Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Don+Melissa, Eden+Scott, Jay, Jayson, Jeff, Lisa, Victor
Welcome home, Jayson.
Jay and Eden pour. Both of them promise a wild ride.
E1. Loire, says she. Well... it's a pale white, with good acidity, a hint of resin (but other people say it's licorice), "tropical" -Melissa, whatever it is it feels rustic, we guess all kinds of things that aren't right (chenin, chardonnay, romarantin, sauv blanc) but we are loving it; this would be great at the table. We call for the reveal: Clau de Nell 2020 VdF Blanc de Noirs. We know the maker, of course -- Leflaive can't buy a stick of gum without somebody noticing -- but none of us have ever heard of cab franc blanc de noirs!
=> Research: 2020 was the first vintage; the vines are 45 years; farming is biodynamic; they pick about two weeks ahead of when the grapes would be ready for a red wine; pressed gently, raised in neutral wood and vats.
E2. You'll never guess it, says she. Some might take that as a dare but, knowing this group, it is actually a fait accompli. But we're keen to try: this is a medium gold wine, big and viscous and "very tannic" -Jay, "a surprising amount of tannins" -Melissa; there is a little bit of apple, "skin contact?" -Don (yes, 10 days); still, the palate is a little subdued so we yield: Formiche 2020 IGT, Costa Toscana "Integrale". Yup, Eden is right. And here's why.
=> Research: four drinking buddies - who just happened to be three winemakers and an agronomist - decide to give it a go; they feel drawn to ansonica, a nearly-forgotten grape that grows only in coastal Maremma; they eventually find 2 ha of it, revive the vineyard, and are bottling in the natural wine style (e.g., herbal teas, minimal sulfur)
J1. I don't expect you to guess this one, says he. This is a lightweight wine, crisp and brisk, a pale raspberry color. "Red ansonica!", I declare triumphantly; but no. We place it in France pretty quickly and into the Loire only after a lot of other things are nixed (gamay, Beaujolais, pinot noir, Anjou, pineau d'aunis, cab franc, cot). It is really pleasant stuff, "light on its feet" -Jay, with "a nice cherry note" -Victor, reminds me of dolcetto or freisa. After scratching our heads a bit, Don remembers grolleau and indeed that is it: Baudry 2023 Grolleau "Franc de Pied".
=> Research: "...produced from 14-year-old ungrafted— franc de pied -vines in a small sandy parcel on the banks of the Vienne, ...Matthieu ferments the Grolleau whole-cluster and ages it in tank, producing a juicy libation brimming with lively fruit marked by the silky, sensuous texture of an unfiltered bottling." -Anthony Lynch (of KL)
E3. and E4. Finally, a pair. The very first thing, E4 gives me that milky thing that I associate with young syrah so I guess syrah; no. We sip the two. They are very similar. Rather dark in color ("Black wine of Cahor? -Don; no), certainly Old World (yes), medium-weight, a hefty dose of alcohol so bruising but also satin-y textured. E3 is the more elegant of the two, while E4 is more juicy and powerful and tapenade-like. Eden says they are Rhone and Jay immediately guesses grenache; yes. (This is an OMG moment... Jay appears to like these two. Anyway, after a little more poking around I place the wine in Gigondas; yes; and we call for the reveal: Ch. St. Cosme 2007 Gigondas "Valbelle" and Ch. St. Cosme 2007 Gigondas "Le Claux".
=> Research: "...All four of the single-vineyard releases (Valbelle, Le Claux, Hominis Fides and Le Poste) are almost all Grenache (the Valbelle incorporates 10% Syrah) and are aged in 30% new Burgundy barrels, with the balance consisting of 1-, 2- and 3-year-old barrels. The Valbelle was first made in 1993, the Hominis Fides in 2003, and both the Le Poste and Le Claux were first introduced in 2006. The Valbelle and Hominis Fides both come from sand and limestone-driven soils and a plot of vines located just down the street from the domaine, on the north side of the La Payouse Street, which leads into the Village of Gigondas. The Le Claux lies on the other side of the street and consists of vines planted before 1914 and more clay, gravel and limestone-driven soils, without the sand component that’s found in the Hominis Fides."
