Impressions 1-17-22

[Florida Jim]

Wine impressions 1-17-22

2017 Tatomer, Pinot Noir - Santa Barbara Pinot with sous bois from the get go and plenty of fruit following. At $20 a likely re-buy.

2018 Alvear, 3 Miradas - 100% PX, part direct press, part skin-fermented and finished under flor for 8 months. While this was complex and unique it’s a bit too aldehydic for me. Less than $20 but not a re-buy.

2012 Cowan Cellars, Isa - 100% skin-fermented Sauvignon Blanc aged in very old barrels for 28 months; burnished copper color, complex and savory nose with the impression of fruit but without varietal signature, honey, hay, broth - the nose alone is worth opening the bottle; similar in the mouth but again, an echo of unidentifiable fruit with lots of savory notes and middle weight textures all showing together and in balance. As attractive and distinctive an “orange” wine as I have tasted from anywhere. Yeah me!

2019 Louis Michel, Forets - sure it’s young but so precise and classic it just knocks me out. With swordfish in lemon sauce, oh yes!

2019 Vincent, Pinot Noir Armstrong Vnyd. - slightly displeased with being opened now but came around quickly. This wine is clearly from the Ribbon Ridge AVA but it’s not as hard as many RR Pinots can be to start with. Elegant, measured and complex with years ahead of it. Perfect with grilled Scottish salmon.

2018 Vissoux, Fleurie - starting to close a bit but still the Fleurie shines thru; light weight, feminine but intense. Needs a year or so but was great with roast chicken.

N/V Tarlant, Champagne Zero Brut Nature - a blast of fresh lemon at first but morphing beautifully into a wine that shows it’s three grape cepage. A bubbly with fruit but also all the cut one could ask. Big future, fine present.

2014 Piedrassasi, Red Wine Harrison-Clarke Vnyd. - 50/50 Mourvèdre and Syrah; gamey, complex, bright and evolving in the glass. I was fortunate to have tried the barrels prior to blending and both were outstanding, especially the Mourvèdre. The finished wine is glorious.

2019 Louis Michel, Les Clos - this is deep, sappy, flint tinted concentrate of Chablis with a grand and nuanced nose, broad spectrum minerality and a long - make that looong - finish. Another exceptional wine from this house. Years to go.
(Aside: Over the years, I have isolated producers who create wines that show well at all stages of development. Moreover, they do develop. So Michel, Vincent, Donnhoff and a few others are now my “buy by the case” go to wines each vintage. Make it good, make it so it doesn’t shut down and make it so it ages into something exceptional. That’s my kind of wine.)

Best, Jim

 

[Peter Creasey]

originally posted by Florida Jim: Impressions 1-17-22 So Michel, ... and a few others are now my “buy by the case” go to wines each vintage. Make it good, make it so it doesn’t shut down and make it so it ages into something exceptional. That’s my kind of wine.)

Jim, yes, I buy the Michel offerings whenever they come available here. Only wish it would be more often.

. . . . . . Pete

 

[Jayson Cohen]

Thanks Jim. I remember 2002 Michel MdT was funky on release in 2004, and after that I never reset my thinking to give them some time in the cellar to settle down.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by Florida Jim:
2014 Piedrassasi, Red Wine Harrison-Clarke Vnyd. - 50/50 Mourvèdre and Syrah; gamey, complex, bright and evolving in the glass. I was fortunate to have tried the barrels prior to blending and both were outstanding, especially the Mourvèdre. The finished wine is glorious.

For some reason, I'm really curious about these wines but never try them. Maybe it's the bottle that puts me off? Anyway, I'll work on grabbing a couple to check out.

originally posted by Florida Jim:
(Aside: Over the years, I have isolated producers who create wines that show well at all stages of development. Moreover, they do develop. So Michel, Vincent, Donnhoff and a few others are now my “buy by the case” go to wines each vintage. Make it good, make it so it doesn’t shut down and make it so it ages into something exceptional. That’s my kind of wine.)

