TNs--Weekend at Berto's, Spring 2019

Tran Bronstein and I drove down for our semi-annual visit with our close friends Berto Dorta in PA and Nick Christie, who had driven up once again from Raleigh-Durham to spend time with us. Report on evening #1’s activities

2007 Paul Clouet Brut
For me, this was delicious. Just the right balance of intensity, flavour, sparkle and toastiness, with apple and ginger accents throughout. Crisp spine, yet bits of rounded feel too. My first from Paul—I like!

2007 Huet Le Mont Demi-Sec
Both Berto and I agree that Le Mont is our favourite of the 3 main plots from Huet (vs. Clos de Bourg or Haut-Lieu). This is a beauty that only shines brighter as air gets to it and lingers on your tastebuds with lovely sweet apple, a tinge of mango and pineapple and a brush of marzipan. Extremely silky as well. A delight and possibly my WOTN

1996 Bouchard Bonnes-Mares
Very divisive wine. Tran liked it quite a bit. I found it sort of pretty, but clearly something was “wrong” because this was in no way Bonnes-Mares—where was the intensity, the spine, the youth? Nick’s guess, which I don’t dispute, is that this is pretty badly premoxed. If so, it’s a testament to the vineyard that there was anything left at all to taste. Berto says other bottles have been better.

2014 Meo Camuzet Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits Clos St. Philibert

My second of these, I toted this with to show the guys. Initially nicely light-ish on its feet yet with real Burgundy character, this does take on a fair amount of the oak with air and some warmth. We’ve left some for today to try. I do also pick up some salinity, which I have been finding is a bit of hallmark of many of the 14s I’ve tried. Unripe apple and some little grapefruit for the flavours.

2016 Leroy Bourgogne

Doesn’t say, but it sure looks like the Domaine wine. Berto wanted to compare. There is a definable step up in class here, but Nick also notes that this has no lack of oak character at this young stage and I find it a smidge on the ripe side, if still very suave—again, maybe seeing the vintage in play here. Still, very good indeed.

2018 Bedrock Ode to Lulu Rose

Doesn’t give the mix, but I’m fairly sure there’s some grenache in there. It comes across on the sweeter side with slashes of sweet millions tomato in there too. It’s nicely gulpable, but not too much more.

2005 Keller Westhofener Morstein Riesling Auslese

I’ve had my ups and downs with Keller wines over the last couple years, but this is a good, good wine. It has the exotic fruit overlaid-with-light-spices nose and luscious yellow fruit that I have seen in the 05 Donnhoffs I’ve been fortunate to try. This is velvet-plush dans la bouche and definitely is a wine that makes you sit up and take notice of it. Checks in at a silly 7.5%. Lots of room for growth here, restores my faith in the house a little bit.

2011 Marcassin Marcassin PN

Really sexy bouquet here for me—luminous red berry fruit but sheathed in chestnut and cinnamon aromas. That evocativeness doesn’t make it onto the palate tonight. To taste, this is fairly angular and actually a tiny bit hot (checked in at a listed 14.1%). It has length and strength, and we’ve left some for the next day to see if it changes any.

2015 Kiralyudvar Tokaji Furmint Sec

This, which only hints at some peach and citrus fruit in the bouquet, will grab your cheeks and absolutely not let go. Blazing acidity and forceful aromatic replays and also with that kinda-funk that Tokaji brings to the table. Fun drink, just be ready for it.

Maluhia,

Mike

Thanks for sharing, eclectic group of wines.

Odd to see a thought that Bonnes Mares would be oxidized…more likely that it’s just the 1996 vintage, most wines are tough and have a strong acid and iron presence, especially in Chambolle and Corton where it was amplified. The fruit may just never catch up to acid and tannin.

We decanted/gave these wines a lot of time, so some thoughts on how a few evolved…

1. The '07 Paul Clouet benefited immensely from pop and wait… was fine when opened, but when the 2nd half was pulled from the fridge 5 hours later, it was exceptional. Much, much better integration from front to back, better balance with acidity, and just a sexier, fresher wine. Evolved from being one-note and heavyish to being light, fluid, and much more what we want from a Champagne. If you have a bottle, I highly encourage 3-4 hours of pop and wait.

