Jean Brislance

2001 Ottella “Campo Sireso” Veronese IGT - Opened this to polish off some remaining Bolognese sauce and discovered there is not much here! Dark red color, with a purple tint at the rim. Nose of dark fruit, with a weird, not entirely pleasant herbal, vegetal aroma. It smells tart and under ripe. Dark fruits, herbs, and licorice on the palate, with a little bit of dark fruit sweetness, but the flavors are fairly lean. What this wine has is all upfront, and it falls apart quickly on the finish, with little acidity or structure. Wow, is this ever boring! Jean

Hello Andrea, and thank you for taking our questions. Discussions of traditional vs. modern wines in Piedmont tend to generate very passionate responses from both sides. I would like to know your thoughts regarding where you think the future is heading for Piedmont and its wines. Do you think there will be a balance where both the traditional and modern styles can exist? Or, will the modern style become more and more common and eventually phase out the more traditional wines? Thanks very much! Jean

A somewhat odd assortment of wines from the last week... 2002 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha - Had this with pizza at the fantasy football draft on Tuesday. A ruby-purple color. Nose smells kind of like red Kool-Aid powder to me, with some soft floral notes. Flavors of bright cherry, a little bit of smoke, and fresh thyme. The tannins are on the lighter side, and the wine is lighter bodied as well. I don’t know if this wine sees any oak or not, but I did not detect any (it seemed nothing like the "Vinas Viejas"). A little bit of heat on the finish, but it is kind of clean and lively on the palate. Aside from the sort of “candied” nose, I kind of liked this. Not bad for $9. 2001 Louis Bernard Cotes-du-Luberon - A little something to sip onand cook some Bolognese sauce with. Dark ruby color, with a nose that has some plum, raspberry, spice, and a little bit of prune this time. Flavors are also of plum and raspberry, with some black cherry, spice, and minerals, too. Lighter-bodied and relatively simple, with a little bit of acidity, and light tannins. It is just a nice, easy drinker. This is a good candidate for a weeknight pizza/pasta wine. You could do worse for a $6.85 price tag. 2001 Red Car Syrah “The Dreaming Detective” - Actually opened this with a mild, beef brisket burrito from a local Tex-Mex joint, and it wasn’t too bad with it! Inky dark purple in color. Nose of blackberry liqueur, crushed raspberry, and vanilla. Smells really ripe! Loads of berry flavors, including blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, a hint of smoke, and vanilla. Kind of peppery on the finish, with some heat from alcohol (which was still VERY noticeable on day 2 ). Smooth and creamy texture. A very big wine. I am not sure if the alcohol of heat will ever subside, though. 1997 Marcarini Barolo La Serra - Opened this with a Bolognese-style ragu made with buffalo. A lighter orange-ruby color, and very clear. Nose shows quite a bit of tar and earth initially. After about an hour in the glass, it really opened up to show some cherry, flowers, and cigar tobacco. Flavors are subtle and elegant, with pretty cherry, red berry, minerals, and earth. The tannins are firm and gripping, and the finish is long, with herbal, floral, and mineral qualities. It goes without saying that this could still use time for the tannins to resolve. But it was really gorgeous to smell at the moment, and it should evolve nicely I would think. All the best, Jean

Walter, excellent notes. It is nice to see so many notes on a lot of different value-minded wines. Thanks very much. In fact, the note here reminded me that I haven't had a Concannon Petite Sirah in quite some time. I have found these quite substantial and enjoyable in the past. All the best, Jean

