CWD: What did you drink last night (or whenever)?

[Jim Hanlon]

2019 Fumey-Chatelaine Arbois Savagnin: This is ouille and, more than any Jura Savagnin I can recall, speaks to the grape's Alsatian connection. Part of that is the palate weight -- this is 14.5%, which adds a little heft and perhaps oiliness, not in an unpleasant way. There's also baking spice and a touch of bitterness in the finish, again not unpleasant. That said, the wine also speaks of Jura, although I'm not very confident I'd get there if served this blind. An interesting bottle of Savagnin that's distinctive, precise (despite the heft, there's good acidity), and clean. My first wine from this domaine, and I look forward to trying more. Would be nice to find some more quality Jura wines that remain reasonably priced. So much of the region has now been priced above its true level.

 

[Jim Hanlon]

2013 Tyler La Rinconada Pinot Noir: Until recently, I'd largely written off the Santa Rita Hills as a California AVA of interest for Pinot. But the Tyler wines really are stellar examples of balanced, nuanced California Pinot. They're a little spendy, and I do cast a side eye over towards Burgundy when California Pinot gets to a certain pricing level. But this was a very enjoyable wine. The fruit here was dark blue, verging on black, which usually isn't my thing at all. But the wine was still fresh and the structure was so seamless that even the dark fruit seemed almost gossamer.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
2013 Tyler La Rinconada Pinot Noir: Until recently, I'd largely written off the Santa Rita Hills as a California AVA of interest for Pinot. But the Tyler wines really are stellar examples of balanced, nuanced California Pinot. They're a little spendy, and I do cast a side eye over towards Burgundy when California Pinot gets to a certain pricing level. But this was a very enjoyable wine. The fruit here was dark blue, verging on black, which usually isn't my thing at all. But the wine was still fresh and the structure was so seamless that even the dark fruit seemed almost gossamer.

This note reminds me of some of the Central Otago Pinot Noirs that I sampled in NZ. Even though they weren't heavy or confected and often had quite modest ABVs, the fruit was so dark that it was an expression of Pinot Noir that I didn't cherish.

Mark Lipton

 

[Jim Hanlon]

originally posted by MLipton:

originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
2013 Tyler La Rinconada Pinot Noir: Until recently, I'd largely written off the Santa Rita Hills as a California AVA of interest for Pinot. But the Tyler wines really are stellar examples of balanced, nuanced California Pinot. They're a little spendy, and I do cast a side eye over towards Burgundy when California Pinot gets to a certain pricing level. But this was a very enjoyable wine. The fruit here was dark blue, verging on black, which usually isn't my thing at all. But the wine was still fresh and the structure was so seamless that even the dark fruit seemed almost gossamer.

This note reminds me of some of the Central Otago Pinot Noirs that I sampled in NZ. Even though they weren't heavy or confected and often had quite modest ABVs, the fruit was so dark that it was an expression of Pinot Noir that I didn't cherish.

Mark Lipton

That's spot on, Mark. I've had the same experience with Central Otago. This wine was so precise that it carried the darker fruit elegantly. The most enjoyable dark-fruited Pinot I can recall coming across (setting aside Burgundy).

 

[scottreiner]

originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
Until recently, I'd largely written off the Santa Rita Hills as a California AVA of interest for Pinot.

Sandhi, Tatomer, and Domaine de la Cote are worth your time.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

I was invited to last night’s May Day Magnums:

 

[Pavel Tchichikov]

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
I was invited to last night’s May Day Magnums:

is the magnum of Guigal 1990 La Pommiere by chance?

 

[Jayson Cohen]

originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
I was invited to last night’s May Day Magnums:

is the magnum of Guigal 1990 La Pommiere by chance?

Unfortunately no. 2015 Brune et Blonde.

I confirmed tonight my 2004 Briords was lightly corked. Crazy young in magnum.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
I was invited to last night’s May Day Magnums:

What better way to toast the workers!

Certainly more delicious and productive than fighting with the police...

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

originally posted by Rahsaan:

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
I was invited to last night’s May Day Magnums:

What better way to toast the workers!

Certainly more delicious and productive than fighting with the police...

You shouldn't dis a long and noble French tradition.

 

[Rahsaan]

It's a pretty international tradition, nothing particularly French about it!

