly find six adults sitting around the table cooing like children, “Ooh! Blackcurrants! Yeah, and even more blackcurrants! Oh man! Blackcurrants!” Okay, when we all calm down, there is also this beautiful velvety licorice joining it. Liquid sex in a bottle, this is. Behind the intense fruit, there is also a certain spiciness and earth, but it’s hard to get past that velvet and fruit. On the palate, the velvety texture continues with more absolutely pure blackcurrant fruit joined by ripe plum and chocolate. Beneath the suavity, there’s still an element of tannin lurking – that classic iron-like merlot tannin that I think defines Pomerol structure. I don’t score wines and I don’t really care about others’ scores, but I do need to admit that if I did, I might be echoing the Parker 100 here. This just presents an amazing combination of Pomerol typicity and lush, rich, hedonistic concentration. Absolutely redefines Pomerol for me! - 1996 Château Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Still very deep and almost purple in color, with a density that promises much. The nose starts out with a less intense strain of blackcurrant than the Lafleur, but is still blackcurrant-focused. With a little vigorous aeration and persistent sniffing, there is a smoky and leathery quality, as well as some herb. Deeper dark plum lurks in the background. And lurk is really the word here – there’s a lot in the background but it refuses to be teased out with any ease. On the palate, there is strong tannin from front to back that is a little rough on the finish. Deep plum and some hints of berry provide a small degree of mid-palate sweetness before the finish turns to tobacco, tar, and tannin. Beware that this started to close up tightly in the glass after a very short time. Drinking young and tight Bordeaux is a fun academic exercise and I’m glad to have this data point, but I still don’t understand how people find such great pleasure from such young claret. Give it years…many of them!
And now to finish
A pear and pastry conconction of some sort. My mind and palate were awash enough with pleasure and awe (and alcohol) that my memory fails to provide the details. Sufficiently restrained that it let the delicacy of the Huët shine.
- 1985 Huët Vouvray Moëlleux Le Mont - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Middle-deep yellow just heading toward gold, this looks quite youthful for its age. Initially reduced on the nose, I make my constant mistake of worrying that we need to go to the backup bottle. I find such reduction in probably half the chenin blanc and German riesling I drink, but it always causes me that momentary worry. But it’s okay here, this just takes a moment to clean up. On the nose, it shows only the slightest hint of honey with the very pure and pleasantly light apple and nectarine fruit. Behind it is that cold stoniness that I love from these wines. I can’t say for sure whether there is any botrytis, but I don’t find the zingy beeswax that many of the deeper Huët moëlleux often show. On the palate, this has plenty of stuffing and a fair degree of sweetness, but the overwhelming impression is of a Nahe-like dancing delicacy that keeps the sweet stonefruit fresh. I’m relatively experienced with these wines and absolutely love them, but after the big wines preceding, it takes me a bit of time to appreciate the balance and delicate sweetness of this wine. Decidedly lighter than some of the big Huëts from ’89 and ’90, it is no less pleasing.
Sometimes things just hit on all cylinders. The food was great, the service was gracious, and every wine was perfectly clean and showed very well -- whether it was showing glorious development or mere potential.
The Krug and the Lafleur are certainly wine of the year candidates. In fact, the Lafleur is a wine of a lifetime candidate. Believe the hype. I'm unlikely to buy such a wine due to the crimp it would put in my budget, but it is living proof that a wine CAN be worth that much.
Posted from CellarTracker
- 1985 Krug Champagne Brut - France, Champagne
-
TRUFFLE DINNER, PINOT TASTING, AND PIEMONTE (3X DRC, 2X GAJA, AND MORE) - (12/1/2005)
Friends of ours generously hosted a small gathering.
After a glass of Champagne, there was a flight of six pinots, then we moved on to dinner.
To Begin
- 1996 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne La Grande Dame - France, Champagne
Small pointal mousse and a relatively deep straw yellow color. Even on the nose, it is immediately clear that this is a fruit-sweet wine, as the sweet apple and apricot flavors have an almost cloying sweetness reminiscent of horse urine (and that's not necessarily a bad thing). Part of the effect is that this has an oxidative note, which eases with a little time in the glass to reveal more ripe apple, some lemon cream, a bit of sweet-hay grassiness, and a lingering yeasty element. When it hits the palate, it suddenly comes back into balance with a good shot of acid to accompany the sweet fruit. Additionally, there's a healthy prickle from the mousse that helps to keep it fresh. This has very, very full body and a lot of weight. On the finish, it suddenly shows brulée and baked apple. Much heavier than my normal style, but an intriguing version of a very full-bodied Champagne.
The Pinots
- 2001 Daniel Schuster Pinot Noir Omihi Hills Vineyard - New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa
Light burgundy red, beautifully bright and transparent with a slightly pinkish tinge to the rim. On the nose, this shows a large dose of sweet oak along with super-sweet and very dense berry fruit -- almost a candied white raspberry. Sad to say, this never really shows much more on the nose. On the palate, there is another large dose of sweet oak on entry, followed by currant jam. On the plus side, this does have a moderate degree of acid hiding behind the sweet fruit. Additionally, there's a bit of spice in the background to lend a little interest. The finish is relatively long, but is -- sad to say -- dominated by yet more sweet oak. Overall, this is a pretty simple ripe wine with very slight and easy tannins and just enough acid to balance. Not my style, but a pleasant easy-drinking wine for current consumption. Uh-oh! 45 Minutes and two real burgs later, this is simply overwhelmingly sweet. - 2000 Bannockburn Pinot Noir Geelong - Australia, Victoria
Lightish plum color, but with some real depth. Solid to rim with quite noticeable viscosity. On the nose, this immediately shows cassia bark and anise along with a little spirity element. There's very little fruit at first, but some classic beetroot and deep plum come out with a little time, as does a bit of sous-bois. With a good dose of time in the glass, there's a shot spice and even a little game. Throughout, there is noticeable but not overly intrusive or sweet oak. On a surprisingly but pleasantly light entry, a nice undercurrent of earthiness accompanies medium deep plum fruit. The mid-palate picks up some weight with cherry fruit that leads to a moderately long finish. Not surprised to learn the the winemaker here is ex-Dujac as this has a seductiveness to the nose and silkiness to the palate that is very Dujac. It simply falls a little short in complexity and depth, but is still a real pleasure. Clearly, the best of the three new world pinots. - 1996 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Yamhill County, Willamette Valley
Lightish red tending toward orange at the rim. The nose shows sour cherry, mushroom, a jarring note of tin, and a pleasant whiff of washed rind cheese. Wait a minute, I think there's a note of VA here, though I can't be sure. In just a flash, the VA note turns to freshly polished old mahogony. On the palate, this is drying up. It shows a light dose of simple plum and cherry fruit, then moves into a short but bright finish. This has good structural balance, but is missing fruit. I am told that this was sweeter and deeper before decanting. Was promising on the nose but has clearly gotten a good start on the slide down. - 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
Medium deep red that is solid to rim. It takes a minute to work through the sweet oak, but once one does there's a tremendous nose in store -- cassis, violet, nutmeg, and allspice along with very deep and sweet plum and blackberry fruit. Throughout is a refreshing current of fresh-turned earth. Incredibly promising on the nose. On entry, there is an immediate cloak of tannin, just eased by very big dark berry fruit. Though this is quite closed up, one is still hit with hints of pepper and mineral. The finish re-emphasizes the oak sweetness, but this is balanced with an overall tautness that is pleasantly bracing. Finally, as the finish goes on and on, this fans out to show just how much may be lurking. Bits and pieces of the nose and palate dirft in and out on this broadening finish. Great balance and breadth with that tautness that keeps it all together promises a helluva wine when it ultimately comes around. Your guess is as good as mine when that will be, but I'd bet on no less than ten more years and probably a good few more. - 1994 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Flagey-Echezeaux
At first, this seems a little off and might just possibly be corked, but I'm pretty TCA-insensitive so I'm not sure. After 30 minutes, it is seeming even more likely that it is corked and pretty sure that it is off somehow. After dinner (and 5 hours open), this just reeks. Damn corks! - 1988 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
Bit of orange flitting through a still relatively deep burgundy color. The nose shows very little fruit, but a pleasant array of leaves, wet earth, and early spring flowers before they bloom. Focus hard and there is some light berry fruit and some spice. (At this point -- comparing the first three wines to this and the Richebourg -- I am reminded just how different oak spice and wine spice are, but also how easy it is to mistake oak spice for complexity when drinking an oaky wine alone.) On the palate, this is still incredibly tight and quite tannic, but it has hidden pleasures -- crunchy berry and sweet cassis chief among them. Every sip is different and the whole wine, including the finish, goes open/close/open/close/etc. The problem is that the open is very short and the close is much longer. This was decanted two hours ago and it is tight as a drum. After dinner (and five hours after opening) the tannins have finally begun to go into remission. The nose has also opened with lovely mushroom, blooming flowers, autumn leaves, and gorgeous berry. The palate is still a bit tighter, but no longer drying. The depth of the underlying fruit is more apparent, though I've still got some question whether the fruit or the tannin will win the ultimate race. Five hours delivered a beautiful nose, but we'll have to wait another ten years or so to see what the palate really has to offer. I'm a fellow who normally prefers older wines to young and RSV to Richebourg, but the 01 Richebourg was the clear winner tonight. We'll see what time has to say.
