Some thoughts about some wines I had with friends this weekend at a neighborhood bistro located in SoMa:
White:
'08 Huet Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie
'96 Huet Clos de Bourg Première Trie
'96 Huet Clos de Bourg Sec
'90 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Trie Spéciale
'17 "La Roue qui Tourne” Blanc, Marie Thibault (sparkler)
'09 Clos Rougeard Breze
'18 Bernaudeau Les Ongles
'14 Robert Mondavi Winery Fumé Blanc To-Kalon I Block
Red
'09 Clos Rougeard Bourg
'09 Baudry Croix Boissee
'02 Breton Bourgueil Perrières
'89 Raffault Picasses
'17 Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil Clos Nouveau
'19 Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Franc de Pied
The '89 Raffault Picasses and the '09 Clos Rougeard Bourg were my co-reds of the nights. It was an interesting contrast. The '89 Raffault had fully resolved tannins, great length and concentration, and elegance. Textbook, archetypal Chinon is a good way to describe it. And I have such fond memories of the '85 Raffault Picasses one of the wines that turned me onto Loire Cab Francs. A trip down memory lane.
In contrast, the Clos Rougeard had an incredibly silky texture and elegance paired with power and density (and an lifted jolt of refreshing energy on the finish). Arguably the Clos Rougeard was more complex, but the Raffault was in such a pretty place on its aging curve.
'09 Baudry Croix Boissee was also a standout mainly because I brought it (jk). I don’t want to say rustic, but “feral” is perhaps a good way to describe the texture and rough edges that made the wine so compelling to me. It definitely kept up with the Clos Rougeard and I do think it will probably just get better with age. Nothing modern about this wine at all. And the '02 Breton was a real treat light, delicate, but the spiky acidity made it really appealing, especially as a food wine drunk with good bistro fare.
It was very interesting to contrast these wines with the Germain and the Gauthier wines. Germain, I felt, had more polish than the Rougeard, maybe even “slickness” is a better way to describe it -- yet, there was a mineral depth and complexity to the wine as well...perhaps related to the own-rooted vines. On the other hand, the Clos Nouveau was just so big and tannic -- should be interesting in 10+ years if not longer, but hard to get a fair read of it today. Some people thought the plushy texture and generous fruit felt "modern," but maybe it had more to do with the vintage. I don't have too much experience with this producer, but I plan to pay closer attention.
My favorite dry whites were the '18 Bernaudeau Les Ongles (what a kaleidoscope of citrus, minerals, and salinity on the palate) and the '96 Huet Le Mont Sec spry, energetic, and drinking surprisingly young. Deep regrets about missing the boat on Bernaudeau -- sounds like it has become unobtainium now.
Tbh, the Baumard was a little too big and the cheesy funk was a little too much for me. Great wine, but not really my cuppa. I also thought the Clos Rougeard Breze had an off-putting oxidized note on my first pour, but it did clear up with some more air. However, something still seemed off with it.
'96 Huet CdB Premiere Trie was firing on all cylinders and was in a really lovely place. The '08 Huet Le Mont Premiere Trie seemed a little off I’m assuming VA, but hard to tell. Folks at the table had a bunch of theories.
(And the sparkler was a great, refreshing aperitif while the Mondavi was surprisingly interesting despite being very rich and very Sauvignon Blanc).
White:
'08 Huet Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie
'96 Huet Clos de Bourg Première Trie
'96 Huet Clos de Bourg Sec
'90 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Trie Spéciale
'17 "La Roue qui Tourne” Blanc, Marie Thibault (sparkler)
'09 Clos Rougeard Breze
'18 Bernaudeau Les Ongles
'14 Robert Mondavi Winery Fumé Blanc To-Kalon I Block
Red
'09 Clos Rougeard Bourg
'09 Baudry Croix Boissee
'02 Breton Bourgueil Perrières
'89 Raffault Picasses
'17 Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil Clos Nouveau
'19 Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Franc de Pied
The '89 Raffault Picasses and the '09 Clos Rougeard Bourg were my co-reds of the nights. It was an interesting contrast. The '89 Raffault had fully resolved tannins, great length and concentration, and elegance. Textbook, archetypal Chinon is a good way to describe it. And I have such fond memories of the '85 Raffault Picasses one of the wines that turned me onto Loire Cab Francs. A trip down memory lane.
In contrast, the Clos Rougeard had an incredibly silky texture and elegance paired with power and density (and an lifted jolt of refreshing energy on the finish). Arguably the Clos Rougeard was more complex, but the Raffault was in such a pretty place on its aging curve.
'09 Baudry Croix Boissee was also a standout mainly because I brought it (jk). I don’t want to say rustic, but “feral” is perhaps a good way to describe the texture and rough edges that made the wine so compelling to me. It definitely kept up with the Clos Rougeard and I do think it will probably just get better with age. Nothing modern about this wine at all. And the '02 Breton was a real treat light, delicate, but the spiky acidity made it really appealing, especially as a food wine drunk with good bistro fare.
It was very interesting to contrast these wines with the Germain and the Gauthier wines. Germain, I felt, had more polish than the Rougeard, maybe even “slickness” is a better way to describe it -- yet, there was a mineral depth and complexity to the wine as well...perhaps related to the own-rooted vines. On the other hand, the Clos Nouveau was just so big and tannic -- should be interesting in 10+ years if not longer, but hard to get a fair read of it today. Some people thought the plushy texture and generous fruit felt "modern," but maybe it had more to do with the vintage. I don't have too much experience with this producer, but I plan to pay closer attention.
My favorite dry whites were the '18 Bernaudeau Les Ongles (what a kaleidoscope of citrus, minerals, and salinity on the palate) and the '96 Huet Le Mont Sec spry, energetic, and drinking surprisingly young. Deep regrets about missing the boat on Bernaudeau -- sounds like it has become unobtainium now.
Tbh, the Baumard was a little too big and the cheesy funk was a little too much for me. Great wine, but not really my cuppa. I also thought the Clos Rougeard Breze had an off-putting oxidized note on my first pour, but it did clear up with some more air. However, something still seemed off with it.
'96 Huet CdB Premiere Trie was firing on all cylinders and was in a really lovely place. The '08 Huet Le Mont Premiere Trie seemed a little off I’m assuming VA, but hard to tell. Folks at the table had a bunch of theories.
(And the sparkler was a great, refreshing aperitif while the Mondavi was surprisingly interesting despite being very rich and very Sauvignon Blanc).