TNs: 2014 Chablis Summer Matinee/Pool Party

Berserkers,

Fellow board member Peter Papay and his wife Nasrin opened their home and their newly renovated backyard deck and swimming pool for their many friends and wine geeks. It was a great followup get together after Mike Grammer’s MEOW 2022 event. The day began with swimming, sushi and the introductory guest contribution wines. The next period was followed by poolside games, smoked ribs, seafood linguini and of course the stars of the show, the long lineup of 2014 Chablis wines. The last period was those of us who straggled behind to enjoy the hot tub, sauna, more swimming, desserts, cigars and late night snacking. Big thanks to Peter and Nasrin for the hospitality, and everyone else for the very generous contributions. Given the sheer quantity of wine, I once again turned on the wine superhero mode so I could get through everything. I’ll break the notes up into distinct phases.

PHASE I: CHAMPAGNES, REDS, ROSES AND GUEST WINES

HIDDEN BENCH 2013 RIESLING: 2013 was a terrible year overall for Ontario wine though the extremely cool weather ended up benefitting a few specific types, especially our sparkling wine and our Riesling. This was tart, quite rich for Ontario Riesling and had bracing acidity. Aged very well.

BOTT-GEYL 2016 GALETS OLIGOCENE PINOT NOIR: Light and fruity sour cherry flavors are complimented by classic smooth Alsacian body and texture. Very strong graphite and tannins on a slightly bitter finish, but overall I loved this.

LEANING POST 2017 PINOT NOIR: Leaning Post is one of my favorite Ontario red wine makers, they always get a superb structure with a smooth mouthfeel out of Ontario fruit that I don’t get from any other winery here. My fellow TWEC ™ members are nowhere near as enamored of their wines as I am which really puzzles me. They enjoy and drink red wine far more than I do but seem to snub their noses up at Leaning Post. Ah well, more for me to enjoy. This wine maintains their standards, with dark cherry flavors riding their tell-tale smooth mouthfeel and gentle texture. In fact, remarkably similar to the Bott-Geyl in this respect. Finish is much less harsh, however, with very little tannin and graphite on it. This is a great Ontario Pinot Noir and 2017 isn’t even one of our good years.

TAWSE 2017 SKETCHES RIESLING: This is standard Ontario Riesling. Tart, refreshing and a short finish. It’s decent.

PEARL MORISSETTE 2012 CABERNET FRANC: An Ontario Cab Franc from one of the better hotter years we’ve had, this had a surprisingly light body and was redolent with fresh strawberry flavors. I really don’t care for Cab Franc and I really enjoyed this. Speaks very highly of their early accomplishments and their faith in and ability to bring Ontario fruit and wine up to a much higher level.

MOUTARD NV GRAND CUVEE CHAMPAGNE: A supremely chalky Champagne. Worked exceptionally well with the sushi and seafood. Not sure I would enjoy it on its own as the chalkiness is near overwhelming, almost making the Champagne a one trick pony.

HUIA 2017 BLANC DE BLANCS: A New Zealand crack at vintage Champagne, this was extremely bright and airy. Very enjoyable.

GLORIA FERRER BLANC DE NOIRS ROSE: A very refreshing sparkling wine with big bubbles and sweet watermelon and cranberry flavors. Almost a soda pop version of Champagne and I mean that as a complement. Completely crushable wine. Finish is a bit short but this was eminently drinkable and great for a hot day.

MOET & CHANDON NECTAR IMPERIAL ROSE: Sweet brioche and cranberry flavors in the riche style of Champagne. Fine mousse and texture. This was nowhere near as sweet as I’d feared it would be, making it very drinkable. Texture is much heavier than the Gloria Ferrer. I wonder if that’s due to the high sugar dosage. This very much has the standard homogenized taste of Moet & Chandon’s non-vintage house style of Champagne. Which is to say that it’s good but not mind-blowing or terribly nuanced. That’s far more of a knock against this than its sweetness is.

