Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Don+Melissa, Eden+Scott, Jay, Jayson, Jeff, Lisa, Victor
Zoom! Little bottles, bottles. Zoom! Little bottles....
Jay and Eden pouring. It was supposed to have been Seth's turn but his entire household caught something; I don't think it was brett but, anyway, Eden graciously donned her Lord High Substitute hat and jumped in.
Jay has served all reds so we both start and finish with Eden's selections.
E1. Cotat, F. 2015 Sancerre "Les Culs de Beaujeu" - This immediately smells well: beautiful bouquet, creamy, flowery; but the palate is a lot less impressive, closed and flat. Being who we are we start our guessing at chenin (no), Rhone (no), France (yes), Loire (yes), and after a little more head-scratching, sauvignon blanc (yes). "Has sauvignon blanc character in the finish" -Jayson. "Has an anisette top note in the fragrance" -Jayson. "Spicy, peppery nose" -Victor. Don and Jayson eventually id the maker and vineyard.
Day 2...Jay: The Culs de b Sancerre was much better today. Delish!
Day 5...Jeff: so much better; orange and lemon pith on the attack; yellow fruit on the sustain; resin and flowers (and some alcohol bitterness) on the decay; not entirely lust-worthy but very good
E2. Cotat, F. 2012 Sancerre Rose - Being who we are, Jay asks, before tasting, "Cotat?" (yes). We're pretty sure this bronze-pink color signifies a rose (yes). We eventually guess the year. This wine has so much going on in the finish... kirsch, saffron, candle wax, great stuff.
Day 5...Jeff: also much more settled, delicate little red fruits (fruits des bois) more than yellow, still holding pretty primary and fresh, yum
There is a side-discussion of how much better F. Cotat is than P. Cotat.
J1. Caveau de Bacchus (Lucien Aviet) 2021 Trousseau Arbois "Cuvee des Geologues" Ruzard -
J2. Dom. de la Touraize 2019 Trousseau "Les Corvees" -
Served together. We pick up that they are made from the same grape, but J2 comes from a warmer vintage. Good acidity and gracious red fruits. Eventually, Victor suggests "Jura?" (yes) and then "Trousseau?" (yes). But we're very divided over which is better.
Day 2...Jay: Trousseaus never improved.
Day 2...Jayson: I thought the second Trousseau improve. No. 2. I liked it!
Day 2...Jay: I probably should have let them warm up
Day 2...Eden: In all fairness, the Trousseaus paired rather well with my arctic char tonight. Must give credit where due.
Day 5...Jeff: Aviet - more little red fruits but with some serious oomph this time, rather phenolic, good cut, light texture of a quaffing wine but much prettier; glad I waited on this as sometimes I have found Aviet wines more lifted than I want until they open
Day 5...Jeff: Touraize - similar but a whiff of 'natural wine' here; palate is natty and the finish keeps squeaking; oh well (erase that with the last swig of the Aviet!)
J3. Ch. La Louviere 1989 Graves -
J4. Ch. La Louviere 1990 Graves -
These two smell like "Bordeaux?" (yes). "J3 smells of roasted red peppers!" -Eden. We place them in Graves for exactly the minerally/earthy reasons you might imagine. Both of these are very beautiful and kinda ageless. We eventually guess the decades of the wines. (This flight makes me glad I have some '90 Louviere in storage.)
Day 5...Jeff: Louv 89 - what a beauty! tannins just so, good warm fruit - still sweet but not cloying, fine furry tongue, long pure finish, great
Day 5...Jeff: Louv 90 - similar but slightly blacker-fruited, finish just a tad roasty; happy for the heartier cup so not really a critique just a description; more than the '89 this makes me want to search the cupboards for something to go with
J5. Dunn 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley -
J6. Dunn 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley -
Another pair, more cab, but this is Cal Cab. Typique flavors, and again opinion is very divided. I think there is something extra in the nose of J6. "J5 is fully resolved" -Jayson.
Day 2...Jayson: Right now, 1992 Dunn in glass, and it's opened very nicely.
