Melvin and Phil's first meetup in France (Phil's edition)

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

I’ll let @melvinyeo post at his own leisure but I’ll get the ball rolling.

First off, I was soooooo happy to meet up with Melvin and his friends. All great people. From Lyon to Champagne, bright, young, interesting folks! It was a lovely time (with still a visit to Champagne Philippe Lancelot tomorrow).

I’ll post notes over the next few days as it coincides with my latest producer report from Champagne (Marg’O, De Lozey, Picard and Christophe Dechannes i.e . we sell or plan on selling those). This was mainly about getting to know our berserker friends and drinking good stuff.

First meetup with Mr. Yeo in Lyon
Melvin and I hooked up in Lyon before Champagne because i wasn’t sure I could make it up north initially. Good call. Great evening. Meeting with Melvin was great and his friends were wonderful people! . The wines:

Details in following posts but OMG that Ramonet!!

And such a great evening at L’Âme Soeur. Wonderful wine centric people!

A few days off and then, we reconnected in Champagne.

The first evening was a hoot! We ended up in a restaurant we didn’t expect and got a laugh out of it. But Melvin being a Renaissance man, he invited us over to his rental place to keep the evening going!

For people who don’t know Jestin, he’s a pretty strong figure in organic and biodynamic champagnes.

The second day got us separated but we reconnected at the Glue Pot.

Tomorrow is Philippe Lancelot (I’m doing Mignon-Boulard as well) and I’ll post detailed notes on the trip (we did 2023 vins clairs at Picard and many good reports in the Aube) as soon as I can.

The lowdown: Not only does Melvin have a great palate and writes concise and precise notes but he’s a wonderful man. And, all of his friends are well traveled lovely folks with great wine appreciation and passion. Truly, great encounters!

Lots of write-ups coming !

Summary

[IlkkaL]

Whoah! Were all the bottles from the restaurant’s cellar? I’ve been there once and then the wine list given to us was compact but high quality. I reckon they have a separate ”cellar list”?

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

On the first pick, only the Ramonet, Duroché and Gonon were from the restaurant list. The Lamy-Caillat, Labet and Mugneret-Gibourg were from Melvin’s personal stash (i.e. earlier lunch or apéritif).

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

First encounter with Melvin was in Lyon at L’Âme Soeur. I think Melvin and I both agree that this is a great address for Berserkers in Lyon. It doesn’t seat a lot of people so do reserve. The food was good, the wine list is good with very good prices and the service was absolutely lovely.

The price on the Ramonet made it a pick and it was expected to be the star of the show. We landed on the Bienvenues-Bâtard because I thought my very limited experience with Ramonet whites did include the 2012 vintage of this. But reading at my past notes as I’m writing this, I now realize that the 2012 I had was Domaine Ramonet and not JC. Age is definitely gnawing at my memory…

Jean-Claude Ramonet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet 2015
On first pour, I was scared this would be an underwhelming effort. The nose was very shy (with the minty top note being the only thing of notice) and the palate wasn’t giving much either. As we came back to it later in the meal, the oak took over and brought a dominant vanilla note but the palate was finally opening up with some richness (peaches and cream). Time continued its magic and it finally fully came into its own. Wow. The mint came back on the nose, the vanilla being a distant supporting cast member and the fruit took its place. Concentrated, full, rich, layered without ever being heavy. The finish is uplifting with spices and minerality but with deceptively good length. Again, wow. If I had more of this, there is no way I would keep my fat fingers away from it.

Domaine Duroché Gevrey-Chambertin Champ 2017
Melvin’s pick as I had never had a Duroché. Before diving in Melvin pointed out that 2017 Duroché were particularly balanced and elegant. Based on this one, the man is right. This is just a beautiful Côte-de-Nuits drinking like it should. Red and dark berries, spices with the acidity being perfectly on point for the fruit profile on the palate. Tannins are not noticeable but they provide the necessary structure to achieve balance. Good length on this as well. Lovely wine.

Gonon Saint-Joseph 2021
Open opening, I thought the nose was dominated by florals (violets) and blue and black fruits. With time, this added some brine and crushed olives. No meatiness to this though, it really is the fruit that dominates here. Pure fruit, lovely acidity and somewhat soft tannins. It works to make this very pleasurable to drink on fruit and freshness but shouldn’t be paired with something too assertive food-wise. Lovely bottle.

Three bottles could have done it but the conversation was great at the table and with the restaurant staff so Melvin pulled out bottles from his magic pockets. I’m amazed at how Melvin always has amazing bottles of wine somewhere on his person (in his car, in his luggage)! I don’t know how he does it but I’m pretty sure black magic is involved.

Lamy-Caillat Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs Gains 2019
Melvin had brought this over to compare against the Ramonet. He was telling me that Lamy-Caillat has been known for getting a somewhat similar minty signature on his whites. This was a very good bottle of wine. It was already open for business when poured (had been uncorked earlier in the day) and didn’t need time to get going. I think (I know) it suffered from being served next to the Ramonet but Melvin’s experiment did indeed show that the Lamy-Caillat also exhibited that minty note to some extent. Good concentration on this so the fruit is able to match the acidity/minerality combo (plenty of tension here). Good wine.

Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots 2017
I was super excited when Melvin pulled this out of his bag of tricks. This was just wide open and singing from the get go. The nose on this was mesmerizing: ripe fresh red berries, spices all over the place, some damp earth seriousness and crushed stones as well. The palate was whole and integrated with the fine tannins adding chewiness to the texture and a long finish. Beautiful and I would drink this all day.

The odd man out:
Domaine Labet Chardonnay En Chalasse
I failed to note the vintage on this one. Maybe @melvinyeo can help?
Jura wine, Jura profile, Jura feeling. I like it. Citrus fruit hitting the gums like a freight train, crunchy red apple, maybe even a slight stink/funk from fallen apples and hay. Ripe citrus on the palate but the acidity dominates with a slightly saline finish. It felt a little out of place in the lineup but there was still joy in having this. The palate cleanser of the evening .

The kind staff at the restaurant let us close the evening with a Chartreuse and off I went, sad to leave wonderful people behind but looking forward to reuniting with Melvin in Champagne. It was a great evening. And again, to Melvin for his kindness and generosity.

[IlkkaL]

@Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r

I now realize that the 2012 I had was Domaine Ramonet and not JC

I thought all their bottles nowadays say Jean-Claude Ramonet, no? Great write-up!

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

Looks like you Sir are 100% correct! A quick search on the web seems to show the change in labels in 2014.

So, if it’s the same wine I can say that this 2015 was much more balanced, layered and with better length than the bottle of 2012.

[MChang]

Interesting that you’d like the 15 better than the 12, although I guess they weren’t side by side. I prefer the 12s for bbm and had a bit of a vertical of ramonet earlier this year.

As far as lamy caillat, with the recent price increases the 19 champs gain probably costs about as much as that ramonet bbm now.

[patrick_c_albright]

L’Âme Sœur is a good address.
My quibble would be that the food is a bit traditional, but the wine list pricing has always been fair.

The chef is close with J-C Ramonet.

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

While Melvin was touring Northern Rhône, I went back to my lovely routine at home. But a few days later, I was off to Champagne for my ITB stuff and knew I would catch up to Melvin and meet some more of his friends over there.

After a busy afternoon of producer visits in the Aube (De Lozey, Marin-Lasnier, Christophe Dechannes and Laurenti) with an associate of mine, we caught up to the Singapore gang in Reims. We ended up in an unexpected restaurant where the wine list was, well… inexistant! We ended up going with cocktails and beers but did try an Armagnac to end the meal. There was no way that we would end the night on such a note so we cruised to a more private location and popped the cork on a few things.

Pierre Péters Les Chétillons 2013
This was from the gang’s earlier in the day. They were nice enough to keep a pour for both my buddy and I . Although the bubbles were gone, this was still very enjoyable. It was missing a little zing (acidity, minerality) but I think this was due to this being the last glass. Plenty of briochey richness and ample fruit (citrus, asian pear) with a long finish. There was a little lip-smacking salinity on the finish but yes, missing a little tension. I have a few of those cellared in Montreal and I can’t wait to try one soon.

Huré Frères Instantanée 2018
First time with this wine. This was opened at the Domaine visit the gang attended earlier in the day. I think it suffered from being drank alongside the Jestin and Leclerc Briant as both these bottles were more assertive on the nose and palate. That being said, I had a last glass of this for the road, just before I left (and don’t worry, the road is an Uber) and I thought it showed very good balance with a good finish. I remember fresh golden apples and plums while drinking this but I’ll look for Melvin’s TN here.

Jestin Vintage 2009
Disclaimer: We just started selling Jestin wines.
Bottled: 19/07/2010, Disgorged: 19/12/2023, Brut Nature.
The fruit for this comes from Laval (Meunier), Lahaye (Pinot Noir) and Léclapart (Chardonnay). This is my first Jestin and it was fun to drink this wine (and his other Clos de Cumières cuvée the next day) before visiting with Philippe Lancelot as Hervé Jestin is a big influence on his vineyard practices and winemaking. I don’t know if we drank this on a fruit or flower day but it showed well . Intense golden color. This showed a rich nose with a lot of autolytic aromas (toasted bread, yeast), oak spices, hazelnuts, mirabelles, ripe apples and the chalk does manage to get in there as well. There was a lot to decipher on this late evening. The palate was concentrated as well but with an underlying citrusy and mineral streak that drove on the long finish. I really liked this but there is a lot going on. I have another bottle of this and I’ll revisit this on a quiet evening very soon.

Leclerc Briant Collection Aline
Disclaimer: we used to sell Leclerc Briant wines.
I think this was 2017. I had never heard of this bottle so thank you Melvin for this new discovery. This was enjoyed side by side with the Jestin. And there is a reason to this madness , Jestin has been working with Leclerc Briant for a number of years now and he’s a big influence on the current style of the domaine. And, I can say that the nose did not disappoint either on that wine. It did stand up to the Jestin in terms of intensity of aromas: brioche, ripe citrus some spices as well but much less present than the Jestin. It showed more restraint on the palate with more of a freshness driven profile. Nice chalky texture on the mid-palate as well.