CONTADI CASTALDI FRANCIACORTA ROSE: This Italian traditional sparkler has a light body, crisp watermelon flavors and a bit of a short finish. ON par with the Gloria Ferrer, though I’d rack the Gloria Ferrer as better.

JIL ACARIES NV BLANC DE BLANCS: Crisp tart and chalky Champagne. Much more intensity than the Huia but still very light on its feet.

ERNEST BURN 2010 PINOT GRIS: I’ve drunk several bottles of this over the years and it was a pleasant surprise to see it again at this event. Absolutely nothing has changed here. As Mike Grammer put it when he tasted it, it’s a sugar bomb. Yep, it is. It may as well be a dessert wine. When his friend Cat who was visiting from Pennsylvania tasted it, she looked at me said that it was a baby Sauternes. Again: Yep, it is. Still has the strong smokiness and tell-tale crenshaw melon flavors of Pinot Gris. Quite strong ones, actually. Delicious as ever. But please, don’t treat this as a table wine. I really can’t see anything other than Thai or Hunan food that’s burning the taste buds off of your tongue standing up to this. Better to pair with dessert.

JAFFELIN 2014 CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY: Refined, light sour cherry flavors with a very strong finish. Delicious stuff.

VINA TODONIA 2010 RESERVA ROSE: Smooth texture, redolent with fresh cranberry and watermelon flavors, some creamy tannins on the finish, all on a very light and crips body. This was absolutely delicious!

PHASE II: THE MAIN EVENT: THE 2014 CHABLIS LINEUP

The 2014 Chablis wines which were the star of our show were brought in three separate flights with plenty of time in between. The first flight was focused on the Montee de Tonnere, Mont de Milieu and Montmains vineyards, the second on the Vaillons and Fourchaume vineyards, and the final flight on the Les Clos and Foret vineyards as well as holding the Grand Cru wines. Of course, there were stragglers in all three flights.

Given the sheer number of wines plus the fact that I had tasted so many before, I pretty much treated this the way I treated the tables at Mike Grammer’s MEOW event. Take a very small amount of each, taste, make notes and move on to the next. Several noticeable distinctions came out thanks to the useful way the flights were organized. Let me get to my general thoughts first and then I’ll look at each individual flight.

The Foret wines in the final flight were absolute runaway winners for me. It wasn’t even a contest. They were served in the same flight as the Grand Crus and they still whipped their asses as well as those of the other 1er Crus. Even the Raveneau, which many others told me they thought was too young and not yet ready I thought was still superbly balanced. In comparison, The Mont de Tonnere and Mont de Milieu wines were all over the place in terms of flavors and characteristics with no predictability at all. These were also the ones where I was constantly noting that the finishes were bitter and phenolic.

The Grand Crus were excellent wines. The major issue I have with them is not their quality but their price. Especially compared to the Foret 1er Crus they were paired with. Given that Chablis 1er Cru is generally half the price of Chablis Grand Cru (on average at the LCBO here Chablis Grand Cru is $100 CDN a bottle and 1er Crus are $50 a bottle), I’d be extremely hard pressed to buy a Chablis Grand Cru if I knew I could get my hands on a 1er Cru Chablis from the Foret vineyard. If you’re going to charge double the value then the product also better be twice as good in my mind and I didn’t sense that at all from the Grand Cru wines. Elevated above most of the 1er Crus, certainly, but not twice as much. I feel for that price point IMHO one would be better off veering into Montrachet and Meursault instead.

FLIGHT I: TONNERE, MILIEU AND MONTMAINS

BILLAUD-SIMON 2014 MONTEE DE TONNERRE CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Rich in body and flavor, no flint at all on the nose, was great right up until the bitter phenolic finish.

WILLIAM FEVRE 2014 MONTEE DE TONNERRE CHABLIS 1ER CRU: This one was distinctly rich and creamy. Enjoyable.

