Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Jay+Arnold, Jim+Jeff, Scott, Don, Lisa, Paul
There has been so much talk, down through the years, of Birthday Jeebuses and birthdays coming up and birthdays just past and birthdays left uncounted, but here, folks, we've got a live one: Jay, birthday, today.
The greatest gift we could give, of course, was that we did not sing the song. Instead, we went to one of his favorite Jersey City places, where everybody knows his name, and committed great jeebusry together:
Brun J P (Terres Dorees) 2021 Beaujolais "L'Ancien" - a big, effusive, fruity puppy dog! juicy, midweight, shows a bit of watermelon later, good wine
Day 3: a more prominent note of earth, the blue fruit giving way to geranium, still lovely but three days without a cork in the neck is all she goes
Pierre Menard (La Varenne de Chanze) 2019 Anjou - 14.1%, so-called 'Anjou Noir', Don says the makers are really dialing it in: very minerally, so much so that I find the fruit is slightly suppressed, pure and crystalline and musky long into the finish; the label is so French: first, it says "Chenin sur roche de schiste" then paraphrases a few lines from "J'arrive où je suis étranger" by Louis Aragon
Calsac NV Champagne 1er Extra Brut BdB "l'Echappee Belle" - base wine 2019, disg 2021, 3 g/l dosage, 12% alc, now you know that I like this wine so take it the right way when I say that I poured it and was totally wowed by the smell of fried chicken, then hot dinner rolls, and then apricot preserves; the palate is a bit strict/severe but those aren't wood tannins so perhaps I just took the minerality that way (once I got over the lees excitement)
Dauvissat 2002 Chablis 1er "La Forest" - a bottle that had Don worried as he bought a 3-pak on release and... forgot about them till now(!); so, here's the first, and the Villain Gods of Prem-Ox have apparently also overlooked these bottles: a bit of funk blows off soon, and the wine is beautiful, golden fruit, sufficient acidity, long finish, I like La Forest and this is a fine, ready-to-go bottle
Nikolaihof 2000 Riesling Vom Stein Federspiel - 11.5%, alas this is too old, not totally shot but not nice
Prum J J 2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - very slightly corked, drat the luck
Muller-Catoir 2001 Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Spatlese "2133" - 11.5%, oh, the geekery of it all! Jay has said elsewhere nearby that the urgent spark of life isn't here anymore but there is a delicious wine left in its place: glyceral, surprisingly sweet and warming, acids are a little soft but this is an old comfy riesling blanket
Day 7: flavors are just-so underripe, so perfectly chosen, but the acidity is waning, whistle-clean fruit means that all its 20+ year age shines through (the sweetness slowly fading into umami)
Drouhin 1993 Bonnes-Mares GC - good acids and bright red fruit, a whiff of mint and cocoa and steel adds interest, terrific Burgundy, an incredibly youthful showing
Jadot 1996 Bonnes-Mares GC - this is the baritone to the Drouhin's tenor: a darker shade of fruit, shows riper and warmer than the '93, exquisite texture to support and deliver the flavors
Jadot 1997 Bonnes-Mares GC - over the top fruity, acidity is a little soft compared to the two rock-crushers drunk before it, a mix of red and yellow fruits, not very intellectual but entirely consumable, "A gateway drug into Burgundy" -Don
Huet 1997 Vouvray Moelleux "Clos du Bourg" 1er Trie - a great way to finish: strong acids, sweetness is just a bit much but it manages to avoid being overly viscous or clinging
Happy Birthday, Jay.
There has been so much talk, down through the years, of Birthday Jeebuses and birthdays coming up and birthdays just past and birthdays left uncounted, but here, folks, we've got a live one: Jay, birthday, today.
The greatest gift we could give, of course, was that we did not sing the song. Instead, we went to one of his favorite Jersey City places, where everybody knows his name, and committed great jeebusry together:
Brun J P (Terres Dorees) 2021 Beaujolais "L'Ancien" - a big, effusive, fruity puppy dog! juicy, midweight, shows a bit of watermelon later, good wine
Day 3: a more prominent note of earth, the blue fruit giving way to geranium, still lovely but three days without a cork in the neck is all she goes
Pierre Menard (La Varenne de Chanze) 2019 Anjou - 14.1%, so-called 'Anjou Noir', Don says the makers are really dialing it in: very minerally, so much so that I find the fruit is slightly suppressed, pure and crystalline and musky long into the finish; the label is so French: first, it says "Chenin sur roche de schiste" then paraphrases a few lines from "J'arrive où je suis étranger" by Louis Aragon
Calsac NV Champagne 1er Extra Brut BdB "l'Echappee Belle" - base wine 2019, disg 2021, 3 g/l dosage, 12% alc, now you know that I like this wine so take it the right way when I say that I poured it and was totally wowed by the smell of fried chicken, then hot dinner rolls, and then apricot preserves; the palate is a bit strict/severe but those aren't wood tannins so perhaps I just took the minerality that way (once I got over the lees excitement)
Dauvissat 2002 Chablis 1er "La Forest" - a bottle that had Don worried as he bought a 3-pak on release and... forgot about them till now(!); so, here's the first, and the Villain Gods of Prem-Ox have apparently also overlooked these bottles: a bit of funk blows off soon, and the wine is beautiful, golden fruit, sufficient acidity, long finish, I like La Forest and this is a fine, ready-to-go bottle
Nikolaihof 2000 Riesling Vom Stein Federspiel - 11.5%, alas this is too old, not totally shot but not nice
Prum J J 2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - very slightly corked, drat the luck
Muller-Catoir 2001 Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Spatlese "2133" - 11.5%, oh, the geekery of it all! Jay has said elsewhere nearby that the urgent spark of life isn't here anymore but there is a delicious wine left in its place: glyceral, surprisingly sweet and warming, acids are a little soft but this is an old comfy riesling blanket
Day 7: flavors are just-so underripe, so perfectly chosen, but the acidity is waning, whistle-clean fruit means that all its 20+ year age shines through (the sweetness slowly fading into umami)
Drouhin 1993 Bonnes-Mares GC - good acids and bright red fruit, a whiff of mint and cocoa and steel adds interest, terrific Burgundy, an incredibly youthful showing
Jadot 1996 Bonnes-Mares GC - this is the baritone to the Drouhin's tenor: a darker shade of fruit, shows riper and warmer than the '93, exquisite texture to support and deliver the flavors
Jadot 1997 Bonnes-Mares GC - over the top fruity, acidity is a little soft compared to the two rock-crushers drunk before it, a mix of red and yellow fruits, not very intellectual but entirely consumable, "A gateway drug into Burgundy" -Don
Huet 1997 Vouvray Moelleux "Clos du Bourg" 1er Trie - a great way to finish: strong acids, sweetness is just a bit much but it manages to avoid being overly viscous or clinging
Happy Birthday, Jay.
