Wine Musings Vol#66: The Cru Dinner (II)

Wine of Merit: *****Henri Jayer, Vosne Romanee, Cros Parantoux, 1er Cru, Cote D'Or, 1990: The undisputed wine of the evening and really a benchmark for every bottle of wine I have had to this point. Ever. One quick dip of the nose into the glass pricks the senses, immediately pointing to something ethereal and rare. Burgundian elements of ripe black cherry, rose petal, fresh soil after a light rain, a mixture of freshly ground nutmeg and a touch of Indian spice…a nuance of exotic Mariage Freres fruited white tea...white truffle? With so much to offer upfront, I approached the palate with some trepidation. It does not disappoint. Full but perfectly delineated, one almost rushes past the signature fruit, forest floor, pepper and green tea… buoyed by the otherworldly palate feel and balance. It seems effortless, fresh and serene, somehow reminding me of walking the beaches of Anguilla at nightfall while the ocean layered caressing wave break upon wave break on the white sandy shores. This wine transported me that way. Long, spread out finish that just fans as it leaves its impression on the palate. And perhaps the most amazing thing...It somehow improved with food, the acidity and mouth feel of the wine binding itself to the flavors of the meal to contribute to an even greater high. It was not me who called Burgundy the Cocaine of wines…but I see it. The Grail.

***+Aubert, UV vineyard, Sonoma Coast, pinot noir, 2004: The shame of having to be paired with the Jayer wine. Almost a crime. A high school prom queen introduced next to Catherine DeNeuve in her prime. Still, one must appreciate what it has to offer. Deep, lush Sonoma Coast sugar plum and blackberry fruit, floral violet, black cherry liquor and necco wafer sweetness, a touch of pine needle and forest floor, this wine is made in much more of the now very popular Robert Parker-esque pinot noir style. But while it skates dangerously close, it restrains itself from crossing that pinot-becomes-syrah edge that many Sonoma and Central coast pinots dash right over. I would describe the palate as rubenesque – full, rich and generous, tending toward fleshy, with more of the black cherry and baker’s spiciness, complemented by a small, lingering heat wave as the finish retreats off the tongue. I believe Robert Parker called this wine prodigious…and I will give it that. Similar to the Marcassin, a wine to appreciate if not enjoy. I brought this wine to the dinner and candidly felt punked by the Jayer inclusion…though, as Leopardi once put it – “…il naufragar mi e dolce in questo mare” (…being shipwrecked in this sea is sweet to me).

***+Charles Jouget, Clos de la dioterie, Chinon, 1990: I just loved this quixotic, wonderfully ebullient chinon. Not that it had bubbles…but it had energy and panache! Bright, effusive briny, green olive jumps from the glass. It is so fresh and focused. Under ripe blueberries, fresh sage, maybe a touch of cigar smoke and minerals…super interesting. The palate flows like a brook; light to medium weight, intense and vivacious. Good sap and a lovely if surprising black cherry sweetness mid palate, accompanied by more pronounced violet/lavender that reminded me of that C Howard violet gum that you don’t see anymore. What a great expression of Cabernet Franc. Terrific.

****Sine Qua Non, In Flagrante, Central Coast, syrah, 2000: Another amazing wine. I love all of the SQN wines…and I loved this one too. Deep, almost bottomless expression of black fruit, licorice root, Malabar pepper, shoe polish and wet slate pour from the glass. The co-fermented viognier and very healthy dose of new oak contribute wonderful floral and vanillin nuances. Nothing shy here, this wine is a colossus…but I would venture the friendly giant sort. I admit that this syrah may lack the deft balance and touch of an Eric Texier wine, but I honestly don’t think that is what we are going for here. Not to say this wine is not at once silky and exuberant, stuffed but still wonderfully integrated, muscular but well proportioned…in my opinion it is all of those things. It is just that this wine is made to be a romp, a tussle and not a ballroom dance. I mean, just look at the label! Great juice that must be appreciated and yes enjoyed for the flight of fancy it is. I will buy as much as they (Robb) send my way and be grateful for it. Perhaps not quite as good (meaning polished, integrated and nuanced) as the 1996 Against the Wall, but a signature wine nonetheless.

