Northern Rhone and a Chablis at Maison Kayser
This wine-dinner was set for a federal holiday Monday and so it was understandable that the compiling of attendees set a record for a merry-go-round of people that opted in and out, up until the very afternoon of the dinner. At the end, 4 hardy Northern Rhone wine enthusiasts convened, conversed and happily dined, sans reservations, at a surprisingly busy Maison Kayser restaurant in Manhattan, where the French bistro foods were casual and while not spectacular, they still solidly served the purpose of accompanying good wines that we decided on drinking.
With shared appetizers of savory tartines and individual entrees of boeuf bourguignon and coq-au-vin, we indulged on:
Whites:
2014 Yves Cuilleron Marsanne “Les Vignes d’a Cote”
Perfumed aroma with flowers and fruit. Noted that this is not as rich as most regional whites that I’ve had. Fresh, fruity and a little oily. You’d want to drink this nicely chilled. B+
2006 William Fevre “Les Clos” Chablis Grand Cru
This one I preferred less cold and before it spent considerable time in the ice bucket. A little thin and not abundant in complexity, but it provides for a refreshing wine with some respectable acidity. B
Reds:
1986 Bernard Faurie Hermitage
A great start to the reds with a bottle that’s in very good shape. Ruby red in color that belies being a 30+ year wine. Enticing fruit, earth and bacon aroma. Well balanced and complex with ripe fruit, some tangy acidity, and a long smooth finish. Impressive. A-
1990 Vallouit Cote Rotie
Color and bouquet showed more advancement with some amber and brick hues. Full of seemingly ripe and sweet blue and black fruit. I sensed a bit of wood that I figured would have fully integrated at this point. Provides for easy non-contemplative drinking. B
1996 Noel Verset Cornas
Dark ruby red, but starting to show some transparency when compared any previous bottles that I’ve had. Good acidity, highlighted by plump red fruit, complemented with some savory and slight earthy notes. Easily the most smooth and silkier version that I can recall from drinking other same-vintage bottles in prior years. Cornas wildness somewhat tamed! Note that this one was stood up for 10 days leading up to the dinner and visible sediment remained. A heck of a lot of pleasure drinking this Cornas. A-
1998 Domaine Jamet Cote Rotie
Ripe red and blue fruit abound. The most easily drinkable Jamet 1990s vintage for me year-over-year. Showed off appealing nose, with gulp-able mélange of red fruit and some secondary notes. May be at peak, or had been at peak for some time now, but still don’t expect to fall off the cliff anytime soon. B+
2000 Domaine Jamet Cote Rotie
This is a pleasant and impressive surprise for me. With some austerity and a little wildness that I would have expected more from old-school Cornas. Bottle age is needed, but the wine was giving obvious hints of great things to come with its fine structure and balance showcasing power, tautness, sauvage traits and delineated layers of tasty ripe red and black berries. Hold. A-
2012 Bernard Levet “La Chavaroche” Cote Rotie
Drinking young Cote Rotie always have me scratching my head as to WHY? I’m glad to have sampled this bottling with its syrah precision and traditional make-up. A great bouquet. High hopes on this as it showed balance and precision and that Northern Rhone “soul”, if I may. B+