Fried Egg with Burrata, Parmesan, and White Truffles
- 1998 Gaja Langhe Costa Russi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe
Pretty deep color suggests richness to come. Nose is initially very closed, but opens up with time (and with the shaved truffles) to reveal a sweet floral scent and -- surprise -- a shot of truffle that I don't think was just power of suggestion. A bit of sweet strawberry accompanies the deeper plum and cherry fruit on the nose. Of course, there's also a big dose of spicy oak sweetness, but even this curmudgeon must admit that a beautiful nose comes through. On the palate, this is much more closed, with fairly tough tannins. However, there's some very pretty and deep plum along with the cherry fruit and the acid required to keep it together. Hard to tell where this will go except to say that this is tough and sexy at the same time. Think Kathleen Turner with a piece and a thousand dollar hairdo. I remain a skeptic that Gaja is worth the money, but this is a good illustration that there can be damn good stuff under the sexy modern styling.
Risotto with White Tuffles, Home-made Garganelli with Ragout and Broccoli
- 1998 Aldo e Riccardo Seghesio Barolo Vigneto la Villa - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Very, very deep color for nebbiolo. Nose immediately shows that root beer/sassafrass/anise character that I associate with modern Barolo and that I find in every young Clerico wine. There's also what should be there -- some violet floral scent and a bit of tarry scent. There's also a supersweet, superdark plum fruit that hides whatever lighter and brighter fruit may be there. Palate benefits from earth and is surprisingly approachable with soft tannins. Less sweet than the nose, the palate matches surprisingly well with the truffled risotto and the Bolognese-like ragu. A further confirmation that new-style, young Baroli are not on my buying list, but it was quite enjoyable nonetheless and presents reasonable value around $55. My first experience with this producer. Clearly modern, but not entirely over the top as long as one can look past the Barq's.
Veal Tagliata with Rucola Salad and Fresh Zuchinni Marinated in Balsamico Vinegarette
- 1997 Gaja Langhe Darmagi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe
Very, very deep puple in color, this surprises on the nose as the first impression is almost Loire-like with a clear dose of capsicum and green leaves. (I had never known it, but a peek at a published note indicates a tiny shot of cab franc -- makes sense given the nose.) The green element quickly fades into the background to reveal the core of Bordeaux-style without the complexity. There's plenty of sweet oak and cassis and dark sweet berry along with the requisite cedar/cigar box aromas and just a little smoke, but not a lot more. Then again, this is very young and still quite closed. The palate shows the sweetness and fat of the vintage, with good fruit concentration from entry to a long finish. I just wish there was more to it. I've got no experience with how this ages, so I reserve judgment, but at this point this is just a good, sweet, concentrated cab. Only the green notes hint at something more.
Assorted Cheeses, then Amaretto "Bonnet" Chocolate Pudding, Fresh Fruit Tarte, Panna Cotta with Caramel Sauces
- 1999 Château d'Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Very light young Sauternes gold. The nose shows botrytis, but more on the waxy side than the piercing spore-like side. Strong aromas of sweet orange peel, mango, and honey accompany the lanolin-soft, almost textural, lemon brulée core of the nose. The palate has a pleasant dose of acid to balance the sweetness, with both apparent and delicately juxtaposed all the way from entry to medium-length light caramel finish. While this puts on a little weight in the short time it spends in the glass, it is relatively light in body and intensity and hides a bit behind its obvious oak at first. Nonetheless it has the zing and the zest to the honeyed sweetness that make Sauternes what it is. This will never have the amazing combination of size and balance that wines like the '90 and '01 (or so I'm told re the '01) can have, but it does have the balance in spades. I always find younger Sauternes hedonistically enjoyable but a little impenetrable. This was a little more accessible, but will still be much better with time. - 2001 Allegrini Recioto della Valpolicella Classico - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella Classico
Deep and viscous purple. Nose of port minus the spirity element with very deep blackberry, chocolate covered cherry, dark-roasted nuts, and coffee. I'm sure there's oak here, but there's so much luscious sweet fruit that I can't really find it. Absolutely mouthcoating and hedonistic, showing even more sweet berry than the nose but never tipping over the edge as there's just enough of a touch of acid and tannin to keep it all together through an amazingly long, plummy, and creamy chocolate finish. This comes in a 500 ml bottle and that's okay by me. Despite the relatively low alcohol, more than a glass could quickly be too much of a good thing. But that's okay because the one glass is so very guiltily good.
Terrific evening, terrific food, and (much) terrific wine. Walter Dal Col of Ristorante Piola (one of my two favorite Italian restaurants in Tokyo) did a beautiful job catering. Thanks to Stephen, Steve, and Lindy.
- 1996 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne La Grande Dame - France, Champagne
-
Dick -
Agree that they will reach a peak and then decline...the question is when. And I agree that the rate of maturation and onset of decline are heavily influenced by storage conditions. I guess the only place I would take issue with you is that I find good German riesling (even Kabinetten) to be relatively longer lived than most wines.
So...yes, their development is dependent on storage conditions...yes, those without good (or at least fair) storage should enjoy them in their blooming youth.
However, I would suggest that anyone who has any good storage make the space to stick at least a few bottles in and see what they do with time. I think Kabinetten and Spätlesen represent one of the most affordable ways to see the glories that age can produce.
I would also suggest that anyone without at least good passive storage be careful about aging anything too long.
So...your advice rings true to me and should probably be well heeded by all...but I actually think German riesling is one of the more sturdy wines.
Thanks,
Jim
-
- 2002 Domaine du Père Guillot Morgon Cuvée des Grands Cras - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (11/30/2005)
Deepish red with just a touch of purple. Nose shows firm berries and just barely ripe sweet cherry, along with some dust and an element of violet. I'm not sure, but there also seems to be a touch of oak (or some form of woodiness), but it is not overpowering -- just mildly distracting. Palate has nice tart, crunchy cherry fruit on entry that deepens slightly into berries and even a little plum on the mid-palate. From mid-palate to the finish, there is a really nice granite and earth element that -- along with good acid -- keeps things interesting. There's also a parting shot of oddly hard tannin at the very back of the mouth as the wine moves into a medium finish of sour cherry and a hint of chocolate. A fair match with bolognese-sauced pasta, this should get better with two or three more years on it. It certainly has the fruit, acid, and a touch of tannin to last a while. If the woodiness is from oak, I expect that will it integrate nicely. If the woodiness is from green stems or similar, then it is best drunk now while the fruit is fresh. I don't often say this, but I hope this saw a bit too much oak. Great structural balance and fruit intensity. That odd woody element keeps it from being a real winner tonight.
- 2002 Domaine du Père Guillot Morgon Cuvée des Grands Cras - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (11/30/2005)
-
Living in Tokyo, I had to work Thanksgiving Day so we and our houseguests went to the club for dinner. We'll be cooking at home this Saturday for a proper Thanksgiving.
Club wine list presented limited choice, but an interesting chance to try stuff I might not otherwise try (like the L-P or the Prieur).
SA Laurent-Perrier Brut Rosé
98 Paul Blanck Riesling Schlossberg VV
93 Jacques Prieur Corton-Bressandes
85 Taylor VP
Notes have been posted in a separate thread.
All but the Blanck were ho-hum but good enough. Prieur is not my style of Burg and I'm not a big fan of most big-house NV Champagnes, so expectations weren't that high. The Taylor was a bit of a disappointment. However, the good company more than made up for any wine deficiencies.
It'll be my own fault, though, if we don't have better wines/matches this Saturday.
Jim
On Saturday with our homecooked meal...