Just a few notes from the holiday weekend up at Mom and Dad’s. As always, we had some really good food to go along with these. It goes without saying that all of the wines were probably opened sooner than they should have been, but we were celebrating my birthday this weekend, and I wanted to open them, dammit! 1999 Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - Really dark in color, with a nose that screams of Cabernet to me. Lots of dark fruit and cedar. Flavors of currant, dark berry, cedar, chocolate, and a fair amount of oak. But, the oak is really balanced out by the bold fruit. A long and juicy finish. The tannins are still very firm and mouth coating. This still has a lot of life ahead of it, and I am happy to have another bottle on hand. A really nice textbook California Cab, and possibly the best ‘99 I have had. Very good, and perfect with grilled NY strip steaks! 2001 Brancaia “Il Blu” Rosso Toscana - A dark black-purple in color. Nose of blackberry and vanilla, smelling very New World in style. Flavors also of blackberry and vanilla, with some additional notes of coffee, oak, and some minerals. Tannins were really woolly and velvety in the mouth. A little bit of acidity on the finish (more than I thought there would be, actually), along with some really nice fruit flavors. A wine that could no doubt use more cellar time, but was still delicious with a duck ragu over liguini, and a grilled tri-tip. 2000 Numanthia-Termes Toro “Numanthia” - This is the $40 wine with the big gold “N” on the bottle for people (like me ) who are really confused by their naming conventions! Really dark, almost entirely black. Nose shows a lot of blackberry, but also some very pretty floral perfume. I am excited because I can use a new flavor descriptor here…thimbleberry (I realize that is obscure, but it was a recent revelation to me…think along the lines of a sweet but tart raspberry), also with flavors of blackberry liqueur, licorice, lots of black pepper, and some oak. Tannins are big and mouth coating at the moment, and the finish is long and flavorful. I will let my last bottle rest for awhile so the tannins can soften a bit. Kind of a fun wine, and it worked well with beef stroganoff. All the best, Jean

2002 M. Cosentino Zinfandel “Cigar Zin” Lodi - Really dark in color, almost a blackish red. Nose shows a jammy berry medley of crushed raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, with some vanilla and black pepper. Flavors are bright, juicy, and fruit-forward, and they very much mimic the nose. A total fruit-bomb. Very smooth in texture, with light tannins, and not a lot of structure. On the finish, there is a lingering sweetness that is kind of off-putting. It kind of reminds me of the Rancho Zabaco "Dancing Bull" in a sense. It is probably a good wine to serve to a crowd at a party, but it is not very satisfying to the wine geek. All the best, Jean

Ademello, I can imagine this being the case. I got the same sensation when I have taken the suggestion of pairing Zinfandel with spicy Mexican food or a bowl of chili…that, and I feel the tannins get really harsh with hotter foods. I am agreeing with the beer suggestions. This is just my opinion, of course, but I just feel that wine is lost on spicy food. And if a dish is spicy enough, there is no wine that will stand up to it. I say, "Beer me!" All the best, Jean

2001 Firriato “Chiaramonte” Nero d’Avola Sicilia - A dark purple in color. Nose shows some ripe dark fruit, blackberry, rose petals, and a little bit of a smoky quality. The smokiness is present on the palate as well, with some flavors of dark dried fruit and cherry. Clean and fresh, with a decent amount of acidity. A flavorful finish, with good length. The texture is quite smooth, with very fine and soft tannins. A simple, straightforward, $15 wine that was nice with some pasta, sausage, and red sauce. All the best, Jean

Geo, I just got to try the '92 for the first time last week when Chris Gross came to town. Really beautiful stuff. Initially I found it fairly muted on the nose, but it really got gorgeous with some time in the glass. Quite the experience! Thanks for the notes, Jean

And that would be across the board for their portfolio of wines, not just the ones designated Langhe. Their Barbaresco normale wines and the Barbaresco single vineyard wines are great wines and great values comparatively, especially for those who prefer a more traditional approach. Jean, have your next bottle with some duck and mushroom risotto. This was my first experience with Produttori del Barbaresco, so I appreciate this insight. A little duck and wild mushroom risotto sounds pretty darned good as we enter the autumn months. Thanks for the tip, Brad! Jean

This is very interesting, Craig. The article mentions Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne, but I wonder about wines from other regions such as the Rhone, Alsace, Beaujolais, and the Languedoc-Roussillon. Any idea if they are also experiencing similar drops in sales? Jean

