Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Don + Melissa, Jay, Jayson, Jeff, Lisa, Seth, Victor
It is latke season. What is the best wine with latkes? Who knows?
Here, we are geeks. We're going to drink Victor's wines in numeric order and Lisa's wines in nanometric order (a topic for Jayson and Pierce because Jayson was a physicist once upon a time and Pierce is taking Kiddie E&M classes where wavelengths are the hot new thing.)
Did you know that Voyager 1 is now 22 light-hours away and still transmitting? They sure knew how to build them way back when (1977). It's expected to finally cease doing anything useful in 2025 due to finally running out of juice.
Meanwhile, Sherry-Lehmann, which has been operating for 43 years longer than Voyager, may go dark about the same time. Their balance sheet is a wreck from a failed nationwide expansion and from the pandemic reducing corporate buying.
On the bright side, if you want to buy something, Victor has given strong signals for Anjou Noir ($40,+13%).
Lisa and Victor pouring.
--
Victor-1
Lopez de Heredia 2014 Rioja Blanco "Vina Gravonia" - coconutty oak, good zing, not too ripe but showing a lot of elevage, I think it's heavy on its own but should be fine at the table; "some salinity" -Jay; Jayson guesses white LDH...
Day 3: The oxy edge is much more noticeable in the nose; the wine is still bright and clear; chewy on the palate, fresh and oxy flavors chasing each other, into and through the finish too; I can see that it is lovely but it is someone else's idea of beauty.
.
Lisa Red Dot, Yellow Dot
Eminence Road 2013 Cabernet Franc, Morehouse Road Vineyard - Red Dot; slightly bitter tannins, very focused, "tree bark" -Seth
Eminence Road 2013 Cabernet Franc, Elizabeth’s Vineyard - Yellow Dot; better nose than Red Dot, also broader and sweeter and slightly brettier
Day 1: "Two cab francs here" -Jayson, whereupon we guess all over the Loire... but they ain't, Victor says "NY" and Melissa says "Eminence Road"
Day 3: Red Dot: spice cake and pomegranate and a bit of damp earth, nice wine and holding up nicely, there is perhaps a sprinkle of brett here but plenty of body and plenty of warm red fruit to sing over it.
Yellow Dot: "That has horse manure all over it!" -Jim, I might've said more shoe polish and saddle leather but there is a bit of ol' Trigger in the finish. A good wine otherwise. Oh, well.
.
Victor-2, 3, 4
Ch. Certan de May 1988 Pomerol - 13%; balsam in the nose, assertive, "Bordeaux" -Seth, we somehow quickly get that it is an '88, "It's a merlot-based wine because, for an '88, this is pretty smooth" -Don, right bank therefore... Jayson names the house
Ch. Certan de May 1985 Pomerol - another Bordeaux, a bit older on the palate but the color is dark and purply still, softer acids and tannins, definitely sweeter than the '88, very easy to drink, "Seabreeze salinity" -Jayson, "A real reserved sweetness to it" -Don, "Lovely" -Jay
Ch. Certan de May 1981 Pomerol - nose is great while the palate is thinnest of the three
Day 1: "The '88 has time to go but the '85 is right there, right now" -Victor
Day 3: V-2: vigorous and beautiful, complicating notes of peanut skins, clove, and faint citrus
V-3: even better! more tapestry and fruit slightly redder, less thrust but great presence, I want this one on my table
V-4: akin to the '85 in flavor but a thinner texture, nicer on Day 1
.
Lisa Green Dot, Blue Dot
Ch. Rieussec 1989 Sauternes Grand Cru Classe - Green Dot; 14.5%(!); medium gold, very floral and fragrant, definitely Sauternes, Jay guesses Rieussec (yes!) then guesses '90 and then '89; intoxicating nose, incredible richness, smooth and balanced, "Creme brulee" -Melissa, it is kinda custardy
Ch. Suduiraut 2001 Sauternes Grand Cru Classe - Blue Dot; 14%; in a slightly lighter style with stronger acidity so we guess '01 (and it is!), more citrus, a few people says this is even sweeter than the Rieussec
Day 3: Green Dot: nose is mild, palate is plush and medium-sweet, glaceed apricots and some damp earth, good but no longer amazing
Blue Dot: wow nose, springs out of the glass at you, nose of oak and chalkboards, palate very marmalade
--
Happy Holidays everyone!