SA Philippe Gonet "Roy Soleil" Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
02 Egon Müller Schärhofberger Riesling Kabinett
02 Domaine des Souzons (Famille Jambon) Régnié Cuvée Vielles Vignes
00 Domaine de Coyeux Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Notes posted separately. The Schärzhofberger was a star. The Gonet was extremely austere alone, but shone with the hors d'oeuvres. The Régnié was diasappointing. The Muscat was typical -- sweet and fun but simple and cloying beyond one small glass.
Jim
-
Kabinett wines are not long lived and are generally enjoyed best when fairly young. Your wine is among the best vineyards and produced but it is not a long lived wine. The higher the grade ending with BA and TBA are usually longer lived but even these wines unless held in constant temp limestone cellers may only last 20-30 years. After drinking and collecting German wine for almost 40 years and having enough failures in the BA and TBA claasification due to age along with some very sorry Kabinett's held too long, I err on the young side now. My long time friend sells German Wine and has a celler that occupies his entire basement. He also experiences failures with German wine held too long as well as degredation in quality. -Dick
Dick:
Several points of agreement --
(1) Well balanced BA and TBA wines will certainly outlast wines from lower pradikat levels.
(2) Kabinetten can be absolutely delicious when young.
(3) There is certainly a risk of finding tired or oxidised or otherwise degraded wines when they are held for a long time.
(4) Most German riesling (like most wine in the world) is made for drinking young.
(5) Von Schubert is a great producer and Herrenberg is one of the great vineyards of the Ruwer and of Germany in general.
However, I would have to disagree that Kabinetten "are not long lived and are generally enjoyed best when fairly young." I'll agree that they can be enjoyed young and I realize that different people have different preferences. However, from strong producers/einzellagen/vintages, Kabinetten can live a very long time. I've had enough twenty to thirty year old examples to be confident of that.
The Herrenberg in question here was clearly just barely emerging from a closed up period. An hour and a half after opening, it was still showing new elements and picking up weight and balance. A glass left on the counter overnight was still fresh, balanced, and complex the next day. This one has a long time to live and a lot of development is in store.
In summary -- Agree with your comments for the vast majority of wines produced in Germany or elsewhere, but to my palate the better wines absolutely demand age. I find the best Kabinetten to be at peak somewhere between ten and fifteen years of age. As the pradikat levels go up, so does the ability to age and the need for age to show full complexity.
Again, enjoy your wines when you like them best. You've got a lot of experience and I can't argue against your preferences. But if people new to these wines are led to drink them all up young, they are missing something glorious.
Regards,
Jim
-
THANKSGIVING ROUND II - Home (11/26/2005)
Since I had to work on Thursday, we had our home cooked Thanksgiving meal on Saturday. Jonathan, Samantha and the kids joined us for:
-- Hors d'oeuvres of (1) smoked duck breast with sour plum sauce and green tea sembei and (2) napoleans of momen-tofu and black sesame paste with a sauce of dengaku-style white miso and green onion with water crackers.
-- A spinach, onion and cream cheese soup.
-- Roast turkey with lemons and a cinnamon/cumin/pepper spice rub, green beans with almonds and basil, and cornbread stuffing (plus gravy, sauces, etc.).
-- Banana caramel cake and pumpkin pie.
- N.V. Philippe Gonet Roy Soleil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger
Vigorous tight mousse charging through a very bright, light colored and young looking wine. Tight lemon spritz nose backed up by chalky mineral and nuts. Absolutely dancing on the palate with lemon-soaked apple fruit and a palate-scrubbingly pervasive effervescence. Great zippy texture and tight fruit, but very austere. Must be very low dosage. With food, this rounds out a bit and provides a lovely lift and cleanse against rich and smoky hors d’oeuvres. Despite the delightfully pure flavors, I don’t think I’d want this as a cocktail wine without food. But oh what a great match! - 2002 Egon Müller Schärzhofberger Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Saar
Glistening but extremely pale color of white straw. Still in its primary youthful vigor, the nose shows lovely ripe peach and bright kaffir lime powder, with essence of powdered stone and cold springwater. This is a very intense nose. Immediate impression on the palate is of supreme balance among sweetness, acid, and fruit intensity. Only after it has passed through the mouth and the finish is lingering does one realize just how much heft the palate has. Don’t know what the Oechsle actually was, but this certainly feels like it has Spätlese strength. Given the relatively low alcohol level, it is carrying a lot of sugar very gracefully. Served in a very difficult match with a cream cheese/spinach soup, the slight oiliness of the riesling comes out beautifully to help it hold its own. As an indication of how seamlessly this worked with the soup, one of our guests asked what the lime flavor in the soup was! This just did an amazing job of carrying sweetness, intense fruit, and bracing acid with a feeling of weightlessness – kind of like a linebacker playing around with antigravity. The next day, a half glass that had been sitting on the counter overnight was still fresh and clean, but had picked up an intriguing smoky element on the palate and a bit of flower on the nose. I’m locking a bunch of these away for ten years. - 2002 Domaine des Souzons (Famille Jambon) Régnié Cuvée Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Régnié
Slightly darkish cherry red. Nose of dark sour cherries and a little raspberry. With a little time, a bit of warm granite and the tiniest pretty floral element comes out. On the palate, an upfront shot of cherry and berry fruit that dies away a little in the mid-palate, where the acid takes over and a bit of tannin scrapes the cheeks as well. Brief finish has a nice touch of earth and a hint of bitter chocolate along with more of the sour cherry fruit. Lightly textured throughout, it still managed somehow to be a tad clumsy. This was a fair match with the turkey and fixin’s, but I would have been happier to keep drinking the riesling. I like cru Beaujolais; I like acid; I like rustic; and I like 2002. But this lacked the gentle prettiness that I look for from the lighter crus like Régnié. - 2000 Domaine de Coyeaux Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Bright orange and visibly syrupy. Nose is immediate and obvious, but no less delicious for that with candied orange zest, a mixed bouquet of floral scents, some baking spice, and a slightly spirity grapiness. On the palate, this is rich and sweet, with a dominant impression of orange liqueur. Additionally, there is a little honey but it’s really just a pretty simple and sweet mouthful. Finish is of medium length, but eventually just blends into the sweetness of the next sip. A small glass is a nice sweet finish to the meal. Anything more becomes cloying.
Thanks to Sam for the green beans and the desserts. She really is the best baker I know in Tokyo. Thanks to all for great company during this holiday far from home.
In keeping with the try something new theme for Thanksgiving, the Beaujo and Muscat were both from producers that were new to me.
Jim
- N.V. Philippe Gonet Roy Soleil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger
-
Living in Tokyo, I had to work Thanksgiving Day so we and our houseguests went to the club for dinner. We'll be cooking at home this Saturday for a proper Thanksgiving.
Club wine list presented limited choice, but an interesting chance to try stuff I might not otherwise try (like the L-P or the Prieur).
SA Laurent-Perrier Brut Rosé
98 Paul Blanck Riesling Schlossberg VV
93 Jacques Prieur Corton-Bressandes
85 Taylor VP
Notes have been posted in a separate thread.
All but the Blanck were ho-hum but good enough. Prieur is not my style of Burg and I'm not a big fan of most big-house NV Champagnes, so expectations weren't that high. The Taylor was a bit of a disappointment. However, the good company more than made up for any wine deficiencies.
It'll be my own fault, though, if we don't have better wines/matches this Saturday.
Jim
-
THANKSGIVING ROUND I - TAC -- American Room (11/24/2005)
We had guests in town and I had to work today, so we headed to the club for Thanksgiving dinner. We'll do the full-bore, home-cooked version on Saturday with family and local friends.
This means we had to choose wines off a list that had a glaring lack of cru Beaujolais (which will be the Saturday reds) and a challenging lack of choice among Champagnes by the glass and even moderately mature still wines. Oh well, these occasions mean I get to try wines I might not otherwise buy or taste.