Wine Musings Vol#56

The following represents a broad portfolio of wines all tasted across one afternoon. The theme of the tasting was to ascertain as much as possible how much terroir matters. Said another way, the tasting aimed to test if the now en vogue “international style” was making wines, even great wines, more and more generic regardless of wine growing region. To the wines:

*****Kongsgaard, The Judge, Napa Valley, chardonnay, 2005: Once again, guilty as charged. My second favorite wine of the entire tasting…maybe even my first. Amazing intensity, complexity, concentration. Crème Brulee, anise, lemon custard, firm, long, mineral…I assumed this to be the Mersault Charmes simply because I guessed that wine would be superlative to the others in the flight. I buy this wine every vintage and am happy to pay whatever price is being asked. Simply Amazing. Wow.

***Domaine Vincent Dauvissat, La Forest, Premier Cru, Chablis, chardonnay, 2005: I thought this wine got lost a bit in the line up. Bright lemon, white flowers, wet hay, nicely malic, in the glass this developed a somewhat flamboyant sweetness which made me not think Chablis. Very nice.

***+Newton, Unfiltered, Napa Valley, chardonnay, 2003: This wine is delicious and typically flamboyant, though perhaps less so when tasted comparatively. Similar notes to the Chablis…bright lemon, minerals, papaya, quite firm and spicy on the palate. Lovely wine.

***++Domaines de Comte Lafon, Mersault Charmes, Premier Cru, chardonnay, 2002: Delicious, if a touch disappointing. I expected this wine to blow me away…it did not. Honestly, it was kind of a diminutive version of the Kongsgaard, all of those things just significantly less so with a concerning and vague thinness mid palate. Some detected a vegetal characteristic or maybe even bret – I did not. Interesting to note this given the focus on terroir. Again, I loved it and thought it a great wine, just nowhere near as great as wine number one.

****Rochioli Vineyards and Winery, West Block, Russian River Valley, pinot noir, 1999: Absolutely wonderful. Deep, complex, fruit driven style, dark, black cherry, green tea, eucalyptus, a touch of barnyard, creamy, velvety palate. Great integration and balance. The sophistication made me think French, the fruit driven style French wannabe. Certainly a lack of the typical “cherry cola” RRV signature made me think anything but Rochioli. I guessed Marcassin. Wrong. A dynamite wine and renewed respect for the Rochioli family.

**++Philipe Pacalet, Chambolle Musigny, pinot noir, 2004: A quirky wine. Initially driven by tell tale whole cluster fermentation nuances like clove, cinnamon and vivid bing cherry, the wine evolved ultimately to be a dead ringer for Campari! Intense, blood orange and dried orange peel notes. With candied ginger and provencal herbs. Many found this wine unappealing. I enjoyed it for its quirkiness and would happily drink more of it. I would not, however, consider it a “serious” wine. Pacelet makes a point of his “biodynamic” farming methods and uses many of the “international style” vinification techniques. Interesting if not compelling.

**+Marcassin, Marcassin vineyard, Sonoma Coast, pinot noir, 2003: Great label! This is my first Macassin pinot (thank you Barry) so I had no palate memory to go with. I assumed this would be a mind boggling wine experience, given the write ups from others. Instead I found the wine a bit thick and somewhat tired. Lovely notes of peppermint candy, sour cherry, black cherry liqueur and briar on the nose, the palate is creamy but a bit obvious, thick with alcohol and one dimensional. The style is lost on me.

****++Domaine Robert Arnoux, Echezeaux, Gran Cru, pinot noir, 2002: I thought this wine was just killer! Deep, complex, beautifully integrated, nuanced with touches of camphor and barnyard, young and beautiful (au pair-esque states J.C.!). Very firm, coating, minerals and white pepper on the mid palate with dark cherry fruit, tannins that still are beautifully integrated across the palate. Wonderful. I found this wine clearly from Burgundy…in all of the positive, great ways that makes Burgundy the cocaine of wines – expensive and worth it. This wine is around at $150…and compared to the Marcassin clearly a steal. My third favorite wine of the tasting.

