What bottle of wine did you open today? (Part 2)

Peter_Chiu · January 8, 2024, 10:28pm

SAQ Depot lowered the discount rate down to 10% ( from 15% ) for any 12 bottles.purchase.

In any event I have not been here for a while as they do not put Bichot PN VV and Bouchard-Macon there anymore. So the house wine for my 2 Ms Club will be Irancy 2009. Hopefully it will be here soon…

Steve_L_Gellman · January 8, 2024, 10:42pm

Andrew_Demaree · January 9, 2024, 12:04am

Just me and the sleeping dog at home tonight. Currently on day three with the Elyse 2020 Merlot. This is my third bottle and, for the first time, I got a strong smoky note on opening. That receded significantly over the three hours it was open on day one and, today, two days after opening, I don’t notice it at all. Don’t know what to make of that, as I haven’t ever followed a tainted wine over time. I think it’s just a smoky oak element that faded with air. But, it sure gave me pause when I opened it, given that it’s a 2020 from Napa. What it did not have, at any point, was that acrid bitterness on the back of the palate that I’ve noticed with truly smoke-tainted wines.

Julian_Marshall · January 9, 2024, 10:23am

After a disappointment with Lagrange 2000, this was a nice surprise.

Château Montus - Cuvée Prestige - Madiran 2000

Much brighter on the nose than before, with red cherry dominating the herbs and forest fruits, but the big change is the taste: it has at last calmed down and become civilised. The rather overwhelming power is under control now, leaving brighter, fresher fruit and far more finesse and elegance. Red cherry and redcurrant hit first, before a cool blackcurrant mlddle section, just a little feral to remind you that it’s a Madiran, then a very long, effortlessly classy finish.
Everything is more balanced than before, especially the ABV - 14% but it no longer shows at all.
I admired rather than liked this before, seeing the potential but finding it hard work to actually enjoy, but now I love it.
Great stuff with a long plateau ahead - like a top Pessac at half the price, this can still be found at auction for 40 euros or less. 94 pts

Kris_Patten · January 9, 2024, 11:43am

2007 is same boat. Surly.

You can fight it and coax out some notes or just listen to it and put it back in cellar.

Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r · January 9, 2024, 1:17pm

Lunch in Carrouges at Saby. Great find!

Zéroïne Jusa L20 2020
Blind. I guess Savagnin ouillé. The nose is beautiful: citrus, honeycomb, unripe peach and some pear as well. Tight, compact palate with great acidic drive. It starts to unfurl on the mid-palate and shows great texture. The finish tightens again with bright citrus and some welcome bitterness. Holy crap I like this so much.

Gilbourg (Benoit Courrault) 2021
Served blind as the owner and I got to talking. I called Rhône blend on the nose. Epic fail as this is Chenin Blanc from Loire. When served, it was slightly reduced and I got a lot of herbs on the noseand the palate was a little flat. Time and food brought out the acidity (citrus) and mineral twang to the wine. Good but not a buy for me.
Shitake in tempura and spicy mayo:

Coteaux des Girondales Gamma
Wow. Another wine I love! Blind again and this is all purity of fruit and delicate florals. So feminine (politically incorrect, sorry). I successfully guessed Gamay but i was in Fleurie and this is a vdp from my neck of the woods (North of Annecy). This had me at the nose. The palate is sweet cherry, some lift from acidity a little texture on the mid-palate and decent length. Checking the price on this because I want some.
Wild rabbit skewer with colrabi slaw:

Edit: this is a Gamaret not a Gamay according to the Internet. The internet is always right.

Hervé Souhaut Syrah 2021
Blind. Guess: Swiss Pinot Noir, no oak. Result: Syrah no oak. I kept smelling this and would keep on calling it PN lol. Nice red berries, some florals amd stemminess. Palate is different and brings the Syrah into play: plenty of fruity body, herbal bitterness, nice acidity. Nice pure Syrah.
Squash gnocchi (everything else was great but this was a little dense and sweet):

Got something offered from the guys at the table next to mine. Holy natural wine Batman! Not faulty but light, spritzy, banana peel wine! Free wine, nice folks but not for me. I repaid the gesture though with the next service.

Ended this with an eau-de-vie of verveine and pine needles. I called grappa with herbs in it. It’s grapes based so close enough . Dessert was great!

Edit: just added 3 glasses of Chartreuse VEP green with the buddies from the next table. Life is great.

Peter_Chiu · January 9, 2024, 2:42pm

Phil - you are living well. The snow is finally arriving here in Quebec I need to go to Tien-Fu for some foods also soon…

The dishes look beautiful as well.They looks delicious.

SAQ has some nature wines from Nadine (Domaine N-Ferrand). They age beautiful and I love them.

BUT sadly the the price for her top wine is getting to be unbearable recently ( and so are her other wines with the same percentage - all nearly double from vintage 2018 to 2021).

Very sad situation for burgundy lovers here: even if you could afford and do not mind to pay for them, one needs to be lucky with the Lottery system in order to have the right to buy 2 bottles of many of the g-crus being release for the last 2 to 3 years… .

I offer this information because Nadine’s Importer is : Oenopole. The same importer for Bizot.in Quebec, Canada.

Dom. Naudin-Ferrand - Echezeaux 21 (1521-8483 $913.50) Oenopole (Nov23)
Dom. Naudin-Ferrand - Echezeaux 20 (1526-6262 $755) Oenopole
Dom. Naudin-Ferrand - Echezeaux 19 (1481-7353 $546) Oenopole
Dom. Naudin-Ferrand - Echezeaux 18 (1456-4229 $472) Oenopole
Dom. Naudin-Ferrand - Echezeaux 17 (1429-2307 $469.50) Oenopole

Russell_Faulkner · January 9, 2024, 2:54pm

You mean from Claire? Those prices are pretty reasonable compared with ex cellars.

JerryZhun · January 9, 2024, 3:07pm

Two great nights.

Peter_Chiu · January 9, 2024, 4:12pm

Thanks for the correction - Russelt.

I meant to say ; Claire of Domaine Naudin-Ferrand.

I was in to buy her wines during for the vintage of 2012 - 2014 as I was not sure they would l age well due to that they were so fresh and attractive. By the time the issue was settle they became so pricey within my budget.

Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r · January 9, 2024, 7:26pm

Yes, they are. We get very good prices on tightly allocated wines in Quebec but availability sucks. We’ll get like 18 bottles for the entire province offered through lottery. If you also add the US players who created accounts and the local folks who register their entire family, dogs and goldfishes, you have like 1 chance out of 50,000 to get a coveted bottle. And most of the time, that’s for a one bottle lot.

Wine-wise, even though I have a harder time finding SA wines I like, I’m so happy I’m in France!!

Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r · January 9, 2024, 7:27pm

That sentence is making me miss Québec though!

All the best Peter!

JuanS · January 9, 2024, 9:47pm

2021 Kistler Sonoma Mountain.

I know: young. But I have more and I could not hold my curiosity. It was my first Kistler.

Wonderful combination of minerality and fruit. I loved it. I purchased a variety of 2021 Kistlers a few months ago of which this Sonoma Mountain is the lower-tier (at least price-wise). If the others are even better than this one I think I am going to enjoy the ride…

Kent_Comley · January 9, 2024, 10:33pm

Newish release. Just oh so quaffable, juicy red cherries, subtle herbs and a silky palate that glides across the tonsils. More open than 16 and 19 at same age.