- N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Cuvée Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
By the glass pour from a new bottle. Light salmon color with somewhat dissipated mousse. Bead was nice and tight but just seemed to lack vigor. Nose was pure and red fruit-driven, with red raspberry and just a little fresh plum. Background scents included a hint of dark flower and maybe a little earth. On the palate, in good balance with light berry tones and a pleasant touch of structural depth and woodsiness (not woodiness). Quite correct, but lacking any particular excitement. A basic NV made slightly more interesting by the hint of structure and berry from the bit of red grape extraction. - 1998 Paul Blanck Riesling Schlossberg Vieilles Vignes - France, Alsace, Kientzheim & Sigolsheim, Alsace Grand Cru AOC
Bright yellow just starting to take on the slightest hint of gold richness. Nose is initially a bit musty and chemical – have to do a double-take before telling the server that it is okay – but this blows off in only a minute or two to reveal a round lanolin-like waxiness in the nose that is almost textural, along with apricot and tropical fruit, some floral character, and an intriguing nuttiness. Underneath it all is just the tiniest hint of petrol. On the palate, this has a definite oily richness that is evident on entry, helps to spread flavor throughout the mid-palate and seems to make the finish cling and last. Cutting through this is a little minerality – just enough to ease the texture and let the lemon, tropical fruit and floral nectar flavors come out. Pleasant enough by itself, this really shines with the crab/crawfish timbale and the slightly spicy gumbo. Perfect for the food and the moment, but I worry whether this has the acid structure to develop long-term. - 1993 Jacques Prieur Corton-Bressandes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Aloxe-Corton
Decanted for about ½ hour. Rapidly maturing red in the glass. Nose absolutely screams Epoisses as soon as it is poured, settling down into macerated ripe cherry, some mushroom, and maybe a touch of anise. Palate seems fully mature, with very little evident tannin and a bit of an acid deficit. Fruit is primarily cherry pie filling with some slightly brighter berry highlights. No concentration issues, as the wine is full from entry to the medium length finish, but the fruit just seems a little flat. Does an admirable job of standing up to the typically difficult muddle of Thanksgiving flavors, but fails to generate any real zip or interest. Possesses neither the broad shoulders and depth of flavor I look for from Corton nor the precision and transparency that has made ’93 my favorite recent Burg vintage. I imagine this was a bit sexy in a very ripe way when young, but now it is just ho-hum. Not of grand cru quality. - 1985 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
By the glass pour from a nearly full bottle. Purplish hints to generally deep red robe with good density – not quite opaque. Nose is rich with deep, dark berry fruits and a little mocha spiciness. After few minutes in the glass, this gets a little spirity but maintains its sweet fruit character. Perhaps there’s a bit of toasted nutmeat, but not a lot of complexity beyond that. On the palate, rich and moderately sweet fruit and a continuing spirity character mask what tannin there is. There’s a regal, purple velvet softness to this through the mid-palate, until the alcohol comes out again on the finish. Not particularly complex at 20 years of age. That’s okay, but in that case it should be more youthful. Instead it has a softness that makes me question whether this will get much better. Pleasant enough to drink, but disappointing for the house.
Nice dinner with friends. Wines were perfectly good enough for enjoying with dinner and entertaining a non-geek crowd, but the only one I'd be likely to order or buy again is the Schlossberg.
Posted from CellarTracker
- N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Cuvée Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
-
What does that mean, "is it ready?"
Often such Rieslings are among the most accessible wines young -- 1998 no exception in that run of strong vintages I think -- and yet, they are among the longest lived wines too. Did it seem unready? Your opinion is valuable.
Cheers -- Max
Max:
Good question.
I agree with you that good German riesling can be lip-smackingly delicious when young and can also go on almost forever adding complexity. At either stage they are delightful. Recently had a baby of a WS Auslese that was a joy to drink but didn't show 20% of the complexity it ultimately will.
While I recognize/agree that the wines can be delightful at either end of the spectrum, I also believe that ageworthy riesling can shut down hard in between. To my mind, the '98 is well past its first blush of youth and just beginning to emerge from its tight/closed period.
It is a pleasure to drink now, but will go on for a very long time and I believe it will get appreciably better over the next few years (at least). I'll be letting the rest of them sleep for a couple of years but have no regrets over drinking this one last night.
Thanks,
Jim
-
- 1998 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Ruwer (11/23/2005)
Very light, slightly grassy but bright yellow with the just the most minute amount of visible spritz. Nose is slightly reductive and requires about 20 minutes to clean up, initially yielding a good dose of flint, moving into slate, smoke, and a tiny petrol hint as it begins to oxegynate and open up. Fruit on the nose is primarily crisp but round apple, with essence of sweet white field flowers growing throughout the hour and a half that it is open. Palate is not spritzig at all, but shows sweet apple and crisp pear fruit up front. Initially, the mid-palate is light and a little weak, but fills out nicely over the first 30 minutes or so. The flinty, smoky, slatey mineral is a nice energizing streak from entry to finish. Initially, this seems a little unbalanced toward the sweet side, but time seems to cure all. As the mid-palate picks up weight, the acid perks up and this takes on a refreshing, cool water aspect. Don’t mistake me; it’s not watery, just refreshing like kabinetten should be. Not a blockbuster, but not scrawny. Lithe and dancerlike so that you don’t notice that there is a bit of real sinew underneath the sweet freshness. Just entering its drinking window, I think this will continue to blossom and would benefit from a few more years of sleep. Again, not a showpiece but a beautiful light romp down the slopes and into the meadow where a little field grass joins the surprisingly long finish.
Posted from CellarTracker
- 1998 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Ruwer (11/23/2005)
-
The same could be said for many Recoltant Manipulant (grower) Champagnes. But the NV from Diebolt-Vallois is a consistent winner. There's always a solid mineral-driven core to this wine, yet just enough fruit to provide dimension and balance. And the NV can usually be found for under $30, many times under $25.
Agreed. Most RM Champagnes will be a revelation (in terms of value and precision) to drinkers of large-house, blended Champagnes. I don't want to malign blending -- I like the multi-vintage Krug and the Pol Roger Churchill as much as the next guy -- but as a Burgundy/Loire/Mosel type, I am excited by wines that come from a distinct place and show that. While a lot of it is a philosophical thing -- do some wines have souls? -- it is also, I think, a matter of precision and the interest of vintage variability and the fact that the RM producer is not striving to create a branded product that is always the same.
The additional fact that most RM wines tend to come cheaper than their big-house counterparts makes them a no-brainer for me.
Let's see...VC Yellow Label at $40 or Diebolt-Vallois NV at $30? Easy answer for me.
Anyone who is interested in this would do well to go to the Michael Skurnik Imports site and read Terry Theise's Champagne catalogues. Even if you think some of his more sensitive or new age ideas are pure hooey, the catalogues are a great manifesto for grower wines and their inherent soul. (The German and Austrian catalogues are similarly insightful and fun to read.)
Parker/Tanzer/Robinson/Meadows/Kolm/et.al. have their place and are tremendous resources, but so are some of the importers. We can learn as much from Terry and from Kermit Lynch as from the reviewers. Sure Kermit and Terry and Joe Dressner have things to sell, but they also provide a perspective on wine that doesn't always come through from the major reviewers.
Jim
-
Food was an amazing homemade gravlax with sweetish mustard dill sauce followed by lamb shanks cooked osso buco style, but with more Provencal flavours. Selection of cheeses to finish the reds and start the riesling. Dessert was a coconut cake that did a great job of being luscious without being overly sweet.
