Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
Dom. Bruno Lupin 2018 Roussette de Savoie - a.k.a. altesse, Day 1: sound acidity, minerally, very pure, but also very closed; Day 3: much more open, shows some of the (underripe) peach liqueur richness I expect from altesse, there are occasional wisps of florals; interesting enough to try another
Dom. des Amphores 2019 VdF Mornen Noir - cepage oublie in the region between the Loire and the Rhone, it tastes near to syrah though no one would be fooled, there is definitely a little bouquet of roses to it, the mouthfeel is not so heavy as a Rhone syrah, good acids, drinks very easily (I did manage to save some for the next day, which helped the rose scents to pop more), reminds me a bit of nero buono
Dom. des Amphores 2019 VdF "Sphe-erique" - yup
Brooks 2011 Pinot Noir "Janus" - 12.3%, well, this is surprisingly good, a full and vivid bouquet of pinot fruit, orange oil, and roses; palate lightweight but similar flavors to the nose, fairly long too; there's still a touch of astringency that this cuvee (and maybe this house) has always had but it's coming into balance; hope I have a couple more for, say, 3-5 years from now; Day 2: maybe a little less orange and more red fruit, about the same but a little softer
Jadot 2008 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er En Caradeux "Clos de la Croix de Pierre" - a little tart, a little lightweight, but here's a pretty Cote de Beaune red, juicy in the mouth with abundant pinky-red fruit, just a little lifted, very pleasant at the dinner table
Le Briseau (Nathalie et Emile Heredia) 2019 VdF "Le Verre des Poetes" - 12.5%, brett bomb, dumped (I'm so bummed)
Cardedu 2019 Monica di Sardegna "Praja" - Day 1: yup, that's a medium-weight red; Day 3: well, this has changed, lighter and more savory than it was, the back label claims its Sardinian heritage makes it good with clams and sardines and... it works with shrimp, squid, and halibut! not sure I need to buy this again but if I see it on a menu I just well might
Fritz Windisch 2019 Heimersheimer Rotenfels Dornfelder QBA - overtly fruity, cloying sweetness, dull acidity, I bought 5 bottles of it... to make sangria!
Monte Dall' Ora 2013 Valpolicello Classico Superiore "Camporenza" - very dark-fruit and kinda muted, did I wait too long?
Jolivet 2019 L'Instinct - juicy, gluggable syrah, distinctly N Rhone style, mineral finish, more please
Granbazan 2020 Albarino "Etiqueta Verde" - 13%, more than just the sharp end of a pruning knife, minerally, substantial mouthfeel (3 months of lees)
Ch. Musar 1998 Rouge - 375ml; upon opening, powerfully mentholated; that recedes after a few minutes; light-to-medium weight wine, rather red-fruited, a bit of VA but nowhere near the usual intensity, complex palate (as always), enjoyable if a bit light
Francis Coppola 2018 "Black Label Claret" - a gift; inoffensive CalCab
Falkenstein 2020 Pinot Noir Rose (Herrenberg Zuckerberg Qualitatswein 3 252 672 6 21) - Day 1: pale pink, a tad tart and dry; Day 2: integrates! typical pink-y fruits, not quite like Cotat because it lacks chalk and instead has a clear, crunchy, crystalline rockiness that does not contribute to the flavor profile but spotlights it very well; definitely more-ish
Pepiere, Dom. de la 2014 Muscadet "Gorges" - Day 1: since last time the acidity has gone a little soft, still yellow fruit and minerals; Day 2: served a little cooler which has firmed-up the acidity a little, about the same as yesterday but the sweet-sour balance is more noticeable as it veers back and forth on my palate
Birichino 2019 Mourvedre, Enz Vineyard - another fabulously light and bright wine, which is a good trick because mourvedre is a moody and taciturn grape that at most bestirs itself to some black raspberry-ness, not so mineral and scratchy as the cinsault but equally enticing, did not last the evening
Dom. des Amphores 2019 VdF Mornen Noir - cepage oublie in the region between the Loire and the Rhone, it tastes near to syrah though no one would be fooled, there is definitely a little bouquet of roses to it, the mouthfeel is not so heavy as a Rhone syrah, good acids, drinks very easily (I did manage to save some for the next day, which helped the rose scents to pop more), reminds me a bit of nero buono
Dom. des Amphores 2019 VdF "Sphe-erique" - yup
Brooks 2011 Pinot Noir "Janus" - 12.3%, well, this is surprisingly good, a full and vivid bouquet of pinot fruit, orange oil, and roses; palate lightweight but similar flavors to the nose, fairly long too; there's still a touch of astringency that this cuvee (and maybe this house) has always had but it's coming into balance; hope I have a couple more for, say, 3-5 years from now; Day 2: maybe a little less orange and more red fruit, about the same but a little softer
Jadot 2008 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er En Caradeux "Clos de la Croix de Pierre" - a little tart, a little lightweight, but here's a pretty Cote de Beaune red, juicy in the mouth with abundant pinky-red fruit, just a little lifted, very pleasant at the dinner table
Le Briseau (Nathalie et Emile Heredia) 2019 VdF "Le Verre des Poetes" - 12.5%, brett bomb, dumped (I'm so bummed)
Cardedu 2019 Monica di Sardegna "Praja" - Day 1: yup, that's a medium-weight red; Day 3: well, this has changed, lighter and more savory than it was, the back label claims its Sardinian heritage makes it good with clams and sardines and... it works with shrimp, squid, and halibut! not sure I need to buy this again but if I see it on a menu I just well might
Fritz Windisch 2019 Heimersheimer Rotenfels Dornfelder QBA - overtly fruity, cloying sweetness, dull acidity, I bought 5 bottles of it... to make sangria!
Monte Dall' Ora 2013 Valpolicello Classico Superiore "Camporenza" - very dark-fruit and kinda muted, did I wait too long?
Jolivet 2019 L'Instinct - juicy, gluggable syrah, distinctly N Rhone style, mineral finish, more please
Granbazan 2020 Albarino "Etiqueta Verde" - 13%, more than just the sharp end of a pruning knife, minerally, substantial mouthfeel (3 months of lees)
Ch. Musar 1998 Rouge - 375ml; upon opening, powerfully mentholated; that recedes after a few minutes; light-to-medium weight wine, rather red-fruited, a bit of VA but nowhere near the usual intensity, complex palate (as always), enjoyable if a bit light
Francis Coppola 2018 "Black Label Claret" - a gift; inoffensive CalCab
Falkenstein 2020 Pinot Noir Rose (Herrenberg Zuckerberg Qualitatswein 3 252 672 6 21) - Day 1: pale pink, a tad tart and dry; Day 2: integrates! typical pink-y fruits, not quite like Cotat because it lacks chalk and instead has a clear, crunchy, crystalline rockiness that does not contribute to the flavor profile but spotlights it very well; definitely more-ish
Pepiere, Dom. de la 2014 Muscadet "Gorges" - Day 1: since last time the acidity has gone a little soft, still yellow fruit and minerals; Day 2: served a little cooler which has firmed-up the acidity a little, about the same as yesterday but the sweet-sour balance is more noticeable as it veers back and forth on my palate
Birichino 2019 Mourvedre, Enz Vineyard - another fabulously light and bright wine, which is a good trick because mourvedre is a moody and taciturn grape that at most bestirs itself to some black raspberry-ness, not so mineral and scratchy as the cinsault but equally enticing, did not last the evening
