Simply wow! A great bottle of Chardonnay.
4 Likes
2020 Domaine Ogereau, Clos le Grand Beaupreau, Savennieres
Picked up two bottles of this wine influenced by some very positive comments by @Julian_Marshall. We enjoyed this wine very much. Dry, but not austere. Light, but not lightweight. Acidity in balance. A lot happening in a delicately complex way. A little surprising in that I somewhat expected a more severe wine.
Delightful wine!
Very Recommended
6 Likes
So glad you enjoyed it, a real favourite of mine!
1 Like
Hot damn!
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I went through SO MUCH 2014 B-S up and down the range. And every single bottle was superb. Cheap too.
5 Likes
2016 Keplinger Caldera. Random recent auction purchase. In a great spot - ripe, plummy red and black fruit and gamy flavors. Good chalky tannins on the finish.
1 Like
The āLos Abuelosā Petite Sirah also contains 15% Peloursin. The blend and a pleasant 13.6% ABV lends itself to a much more refined and lighter on its toes experience compared to the typical varietal expectations. Ready to go right out of the bottle. It will last more years, but I think itās in a fantastic spot.
Glassware choice: Preferred in the larger Fontaine prototype versus the Universal. Mellowed the Howell Mtn tannins a bit.
2021 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis
So damn good. I want to cry. That I didnāt buy 10 cases. I could drink this stuff every week. This shows a lot differently than some recent ripe-to-very ripe vintages of Beaujolais. This is back to 2014 typicity. Donāt get me wrong, I really loved the 2019 and 2017 versions of this wine, they are quite delicious, but this 2021 is my wheelhouse. And 2018 was just plain too ripe.
3 Likes
2014 Billaud-Simon is da bomb 
2023 Efrosini Winery Liatiko āMikri Evgenikiā
Started this 3 days ago and it was juicy, acidic, earthy, a bit disjointed. Forgot about it as it stood neglected in the pantry for a few days until now. Earthy, fruity and savory. A nice, fresh, dry Liatiko that improves with a bit of oxidation. ā¬12.
1 Like
Fun tasting at lunch today:
Champagne de Lozey 2009
There is a disconnect between the info I was given when I last visited and the tech sheet online. Iāll go with the info I received since Iām too lazy to reach out and confirm. 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay, dosage of 3 g/l. The nose was a little closed on this at first: damp basement, red apple and a touch of nuttiness. My buddy initially called this Meunier dominant because of the red apple and touch of āfunkā. Air got this all straightened out. Brown butter, honey and ripe orange on the nose while the palate shows good fruit concentration with ripe peaches, mirabelles and quince. This gives it a mature but easy to drink profile. This was very enjoyable.
Served blind to others: guesses were all over the place and all wrong.
Joseph Colin Puligny Montrachet Le TrƩzin 2020
Iāve had more hits than misses with Josephās Burgundies in 2020. Le TrĆ©zin is up the hill in Puligny and the mineral profile doesnāt disappoint. Smoky, reductive nose initially but approachable on the palate: Granny smith apple, barely ripe peach, some vanilla cream, hints of reduction (struck match, smokiness) and sweet oak spices. This is still a baby but bodes very well for the future. One of my favorites from this producer in 2020.
Served blind to others: my somm bud called this 2020 Puligny-Montrachet from the get-go. Great call.
Domaine Pierre Amiot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Blanchards 2018
Same as the last time I had this. Dark-fruited, plenty of spices and ripe fruit on the nose. Good freshness from the acidity and crushed stones. Powdery tannins that donāt overcome the lush fruit. I really liked this but the table was split: some found the oak overwhelming on the nose while others (me included) thought this showed well and āgourmandā.
Served blind to others: initial guesses were Syrah from a warm vintage and eventually turned to CĆ“te-de-Nuits and Gevrey-Chambertin until it was uncovered.
Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2016
Iāve had many bottles of this over the past 3 years and Iāve always enjoyed it immensely. We are still on the savory spectrum but less than the last bottle I had of this. Red berries, red plums, damp soil, leather and dried herbs but with the crushed stones showing up already on the nose. This keeps going on the palate with a deep and assertive mineral backbone, fine tannins, medium+ acidity and a decent savory finish on earthen tones bringing it all together. This was a hit with everyone.
