Why I no longer bother with White Burgundy
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But have u been to Oregon these daysâŠ
Been there, no, but I do drink Oregon Chardonnay. I prefer Ramey.
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It was good. I did a pop and pour. It wouldâve benefited from a decant. I think I would still hold for a few more years.
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Anniversary weekend up in Sonoma. Very excited for this lineup â will include tasting notes later for the ones we end up opening 
Taittinger Prelude NV
2019 AJ Adam in der Sangerei Reisling
2023 Famille Gouges Domaine Cavea Montagny 1er
2023 Phelan Farm Chardonnay
2024 Clos Cibonne Tibouren Cuvée Tradition
2016 Yvon Metras Fleurie
2019 Henri Gouges Les Pruliers 1er
2006 Kathryn Kennedy Cabernet Sauvignon
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My Friday tasting group had a fantastic tasting today. I hope @Warren_Taranow will accept this offering as recompense for my scant attention to Champagne in prior installments. Iâm not great at tasting notes for sparkling wines, but can at least offer some cursory thoughts.
Iâll start with a couple of general impressions. We had enough wine left that I was able to revisit all of them at the end of the tasting and every wine changed a good bit in the glass and with air in the bottle, mostly for the better. Also, each of the wines was at least very good and Iâd happily enjoy any of them again.
We started with the 1992 Moet Grand Vintage Collection and 1995 Dom Perignon Oenotheque. The 1992 was roaring out of the gate, light gold color with hazelnuts, showing the age wrapped around Meyer, lemon and brioche. It had plenty of fresh acidity and a long finish with air, an earthy truffle note came out that I enjoyed, but got a mixed reception. The 1995, on the other hand, was less exuberant at the start, but was better integrated. It showed wonderful complexity with waves of flavors that washed across the palate. When I return to it after a couple of hours, the flavors had become more pronounced and distinctive, and a pleasant chervil note had joined the finish. I think 1995 is an underrated vintage, lost a little in the shadow of 1996, and this wine supported my contention that 1995 is a great vintage.
The next flight paired the 2008 Grande Dame with the 2008 Dom Perignon. The Grande Dame showed light notes of fresh strawberry and white flowers, with good weight and a pleasantly sweet-tart finish. It took on savory umami with air. The Dom Perignon hasnât changed too much since release, tight at first but really coming into its own with air and finishing on a savory note. Iâm in no hurry to drink my remaining bottles but there is no shame in drinking it now.
Next came the 2004 Hiedsieck and 2008 St. Chamant. The Hiedsieck was nutty and rich but balanced by acidity and minerality. The St. Chamant was perhaps the most distinctive wine of the night, yeasty but with interesting herbs and spices in play. Iâve had it several times and continue to enjoy it.
Finally, we got to the Egly-Ouriet (2015 base) and the Delamotte. My note taking was breaking down by this point, but I enjoyed the leesy, oxidative funk on the Egly-Ouriet that reminded me of a Jura ouillé Chardonnay and a fresh vegetal edge that came out with air. The Delamotte was rock solid, prototypical BdB, with plenty of lemon and brioche and a slightly tart finish.
Everyone in the group stepped up today and it was a fantastic afternoon and evening. I can also report that the wines all worked well with a tray of Chick-fil-A nuggets, though the St. Chamant paired particularly well.
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All is forgiven. For tasting notes like that, Iâll even bend the knee. Lots of my favorites in that lineup.
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Quite the ballinâ evening here last night to celebrate our 25th anniversary. 2001 Angelus and 2023 Mowe Cabernet with Wagyu ribeyes.
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Of course itâs your anniversary! Why would you take notes on the wines when youâre celebrating.
(feel free to share your thoughts on the 2001 Angelus when the celebration dust had settled 
)
Heh. Notes arenât a strong suit of mine, but I will give it a go.
The 2001 Angelus had been stored perfectly prior to and since our purchase of it in 2020 from La Cave in Dallas, - damn I miss that store. The cork showed no seepage at all. I used the Durand for safety , but it was probably not necessary. I decanted for about 1 hour prior to the first pour. Some fine sediment but not a large amount, so all but thel ast few drops went into the decanter.. Very nice deep ruby color with almost no bricking at the edges of the glass. Great aromatics - more cherry than plum, maybe some manner of flowersâŠ
There was nice fruit red ans maybe some blue, great balance, easy-going tannins and a consistent round toastiness to it in the mid palate, with a long pleasing finish. There was little development in the 2 hours we enjoyed it, so I think a well-stored bottle could hane another 5-10 years ahead of it.
