So, a funny thing happened on the way to the Peking duck house. I brought together a crew of old and new friends to have an amazingly geeky tasting with the master geek himself, @H_Wallace_Jr . We sampled 13 of Hardy’s wines along with 9 wines from Eric Pfifferling, one of Hardy’s great influences. The wines paired beautifully with the Peking duck 4-ways and other delicious morsels served at YH Beijing.
The wines:
Whites
2022 EWCY Full King Crab II
2023 EWCY Full King Crab III
2023 EWCY Mountain Echoes Orange
2023 EWCY Brosseau Chenin Blanc
2019 L’Anglore Sels d’Argent
Roses & Red-White blends
2018 L’Anglore Tavel
2017 L’Anglore Tavel Vintage
2019 L’Anglore Lirac
2018 L’Anglore Nizon
2023 EWCY Summer Salters III
2019 EWCY After Midnight
2019 EWCY Love Language Glowing Red
2021 EWCY Family Band
Reds
2017 L’Anglore Vejade
2008 L’Anglore Les Traverses
2020 L’Anglore Les Traverses
2023 EWCY Brosseau Grenache
2021 EWCY Evangelho Mourvèdre
2017 Dirty & Rowdy Evangelho Mourvèdre
2018 Dirty & Rowdy Shake Ridge Ranch Mourvèdre
2019 Dirty & Rowdy Brosseau Grenache
I was too busy gabbing to take notes, but perhaps others can chime in. Practically every wine ran the spectrum from excellent to outstanding. Highlights for me included the After Midnight, Family Band, Mountain Echoes Orange, L’Anglore Nizon, ‘18 Tavel, Vejade, and WOTN, the 08 Treverses, a true unicorn bottle that Hardy received as a gift from Mads Refslund, co-founder at Noma. Thank you, thank you Hardy!
Thanks Dennis. It was a ton of fun and really great to taste the spiritual kinship of the two. The very first Dirty & Rowdy I tried several years ago (I think the '16 Shake Ridge) was so different from every other CA wine I had tasted, and reminded me of all of the L’Anglore I had consumed back in Paris years ago. So when I heard Hardy talk about L’Anglore and Eric Pfifferling on I’ll Drink to That, it sent a shiver down my spine and I was like A-HA it’s not a coincidence at all. That sort of set this idea in motion.
What a night! Thank you, Vince!!! So much fun, great company, and some incredible wines!!! It is a rare treat to drink any L’Anglore these days, thank you so much for putting this together. It was great to see some familiar faces and and meet some new people as well.
I am happy that this showed so well. It was the perfect time to open and share.
Others that really stood out to me-
2018 L’Anglore Nizon- Enchanting cosmic fruit punch of the vinous kind.
2018 L’Anglore Tavel- so so lovely. It was textbook L’Anglore
What an epic, amazing evening. Vince, thanks for putting this together! It was doubly fun to have Hardy there, waxing ecstatic over the L’Anglore wines. Putting together his Peking Duck wraps was the least I could do! (too hard to pass the tray with all the fixings)
@Dennis_Atick, the '08 L’Anglore Les Traverses was incredible, at the ideal drinking stage. It was one of those wines that you wanted to just smell for 20 minutes before even taking a taste. Impeccable balance and great texture. Not a single drop from my glass went into a spit cup, I drank that wine!
The Nizon was the most “Hardy” wine to me. Same cosmic joy, vibrant tingly fruit married to depth and weightlessness - with an extra dollop of floral whoa.
The nose on the Tavel was crazy good. The texture too. Weirdly the ‘17 Vintage Tavel wasn’t giving as much, but I would love to revisit in 10 years.
The nose on this one too. Ebullient cosmic juiciness. But then the warm, glowing soulfulness of the Family Band. That’s what it’s all about!
Traverses is 2/3 Syrah, 1/3 Grenache - at least the current cuvées - not sure about back then. Perhaps a reference point would be if Marcel Lapierre made a Cote de Rhone with an eye towards capturing the heart and soul of the horses of the Camargue? Sort of wild, windswept, yet firmed rooted in the earth. it was nice to compare side by side with the 20, which is a lightweight but complex Syrah, showing a touch of juicy carbonic - sort of like a Hardy Syrah, but perhaps with a bit less overt stemminess. Obviously different soils and such, but one could imagine it providing a roadmap for how some of Hardy’s wines will age. Ie. Im going to try to hide some from my grubby little paws for 10 years if I can.
I pulled together a reference doc for the tasting because I knew ahead that every question would be “what grape am I drinking” and there was zero chance anyone would get it right without a crib sheet lol. The notes on L’Anglore are borrowed from the SommPicks website.
