TN: Clos Rougeard Poyeux/Breze,Unico,Bertheau,Marcassin,Aubert,Roederer Nature, Roumier.....

TRELIO WITH THE FELLAS AGAIN - Clovis Ca. (7/12/2017)

Another fine outing with the Fresno gang…this time I spat more, so I was coherent at the end! Chef Shack does amazing things food wise, and conversation gets really interesting late into the night when we close down the place! Thanks again fellas…next time in the 209!

  • 2011 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur Blanc Brézé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur
    Such a unique experience…riper fruit, maybe botrytis, tropical mango with fresh spritz of lemon acidity…saline minerals with some funk, little petrol, banana wax, bread dough…rich textured with amazing length, pretty florals…long spicy rosemary on the finish. An experience. (96 pts.)
  • 2010 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny
    Very elegant, with Burgundy-like finesse…raspberry puree fruit, crunchy cherry, crushed rocks…pretty florals and just the right amount of pyrazene greenness…really gained with air, loved the subtle complexity in this, with plenty of structure for further aging. (95 pts.)

  • 2014 Schäfer-Fröhlich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe
    Creamy and more subtle, rainwater purity, slight petrol, quince and apples…white pepper spice…fresh white flower florals, some mint. Really nice! (93 pts.)
  • 2012 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
    Never had this one…rich and creamy with vanilla oak barrel spice, smoked peach and crisp apple…good acid energy balancing the rich fruit…crushed minerals, grilled pineapple, honey. Very tasty! (93 pts.)
  • 2010 Marcassin Pinot Noir Blue-Slide Ridge Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
    Blind. Lighter transparent fruits…strawberry, raspberry, cherry…pretty tight but did air out after a few hours. Some pretty florals and faint spice…earth and mineral funk…all very medium bodied. Expected more. I guessed light style Grenache. (90 pts.)
  • 2015 Domaine des Champs Fleuris Saumur-Champigny Les Tufolies - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny
    Blind. Bright candied and primary fruits…raspberry, cherry, little redwine vinegar, soft palate, easy drinking. No sign of any bell pepper…didn’t really do it for me. (88 pts.)
  • 2008 Burge Family Sémillon Olive Hill - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
    Blind. Screw cap freshness…unique flinty gas rag ala bord blancs…bright and fresh orchard fruits, lemon squeeze, smokey mineral funk, honeysuckle florals, wax, very short finish though. This was really nice! I guessed aged Sauv Blanc. (90 pts.)
  • 2009 Coquelicot Winery Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
    Blind. Cat pee, more oaked, some nice fresh melon and citrus fruits…funky minerals and pretty citrus florals…a rich style SB still holding in there. Guess aged SB from NZ. (89 pts.)

  • NV Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Reserva Especial 1994, 1996, 2000 (2015 Release) - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
    Blind. Started out dark and raisined, smooth and deeply fruited…fig jam, plum, black cherry, currant…gained and gained throughout the night, with more elegance and less concentration coming through. Dark spice, olive, rich earth, creme de cassis, smoked spice…and lifted with a nice vein of acidity. Should be long lived. An experience. I guessed Super Tuscan Cab blend. (96 pts.)

  • 2004 Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
    Wonderful! Full bodied black and red fruits…super smooth with great graphite powder dryness, velvet tannins, dried fruits, smoky cassis…violet florals, still youthful structure. Drank well all night…one of my favs. (96 pts.)
  • 2009 Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Nature Cuvée Starck - France, Champagne
    What a treat! Crazy intense citrus here…hurts so good! Sour tart lemon heads, crushed minerality, somewhat creamy almond mousse, apricot creme, blossom florals, biscuit…really dry. Thank God for the 09 ripeness as it at least gives some depth to the intenseness. This gained on me…fun stuff! (93 pts.)