2. The Bonnes Mares was oxidized. Color wasn’t great, aroma had waaaaay too many Madeira notes. Served blind you’d have zero idea it was French Pinot, let alone Bonnes Mares. Just a flawed bottle. C’est la vie. #KeepTrudging

3. '05 Keller Auslese had a similar run to the Clouet. Super tasty in the first hour or two (but not super multi-dimensional). Front end fruit, crisp and scrumptious but nothing immensely complex. After 4 hours, the balance, the deeper hints of petrol really arrived and the easy going personality got a lift in complexity. Was very pleased with this wine’s evolution.

4. The '07 Huet Le Mont Demi-sec got a full decant and boy did it benefit. I don’t think I even had a glass until after 3 hours of decant and it’s what you want from the style. Would recommend a full decant and particularly: Don’t serve this wine too cold. I mean, as ever, to each their own, but the Demi-sec really benefits from being 55-65 as opposed to fridge temp… Too cold and you lose (in my eyes) the rounded character. A wine with this level of balance deserves having it front and center. Certainly my favorite of the evening.

Nice job guys! Sounds like a fun time was had by all.

Thanks for the notes on the ‘07 Huet. One those wines I inadvertently bought twice but don’t regret the mistake!

What it must be like to be like Mike Grammar.

Yet again, my impeccable photojournalistic talents are called upon to literally and figuratively give Berserkers a true picture of the festivities. Yes, Michael and I are in wet rainy Saegertown. We braved low charged car batteries, rainy slick US highways, customs and toll booths to get together with Berto and crack open some wine.

PAUL CLOUET 2007 BRUT CHAMPAGNE – Mike is too snobby about Krug, so this is all that we get. A bit of a funky nose but a rich champagne with baked apple flavors, nice mousse and a lemony tang.

DOMAINE HUET LE MONT 2007 VOUVRAY DEMI-SEC – Lanolin nose, lemon and dragon fruit flavors, and a high phenolic bitterness to start. But hours later, this was utterly fantastic as it completely blew open into all out nectar. I loved this.

MEO CAMEZET 2014 BOURGOGNE – Huge gunpowder nose. Sulphur and oak distinct on the palate but so are the lemon and green apple flavors and searing high acidity. Good quality if perhaps disjointed and not settled in yet.

BOUCHARD PERE ET FILES 1996 BONNES-MARES – High acidity and a slight touch of sweetness but the overwhelmingly predominant characteristic is Umami soy flavor. This has essentially become Indonesian soy sauce. There was discord among us as Nick and Berto were insistent it was oxidized and shot and scoffed at me for liking it. I didn’t say I liked it. I just pointed it out it’s an Umami bomb. Either you enjoy that in an old red wine or you don’t. I further stated to which Mike agreed is that this has somehow aged 25 years more than it should and tastes like an older Burgundy when it shouldn’t.

PAPA’S PILAR 24 DARK RUM – This Frankstein of a solera rum is aged in Bourbon, Port and Pedro Ximenez casks and it shows characteristics of all three: the red fruit sweetness of Port, the raisiny richness of PX, and the long alcohol bite of rich Bourbon. What it almost doesn’t show are actual Rum flavors which just barely sneak in at the end. Almost more of a cocktail spirit than an actual Rum. I loved this but can see how Rum purists might be taken aback by it.

CAVA DE ORO TEQUILA EXTRA ANEJO – Couldn’t help but dip in once again to this unique tequila which drinks more like a Cognac or Rum than it does actual Tequila. Sweet clean agave flavors carried by a thick unctuous body with hints of vanilla and spice. Amazing stuff.

KELLER 2005 WESTHOFENER MORSTEIN RIESLING AUSLESE – Nick picked this out for me. Sweet and clean lemon meringue flavors. High acidity and extremely crisp. Clean as a a whistle. A shining example from one of the better German vintage years.

