2023 LA PAULEE OFFLINE WITH THE NYC CREW - The Bar Room at the Modern (3/4/2023)
Gina and I decided to attend our first ever La Paulee to celebrate our Anniversary. We thought it would be fun to get some Wine Berserkers together for a more intimate get together, rather than attending the Bacchanalian Gala Dinner, and we were not disappointed. We were happy to dine with @Dinesh_Goyal, @Juliec, and @Stephen_Chen, who were amazing company and conversationalists.
The food and wine were both amazing. Thanks to @Shan_A for making the reservation and we hope you can attend next time.
Aperitif
-
NV Guillaume Selosse Champagne Ville-sur-Arce Largillier Extra Brut - France, Champagne
A fascinating bottle of bubbles from the Aube. Guillaume's early wines are very similar to his father's. This was from his second disgorgement in 2018. I thought this was his first disgorgement, but apparently he had an earlier disgorgement in 2017. Google tells me the base wine is 2014.
The fruit comes from Jérôme Coessens's monopole Lagrillier vineyard in the Côtes des Bar village of Ville-sur-Arce. The soils are Kimmeridgian. Apparently, after making blanc de blanc for years with his father, Guillaume wanted to try his hand at Blanc de Noirs. The result is delicious.
While the oxidative, solera style wines from the Selosse family can be polarizing, this wine has a much more mainstream appeal. Yes, there's a hint of oxidation, but it is pleasant and not off-putting. It presents more as a hint of autolysis and maillard reaction than overt oxidation.
It works here because it does not obscure the Pinot Noir fruit, which is present, though not overt. You would not call this a "fruity" Champagne, but there's enough of it in the glass that you can tell the wine is Pinot-based. There is also a nuttiness to the wine; almonds and walnuts come to mind. The acidity, which I sometimes find lacking in wines from the Aube, is excellent. The finish is long and creamy.
Ultimately, the wine is rich and concentrated and definitely has a point of view. It is not dancing around the edges, rather it comes straight at you and makes a bold statement. Drink or hold this disgorgement.
White Burgundy
-
2014 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
I was excited to try this wine as we've had other 14 Ramonets that have been just phenomenal. This wine started out strong, but sort of fell apart toward the end of the night.
The nose had typical Ramonet spearmint, with lemon, apple, and some chalk. On the palate, there was good acidity. Mid palate was a little lacking and finish seemed clipped.
After an hour, the wine started evolving and probably not in a good way. The fruit notes turned into hints of cotton candy and burnt sugar, suggesting perhaps the fruit was very ripe when picked. Acid seemed to fade into the background.
Probably time to drink these up.
2009 Grands Echezeaux
-
2009 Mongeard-Mugneret Grands-Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru
This wine did the opposite of the Ramonet; it started out a little suspect then blossomed into something ethereal and utterly charming. By the end of the evening I couldn't decide whether I liked the Bonnes Mares or this Grands Echezeaux the best. They were running neck and neck with the Trappet nipping at their heels.
The wine was double decanted for about 2 hours prior to the dinner. On opening, the nose was rather rich and ripe. The fruits were on the dark red to bluish end of the spectrum. Think black cherry, boysenberry, and plum. The luscious mouthfeel and zippy acidity probably were the one constant as the wine evolved. The tannins started out a little grippy, but softened with time on the glass. The finish was dark and sweet at the beginning of the night.
By the end of the night (+/- 2 hrs) the wine had somehow shed its baby fat and transformed. The fruits were more delicate and light-footed red fruits; raspberries, strawberries and dried cranberry. The warm vintage signature was now hiding behind this curtain of silky tannins, perfect acidity, and juicy fruit. First time I've ever experienced such a drastic change in a wine in such a short time frame.
In short the wine went from being my least favorite at the table to contending very strongly for the #1 spot, leading me to believe these wines should be held for at least another 5 years.
Intermezzo
-
2017 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Millésimé Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules - France, Champagne
Huge thanks to Julie for bringing this wine and to Dinesh for goading her into it, as this turned out to be my WOTN by a landslide. Was it a little on the young side? Perhaps, but that made it no less of a pleasure to drink. At least to me. Don't get me wrong, the Grand Cru Reds were phenomenal, but to me Champagne is just on another level when it's firing on all cylinders.
And this wine here was firing ON. ALL. CYLINDERS.
I literally felt like the nose was JUMPING out of the glass; baked apple pie, lemon, wet chalk, sliced green apples, bosc pear, apple peel, apple juice. Did I mention apples?
The acidity was, just wow. This is from the Aube? Get outta here.
Very vinous with a delicate, but slight mousse. Rich and round on the palate, this wine begs for food. Tasted after the first red and before our main course, I kept on sampling this during dinner and it remained pure and focused the entire time.
This wine just brought a lot of hedonistic joy. I could drink it every day. I suspect it will get better with some time on the cork, but you will not be disappointed if you drink it now. Drink or hold.
2012 Grand Cru Reds
-
2012 Domaine Robert Groffier Bonnes Mares - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Just so, so pretty. I confess this is my first Bonnes Mares, which is a real shame given how much Grand Cru red Burgundy I've had. Why has Bonnes Mares been the one blind spot? I will correct that going forward.
The nose was absolutely beguiling. I begged you to sniff and sniff again. Very floral; roses, violets, and peonies. Also fruit and mineral notes dancing around; raspberry, cherry, wet limestone, crushed granite.
On the palate, the fruit was charming. Not over ripe, not under ripe. The acidity was present but not overt. Tannins were almost fully resolved. Everything seems to be working together beautifully and I was smitten with this wine.
As the night progressed, the wine softened a little and maybe started to fade, but just ever, ever so slightly. Nothing you would notice if you weren't looking for it and comparing it against two other incredible grand crus, one of which gained interest and the other which remained rock solid.
Ultimately, I think this and the M-M Grands Echezeaux ended up tied for best red, with the Trapet Chambertin tugging at their coat tails. Drink or hold. -
2012 Domaine Trapet (Jean et Jean-Louis) Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
A powerful wine that didn't really budge over the course of the evening.
On the nose, this wine exhibits stemmy spice and a hint of herbaceousness, i.e. thyme and sage. The fruits are dark red to blue; black cherry, black currant, black raspberry. Tannins are grippy and young. Medium acidity and good mouthfeel/texture. Finish is long and earthy with that herbaceousness coming back into the picture.
Over the course of a 2+ hour dinner, I felt like this wine changed very little. While it is drinking very well, I wonder if it will have more to say with a few more years in the bottle? I would hold.
If you ever get a chance to drink wine with the NYC Berserkers, you absolutely should. They were welcoming and gracious hosts and a great example of why we all do this; to share good wine, good food, and good conversation with good people. Thanks, everyone!
Posted from CellarTracker