  • 2015 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Cuvée Marcel Lapierre - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon
    Bright fresh…summer sipper by the pool stuff! Pretty red berries, perfume florals, crushed smokey minerals, cinnamon spices…cherry skin tartness…a beautifully feminine wine, tasty now, yet has the depth to age a long time. (93 pts.)
  • 2013 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Chambolle-Musigny - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
    Young for sure, but pretty and pure silky red berry fruits, high toned tartness, fresh acidity, dried cinnamon stick, potpourri florals. Elegant and somewhat simple now, but should age into something more complex in 10+yrs. Always a treat! +pts (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

To me Rougeard blanc is better than the rouge…

What are people from Fresno called: Fresnoites? Fresnowians? Or Baller Lushes? At any rate, you guys drink well. That color on the Roumier is so electric!

Dazzling drinking. Love the mix of areas and styles. Great notes!

Wow, nice drinking and pics! Fresno has come a long way… it used to be the butt of all our jokes down San Ho-Say 30 years ago… (what do they call the Rapid Transit in Fresno? FART? ha. ha.)

as always, you captured it perfectly :wink:

the breze was the highlight for me. i agree with jason regarding the rouge v. blanc, even with the limited experience i have with rougeard. the rouge is completely lost on me.


come and visit markus - we’ll roll out the red carpet.

[cheers.gif]

heh. it’s actually called fresno area express (fax).

people may not believe it, but fresno has some deep cellars…and have for years.

[cheers.gif]

Thanks for putting this together on short notice!

Buzz, I am always impressed with your ability to take notes in a free for all. The blind part in the beginning was super fun, next time i’ll dig deeper to find a random one off that was long forgotten (who keeps an Australian Semillon for that many years?).

Always a pleasure to drink with Edson and Buzz! Next time in the 209:-)

Would agree with this in 2011. Not, however, in 10 or 09.

Thanks for the notes, Buzz. Good to see something on an older Bertheau. Just bought a 1993 Amoureuses which I hope will show well.

Come on you guys…give me just a couple notes…an impression…picture of the food…something??? [wow.gif]

I wouldn’t say that to an Aussie, as these can keep for years.

That should be SPECTACULAR, going by how well the three bottle of the 93 village I’ve had recently have tasted! Please post a note when you crack one! [cheers.gif]

well I know it, after two lovely visits with the crew there! Next visit slated for October-ish 2018, I will definitely want to spend some time with my Fresno-Modesto-Merced homeys.

Looks like a great night, Buzz and gang.

Mike

Well-aged and/or mature Rougeard are exemplary.
I’ve had some Rougeard blanc, but always within 5 years of vintage. They’re good, too.

I wonder if the blanc would be better than the rouge when comparably aged?

Will do. Cliché, but planning on Valentine’s Day 2018…

And thanks for the '93 insight. This has been sitting in a Burgundian cellar so provenance should be spot on.

Was more getting at the fact that 2011 seems to be quite a weak vintage for Clos Rougeard red: the wines are somewhat turbid, without the purity and depth that the best vintages display. To me, the Clos seemed as if it had had a troubled fermentation. Whereas the Brézé was lovely, as it usually is

Thanks for the added insights. I’ve not had any 2011 from Rougeard, but good to note your comparison.

Can’t remember if mine was just the base bottling or the Poyeux, but a data point from last year:

"2011 Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny

This is my first Clos Rougeard. And now I do understand what the fuss is about. A complicated nose of earth, currant, very low level coffee and unripe crabapple. To taste, this brings CF to a level of lightness of being and luminosity that is awfully hard to achieve. No olives or green pepper notes here, just waves of fresh red fruit mixed with very subtle earthy and thyme tones. Excellent"

Mike

It was very nice. Enough to inspire me to become Death, Destroyer of Saumur Champigny on local wine lists, leaving a long trail of Cab Franc in my wake. Had another one last night (2012 Thierry Germain La Marginale - needed a good 30-45 minutes of air), but the hands-down winner over the last couple of months was a 1988 Domaine Les Roches Lenoire Chinon; a friend at the table said it blew away the last several Rougeards he’s had. Grateful for the inspiration, even if it has led to a glut of Crozes Hermitage wallowing in the mire on local Parisian wine lists :wink:

My work is well done, then. Power corrupts…and corruption empowers! [grin.gif]