*****Clarendon Hills, Hickenbotham vineyard, McLaren Vale, cabernet sauvignon, 2002: Amazing in every way. Mind blowing intensity. Powerful and yet nuanced and complex. I immediately thought Montrose…and then, with the deep, velvety palate Redigaffi. Blackberry jam, lavender, black olive tapenade, sauvage, tar. Wow. Palate coating, maybe staining but furry tannins and never out of whack. A wine worth searching for and coveting. Surprising in a very good way. Gary saw through to the provenance of this wine stating that it hinted of “new world vulgarity”. I don’t know what that means but I love it! My favorite wine of the tasting – and again available at a VERY reasonable $62 a pop if you look for it. I love these treasure hunts!

****Tua Rita, Redigaffi, IGT, Toscana, merlot, 2002: Another lovely, very special wine. Even though this wine is 100% merlot, it was not an obvious stand out amongst these wines. In fact, its signature was very cabernet like: cedar, licorice, mint, some chocolate and lavender. With time, the wine did show its telltale Vienna roasted espresso and lovely, floral red fruit and mineral notes but not right away (and these wines were decanted 3 hours in advance). The palate shows young, vibrant staining intensity. I loved this wine but would never have guessed Italian Merlot. Delicious.

****++Chateau Montrose, Estate vineyard, St. Estephe, Bordeaux, 2003: A much heralded wine. After the Clarendon Hills, my second favorite wine of the flight. It is a beast. “Ti-Tanic” exclaims R.F! Intense, brooding, mocha, black olive, grilled meats, oily and coating palate, loooong and intense on the finish. The only reason this was not my absolute fave was because I somehow think of Montrose as even more savage, more raw than this wine presents itself as being. I love Montrose and cellar it in pretty much every vintage and this one is among the best…but I would not put it in the same company as the 1990, another parker 100 point wine. Still…Wow.

****Pahlmeyer Winery, Proprietary Red, California, 2002: 75% cabernet, 22% merlot, made from a whole cornucopia of the best vineyards across Napa and Sonoma. Wonderful. “Purple-icious” (F.C.). Heady, fresh, juicy, fruit driven. Blueberry, baking spices, chocolate, cassis. Vibrant and still very primal. The immensity of the fruit made me think Aussie. Perhaps this wine is the one that most typifies what I think of as the divergence of new world vs. old world styles. Yummy without pretension.

****Eric Texier, Vielle Vigne, Cote Rotie, syrah, 2001: I have posted on this several times and thus will not go into too much detail. This wine sings. It is elegant but not fragile, sophisticated, nuanced…burgundian without losing any of its varietal nature. Balanced, complex, really second only to the Guigal La las in my opinion…fabulous.

**+Molly Dooker, Carnival of Love, McLaren Vale, syrah, 2005: Almost unfair to put this in the same flight as the Texier as the later magnifies every flaw in this wine. Lavishly oaked (I sense American oak), milky, fat, gigantic berry fruit, this wine is a cartoon. And while I am a huge fan of cartoons like Family Guy and Samurai Jack, this has none of those cartoons’ wit or whimsy. Still, I suppose fun to drink. Best thing about this wine is the label. I consider this proof positive of a serious flaw in Robert Parker’s ability to score wines correctly.

**++Cayuse, Cailloux vineyard, Walla Walla, syrah, 2005: Having read a great deal about Washington syrah being the next Cote Rotie, I expected much from this wine. While not bad, it really reflected just another new world syrah. Here again, whole cluster fermentation drives a clove, cinnamon, black berry signature, with vanilla and spice from the oak and a thick, pronounced palate feel from high extraction and alcohol. Very nice to drink, palate coating…but no one will mistake this for La Chapelle.