ELIJAH CRAIG 23 YEAR OLD BOURBON – Surprisingly, this bourbon bites harder than I would expect it would. I get far stronger turpentine notes and alcoholic bite than the smooth caramel nose would indicate. A little disonant. The Orphan Barrel Rhetoric below was much better.

ORPHAN BARREL RHETORIC 25 YEAR OLD BOURBON – A smooth and creamy texture carries a stream of cool vanilla and caramel with a rye spice bite, turpentine notes, and a long alcoholic bite. Absolutely fantastic, easily the best bourbon I’ve ever had. Actually outclasses the Eagle Rare 17 Year Old and the Barterhouse 20, my two previous favorite bourbons. Amazing.

HIDALGO LA GINTA MANZANILLA – A 12 year old Manzanilla with clean saline and nut flavors. A slight touch of phenolic bitterness. Creamy and smooth, says Mike. Very well done. \

KIRALYUDUVAR 2015 FURMINT SEC – Fruity mango nose leads to dry chalky lemon and white grapefruit pith flavors. Like a Chablis made with Furmint. Good alternative to Chardonnay.

BEDROCK ODE TO LULU 2018 ROSE – Strawberry and rose petal nose leads to acidic and slightly tannic watermelon and rhubarb flavors. Pretty nice as a palate cleanser.

TOKAJI 1993 TOKAJI ASZU ESSENCIA – This was opened way back in September 2018 when we last visited and left open in the fridge ever since. Dark brown, completely oxidized, and still completely viable thanks to high acidity, sweetness and strong tropical fruit flavors.

LEROY 2016 BOURGOGNE – Berto felt obligated to open another Bourgogne for comparison. A much more slight gunpowder nose and less oak flavors but much more green apple and lemon fruit flavors in a more dilute body. Should have left well enough as it is.

MARCASSIN 2011 PINOT NOIR – Smooth body, pencil lead armos and flavors, dry black currant and no detectable tannins. Body is lighter than you expect from a Cali Pinot Noir. Suave wine.

DEWAR’S 32 BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY – Mike scoffed at this so of course I had to try. Extremely smooth and creamy with nice Barley sweetness and a touch of raisins from the PX barrel finish. This was great. Mike is a single malt snob who doesn’t deserve this.

ARDBEG DARK COVE – PX sherry finished peated whisky. No age statement that I see. Delicious smooth and the peat is well integrated. Decent whisky. Not sure if it lives up to the hype but was definitely good quality and was surprised at how well integrated it is.

DEWAR’S 21 BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY – The younger brother to the Dewar’s 32 above, aged in Oloroso casks instead which gives quite a different finish. Just as smooth but a bit more of an alcoholic bite and a bright fresh nutty finish thanks to the Oloroso. I actually enjoyed this a bit more than the 32.

Thus, Day 1 of our US extravaganza concludes. More notes and pics to come!

Hey, what am I? Chopped liver? I indulged more than he did!

I am truly blessed to have such fantastic friends hither and yon. Truly blessed, Steve. Also–I miss you!

I will differ with Tran on the Ardbeg–from the first scent to the last taste, utterly haunting whisky. For the kind of Islay I am looking for, this is the ultimate archetype. Yes, it has peat and smoke and spice, and yes it has strength, but it also has a lovely sweet angle from the sherry and it has sophistication and layers. A marvelous dram.

I’m still not fully sure the Bonnes Mares was super-oxed Kris—for me, it wasn’t undrinkable, but I will elaborate on my comments that there was no Bonnes Mares to be tasted here and say that indeed, I would have had a difficult time finding my way to Burgundy at all with it. Tant Pis

You are both legends!

Awwwww…

Second day’s notes are here

Hope all is well, Brian. I don’t know if Caitlin told you that we very surprisingly saw each other at my friend Andrew’s place a few months back.

Hi Mike,

Yes, all is well. I’m happy to see that you are continuing to post your notes. I do read them regularly even if I don’t normally comment.

Kait did mention that she saw you at that birthday party. Small world! She is developing an interest in wine, having experienced plenty of decent bottles at our special family dinners.

Yes, we had quite a nice chat at the party, Brian.

BTW, mark the third Saturday in July 2020 off on your calendar WineFest V approaches…