In honor of a visit from peripatetic Missourian @Dav3_Dyr0ff we gathered a thirsty crew of wine pirates on a cold night to to sample a bottle or 12 over soul-satisfying Cassoulet courtesy of host @bradkaplan
@Dennis_Atick was hors du COVID combat so I will feebly try here to fill his large shoes with my paltry notes.
The short version:
The 95’ / 97’ Chave Hermitages were benchmark wines that make you wonder why you don’t drink more northen Rhone. For me, many of the other offerings fell into the category that experienced wine afficionados call “interesting” and I call “old and weird” (technical wine term). It was a smorgasbord of goodness.
The long version:
Food is always on point when Brad rules the kitchen, but Randy K brings an A game when it comes to seafood, this time with a magical disappearing tuna ventresca butter and tinned octopi.
Flight 1: Whites and bodacious appetizers::
2002 Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Millésimé
A very nice opener, (along with the Muscadet). Citrus and tart cut played well with the seafood
1999 Domaine de la Fruitière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie (Melon de Bourgogne)
Light, prickly minerality, “tastes like aged melon” quipped one.
Theoretically there was a Defaix Chablis floating around. It may be I was unworthy, and they hid it from me…
Blind 1: “Ripe white fruit, low acid; Viognier” says I, "Northern Rhone white I bet.
It was an 18’ Mâconnais Chardonnay
2018 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Viré-Clessé Retour à la Terre
In my defense, @Greg_K, he of estimable palette said this on CT
7/19/2020 - NICEPHORAS WROTE:
Blind. This comes off as very ripe and has an unusual notes. I got waves of ripe peach, while others suggested cream corn (!) among other things. Definitely some dried fruit in here. The palate is also big and there’s not a ton of acidity (vintage effect) with a touch of RS. It’s fairly viscous - nearly everyone guessed northern Rhone. No one came close to guessing Chardonnay or Burgundy.
Flight 2: The Reds and veg (roasted carrots with parsley and garlic; Burnt tomatoes and fennel, a la’ Mallmann)
Blind 2: “Tastes old” says I, “Northern Rhone, must be”.
I was half right…it was Tempranillo…
1978 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva courtesy Bill B
Blind 3: We were all stumped by a youngish Chateauneuf du Pape (Anyone recall the details?)
2003 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, also generously shared by Bill
And finally, a mag of Burgundy, because dammit, somebody has to
- 2012 Joseph Drouhin Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru (1/18/2024)
Pinot funk nose.
Soft plum fruit, candied almost, low-med tannic grip and low acid. 13.5% Alc.
Very open and quaffable right now. A bit simple imo (92 points)
Flight 3: Big Reds free for all and drumroll please… cassoulet (genuflect, genuflect)
1983 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde
This was lovely, but overshadowed by the Hermitages.
1995 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage, courtesy @Dav3_Dyr0ff
Light of foot, tartish, aged red fruited.
1997 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage, Thank you @Mike_Evans
Richer and riper with more accessible fruit than the the 95’. It had a balancing seam of acid.
The Chaves were both knockout wines, made for sharing over a hearty meal on a cold night. They outshown all the other reds for that magic combination of power, balance and freshness despite age.
The 97 was my WOTN, others preferred the 95’.
Around this point, things became shagadelic. People (ok, me) were going back for thirds on cassoulet. Bottles were opened and strident male voices were raised in urgent contention about “what colheita really means” and “BBQ orthodoxy” (pork, no arguments) vs: “acceptable sauces” (nearly fisticuffs). Things settled down to a general agreement that Texas is too big for its britches, but they maybe did know a thing or two about brisket.
1995 Château Montus Madiran Cuvée Prestige (Tannat) the famous black wine of Cahors lived up to its rep. A classic wine for cassoulet in a strong lineup.
2013 Sine Qua Non Syrah Le Supplément Eleven Confessions Vineyard courtesy @rob_klafter
Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages…in this corner, weighing in at 15.7% alcohol…
This was a rare wine sighting and first experience for many of us. It was too dense for me, but I was glad of the opportunity to try an SQN Syrah.
On CT, BISKUIT (aka @bradkaplan) said it well:
1/18/2024 - In Thailand, I have read that when people eat something that is not to their taste, they don’t say “I don’t like this,” but rather, “I don’t know how to eat this”. With this wine, I do not know how to drink this.
Dessert flight: with dark chocolate and fig/walnut squares
1995 Domaine de Paulilles Banyuls Rimage Robert Doutres (Grenache /Grenache blend)
1977 Fonseca Porto Vintage, thank you @Robert.Fleming
Aromatic and purely delicious, all dark fruits backed by sensuous perfume and alcohol. I loved it.
