Grnhaus Trocken and Jadot Ursules

R

Rahsaan

Rahsaan
2007 Maximin Grnhuser Abtsberg Riesling Sptlese Trocken
Limey, fresh, salty, and as steely as a long linear rod of steel. This is an uncompromising beam of a wine that is hard at its core. There are tangy, verdant, and chalky elements around the edges that add some interest and prevent it from being downright boring. But it never rises to the heights of interesting.

2001 Louis Jadot Beaune Clos des Ursules
1998 Louis Jadot Beaune Clos des Ursules
Both of these showed a similar profile with the mushroomey flower petals of aging Burgundy. The 2001 showed more leathery meaty notes and a broader less composed structure while the 1998 had more underlying grip and a more harmonious soft maturing feel. Both were fine but had perhaps seen better days, with the 98 winning on harmony. But I thought Clos des Ursules was one of Jadots prime wines and capable of aging longer than this. Not in 1998 or 2001?
 
were difficult vintages in Beaune. Hail, rot, and other nastiness.

Not surprised they might not show so well.
 
originally posted by VLM:
1998 & 2001
were difficult vintages in Beaune. Hail, rot, and other nastiness.

Not surprised they might not show so well.
Click to expand...

Although I thought the hail in 2001 was mostly around Volnay? I know that the '01 Savignys I've had have been wonderful. On the other hand I've also been impressed by 1998 Volnays.

We need Claude for this question.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
We need Claude for this question.
Click to expand...

As always!

I've had other people suggest that storage may be an issue as I bought the wines recently and other people had more positive semi-recent experiences with the 01 Ursules in particular.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by VLM:
1998 & 2001
were difficult vintages in Beaune. Hail, rot, and other nastiness.

Not surprised they might not show so well.
Click to expand...

Although I thought the hail in 2001 was mostly around Volnay? I know that the '01 Savignys I've had have been wonderful. On the other hand I've also been impressed by 1998 Volnays.

We need Claude for this question.
Click to expand...

It's spotty, but I've had really underwhelming wines from 1998 especially, but also 2001. Beaune is a large area and sites in Savigny may well have done fine in 2001.

The Ursules is generally a long lived wine, because Rahsaan did not indicate any damage to the bottles, my conjecture was that the wines may have suffered from vintage conditions.
 
originally posted by VLM:because Rahsaan did not indicate any damage to the bottles
Click to expand...

Well the bottles themselves looked fine but we know that doesn't always tell the whole story.

They definitely seemed advanced for what I've heard about 8-10 year old Ursules, whether or not that is an issue of the vintages in question or the storage remains to be seen. Either way, I have another bottle of each vintage but won't be buying any more from this source!
 
As I dumped yet another heat-damaged bottle from a Sam's warehouse sale last night (the '00 Bucci Verdicchio Riserva--which I had high hopes for--was beyond shot), source is always important.

I haven't tried the '98 or '01 yet, but the Ursules '96 from last year was one of the few enjoyable '96s that I've had recently.
 
originally posted by Dan Donahue:
As I dumped yet another heat-damaged bottle from a Sam's warehouse sale last night (the '00 Bucci Verdicchio Riserva--which I had high hopes for--was beyond shot), source is always important.
Click to expand...

After burning my fingers, I have stopped buying older wine from any merchant that I haven't done business with for a while and whose sourcing I trust. It's a short list.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Dan Donahue:
As I dumped yet another heat-damaged bottle from a Sam's warehouse sale last night (the '00 Bucci Verdicchio Riserva--which I had high hopes for--was beyond shot), source is always important.
Click to expand...

After burning my fingers, I have stopped buying older wine from any merchant that I haven't done business with for a while and whose sourcing I trust. It's a short list.
Click to expand...
Pretty much true for younger wine as well.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Dan Donahue:
As I dumped yet another heat-damaged bottle from a Sam's warehouse sale last night (the '00 Bucci Verdicchio Riserva--which I had high hopes for--was beyond shot), source is always important.
Click to expand...

After burning my fingers, I have stopped buying older wine from any merchant that I haven't done business with for a while and whose sourcing I trust. It's a short list.
Click to expand...
Pretty much true for younger wine as well.
Click to expand...

Yep.
 
Indeed. I just returned a painfully heat-damaged closeout 2002 Austrian riesling and the store was respectable enough to offer credit, which I used on newly-released wine. But given what I see in the shop I wouldn't plunk down big dollars on those either and am not sure I'll be shopping there much in the future.
 
My favorite sources for heat-damaged bottles are the place on 14th St in NYC and the Rhone and Southern France sections at the SF K&L. Quite reliable!
 
Oh, Scott. You don't really buy there, do you? (Jay Miller has a truly painful story about that place. And, as an ex-resident of that very block, I can corroborate his tale.)
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Oh, Scott. You don't really buy there, do you? (Jay Miller has a truly painful story about that place. And, as an ex-resident of that very block, I can corroborate his tale.)
Click to expand...

Not to mention our own SFJoe, who I believe refers to that establishment as "the oven on 14th St" or some other similarly endearing term. I also have the distinct memory of him trying to steer my business that direction in '87 or so, but I'm a forgiving kinda guy...eventually.

Mark Lipton
 
My mind just started working again so I can say that the '98 Ursules was a beautiful wine on release (especially on the nose, a little clunkier on the palate). I bought 2 bottles on the strength of that experience and opened both of them when they were almost completely shut down. Last one about 5? years ago.

Yeah, I know. None of that really helps, does it?
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by VLM:
1998 & 2001
were difficult vintages in Beaune. Hail, rot, and other nastiness.

Not surprised they might not show so well.
Click to expand...

Although I thought the hail in 2001 was mostly around Volnay? I know that the '01 Savignys I've had have been wonderful. On the other hand I've also been impressed by 1998 Volnays.

We need Claude for this question.
Click to expand...

It's spotty, but I've had really underwhelming wines from 1998 especially, but also 2001. Beaune is a large area and sites in Savigny may well have done fine in 2001.

The Ursules is generally a long lived wine, because Rahsaan did not indicate any damage to the bottles, my conjecture was that the wines may have suffered from vintage conditions.
Click to expand...
Savigny was reputedly the one main exemption from the general C d Beaune nastiness in 2001. Pavelot did well.
 
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