JEAN COLLET 2014 MONTEE DE TONNERRE CHABLIS 1ER CRU: This one is distinguished by its very smoky note. I found that a slight touch off-putting.

BILLAUD-SIMON 2014 MONT DE MILIEU CHABLIS 1ER CRU: In contrast with its Tonnere sibling, this was quite chalky and bitter on the palate.

ADRIEN BESSON 2014 MONT DE MILIEU CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Lots of green apple flavors but a bitter phenolic note on the finish.

SIMONNET FEBVRE 2014 MONT DE MILIEU CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Pretty good acid and strong green apple flavors. Finish is good.

DAUVISSAT 2014 MONTMAINS CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Phenolic bitterness on the finish for me. This is starting to get a bit worrying.

FLIGHT II: VAILLONS AND FOURCHAUME

I seem to have somehow missed out on the Billaud-Simon Vaillons and the Guillaume Vrinaud Fourchaume in this flight. Not sure how, but I have no notes for them and don’t recall tasting them so I’ll have to presume that I never did.

WILLIAM FEVRE 2014 VAILLONS CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Bright green apple flavors with decent acidity. Maybe simplistic, but honestly this is as close to fresh pressed apple juice as a Chablis has ever gotten for me. Enjoyable stuff.

JEAN MARC BROCARD 2014 VAU DE VEY CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Probably the biggest Chablis of the entire event. Intense rich fruit and smoky flavors.

BEGUE-MATHIOT 2014 VAUCOPINS CHABLIS 1ER CRU: The only Chablis of the event I noted as being earthy. More mushroom and umami than expected green apple flavors Also flinty and very powerful.

DAUVISSAT 2014 SECHET CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Easily the driest Chablis of the event. Very austere.

FLIGHT III: GRAND CRUS, LES CLOS AND FORET

By far my favorite flight without question. This flight also accompanied the delicious smoked pork ribs Peter made and it was a perfect match.

SERVIN 2014 BLANCHOT CHABLIS GRAND CRU: Extremely well balanced with no sensory flaws that I can detect. Great wine.

CHANSON 2014 LES PREUSES CHABLIS GRAND CRU: Strong flint of this fight but extremely flavorful and balanced as well.

CHRISTIAN MOREAU 2014 LES CLOS CHABLIS GRAND CRU: Also extremely good but quite a bit tarter than the others in this flight.

LOUIS MOREAU 2014 LES CLOS CHABLIS GRAND CRU: Lightest body of the Grand Crus, almost drinks like a Blanc de Blancs without carbonation.

RAVENEAU 2014 FORET CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Really rich cream note on the palate here while still remaining supremely well balanced just takes this right over the finish line above all the other wines. I really don’t know why everyone was saying this wasn’t ready yet, I enjoyed it tremendously and actually mistakenly thought it was a Grand Cru as well because it was so good until I got another look at the label and was surprised to see it was only a 1er Cru. Easily my WOTN out of the main event. Not sure what the price is but if it follows the standard pattern of being half the cost of a Chablis Grand Cru, this must be a tremendous QPR value in Chablis.

DAUVISSAT 2014 LA FOREST CHABLIS 1ER CRU: This had a very unique saline note that none of the other wines had present. So so close to the Raveneau above but I must give it to the Raveneau by a hair. Still, this was very enjoyable.

PASCAL BOUCHARD 2014 MONTMAINS CHABLIS 1ER CRU: Nicely balanced but it just couldn’t compare to the wines in the flight before it. Should have been part of the first flight.

PHASE III: DESSERT WINES

The crowd started clearing out around the 7 - 8 PM hour. Those of us who stayed enjoyed the hot tub, some desserts, cigars and midnight snacks including some freshly grilled sausages.

