Recent Wines: Rhones, Burgs and Others

[kazuo]

With a number of new people joining our office, we had an informal get together at the house.

To keep the kitchen staff (me) from getting restless during prep:

2000 Pegau Reserve: rich and weighty, black fruit, somewhat muted nose (perhaps lost in the cooking smells), nice but a bit young

With assorted nibbles (mushroom crostini, endive with tapenade, gravlax sushi rolls, etc.):

NV Billecart Salmon Rose: the house standard, pleasing acidity, hints of berry, just lovely

1998 Bosquet du Papes Cuvee Grenache: Classic grenache, lightening at the rim of the glass, nose is pure strawberry, sweet and lush, won't be a long-lived wine (at least not in our house), but oh so enjoyable now

2001 Janasse Chateauneuf Chaupin: Much more structured than the Bosquet, classic southern Rhone nose, going to be a beauty when it's mature

With sauteed scallops and truffled mashed potatoes:

1986 Niellon Batard: lovely mature burg, tropical notes in the nose (coconut?), lush on the palate with baked apples, glad to have saved a few of these, not a great match with the food, however

With smoked duck salads dressed with balsamic:

1999 Jadot Gevery Clos. St. Jacques: in honor of Florida Jim's deceased magnum, lovely forward fruit but concentration and structure to last, should have bought much more of this

With wagyu fillet roast, potato and parmesan cakes, sauteed green beans:

2000 Solengo: as previously noted, no one will ever accuse this one of having any Italian typicity, but lovely nonetheless

1967 DRC Romanee St Vivant: a curiosity that turned out rather nicely, pale color, a bit short in the finish but classic St Vivant nose

1969 DRC Richebourg: acidity is a bit high but otherwise drinks beautifully, beguiling nose (atypical for a Richebourg, more like La Tache?) with sandalwood, cinnamon, something else exotic and vaguely evocative of Chinese or Indian spices?

2000 Petit Cheval: someone asked for bordeaux and I didn't feel up to decanting (too shaky at that point), so this was popped and poured, actually had a bit of Cheval quality to it, excellent concentration although a bit green (younger Cab Franc influence, I'd guess), still glad to have this in quantity

Yes, there was cheese and dessert; no, I don't recall much about it. Vague recollection of loading the dishwasher while nursing a digestif portion of Macallan.

While washing the decanters and glasses and scouring the kitchen the next day while the spouse and her pals availed themselves of leftovers:

1995 Poggio Antico Brunello Reserve: kind of new wave Brunello, forward and accessible, sweet, smoky with nice fruit.

[Brad Ballinger]

1998 Bosquet du Papes Cuvee Grenache: Classic grenache, lightening at the rim of the glass, nose is pure strawberry, sweet and lush, won't be a long-lived wine (at least not in our house), but oh so enjoyable now.

I'm curious about the "at least not in our house" comment. Would your observation hold if you omitted these words?

[Florida Jim]

1999 Jadot Gevery Clos. St. Jacques:  in honor of Florida Jim's deceased magnum, lovely forward fruit but concentration and structure to last, should have bought much more of this

You're killin' me here!

I should have bought a lot more.

Best, Jim

[kazuo]

Brad:

I didn't sense that the Bosquet is in any danger of going over the hill, but I also don't see it improving much. Given what it was like in 2001 (when we first drank it) and where it is now, I'd guess it has just about peaked. That said, this is not a wine that I have in multiple vintages, so I don't have any empirical data points; just my guess.

Jim:

I found a few more bottles of the 99 Jadot CSJ in Tokyo (where I reside) but the pricing was a bit steep; still may have to pull the trigger though.

[MarkinHouston]

Brad:

I didn't sense that the Bosquet is in any danger of going over the hill, but I also don't see it improving much.  Given what it was like in 2001 (when we first drank it) and where it is now, I'd guess it has just about peaked.  That said, this is not a wine that I have in multiple vintages, so I don't have any empirical data points; just my guess.

Jim:

I found a few more bottles of the 99 Jadot CSJ in Tokyo (where I reside) but the pricing was a bit steep; still may have to pull the trigger though.

←

The 99 Jadot CSJ is $72.40 at Spec's in Houston. How does that price compare?

[kazuo]

Lucky you. I'm seeing it here at 11,000 yen (about USD103 at current exchange rates). If the famed Florida Jim says it's worth the plunge, take him at his word.