I *think* we've discussed this before but this has come to be a real priority for me. My list of producers is a bit different but the sentiment is the same.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Florida Jim:
2014 Piedrassasi, Red Wine Harrison-Clarke Vnyd. - 50/50 Mourvèdre and Syrah; gamey, complex, bright and evolving in the glass. I was fortunate to have tried the barrels prior to blending and both were outstanding, especially the Mourvèdre. The finished wine is glorious.

For some reason, I'm really curious about these wines but never try them. Maybe it's the bottle that puts me off? Anyway, I'll work on grabbing a couple to check out.

originally posted by Florida Jim:
(Aside: Over the years, I have isolated producers who create wines that show well at all stages of development. Moreover, they do develop. So Michel, Vincent, Donnhoff and a few others are now my “buy by the case” go to wines each vintage. Make it good, make it so it doesn’t shut down and make it so it ages into something exceptional. That’s my kind of wine.)

I *think* we've discussed this before but this has come to be a real priority for me. My list of producers is a bit different but the sentiment is the same.

Such impatience. Do you think the ’93 and 99 Red Burgs that shut down for 15-20 years would become what they are without the benefit of patience? Or Prum and Schaefer that shut down in adolescence? Which isn’t to say that wines that drink well over their entire lifetimes aren’t a great category. But there is room for variety. Hell I’m not even going to get into Bordeaux since there are still treasure troves to explore there that the impatient dismissed long ago. There is room for both broad categories under my roof.

BTW, love ya, bro.

 

[Florida Jim]

Jayson,
I can’t speak for Nathan but I’m at a point where my age requires a different approach.
If I were leaving my cellar to someone like you, perhaps I’d see it differently. But I’m not.
My wife makes dinner almost every night and my job is to find something appropriate. Picking out something that won’t be drinkable for years isn’t on my radar screen.
Not saying folks shouldn’t wait for their 15-20 year wines. Just saying I won’t.
“To each his ever lovin’ blue eyed own.”
Best, Jim

 

[robert ames]

to all those that diss or stay away from louis michel chablis, i say, more power to you!!. . .because the prices remain mighty civilised for these wines.

i just had the 2019(!!) butteaux vieilles vignes and it was--and i have never used this descriptor for a chablis before--ballsy. unmistakably 1er cru chablis--but the combination of the style of the butteaux vineyard and the old vines took it places. it emphatically told you to shut up and go sit in the corner, because it was in charge. and i did.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Florida Jim:
2014 Piedrassasi, Red Wine Harrison-Clarke Vnyd. - 50/50 Mourvèdre and Syrah; gamey, complex, bright and evolving in the glass. I was fortunate to have tried the barrels prior to blending and both were outstanding, especially the Mourvèdre. The finished wine is glorious.

For some reason, I'm really curious about these wines but never try them. Maybe it's the bottle that puts me off? Anyway, I'll work on grabbing a couple to check out.

originally posted by Florida Jim:
(Aside: Over the years, I have isolated producers who create wines that show well at all stages of development. Moreover, they do develop. So Michel, Vincent, Donnhoff and a few others are now my “buy by the case” go to wines each vintage. Make it good, make it so it doesn’t shut down and make it so it ages into something exceptional. That’s my kind of wine.)

I *think* we've discussed this before but this has come to be a real priority for me. My list of producers is a bit different but the sentiment is the same.

Such impatience. Do you think the ’93 and 99 Red Burgs that shut down for 15-20 years would become what they are without the benefit of patience? Or Prum and Schaefer that shut down in adolescence? Which isn’t to say that wines that drink well over their entire lifetimes aren’t a great category. But there is room for variety. Hell I’m not even going to get into Bordeaux since there are still treasure troves to explore there that the impatient dismissed long ago. There is room for both broad categories under my roof.

BTW, love ya, bro.

I mean, I still buy Barthod, Lignier, Levet, Conterno, etc. but I value the likes of Mugneret-Gibourg and Roddolo more because they are almost always delicious no matter where they are in their evolution. I also don't value tertiary and trufflelike aromas as much as others do.