J2 and J3. Another pair. "A tribute to Chris and Lisa", says he. Well, J2 is pretty awful: very dark, super-sweet, thick and heavy, and plenty alcoholic. Bleh. "Zin" -Melissa; yes. Have I said how awful this is yet? J3, amazingly enough, is even darker, virtually black and opaque! But the bouquet and palate are much lighter, some red fruit, some berries, it's not a great speaker but it can hold forth a little without resorting to baby talk. Surprisingly good, though not in anybody's usual style. The reveal: Turley 2012 Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard, Paso Robles and Turley 2013 Petite Sirah, Hayne Vineyard, Napa Valley. Jay explains that Chris and Lisa have always expressed interest in the Turley wines but, in their early days, Jay found the wines much too extracted and heavy. But, it is said on teh intertubez that Turley aimed for a lighter style in later vintages. So, here are two. As has been said before, the petite sirah is likely immortal in its 'good enough' way but the zin is still um, er, best avoided.
J4. I'll try to make it up to you, says he. Well, one sip and this is tangy and has some age on it. "Pinot noir" -Victor; yes. Still, it's pretty sturdy for pinot noir, this is not a shy wine... lots of intensity, mix of black and red fruits, Jayson guesses Burgundy (yes) and Melissa guesses '90s (Yes) whereupon we all guess Drouhin (this is Jay, after all). I ask whether it is from Morey-St-Denis (after some thought, Jay says no) and Jayson nails it as '93 Bonnes-Mares: Drouhin 1993 Bonnes-Mares GC. Beautiful wine, works with everything on my dinner table, thank you Jay.
=> Jay explains that Drouhin's vines are all on the Chambolle side of the vineyard hence not from MSD!
J5. Straight off, three of us mention salt air, brine, and black olives. We guess syrah (yes) but have to guess around a bit (Hermitage? Texier? Cornas?) until we finally land on Cote-Rotie. And it's a short jump from there to Levet, indeed: Levet 2004 Cote-Rotie "La Peroline". There's a touch of shoe polish in here but it's great wine.
E5. A sweetie, with a gold label, too! I get saffron, apricot, orange marmalade, a little spice. It is very yummy. I guess riesling (no) and then several people guess tokaji (yes). We work on the maker and the puttonyos for a while but none of us knows these wines well enough. Reveal: Oremus 2013 Tokaji Aszu, 6 Puttonyos.
=> Research: 25% Furmint, 25% Hárslevelü, 25% Sargamuskotaly, 25% Zéta. 10% alcohol. The winery is owned by the Tempos Vega Sicilia Group, who acquired it after the fall of communism. The vineyards are located at 200 meters above sea level, there are 82 hectares of vineyard with 12-year-old vines and a yield of 172 kilos per hectare. Vinified with 6 puttonyos (6 baskets of 25 kg of grapes with botrytis (== Aszú)) are added to the must in a Hungarian “de Gönc” oak barrel (136 liters). The noble berries are macerated there and, a day or two later, when they have swollen, they’re gently pressed. Fermentation is very slow and can take up to two months. Then Aszú berry essence is added and finally the wine ages in new Hungarian oak barrels for 2 and a half years.
Yes, Eden did provide Hanukkah gelt with her bottles but she said they were not meant to pair.
Day 2:
J2/Turley Zin- just this side of a blueberry milkshake... with oak; honestly, DNPIM
J4/Drouhin- still wow, tongue-coating, just-enough acidity, reddish fruits
E1/Nell- even more robust, white pepper, pale tea, a faint whiff of wintergreen or parsley
E2/Integrale- mildly floral but lacks a clear personality
E3/Cosme Valbelle- OK
E4/Cosme Claux- a little firmer, maybe some iron showing?
E5/Oremus- still beautiful, so floral, so apricot
Another lovely evening with friends. And... some of the wine.
