A 2019 Soyard monopole blanc was undoubtedly one of my favorite wines to drink last year.
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the 2018 equilibriste has had quite positive evolution in bottle. on release it showed quite dark verging into syrah territory, yet after several years in bottle it has shown more elegance and pinot character. i should check in on one soon. oddly enough it is also bottled under a diam style composite closure (which has probably helped). however, the 2014 monopole rouge did not age quite as well as the 2014 hermaion. perhaps the riper vintages have more capacity to age?
2022 Dirty Gold Las Cimas Vineyard Zinfandel
This is a new(ish) label from Evan Lewandowski focusing on more traditional single varietal/vineyard expressions than he makes under Ruth Lewandowski. So far the Dirty Gold wines (this is my 2nd) have been some of my favorite wines I’ve tried from him. This zin showed a beautiful balance of jammy, classically California fruit character with a bright mineral levity. At first it could almost be mistaken for cru Beaujolais, but the mid-palate deepens into an earthy heft which felt very true to a Sonoma zin. Highly recommend trying these if you can find them.
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I think it is hard to say anything yet. I think 2014 was the first bottled vintage? So if it is vintage related or simply adjustments along the way I don’t know.
I have tasted them since the 2015 vintage, but didn’t cellar any until the 2018 vintage. 18 seems to hold up fine, and a good friend of mine had a 2017 last year he told me was drinking very very well. 2021 might give some inside into it in a few years.
While i cellar some, I drink even more young. The 2019 Monopole is one of the best young red Burgundies I’ve ever tasted, when had it a year after release. I regret not drinking all of them at the point in time.
Gonon - Saint Joseph 2021
From the get go an amazing bottle, but somewhat more shrill and lightbodied that what I’ve had in the past. Certainly drinks very well here and doesn’t have the bones for long aging. Still subtle hints of primarily dark brooding fruit, hibiscus, charcuterie. Perfumed and elegant.
Cavarodes - Pinot Noir Lumachelles 2023
Wanted to give this a try since Luis Guiterrez gave it 94 points, but he probably didn’t track it over two days…
Slightly cloudy appearance as typical of the domaine. The nose opens up with a bit of banana indicating carbonic maceration, barnyard and strawberries. The wine is reductive at first and a little closed up but after a while it opens up rather well. The mouth is primarily dominated by red fruits and a bit of licquorice. The acidity is medium with a rather short finish. It’s the best PN I’ve had from Thiebaud since the start.
On day two it was mousy…
Stephane Bernaudeau - Coqueries 2023
Beautiful crystal clear viscosity. Peach, stone fruits, honey and beeswax. No component is intrusive and everything is so elegantly at play. Obviously it’s young and the oak is a little strong here, but you could safely open one now. Just crystaline thunder strong Chenin Blanc. Great. If you have only one then keep your fingers off it for a few years.
Emmanuel Brochet - Le Mont Benoit 2020
Very subtle mousse, and very vinous in its expression. Slight empyreumatic scent with orange peel and chamomile. Palate not all that long but a nice typical lemon and brioche. Loved the glass, but not sure about QPR.
Pierre Mang - Le Parc 2021
Very beaujo’ish in character. Simple banana scent and ripe cherries. Palate not complicated at all with strawberries in cream and some simple five spice. Not going to be filling my cellar with this but it was a nice glass.
Tournelle - Macvin NV
Uncomplicated macvin for the cheeses. Raisins, smoke, caramel. Lovely.
Domaine Labet - Savagnin Chalasse 2019, 58 Mois elevage
Dark deep yellow color. Slight oily viscosity from the years of barrel. Not the most overly complicated nose of candied lemon peel and buttermilk. Long lingering presence in the mouth, which is obviously ‘heated’ with the 15%, but I’d say it hides okay, but most nights I did not drink more than a glass, as it was a little intense. Liked it, didn’t love it.
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That sounds interesting. Ambyth Estate made a Zin in a natural style was really great and showed a different style of Zin.
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2024 Phelan Farms Pinot Noir R - This was very similar in style to the aforementioned Soyard Pommmard, except, it did not taste like Pinot Noir. I blind tasted my wife on it. She is an excellent taster. She guessed Northern Rhone. Once she said that it clicked, it reminded me of a Souhaut Cessieux. A wine I love. And I did really like this wine even if it did not taste like Pinot.
I have really, really loved just about all of the Phelan Farm wines.
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Lelarge Pugeot…. If anyone has a bottle of the Bis… I would like to chat…
There’s a vintage of dosage with honey from bees on the property… not allowed to do after if wanted to call Champagne.
Any Clos Saron cult members in the thread? Granted he’s not in the cult anymore… but still.
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2020 Nicolas Jacob Les Chazaux
A little skinsy, colour and texture, early mature, citrus pith, a slight tang. Very long - fine finish. Excellent.
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The Clos Saron wines are great. I love what Gideon does. There are some great wines being made in the Northern Foothills.
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Have a pretty solid stash of his wines… have had some duds but also my favorite Zin I’ve ever had.
Listen to the podcast about the cult? It’s wild.
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Not much info on this one out there but as I understand it, some sous voile juice added to a fresh young zesty chardy.
Alexandre Plassat - Betoulles 2023
Deep yellow color. Not full maceration but more like a very short time on the skins with some voile juice added.
A ‘fresh’ nose of lime and grapefruit zest. The mouth is very cool and refreshing like pocari sweat(think sprite, Mountain Dew etc)— somewhat early picked grapes from young vines I’d think. It’s a pretty fun bottle and here on day 2-3 it’s really open for business. Some 10 years ahead of it. Fun stuff
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Not open yet but we’re in Magog for a few days and I found 2 bottles of this at SAQ:
I haven’t tried this producer before.
And I also grabbed one of those for tonight:
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good point, hard to judge based on the first vintage. i agree they drink well young but i find that with a few years many wines like these can settle down and some of the obvious natty character dissipates such as any spritz or volatile aromatics.
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From the picture above:
Éric Chevalier Clos de la Butte 2024
Typical Muscadet nose: saline, rocky and citrusy. The palate is particularly lovely on lemon zest, lemon spritz with a mineral finish. Nothing wrong with it, nothing special either. I’ll probably buy a couple to have on hand for cooking and stealing a glass here and there while stuff simmers or reduces.
I drank a Bruit a few months back, blends can be a bit wacky, this one was better than most.
Nice. Yep I’m not turned off at all, but more intrigued.
@Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r The Fumey Chatelain I’ve tried has been totally fine, uncomplicated stuff.
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True.
But they also often have to a more fragile fruit profile which might not always hold up mid/long term. But I need another decade to form a proper opinion hehe. As I like this type of wine so well in their youth I drink most young, but I almost always save a few for science 