It is latke season. What is the best wine with latkes? Who knows?
Here, we are geeks. We're going to drink Victor's wines in numeric order and Lisa's wines in nanometric order (a topic for Jayson and Pierce because Jayson was a physicist once upon a time and Pierce is taking Kiddie E&M classes where wavelengths are the hot new thing.)
Did you know that Voyager 1 is now 22 light-hours away and still transmitting? They sure knew how to build them way back when (1977). It's expected to finally cease doing anything useful in 2025 due to finally running out of juice.
Meanwhile, Sherry-Lehmann, which has been operating for 43 years longer than Voyager, may go dark about the same time. Their balance sheet is a wreck from a failed nationwide expansion and from the pandemic reducing corporate buying.
On the bright side, if you want to buy something, Victor has given strong signals for Anjou Noir ($40,+13%).
Lisa and Victor pouring.
--
Victor-1
Lopez de Heredia 2014 Rioja Blanco "Vina Gravonia" - coconutty oak, good zing, not too ripe but showing a lot of elevage, I think it's heavy on its own but should be fine at the table; "some salinity" -Jay; Jayson guesses white LDH...
Day 3: The oxy edge is much more noticeable in the nose; the wine is still bright and clear; chewy on the palate, fresh and oxy flavors chasing each other, into and through the finish too; I can see that it is lovely but it is someone else's idea of beauty.
Lisa Red Dot, Yellow Dot
Eminence Road 2013 Cabernet Franc, Morehouse Road Vineyard - Red Dot; slightly bitter tannins, very focused, "tree bark" -Seth
Eminence Road 2013 Cabernet Franc, Elizabeth’s Vineyard - Yellow Dot; better nose than Red Dot, also broader and sweeter and slightly brettier
Day 1: "Two cab francs here" -Jayson, whereupon we guess all over the Loire... but they ain't, Victor says "NY" and Melissa says "Eminence Road"
Day 3: Red Dot: spice cake and pomegranate and a bit of damp earth, nice wine and holding up nicely, there is perhaps a sprinkle of brett here but plenty of body and plenty of warm red fruit to sing over it.
Yellow Dot: "That has horse manure all over it!" -Jim, I might've said more shoe polish and saddle leather but there is a bit of ol' Trigger in the finish. A good wine otherwise. Oh, well.
Victor-2, 3, 4
Ch. Certan de May 1988 Pomerol - 13%; balsam in the nose, assertive, "Bordeaux" -Seth, we somehow quickly get that it is an '88, "It's a merlot-based wine because, for an '88, this is pretty smooth" -Don, right bank therefore... Jayson names the house
Ch. Certan de May 1985 Pomerol - another Bordeaux, a bit older on the palate but the color is dark and purply still, softer acids and tannins, definitely sweeter than the '88, very easy to drink, "Seabreeze salinity" -Jayson, "A real reserved sweetness to it" -Don, "Lovely" -Jay
Ch. Certan de May 1981 Pomerol - nose is great while the palate is thinnest of the three
Day 1: "The '88 has time to go but the '85 is right there, right now" -Victor
Day 3: V-2: vigorous and beautiful, complicating notes of peanut skins, clove, and faint citrus
V-3: even better! more tapestry and fruit slightly redder, less thrust but great presence, I want this one on my table
V-4: akin to the '85 in flavor but a thinner texture, nicer on Day 1
Lisa Green Dot, Blue Dot
Ch. Rieussec 1989 Sauternes Grand Cru Classe - Green Dot; 14.5%(!); medium gold, very floral and fragrant, definitely Sauternes, Jay guesses Rieussec (yes!) then guesses '90 and then '89; intoxicating nose, incredible richness, smooth and balanced, "Creme brulee" -Melissa, it is kinda custardy
Ch. Suduiraut 2001 Sauternes Grand Cru Classe - Blue Dot; 14%; in a slightly lighter style with stronger acidity so we guess '01 (and it is!), more citrus, a few people says this is even sweeter than the Rieussec
Day 3: Green Dot: nose is mild, palate is plush and medium-sweet, glaceed apricots and some damp earth, good but no longer amazing
Blue Dot: wow nose, springs out of the glass at you, nose of oak and chalkboards, palate very marmalade
--
Happy Holidays everyone!
