16 is a tough Chambolle vintage…
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Actually, I’d planned on adding 20’ and 21’ Berthaut-Gerbet Chambolle 1er Plantes to the mix too.
So those are waiting for another day…
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I feel like this is an overstated opinion that often gets applied to 16 Chambolle due to the fact that Musigny was so badly hit by frost. The frost was bad across the board, but not nearly as bad in most village and 1er crus as it was in Musigny. Many vignerons were able to sort for quality and produce stunning wines. I realize there are examples of vineyards that were so badly hit that the quantity was not there to make a proper single vineyard wine, but this was not the case for many wines. Most vineyards were only down by ~ 30% as opposed to Musigny which was down by 55%.
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While opinions can differ, I don’t think this is true. I’ve opened a fair number of 2016 Chambolle, village and 1er Cru (I’ve not had any Musigny for a fairly obvious reason), mostly with rather poor results. In 2016 Mugnier produced the Trente Deux instead of his village because, as I recall, it was the village that was almost entirely ruined by hail. It was the village and Musigny that was most affected, not just Musigny. The 1er crus were less affected, but certainly suffered as well.
It is undoubtedly true that great winemakers can overcome poor vintages (the 2016 Mugnier Fuees is testament to that), but given the huge holdings de Vogue has, I don’t necessarily think the odds were all that great in 2016.
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Thanks Phil.
Mallard released normally - 2 years late - of his wines here in Quebec. The last vintage for the red was 2017 and the white was 2018. We need to be lucky to buy them…sad.
Nola’s Veleta 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. There’s been very little change in this wine since I first bought in 2021 (I think I’m on my 3rd or 4th case at this point). I looked back at the BD12 archive - $150 for a case. I don’t think there is an aged Cab of this quality anywhere close to that price of $12.50/bottle. Insanely great bargain. Still intense, both in the nose and mouth. Plenty of tannin still, but incredibly well hidden under the still intense fruit. Thank you, Nola!!
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2018 San Polo Rosso di Montalcino - really nice bottle, and starting the ‘weekend’ a bit early as it seemed so fitting for the dinner I made tonight. Really nice, light bodied but expressive, acid and grip in balance, nice herbal quality - interesting but ‘easy’ as well.
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2012 Puriri Hills Harmonie de Soir. Mmmm punching way above its weight as a second wine….well integrated Bordeaux blend with smoothness, smidge of cigar box with core of dark fruit. Wish I had some more
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Weird sequence here as we had the 2002 Sociando-Mallet at lunch in a restaurant with a glorious medium-rare Sicilian pork loin with morels and cream. We then followed this with a couple of glasses of Gelas Armagnac thinking this was the end of the meal. Well lo and behold, we ended up extending this and I felt like a 2016 Picasses would hit the spot.
I can understand this ranking since the 2002 does show less pizzazz but this bottle on. It is an understated Sociando in a way, leaner, elegant. The nose is a complex match of green pepper, leather, some cedar and tobacco but very little fruit. It’s a savory profile. The palate is medium bodied. The little fruit there is is mostly cassis with hints of red berries but the lip-smacking savory tones are wonderful: root vegetables, tobacco, black soil and dry earth. It was my buddy’s first experience with this wine and he kept on smelling and sipping. The tannins are about 3/4 of the way integrated with a nice little kiss on the finish. Medium acidity. The finish is long on all those umami flavors and a mineral twang. Score. If you like your Sociando with less fruit and more savory, this bottle was right on.
This was a nice follow-up to the Sociando. I served it at cellar temp initially since the temperature has yet to go down here (32oC as I’m writing this, expecting the storm to hit tonight and the temperature to go down this weekend). I really like the 2016. I’ve seen some positive and negative reviews here and on CT but gosh darn it, every bottle I have opened hit the spot for me. We’re on the savory spectrum once again: green, earth, leather and some pepperiness. The fruit is there with notes of plums and a tad of red berries. Medium-minus / Light-plus body, fine tannins showing up and hitting the gums, Medium-minus acidity and decent finish with some crushed stones/salinity showing up and inviting lip-smack. I’m really liking those 2016 as the jack-of-all-trades. I can see pairing this with a bunch of foods.
All in all, a fine extended lunch.
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2022 Cirò Bianco, Vigneti Vumbaca
100% Greco Bianco. A new wine for me, but another of those modestly priced Italian white wines that provide enjoyment and interest. Lively, mineral, lemon herbal, dry but with an occasional ripe fruit sweet note.
Recommended
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Those are great notes on two wines I’ve enjoyed.Thank you for writing them. Haven’t had the 02 SM but it sounds a treat. I’ve had some really nice bottles of the Olga Raffault Picasses, but the last couple of bottles I’ve opened have been too Bretty for me to enjoy and I’ve stopped buying them. I wonder if it was just bad luck having bottles of the Picasses where the Brett flavors were overwhelming everything else in the wine or if you or others have had a similar experience with this particular wine. I don’t mind a little bit of Brett but when it’s the predominant thing going it’s too much.
My 2016 (4 drunk) have been brett free. I’ve had a bretty 2012 recently but it was still drinkable for me. I’d say I’ve got an average tolerance for brett. Some here have surely consumed other vintages recently and can chime in.
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1990 Leoville Las Cases: Sorry no photo but wine stained label. This was the case when I purchased in 1994. I was told that the stain was from “other” wine but a wine stained label is never a comforting thing. The fills looked OK as was the price so I bought a few and this was the first one I have tasted. Figured if they were all cooked best to dump now.
Fortunately it was on pointe! Perhaps this is the first mature Las Cases I have had sans maybe the ‘82 quite a while ago. It has a great nose that continues to expand. Lead pencil and the regular Las Cases goodness. Finish is super long. I have this bottle Pungo’d and this was the second day with more left for tomorrow. Great wine drinking well.
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Have a 2007 in queue.
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Fan of Maltroye here, esp. dents du chien, from a craggy outcropping above le Montrachet.
What year was yours?
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