TN: Another lost Friday afternoon gathering - mostly French

ANOTHER LOST FRIDAY AFTERNOON GATHERING - MOSTLY FRENCH - Jailbreak Brewery, Laurel, MD (9/10/2021)

Six of us got together to drink a few nice bottles. It was a beautiful day to get lost.

Rose
These were polar opposites. The Tondonia was drinking like a serious wine that is slightly oxidized. The Ott was almost peach, simply delcious.

  • 2010 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
    Very vinous nose displaying subtle red fruit with a hint of yellow, strawberry water, sous bois, a hint of sherry, caramel, copper, roasted nuts and mineral. Medium body, nicely layered red fruit, deeply toned, medium acidity, limestone mineral and a long subtle red fruit driven finish with sherry and nut at the end. This is a bit like a mature Rioja. This should be treated as a mature wine with very “natural” impression. A great contrast to the 20 Ott rose which is simply delicious but not profound. (92 pts.)
  • 2020 Domaines Ott Côtes de Provence Rosé Château de Selle - France, Provence, Côtes de Provence
    Medium expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe yellow peach, rose, cotton candy and honey. Very refreshing and delicious. Pretty straightforward but nothing wrong with that. Domaines Ott wines were always expensive. This is a excellent but expensive summer quaffer. (92 pts.)

Cristal
The 06 showed beautiful maturity. The 12 is the most concentrated Cristal going back to the 90 vintage.

  • 2006 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
    Perfectly mature nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, baked apple, yellow peach, caramel, sap, brioche, white pepper and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of sweet yellow fruit, medium generous fine mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with honey and limestone at the end. This is deep and concentrated, clearly displaying the 06 vintage character. Drinking beautifully. (95 pts.)
  • 2012 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
    Expressive nose displaying opulent yellow fruit, apple pie, lemon curd, peach, ginger, honey, sweet spices and limestone. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated sweet yellow fruit, generous very fine mousse, rich yet fresh and focused, bright acidity, strong mineral, and a long opulent yellow fruit driven finish with cinnamon and honey at the end. We were meant compare with the 08 but RJ brought the 06 by mistake. There is no doubt that the 08 is a incredible champagne and shows significantly better than the 12. However, the 12 is more concentrated, perhaps the most concentrated young Cristal going back to the 90 vintage. The 08 is like a great Chevalier where this is like a great Batard. (97 pts.)

Chardonnay
The Raveneau was a bit shy.

  • 2016 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
    Slightly coiled nose displaying yellow citrus fruit with a hint of white, lemon curd, fresh apple, honey, beeswax, saline, spicy spices and mineral. Very good concentration, coiled yellow fruit, not as opulent yet rounder than a typical Raveneau, good acidity, medium mineral, and a medium to long yellow citrus fruit driven finish with honey at the end. Perhaps it needs a few more years to settle. (93 pts.)
  • 2014 Peter Michael Chardonnay Point Rouge - USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley
    Expressive nose displaying ripe tropical fruit, pineapple, guava, a hint of apple, light butter scotch, sweet spices and a hint of limestone. Fully integrated rich and opulent palate, slightly oily, medium acidity and mineral and a long sweet tropical fruit driven finish with butter scotch and pineapple at the end. This has come together nicely, a classic expression of PM PR. Absolutely no need to wait. (95 pts.)
  • 2012 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
    Expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, pineapple, creme brulee, cracker jack, smoke, sweet spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers rich opulent yellow fruit, dense and deeply toned, medium acidity and mineral, and a long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with crème brulee at the end. A classic Marcassin, i.e. a classic ripe Cali Chardonnay. (94 pts.)

Bordeaux and Napa
The 10 Pontet Canet was exceptional.

  • 1989 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
    The cork is about ¾ soaked, from a passive cellar. There is a hint of brett and the fruit is slightly muted. Still cassis, plum, flower and lead pencil. It is a shame. I am not hypersensitive of cellar temperature. However, prolong passive cellaring will have a serious adverse effect. NR (flawed)
  • 2015 Realm Cellars Moonracer - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
    Expressive nose displaying rich sweet red fruit, cherry, blackberry jam, milk chocolate, caramel, toasted oak, vanilla and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of ripe red fruit with a hint of black, rich and ripe yet polished and fluid, medium acidity, no noticeable tannins and a long ripe red fruit driven finish. This is a delicious very modern well crafted Napa cab with a red fruit profile. (95 pts.)
  • 2010 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    Expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit, crème de cassis, blueberry, black cherry, dark milk chocolate, cedar, light caramel and mineral. Excellent concentration, beautifully layered perfectly ripe black fruit, perfect balance and precision, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless long black fruit driven finish. Although modern, this is a classic Pauillac. It is drinking beautifully in a youthful way but can improve for a few more decades. (98 pts.)

Northern Rhone
The 04 and 11 Chaves didn’t show too well. The 14 was excellent.

  • 1997 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
    Medium expressive nose displaying cool black fruit, blackberry. Black cherry, licorice, smoke, tapenade, black pepper, charred rare steak, cedar and earth. Fully integrated palate, nicely layered black fruit, silky and polished, good acidity, strong mineral, mostly resolved sweet tannins and a seamless long ripe black fruit driven finish. My only complain is that the fruit is not as sweet and overall expression not as complex as the top vintages like the 90 or 99. It is a claiss La La, nevertheless. (95 pts.)
  • 2004 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Slightly subdued nose displaying subtle red fruit, cherry and raspberry, a hint of rose, tapenade, cedar, black pepper and limestone. Medium concentration, silky and fluid, good acidity and mineral and a medium long cool red fruit driven finish with white pepper at the end. This has been cellared ideally since release. Although there is no obviously flaws, this never opens up. (92 pts.)
  • 2014 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    Youthful expressive nose displaying pure sweet black fruit, blackberry, blackberry jelly, licorice, smoke, black pepper, dark spices and limestone. Very good concentration, layers upon layers of cool yet rich black fruit, silky and weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless long pure black fruit driven finish with smoke and licorice at the end. This is a classic youthful, almost primary, Chave. Just like the 14 red Brugndy, it is very pure. Lovely wine that will age gracefully. (96 pts.)

Bionic and Pignan
Both showed well. I was really impressed by the Pignan.

  • 2013 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
    By now, I have had a half dozen also of BF and the expression is extremely consistent. It is wild, kinky and exotic, a lot of garrigue, roasted meat, smoke, caramel and etc. Strong cannabis. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of oily black fruit, rich and oily yet fluid, medium acidity and mineral, and a long rich black fruit driven finish. This has to be one of the most unique expression of Syrah…that you may or may not like. (95 pts.)
  • 2009 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pignan Reserve - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    Expressive nose displaying ripe red and black fruit, black cherry, strawberry jam, licorice, strong tobacco, white pepper, garrigue, dark spices and earth. Already showing beautifully integrated palate, very finely layered ripe black fruit, fluid and weightless, medium acidity and mineral, and a seamless long ripe black fruit driven finish with tobacco at the end. The nose already expresses the complex Raya’s nose with strong tobacco and garrigue. If the Pignan is this good, I really want to drink the 09 Rayas. Exceptional showing. (96 pts.)

Paul Reitz
Avoid!

A great time was had by all!
Posted from CellarTracker

Sounds like Reitz was Wrong. Otherwise quite nice.

Nice event … [cheers.gif]

Unfortunately, my last Pignan 2009 was flawed.

But the CdR Château des Tours 2009 turned out to be spectacular (17,5/20).