I spent Thursday evening catching up at Steve Lagier and Carole Meredith’s house at the top of Mt. Veeder and got to see how some of their new stuff is coming along. Here is a quick update…
Most of you may not have known that they added another little block of vines to their tiny vineyard. But it was not Syrah. And it was not my vote, Mouvedre, which I think would rock on Mt Veeder. They harkened back to the Savoy region of France and planted Mondeuse Noire, which as I hear it, use to be a major grape there prior to phylloxera causing most of the vines to be ripped out in the 1970s.
It looks like they will have a reasonable crop of it this year. Steve mentioned that it is a very vigorous varietal. He quoted the old Star Trek episode “The Omega Glory” in describing the clusters on the vine. In that ep, the shipwrecked Captain Tracey, whose “Kongs” are fighting off the “Yangs” could not stop them from attacking. “I emptied four phasers into them, and they kept coming. We killed thousands…and they still kept coming!” That was Steve’s experience with dropping clusters.
I can’t wait to try it once it is made, as I am not sure I’ve ever had Mondeuse before.
I also tried their not too long ago bottled 2007. I had this out of barrel at the big vertical tasting they put on at La Toque a few months ago, but this one stood out in ways I don’t remember.
2007 Lagier Meredith Syrah, Mt Veeder
Deep purple color. The edge of full-bodied. Very ripe, but impeccably balanced nose of flowers and blackberries. A glyceral texture more hedonistic that most LMs. Very “Carlisle” like. Supple and very smooth in the mouth. No trace of heat. Benefits from zero new oak. Very drinkable even now, but will bring out more in another 3-5 years and has the balance and tannin resolution to age 10-15 years I bet. Excellent, as usual.
93pts
Finally, I had a new project they have been doing with Aaron Pott, a little joint venture called “Chester’s Anvil.” It is a single barrel of Zin sourced from LM’s immediate neighbor, the highly regarded Brandlin Ranch, now owned by Cuvaison. The vineyard, cared for by Chester Brandlin for over 50 years, has some 100 year old Zin/mixed black vines that Peter Franus makes an awesome Zin from. This bottling, named after Chester, is from vines less old, but it still has that mountain grown, Veeder character I love in any varietal I can get from it.
It is not in any way an over-ripe, syrupy Zin. The alcohol is under 15% and I think it will appeal to those who like Ridge’s Lytton Springs Zin; it is balanced, has mountain-grown character, is not trying to compete with Ravenswood on the ripeness scale, and actually needs maybe 2-3 more years to grow. Just 288 bottles for the whole world (sheesh!,) and this might be the only vintage of it. There in no website or mailing list yet (and there might never be one,) but if you are interested, you might try and contact Steve Lagier or Aaron Pott via their websites. Good luck.
