Florida Jim
Florida Jim
Wine impressions 3-2-22
2011 Bouchard Pere & Fils, Corton - an hour in the decanter made a significant and positive difference. Iron and black fruit dominate but the nuance is coming on and the integration/balance was grand cru. No rush to drink but, with air, a superb bottle. Accompanied pork chop and a mashed potato, beet green, olive oil side dish.
2007 Bjornstad, Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - balanced, fully integrated and juicy orchard fruit scents and flavors. Fifteen years have been good to this. With cheese and crackers.
2020 Jadot, Pouilly-Fuisse - a step up from the Macon-Villages with greater sap and cut (although the Macon isn’t chopped liver). Just a touch of bitter brings the wine into clear focus. Salad, goat cheese and bread along side.
2019 Louis Michel, Forets - classic Forets; mineral/stone tones with lemon zest flavors off-set by bright acids. Several pundits believe this to be an age worthy vintage - ‘can’t argue. With sautéed chicken cutlets, roasted carrots, and a spinach and beet salad with goat cheese.
2018 Louis Michel, Montee de Tonnerre - of its place and with more energy than several of the other ‘18 Chablis I’ve tasted. And probably, a longer aging curve. Accompanied sautéed chicken with capers, roasted red potatoes and Caesar salad.
2020 Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages - the ripe year gives this more flesh than some other vintages yet there’s nothing cloying or out-sized here. Less than $10 at Sam’s; nice value. Served with Ranco Gordo bean soup.
2018 Louis Michel, Sechet - softer than the Montee but still balanced and true to its dirt. For near term drinking, I think, yet still charming. With grilled chicken and Caesar salad.
2018 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard - a light bodied but intense wine with verve. I don’t age these because they’re so delightful young. Next to pork chop, roasted carrots, broccoli and corn pudding.
2020 Navarro, Blanc de Noir - Pinot based bubbles from Anderson Valley; light, fresh, a touch of yeast and more flavor than expected. Really fun. As an aperitif.
2018 Vissoux, Fleurie Poncie - energetic, deep, slightly closed and just plain joyous. In a year or two, this will be heaven. With smoked pork loin - a great pairing.
2000 Carruades de Lafite - Paulliac in full song! Needed an hour to open and then it was all I could ask in a medium weight Bordeaux. So complex and balanced. With pepperoni pizza (of course).
2015 Cowan Cellars, Syrah Bennett Valley - fully integrated, nicely balanced, medium weight and intense. Lots of life left but really good now. With turkey sliders, oven fries and roasted carrots - worked well.
2014 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - so different from my 2012 and 2013 from the same rows; more black cherry and turned soil, and a bit rounder, too. Good with spaghetti with a mushroom red sauce and grilled chicken.
2020 Louis Claude Desvignes, Morgon Javernieres - somewhat closed but full flavored, not too ripe and quite deft on the palate. This should age well and still give pleasure now. With spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce and basil.
2018 Dirty and Rowdy, Mourvèdre Evangelho - medium bodied but intense, complex, long and just what you’d expect from this vineyard. Glorious wine. With cabbage and chickpea soup with pork.
2017 Louis Michel, Grenouilles - the best wine I tasted all last year and likely on its way to number one this year. The sap and depth here is at full grand cru level; the length is ridiculous; just about as good as Chablis ever needs to get for me. A masterpiece! Accompanied a cabbage and chickpea soup (second day) and they were made for each other. Oh my!
Best, Jim
2011 Bouchard Pere & Fils, Corton - an hour in the decanter made a significant and positive difference. Iron and black fruit dominate but the nuance is coming on and the integration/balance was grand cru. No rush to drink but, with air, a superb bottle. Accompanied pork chop and a mashed potato, beet green, olive oil side dish.
2007 Bjornstad, Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - balanced, fully integrated and juicy orchard fruit scents and flavors. Fifteen years have been good to this. With cheese and crackers.
2020 Jadot, Pouilly-Fuisse - a step up from the Macon-Villages with greater sap and cut (although the Macon isn’t chopped liver). Just a touch of bitter brings the wine into clear focus. Salad, goat cheese and bread along side.
2019 Louis Michel, Forets - classic Forets; mineral/stone tones with lemon zest flavors off-set by bright acids. Several pundits believe this to be an age worthy vintage - ‘can’t argue. With sautéed chicken cutlets, roasted carrots, and a spinach and beet salad with goat cheese.
2018 Louis Michel, Montee de Tonnerre - of its place and with more energy than several of the other ‘18 Chablis I’ve tasted. And probably, a longer aging curve. Accompanied sautéed chicken with capers, roasted red potatoes and Caesar salad.
2020 Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages - the ripe year gives this more flesh than some other vintages yet there’s nothing cloying or out-sized here. Less than $10 at Sam’s; nice value. Served with Ranco Gordo bean soup.
2018 Louis Michel, Sechet - softer than the Montee but still balanced and true to its dirt. For near term drinking, I think, yet still charming. With grilled chicken and Caesar salad.
2018 Birichino, Cinsault Bechthold Vineyard - a light bodied but intense wine with verve. I don’t age these because they’re so delightful young. Next to pork chop, roasted carrots, broccoli and corn pudding.
2020 Navarro, Blanc de Noir - Pinot based bubbles from Anderson Valley; light, fresh, a touch of yeast and more flavor than expected. Really fun. As an aperitif.
2018 Vissoux, Fleurie Poncie - energetic, deep, slightly closed and just plain joyous. In a year or two, this will be heaven. With smoked pork loin - a great pairing.
2000 Carruades de Lafite - Paulliac in full song! Needed an hour to open and then it was all I could ask in a medium weight Bordeaux. So complex and balanced. With pepperoni pizza (of course).
2015 Cowan Cellars, Syrah Bennett Valley - fully integrated, nicely balanced, medium weight and intense. Lots of life left but really good now. With turkey sliders, oven fries and roasted carrots - worked well.
2014 Cowan Cellars, Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - so different from my 2012 and 2013 from the same rows; more black cherry and turned soil, and a bit rounder, too. Good with spaghetti with a mushroom red sauce and grilled chicken.
2020 Louis Claude Desvignes, Morgon Javernieres - somewhat closed but full flavored, not too ripe and quite deft on the palate. This should age well and still give pleasure now. With spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce and basil.
2018 Dirty and Rowdy, Mourvèdre Evangelho - medium bodied but intense, complex, long and just what you’d expect from this vineyard. Glorious wine. With cabbage and chickpea soup with pork.
2017 Louis Michel, Grenouilles - the best wine I tasted all last year and likely on its way to number one this year. The sap and depth here is at full grand cru level; the length is ridiculous; just about as good as Chablis ever needs to get for me. A masterpiece! Accompanied a cabbage and chickpea soup (second day) and they were made for each other. Oh my!
Best, Jim
