Zachary Ross
Zachary Ross
Well, it had to happen. At least Michael and I felt like it did, for over a year now. Coq au vin jaune. You only live once, right? So we let fly with our loose morels and got into the yellow wines. And what wines they were!
2003 Tissot Vin Jaune -- the “cooking vin jaune,” which is not at all a pejorative, it just happened to be the least expensive vin jaune around and so it was mostly sacrificed to the coq (chicken, really).
NV Buronfosse Crémant du Jura -- made from Pinot Noir. Pale rose color. Delightfully fresh and energetic, just a tiny hint of sweetness on the finish. More please.
2008 Ganevat Savagnin Les Chalasses Marnes Bleues -- Savagnin ouillé. A tight fist of a wine, a knotted ball of acidity wound up tight in the midpalate, but very delicious with classic gingery affect.
2009 Ganevat Savagnin Les Chalasses Marnes Bleues -- Much more suave and lean than the 2008, though there's plenty of material here. Elegant v. the 08's power. The good doctor observes that if one tasted the two Ganevats blind one would mistake the 08 for the 09 and vice versa, based on vintage prejudices; I agree.
2010 Overnoy/Houillon Chardonnay -- just lovely. Brightly acidic and effusively fresh with complex interplay of richness and austerity.
2005 Overnoy/Houillon Savagnin -- a masterpiece. Lightly oxidative, this has a gorgeous texture and layered complexity that beguiles the senses.
1983 Camille Loye Chardonnay -- rich caramel topnote but without sufficient body underneath; seemed tired and considerably past its prime.
2003 Ganevat Vin Jaune -- really, really good. Clearly very young, with piercing cumin and gingery Savagnin flavors beautifully integrated with the sous-voile nutty richness. Masterful. Absurdly good with the coq.
1988 Puffeney Vin Jaune -- just a haunting nose of very salty caramel and lemon, supremely smooth and decadently rich wine with ample mineral and herbal notes. It's fabulous. This stood out as unusually luxuriant among the evening's wines.
1975 Bourdy Chateau-Chalon -- Jesus, what a wine. Running counter to the Puffeney's flamboyance, the Bourdy is all chiseled stone, sherried nuttiness, and, really surprisingly, pale yellow fruit. Where the other two vin jaunes have awesome power, this shows more sophistication and restraint, with seemingly endless depth. What a treat.
2010 Ganevat Poulsard L'enfant Terrible -- decanted and swirled to release CO2. Lean and sinewy as Ganevat's reds are wont to be. I think we opened this just to open it.
NV Chateau d'Arlay Macvin Rouge -- the nose is all marc funkiness but this is pale and sweetly fresh, really quite delicious. Despite general wariness of macvin most who tried it seemed to like this.
2003 Tissot Vin Jaune -- the “cooking vin jaune,” which is not at all a pejorative, it just happened to be the least expensive vin jaune around and so it was mostly sacrificed to the coq (chicken, really).
NV Buronfosse Crémant du Jura -- made from Pinot Noir. Pale rose color. Delightfully fresh and energetic, just a tiny hint of sweetness on the finish. More please.
2008 Ganevat Savagnin Les Chalasses Marnes Bleues -- Savagnin ouillé. A tight fist of a wine, a knotted ball of acidity wound up tight in the midpalate, but very delicious with classic gingery affect.
2009 Ganevat Savagnin Les Chalasses Marnes Bleues -- Much more suave and lean than the 2008, though there's plenty of material here. Elegant v. the 08's power. The good doctor observes that if one tasted the two Ganevats blind one would mistake the 08 for the 09 and vice versa, based on vintage prejudices; I agree.
2010 Overnoy/Houillon Chardonnay -- just lovely. Brightly acidic and effusively fresh with complex interplay of richness and austerity.
2005 Overnoy/Houillon Savagnin -- a masterpiece. Lightly oxidative, this has a gorgeous texture and layered complexity that beguiles the senses.
1983 Camille Loye Chardonnay -- rich caramel topnote but without sufficient body underneath; seemed tired and considerably past its prime.
2003 Ganevat Vin Jaune -- really, really good. Clearly very young, with piercing cumin and gingery Savagnin flavors beautifully integrated with the sous-voile nutty richness. Masterful. Absurdly good with the coq.
1988 Puffeney Vin Jaune -- just a haunting nose of very salty caramel and lemon, supremely smooth and decadently rich wine with ample mineral and herbal notes. It's fabulous. This stood out as unusually luxuriant among the evening's wines.
1975 Bourdy Chateau-Chalon -- Jesus, what a wine. Running counter to the Puffeney's flamboyance, the Bourdy is all chiseled stone, sherried nuttiness, and, really surprisingly, pale yellow fruit. Where the other two vin jaunes have awesome power, this shows more sophistication and restraint, with seemingly endless depth. What a treat.
2010 Ganevat Poulsard L'enfant Terrible -- decanted and swirled to release CO2. Lean and sinewy as Ganevat's reds are wont to be. I think we opened this just to open it.
NV Chateau d'Arlay Macvin Rouge -- the nose is all marc funkiness but this is pale and sweetly fresh, really quite delicious. Despite general wariness of macvin most who tried it seemed to like this.