***Pax, Cuvee Christine, Russian River Valley, syrah, 2004: I expected the Cayuse signature from the Pax, but this is showing better than in the past. Still palate staining and over the top, it shows better integration even if hung on a massive frame. Not bad all in all. It is a wine I cellared out of curiosity and while it is worthy of appreciation it will not be replaced in kind.

****+Weinlaubenhof Alois Kracher, Trokenbeerenausele, Noble Wine No.12, Burgenland, Austria, 1995: Wow! This is a gorgeous wine. Not made in every vintage, this number 12, with its 200+ g/l of residual sugar and its 12 percent alcohol is much more Hungarian Tokai than it is French sauternes. Made from 4 or 5 varietals that I can’t even pronounce, let alone spell. Elegant, perfumed, laden with white and yellow fruits, amazingly concentrated yet vibrant…this really is gorgeous. Honestly, I dabbed a few drops behind each ear and put on my best come hither look for Amy…it didn’t work but it wasn’t the wine’s fault either. Very special. A fitting testament to a very special winemaker nee alchemist that we will all miss.

**+Chateau Climens, Estate, Premier Cru, Sauternes-Barsac, 1988: Sauternes is funny. The truly great ones transcend almost anything else you can drink. The rest leave you flat and unimpressed. This wine is nice but more the later than the former. Reticent nose of clover honey, full, velvety mouthfeel, perhaps a nuance of lavender, coating…Very nice but not special.

***Sine Qua Non, Mr. K The Noble Man, chardonnay, 2001: This wine is made in celebration of the aforementioned Alois Kracher, playing off of the Noble Wine name of the number12. What a great wine to include in this flight. Honestly, I expected the world given its price and my love for all things SQN. As such it disappointed a touch. Very nice, even delicious, it was no Kracher TBA. A touch flat, also honeyed, minerals and white flowers, an unfortunate slight bitter edge to the finish…I would gladly have more but will not be in search of it at the hefty prices that it conjures up. Another question mark in RP’s critical abilities…

***++Francois Pinon, “La Goutte D’Or”, Vouvray, chenin blanc, 1990: Lovely, white fruit driven and refreshing. Plenty of RS, this wine is still very much youthful and vibrant with great acids. Peachy, great minerals, long coating finish. I am constantly amazed at these Loire sweet whites. Their longevity, their quality, the freshness…why these wines are not as sought after as the average, flabby sauternes is beyond me. Delish!

All in all a great tasting. I loved the Kongsgaard, Arnoux, Rochioli, Clarendon Hills, Montrose, Redigaffi, Texier and the Kracher wines. They were all special in their own ways. In considering this elite subset, many were really not so much endemic of their regions as they were just amazingly well crafted, balanced, integrated wines. So, is terroir important? Given this group, I would say that sense of place clearly can be a very important variable within any wine’s formula for success (especially great wine), though it is hardly a barrier to greatness. And given that I did not hit the 50% mark on guessing the correct wine even in a single blind format – I usually do much better…honest! - perhaps there is some convergence in wine making world-wide that is putting pressure on that variable's importance.

Wine Musings LTD: My Dinner with Robb

My dinner with Robb (March 2007)

OK. Perhaps it should be OUR dinner with Robb. And Drew (Nieporent). At the Tribeca Grill. Wow. It was truly a memorable event – not only because the wines were tremendous but because it was just so great to see and hang out with everyone. I love how wine acts as an excuse for good friends (new and old) to get together and enjoy each other’s company.

Wine of Merit: ****++Zind-Humbrecht Gewurz Goldert VT 1990: In my opinion, this was not only the first served, but the best wine of the night. Ethereal. Lithe. Refreshing. Perfect sweetness. Citrus, white flowers, honey. Extremely rare –and extremely worth it.

****+Sine Qua Non “The Boot”” (also known as The Good Girl) 2000: Stunning. Flamboyant but at the same time serious. A roussanne, chardonnay, viognier mix, I think. So much going on here – almost defies description. Rich, complex, deep, long. Very special. To quote Melissa Rice, “This one should have been named the Hussy!” Voluptuous, with a come hither quality!