Day 5...Jeff: Dunn 91 - same main grape as the Louviere but very different expression: this emphasizes the tobacco and blackberry profile, tannic nearly to the point of bitterness, great purity redeems it, very good acids, absolutely amazing that this is 30+ years old!, a handsome cup (if a little Johnny One-Note), a chunk of Emmenthaler helps a lot ("Buy on apples, sell on cheese")
Day 5...Jeff: Dunn 92 - a little broader flavor-set, some perfume or old lady handkerchief here, maybe even a red fruit peeking out from the wall of blackberries, suaver on the palate; totally and completely ready-to-go now, I don't know how this could get better
E3. Dom. Charvin 2004 Chateauneuf-du-Pape -
E4. Dom. de la Mordoree 2004 Chateauneuf-du-Pape "La Reine des Bois" -
Both of these are closed, and E4 is incredibly tannic on top of it. Eden says these are different makers but the same region. We place them as Rhone and, with a little thought, Ch9. "The tannic, structured version of grenache" -Jayson. E4 has some alcoholic fire and bitterness... because it is 15% !
Day 5...Jeff: Charvin - nose not pleasant (harsh, smoky) but the palate is very nice (unctuous, red-fruit, good balance); overall kinda good
Day 5...Jeff: Mordoree - several shades darker color, chicken broth in the nose, salty, slightly perfumed; black fruits, you might think it's syrah!; roasty, maybe even a little chocolate, way improved over the first night
E5. Pichot 1989 Vouvray Moelleux "Dom. Le Peu de la Moriette - Golden and sweet and chosen based on a comment of Don's from two sessions ago! Most of the guessing is easy because the wine is in the normal form: Chenin? (yes), Loire? (yes), Vouvray? (yes). But we're stumped on the maker; after guessing everybody we know, we switch to guessing the vintage, which is not too hard given the richness and balance.
Day 5...Jeff: beautiful nose!, palate of talc and old lady's handkerchief and sweet candy drop, not sure what fruit is here(!)... maybe some apricot?, not as viscous as a sweet Huet nor as vinous, I'd guess sweetness in the 80-100 g/l range so not overwhelming, acidity generous and just lip-smacking, a nice way to finish
And some un-authoritative bottle shots...
Eden's wines:
One Jay bottle:
And, yes, Don has the '90 of the same:
Zoom! Little bottles, bottles. Zoom! Little bottles....
Jay and Eden pouring. It was supposed to have been Seth's turn but his entire household caught something; I don't think it was brett but, anyway, Eden graciously donned her Lord High Substitute hat and jumped in.
Jay has served all reds so we both start and finish with Eden's selections.
E1. Cotat, F. 2015 Sancerre "Les Culs de Beaujeu" - This immediately smells well: beautiful bouquet, creamy, flowery; but the palate is a lot less impressive, closed and flat. Being who we are we start our guessing at chenin (no), Rhone (no), France (yes), Loire (yes), and after a little more head-scratching, sauvignon blanc (yes). "Has sauvignon blanc character in the finish" -Jayson. "Has an anisette top note in the fragrance" -Jayson. "Spicy, peppery nose" -Victor. Don and Jayson eventually id the maker and vineyard.
Day 2...Jay: The Culs de b Sancerre was much better today. Delish!
Day 5...Jeff: so much better; orange and lemon pith on the attack; yellow fruit on the sustain; resin and flowers (and some alcohol bitterness) on the decay; not entirely lust-worthy but very good
E2. Cotat, F. 2012 Sancerre Rose - Being who we are, Jay asks, before tasting, "Cotat?" (yes). We're pretty sure this bronze-pink color signifies a rose (yes). We eventually guess the year. This wine has so much going on in the finish... kirsch, saffron, candle wax, great stuff.
Day 5...Jeff: also much more settled, delicate little red fruits (fruits des bois) more than yellow, still holding pretty primary and fresh, yum
There is a side-discussion of how much better F. Cotat is than P. Cotat.
J1. Caveau de Bacchus (Lucien Aviet) 2021 Trousseau Arbois "Cuvee des Geologues" Ruzard -
J2. Dom. de la Touraize 2019 Trousseau "Les Corvees" -
Served together. We pick up that they are made from the same grape, but J2 comes from a warmer vintage. Good acidity and gracious red fruits. Eventually, Victor suggests "Jura?" (yes) and then "Trousseau?" (yes). But we're very divided over which is better.