What a great night! Thank you @Vince_T for organizing! And it was so nice to meet @H_Wallace_Jr and get a chance to taste his wines (I have to admit that I never had an EWCY wine… very glad that was fixed)
I tried to take some notes, but it was a challenge given the number of wines and great conversation we had. But here we go:
2019 Domaine de l'Anglore Sels d'argent - France, Vin de France
Quite a bit more weight than the EWCY whites next to it. White flowers, citrus notes, a bit of minerals, and good depth on the nose. Medium acidity with textural palate, orange and lemon notes, some apples, and a glycerine / oily mouthfeel. It's rich but by no means overwhelming. Nice finish. Very good wine that has a distinct Southern Rhone character and has just enough acidity to keep it fresh. (93 points)
2018 Domaine de l'Anglore Tavel - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Tavel
Gorgeous nose! Fragrant with strawberries, red cherries, flowers, and earth. Good structure on the palate with more strawberry flavors, forest notes, pine needles, and lots of red fruit. Long finish. Fantastic wine! Such a beautiful nose that reminds me of the 2014 Pialade. I'm sure this will age well, but it's so delicious and crushable right now. Wow! (94 points)
2017 Domaine de l'Anglore Tavel Vintage - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Tavel
This was MUCH more backwards than the 2018 Tavel next to it. There's some red fruit and forest notes with a bit of flowers on the nose, but overall it feels very closed and not giving much. Good acidity with quite a bit of tannins on the palate, along with more strawberry and forest flavors. Good finish. This was very hard to read. It probably needs a lot of time, I wouldn't touch it for another 7+ years. 92ish with lots of upside. (92 points)
2019 Domaine de l'Anglore Vin de France Nizon - France, Vin de France
Lovely nose with notes of wild strawberries, floral character, and cherries. It's quite a bit lighter than the Lirac and much more appealing. The palate has similar flavors with just a bit of tannins. Nice finish. Great wine that feels fresh and with good depth. (94 points)
2019 Domaine de l'Anglore Lirac - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Lirac
Very dark in color and some funk on the nose. Notes of dark cherries, a bit of spices, and pepper. Good structure on the palate with more cherry and darker fruit notes, but it feels backwards and in need of time. Good finish. Similarly to the 2017 Vintage Tavel, this doesn't show that much and isn't ready for drinking. I generally preferred the lighter versions of Anglore's wines. (92 points)
2008 Domaine de l'Anglore Cuvée des traverses - France, Vin de France
Very pretty and quite complex on the nose with notes of red berries, a hint of VA, cherries, and a hint of funkiness. Good acidity on the palate with quite mature notes of horse saddle (but not brett), red berries, and underwood. Nice finish that lingers. Wow, I did not expect this wine to age this well. What an experience and pleasure to drink this wine. It probably won't improve from here, but right now it's amazing! (95 points)
2020 Domaine de l'Anglore Les Traverses - France, Vin de France
Lovely nose although maybe not quite as expressive as some of the other wines tonight. Still, there's a lot going on with spices, cherries, and some darker toned fruit. Good balance with both red and black fruit on the palate, but overall quite primary and not showing everything. Good finish. I think this wine needs a bit of time. The nose is really nice, but on the palate it feels a bit tight. 92+ (92 points)
2017 Domaine de l'Anglore Véjade - France, Vin de France
Lovely nose with red fruit, dark cherries, and maybe a hint of cocoa. Great balance with nice fruit notes on the palate, a small amount of green bell pepper, and baking spices. Nice finish. I really enjoyed this wine and felt this was one of the most interesting wines int he line-up, but also felt the "nattiest" (in a good way). Quite good depth and complexity. (94 points)
Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah!
