Fantastic lunch yesterday at Chez Nous in downtown Austin on a much needed one day break from work. Never got any responses on this BB from anyone who has opened a 2016 Meo- probably because you agree with my lunch companion that it is a foolish exercise. And in a sense that was true, but it has been a few years since I checked in on this wine, and oddly enough in this of all vintages I got a few extras- and so heck with it, we went there! It was a lovely experience and worthwhile, if admittedly a bit wasteful of the great potential here.
2016 Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet Clos des Folatieres
good bright medium yellow color, inviting nose of apples and pears with some tropical hints, sweet oranges, a strong presence of soft rounded stones, on the palate quite viscous with ripe fruits, baked bread notes and firm white acids leading into a long and slightly tart finish, an attractive and somewhat lusty Puligny that- for the moment- appears to have traded some of its usual finesse for a bit more heft than expected, a good wine- possibly very good with some bottle age. *(**)+, 2022+
2016 Meo-Camuzet Echezeaux
deep purple color, enchanting primary nose of plums and cherries laid over an evident but not yet fully exposed intense web of dark spices, the intensity of the fruit is such that even the oak is largely concealed, on the palate again very primary- completely approachable and delicious, yet with so very much more yet to come, as on the nose all of these nuances are evident but still buried just beneath the surface of a tranquil pond of cuddly ripe fruit, blueberries, cherries, blackberries, the full spectrum if tending more to black fruits, glorious intense spice notes carry into the finish and after-fragrance, this strikes me as a combination of the best of 2001 and 2006- it already demonstrates a precise and detailed definition of elements, and yet those elements are all concealed under a truly beautiful and almost full-bodied fruit that has some of the punchy joy of 2006- but is more ponderous in overall tone, length to burn, after 2 hours in glass a broad earthy note develops with a piercing wild cherry flavor right in the middle, a dazzling Echezeaux that should blossom into something truly memorable in time, as good as it gets. (*****), 2028+
2016 Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf du Pape
Note- we unfortunately had a very short time with this after lingering over the 2016 Meo Echezeaux, but it was enough to make me a fan. Also note my Rhone experience is limited, and thus my TN vocabulary at present.
deep red color, pure cherry on the nose at first, toasty oak, cloves, dark plums, on the palate very vibrant, ripe cherries, saddle leather, dark thorn tones, with time in glass plum notes developed along with a wider array of dark spices, this is in some sense what I would call a “mid-weight beauty” but yet it also has some strong sauvage notes that indicate with time this will have a certain edginess as well, firm long finish, a wonderful wine and one I can envision truly enjoying as a harmonious companion to dinner in the years to come. ()+, 2026+ though I think the wine can be quite enjoyable before then as it is now.
All in all a great day. And FWIW- I did buy some Charvin after that lunch. I very rarely buy Rhone wines anymore given how spoofy many of them got. I am told that is changing, hence adding back a few favorites in 2016- and now Charvin as well. I have no idea if Charvin ever went down the dark path, but what I had in my glass yesterday was just the kind of wine I want most in the cellar.