TNs: Recent Rando Wines (TL-Belair, Quintarelli, Pepiere, Foillard, Mascarello)

Just dumping some recent notes on everyday wines consumed at home.

TNS: RECENT RANDO WINES - (8/19/2020-10/2/2020)

• 2017 Thibault Liger-Belair Bourgogne Blanc Les Charmes - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (9/27/2020)
  Very nice at this level. Smells like White Burgundy. Shows some mineral notes and floral white fruit. Not especially complex in the middle, but it speaks of its place. It is white Burgundy. Finishes with some saline and butter notes and some tightness. Wouldn’t mind letting this hang around a few more years.
• 2018 Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco Secco Cà del Merlo - Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT (9/19/2020)
  Floral nose that smells like spring flowers and fresh fruit. Palate is marked by Very lean, clean white fruit. Feels a tad tight and youthful still, yet, very easy to drink. Again, a clean minerality without any obtrusive oak. Finishes with tart lemon. Glad to have more.
• 2015 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Gorges - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie (9/12/2020)
  A great pairing with some Island Creek oysters to-go from Kimball House. Decanted for 30 minutes this time and it’s still wound pretty tight. With time you can coax out an electric mineral and saline flavors, and it shows that slight nuttiness from the lees. Such a well-made wine, not sure this makes sense, but you can feel a craftsmanship in this wine. That being said, this is Pepiere’s most structured wine; it seems poised to live a long time and has yet to reach its full potential. Glad to have more. Screaming value.
  
  
  
• 2012 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barbera d’Alba Superiore Codamonte - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d’Alba Superiore (9/17/2020)
  Good showing: Still vibrant and fresh, with clean black cherry notes and zingy black pepper that really perks up the palate. Wire of acid runs through. Freshness is the word that comes to mind. Would not guess 8 years old. Terrific served on the cool side alongside a simple skirt steak and potatoes on a hot night. Wish I had more.
• 2016 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo dai Vigneti di Proprietà - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (9/25/2020)
  I agree with other comments that this is pretty drinkable, but at the same time, I found the 17 last month to be even more approachable. This seems to have a bit more stuffing, the warm richness of the vintage is a bit more obvious. Didn’t strike me as lean, though there is energy without weight. Ideally, needs more time to flesh out a bit.
• 2015 Jean Foillard Morgon Cuvée Corcelette - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (10/2/2020)
  Don’t Think Twice, It’s Foillard, is my usual mantra. This one is a little on the ripe side right now for me. Leans rich and dark. An almost rhone-like character to the dark plummy fruit. There is a touch of the iron and rock I seek in Foillard’s Morgon, but just a bit too much of the fleshy '15 fruit. At least right now. It’s good, don’t get me wrong, just lacks some of the cooler-lean qualities I seek. Maybe some of this primary fruit with time.

Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks for the notes, a cool set of wines. But damn I hate to read notes on traditionally great Beaujolais wines in these recent hot vintages; the 2014 Corcelette was absolutely fantastic, one of the best Bojos I’ve had likely.

Thanks, Ikka! I hear you. Foillard is a no-brainer for me and I have mags of 14, thankfully. I don’t buy as much Cru Beaujolias as I once did, so I am not totally in tune with recent vintages. This one seems to have shown as many have said 15s will/do. Cheers.

Thanks for the note. I really like this wine but for some reason… I forget to buy some! I’ll be looking for the 2018 or 2019 when it comes out. The last one I had in 2017 was the 2015 vintage and I remember enjoying it very much but also feeling that a few years would help it express itself. I think this could lead quite a long life if given the chance. Have you ever had some older bottles (10 years+) of this? I’d be interested in knowing how it generally evolves and also how it compares with vintages when the Maestro was still around.

Hi Phil- Thanks! I am really in a similar boat to you: I buy these when they pop up, but I don’t have a real track record and have not had any with real age. I will say '17 and '18 have both been very good recently. Cheers.

Not related to the wines - I’m just starting to wonder if Ilkka has the dubious honor of having the most mistyped name here in WB.

While the Giuseppes of the world are smiling.

Oops! Thanks for pointing that out. I know I’ve made that mistake several times. Sorry, Ilkka!

No prob! Fortunately you’ve not been the only one.

Don’t worry about it, I am more than used to it by now If I’ve learned something in my life thus far is that I will name my son something easier, globally speaking.