TNs from Xmas Dinner: Copain, Joguet, Vieux Telegraph, Merry Edwards, etc.

2010 Merry Edwards Sav Blanc
Melons and spice and everything nice. Big, round and deep. Creamy, light on acidity but still with some crispness. Modern expression, lovely style. Kiss of oak. (second bottle this evening drinking splendidly as well - can Merry Edwards misstep with Sav Blanc?)

2007 Copain Syrah Thompson
Pop and pour. Purple to black. Black olives, Asphalt freshly poured. Tarry, meaty with opulent dark fruits. Slight salinity. Touch of heat on the finish, expected from the souther location of this vineyard. Thompson is not a great expression of this winery’s new focus, but a damn fine “big” California syrah that has not blown to the dark side. (circling back four hours later with the 1/2 glass remnants in bottle, the wine has picked up some earthy truffles and mushroom notes finished with dark coffee). Begrudgingly, given my Francophile tendencies, this is my WOTN and appears to be the group favorite as well. Should have poured the Copain with the filet bourguignon dinner.

2009 Joguet Chinon Clos de las Dioterie
Tough to follow a monster like the Copain Thompson with a typically more nuanced wine like something from Chinon. but 09 Chinon is big, ripe. Still amazed by how purple this Chinon is. Decanted for two hours. Florals blew out from the decanter during a swirl, leaving me in anticipation. Still tight, but delicious green apple peel and bell pepper plus spice. Very drying, clamping tannins at this point. A prior pop and pour showed better. Forget about this wine for now.

2003 Chateau Saint-Pierre
I will profess to not being a huge fan of this very ripe vintage, but I have been beguiled by this wine. Luscious baby fat in its infancy, lovely earth-tones at eight years of age. Very approachable with moderately chewy tannins. Relatively moderate alcohol for this vintage. Sweet black fruits, black licorice and tar. Lovely wine, if not modern in style.

2007 Vieux Telegraphe
Stylistically well out of place in the line-up. Lighter In weight but not alcoholic punch. Sweet dark liqueur, black licorice. Heat, too much heat. I cannot get my hands around this vintage. It’s a love-hate thing going on. Some 07s have stunned me; some have crushed me. The VT is a typical fave of mine, but I withhold judgment for 07. My first VT from this vintage.

2005 Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey
Yummy baby fat. Not an overly complex Sauternes, but a lip-smacking pleasure following a heavy dinner. Honey, quince and spice cake. Cuts a mild Cuban cigar well. An early maturing Sauternes.

2007 Chateau Myrat
Another very youthful and fatty Sauternes, but this one richer and more flamboyant. Perhaps one of the better values right now in this otherwise exceptionally well priced appellation in Bordeaux. I bought a case of 375s and have probably killed half of them. Opulent, honeyed fruits, lower acidity citrus based fruits. Dried apricots. Papaya. Nutmeg. Almost, almost a subtle perception of maple syrup. Pure, unadulterated pleasure. Would prefer more lift, but digging this youngster.

Append: Enjoying leftover Joguet this evening, Sunday (about 1/3 bottle remained). Humbling how the evolution of wine, even over a 24-hour period, can baffle. Sometimes it’s like catching a fleeting whisper. This wine is open tonight. Still chewy and requiring maturation, but the drying tannins have resolved to a more chalky note. Wild raspberry purée and cigarette ash come to the fore. Grainy. Course. Earth and minerals. Tangy finish. Simply gorgeous.

PS. Gotta love the iPhone “notes” App. Allowed me to sneak away for 30 or so seconds to record notes contemporaneously. Wife thought I was texting girlfriend, though. [wink.gif]

I had the 2007 Vieux Telegraphe when it hit the shelves in MN (I think it was well over a year ago now) and was impressed enough to scape together the funds to buy a few to cellar. I see no reason not to think this may be in a dumb phase now and will be a very fine wine in a few years. Same with the Beau that’s being talked about in another thread although I haven’t tasted or bought that one: just a little too pricey for me.

Robert, very funny closing comment in your post. Hey, thanks for the notes, especially on the Thompson. I dig your “freshly poured asphalt” remark, too. There are big shoulders in this wine but the complexity also rounded into it gives it that something extra. Here’s my recent note for comparison, as I too liked it a lot and ended up resourcing another to replace the one I drank!

  • 2007 Copain Syrah Thompson Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (12/9/2011)
    Opened last night, finished about 1/3rd so it’s had time to soften since and round out. Note here was written without food, so clean palate, no others complementary flavors! The first thing I sought to find was alcohol, as past Thompson bottlings from the earlier era showed some of that, such as the 04 and 05. This 07 is clean as a whistle in that respect, listed at 14.5%. I have this at room temp, a cool 65, but there’s no signature of it. Color? Dark, which should be Thompson and also speaks to the color profile of all the 07 Copain syrahs for that matter, something I dig (amongst a few other markers) for their 07s. Texturally, this is suave and full bodied but it’s got a real clean polish to it. Woven into the texture, there is a saline element, maybe more akin to call it a brined or salted meat. There is the mineral infusion, what in some of the Copain 07 syrahs I have wrote previously as a liquified rock. Goofy perhaps, but in my view there are tacticle expressions that engender a word-like response, this is my result. The edges have the same chalky element that I have wrote about before on this bottle, although it is softer now with the added bottle age. Dark fruit, dark bitter chocolate, charcoal, some tapenade (presumed from the whole cluster aspect) and some finishing sage/rosemary like notes. I’ll concur some with my Mr Dildine and express that this is a larger framed wine but I’d not go so far to say this is older-era in Copain expression. What instead I see is a wine that has some measured throttle but terrific balance and expression of the fruit. In that respect, it’s for me more new era, which is kind of where I see the Copain syrahs really turning the corner in a strong way, versus the 2006 and prior vintages. Ageworthy? Hmm, I’d say yes but the larger frame of fruit here says ok to go now, as I don’t find some of the large structure that past bottles have showed me. So, drink window of now (with decant) through 2014.