I was thinking the same thing, Rieslingfan! For all the reasons you cited. Thanks for the comments. All the best, Jean

Vaughan, unrelated to the topic of this thread, I have made this exact recipe from "The Kitchen Sessions" cookbook, and it is fantastic! Great with Zin. Welcome to the forum! Jean

2001 Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo Langhe - Ruby in color with an orange tint, and extremely clear. The nose is attractive, with some fresh turned soil, red berry fruit, some herbs, flowers, and a bit of tar. Flavors tend to mimic the nose; red berry, herbal, floral, and earthy. This wine has a bright and zippy acidity, is lighter-bodied, and the tannins are light and very fine with just a little bit of a dusty grip. Not a blockbuster, but just a nice bargain wine to accompany pizza or pasta. Quite nice with some leftover duck and wild mushroom ragu. I think this was $17. All the best, Jean

Chris Gross was kind enough to grace the Twin Cities with his presence on Sunday, so some of the Twin Cities locals gathered to welcome him at a favorite local establishment, Bakery on Grand, in Minneapolis. The locals in attendance were Paul and Elaine Campbell, Lee Short and Melissa, Lee Kitzenberg and Jen, Dale Roberts, Jon Gorman, Jason Swanson, and myself. The theme of the evening was a loose one of Rhones, with a few others thrown in to mix things up a bit. A disclaimer: we moved through some flights fairly quickly in order to keep up with the various courses of our dinners, so it was difficult trying to evaluate the wines in a short amount of time. I got more time with some wines, and less with others, so some of my notes are sketchy at best. All apologies if details were missed, or if I slaughtered some of the names of the wines! Here are some impressions I jotted down: A couple of whites to start... 1997 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc "Chante Allouette" - Initially served pretty cold, so the nose did not give up much right away. After it warmed, I picked up some citrusy notes (mandarin orange, perhaps?). Flavors of green apple, and a nice bit of spice on the finish. Light and subtle, and a little bit oily in texture. Overall, a fairly subtle, restrained, yet elegant wine. 2001 Pierre Gaillard Condrieu - A gorgeous nose. Incredibly fragrant, with huge perfumed floral aromas absolutely leaping from the glass. Flavors of pear, peach, cinnamon spice, and more floral notes. A big, oily texture in the mouth, and a long, long finish that shows nice fruit and mineral character. Great spiciness, too. A very nice white. I liked this a lot. On to the reds… Flight 1 - The Hermitages 1995 Ferraton Pere & Fils Hermitage "La Cuvee des Miaux" - A really smoky nose, with almost a cigar ash aroma. Some dark fruit on the palate, but also more of the ashen quality that was a bit off-putting. Some of that blew off with some time in the glass, but the fruit that remained had some strong notes of overripe, raisiny dark dried fruit. Not one of my favorites of the night. 1994 J-L Chave Hermitage - The nose on this seemed somewhat muted at first, giving up some pretty spice, red berry, and a little bit of dark fruit. Lighter on the palate, with some subtle berry fruit, spice, and minerals. Very elegant, smoother texture with finer tannins. It was interesting to be able to compare this to the... 1992 J-L Chave Hermitage - Also initially muted on the nose. Eventually, this really started to show me some dark fruit, smoke, spice. Lots of flavor, with earth, dark fruit, minerals, pepper, and spice. Seemed to have more tannins than the '94. An elegant wine that just kept getting more interesting. I took a smell of this as the night went on, and it revealed some gorgeous minty notes. Beautiful. Flight 2 - The CdP's 1993 Boisrenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Initially when poured this wine showed a really "spritzy" quality. It was very lively in the mouth with this sort of citrus prickle on the tongue. That blew off rather quickly, but I thought this was left a little bit flat after that, with just lots of tannins. I was not picking up much fruit. 