 

[Zachary Ross]

I have mostly been on hiatus in 2022 but I transgressed on Sunday and opened a bottle of 2000 Chateau Bel Air-Marquis d'Aligre.

Well, wow. So nice when wines live up to the recent hype. What a great old thing, savory and saline, coiled and ready for battle. Endlessly pleasurable and a new favorite.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

2017 Guímaro Camiño Real Ribeira Sacra is a delicious juicy Mencía-dominated old vines field blend that benefited from about 18 months in the cellar. A real bargain in today’s wine world.

 

[Bill Lundstrom]

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
2017 Guímaro Camiño Real Ribeira Sacra is a delicious juicy Mencía-dominated old vines field blend that benefited from about 18 months in the cellar. A real bargain in today’s wine world.

I really like this producer and bought several assorted bottles recently.

 

[Jim Hanlon]

2016 Piemaggio Le Fioraie Chianti Classico: I concur with the description on Rosenthal's site -- I particularly like their phrase of "egoless drinkability." This is somewhat rustic Chianti that oozes character and place. Drinking pretty well now, but this has a decade in it. I'll try just about anything Rosenthal imports, and am usually glad I did. This is well priced too, in the mid $20s.

2021 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah Summer-Salters Rose: This is from Hardy Wallace's new project. A blend of half Primitivo and half Mourvedre, all from Shake Ridge Ranch in the Sierra Foothills (same source as the ESJ El Jaleo, among several other good wines). On the richer side for a rose, but still fruit driven as opposed to savory, which I often associate with richer roses. An enjoyable bottle, but no fireworks just yet. At the price point ($40), this is competing with most of the best roses in the world, and that's stiff competition. I suspect this wine will improve with a year or two of cellaring.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

2010 Hermann Ludes Thörnicher Ritsch Auslese Alte Reben (screwcap)

Very vigorous primary Riesling. Very Saar, more forest and earth than fruit. High sugar and high acid aren’t quite sown together yet, but it’s undeniably delicious and gulpable. The match with my Dry-Fried chicken, adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop and sporting serious heat from a combo of a blend of Tribute and green Sichuan peppercorn, Xiao Mi La chilis, real Hong You Doubanjiang, and my homemade chili oil, was synergistically wonderful.

 

[Rahsaan]

Bravo for your cooking.

And for the wine selection.

But, I know people always say off-dry wines with spicy food. However, when you get to the level of 'serious heat' and mouth-numbing sichuan peppercorns, that doesn't interfere with your enjoyment of a fine wine like this 2010 Ludes?

 

[Jayson Cohen]

originally posted by Rahsaan:
Bravo for your cooking.

And for the wine selection.

But, I know people always say off-dry wines with spicy food. However, when you get to the level of 'serious heat' and mouth-numbing sichuan peppercorns, that doesn't interfere with your enjoyment of a fine wine like this 2010 Ludes?

No. I have a high tolerance for spice, but in any case here the wine had a cooling effect on the food, and likewise the food helped tame the sugar. Really nice combo. I think this particular dish may have been too much for a typical Kabinett and dry Rieslings with typical Spatlese on the cusp. It truly worked. If it hadn’t, and if the food was stripping the wine of its essential character, I would have set the wine aside

 

[Jeff Grossman]

originally posted by Bill Lundstrom:

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
2017 Guímaro Camiño Real Ribeira Sacra is a delicious juicy Mencía-dominated old vines field blend that benefited from about 18 months in the cellar. A real bargain in today’s wine world.

I really like this producer and bought several assorted bottles recently.

And on the strength of these two recs, I picked up one today.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:

originally posted by Rahsaan:
Bravo for your cooking.

And for the wine selection.

But, I know people always say off-dry wines with spicy food. However, when you get to the level of 'serious heat' and mouth-numbing sichuan peppercorns, that doesn't interfere with your enjoyment of a fine wine like this 2010 Ludes?

No. I have a high tolerance for spice, but in any case here the wine had a cooling effect on the food, and likewise the food helped tame the sugar. Really nice combo. I think this particular dish may have been too much for a typical Kabinett and dry Rieslings with typical Spatlese on the cusp. It truly worked. If it hadn’t, and if the food was stripping the wine of its essential character, I would have set the wine aside

Well, sounds like it worked perfectly! Maybe not for everyone, but you're the one who matters.