A few notes from a recent dinner where there was a nice display of diversity to taste and enjoy. I would say the wines of the night for me where the Bize Marconnets, which drank with an elegance and pleasure that brings class to Pinot Noir. The Guiberteau was a wine of lovely energy, showcasing chenin blanc that really tastes classy and then the Allemand Chaillot, which shows how syrah can age with real grace. Thanks for reading.
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1911 André Clouet Champagne - France, Champagne (12/11/2016)
N0 disgorge date on the bottle so I had to choose this entry for my TN. I wasn’t feeling this bubbly when it was first opened and granted, we got right after it very quickly and started to drain the bottle fast. It started out round and richer styled, but then with air started to pick up citrus zest and some biscuity tones. Needed some room to breathe. Turned out fine. -
2000 Carlisle Mondeuse Noir - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (12/11/2016)
From magnum, this was opened last night and there was a few ounces left that simply sat in the open bottle at room temp. Decided to revisit the remainder and write this note, as I didn’t recall it well from last night. Had this 2 years ago, with Mike O when he was down for a visit in the OC. I loved the wine in 2014, thought it was unique, fresh and drinking great. So what’s here, with the air from the last day? Warm nose (touch of heat), juicy blackberry and dark raspberry, and the same bright acidity that was in the 2014 bottle, it’s in this mag, too. Plenty of acidity. For a wine that is getting to 16 years old, the fruit and acidity remain alive. Funny, as I think about the 2009 Tignanello I had a glass of a few mins ago and the aged qualities (or what I perceived to be aged) at just 7 years old, this wine is more than 2X that wine, yet it drinks like it was recently bottled. This bottle is part of the early Carlisle history and was great to taste this again. -
2007 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (12/11/2016)
Never tried this wine before, which is unusual in light of the many times visiting the winery and my years of buying. We splash decanted this, and it was allowed to slow ox for another hour under open cork. Dark color, and the stems still continue to influence the aromatic. Kind of a cracked spice, pepper and dried flower, which in reading this, you might think a syrah aromatic, which isn’t far off. Dark cherry, soil and tight edges. This is still plenty young and not fading, and with the stems being imprinted on the wine still, it’d be good to age this further and/or decant it well if enjoying now…this afternoon, I decided to revisit the remaining 1/2 glass that was leftover in the bottle from last night. It sat out without a cork and has been mixing at room temp. The fruit has softened, now more of a black cherry, with the same soil tones and a bit gentler structure. This tastes more Burgundian today, the juicier fruit profile, the tilled earth and savory acidity. For those who own this vintage of 'Shoe, I’d say let this age a bit more, say check in again during 2018 and see. This will never be a delicate Rhys, probably always be savory from a bigger vintage so not sure what it will do with time. -
2008 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Marconnets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru (12/11/2016)
A few months back, we opened and enjoyed Bize’s 09 Vergelesses. That bottle was quite youthful and will need more time to really soften and blossom. This 08 Marconnets drank just fine IMO, and was treated like the 207 Rhys Horseshoe we drank alongside it: splash decanted and then returned to bottle and given an hour additional of slow ox. This has a lovely, medium weight, with rose petal and herb in the aromatic, and a hard cherry candy palate with a complementing acidity. Overall, gentle and delicious to drink and as much as I don’t buy Burg anymore, this bottle makes me think I should stay with Bize and start buying the wines again. Terrific. -
2009 Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (12/11/2016)
This was opened last night, and the remaining few ounces of the bottle sat in it without cork until this afternoon. So, lots of air. Plush, tangy black cherry fruit and cedar, with licorice and a spicy finish. The finish is loamy and reminds me of a wine that has plenty of age, the tobacco leaf notes that age brings. I don’t have any experience with this wine or much from this producer but there is plenty of fruit here that should allow it to keep aging. -
2010 Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Blanc - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (12/11/2016)
Hadn’t tried one of these in a few years, but Brig was able to chase one down and we got to have a glass of it. Lovely texture, polished and creamy with good balancing acidity, finishing with a little mineral. Seems to be in a good place, no signs of ox. -
2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (12/11/2016)
I really dig this producer and as we drink more of this winery’s craft, I continue to remain impressed. Higher acid style here, with great texture. Peach and nectarine notes (nothing demi here by the way, this is dialed in sec in style, IMO). Structured finish with terrific tension and balance. Lovely. -
2015 Jean-Louis Dutraive (Domaine de la Grand’Cour) Fleurie Le Clos Cuvée Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (12/11/2016)
This was opened last night, about 1/2 the bottle remained to this afternoon on the counter under cork. Soft texture, little jammy too. Kind of reminds me of a Zin barrel sample, with the bright, jammy red fruits that have a kick of spice and a brushing of vanilla. Not much in terms of edges here but more of a smooth, fruit forward wine that is easy to drink. -
NV Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines - France, Champagne (12/11/2016)
Enjoyed this. Yellow apple, biscuit, ginger. good density and finishes clean with a lime note. -
NV Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Pinot Blanc Champagne Blanc de Blancs La Bolorée - France, Champagne (12/11/2016)
I think this was NV, although Steve said the base wine was 2010. Bitter note in the palate, which he said reminded him of peach pit. Good cut here with complexity, too. Leaner style, lemon peel and very good overall. EB in style, which aligns to my palate these days very nicely. -
1998 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (12/10/2016)
Opened this about 3 hours ago, just removing the cork and draining off an ounce or so. Serving this later over dinner, alongside the 1999 Allemand Chaillot. This smells like Cote Rotie, with a light herbal quality, blood and a lifted note of cherry/red fruit. The palate? Sings baby. Tangy, plenty of cherry, cedar, cooked meat and plenty of refreshing acidity. What impresses me about this wine is the length, the medium weight, the freshness, all in super balance. Nothing heavy here at all–just suave, beautifully crafted stuff. Over dinner later, this stayed pretty true to my opening comments above, and if anything, the aromatic of herbal component seemed to become brighter. I think this wine is in the right place for getting after and enjoying. FWIW, the 1999 Allemand Chaillot outclassed this Jamet–both were good, but the Allemand has years ahead of it. -
1999 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (12/10/2016)
Opened this about 3 hours ago, just removing the cork and draining off an ounce or so. Serving this later over dinner, alongside the 1999 Allemand Chaillot. As a side note, I last had this wine in 2009, during a lunch at Copain with Wells Guthrie. It was from his cellar and at that time, I had no frame for Allemand, other than I knew the winery and its philosophy had a great impact on the way he thought about how to approach his own syrah (low to no oak, whole cluster, low alc). Aromatically, this is similar to the 1998 Jamet, but it’s still shy with the same amount of air. The palate is a different story. The fruits for me range into a red/purple like note, less gentle than the Jamet, more concentration. Fascinating that at 17 years old that the fruit intensity, the purity of the freshness makes it taste like something far more youthful. Wow. This also has more tannin and grip throughout the palate, whereas the Jamet is in better balance, that wine glides through the palate…over dinner, paired next to the 1998 Jamet, this was superior. The freshness and depth this carries as a 1999 is a testament to Allemand and the longevity of these wines. Just love the ctracked pepper and spice, the purple and red fruit. Super stuff and this seems to be aging slowly!
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