CHATEAU COUTET 1977 BARSAC: The old school label specifically refers to “Chateau Coutet a Barsac” and not just “Chateau Coutet.” Medium straw gold color, strong dried fruit and botrytis flavors with a buckwheat honey backbone and soft vanilla extract on the finish. Very nice little treat and the oldest Sauternes I have personally drunk to date besides a 1971 Chateau Gilette Creme de Tete.

CABRAL 2000 COLHEITA PORTO: A very good Colheita port with two decades of age on it. Lots of rancio and stewed red fruit. Body is a bit light despite the higher 20% ABV. Finish is also a bit short for a Port. Still, a very tasty sweet wine to finish everything off with. I may have had more than one glass. Burp.

Big thanks to Peter and Nasrin for their hospitality in throwing the event and providing a great deal of the wines and the food and to all the guests who generously contributed food and other wines as well as for their company. It was a great day full of food and fun from mid-afternoon to late after sundown.

“If you’re going to charge double the value then the product also better be twice as good in my mind and I didn’t sense that at all from the Grand Cru wines.”

if you still believe there is or should be a linear relationship between price and quality, you have the wrong hobby.

Tran–I don’t know how you kept track of all of these wines! One comment–the Dauvissat note is labelled as Les Clos, but appears to be La Forest.

Yeah…I wish Raveneau 1er Crus were half the price of the average Grand Cru Chablis. I have that 2014 Foret (a single bottle, sadly) in my cellar and currently CT lists its value at 533€ I hope it tasted ten times as good as the other 1er crus!

Thanks for the great summary and barely-adequate notes Tran Just kidding, of course. I did not take any formal notes and so this will be more impressions in nature but definitely wanted to add my deep thanks to Peter and Nasrin for their generosity and to all the participants for making it a very special day. Peter wanted to do this last year and was unable to do so—as it happens, the extra year probably did the wines some good.

The 2016 Bott Geyl Galets Oligocene PN , I got the sour cherry and very slight bitterness that Tran identifies. A nice, composed drink on the whole. Both Walter and I have had dim views on Leaning Post as a winery, but the 2017 Leaning Post PN was an OK summery pinot, also nice and light on its feet.

I have had rather mixed results with the 2012 Pearl Morissette Cuvee Madeleine Cab Franc. This one was OK (one was very good, another was an alcoholic mess), had some good carry and overall balance, but not sure I’d pick out CF as what it was. Has some sweeter fruit. As Tran says, the Huia 2017 BdB he brought, from NZ, was enjoyable in an easygoing way. I liked my quick taste of the Jil Acaries NV BdB. The 2010 Ernest Burn PG was indeed a surprising sugar bomb, especially from this vintage. It wasn’t limpid or sappy, just extroardinarily sweet. The 2014 Jaffelin Chambolle was, unfortunately, rather ordinary. It would pass as a Bourgogne. Doesn’t make the grade as a Chambolle.

I spent a bit more attention on and time with the various Chablis. I must admit that many of the 1er Crus in the initial set were more retiring than I expected and missing some energy. Of the Montees, the 2014 Fevre Chablis Montee de Tonnere stood apart, it did indeed have an extra level of there to it, with a slightly creamy feel but still holding forth as a Chablis in taste. The Dauvissat–I think I only tried the Montmains. It makes it very clear how much of a difference there is between R&S Dauvissat and Vincent. Not much to see here.

Unlike Tran, I quite enjoyed the crispness and verve of both Billaud-SImon offerings. I think they are real value in terms of typicity. I remember mildly liking the Besson and feeling the Simmonet-Febvre was solid as well.

The 2014 Jean Marc Brocard Vau de Vey was my contribution (most of the Chablis was supplied by Peter) and it was quite granular in texture, but good and true lime, apple skin and mineral flavours.

Tran didn’t comment on the 2014 Vrignaud Chablis Fourchaume but it was excellent, among the best from a plot I don’t usually care for. It was a bottle that was drained early so others must have thought the same.