2022 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Full King Crab II Brosseau Vineyard Chalone - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone
Nice nose with yellow fruit, apple, a bit of citrus, and a hint of smoke. Good acidity with similar flavors, more lemon, and a saline note towards the finish. Good length. Very nice wine and I preferred it slightly over the 2023 as I felt it has a bit more depth. (92 points)
2023 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Full King Crab III Brosseau Vineyard Monterey County - USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey County
Compared to the 2022, the higher amount of Chardonnay was quite obvious. Lots of fruit on the nose but not quite as floral as the 22. Good acidity with lemon, apple, and orchard fruit on the palate. Good finish. A nice wine that's not too complex but delicious and easy drinking. (91 points)
2022 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Mountain Echoes Orange - USA, California
Beautiful nose with fragrant notes of orange blossom, citrus, and zest The palate has noticeable tannins with more orange notes, red apple, and mineral flavors. Nice finish. I really enjoyed this! It's drinking very well, but I'm sure this will only get better with age. (93 points)
2023 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Summer Salters Rosé Shake Ridge Ranch - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County
Lovely nose with good depth, lots of fruit, but a bit less floral notes compared to the Anglore Tavel next to it. The palate feels much broader with red cherries and berries, underwood, and herbal flavors. Good finish. Really lovely wine, one of the best CA rosés I've had in a long time. (92 points)
2023 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Grenache Brosseau Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone
Lovely nose with wild strawberry and forest notes. There's quite a bit of substance on the palate with more strawberry flavors and some baking spices. Nice finish. This is obviously very young and primary, but should be really nice in a few years. 92-93+ (92 points)
2019 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! After Midnight Light Red - USA, California
Very pretty nose with light red fruit, cherries, some herbs, and a tiny bit of smoke. Good acidity and nice balance on the palate with flavors of red fruit, berries, and forest notes. Good finish. Super delicious, easy drinking wine. Although it's crushable, there's enough substance and nuance to the flavors that keeps you interested. Yum! (93 points)
2019 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Love Language Glowing Red - USA, California
Nice nose that feels quite a bit darker than the After Midnight and Family Band next to it. Notes of cherries and maybe a bit of meat/bacon on the nose. Good acidity with darker berry and some red fruit and nice minerality on the nose. Good finish. Nice wine that feels a bit more in need of time and perhaps suffered from being poured next to two very showy wines. 91+ (91 points)
2021 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Family Band - USA, California
Gorgeous nose and probably the closest stylistically to the Anglore wines in this tasting with strawberries, cherries, and a bit of flowers. The palate is equally nice with red fruit and berries and good acidity. Lovely finish. This was really delicious and is super drinkable right now. It may be my favorite of the EWCY wines tonight. (93 points)
2019 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvèdre Shake Ridge Ranch - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County
Nice nose with lots of fruit, darker cherries, and baking spices. Good acidity on the palate with tart berries and a bit of candied fruit. Nice finish. This was quite interesting and is drinking well already. (92 points)
2021 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Mourvèdre Old Vines Evangelho Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County
Very pretty nose with dark berries, cherries, spices, and a savory note. Good balance with dark fruit on the palate, red plums, pepper, spices, and blood orange. Nice finish. Very impressive wine and probably the most promising for future drinking of the EWCY wines. It drinks well already, but has lots of upside. 93+ (93 points)
2023 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Chenin Blanc Brosseau Vineyard Chalone - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone
Orchard fruit, citrus, herbal notes, and minerals on the nose. Medium acidity with apple, pear, lemon, and minerals on the palate. Good finish. This is a nice wine, but it could have benefitted from a bit more acidity IMO. (91 points)
2019 Dirty and Rowdy Grenache Brosseau Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone
Red and dark fruit on the nose, with spices, and forest notes. The palate is surprisingly tannic for Grenache and generally a bit less showy. The fruit is quite primary at the moment. Good finish. Lovely wine that feels like it needs a couple of more years in bottle. 92+ (92 points)
2017 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvèdre Old Vine Evangelho Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County
Very dark in contrast to most of the wines tonight. The nose is nice with good depth, lots of fruit, a bit of cedar, and black cherries. Good acidity with more dark fruit on the palate, blackberries, and good complexity. Quite long on the finish. Really lovely wine, although a bit different stylistically. This feels a bit more substantial and perhaps serious and not quite as fragrant and light. Still, a beautiful wine! (93 points)
What a great evening. Only the second time I’ve had the chance to spend a bit of time with Hardy, and I can say it has been a pleasure both times. A ton of knowledge, fabulously entertaining, and just a positive force to be around. Also, my introduction to L’Anglore, and only my second exposure to Extradimensional, having wandered into the Sonoma tasting room by chance earlier this year. I need to get out more lol.
Every wine we tasted was quality, had unique character, and would have been a pleasure to have on the table by itself. The fact that most are blends, sometimes a bit unusually so, makes it a little harder to think about and compare to wines I’m most familiar with. But again, every wine was truly enjoyable
Really cool stuff. I have a couple of bottles of the 2017 Véjade and was actually looking for one of those last weekend but failed to do do quickly enough. Does the obviously natty style indicate that it is maybe best consumed right here and now? These wines are so hard to come by nowadays that I’m somehow hesitant to open the few bottles of L’Anglore I am lucky to have.
it was nice to compare side by side with the 20, which is a lightweight but complex Syrah, showing a touch of juicy carbonic - sort of like a Hardy Syrah, but perhaps with a bit less overt stemminess. Obviously different soils and such, but one could imagine it providing a roadmap for how some of Hardy’s wines will age. Ie. Im going to try to hide some from my grubby little paws for 10 years if I can.
