Cull!

Dan McQ

Dan McQuillen
Spring cleaning is one thing, but a cull party is quite another. Our genial hosts, Charles and Glenna, supplied great food, place for a feast and of course a functioning drain.

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The wines included some winners,

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(same year and vineyard but couldn't have been more different)
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(well worth the $7.99 price of admission)

many losers,

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(my first and last Baco Noir)
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...including a horrific flight of OTH/DOA zinfandels headlined by:

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...some in-between...

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and created plenty of cellar space going forward. There were even a couple of bottles that survived to live in the cull box for the next episode.
 

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Looks like an interesting mix. Sorry I had to miss this.

I assume the Christoffel was good. And the 74 Fontanafredda?
 
I have yet to be in town for one of these, alas.

I own several of the (positively-received) culls, however. How was that Minervois drinking? I wasn't in any hurry to get to it.
 
it's always interesting how some "culls" just don't qualify and others, well....

The Christoffel was just a delight and following on the heels of the zinfandel train wreck/flight, was a well needed refreshment.

The Fontanafredda was interesting, I kept some in my glass for a while, and went back to it repeatedly, hoping I'd find some recognizable Barolo aroma. But it never happened. I'm not sure if it was bad from the start, or just badly treated at some point - but it wasn't pleasant.

You missed the 99 St. Innocent Shea which was also delicious, I wonder why the Shea was so good and my Seven Springs from the same year has been so shrill? And the i clivi. wait a minute, I liked everything you brought, Dan. Well, other than the chocolate covered liquor cherries in the Etude bottle.

I'd like to give a shout out to the 82 Bordeaux (I forgot the name). I've never had a wine before that tasted like nothing. It was like drinking red water with tannin. How did they do that?

And Henry, next time please stay in Pelham and keep your Baco with you.
 
Mike, you forgot the 86 Roc de Plaisance which was, well red liquid in a Bordeaux bottle... and the above-pictured Zin standard-bearer. I did have more hits than misses, though the misses were spectacularly awful. You're right, the Shea was very nice. I really wanted to like the 89 Huet Clos de Bourg Vouvray but the oxidation sadly robbed it of its vitality.
 
originally posted by mlawton:

I'd like to give a shout out to the 82 Bordeaux (I forgot the name). I've never had a wine before that tasted like nothing. It was like drinking red water with tannin. How did they do that?

Ah yes, the same trick is performed by D'Angelo Aglianico del Vulture 1985.

Quite wonderous.
 
I never thought anybody on this board would have the audacity to even admit that they owned a bottle of Martinelli Zin. But to show a picture in living color is shocking.
 
There were about 40 bottles in total. Thank goodness for a large, and covered, recycle bin.

The 94 Christoffel Urz Wurz 4* was indeed no cull and was my WOTN. Nor cull was the 2002 I Clivi Galea nor the St.Innocent Shea

Wines I enjoyed included the 2000 Brundlmayer Muskateller wasn't mine Kent the 79 Jaboulet Cornas (lots of disagreement on this one --a sort of "shitmus test" on funk) and the 94 Flaccianello. The Oupia Barons was good, The Meyney was OK. The 83 Roumieu Sauternes gets my vote as nicest surprise, but was nonetheless a Sauternes

Disappointments, bottles that coulda been contenders, were the oxidized 79 Moulin Touchais, the also oxidized 89 Huet Clos du Bourg 1ere trie (I thought not a cull, but turned out to be), the Borgeuils, the Dao (DOA) and the 90 Storybook. But that's why they play the games.

My VERY brief notes on wines from my cellar:

[# 1977 Gould Campbell Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (11/15/2009)
Disappointing. Decanted -6 hours, but remained harsh. Spicy notes, mildly sweet as per the house style, but no symphony of delights. The enxt day, perhaps a bit better though mildly spirity.
# 1983 Chteau Roumieu - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (11/15/2009)
Acquitted itself quite well (many others were sentenced to death). Moderately sweet with decent balance and all the right flavors for a minor Sauternes. Very much alive at 26 years old, from a 375 yet.
# 1985 Chteau Meyney - France, Bordeaux, Mdoc, St. Estphe (11/15/2009)
Actually not bad, but certainly more dried out than would have been some years ago. My note from 1998 says "fruit aplenty, lots of Brett." The Brett is still there.
# 1994 Kunde Estate Zinfandel Century Vines Shaw Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (11/15/2009)
Still structure, but no fruit, no appeal. A proud member of the worst flight.
# 2000 Henry of Pelham Baco Noir - Canada, Ontario, Ontario VQA (11/15/2009)
I thought nose was interesting. Should have stopped there.
# 1997 H. Coturri & Sons Zinfandel East Block Old Vine Cuvee Chauvet - USA, California, Sonoma County (11/15/2009)
Very sweet and overripe brambliness. Cloying would be being nice.
# 1995 E. Guigal Ctes du Rhne - France, Rhne, Southern Rhne, Ctes du Rhne (11/15/2009)
Corked. But Pmac also brought a bottle (!) that was potable but fortunately not necessary to drink.
# 1999 Field Stone Gewrztraminer Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (11/15/2009)
Very not good. Might have been at one time I suppose.
# 1982 Chteau Coufran - France, Bordeaux, Mdoc, Haut-Mdoc (11/15/2009)
No better than ever. Plenty of structure still but no fruit.
# 2001 Carlson Vineyards Gewrztraminer Laughing Cat - USA, Colorado (11/15/2009)
Recognizably varietal. Surprisingly alive but not good. A confectionary aspect. Ceratainly much more age than ideal

Charles
 
Lou: the Martinelli was inherited as a gift and this seemed an appropriate venue for disposal. The label is blinding, isn't it? Despite it's age it still is not carrying its 17.7% alcohol with any grace and frankly that's about all that is left.

Salil: you never know what might turn up at these events. Somebody (Pmac, Mike, or Charles) left it at my house last year and since I knew they'd all be there...
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Ah yes, the same trick is performed by D'Angelo Aglianico del Vulture 1985.
Ouch. I bought one of those, too. Maybe bottle variation will, um, vary!

Certainly I could have given my bottle more time to rest from its travels. As it was, I left half of the bottle unconsumed.
 
originally posted by mlawton:


You missed the 99 St. Innocent Shea which was also delicious, I wonder why the Shea was so good and my Seven Springs from the same year has been so shrill? And the i clivi. wait a minute, I liked everything you brought, Dan. Well, other than the chocolate covered liquor cherries in the Etude bottle.

Well, based on 1998 the Shea matures a lot faster than the Seven Springs the latter of which is noted for going through an extended shut down period. The 1998 Seven Springs was just starting to come out of its shell last year while I consumed my 1998 Sheas with great pleasure some years ago.

I haven't even considered testing my 2 bottles of 1999 Seven Springs yet (well, okay, I considered it but the angel on my other shoulder talked me out of it). I didn't buy any 1999 Shea unfortunately.

So I guess my short answer is if you still have any don't give up hope on the 1999 SI 7S but hold for at least another few years.
 
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