Welcome home, Jayson.
Jay and Eden pour. Both of them promise a wild ride.
E1. Loire, says she. Well... it's a pale white, with good acidity, a hint of resin (but other people say it's licorice), "tropical" -Melissa, whatever it is it feels rustic, we guess all kinds of things that aren't right (chenin, chardonnay, romarantin, sauv blanc) but we are loving it; this would be great at the table. We call for the reveal: Clau de Nell 2020 VdF Blanc de Noirs. We know the maker, of course -- Leflaive can't buy a stick of gum without somebody noticing -- but none of us have ever heard of cab franc blanc de noirs!
=> Research: 2020 was the first vintage; the vines are 45 years; farming is biodynamic; they pick about two weeks ahead of when the grapes would be ready for a red wine; pressed gently, raised in neutral wood and vats.
E2. You'll never guess it, says she. Some might take that as a dare but, knowing this group, it is actually a fait accompli. But we're keen to try: this is a medium gold wine, big and viscous and "very tannic" -Jay, "a surprising amount of tannins" -Melissa; there is a little bit of apple, "skin contact?" -Don (yes, 10 days); still, the palate is a little subdued so we yield: Formiche 2020 IGT, Costa Toscana "Integrale". Yup, Eden is right. And here's why.
=> Research: four drinking buddies - who just happened to be three winemakers and an agronomist - decide to give it a go; they feel drawn to ansonica, a nearly-forgotten grape that grows only in coastal Maremma; they eventually find 2 ha of it, revive the vineyard, and are bottling in the natural wine style (e.g., herbal teas, minimal sulfur)
J1. I don't expect you to guess this one, says he. This is a lightweight wine, crisp and brisk, a pale raspberry color. "Red ansonica!", I declare triumphantly; but no. We place it in France pretty quickly and into the Loire only after a lot of other things are nixed (gamay, Beaujolais, pinot noir, Anjou, pineau d'aunis, cab franc, cot). It is really pleasant stuff, "light on its feet" -Jay, with "a nice cherry note" -Victor, reminds me of dolcetto or freisa. After scratching our heads a bit, Don remembers grolleau and indeed that is it: Baudry 2023 Grolleau "Franc de Pied".
=> Research: "...produced from 14-year-old ungrafted— franc de pied -vines in a small sandy parcel on the banks of the Vienne, ...Matthieu ferments the Grolleau whole-cluster and ages it in tank, producing a juicy libation brimming with lively fruit marked by the silky, sensuous texture of an unfiltered bottling." -Anthony Lynch (of KL)
E3. and E4. Finally, a pair. The very first thing, E4 gives me that milky thing that I associate with young syrah so I guess syrah; no. We sip the two. They are very similar. Rather dark in color ("Black wine of Cahor? -Don; no), certainly Old World (yes), medium-weight, a hefty dose of alcohol so bruising but also satin-y textured. E3 is the more elegant of the two, while E4 is more juicy and powerful and tapenade-like. Eden says they are Rhone and Jay immediately guesses grenache; yes. (This is an OMG moment... Jay appears to like these two. Anyway, after a little more poking around I place the wine in Gigondas; yes; and we call for the reveal: Ch. St. Cosme 2007 Gigondas "Valbelle" and Ch. St. Cosme 2007 Gigondas "Le Claux".
=> Research: "...All four of the single-vineyard releases (Valbelle, Le Claux, Hominis Fides and Le Poste) are almost all Grenache (the Valbelle incorporates 10% Syrah) and are aged in 30% new Burgundy barrels, with the balance consisting of 1-, 2- and 3-year-old barrels. The Valbelle was first made in 1993, the Hominis Fides in 2003, and both the Le Poste and Le Claux were first introduced in 2006. The Valbelle and Hominis Fides both come from sand and limestone-driven soils and a plot of vines located just down the street from the domaine, on the north side of the La Payouse Street, which leads into the Village of Gigondas. The Le Claux lies on the other side of the street and consists of vines planted before 1914 and more clay, gravel and limestone-driven soils, without the sand component that’s found in the Hominis Fides."