I had to leave the event early, so Peter was very kind to give me a “sneak preview” of the Grand Crus and the Forets. I can confirm that the Dauvissat was indeed a Foret.

I didn’t taste the Chanson Preuses or the Christian Moreau Les Clos 'cause I have both of those bottles myself. The 2014 Louis Moreau Chablis Les Clos, a house I’ve thought little of, was probably the biggest pleasant surprise of the day. Full of life and character, it definitely spoke to me of top-end Chablis. The 2014 Domaine Servin Chablis Blanchots was dialed in and will have a very long life ahead. It was outstanding and will only get better.

Having said that, it was clear to me that, even tasting them earlier than the crowd, the Dauvissat and the Raveneau were the class of the litter. Today, I gave the win to the 2014 Vincent Dauvissat Chablis La Foret I said to Peter, “THIS is Chablis”. And it was–quintessential Chablis, beautiful controlled chalk, touches of green apple and salt and just an overall mesmerizing presentation filled with class. The 2014 Raveneau Chablis La Foret will be the best of them, but it is still an infant—and that was with Peter having opened it the night before (!) I told him it still needed at least an hour’s decant and maybe with air time later in the day it did come around. But the silky power of the stuff is something that no one else can quite achieve, it seems. The promise is huge and the wine should easily last 20-30 years.

To be honest Raveneau 1er Crus can be great values in Chablis, meaning when you are in the town and can buy at the restaurant prices there

Indeed, paid €90 for a 2014 Grand Cru Raveneau (Valmur) in a Chablis restaurant just a few weeks ago.

Not sure what party Tran and Mike were at but here is what really happened. Just kidding.

Both of them eloquently described the line up of wines and pretty much nailed it. I just have a slightly different personal preference and my favourite climat was Vaillons. All my findings are based on immediate tasting after opening (without any significant time to breath) which commenced the night before the party. All bottles were flawless and did not show any sign of spoilage.

I found Vaillons wines loaded with mouth puckering minerality and ample acidity. Attributes I am looking for to be represented in abundance when it comes to Chablis. My top producer was Billaud Simon. All of their three wines (Mont de Milieu, Montee de Tonnerre and Vaillons) in the line up did not disappoint and showed very well.

The least attractive I found two of the three representatives for Mont de Mileu (Fevre and Collet). They showed the least amount of my key elements I am looking for in Chablis. There was even a faint and very surprising green/veggie note noticeable. Not sure what to make off this as I never experienced something like it in any Chablis I tasted before. Montee de Tonnerre wines showed a little bit hot towards the finish and were not as light footed as most other examples.

Raveneau versus Dauvissat was no contest IMHO and D was my clear favourite. Maybe R just needs a bit more time to shine to its full extend.

I was looking forward to re-taste most of the bottles with more breathing time under their belt but got only to a handful. Those tasted were in line with findings from the night before and didnt show any significant changes.

Off to preparing food for 25 people. A first for me and I chose ribs on the slow cocker/smoker and a linguini seafood medley due to its easy preparation. The ribs were brined for three hours in a salt/sugar/spices solution and left on the slow cocker/smoker for 4.5 hours (with some hickory pieces) before being rubbed in with a rib sauce and put back for another 30 minutes.

Guest were kind enough to bring ingredients for the linguini seafood medley. Onion and garlic roasted with olive oil. Mussels, clams, scallops, octopus and pieces of corn. Mashed tomatoes with a bit of clam juice, salt and pepper to taste it off - bingo. Easy recipe and works all the time.

We also planned for a Pentathlon to keep our guests occupied in other things than just eating and drinking. So they tried their luck in a golf chipping, darts, ring tossing, 3 throw and “guess the wine”. Most people got it right (Gruner Veltliner). It was a hard contested but fair event and the winner won a bottle out of my cellar, a 1975 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino.

Weather was fantastic and could not have been better for a pool summer party. Big thank you for all who contributed and made this a memorable event.