This was a very nice event on the evening of Wednesday March 6 at City Winery, part of the La Paulee week. While perhaps a bit overcrowded (it was a typical walk around tasting, with tables of 10 or so bottles being poured), I was able to to taste nearly everything. There were plenty of tasty bites to be had from NYC restaurants, though I ate only a little as I was going out for dinner afterwards. Lots of interesting wine, organized into roughly regional groupings, with 1 (or rarely 2) bottles from each producer. There was a very wide smattering of vintages, but mostly 2015 and 2016. I found this a great introduction to producers I hadn’t tasted before. What follows are my notes. While I did taste everything, in general if I found something to be weak or uninteresting, I didn’t bother to keep detailed notes. That’s reflected below. The regional designations are the organizers’, not mine!
Finally a + sign means I liked it a lot, worth buying.
Chablis/Yonne
The strongest collection of whites in the room. Many very attractive wines worth hunting for.
Clotilde Davanne, 2017 Saint Bris. Floral, sharp, very interesting. 100% Sauv Blanc
- Patrick Piuze, 2017 Petite Chablis. Great nose, solid palate, intense, structured.
- Moreau-Naudet, Chablis 2014. Very good, bright floral lemony nose, good splashy balance, med+ length.
Paul Nicolle, Chablis VV 2017. Softer weaker all around. - Goisot, Chablis “Faucertaine” 2016. Good nose and palate, long, fruity. Attractive.
Domaine Eleni & Edoard Vocoret, Chablis Bas de Chapelot 2016. Lighter, ok. Decent. - Domaine Oudin, Chablis Les Serres 2015. Lemon, oak, nice nose, good intensity and length.
- Chateau de Beru, Clos de Beru monopole 2015. A bit tight nose, some lemon and saline, awesome long crunchy balanced explosive palate.
Vini Viti Vici, coulanges-la-vineuse 2017. Odd nose, long palate, intense but some strange notes.
Samuel Billaud Chablis GC Vaudesir, 2015. Big nose, wood and lemon, ok structure snd balance, med- length, ok.
Thierry Richoux, Irancy Les Cailles 2013 (rouge). Nice nose, cheerful, short, eh.
- Benoit Cantin, Irancy La Grande Cote 2015 (rouge). Nose of fruit, spice, more structured, nice flavor good.
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Maconnais. Only a few stand outs. Overall kind of a ho hum set of chardonnays.
- Chateau des Quarts, P-F Clos des Quarts 2015 - good nose intensity length.
- Chateau Fuisse, P-F 2015. Bigger, richer, quite good, a little sulfur on the nose, med+ length.
Denis Jeandreau St. Veran 2016
Domaine de Roally Vire Clesse VV 2016
Andre Bonhomme Vire Clesse VV 2017
Jules Desjourneys Pouilly-Fuisse 2015
Rontets PF Clos Varambon 2016
Lafon Macon Clos de la Crochette 2016
Olivier Merlin Macon La Roche Vineuse VV 2016
Guillot-Broux Macon Les Genevrieres 2016
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Chalonnais. Like the Maconnais, mostly light bodied, low intensity wines. Lumpp was a very strong stand-out. Impressive.
- Domaine Francois Lumpp, Givry 1er Cru Crausot 2015 - a bit of reduction on the nose but still intense citrus underneath, great palate with lemon, acid balance and very long. Very good. (White).
- Domaine Baron Thenard. Givry 1er Cru Cellier aux Moines 2014. Structure, clear, high toned nose, rich intensity and palate. Good, (red)
- Domaine Joblot Givry 1er Cru l’Empreinte 2016. intense red fruit nose, lots of structure med+ length, Good or Better.
- Domaine Theulot-Juillot Mercurey 1er Cru Corbins 2015. Sweet red fruit nose, very ripe perfumed. Fruity nice palate, medium length, structure. Good!
Domaine Gouffier, Rully Blanc 1er Cru La Fosse 2016. Lemon + nose, good palate, med. length
Domaine de Suremain, Mercurey Rouge, 2015. Really nice clear toned nose with raspberry scents, some structure, short length hold this back.
Julien Cruchandeau, Bouzeron Cuvée Massale, 2016
Domaine Dureuil-Janthial, Rully Chene 2015
Domaine Stephane Aladame, Montagny 1er Cru La Vignes Derrière 2016
Domaine de Clos Solomon, Montagny Le Clou 2016
Domaine Francois Feuillat-Juillot Montagny 1er Cru Les Coeres 2016
Francois de Nicolay Mercury Les Montelons 2016
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Beaujolais. The reds showed in a very narrow band - all quite similar though a few stood out. The reds are all Gamay.
Terres Dorees/Jean-Paul Brun Beaujolais Blanc 2017. Interesting, fresh, cheerful, tart.
Domaine Chapel, Julienas, Cote de Bessay 2017, no notes.
- Yohan Lardy, Moulin-a-Vent VV 1903 2016. Red fruit, dry spicy nose, more acid, better balance in a medium weight package, good.
- Domain de Fa, Fleurie Roche Guillon 2016. Red fruit nose, dry penetrating taste, structure++.
- Domain Grange Cochard Cote Depuy 2016. +nose, med weight, good overall.
- Julien Sunier Morgon 2017. +fruity nose, med structure, good.
- Guy Breton, Morgon VV 2017. +nose, very good.
Chateau Thivin, Cote de Brouilly 2017. Nice but light nose and structure.
Georges Descombes Brouilly 2016. Metallic, off.
Domain de la Pirolette Saint Amour 2016. Shorter than other bottles.
Domain de Prion, Fleurie VV 2015. Red fruit nose, light structure, tight, nice but weaker than others.
Domain Chignard Julienas 2016. Good ripe nose, metallic finish.
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Côte d’Or - obviously not an off-grid region, some lesser know producers and sub-regions.
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Benjamin Leroux Auxey-Duresses Blanc 2016. Strong overall, sulfur and lemon nose, powerful crunchy palate, good length.
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Domain de l’Arlot, NSG 1er Blanc Clos de l’Arlot 2016. Quite good.
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Domain Bruno Clair Pernand Vergelesses Blanc 2016. Quite good, punchy, long.
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Domain Jean-Marc Bouley Hautes-Cotes de Beaune 2015 (rouge). Nice red fruit nose, good length and structure, nice palate.
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Domain David Duband Cote de Nuits Villages 2016. Big red spicy nose, big red fruity structure, long, very good.
Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne Aligote 2017
Benjamin Leroux Blagny 1er La Piece Sous le Bois 2016. Weird., metallic finish.
PYCM Bourgogne Rose 2017. Fun, quiet nose.
David Moreau Maranges 2016
Bachey- Legros Marange VV 2016. Light nose but good structure and balance