Oh, 1999 red Burgundies were delicious young and for years. Some never really shut down hard, IME.

Bises.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

originally posted by Florida Jim:
Jayson,
I can’t speak for Nathan but I’m at a point where my age requires a different approach.
If I were leaving my cellar to someone like you, perhaps I’d see it differently. But I’m not.
My wife makes dinner almost every night and my job is to find something appropriate. Picking out something that won’t be drinkable for years isn’t on my radar screen.
Not saying folks shouldn’t wait for their 15-20 year wines. Just saying I won’t.
“To each his ever lovin’ blue eyed own.”
Best, Jim

I’m no doubt getting there too, Jim. I am not cellaring young vintages now expecting to see them at maturity in my lifetime. That’s true. But patience has had a role in getting me to where I am and my cellar to where it is. And that patience understood that certain wines would not drink well throughout their life. And that continues to be the case at least for the next few years for certain wines.

You are right that I may reach a point where I feel entirely differently. I am already well past deep young cellar buys in Bordeaux and Burgundy. As opposed to backfilling and auction buys. I marvel at guys like Levenberg who continue down that path although he is a lot younger. That said, I am resigned to leaving a lot of wine to my kids to with what they please. I’m guessing they sell all at a massive HDH or Winebid blowout.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Florida Jim:
2014 Piedrassasi, Red Wine Harrison-Clarke Vnyd. - 50/50 Mourvèdre and Syrah; gamey, complex, bright and evolving in the glass. I was fortunate to have tried the barrels prior to blending and both were outstanding, especially the Mourvèdre. The finished wine is glorious.

For some reason, I'm really curious about these wines but never try them. Maybe it's the bottle that puts me off? Anyway, I'll work on grabbing a couple to check out.

originally posted by Florida Jim:
(Aside: Over the years, I have isolated producers who create wines that show well at all stages of development. Moreover, they do develop. So Michel, Vincent, Donnhoff and a few others are now my “buy by the case” go to wines each vintage. Make it good, make it so it doesn’t shut down and make it so it ages into something exceptional. That’s my kind of wine.)

I *think* we've discussed this before but this has come to be a real priority for me. My list of producers is a bit different but the sentiment is the same.

Such impatience. Do you think the ’93 and 99 Red Burgs that shut down for 15-20 years would become what they are without the benefit of patience? Or Prum and Schaefer that shut down in adolescence? Which isn’t to say that wines that drink well over their entire lifetimes aren’t a great category. But there is room for variety. Hell I’m not even going to get into Bordeaux since there are still treasure troves to explore there that the impatient dismissed long ago. There is room for both broad categories under my roof.

BTW, love ya, bro.

I mean, I still buy Barthod, Lignier, Levet, Conterno, etc. but I value the likes of Mugneret-Gibourg and Roddolo more because they are almost always delicious no matter where they are in their evolution. I also don't value tertiary and trufflelike aromas as much as others do.

Oh, 1999 red Burgundies were delicious young and for years. Some never really shut down hard, IME.

Bises.

Yeah. You say the magic M-G words and I’m jealous. Thank goodness I have an in with the CT branch of the Politburo.

 

[Ian Fitzsimmons]

originally posted by robert ames:
to all those that diss or stay away from louis michel chablis, i say, more power to you!!. . .because the prices remain mighty civilised for these wines.

i just had the 2019(!!) butteaux vieilles vignes and it was--and i have never used this descriptor for a chablis before--ballsy. unmistakably 1er cru chablis--but the combination of the style of the butteaux vineyard and the old vines took it places. it emphatically told you to shut up and go sit in the corner, because it was in charge. and i did.

They've already taken a great leap forward over the last couple of years in my locality, from $35 for premiers, through $40 to, now, $50. I know Greg at Envoyer still brings them in at $35, but ... you have to buy a case at a time there to make the shipping work out, and I'm beyond purchasing case-wise (see thread above about cellar management and aging).

FWIW, Michel's Butteaux VV has been my personal darling, finishing ahead of the Montee de Tonnerre by between a nose and a head in favorable vintages.