1999 Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Cuvee des Cadette" - Big fruit on the nose, with almost a buttery note. Lots of blackberry and red berry fruit with spice. Seems like an almost "New World" CdP with lots of fruit and spicy oak. More oak crept in with time in the glass, and the tannins were grippy and firm. 1999 Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Some red berry fruit and minerals, but there were a lot of really firm tannins standing in the way on this for me. I was having trouble coaxing out much fruit, and was just left with this drying, tannic sensation in my mouth. Flight 3 - The Crozes-Hermitages 1994 Allain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage - This was a really earthy wine. A nice nose of earth, spice. More flavors along those lines, also with a little bit of tobacco. A wine with some funky notes to it that were very interesting. There seemed to be a little fruit behind it, but the wine showed a lot of earth and spice overall. 2000 Allain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage - It was interesting to taste this after the 1994, because it was just so different. This seemed almost ripe fruit on the nose and did not have the same earthiness. Plenty of red fruit, licorice, and spice on the palate. This seemed almost fruit forward compared to the other one, but it also had good balance and was very tasty. 1999 Gilles Robin Crozes-Hermitage "Cuvee Alberic Bouvet" - A few folks instantly recognized this as "Florida Jim's wine!" Lots of spice and earth. Very pure flavors of red fruit and minerals. Perhaps the best texture of all the Crozes-Hermitages this evening. The flavors are very focused, and it is expansive in the mouth. Very nice. (And as a side note, this was probably my favorite flight of the evening. I thought these wines showed well.) Flight 4 - Cote Rotie, Rasteau, and Cornas 1998 M. Chapoutier Cote Rotie "La Mordoree" - Lots of pepper and spice on the nose, and very spicy and peppery on the palate as well, with powerful red fruit character. Also some notes of plum and mint. The tannins are firm, and the aromas in this wine just keep getting better. I had some of this in a glass all the way through dessert, and it evolved into this soft, gorgeous, perfumed red fruit aroma. A joy just to smell, and it is really just a baby. This was my wine of the night. 2000 Domaine la Soumade Rasteau Cotes du Rhone - Black pepper, chocolate, and a little bit cheesy on the nose. A fairly high extraction on this wine, with lots of red fruit and oak, but some absolutely fierce tannins that absolutely caked your mouth. This was the most tannic wine of the night for me. 1999 Marcel Juge Cornas "Cuvee C" - There was some debate as to whether or not this wine was corked. I was in the camp that felt it was not. It was gamey and funky on the nose, with some red fruit, and lots of black pepper, eventually picking up some barnyard aromas as it opened up. Blackberry, black pepper, an minerals on the palate. Tannins were pretty firm as well. A few others… 1976 Casecha Rioja Vina Real Grand Reserva - It is not every day I get to try a Rioja whose grapes were harvested when I entered kindergarten! I don't even know where to begin describing this wine. There was almost a pruney dark fruit quality to it, with some sweet tobacco as well. Seemed to be a rather delicate wine, with plenty of fine tannins that were still present. 1988 Pernard Il des Vergelesses 1er Cru - Lee Short thought he should open a Burgundy, and who were we to stop him? Some initial clove-like spice on the nose that was very pretty. Some cherry, licorice, and tea leaves, with some nice mineral presence as well. A substantial wine, still showing the presence of some bigger tannins. 1998 Domaine de Beaumalric Muscat De Beaumes De Venise - Interestingly enough, both Paul and Jason brought a bottle of this to the dinner! What are the odds? A lovely dessert wine that showed lots of apricot, peach, and maybe a little bit of orange zest as well. Big and thick on the palate, and not overly sweet. Just really nice, and a great match to my almond touile for dessert. It was really fun evening, and thanks to everyone for sharing all the wonderful wines. All the best, Jean

2001 Clos Chanteduc Cotes du Rhone – I have been a fan of Patricia Well’s cookbooks for some time now, and was aware of the fact that she had a tiny vineyard at her home in the Cotes du Rhone. Imagine my surprise when I saw a bottle of her wine, Clos Chanteduc, on the shelf at a local store. The wine is a reddish-purple color, and it is quite clear. The nose is floral and soft, with some raspberry, blackberry, fresh thyme, and black pepper. Flavors of red berry, cherry, floral and herbal notes, and some spicy black pepper towards the finish. A lighter-bodied wine, but the flavors linger, and there is a lively acidity that is quite refreshing. Delicious with my Dijon and herb crusted pork tenderloin. A nice, simple, daily drinker that doesn’t pretend to be anything more, all for $11. Bravo, Patricia! All the best, Jean

