Strange news from another star

[Florida Jim]

2000 Belle Pente, Pinot Noir Murto Vineyard:

Here is something special; clean earth, spice and ripe fruit aromas are layered and, even over a fruit-sweetness, the accent of a mushroom/earth/under-brush tone is alluring; on the palate it is ripe, deep and tends toward black fruit but the complexity and nuance show through in a rising and falling of the earth tones that make me think of Gevrey and, also, that the future of this wine is golden; long, complex finish. This producer has worked with this vineyard for several years (that I have tasted) and, I think, has found a combination that, with just a little bit longer history of excellence, would make it worthy of designation as the first domestic grand cru for pinot noir. Nothing in California comes close to this kind of complexity, balance and authenticity; it is reminiscent of fine Burgundy and yet, distinctly of its own place.

The 1998 version of this wine is in the queue and I can’t wait to taste what an additional two years in bottle may mean at this stage.

(Aside: A recent bottle of the 1998 Raptor Ridge, Pinot Noir, from this vineyard was also characteristic of the vineyard despite showing a somewhat different fruit profile which, I assume, is the direction the winemaker chose. Hence, the sense of place that I think is so necessary to any kind of worthwhile vineyard designation seems consistent from producer to producer.)

1997 Jabolet, Hermitage La Chapelle:

I have tasted this wine at least thirty times since release and this is the first time it has shown at all closed; more about structure in the mouth today than about fruit but still quintessential Hermitage on the nose. Hold.

1999 Texier, Côte-Rôtie VV:

Immense character, breed and depth; glorious complexity; infinite potential; shows young yet is still the most exciting Côte-Rôtie I ever tasted.

1998 Belle Pente, Pinot Noir Murto Vineyard: As mentioned above, I was really looking forward to this wine; alas, it was corked.

After dinner, Diane and I served a cheese plate and, since our guest had never had one of these wines, we opened the 1994 Araujo, Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard. It was totally unconvincing with graham cracker oak in the nose and a simple, closed and clipped delivery. So we set it aside and opened a 2001 Clos La Coutale, Cahors, which was excellent; lots of fruit aromas and tastes in a big-boned, tannic frame that was both lip-smacking and rustic. So I thought, just another example of the $8 French wine being miles better than the expensive CA cab.

But the next morning, I took the towel off the top of the decanter where the rest of the Araujo had spent the night (on the counter) and lo, the angels sang! The nose exploded from the decanter, powerful, penetrating, gloriously mineral and cassis driven, expansive beyond any definition of the word I can figure; and, it was just as good in the mouth with extremely intense, concentrated flavors of cassis berries and that wonderful, multi-tiered mineral profile that Eisele wines can have, suave tannins, structured, balanced, and as classy a texture as any cab. I can remember. Swallow, and the flavors get even more powerful and expansive in the mouth and last and last and last . . .

I owe Bernie Roth an apology. I have been dissing his beloved Araujo wines for awhile now – and I was wrong. I was too damn early. This will age at a glacial pace; anyone who opens this bottle in the next ten years better decant hell out of it.

A memorable experience and a good solid two by four to my head – California can make life list wines and I just had one.

Best, Jim