- N.V. Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Cramant, Champagne
Light sparkling yellow with very small, tight mousse. Bursting nose of tart green apples surrounded by characteristic chardonnay aromas and some stone. As the wine warms up a little, there’s a bit of ginger biscuit and maybe a little floral character. But that characteristic chardonnay keeps coming back. Close your eyes and it could be a St. Aubin. At first sip, it seems awfully soft, but only for the first sip. After that, the palate is bright with acid and a lemony fruit, along with a healthy shot of mineral. Not heavily dosed, but avoids being overly austere. Nice texture and nice finish that brings the floral element back out, along with a little more white burg wafting up the chimney. There’s certainly a lot going on here (especially for the price), but it does seem to be a little disjointed. I suspect a few more years in the bottle would do wonders. Great bubbles for the money. - N.V. Louis César Beaufort Brut Rosé Premier Cru - France, Champagne, Bouzy
First impression is that there is an oddly Tavel-like tone to the color. But the visual assessment stops there as a disturbing scent of musty, stewed, overripe strawberries competes with a somewhat chemical note. This is not a good sign. I’m not sure if this is TCA-affected or something else, but it definitely isn’t right as the chemical note only gets stronger. On the palate, more stewed berry and more sweetness than I would hope for in a brut. Revisited an hour and half later with vain hope. Alas, no better. Not quite DNPIM, but definitely DNPImyM. - 1985 Domaine Bourillon Dorléans Vouvray Demi-sec - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
(With the salmon)
Surprisingly youthful color of bright yellow just beginning to tend toward deeper gold. Visibly rich viscosity when swirled in the glass. Whoa! This begins with an extremely reductive nose, slightly chemical and extremely muted. Just worrying enough for me to open the other bottle and check. Same thing there. Within about fifteen to twenty minutes, this begins to open up with whiffs of lovely bright apple and nectarine fruit braced by clean and clear river stone. As the wine warms and opens more, a creamy lemon sweetness on the nose makes for a great match with the salmon. On the palate, nice dense richness, but a great streak acidity that keeps the sweetness in check and more of a textural feature than one of taste. There’s good white fruit here, but mineral, fresh cream, and citrus zest take the lead. Terrifically harmonious and integrated but also amazingly youthful. Drinking perfectly now but has the stuff to last for a good while. Another great value. - 1995 Château de Pibarnon Bandol - France, Provence, Bandol
(With the lamb)
The purple of youth has given way to a dusty red, but this is still pretty deep and solid to the rim. In the decanter, it gives off an immediate scent of the south – sunny herbs, warm earth, and berry fruit. In the glass (about two hours after decanting), the same sunny south is there, along with a little clay dust and a bit of the mourvedre funk (but just a touch). With time, there are hints anise and pine forest as well. Pleasantly soft, smooth entry shows dark berry fruit with just enough acid to keep it bright. Nice full and expanding mid-palate with more of the same fruit and a little mineral and dust to boot. Finish has good length, a touch of spice, a slight touch of remaining dusty tannin. Great showing from a less than heralded vintage and a screaming statement of Provence that just goes perfectly with the lamb. Two great matches in a row. - 1989 Domaine des Chesnaies Bourgueil Cuvée Prestige - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil
(With the lamb and carryover with the cheeses)
Pretty young color with hints of purple still there. Nose is open and immediate – and all green. It isn’t ivy, but it is some kind of vine leaf. I often smell it when I walk out the front door of my house on an autumn morning. Reinsert nose to glass and see what else is there. Okay, we’re getting a little variety now but not the kind we’re looking for, as bell pepper joins the vine leaf. Leave it alone for while and then take another sniff. Okay, somewhere in the background is some very faint berry fruit. On the palate, some more prominent fruit on entry that immediately dies on the mid-palate. Finish is reasonably long, but all vine leaves and bell pepper. I recently had the ’76 and it took a long time for that one to pick up weight and fruit, so I try again after forty-five minutes or so. Wishful thinking may have produced a touch more fruit and let some earth step up a little, but this is really just a really disappointingly green wine. I loved the green notes in the ’76 and I’m a big fan and defender of Loire cab franc in general, but this is just too much. In the past I may have modified Jean-Marie Guffens’s oak quote to “There’s no such thing as an overly green Loire red, just an underfruited one”. After this wine, I can never say that again. Damn disappointing as I was really looking forward to this. - 2000 Domaine Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg Vendange Tardive - France, Alsace, Haut Rhin, Alsace Grand Cru AOC
(With the cheeses and the dessert)
Beautiful bright gold with sparkling yellow highlights. Incredibly rich and viscous like an SGN or a BA. This is just lovely on the nose with swirling and soaring floral notes of honeysuckle nectar and sweet freshly mowed hay taking the lead. Beneath that, there is rich peach fruit and a honeyed elegance. One can almost taste the concentration just by sniffing. Equally concentrated on the palate with a very sweet entry of honey and ginger-candied fruit. As it moves to the mid-palate, the acid picks up and – while still very sweet and concentrated – the wine just seems to zip right along the tongue very brightly, leaving a trail of sweet stone fruit and cool mineral in its path. Floral honey, more mineral, and hints of citrus are the highlights of an almost perpetual finish. This is stunning stuff and more than makes up for the Beaufort and Bourgueil disappointments. If infanticide is this good, I can only imagine what the wine will be like in time.
Two abject failures and some great showings.
The Beaufort wine was just wierd. I've had an André Beafort rosé doux that was incredibly strawberry-driven, but it was lovely. I don't know what the relationship may be, as I can't keep the Beauforts straight in Champagne. The Bourgueil was a major disappointment, as I normally love the leafy notes in cab franc. But this was greener than any Medocino cab sauv you've ever seen.
The Diebolt-Vallois is always a great wine to show people who normally drink big-house Champagne and it was on form. The Vouvray had one person who doesn't normally drink white wine coming back for refills. The Bandol was just one of those matches made in heaven. It would have been good on its own, but it was sublime with Sam's perfect lamb. The Ostertag was a revelation despite its youth. (I'm going to be buying more of that for sure.)
Posted from CellarTracker
- N.V. Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Cramant, Champagne
-
I don't normally cross-post things on multiple boards (other than tasting notes), but I thought this might start an interesting discussion. On another board, the usual WOTY lists have started. As noted below, my non-scoring, context-driven approach to wine just doesn't fit a wine of the year model.
So I've started my own annual awards list. The winners range from cheap to trés cher, but all deserve awards in my wine universe.
What categories would you add? What wines did it for you this year?
I’m not sure I can do a WOTY listing. I find them fun to read (and even to debate), but my mind just refuses to work in ordinal fashion and without a healthy dose of context. What that means is that I am much better equipped to do a sort of Academy Awards of wine.Many of the wines listed below would not rank among the best wines I had this year on any absolute scale, but each of them stood out within its category.
Best Precision, Transparency and Focus
’93 Montille Pommard Le Pez
’90 Salon
Best QPR/Underdog Performance Among the Big Boys
’90 Carpineto CCR
Best House Wine
Red – ’01 Mas de Boislauzon CdR Villages
White – ’02 André Bonhomme Viré Clessé
Sparkling – NV Veuve Fourny Brut 1er Cru Rosé
Best Argument for Context in Wine Evaluation (i.e., the slightly hot, gobby wine I normally wouldn’t like but that was perfect for the moment)
’01 Plantagenet Shiraz
Best Way to Keep Me From Complaining About Wine Pricing in Restaurants
’96 Clos Ste. Hune (a glass of which I was given out of the blue by the sommelier at a restaurant)
Best Wine to Make a Non-Wine Drinker Say “Please take me wine shopping with you”
NV Aimery Sieur d’Arques Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale
Best Introduction to a New Appellation That Made Me Sit Up and Take Notice
’90 Ferrando Black Label Carema
Best Argument Against Vintage Chart Mentality
’83 Rousseau Beze
Best New Insight to a Known Appellation
’99 Roumier Corton Charley
Best Slap in the Face Encouragement to Revisit a Producer I Unfairly Wrote Off Too Long Ago
’85 Faiveley Clos des Cortons
Everything here from Grand Cru Burg to cheap sweet bubbles, but these are the wines that stood out enough to make me create an award category. Plenty of better wines on some absolute ordinal scale, but these deserve note.
-
Andre:
Thanks for the kind words, though my palate and writing are both very far from professional!
The wines did have an appropriate time to rest. All of Tuscans came either from my cellar or from the cellar of one of the other attendees. They were delivered to the restaurant on the Monday evening prior to the Friday tasting, where they stood up in the restaurants cellar for four days. The trip to the restaurant was just fifteen minutes or so from each person's home cellar.
Those Rancia are such great wines and such great value, but they do take time. The '97 has a lot of time before it reaches peak, but it is drinking very, very well right now.
That Carpineto was probably the greatest pleasure of the night for me. It was dwarfed by the amazing showing from the '90 Pertimali Riserva, but the Carpineto was an overwhelming QPR winner and the standout pleasant surprise. It is definitely perched on the edge of the slide downhill though. And I may have had an exceptional bottle, so I wouldn't count on the same performance from that wine all the time.
Other than the Fontolloro (which also needs time to shed its moderate coat of oak), I'm not a regular buyer of any Super Tuscans. There's just too much good out there in classic Brunelli and Chianti.
Take care,
Jim
-
Nine of us gathered for round two of the new Tokyo Tasting Group. A couple of people tasted double blind and had some impressively insightful comments. Major kudos go to Oliver Mackie for a lot of hard work and very well organized evening. great value too!
Can't start without Champagne
- 1990 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil - France, Champagne, Côte des Blancs, Champagne
Minute bead explodes when poured then coalesces into a beautiful stream moving up the very center of the glass. Nose starts out very much closed for the first fifteen or twenty minutes, then opens up into pure apple fruit, oatmeal, lemon, and mineral. The palate shows a great dose of bright acidity keeping this young and fresh and balancing the lemon cream sweetness. Over time and in the finish, there are rich notes of rising bread dough. As Steve commented, this is not yet showing any of the honey one would expect from a maturing Salon. Exceptionally good but still so very young at fifteen years old. Finely etched but with a lot of body underneath. Thanks Steve.
