Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
In MI this week visiting relatives. We opened the festivities with a bottle of Segura Heredad. I didn't take notes on the flavors, but this is the third bottle I've tried, and the umami, moutfeel, mousse, and food compatibility are terrific. With sparkling wine like this on the market at ca. $20, I can't understand how the luxery Champagne houses sell their NVs. Seriously.
I finally discovered Elie's, a small but dense wine shop in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit, that I'd heard of but never visited before. A true wine geek shop, narrow aisles stacked to the ceiling with crates of top-class Burgundy, Bordeaux and other (mostly French) wines. Lots of magnums and double magnums - about five cases of 2002 (first release year) Christian Moreau Grand Cru Chablis in magnums. Very nice proprietor (Elie) with a lovely seven-month-old daughter. Michigan pricing, so no bargains, but a great place to shop. Haven't seen him on Winesearcher. Many Dressner, Rosenthal, and Lynch selections. No affiliation.
Elie, by the way, showed me a bottle of Alliet, who he says is now one of the top producers in Chinon. I haven't read about this vintner here before, and wondered what the Loire zealots have to say about him.
Completely unrelated, I bought some bottles (magnums) of Chandon de Briallies a bit ago and found on receipt that the bottle capsules hung loose. There was no sign of damage (folding or unfolding) to the capsules, and no sign of cork movement, either in or out. The capsules were perfectly shaped, just a touch wide at the bottom, so that they hang slightly loose, rather than being tightly wrapped, as with most producers. Is this normal for Chandon, or should I be concerned?
I finally discovered Elie's, a small but dense wine shop in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit, that I'd heard of but never visited before. A true wine geek shop, narrow aisles stacked to the ceiling with crates of top-class Burgundy, Bordeaux and other (mostly French) wines. Lots of magnums and double magnums - about five cases of 2002 (first release year) Christian Moreau Grand Cru Chablis in magnums. Very nice proprietor (Elie) with a lovely seven-month-old daughter. Michigan pricing, so no bargains, but a great place to shop. Haven't seen him on Winesearcher. Many Dressner, Rosenthal, and Lynch selections. No affiliation.
Elie, by the way, showed me a bottle of Alliet, who he says is now one of the top producers in Chinon. I haven't read about this vintner here before, and wondered what the Loire zealots have to say about him.
Completely unrelated, I bought some bottles (magnums) of Chandon de Briallies a bit ago and found on receipt that the bottle capsules hung loose. There was no sign of damage (folding or unfolding) to the capsules, and no sign of cork movement, either in or out. The capsules were perfectly shaped, just a touch wide at the bottom, so that they hang slightly loose, rather than being tightly wrapped, as with most producers. Is this normal for Chandon, or should I be concerned?