Posted from CellarTracker

I’m surprised to hear the Dioterie described as you have as it is usually more graceful even when tight. I still haven’t tried that one though.

The 05 and 09 Dioteries are different animals than prior vintages, at least in my context. Did you find 05 graceful, Chris? I found it quite brooding.

Copain Thompson 04 is what turned my head to this winery. Appreciating this recent 07 makes me second-guess whether I should have converted my mailing list to the Club, if that was the only option.

So the spousal unit is out of town next next two days, tomorrow is our cycling (racer) community’s big Wednesday Night ride, and it appears the weather will dip into the '40s, which means I will come home frozen, abused and in need of soothing. A Copain may be in order. Not working this week. What other 07, Frank, is open right now?

Thanks for the notes.

I have really enjoyed the ME SB. A massive SB done well. To me much better than the Grey Stack.

2007 Copain Syrah Thompson
Pop and pour. Purple to black. Black olives, Asphalt freshly poured. Tarry, meaty with opulent dark fruits. Slight salinity. Touch of heat on the finish, expected from the souther location of this vineyard. Thompson is not a great expression of this winery’s new focus, but a damn fine “big” California syrah that has not blown to the dark side. (circling back four hours later with the 1/2 glass remnants in bottle, the wine has picked up some earthy truffles and mushroom notes finished with dark coffee). Begrudgingly, given my Francophile tendencies, this is my WOTN and appears to be the group favorite as well. Should have poured the Copain with the filet bourguignon dinner.

Sounds nice. I like them Copain Thompsons

2009 Joguet Chinon Clos de las Dioterie
Tough to follow a monster like the Copain Thompson with a typically more nuanced wine like something from Chinon. but 09 Chinon is big, ripe. Still amazed by how purple this Chinon is. Decanted for two hours. Florals blew out from the decanter during a swirl, leaving me in anticipation. Still tight, but delicious green apple peel and bell pepper plus spice. Very drying, clamping tannins at this point. A prior pop and pour showed better. Forget about this wine for now.

Sounds nice but agree it would be out of place following the Thompson.

2007 Vieux Telegraphe
Stylistically well out of place in the line-up. Lighter In weight but not alcoholic punch. Sweet dark liqueur, black licorice. Heat, too much heat. I cannot get my hands around this vintage. It’s a love-hate thing going on. Some 07s have stunned me; some have crushed me. The VT is a typical fave of mine, but I withhold judgment for 07. My first VT from this vintage.

I have only had a few but 07 doesn’t seem like a vintage for me.

Cheers,

Jason

Brooding as in it will need time, yes. I also found it elegant and pretty. Complex. Quite impressive. I just don’t remember the things you mention about being course with clamping tannins. Not doubting it. Those terms just surprised me though some of their other single vineyard wines I could have used similar terms about.

Hi Chris -

This was my take on the '05:

Hmm, may have to revisit one this week!

Hmm, which one. Well, you describr being cold and frozen after your night’s ride so I recommend the Harrison Clarke or James Berry, with the former more ready now but the latter really just an awesome full bodied but still youthful wine. If you want to be more savory and after you warm up a bit, then the Hawks Butte is really humming but needs air.

wait a minute!!! didn’t i receive a text message stating that your WOTN: 2003 Chateau Saint-Pierre

whats with the flip flopping!!!

robert u should stop law and switch to politics neener

Awesome notes Robert. I think the jury is still out on the 07 VT. Hardcore VT fans tell me that the wine can show through odd evolution cycles, but I haven’t seen a bottle that really demonstrates it getting it “right” in the vintage. Not anything to sweat about, as there are so many good well-priced vintages floating around.

As for the Myrat, it is delicious and sells for a song. I’m probably going to pickup a half case of splits at somepoint. I would imagine there is a glut of great 07 Sauternes as it is in the middle of a great for the Sauternais.

Happy new year

Interesting notes on the '09 Dioterie. I found a few reviews (linked in another thread) and they agree with you this is a burly, ripe version of Chinon.

I circled back, biyatch. Read the note!

You know me well enough, anyway, to discount anything I send you while in the heat of battle!



[cheers.gif]

If you do decide to find a good source for these, let me know and I might split a case with you.

I figured you were so tanked that your WOTY would have been the Ridge!!! Good stuff sir

Though I enjoyed the VT '07 i feel this wine needs time. If i was drinking any CDP right now it would be that '01 Papes. That wine is serious.