'97 First Round -- Less Heralded Brunelli
- 1997 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Nose initially shows as almost entirely oak. Only after twenty or more minutes does the oak really recede to reveal a little leather, a little earth, and some deep sour cherry fruit. On the palate, the wood also takes the lead, but there is bright acid and fruit underneath. Contrary to other notes I’ve seen on this wine, the strength of fruit really shows in the mid-palate, leaving me to think that when the oak further integrates, this will still have a lot of stuffing left. The fruit and some tobacco come out again on the finish. A little hard to evaluate tonight and a little too oaky for my taste for current drinking, but I think this is at an awkward stage right now and that there is a lot more to come. I voted for wine of the flight based on potential, but could easily be wrong. - 1997 Fattoria di Sant'Angelo (Lisini) Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Nose begins with ripe dark berry and cherry fruit, but quickly the fruit fades and leaves that characteristic rubbery smell that one often sees in Brunelli. As a highlight, the rubber is nice. In monotone, it ain’t so nice. On the palate, the wine seems tired and lacks any of the acid brightness I would like. Fruit is faded and thin on the midpalate and the finish is abbreviated. Another bottle a month ago was much, much better. I have reason to suspect this may have suffered some heat damage before I got it and it certainly drinks like it has. Sorry folks. - 1997 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Nose is reserved and still a little hemmed in when poured, but shows nice small elements of an array of flavors – sweet black fruit, a whiff of classic sour cherry, some leather, some floral perfume, and little wood. With time, these become a little bigger and more pronounced, but never really explode. The palate is much more active, with largely smooth but still very evident tannins, a good core of ripe but elegant cherry and black raspberry fruit, and notes of spice and tar. A nice balance between elegance and sweet fruit, this is drinking well enough now that I see little reason to wait. This was the group’s wine of the flight. Based on tonight’s showing I might agree, but a slightly short finish and a little lack of acid brightness makes me wonder whether the Banfi won’t outpace it in time.
'97 Second Round -- The Bigger Boys
- 1997 Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico Riserva
Not noticeable lighter or softer in color, but the nose immediately gives off a bright cherry fruit and higher-toned floral element that says we’re drinking something different. All the leather and tar and a little darker fruit sweetness are there, but this just has a brightness and acid penetration that the last three wines didn’t. On the palate, there are tannins that need a little time, but the cherry core, wild berry highlights, and chiseled acid definition make it lovely to drink tonight. Don’t mistake me; this is not a light wine, but it remains deft on its feet while the midpalate fills up with a little darker fruit and the strong finish shows the slightest hints of leather, pine, tobacco, and wood. I love it now, but it will be much better with time for the tannins to smooth out and the secondary nuances to become more than just hints. I think I voted for this as wine of the flight. If I didn’t, I certainly would forty-eight hours later. Thanks Oliver. - 1997 Az. Agr. due Portine (Gorelli) Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
What’s going on here? A tasting of ’97 Tuscans and I haven’t written “roasted” or “overmature” once and have only used “ripe” a few times! Here we go. Nose shows very ripe and very dark sweet fruit with some coffee hints. Palate still has some slightly scratchy tannin, but speaks mostly of dark, dark sweet cherry and partially dried plums. Very open and drinking very well right now in a forward modern style. Sure, there’s a little tar on the finish, but this is really about fruit, fruit and more fruit. Not something I’m likely to be buying, but it did a good job of representing its style and the ripe, drink-young side of the vintage. No need to wait on this. - 1997 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
At first whiff, this shows more than a bit of funk, with a dominating air of Brunello rubber and wet leather. After about five minutes of hopeful sniffing, the rubber recedes into the background and leaves very ripe dark fruits, lots of vanilla sweetness, and a shot of espresso. On the palate, the fruit is similarly dark and sweet. This is no wallflower, with the ripe fruit strongly present at entry, midpalate and on the finish. Yes, there are slightly raspy tannins, but I have to focus on them to remember they’re there. Some complexity comes out on the finish, with more dark notes – tar, coffee, chocolate – all wrapped in a little more oak than I’d prefer. Given how lovely the ’90 Riserva has become, I might hold out hope for this to grow into something a bit more Brunello-like, but right now it is all fruit and dark nuances. Looking back, I’m just not sure. It never had the cherry fruit or acid spine I look for in younger Brunelli. This was the group wine of the flight. (I can’t remember if I voted for it based on sheer current ripe pleasure, but I think the Rancia is the more balanced wine and certainly more true to type.) Thanks Oliver.
On to the '90s
- 1990 Carpineto Chianti Classico Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico Riserva
In the glass, showing more evolution than any other wine with plenty of that dusty orange sunset that mature sangiovese takes on. Nose is wide open and immediately shows lovely light-toned sour cherry, dust, slightly aromatic dried wood and a bit of floral perfume. Palate has no hint of remaining tannins, but maintains some structure with a still bright beam of cherry acid. Every last ounce of baby fat is gone, but this hasn’t dried out yet. That cherry acid is still a little juicy and picks up some earth and baking spice on the finish. Completely integrated and holding well, but seems to be perched on the edge of a gentle downward slope. They’ve now purchased vineyards, but Carpineto was still just a negociant in 1990. Oliver and I threw this in just for completeness and didn’t necessarily expect a lot, but this was a helluva showing from a modest wine among much bigger company. I wish this hadn’t been my last bottle. If you’ve got it, drink now before the gentle beauty of this classic Chianti fades. Stunning QPR. - 1990 Terrabianca Campaccio Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Nose shows base note of broad dark cherry fruit, with secondary notes of dark berries and a little cassis. Oak shows via a slightly spicy vanilla note, but is not at all overpowering. Fruit is fine and the spice is nice, but this seems to lack the leathery, earthy sangiovese notes one would hope to see. Perhaps there is a touch of cedar, but that could also be power of suggestion because I know what the wine is. Palate shows some remaining traces of tannin, but they are mostly resolved. Broad cherry and berry fruit on entry and a midpalate that doesn’t drop away entirely but seems a bit subdued. These lead to a moderate finish with some tar and graphite. Drinking very pleasurably right now and the oak has integrated very well, but the sangiovese and cab seem not to have integrated quite as well. There’s a broad, low-acid cherry fruit from start to finish, with cabernet aromatics and highlights. They really only seem to come together on the finish when the tar and graphite appear together. Probably more an issue of preference than a flaw, but somehow this feels a little schizophrenic. Blind, I’m not sure I would have been so clear, might have guessed a restrained and well-made but slightly disjointed Cali cab. My difficulty figuring this one out is probably clear from my wandering note, so I hesitate to guess where this is going. This would be very, very nice if the cab and sangiovese came together a little more, but I’m not sure this has the structure to get there. Thanks Oliver. - 1990 Badia a Coltibuono Sangioveto Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
I’m not sure why I’m writing a note as Michael McKinney, who was tasting double blind, nailed it immediately with a comment that this tasted like sangiovese that had seen a lot of oak. And that’s really the story. Both the nose and palate – all the way up to and through the finish – are dominated by a very heavy oak character. That’s a shame, because there’s a lot hiding behind the oak. The nose shows leather, earth, smoke, tea, and cherry fruit. The palate suffers a bit from wood tannin, but shows nice sweet cherry and plum notes underneath. Has a full midpalate and a finish with (again, under the oak) a good dose of earthy spice and mocha. If the oak ever integrates this will be a beauty, but I don’t know if it will get there. Thanks Oliver. - 1990 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Brightness. Depth. Purity. Complexity. What more does one want? This is lovely and complex on the nose, with a beautifully solid foundation of ripe cherry fruit supporting notes of orange peel, pine, perfumed exotic wood and warm earth. There’s a lot more there, but this is such a beautifully shifting kaleidoscope of aromas that it would be futile (and limiting to the wine) to try to name it all. If I didn’t before, I now understand the importance of apophatic descriptions to the Orthodox. Palate has maintained that acid brightness that supports all my favorite sangiovese, though in an appropriately deep Brunello base tone. Strong solid dark berry and cherry fruit provide a pleasant sweetness to the entry and full roundness to the middle. The finish picks up some of the aromatic notes from the nose and combines them with a bit of anise and a coffee and spice richness that goes on and on. My red of the night and the group’s red of the night (though I could be argued into picking the Rancia). Thanks Oliver.
Scrubbing Bubbles
A surprise bottle pulled by Steve to clean up the palate for the sticky to come.
