We got home early last evening and decided to catch up on Homeland, with appropriate liquid refreshment. Sheila asked for Chateaunuef-du-Pape so I elected to pop a 2007 Pierre Usseglio Réserve des Deux Frères. From the first sip, I could tell it was an off bottle. Cooked and roasted does not make for a fun experience. Down the sink, and popped a second bottle of the same wine. Not cooked, but moderately corked. What are the odds two bottles from different sources are bad on the same evening?
Not wanting to go three for three, I went with a 2001 Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin. Success. Delicious, in perfect shape. Interestingly, it tasted as young as the 2010 Deutsche-ex-Machina we had the other day. This wine is nowhere near its peak. Expect it to drink well for many years to come.
I would have kept thirst one for cooking. Or you could have kept it in the fridge and ordered sushi the next day. It was a 2007 right? A legendary match.
Sorry, can’t agree to a popular generalization of the 2007vintage. I have had too many superb wines from this vintage. While I have had those that were overdone, they are vastly outnumbered by the great bottles.
At least for me, the 07 Usseglio is the poster child for the terms “cooked and roasted”. All the way up the line from the base Domaine and Mon Aieul. That wine is emblematic of that vintage and what has happened to that once-wonderful region. They even make a “special cuvee” that tops 17%. I mean, come on…
I have to agree with Jim as a blanket generalization of the vintage is simply unfair. FWIW, I tend to stay away from the super cuvees and actually prefer producers that do not even make one. To be completely honest, I did purchase a fair amount of these wines but had the opportunity to taste quite a bit in Chateauneuf in 2009. I am planning on bringing a nice variety home from offsite storage and tasting during the summer. Hopefully, the wines will be pleasurable and not completely overdone.
Paul - I have really enjoyed multiple bottles of Marcoux Vieilles Vignes, Janasse Cuvee XXL and Chaupin, Pegau Cuvee da Capo and Reservee, Clos des Papes, and the aforementioned Gerd in the Machine, among others.
Hmmmm. So based on this I opened a 2007 Usseglio tonight. I am not a fan of raisin and roasted notes in wines. I recently complained of this with some 2005-2007 clos st jean (bottom end label). This wine is ripe. No question there. Still very primary. But not raisiny. At least for me. Not my favorite expression of CDP but not a complete overripe mess.
Thanks for the note on the 01. I have a lone bottle of this and been unsure of when to crack - sounds like I’ll let it rest for a bit more.
As to 07, there were a few in the boxes I recently dug out of storage, and some that I have opened have shown very disjointed - overtly plump and lush without acidity or structure. Even the ones that showed well (Charvin) weren’t exciting enough to warrant a note.
I tend to stay away from the super cuvees and actually prefer producers that do not even make one.
Unfortunately, those are fewer and farther between. There’s the influence of Cambie and the influence of the price increases everyone can charge for those “special” cuvees. The folks at Seneschaux said that they’d not follow that trend because what made CdP special was the blending of different grapes from different vineyards, and the idea of a “trophy wine” or single vineyard designated wine was antithetical to that concept. But these days apparently even they have changed their tune.
The 2007 vintage was the one that made me more or less give up. I tasted dozens and found myself liking “lesser” vintages more.
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