Folks may have noticed a simian slant here. Steph and I enjoyed a lovely and relaxing visit with Jim and Diane in the mountains. I tried to select wines to bring that have either been mainstays or discoveries of the last few years since we've seen them.
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Impressions 10-3-21Impressions 10-3-21
N/V Agrapart, Champagne Terroirs Extra Brut - blanc de blanc, quite dry, almost steely and delicious.
N/V Alexandre Filaine, Champagne Brut Speciale - more volume and texture than the Agrapart mentioned above but still crisp with a mineral backbone and good length. Very nice.
Two go-tos for us and the Filaine is my absolute Champagne crush these days.
originally posted by Florida Jim:
2017 Falkenstein, Niedermenneger Herrenberg Riesling Spatlese feinherb - good volume and cut in the mouth, a kiss of sweetness, with lovely florals playing around its edges. Charming.
This bottle (AP#23) was showing just the first bits of some mature Riesling notes, i.e. diesel. But just a hint. I may put a couple bottles aside as a science experiment, but I enjoy these so much as young wines I don't see why I shouldn't just drink them.
originally posted by Florida Jim:
2008 Mugneret-Gibourg, Nuits-Saint-Georges les Chaignots - resolved, integrated, complex and light on its feet. Really, really good.
This was a lovely bottle that disappeared WAY too quickly. Had I the foresight, I would have opened it earlier to get a bit of air. Silky and precise with a lovely Vosne spice. This wine always reads much more Vosne than NSG to me.
originally posted by Florida Jim:
2018 Vincent, Pinot Noir Armstrong Vineyard - richer and more fruit driven than the last bottle and showing young. Needs time but it’s not closed at all.
This was a treat to try after Jim's continued glowing praise. It had a mineral spine and savory aspect that I didn't expect. Quite good.
originally posted by Florida Jim:
2016 Prudhon, Saint-Aubin les Perrieres - beautiful nose of flowers and stones, light and easy drinking, crisp and clean. Pretty wine.
2019 Clos Cibonne, Tibouron cuvée Tradition - Rose done sous voile from Provence that is very lightly colored but has all the flavor one could ask. A complete wine.
I think Jim captured it here, nothing to add.
originally posted by Florida Jim:
2015 Colombera and Garella, Bramaterra - an earthy, slightly rustic Nebbiolo blend with a worsted wool texture, excellent intensity and length. Mouth-wateringly good.
Cristiano is really getting an intensity without weight in the wines he's working with. This wine was downright weird as a young wine but has really started to be quite pleasant recently and should be that way for a good while. An admirable quality of these wines is that you don't have to wait forever to drink them. They even have plenty of notes that aren't fruit just for Jay.
originally posted by Florida Jim:
2015 Dom du Collier, Saumur Blanc - killer nose with all sorts of nuance and chenin range, bright, clear and refreshingly tasty. Maybe a little lighter weight than expected but so easy to drink.
I'm really glad that Jim liked this. I'm repeatedly on record as to what I think of these and recent feedback from Michael Lewis was [shrug emoji] so it was nice to get some positive reinforcement that it isn't just me (not that it would change my thinking or behavior anyway, but it's nice not to be on an Island alone).
originally posted by Florida Jim:
2010 Flavio Roddolo, Barbera d’Alba - not a grape I pay much attention to but this bottle was an eye opener. Perfect balance, concentrated fruit and an almost elegant delivery. Superb.
We've been through about 2 cases of this wine and this was one of the best bottles (there is some variability that is to be expected with such an artisanal product, especially a Barbera from 2010 that I think was bottled in 2018).
originally posted by Florida Jim:
2013 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - in the fermenter I thought this would be a great wine. It was so pure. In the bottle it has always been tight; too tight to get a read on or really enjoy. Today, it has opened just enough to become an infant; baby fat sweet fruit, not quite integrated, evident concentration and still firm. Developing a velvety texture but it needs time.
2012 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - much more open than the ‘13 but still showing a firm core. Drinking now but no rush.
Best, jim
This was another treat. I've known Jim since before he moved to CA to make wine and always greatly admired the chutzpah as well as harboring a little bit of envy. I may have tasted both of these in their infancy and I'm happy to see how they've grown up. I think Jim really managed to craft wines with the vision that he had. These aren't big, blowsy Pinot Noir, but sun kissed with restraint and an eye for the table.
Something Jim left out was a lovely bottle of the 2011 Isa, his skin fermented Sauvignon Blanc. Rose colored more than orange with a piney, herbal edge to the berries and flowers on the nose. Quite lifted and with a much gentler palate presence than the nose would indicate. Easy to drink, especially with a little bite of cheese. The bottle was downed tout suite. Well done, my friend.