- 1990 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, Brut - France, Champagne, Epernay, Champagne
I enjoy the challenge of writing notes on Champagne, as I find it more difficult to capture their essence than I do with most still wines. Occasionally, though, the dominant impression is of a great wine that just happens to have bubbles. This has a bit of honeying to the yellow in the glass and a mousse that is much broader and much less pointal in texture than the Salon. On the nose, it has a central core of apple fruit, with strong notes of nuts and a pastry element that develops with time. On the palate, it is deep and pleasantly hefty, but with the acid to keep it all structured and composed. There’s more of the apple fruit, along with some white stone fruit and plum, all wrapped in a hint of honeyed sweetness. On the finish, there’s a touch of wildflower, maybe some truffle, and a little more pastry. Again, this is big and structured and presents like a still wine, but has a sexiness and opulence that says Champagne. A nice counterpoint to the Salon, but I might have enjoyed a bit more freshness and bite – then again, I’m certainly not complaining. Thanks Steve.
It's very old, but is it wine?
This was ex-domaine and came through a very reliable merchant to my cellar, so storage is not an issue. Damn corks!
- 1947 Domaine Bourillon Dorléans Vouvray Moëlleux - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
The very darkest gold tending to brown when decanted. The nose leaps out of the decanter, but what leaps out is a nose of sweet apple cider and a little sherry. The nose shows additional notes of toffee and candied orange, but remains basically a sweet cider nose. No volatile acidity and no brown fruit elements, but this is clearly oxidized and doesn’t even suggest the Loire or chenin blanc. On the palate, there is no botrytis zing, no acidity, and none of the fresh honey or lanolin texture that one so loves in old chenin. Forgetting what it should have been, it is perfectly pleasant to drink. In fact, I had two glasses. Some of the best flat cider I’ve ever had, but not exactly what we were looking for. What a shame!
A pleasure to see everyone and taste through some very nice wines. I was very disappointed by the Vouvray showing, but that was offset by the overall quality of the wines, two great Champagnes, and the awesome underdog showing by the Carpineto. Follow up task = find some of that '97 Rancia.
Posted from CellarTracker
- 1990 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil - France, Champagne, Côte des Blancs, Champagne
-
Brad:
Thanks for a great summary of BYO etiquette and opportunities. If more people were aware of and followed these guidelines, I expect that BYO would be available at more restaurants.
Jim
-
FAREWELL PARTY AND A LUNCH TO CONSUME THE LEFTOVERS - Home in Tokyo (10/22/2005-10/23/2005)
On Saturday night, we hosted a farewell party for our friends Jonathan and Samantha, who are moving to HK. We had a lot of leftover gumbo, so we had my cousin Richard, his wife Naoko, and the kids over for an early dinner on Sunday.
Champagnes and Hors D'Oeuvres
I've just found a merchant in Tokyo with a nice selection of Champagnes that goes beyond the everyday and at very reasonable prices, at least in Tokyo terms. This was a nice occasion to sample a few. We had these with Parmigiano puff pastry crusts, a spinach/artichoke dip, broiled breaded mushrooms, and shrimp braised in an herby wine broth.
- N.V. Gonet-Médeville Cuvée Perle Noire Brut Premier Cru - France, Champagne, Bisseuil (10/22/2005)
Rich gold with bright flashes from the stream of the persistent but large-beaded mousse. A very generous nose of ripe apple and fresh sweet (but slightly musky) stone fruit. Some nut and toasted yeasty bread add complexity. In the mouth, this is more to the creamy than cutting side, showing more of the same fruit, a bit of gingery spice, and just a touch of mushroom. There’s a lot of body here, but also a surprising degree of balance. Good complexity and very well integrated. On the finish, just enough acidity to keep this round style interesting through several glasses. A very generous wine, but still in balance. At $40 in Tokyo, another good value. - N.V. Tarlant Champagne Brut Zero - France, Champagne, Oeuilly, Champagne (10/22/2005)
Light yellow with just a hint of gold. Tight mousse of small, persistent bubbles. Lean nose with no hints of the wood aging, but with crisp apple and green plum notes. Nose is very, very tight but pleasantly lean and bright. The palate is where it really happens with this wine. More of the green plum, allied to a nice minerality and a little walnut-like astringency. The non-dosage austerity is stylistically dominant, but there is just a little roundness and the slightest toasty sweetness that takes the edge off. I really like the way the two elements marry here. For $29 in Tokyo, this is a hell of a value. The austere style will keep it from being an all-purpose wine, but this definitely goes into the house wine rotation. - N.V. Pommery Champagne Brut Royal - France, Champagne (10/22/2005)
Fresh yellow with small mousse. Great persistence on the mousse, as it was still fresh and full 24 hours after opening (after sitting in refrigerator stopped with a regular wine cork). Nose is clean and crisp with apple, a little bit of toast, and a sweet lemon peel element. Palate is dominated by tart apple, more citrus, and some rising dough. Finish comes off a little short and begins to cloy a bit near the bottom of the glass. Finishes fresher (and a little longer) the second day, so I suspect this may need to rest in bottle for a year or two. Relatively simple, but good cocktail party wine at $25. Shows well versus other large houses whose basic Brut NV wines are hard to find here under $40.
Gumbo Wines
With a slightly spicy chicken/sausage/okra gumbo, it was hard to think of a perfect match, but we tried two things. In addition to the Côtes de Rhone, we also served the Bonhomme Viré Clessé described further below (because I didn't do more than give it a TCA-testing whiff until the next day). Tough match, particularly at a party where most guests are nowhere near the geek range so safe choices are in order. In a geeky crowd, I'd be more adventurous and maybe get a tighter match, but these worked pretty darn well.
- 2001 Mas de Boislauzon Côtes du Rhône Villages - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages (10/22/2005)
Deep red just lightening at rim. Red berry fruit on the nose, along with a little spice, dust, and herby pine. Palate is smooth and fully mature with very little tannin and just enough acid to keep it all together. Fruit is the same red berries as on the nose, but with a little dark cherry as well. Earth and fruit sweetness lead the medium finish. Since tasting a year ago, this has lost a bit of lush sweetness, but picked up an earthiness that is appealing. Drinking at peak.
The Next Afternoon - Kickoff
With toasted pecans and conversation.
- N.V. Veuve Fourny & Fils Champagne Brut 1er Cru Rosé - France, Champagne, Vertus, Champagne (10/23/2005)
Nice light tawny pink rose color with fine and fresh mousse. Nose starts with the slightest hint of red berry, then moves into stone fruit and a little citrus. Behind all of this is a complex layer of toast (not yeast) and sunny warm mineral. Palate just screams structure with the darker spine of pinot fruit combining with nice but round acidity to keep this strong and fresh. Apricot and light berry notes form the core of the fruit. Finish picks up a bit of creaminess which smoothes out the big structure. The bubbles are there all the time, but this presents much more as a nicely balanced wine that happens to have bubbles. Complex and pleasing, but probably needs a few years for a little more integration. Another good buy in Tokyo terms at $36.
Gumbo Wines II
The Bonhomme was begun with the last of the pecans and finished with the gumbo. The Thanisch was begun with the gumbo and finished alone as we relaxed before dessert. I didn't expect a perfect match, but wanted to check in on the Thanisch so thought it would be an interesting experiment to see how Auslese sweetness and nerve matched with the gumbo.
- 2002 André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Viré-Clessé (10/23/2005)
Deep straw gold and very bright. Rich, sweet nose of citrus and peach/apricot framed by a bit of round new oak. Nose is strong and penetrating, offering additional background hints of brulee and cream that almost suggest riesling. On the palate, the oak is there but well integrated into this very rich wine. A streak of mineral supports the ripe fruit. There is much, much more acid than one would expect from the nose and the wine achieves a good balance, particularly on a long finish that has distinct sweet notes but never cloys. This is not the Cuvee Speciale, but still presents as if there were some residual sugar. Smaller but similar in style to the Guffens-Heynan offerings, this paired pretty well with the thick and moderately spicy gumbo over rice – something I would have a hard time seeing most Chardonnay doing. - 2001 Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch (Erben Müller-Burggraef) Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/23/2005)
Bright gold with the slightest green hints and a tiny spritz. Strong initial whiff of sulphur on a closed nose. With a little vigorous aeration, the sulphur blew off and revealed rich aromas of sweet citrus peel, baked apple, and cream. The lime/peach/honey/sweet pastry palate showed a little smaller and tighter than I had expected for an Auslese from this vintage, but that was to the good as a strong core of acidity combined with the very slight spritz to keep this fresh. A streak of slatey mineral was evident in the full mid-palate and stepped up to dominate the sweet finish. This is still very young and I expect the palate to grow a little in size and generosity with another eight to ten years of cellar time. Not up to a Prum standard, but a pleasant surprise from this producer. Best on its own and the spatlese version would probably have been a bit better match, but this was restrained and taut enough to work moderately well against the spicy gumbo. Not a perfect match but an interesting experiment.