I donât drink a lot of older Bordeaux, or Bordeaux of this quality so donât have much of a frame of reference. Having drank a fair amount of older Elivette recently from the LB sale, the comparison I kept coming back to was that the Angelus was somewhat similar to the 2000 or 2004 Elivette, but decideedly lighter, more civilized and elegant. Just an absolutely lovely experience start to finish.
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Dinner tonight at our favorite steak place Baldamar, bringing this beauty: '21 Roy Piper Cabernet Sauvignon Greer Vineyard.
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Appreciate it. Have a few en primeurs bottles in storage.
Iâm jealous. 
This bottle was most likely the only one I will ever have. You should pull one soon.
Congratulations on the anniversary!
Iâd be curious to hear your impressions of the Mowe.
The Mowe was incredible. Vibrant nose that leaps from the glass.
A wonderful wine. Beautiful ripe fruit with just enough acid. Balanced and very light on its feet. Delicious. Every sip was a delight.
Iâve had a few Pottâs with some age on them that had a similar lithe overall feel to them, but the Mowe is its own thing. Both light and full throttle, which I know makes no sense.
A wine like this is why I keep chasing the dragon. Sometimes you actually catch one.
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Checking in on some domestic 2021 Pinots.
2021 Story of Soil Chene
Ruby colored by leaning towards pink/salmon. Nose indicates higher alc than the rest maybe a touch of VA. Thereâs something a bit wild/rustic to this wine. Cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, cinnamon, the tiniest hint of clove. A little thin on PNP.
2021 Whitcraft Radian
A bunch of sediment. Ruby colored with a bit of a purple/bluish tint. Nose is a bowlful of dark cherries and a slight hint of fresh leather and wet stone. Taste is super clean. Raspberry and fresh strawberries. Hibiscus. Dried herbs. Mouth coating and a blood orange finish that persists. Will be great for many years.
2021 Arterberry Maresh Old Vines
Pale ruby. Nose is rainer cherries. Dusty gravel. Rainier and sour cherry. Red plum. Dried orange. Dried leaves. Weightless but with plenty of tannin. Maybe this puts on some weight in a few years (as Iâve found some AM OV will do).
2021 Patricia Green Cellars Hyland
Ruby with a slight purple tint. Noes is dark red plums and blackberries. Thereâs something earthy that lingers in the background and a little bit of sea spray. Blackberries. Blood orange peel. Cedar. Chanterelle. Hints of tobacco, graphite and clay. Still pretty tightly wound with plenty of tannin and acidity. Built for the long haul.
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2020 Daou Reserve âEye Of The Falconâ
This was gifted to me by my sister and BIL a couple years ago. Visited them this weekend so opened up with them. 78% CabSauv 22% Petit Verdot. Not overly complex but nice.
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2023 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne Hautes-CĂŽtes de Beaune âAu Bout du Mondeâ â It has been a while since Iâve had a bottle of PYCM. I havenât been quick enough to pick up regional bottles as of late and I donât usually splurge for the 1er price. But at $80 off the list at Mayacama, this is exactly why I keep coming back to PYCM at the regional level â the QPR here borders on absurd for whatâs in the glass. 2023 gives it a touch more mid-palate flesh than the cooler vintages, but the tension is fully intact: peach, bright citrus, white flowers, impressive minerality. Found it to take a touch of a turn for the worse around the 60-75 minute mark, became a bit leaner and lost its floral notes.
2016 Yvon MĂ©tras Fleurie
As expected, this poured with a slight haze/cloud, a bit of funk volatility on first nose. But the quality shone through in minutes, revealing crunchy cherry and sweet orange (?) with a violet top note. Itâs alive and wild in a way that is obviously exciting to a different crowd but carries through with compelling structure that made me lucky to not have one of his variable bottles (always a concern). Paired beautifully with fried chicken, stir fry, and garlic noodles â high acid and grip cut right through the richness and spice. The last of his Fleurie in my cellar, time to look for more.
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