****Sine Qua Non, “The Hussy” 2000: Also lovely. Perhaps not quite as rich as the Boot, but equally interesting. 100% roussanne, from 2 different vineyards down in the central coast. This wine is instead very easy to describe. Warm apple pie, with cinnamon and a touch of clove. Wow. Intense aromatics and lovely mouth feel. Another winner.

****+Eric Texier, Cote Rotie Ville Vignes, 2001: Magnificent. The wine that La Chapelle hopes to make in every vintage. A true meal in a glass, with nicoise olives, tar, bacon (oy!), dark, black berry fruit, minerals…the works. The palate is wonderful and integrated, perfectly balanced, not staining and overwhelming. The wine is almost feminine and offers much more sophistication than it does brawn. A wine to look for.

***+Pax, Cuvee Keltie, Syrah, 2003: Perhaps the polar opposite of the Texier. Syrah as jet fuel. Huge, jammy, fat berry nose, with grilled meat and pepper. Tagine spices. Branche Marocian! This wine is almost a cartoon – an exaggerated representation of what syrah can be. Very Aussie in style. Lush, staining and powerful. Maybe time will coax some nuance from it –right now it is yummy but very obvious.

****++Ducru Beacalliou. St. Julien, 1982: Masterful. Perfect Bordeaux, in my opinion. Complex, nuanced red fruit, earth, cassis and cigar box. Perfect weight on the palate, long sweet finish. Surprisingly fresh for a wine made when I graduated high school. Wonderful. I could drink this wine every day and not tire of it.

****Dominus, Rutherford, 1994: One must give credit. This wine is seductive. Complex, loamy earth, red fruit, saddle leather, black truffled olive oil. Violets. More St. Emillion than Pomerol to my taste. Serious, great mouth filling wine. Still very much balanced – maturing in a wonderfully complex way. I love this wine.

***Numanthia, Toro 2003: Very nice though in difficult company. Very international in style – a recipe wine. Does Michel Rolland consult here? I bet he does. Deep color and extract. Lush, merlot like red, plumy fruit. Very showy. Thick, unctuous, palate staining wine. Long, very firm finish. I bet Parker loves this wine. A fun wine to enjoy.

***+Montevetrine, Le Pergola Torte 2003: This was a wine that was hard to evaluate. The nose was somewhat muted, offering red fruit and a focused element of anise seed, with a toasted note (mandel brot?). The palate offered more red fruit, white pepper and good minerality, though again pretty demure. Middle weight mouth feel. Very good, though perhaps better when one can focus on it a bit more.

Wine Musings LTD: All Roads Lead to Rhone

From notes taken January, 2007:

All Roads Lead to Rhone:

Following is a brief summary of my tasting notes from our Syrah and Syrah-ish wine tasting held Saturday, January 14th. It was a wonderful event, probably the best wines we have served as a whole at one of these things, and I am appreciative of all those who could attend. Wines were served blind:

Pre-flight wines:

***++Didier Dageneau Silex, 1996: Lovely if unusual. Fully mature, deep yellow hue, lots going on. Dried pineapple, honeyed truffle oil and gooseberry were some of the descriptors being thrown out there. I buy it all. Not your father’s chardonnay. A serious white with great, full mouth feel and generous complexity.

**++Linda Domas Salience, 2005: Hard to believe it is the same grape. Lovely, surprisingly restrained, almost fragile. Great, tropical fruit notes and a light, lithe palate. Wonderful for a hot, summer day and some light food. Yum.

First Flight:

**++Henschke Keyneton, 1986: Mature and very much ready to drink. Bricking at the rim. Red fruit, grilled meats, pepper, some herbs. Firm finish, light mid palate. Very fine.

***Ch. Beaucastel, CNdP, 1988: Also very mature in color and nose, iodine, baked blueberry pie, a little racy on the palate, morer fruit, herbs and asian spices. Very firm on the finish. Yummy!

