WTN: Catching Up

[Brad Ballinger]

1996 Pierre Peters “Cuvee Speciale” Brut Blanc de Blancs, Mesnil-sur-Oger Grand Cru. This wine is made from vines that are about 50 years old. I’ve had this wine several times over the past few years, and it is finally mellowing out, but only a bit. Quite a bit yeasty, which I’m discovering is par for the course for this producer, but the breadiness is taking on more of a toasted quality with some age. A fairly strong lemon/mineral profile, but showing some depth and nuttiness that were less prominent in earlier drinking. The wine is adding nuance and complexity.

1998 Domaine de Montille “Les Taillepieds” Volnay Premier Cru. From a vintage that has a reputation of being early drinking, this wine could still benefit from another two to three years in the bottle. Strong mineral profile. High level of acidity. But has a core black cherry and spice component that rounds it out nicely.

2000 Donnafugata “Ben Rye” Passito di Pantelleria. I’ve also had this wine on several occasions. It’s starting to lose the flowery, honey-like appeal it had upon release that made one want to gulp rather than sip. But it’s showing some more tropical and nutty components.

2002 Domaine du Closel “La Jalousie” Savennieres. This wine used to be labeled “Cuvee Classique.” I don’t know what “jealousy” (as translated) has to do with the renaming of the wine. This wine is a sec, and it was very dry. It had a strong stony mineral backbone, accompanied by citrus, beeswax, and a bit of floral and spice. Mineral-driven finish that went on for a long time. It’s also a wine that will develop over at least ten years.

2004 Gilles-Robin “La Papillon” Crozes-Hermitage. I’ve been a fan of this producer’s wines in the past. This was my first experience with the Papillon, a younger-vines syrah that for me on this particular evening was soft soft soft, almost devoid of acid. It had a bit of spice, but just didn’t hold much interest for me. It certainly would not stand up to fare one might think needs a syrah wine.

1999 Domaine Remizieres “Cuvee Christophe” Crozes-Hermitage. Christophe is the name of the son of Philippe Desmeures, who runs Domaine Remizieres. This is a wonderful Crozes. Meaty, peppery, black fruits, olives, licorice. There is some oak to round everything out, but it remains a supporting player. Good lift on the palate, and a fruity/mineral finish.

[Florida Jim]

Brad,

In a very brief conversation with Eric Solomon, I got the impression that he and Robin parted company when the house style started to change. I may have misread his comments, so take this with a grain of salt but your experience seems to lend some support to that opinion.

I never thought of 1998 Burgs. as early drinkers; rather, I thought of them as pretty tannic - of course, all this is such a general statement as to be near useless. But I do find that several Volnay producers (Montille among them) make wines for the cellar more than for early consumption so your thoughts about continued cellaring sound prudent.

1999 in the Northern Rhone - sweeeeeet!

Best, Jim

Edited January 23, 2006 by Florida Jim (log)

[carswell]

Like Clos du Papillon, La Jalousie is the name of the plot that the grapes used to make the wine come from. Don't know why they only recently changed the wine's name but it may be related to their increasing emphasis on terroir. The 2002, which I haven't yet tasted, is supposed to be made in a new, somewhat more accessible style (malolactic allowed, aging on lees with stirring).

[Brad Ballinger]

Brad,

In a very brief conversation with Eric Solomon, I got the impression that he and Robin parted company when the house style started to change. I may have misread his comments, so take this with a grain of salt but your experience seems to lend some support to that opinion.

I never thought of 1998 Burgs. as early drinkers; rather, I thought of them as pretty tannic - of course, all this is such a general statement as to be near useless. But I do find that several Volnay producers (Montille among them) make wines for the cellar more than for early consumption so your thoughts about continued cellaring sound prudent.

1999 in the Northern Rhone - sweeeeeet!

Best, Jim

←

Jim,

I didn't mean to imply that the Montille should've been more approachable. This was a wine opened at Christmas with friends just to peek in on it and see how it was doing.

[jrufusj]

Brad:

Thanks for the notes.

Pierre Peters doesn't get imported to Japan, so I never run into it here (and have never seen it elsewhere around Asia). It is on my list of things I really want to find a chance to taste when I am next back in the States.

Montille is one of my favorite producers. I haven't had any of the '98s, but I can imagine this needed a lot of time. My experience with '98 reds is that they have been very tough and tight and need the time. Then again, for whatever reason, most of the '98s I've tasted have been from the Cotes de Nuits (almost all Chambolle and Morey wines), so I can't speak directly to '98 Volnays. Based on producer, however, I'd probably be thinking 7-10 years before this was on form.

'98 whites, however, have seemed very forward.

In any case, thanks very much for the notes and the datapoint on the Montille.

Jim