Served blind to others: Initial thoughts were Burgundy Pinot, then someone mentioned Loire and it eventually got called as Chinon 2016.
ChĆ¢teau Brane-Cantenac 2005
I bought a few bottles of this through a friend of a friend. The first one was dead, the last two were spot on. Leather, slight tobacco, earthy, cassis, red berries and hints cedar. The palate is still quite lively but with a good mature core. The acidity and tannins are still jiving together on to a pretty long and mature finish. Lovely drink.
Served blind to others: It got called older Bordeaux as soon as I poured it. Initial guesses were St-Em because the tannins are integrated but it veered to Margaux. ChĆ¢teau Margaux was the first call and Brane followed.
This was a lovely lunch and Iāll miss this bunch when I go back to Montreal!
6 Likes
Love that wine
Tonight:
This is a delicious wine. Red sappy fruits. Lots of soil inflection. Spices. Tangy sour red fruits. But I think they may have used too much oak on this wine. Itās warm, soft, sandalwood and talcum powder, maybe some baking spices, but it seems to be more than necessary, especially compared to that very wonderful Beaujolais that I had last night.
3 Likes
It was a good night last night.
2012 LR Cristal - So pure, so young, but with wonderful ripe acidity.
Really tasty, with plenty of upside,
2019 Fevre Chablis Valourent 1er
Textbook sea shells and citrics on nose, tight palate. Still coiled and fresh.
2018 PYCM Chassagne-Montrachet VV
A bit hazy, leesy, malo influence evident. Good volume on the palate, but one of the more worked PYCMs.
1982 Chateau Magdelaine
Elegant, mature, moderate stable aromas. Silky palate. Nice drink that straightened up with air.
1983 Chateau Lafleur
This has an extra gear. Now perfectly mature, truffles, dark chocolate, seamless, integrated palae with real drive.
2010 Yalumba The Signature Shiraz Cabernet
Super wine, classic old school Oz style, with moderate alcohol and integrated dark plummy fruits.
2019 Jaboulet Hermitage La Maison Bleu
Very young, dense and very pure lifted violet Shiraz. Let it sleep.
To finish supple Warreās 1994 VP and 25yo Glenfarclas.
Probably not necessary.
8 Likes
2023 Patricia Green Cellars Hyland Vineyard Coury Clone
Deep, deep nose of black cherries, spiced plums, blood orange, baking spices, and crushed rocks. With vigorous swirling some red and purple florals emerge over time. Bright and delicate red and black fruit with savory undertones of dried herbs and earth on the palate. The finish is a little shorter than I had hoped for but there is nice juicy acidity and supple tannins giving this wine good structure.
Yet another bottle of 2003 Sociando Mallet, which Iāve posted on this thread a few times before. What a pleasure this wine has been, I think I am on my fourth bottle, all sourced from WineBid. The estate did a fantastic job with this hot vintage and the wine shows not a hint of flab, to the contrary it is quite elegant and has lots of savory earth, incense, leaves, tobacco, and leather to balance out the only slightly sweet currant, red apple, and plum fruit. Genuinely medium bodied, moderate acidity, still with a bit of chew from fine but old school tannins, and a surprisingly long minty finish.
4 Likes
Brought to my $5 corkage local dinner spot to enjoy with NBA finals. Just opened and kinda light and simple but getting better quickly
We went to Bistro Provence in Bethesda on Saturday night for our 43rd anniversary and brought a 2001 Truchot GC Combottes. Truchotās 2001s seem to be pretty much at their peak, and I am currently drinking mine up. The nose on this wine was incredible. One could only wish that someone made air freshener that smelled like this. The wine itself was a bit harsh on the first taste, but after about 10 minutes started to open up. The dominant flavors in the wine were probably like a sweet and sour cherry fruit that is very common from Truchot wines and that presents in a way I find in few wines from other producers. The finish was incredibly long and new flavors kept appearing with every sip. A wonderful experience.
2 Likes