****Sean Thackery Orion, 1987: Special. Dark concentrated wine. Chocolate, mint, exotic spices, blackberry preserves. Velvety, delicious. Killer Diller.

DQ: Jaboulet, La Chapelle, 1989: Corked. Palate was mature and inviting, with red fruit and evolving complexities as it sat in the glass – but the nose was musty. I have had much better bottles.

Second Flight:

****++Sean Thackery, Orion 1995: Wow! One of the wines of the day, and there were some great wines. Licorice, blackberry, pine needles, anise seed. Great concentration and purity. No drop off at all, though sweet integration and balance. A serious wine.

****Ch Rayas, CNdP Reserve, 1990: A heralded wine. Delicious, animal, raisins, raspberry. Maturer and a bit demure. Nicely integrated. Lovely.

***++Penfolds Bin 920, 1990: Much better than the rep. Mautring, rose petal, red fruit, briar, tar. I liked this wine very much, even in its showier company. A stately wine.

****Jaboulet, La Chapelle, 1995: Served out of order by mistake. Wow. This is more like it. Really wonderful. Huge, black pepper, black fruit, mint and a wonderful lavender note. Big depth, a powerful wine. Firm but integrated all the way through. Great wine.

Third Flight:

****++Sine Qua Non. Against The Wall, 1996: Believe the hype, baby! Jeepers. Tar, violets, insane, huge concentration, blackberry preserves, pepper – amazing. Coating, intense, perfectly integrated. My number 2 wine of the day.

****++Clarendon Hills, Astralis, 1998: From strength to strength. While the SQN was a bit more out there, the Astralis was a bit more reserved…but had all of the same elements, perhaps adding a minerality and depth the SQN did not quite achieve. It will reward further patience, but is tantalizing right now. Hard to rank this below the SQN, perhaps only because of the later wine’s approachability right now. In my opinion, both are 96+ point wines.

***++Ch La Nerthe, CNdP, Cuvee Cadettes, 1994: A bit out of order and in strong company. Still, a lovely wine. CNdP notes of herbs, iodine, red fruit and smoke. Nice minerals, good solid concentration and a firm palate, though of course not the same kind of grip as the other wines of the flight. Super.

***++Chapoutier, La Sizeranne, 1994: Like the La Nerthe, a bit overwhelmed, though it acquitted itself surprisingly well. Delicious, showing great fruit purity, velvety black fruit, depth and minerals. Floral. I loved this wine and thought it very worthy.

Fourth Flight:

All of these wines were huge and really wonderful.

*****Guigal, Cote Rotie, La Landonne, 2001: Wow. Speechless. Great wine. Hard to detract anything at all from it. Animal elements, violets, black pepper. Great depth, great purity, great concentration. Out there for around $200 and a bargain at that price. My wine of the day.

***++Behrens and Hitchcock, Alder Springs Syrah, Hommage to Ed, 2001: Very yummy and approachable. Made in the B&H way. Big, open, velvety, maybe a bit blousy in comparison – still great. Very varietal, with black fruit, smoke, earth, flowers. No mistaking this wine.

****+Penfolds, Grange, 2001: I expected to not get much from this wine – but instead found it of course youthful but still approachable. Big and thick, some greenness from the American oak, spice, great, deep berry fruit. Brooding. Stately –maybe even majestic. A great Australian wine that will mature into a truly great wine experience.

****Ch Beaucastel, 2001: Very worthy. No mistaking this wine either – with its tell tale French herbs, iodine, animal, truffles and great red fruit concentration. I love this wine and cellar beaucastel hoping every vintage comes together like this one. Worth seeking out.

Mystery wine:

***++CUNE, Vine Real Reserva, 1950: Dave guessed Country, region and varietal –which in and of itself is impressive. No one was within 30 years of the vintage. Surprisingly youthful, it boasted mature red fruit, a burgundian earthy complexity, candied orange zest and fruited tea notes. Racy palate, good acids, not deep but consistent and integrated. A dynamite wine.