TGiving: trying to serve pop and pours: Soter, Agharta, Messorio, Vougeot, Roses Boloree, Kobler

WINE TALK
1

Turkey Day

Roses de Jeanne: surprisingly accessible. Unsurprisingly dry and uncompromising yet for winelovers as opposed to yeastytoastyalkaseltzerlees lovers. Could drink this all day every day all year all seasons. Vinous yet bracing and superduper high quality.

Agharta 2010 Mountain Terraces Sonoma County Cabernet: the most accessible of the reds and the only one drained by GF’s family and the only one I didn’t have to brace myself a little to sip. Turns out GF herself, though, has a great palate and this was her least favorite of the three reds and I have a theory why: she likes quality and potential more than accessibility. But this was a perfect, and classy, Thanksgiving wine.

Soter 2007 (1977-2007) cabernet-based red: So smooth that it’s hard to realize it’s tight. No tannins to be seen anywhere. But hold it in the mouth for several seconds and aha! all kinds of very gentle potential. GF and I drank the leftovers on Day Two, much improved, and I think day three would have been even better. A wine that cannot be judged by most people with just a glass, it’s too easy to drink and dismiss. Love this.

Le Macchiole Messorio 2007: the most newly-released-cult-wine feel by far, a little rough…worse, huge-Parker-97 up front, but not so much on the finish (!!)… quite food-unfriendly because of youth. If this were from Napa I’d say it’s mostly spoof. Maybe it is, but maybe it’s a front-end-loaded wine only because it’s unusual being from Italy and all. But in any event no point in opening for five years. Day Two: same reaction, I’m tasting purple and tannin. Not a young great wine, just purple and tannin. Hmph. Maybe it’s just me. And I bought six of these f***ers.

After Turkey Day

Dominique Laurent 2003 Clos de Vougeot VV IN magnum. Not EN magnum. IN magnum, or FROM magnum. EN is French. Magnum is Latin, adopted by English and French speakers, but why would English speakers mix French and Latin? Cut it out. Gracias Liebchen. Anyway…
Far better than the magnum of 2003 Laurent Bonnes Mares a month ago (which was quite worth drinking but was all black and brown flavors, roasted coffee mainly). This was surprisingly softened and maturing red Burgundian fruit, maybe slightly cooked to explain the development (bottle was in perfect shape) but I was glad of this, because we were not in the mood for admiring potential, we wanted delicious. And it was, with neato other stuff going on. Definitely not from the US. Really hard to drink this slowly. Very satisfying Burgundy.
Anyway, Laurent’s Vougeot sources must be extraordinary, it’s always a great wine. I think his lush style is risky in 2003 but it works here.

The hosts’ Kobler zin and Kobler pinot
Oh crap they really like this and are proud of it and I’ve never heard of it so gee it must be $5 at Trader Joes, when can I open the Grand Cru Burgundy? Here goes, fake a smile George…
Oops. Outstanding, pure just the right amount of oak, maybe the most elegant (like Ridge) ready-to-drink (not like Ridge) zin I’ve had. Pinot I only got a sip, but again, honest pure and elegant. Great stuff, depending on price.

2

OK just researched Kobler. Pax Mahle made a syrah from their grapes, I did not know that, and it’s available everywhere. But nothing for sale, in any variety, in any US store under the Kobler name. Guess you have to go direct:

http://koblerestatewinery.com/main/

3

Do you know which bottling and vintage you had of the Cedric Bouchard Champagne?

4

Sounds very similar to the 2003 Beaucastel we had last night with Turkey Pot Pie. Nose all purple and alcohol, a bit thin in the mouth and a strange mix of fruit, spoofiness and vague vegetal notes. No real tannins. If somebody told me it was a middling Central Coast GSM I’d say “yep, next” - just meh. I have another and shoved it in the back.

5

The Tuscans are masters of spoof. I’m betting a nice part of those tannins came from small silvery bags.

Not by any means a denouncement of Tuscan people or all Tuscan wine. But if you drink from the huge and famous producers, Antinori and Frescobaldi first in line but only tip of it; or just about any wine made from a handful of the famous consultants, Ferrini and Cottarella first among equals - and don’t appreciate spoof? Something went wrong in the line of communication… The emperor might have little clothing and he might not look good and fit without.

Edit: A wine made from Ferrini would likely taste worse than a wine made by Ferrini. (I was typing from phone earlier.)

6

The Bouchard was vintage 2009 disgorged April 2011.

Based on the above comments, I’m happy for my palate that I may have been right about the Messorio and sad (1) that I paid for it LOL and (2) that this happens with expensive wines in Tuscany. Spoofed wines in Napa and Central Coast and $30 Bordeaux suddenly in one vintage getting $100 and 98 points? And some Australian wines? Those I am resigned to and I think I know how to avoid spending money on them. Too bad it seems something to be aware of for all red Rhone and Bordeaux varieties wherever produced.

7

Premier Cru just sent a 20 percent off email. Boislauzon Quet CdP. 100 points Parker in 2007 and 2010.

Newly cynical from the above comments, i smelled a rat. Researched it. $250-300 in those two vintages. $50-100 every other vintage. Uh oh. Cellartracker: very good wine except those two vintages which were hot, alcoholic, extracted, artificial. One guy gave it a 98, but he drinks with Parker and his verbiage is Parkeresque.

This thread has given me insight and good healthy skepticism about suddenly high scoring rich red wines other than pinot.

8

Also: Kobler’s website does not work
Also: the Cedric Bouchard was the Boloree, pinot blanc, incredible wine. But it doesn’t say Boloree anywhere on the bottle.

9

What if he were sufficiently macerated?