Carolyn, the '98 Renwood Grandpere was one of my all-time favorite Zinfandels. None of mine lived to see any great age, but I am sure I went through close to a case of it. I loved that stuff! Jean

I pretty much drink all of my Zinfandel early. In fact, I don't think I currently have anything older than a 2001, as I pretty much drink what I buy right away and don't cellar anything. Several have already touched on this, but I don't want to miss out on all that juicy fruit and spice that might fade with age. Your mileage may vary, of course, but to me, that is the appeal of Zin. But, that's just me! All the best, Jean

2001 Domaine de la Mordoree Lirac “La Dame Rousse” – A dark reddish-purple in color. Nose has some nice berry, cherry, black pepper, and dust aromas, with a little bit of a menthol quality. Flavors are pretty juicy, with blackberry and cherry, and also some cocoa powder and peppery spice. A fairly forward wine. For the most part, a smooth texture, with lighter tannins providing a little bit of grip right at the end. Not a lot of acidity, but there is enough to allow it to stand up to some food. This would make a decent pizza wine. Tasty, but it is not overly complex or profound. This wine was a recent bargain bin purchase for $17. I may grab a couple more for some daily drinkers. All the best, Jean

Brad, once again, a very fun night! Thanks so much. Here are a few comments from me after I got my notes together: If I may offer another side of the ‘99 Donnafugata Mille una Notte, there were a few comments from others at the table that noted they thought it had a Syrah-like nose. My notes said the nose was of tar, smoke, and balsamic vinegar. I was sitting by Paul, and I believe he remarked that it had an Amarone-like flavor as well. That I would agree with, as I noted some raisiny dark dried fruit on the palate. I enjoyed this. Also, the Kongsgaard Chardonnay was a huge surprise for me. I rarely ever drink Chardonnay of any kind, but this was, hands down, the best California Chardonnay I have ever tried. I really liked the spiciness in this wine, and while big, it had a good acidity to go along with it. A real eye opener. Brad, your description of the 1987 KWV Cab was right on the money. It was interesting lesson for me to taste a wine where the fruit outlived the tannins, even though it was starting to fade. Thanks for sharing that one. I brought the La Casenove "La Garrigue", a wine I really like...but I did not realize the level of sweetness in this wine until I drank it along side some other wines, and I found it distracting in the lineup. I will be drinking my remaining ones on their own! The Jean-Marie Rimbert Carignator was an interesting wine as well. “Bright” is certainly a great descriptor, as I too found a lot of bright fruit on the palate. It was certainly a unique wine that stood out in this tasting. I enjoyed being able to taste the Merus, however I am starting to understand the complaints about wines like this. The wine is big and luscious. It is fun to drink. I was surprised at how smooth the tannins were, making me wonder if this will age. But, while it is tasty and fun, I see why some oppose these wines. There really is not a sense of place to go along with it. It could have been made in someone’s garage in Australia for all I know. But, then again, I still liked it a lot, which makes me feel a bit tortured as a wine lover. The Grand Maison “Cuvee des Anges” was truly delicious. I had the almond touile for dessert, and this was an absolutely perfect match made in heaven. Delightful! My wine of the night was the 1991 Dr. Parce Rimage Banyuls. Every time I drink with you guys, I get exposed to these wonderful dessert wines that absolutely blow me away. I could not believe the intense aromas, and the finish went on for what seemed like forever. Amazing stuff! Thanks for a great night! Jean

