TNs: Agrapart, Marie-Courtin, Marguet, Kutch and Rivers-Marie

We got a bunch of bottles opened yesterday. I was able to scrawl some notes out, mainly on the Champagnes, but also for a few other favorites of mine via Kutch and Rivers-Marie. And, the good fortune it seems is that while most don’t go for the Champagne (they head for the still wines), this leaves the Champagne leftover for me to continue to enjoy a day later. It seems the world seems to be reaching for still wines when my hand continues to grab all the bubbles. Thanks for reading.

  • 2011 Agrapart & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Minéral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (1/5/2020)
    Disgorged 02/2018. For context, I opened a 2012 several weeks ago and was not all that impressed. I chalked that up to maybe state of mind, context or just not liking the wine. So coincidentally, last night the 2011 was brought over to the house and I was eager to try it. For approachability and overall composition, the 2011 beats the 2012 for me. The 2011 has a creamy, honeyed green apple quality, along with some limey acidity. While not terribly complex, it makes up for it in texture, fruit polish and just being overall a pleasure to drink.
  • 2014 Marguet Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Les Crayères - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (1/5/2020)
    Damn, I respect Keith and his take on wines, as he’s earned his voice with all of the wine he has sampled and shared through his notes over the years. However, the bottle I opened last night and am retasting a day later from the remnants I kept stoppered overnight, I have to take a different take on the wine than Keith did. Disgorged 02/2019, no dosage, 100% PN. This did need some air last night to fill in some of the austerity, as it started out savory with a salinity. As I tasted the wine later last night, a thought popped into my head of Raspberry Pop-Tart. It’s one of those times where my perception just anchors on a very specific reference, and this sensory reference of baked fruit pastry was what popped through. In tasting the wine again a day later right from the fridge from the remnants and without food, I find the same salinity, lime zest and the austerity when cool. As it warms, a zesty raspberry note comes through, along with some of the barrel tones from the barriques, along with the dried herb note that I often find in Benoit’s cuvees. It finishes with a citrus, dried herb note and the saline. I don’t think this vintage of Crayeres is as good as 2012, which is a gem, and it does reflect some austerity but overall, I enjoy the 2014.
  • 2014 Marie Courtin Champagne Resonance Extra Brut - France, Champagne (1/5/2020)
    Bottle #5, and of note I picked up a few more of these recently from Bottle Barn in Nor Cal. The disgorgement date of May 2018 is a little more recent than the other bottles I have written up, with disgorgement dates on those of 10/2017 and 02/2018. This is the first May 2018 bottle I have tried. Last night, it showed a toasty, mineral finish, with zesty black cherry, apples and a intensity that was impressive. I stoppered up the bottle and put the remainder in the fridge. A full 24 hours later, I am retasting the wine without food and a quiet space to evaluate the wine. Aromatically, this reminds me of Chard that saw some toasted barrel elevage, along with some crushed rocks. When I taste the wine, the berry fruit comes through, a mix of black cherry and raspberry, supported by flint. Finishes with some creamy lime and the same flint. This is really a smashing value for $45, for a wine that is cleanly farmed and built as it is. Delicious.
  • 2015 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (1/5/2020)
    This drinks more complete and better to me than the 2014 I had last week. The 2015 seems to have a bit lighter frame, yet mixing in the same purity of fruit, with elements of blueberry and raspberry hard candy. A jammy, CA fruit that weaves through it citrus, a touch of cola delivered in a medium plus weighted texture. This was my last of the 2015 and it drank great.
  • 2017 Kutch Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (1/5/2020)
    Bottle opened last night, retasting today without food. The dominant player in the wine at this stage of its development is lemon. It has a brisk, bright quality that infuses the palate and finish. There’s also some grapefruit here, and a light impression of the apple (this bottle shows more green than yellow) that I found in the bottle this past July, but it’s a support player to the lemony citrus. Finishes with notes of fennel, citrus and a touch of creaminess to round out the texture. For the palate who may like some glycerine, butter or oak, this ain’t your wine. And for all of what this wine is not, these are the reasons I enjoy Jamie’s Chards. In sum, this bottle is more chiseled than the July 2019 bottle, a citrusy wine that is bright, leaner toned and delicious.

Posted from CellarTracker