Nice dinner last night with a few guys at Storico Fresco. We brought in a few bottles.
Couple early bottles included a blinded 2001 Kalin Sauvignon Blanc that was an eye-opener. That was a treat.
Good night of wines. All showed well.
1985 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses- France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (6/15/2017)
This wine keep delivering the goods. Still in that optimal zone that it’s been in for the past few years. It does a lot of pronounced green pepper and damp earthy nose. You have to like the greens! Cab Franc without a doubt. But the fruit is still still lively and the wine is really supple. Integration across the palate. Perfectly balanced. A joy to drink still for fans of the style.
2005 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny- France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (6/15/2017)
Popped and poured alongside the '85 Raffault. This shows a more refined and perfumey nose of fresh berries and spice. Some hints of earthiness. The palate is so refined. Has the concentration and intensity without weight formula that I seek in great pinot from Burgundy. Focused and pure. The texture here…wow. Took some coaxing initially and then just kept getting better as it sat in my glass. Need more. asap.
I’m so Jelly! These are EXCELLENT wines. My wheelhouse stuff.
The 2005 Rougeards need much more time, such a structured vintage. I had the Les Poyeaux, 2005 and 2003, with Tooch a year ago, the 2005 just needs more time. I have a few nicely cradled for the long haul. I lost my allocation - I’m just too low rent, I guess - so 2011 is my last vintage of this gorgeous, singular wine. Perhaps the sale changes my future view . . . .
Yeah, right up your alley, I know. This was actually my first Rougeard. I was impressed. I won’t be chasing them as the prices now make no sense, but certainly glad I know people that own some. A singular wine, for sure.
And those 80s Raffaults are still killing!
Ha! I felt low-rent. I actually lost my allocation from a retailer I’ve done business with for a very long time, and from whom I have bought a substantial (by my definition) amount of wine, in particular, Loire Cab Francs. So some heavy-hitting trophy-wine chasers clearly pushed my low-rent arse aside, kinda like Fu did to me on Juge. The ultimate Coc, I mean Cornas, block. No hate to that retailer though, I realize that these are highly-allocated and they got to love the most the ones that love them the most. I would have liked at least one bottle, however . . . .
I have been opening the 1985 Picasses with some regularity over the last year and a half. The earthy funk is such a joy - full of nasty goodness on the nose and palate. I’ll try a reload if some comes to the West Coast.I picked up a pair of 1979’s and I will report back when opened. I have hope for these.
Opened a 1979 Picasses tonight. Decanted and took a sip on opening and it didn’t need a decant. This is right in its game and drinking so well now. Typical notes of moldy forest floor on the nose. Bricking. A lighter, fully resolved Chinon with acid fading and fruits subtle. I have had a number of aged Chinon and I have yet to meet one I don’t like, but this has a level of elegance above the others. Wonderful.
Nice, Steve.
I’ve had the '83 and '85, but never the ‘79. May need to grab one to check out.
This sounds great. Think it’ still holding for a few years?
Cheers.
Good to read TN and data point on the 2005 Rougeard. I have at-release-purchased Poyeux and Le Bourg stashed offsite that I bought blindly. I wish I had more than enough to try a bottle. As usual, it’s the stand-out texture and the unmatched refinement that appear to keep it a class above the rest of the region’s other good Cab Franc.
I love old cab francs. An 85 Olga Raffault Les Picasses was one of the first “old” wines I’d ever tasted a couple years ago (I realize not old by the standards of this group…). Immediately went out and bought a case of the '02 to stash away.
My notes from that evening:
Never tasted a wine like this before. Red pepper on the nose. Intense grilled red bell pepper and grilled tomato, savory herbs. Leather and rare meat juices on the finish.
Total stunner. How could this have come from grapes?
Dennis, yes, I think its on a relatively flat line now and probably has been for some time. Easy another 5+ years in this and thereafter just getting more elegant. The cork was full, juicy, spongy firm, and came out with one slow pull (no bad jokes guys!). I did stand the bottle up for three weeks on arrival. I was able to decant slowly and had zero dregs while leaving nothing in the bottle.
I have ordered from Gary’s. This 79 came from Canal’s. I didn’t and don’t know anything about them, but they shipped it ground New Jersey to CA and everything was fine.
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}