J2 and J3. Another pair. "A tribute to Chris and Lisa", says he. Well, J2 is pretty awful: very dark, super-sweet, thick and heavy, and plenty alcoholic. Bleh. "Zin" -Melissa; yes. Have I said how awful this is yet? J3, amazingly enough, is even darker, virtually black and opaque! But the bouquet and palate are much lighter, some red fruit, some berries, it's not a great speaker but it can hold forth a little without resorting to baby talk. Surprisingly good, though not in anybody's usual style. The reveal: Turley 2012 Zinfandel, Pesenti Vineyard, Paso Robles and Turley 2013 Petite Sirah, Hayne Vineyard, Napa Valley. Jay explains that Chris and Lisa have always expressed interest in the Turley wines but, in their early days, Jay found the wines much too extracted and heavy. But, it is said on teh intertubez that Turley aimed for a lighter style in later vintages. So, here are two. As has been said before, the petite sirah is likely immortal in its 'good enough' way but the zin is still um, er, best avoided.
J4. I'll try to make it up to you, says he. Well, one sip and this is tangy and has some age on it. "Pinot noir" -Victor; yes. Still, it's pretty sturdy for pinot noir, this is not a shy wine... lots of intensity, mix of black and red fruits, Jayson guesses Burgundy (yes) and Melissa guesses '90s (Yes) whereupon we all guess Drouhin (this is Jay, after all). I ask whether it is from Morey-St-Denis (after some thought, Jay says no) and Jayson nails it as '93 Bonnes-Mares: Drouhin 1993 Bonnes-Mares GC. Beautiful wine, works with everything on my dinner table, thank you Jay.
=> Jay explains that Drouhin's vines are all on the Chambolle side of the vineyard hence not from MSD!
J5. Straight off, three of us mention salt air, brine, and black olives. We guess syrah (yes) but have to guess around a bit (Hermitage? Texier? Cornas?) until we finally land on Cote-Rotie. And it's a short jump from there to Levet, indeed: Levet 2004 Cote-Rotie "La Peroline". There's a touch of shoe polish in here but it's great wine.
E5. A sweetie, with a gold label, too! I get saffron, apricot, orange marmalade, a little spice. It is very yummy. I guess riesling (no) and then several people guess tokaji (yes). We work on the maker and the puttonyos for a while but none of us knows these wines well enough. Reveal: Oremus 2013 Tokaji Aszu, 6 Puttonyos.
=> Research: 25% Furmint, 25% Hárslevelü, 25% Sargamuskotaly, 25% Zéta. 10% alcohol. The winery is owned by the Tempos Vega Sicilia Group, who acquired it after the fall of communism. The vineyards are located at 200 meters above sea level, there are 82 hectares of vineyard with 12-year-old vines and a yield of 172 kilos per hectare. Vinified with 6 puttonyos (6 baskets of 25 kg of grapes with botrytis (== Aszú)) are added to the must in a Hungarian “de Gönc” oak barrel (136 liters). The noble berries are macerated there and, a day or two later, when they have swollen, they’re gently pressed. Fermentation is very slow and can take up to two months. Then Aszú berry essence is added and finally the wine ages in new Hungarian oak barrels for 2 and a half years.
Yes, Eden did provide Hanukkah gelt with her bottles but she said they were not meant to pair.
Day 2:
J2/Turley Zin- just this side of a blueberry milkshake... with oak; honestly, DNPIM
J4/Drouhin- still wow, tongue-coating, just-enough acidity, reddish fruits
E1/Nell- even more robust, white pepper, pale tea, a faint whiff of wintergreen or parsley
E2/Integrale- mildly floral but lacks a clear personality
E3/Cosme Valbelle- OK
E4/Cosme Claux- a little firmer, maybe some iron showing?
E5/Oremus- still beautiful, so floral, so apricot
Another lovely evening with friends. And... some of the wine.