2011 Chapoutier "Les Granits" Saint-Joseph Blanc

WINE TALK
1

I am planning to pair 2011 Chapoutier “Les Granits” Saint-Joseph Blanc with poached lobster next weekend. Just curious on members thoughts on how early I should open these to maximize my guests enjoyment and let the structure of the wine stand out?
I specifically wanted to find a very rich low acid wine that is not flabby to maximize the hedonism. [winner.gif]

2

I have been more than a little lazy on posting on a lot of great wines that I have consumed over the last year but I will post on this. I have had their 2011 Crozes-Hermitage “les Meysonniers” blanc over the holidays at a restaurant with a similar dish which was a great call by the sommelier. That was sold out so I decided to step it up a notch for my guests. Hard to find a low acid wine that will not cleanse the taste of food that I want to keep tasting after I am finished.

3

I’d open them at least an hour ahead with a decant. I had the 2004 last summer and it still seemed pretty young.

4

Thanks. I will probably decant them back into bottle.

5

An hour was not nearly enough. I opened 1 in the morning and initially undrinkable. Just starting to show something in an hour and took 4 to show some complexity. I would stay away for these for 5 years at least. Too bad I couldn’t get get the Crozes" Les Mesoynnieres" for current drinking.

6

Mont, I’m curious if you’ve had Stolpman’s L’Avion before. It strikes me as just the wine you’re looking for. No waiting period required.

7

I haven’t tried the Stolpman but by description it looks more like Chateauneuf du Pape than Hermitage. I remember buying a Marsanne at the Family Wineries in Sonoma that I liked but the name escapes me.