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

@MChang

Interesting that you’d like the 15 better than the 12, although I guess they weren’t side by side.

I think this is always a big factor. Verticals are obviously much better settings for comparison. When I had the 12, I believe I had a single pour and remember thinking it lacked a little tension and it affected the balance and finish.

[Jim_Stewart]

I think this thread should be renamed “Melvin and Phil’s Excellent Adventure”
Cheers to all.

[LasseK]

Sounds great Phil. Based on Melvin’s IG you should have joined the NR trip

And next time just spare yourselves from those Labet wines and ship them to me

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

Or Melvin’s excellent adventure and Phil’s cameo

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

There are so many things I should have/could have. But then again, real life catches up to you .

Ain’t no way you’re getting any of my Labet except if you’re coming over to drink them!

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

The last night with the gang was after a full day’s work in Reims which included visits to Jacques Picard (where we tasted 2023 vins clairs and toured the vineyard) and Marg’O. Marg’O is a producer from Aube but the sister who hosted us (wonderful woman) also has a house in Reims so it made it easier on us.

So after both tastings and some office work, my associate and I hit Meishi Daily for what is our can’t miss/won’t miss spot while in Reims. We had brought a bottle we were very much looking forward to try and we picked one off the list:

Jestin Clos de Cumières 2012
Bottled: 23/07/2013, Disgorged: 16/03/2023, Brut Nature
After having tried the impressive 2009 vintage (with grapes coming from the 3 Ls), we were very much looking forward to this cuvée that comes from Jestin’s own parcel. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I think this is 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. The nose was wonderful with plenty of toasted brioche (almost smoky), ripe citrus, hints of berries maybe even watermelon rind, some ginger and pie spices also appear. The palate started well with creamy mousse and some fruit but somehow the mid palate starts to clip and the finish disappears. I think something was off with this bottle. But this being my first experience with it, I cannot ascertain this. I will have to uncork another one for science . We kept some for the friends we would hook up with later as this was still enjoyable and not an easy bottle to find.

With the amazing Chinese food we decided to go with a Tissot (the wine list is limited) and it worked out fine:

Tissot Trousseau Singulier 2022
This is showing a little less acidity than I expected but it works! Crunchy (cringe word alert!) cranberry, red currant, herbal notes and that acidity meets umami note that I get from some Trousseau. You can go ahead and forget the slight chill on this, it works perfectly well at ambient temperature. I saw some notes mentioning underripe and thin and I didn’t get that at all. There is still a lot of freshness from the fruit profile, acidity and leafiness but there is enough tannins and fruit to keep it interesting. We both liked this.

We left the restaurant to catch up to Melvin and team at the Glue Pot. Melvin was sending me enticing pictures of a Marie-Noëlle Ledru bottle so we hurried there on foot.

The gang had ordered a Ledru and a Lurquin and there was still some left for us to enjoy:

Aurélien Lurquin Les Milieux
This wasn’t a hit with me. I found it lacking a little presence. There was also a slight nattiness to this that didn’t do it for me. Pass on this Lurquin and let’s hit the Ledru.

Marie-Noëlle Ledru Cuvée du Goulte 2015 (I think it was 15)
Hmmm. Hmmm. Good. So good. Old school, flavor packed but with great structure. This is just a pleasure to drink. I hope her health gets better and that whoever ends up with her parcels will still keep making great wine. In the meantime, get your hands on her bottles while you still can.

And we weren’t going to leave it at that. I couldn’t pass up the Roulot (although I was on the fence about picking this or a Dauvissat):

Roulot Meursault Meix Chavaux 2018
The fuzzy picture describes a little bit my feelings on this. It was just missing a little bit of focus. I’m sad about that because there’s good material in there for sure. Vintage I guess… But, I’m reading TNs and seeing that most people praise the acidity on this. I’ve never used flabby as a Roulot descriptor but this bottle was missing acidity. The fruit was there (citrus, green apple), the oak was there (slight vanilla, some spice), the white florals were peeking through, a little bit of honeycomb was trying to rise up and some crushed stones were showing to the party but where was the acidity? This left the finish lacking. I’m sad.

There was also a red Gangloff Côte-Rôtie that Melvin served me blind. I was on the fence between Burg Pinot and Northern Rhône Syrah. The fruit markers were there for NR Syrah but I didn’t find the structure or briny/meaty markers of NR Syrah to be 100% confident on it. Chalk that one to a FAIL for me. I’ll do better next time… maybe… . @melvinyeo can probably provide the details as to the cuvée and vintage.

We closed the Glue Pot, had the vignerons at the table next to us try the Jestin and completed another lovely night in Champagne.

The next day was an early tasting at Mignon-Boulard with my associate and then meeting up with the gang again for a fabulous tasting at Philippe Lancelot.

I’ll post the domaine visits on other threads.

[melvinyeo]

Thanks a lot Phil for the notes! Was an absolute pleasure to meet you and Sylvain and glad we could spend a few days together - you are welcome in Singapore anytime!

Still cobbling my notes together but in general agreement with you. Thanks also for sharing the numerous bottles and a few plum picks