Dessert
With assorted pastries featuring cream, citrus, berries, and nuts. (Plus a chocolate one or two for the kids. As expected, the chocolate ones were not good wine matches.)
- 1996 Château de Fesles Bonnezeaux - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Bonnezeaux (10/23/2005)
(from 500 ml) Orange-tinted gold, bright and viscous. Nose is immediately dominated by an array of dried and candied fruits including orange and apricot. I sniff again to look for that tang of botrytis and find the honey, but not the tang. On the palate, initial impression is of texture – rich and honeyed. This is followed by more of the candied fruit and honey, along with just a touch of citrus fruit acid. Finish is long and rich but a little one dimensional and even seems a little fat on the second glass. Three notable things missing: any of the oak notes that have troubled others, any sense of the strong acidity or botrytis tang that I would expect, and any real minerality. Glad to see the oak has integrated, but I worry that there is not enough botrytis or acid for this to go the long haul and age to the complexity it should have. Perhaps I’m catching it at an awkward stage. It’s perfectly enjoyable but just doesn’t have the zippy mineral excitement that makes me love sweet Loire wines so much.
Sad to see Jonathan and Samantha go, but nice to have an occasion to taste through a little Champagne. I'm definitely psyched about finding a new merchant in Tokyo with a good selection of Champagne at reasonable prices.
Posted from CellarTracker
- N.V. Gonet-Médeville Cuvée Perle Noire Brut Premier Cru - France, Champagne, Bisseuil (10/22/2005)
-
- 1998 Château Richelieu - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac (10/21/2005)
(Pop and pour to have a glass before going to a beer-only birthday party. Sampled again the next afternoon.) Deep plummy red with slightly lightening hints at the rim. On opening, an immediate burst of redcurrant, raspberry, and blackberry on the nose. With a little time, some earthiness and a just a little mocha come out. On the palate, the fruit is a little less sweet, more in the plum and cherry range. There’s an enormous streak of graphite down the middle of the palate. Tannins are pretty grippy, but not daunting. Finish picks up a little iron earthiness and lasts pretty well for a $13 wine. On day two, the nose is more subdued with the fruit seeming much less rich, but the earth is more apparent. The tannins have abated somewhat and the graphite streak is gone. Finish is still earth and iron, but a little shorter. Another year or two might help, but this is pretty much ready. Note that this is from the pre-Derononcourt days, so the 2003 and later vintages could be very different in style. Good QPR.
Posted from CellarTracker
- 1998 Château Richelieu - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac (10/21/2005)
-
Because '95 was a marginal year, I'm wondering if Lafite didn't put most of their good stuff in the big label.
Wow! You’re spoiled (and so are we all) when 1995 is a “marginal” vintage. While it’s not a blockbuster vintage and is certainly taking a while to come around, it would be hard to call 1995 marginal in most decades. With the recent run of fair/good/great vintages in almost all regions, the bar certainly seems to have been raised.
Vintages
Like most wine lovers, I’ve wondered what has given us this run of vintages.
Over the past few months in this forum, we’ve seen a lot of long, passionate discussion of Mondovino, Parker, and similarly controversial issues about changes in the world of wine – some real, some perceived. I’m in the old, lean, acid-head, classicist camp. However, I stay out of the Parker threads as I don’t have the time, energy, or inclination to participate in turning one of life’s great pleasures into polemic.
Nonetheless, perhaps some comments in that direction are in order. One of the things I find frustrating about such conversations is their tendency to become absolutist and to attach real or perceived changes to the will (or ill will) of the leading figures. I will very often find myself disagreeing with Parker (broad generalization), but I don’t believe he is a nefarious creature. I believe he has an amazingly consistent palate, laudable integrity, and a true genius at marketing and communication. I do believe that these attributes have allowed him to have a significant impact on the world of wine. To believe he hasn’t influenced the way wine is made and marketed is to put one’s head in the sand.
Back to the topic at hand, I wonder if his influence has been at least a small part of the run of vintages we’ve seen. What I mean is that his focus on yields, clean winemaking, fruit, etc., may have contributed to winegrowing and winemaking that produces more consistently drinkable results in less than perfect conditions.
Of course, global warming and sheer good luck must also have contributed. There are plenty of other influences that have probably driven technically better vintage and cellar practices. Consultants like Rolland (even though I don’t much like the style and don’t buy his wines) and importers like Kermit Lynch and Bobby Kacher (different ends of the spectrum, I know) have also contributed.
I just think that, in the end, Parker’s influence has contributed to the run we’ve had.
In Burgundy, I generally prefer vintages like ’93 (entire Côte d’Or) and ’01 (Côte de Nuits) to ’90 and ’02 and vintages like ’03 do nothing for me, so the combined influence of Parker, et. al., and global warming is not entirely felicitous for me. However, it is hard to think of any other time that there have been more vintages that have produced more wine that has pleased more people in general than our recent run.
As a person who is on the traditionalist side of the fence pretty much all the time, I thought that needed saying. If these discussions were less one-sided and vitriolic, I would be inclined to participate more often, so I’m doing my bit here. (Then again, eGullet is downright tame and timid compared to Squires and other sites.)
Second Wines
I’m not a great fan of second wines. I’d generally rather buy a good cru bourgeois at the target price point than a second wine. In a bourgeois, I know I’m getting the best the producer has to offer – however good or bad that may be. With a typical second wine, I’m simply getting whatever the producer has decided needs to be kept out of the top cuvée. Only with certain seconds like Les Forts de Latour (where there is another lower cuvee) is there any real selection applied to the second wine. The bottom of any cascade system is a tough place to find consistency.
Thus, I agree with the point you made about Lafite's possible triage in '95, even if I don't agree that the vintage was "marginal".
That being said, I have enjoyed Les Fiefs de Lagrange over the years. It is at a low enough price point that I’m not devastated when it fails and it has generally met my expectations. It probably also helps that we had French friends in Seoul who loved Les Fiefs, so we kept it on hand for them. I may never have bought much of it otherwise, but in that case familiarity did not breed contempt – rather a bit of grudging affection.
I think I’ve got one more bottle of Les Fiefs in the cellar (’96 I believe). I’ll have to try it soon.
Jim
-
I am sure your impressions will be helpful. Tasting notes don't need to have lots of obscure adjectives and tasters don't need to have lots of experience. I'd be very interested in your impressions...however you wish to express them.
I would second the Mount Mary recommendation if they are open for visiting. I'd forgotten about that one.
Jim
So I won this bottle of wine...
in Wine
Posted
Couple of quibbles.
I believe that Domaine du Chateau de Beaune is actually the domaine label for Bouchard, rather than a negociant label. So this should be -- in theory at least -- a step up from the negociant offerings.
So...DdCdB is not the area, but the producer.
Country: France
Region: Bourgogne
Sub-region: Côte de Beaune
Village: Savigny-Les-Beaune
Vineyard: Les Lavieres
Vineyard Classification: Premier Cru
Grape: Pinot Noir
Les Lavieres is a good vineyard. A recent Simon Bize 1991 Les Lavieres still had at least five years in hand, though it did suffer a bit from the greenness that afflicted some Côte de Beaune vineyards that year.
The 1990's are from a very ripe year. At their best, i.e., in good hands and from good vineyards, they are terrific wines and have many, many years left to improve. At their worst, they display a level of overripeness and an acid deficit that leads to a roasted character and a bit of flabbiness.
I haven't tasted the specific wine you have, but you've got a fair shot at having something pretty interesting. If it has been well-stored, it should be holding fine. Given vineyard and producer, though, I would go ahead and drink up. There's not likely to be much upward curve left.
I'm not a great fan of most cheeses with red wines (of course, there are glorious exceptions), but if you want to go that direction I would look to a relatively harder cheese. Despite loving both red burg and Epoisses, I don't find them (or similar commonly recommended pairings) to be a felicitous match at all.
Good beef, duck, roast chicken...any of these could work. Garnishes that feature mushrooms would be a good enhancement. I've found they often cover the sins of a little overripeness or excess age pretty well.
In any case, please enjoy and let us know how it goes.
Jim