Recent tastes

[Florida Jim]

2002 Boudin, Fourchaume:

Not a blousy Fourchaume; a solid mineral and acid backbone and lots of textured but bright chardonnay fruit and smoky minerals. Certainly needs time, but too good now.

2002 Chanrion, Cote-de-Brouilly:

Lighter than a fine Brouilly but of the same cloth with some clean earth supporting good black fruit aromas and flavors. A very nice wine; ‘wish I had more.

1999 Hirsch, Gruner Veltliner Lamm Vineyard:

Ripe, true to varietal and well-scented with a fine texture and good sustain; nonetheless, this stops just short of being special. As they say, “not something to throw out of bed for eating crackers, but . . .”

1996 Roumier, Chambolle-Musigny:

“Those who know, choose Chambolle,” or something like that; crystalline on the nose with very distinct scents of black cherry, mineral, underbrush and light spice; deftly textured with some focused flavors that follow the spectrum of the nose if not the precision of it, intense, elegant and persistent. This is why we put a little age on Burgundy and this is why I buy it in the first place. “Burgundy, accept no substitute.”

1996 Chateau Beaumont, Haut-Medoc:

When first opened, a complex, balanced, fully flavored wine of character. The longer it remained open, the more it tended toward green bell-pepper. My only bottle and I’m not at all sorry to see it go.

2002 Monmousseau, Rose d’Anjou:

50% grolleau, 50% cabernet franc; Diane called it cherry Kool-aid – not I. Light scents of cherries but a palate laser-etched with clean, crisp cherry fruit (not even a hint of strawberry or raspberry), solid acids, intense and balanced. One hell of a wine, IMO, and worth doing over again, especially at less than $10 a bottle.

1996 Baumard, Savennieres:

A recent bottle (well decanted) showed fuller, but this one was closed and acidic for two hours, then it opened very slightly. Not ready for tasting let alone accompanying dinner. Hold.

Best, Jim

Edited October 2, 2004 by Florida Jim (log)