1999 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape – A dark ruby in color. Nose shows some earth and funk, with some barnyard, fresh black dirt, licorice, and some red berry fruit hanging out in the background. Flavors show a lot of minerals and herbs in the forefront, with some floral notes, spice, tea leaves, and some red berry and black cherry. The wine is really tightly wound at this point, with firm, chalky tannins. On day two, more of the red berry fruit came forward on the palate, but the wine still seemed to be quite closed down and not giving up much. There is some pretty stuff going on here, but it appears to be hiding behind a wall of tannins right now. Give this some time. All the best, Jean

2000 Chateau Les Hauts de Caillevel Bergerac – A bargain bin find at a local shop. Dark red in color. Initially, loads of bell pepper on the nose, with some fresh tarragon, and dark fruits. Flavors are pretty earthy, with notes of black cherry, plum, licorice, and herbs, but overall the flavors are pretty lean and stemmy. Lighter bodied, with somewhat austere tannins. Over time, the bell pepper on the nose blew off somewhat (thank goodness…I hate bell pepper aromas in wine! ), revealing a more perfumed and floral dark fruit on the nose, and it added some weight on the palate as well. It did improve some, but it is still a pretty simple and uninspiring wine. I have a 2001 of this too, so I will have to see if that one is better. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 40% Merlot. All the best, Jean

Excellent notes, Brad. Thanks very much for putting this together. It was a fun and educational evening for me, as I have very little experience with Viognier and white Rhone wines in general. I have been on vacation for the last week (without Internet access for most of it), so my comments are a bit belated. But, just a few quick remarks from memory, as my notes are still somewhere in my luggage: The Chiquet was wonderful. Every time I have something like this, I think. "I have to drink more Champagne!" Maybe someday I will learn. I agree with most everyone in that I definitely preferred the '03 Dover Canyon Hansen to the '02 Fralich. That was no contest. I'm not sure I really cared all that much for either of the Tablas Creek wines. In retrospect, they just did not do a lot for me. The Alban was really a surprise to me. I have never had an Alban before, and I am not sure why, but I had assumed this was going to be a big, over-oaked, over-the top wine. How wrong I was! This was really well balanced and delicious. The Lys de Volan Condrieu was weird. Just too sweet. This was the first Condrieu I had ever tried, and when I asked the group if this was what Condrieu was supposed to be like, my question was met with a resounding chorus of "No!" The Chateau Pesquie was really quite nice, and if I recall, was also a very good value, correct? I thought that might be the best food wine of the night. The NV R.L. Buller & Sons Calliope was indeed a great way to end the evening, and I loved Jim's description. That was unlike anything I have ever tasted, and it was a real treat to be able to try it. Once again, thanks to all for the great evening, all! Jean

2000 Domenico Clerico Dolcetto Langhe “Visadi” – Opened this to help finish off a little leftover sausage and fusili. Dark reddish purple in color. I really like the aroma of Dolcetto, as there is usually this nice dusty, powdery quality that I enjoy so much, and this did not disappoint. The nose is quite aromatic, and very pretty to smell, with red berry, grape, floral perfume, and dust. Flavors also show some nice red berry, but also some earthy herbs, licorice, and minerals. The tannins are soft and powdery, and the finish is very clean, leaning towards the herbal side. What can be said? It is just a nice, tasty food wine for about $15. All the best, Jean

2002 Domaine Merieau Gamay Touraine – This was an impulse buy due to a little handwritten shelf talker that said “Great with chicken!” Since I was planning a French chicken dish that evening and had not chosen a wine already, I grabbed one to test it out. Dark ruby in color. Nose is earthy and herbal, with cherry, thyme, and a pronounced aroma of fresh turned soil. Flavors are also quite earthy, with some cherry, dark dried fruit, minerals, and tea leaves. This may sound weird, but the finish was kind of like an autumn day; some nice fruit, but it also had this earth and dried leaf quality that was pretty interesting and distinctive. It proved to be a great accompaniment to my chicken dish, and had a pleasant, cleansing acidity. A fascinating little Loire red that cost me all of $8.99. Different that anything I have had in quite some time, and a nice food wine. All the best, Jean