Day 2...Jay: Trousseaus never improved.
Day 2...Jayson: I thought the second Trousseau improve. No. 2. I liked it!
Day 2...Jay: I probably should have let them warm up
Day 2...Eden: In all fairness, the Trousseaus paired rather well with my arctic char tonight. Must give credit where due.
Day 5...Jeff: Aviet - more little red fruits but with some serious oomph this time, rather phenolic, good cut, light texture of a quaffing wine but much prettier; glad I waited on this as sometimes I have found Aviet wines more lifted than I want until they open
Day 5...Jeff: Touraize - similar but a whiff of 'natural wine' here; palate is natty and the finish keeps squeaking; oh well (erase that with the last swig of the Aviet!)
J3. Ch. La Louviere 1989 Graves -
J4. Ch. La Louviere 1990 Graves -
These two smell like "Bordeaux?" (yes). "J3 smells of roasted red peppers!" -Eden. We place them in Graves for exactly the minerally/earthy reasons you might imagine. Both of these are very beautiful and kinda ageless. We eventually guess the decades of the wines. (This flight makes me glad I have some '90 Louviere in storage.)
Day 5...Jeff: Louv 89 - what a beauty! tannins just so, good warm fruit - still sweet but not cloying, fine furry tongue, long pure finish, great
Day 5...Jeff: Louv 90 - similar but slightly blacker-fruited, finish just a tad roasty; happy for the heartier cup so not really a critique just a description; more than the '89 this makes me want to search the cupboards for something to go with
J5. Dunn 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley -
J6. Dunn 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley -
Another pair, more cab, but this is Cal Cab. Typique flavors, and again opinion is very divided. I think there is something extra in the nose of J6. "J5 is fully resolved" -Jayson.
Day 2...Jayson: Right now, 1992 Dunn in glass, and it's opened very nicely.
Day 5...Jeff: Dunn 91 - same main grape as the Louviere but very different expression: this emphasizes the tobacco and blackberry profile, tannic nearly to the point of bitterness, great purity redeems it, very good acids, absolutely amazing that this is 30+ years old!, a handsome cup (if a little Johnny One-Note), a chunk of Emmenthaler helps a lot ("Buy on apples, sell on cheese")
Day 5...Jeff: Dunn 92 - a little broader flavor-set, some perfume or old lady handkerchief here, maybe even a red fruit peeking out from the wall of blackberries, suaver on the palate; totally and completely ready-to-go now, I don't know how this could get better
E3. Dom. Charvin 2004 Chateauneuf-du-Pape -
E4. Dom. de la Mordoree 2004 Chateauneuf-du-Pape "La Reine des Bois" -
Both of these are closed, and E4 is incredibly tannic on top of it. Eden says these are different makers but the same region. We place them as Rhone and, with a little thought, Ch9. "The tannic, structured version of grenache" -Jayson. E4 has some alcoholic fire and bitterness... because it is 15% !
Day 5...Jeff: Charvin - nose not pleasant (harsh, smoky) but the palate is very nice (unctuous, red-fruit, good balance); overall kinda good
Day 5...Jeff: Mordoree - several shades darker color, chicken broth in the nose, salty, slightly perfumed; black fruits, you might think it's syrah!; roasty, maybe even a little chocolate, way improved over the first night
E5. Pichot 1989 Vouvray Moelleux "Dom. Le Peu de la Moriette - Golden and sweet and chosen based on a comment of Don's from two sessions ago! Most of the guessing is easy because the wine is in the normal form: Chenin? (yes), Loire? (yes), Vouvray? (yes). But we're stumped on the maker; after guessing everybody we know, we switch to guessing the vintage, which is not too hard given the richness and balance.
Day 5...Jeff: beautiful nose!, palate of talc and old lady's handkerchief and sweet candy drop, not sure what fruit is here(!)... maybe some apricot?, not as viscous as a sweet Huet nor as vinous, I'd guess sweetness in the 80-100 g/l range so not overwhelming, acidity generous and just lip-smacking, a nice way to finish
And some un-authoritative bottle shots...
Eden's wines:
One Jay bottle:
And, yes, Don has the '90 of the same:
