Francophile Pie Franco Dinner, Feb. 17th
- Thread starter Levi Dalton
- Start date
Tom Glasgow
Thomas W Glasgow
did you look outside?
Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
Okay, Levi for party secretary. Oswaldo for minister of propoganda.
Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
You're losing your edge, Nathan.
Tom Glasgow
Thomas W Glasgow
hopefully no kneecappers are outside, after all the Olympics are on.
Levi Dalton
Levi Dalton
I want to give a big thank you to everyone who came out to drink a little Pie tonight. The generosity of bottles and time was really appreciated.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Salil Benegal
Salil Benegal
That was a great evening Levi; thank you for putting it all together. Really wonderful food, fantastic organization and tons of Pie (I would hardly call it a little, and the lineup of Cappellano from magnum was fantastic). Lots of fun.
Best,
Salil
Best,
Salil
Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
So where are the fucking notes?
You guys suck. When I was allowed to go, I forced Thor to post his notes right away.
Did you do the Pie Franco next to the regular Barolo from Capellano? Whenever I've done that, the Pie Franco has been more approachable but the regular has been the deeper, more ageworthy wine, IMO. That's the most interesting thing, like comparing Baudry Franc de Pied with Clos Guillot.
Also, very interested in the Gauby and Clos Saron wines.
Salil Benegal
Salil Benegal
Notes on the way. I wanted to sleep first.
We just did the Cappellano Pie Franco on its own - didn't want to risk the good stuff catching phylloxera from bad pie.
My palate was fairly shot by the time we reached the Gauby and Clos Saron (which were in the last flight), but the Saron was really disappointing - heavy, sweet and slightly alcoholic. Haven't had that wine before, but others who have at the table felt it was a really atypical showing.
Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
I'm too exhausted and rushed (leaving for Brazil tonight) to post anything more detailed right now, but I have to say that it was a terrific event, with a thoughtfully designed menu, superb food and excellent service. There were no duels between ungrafted wines and their grafted twins, despite Levi's request, so I don't think any comparative conclusions are going to come out of this, or even notions as to some common denominator or thread running through franc de pieds. But thirty wines were tasted, and it was hard to come out standing, let alone coherent. The first four flights were full of terrific wine, but for me the final one was a ghetto of flops, despite ending with an excellent Noval. I didn't like the Gauby much and, well, actually hated the Clos Saron (just wood diluted in alcohol). It was great to meet bored colleagues like Jeff Grossman, Salil Benegal, Brad Kane and Keith Levenberg (though I didn't get to talk to Keith much other than apologizing for sinking the SS Racines) and seeing Scott Reiner (who is looking for a new gig, anyone?) again. Levi hovered over everything like an attentive and hyper-efficient mother hen; not being able to let go, it must not have been as fun for him as it was for the rest of us. Sorry you couldn't make it.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
For whatever reason, Clos Saron pinots always taste too rich and sweet until they've been sitting in a decanter for two hours or more. This bottle didn't get that treatment, and came after a Chinon flight, so there was no way it was going to show well in this context.
I am not sure I would feel safe concluding that Cappellano's pie franco is a fundamentally less ageworthy wine. The flight going from '99-'04 represents 10-15 year old vines (planted in 1989). As they get older I suspect the wine will gain in depth. The difference in personality between the '99 and '04 was already dramatic, with the '04 much more structured and muscular and closer to the rupestris in style. I hope it doesn't close that gap completely though... I loved the elegance and pinot noir-like feel of the '99. A wonderful illustration what pie franco vines can do.
I am not sure I would feel safe concluding that Cappellano's pie franco is a fundamentally less ageworthy wine. The flight going from '99-'04 represents 10-15 year old vines (planted in 1989). As they get older I suspect the wine will gain in depth. The difference in personality between the '99 and '04 was already dramatic, with the '04 much more structured and muscular and closer to the rupestris in style. I hope it doesn't close that gap completely though... I loved the elegance and pinot noir-like feel of the '99. A wonderful illustration what pie franco vines can do.
Robert Dentice
Robert Dentice
Another excellent Levi Dalton event! The food and wine coordination were superb. Thanks Levi!
The Clos Saron (which I brought) was horrible and definitely not representative of that wine which I have had several times.
My overall impression of the wines is that they were paradoxical - light in color and some in texture yet they still were extremely expressive aromatically and had lots of depth and structure on the palate.
And I could clearly see a similarity in all of them.
The Clos Saron (which I brought) was horrible and definitely not representative of that wine which I have had several times.
My overall impression of the wines is that they were paradoxical - light in color and some in texture yet they still were extremely expressive aromatically and had lots of depth and structure on the palate.
And I could clearly see a similarity in all of them.
How did the Chinon show? You and I have different views on the merits of aging these wines, although we both like them very much.
Old vines is a relative thing. It makes a big difference for some varieties in some terroirs, and relatively little for others. I'm not sure that nebbiolo vines need a lot of age, but am not sure on that.
Time will tell, of course. There is also the consideration that if the vines survive on their own rootstock, it means they are in soils where phyloxera cannot transmit. It may also be that this type of soil has different characteristics and producers wines that may not have the balance for extended improvement in bottle.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
Fantastic, best flight of the night IMO with the 2002 Baudry the highlight, which was an instant wow wine. Lafite-like. I think it'll be even better with a little more time for the remaining tannin to melt away. The 2003 showed much more primary than the bottles I have, very rich fruit.