2008 Lapierrre VdP des Gaules. Uhm..., no.

[Scott Frank]

This wine is so not happening. Anyone else try this that has a different take?

Hazy, saturated with CO2, acid a little sideways, confused nose. Left it over night to see if it would settle down and it's worse today. The nose has completely vanished and it seems to have taken the fruit with it.

Bummer. Was a bit stoked when I stumbled upon a $14 dollar Lapierre.

Heh. It kind of reminded me a bit of the Contadino 4 but without as much going wrong. The Contadino had so much wrong that it became right again in some inexplicable way.

 

[Claude Kolm]

I thought it was pretty good. Maybe your bottle wasn't well stored?

 

[slaton]

My bottle was like Scott's. Sounds like typical Lapierre bottle variation.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by slaton:
typical Lapierre bottle variation.

Huh? I drink a fair amount of Lapierre and I can't say that I've ever found much bottle variation. I'm not drinking the sans souffre bottling, though, so perhaps that is where the rub lies.

Mark Lipton

 

[Daniel Piechota]

I have to say that I was underwhelmed by this as well. For a couple more bucks, I would rather have the Terres Dorees L'Ancien.

 

[Joe Dressner]

I drank this in Morgon and in Mcon and found it delicious.

 

[Vincent Fritzsche]

Dressner's wrong. This sounds like the '07. I wasn't a fan. I do love Lapierre Morgon though.

 

[Thor]

Didn't like it at all, was upset to note that I still have another bottle. Oh, well. I've made bigger mistakes.

 

[Ignacio Villalgordo]

I did not like it as much as the 09, but the couple of bottles I have tasted have been fine...

 

[slaton]

originally posted by MLipton:

originally posted by slaton:
typical Lapierre bottle variation.

Huh? I drink a fair amount of Lapierre and I can't say that I've ever found much bottle variation. I'm not drinking the sans souffre bottling, though, so perhaps that is where the rub lies.

Indeed. I see more variation with Lapierre "N" (sans soufre) bottles than any other wine I drink in reasonable quantity. But my sample size is smaller than some around these parts, probably a half case per vintage when all is said and done.

It may be neither here nor there though, since I don't know if the VdPdG is bottled without SO2 addition.

 

[Matteo Mollo]

green.

 

[Saina Nieminen]

Love the '07. Not seen later ones here, but will be very intrigued to try them if they ever are imported.

 

[Marc D]

originally posted by Matteo Mollo:
green.

I noticed a little green note in the 08 Lapierre regular Cote du Py bottle I tried in December, but it works very well with the rest of the wine.

 

[Bwood]

originally posted by MLipton:

originally posted by slaton:
typical Lapierre bottle variation.

Huh? I drink a fair amount of Lapierre and I can't say that I've ever found much bottle variation. I'm not drinking the sans souffre bottling, though, so perhaps that is where the rub lies.

Mark Lipton

Lots of variability in Lapierre for those living in SEC vs. Big 10 country over the last 15 years. 'Hard to say if it is the bottling or shipping, or both, though.

 

[mark meyer]

originally posted by Bwood:

originally posted by MLipton:

originally posted by slaton:
typical Lapierre bottle variation.

Huh? I drink a fair amount of Lapierre and I can't say that I've ever found much bottle variation. I'm not drinking the sans souffre bottling, though, so perhaps that is where the rub lies.

Mark Lipton

Lots of variability in Lapierre for those living in SEC vs. Big 10 country over the last 15 years. 'Hard to say if it is the bottling or shipping, or both, though.

John,

I know we have touched on this before-but I like the Chicago importer's Lapierre better than the KL bottles I buy in STL or from Brown Derby-maybe
it is the shipping from Oakland to Mo or maybe the Chicago importer has a
slightly different wine than KL. Maybe Dressner knows the answer.

mark

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by mark meyer:

John,

I know we have touched on this before-but I like the Chicago importer's Lapierre better than the KL bottles I buy in STL or from Brown Derby-maybe
it is the shipping from Oakland to Mo or maybe the Chicago importer has a
slightly different wine than KL. Maybe Dressner knows the answer.

mark

Claude Kolm has provided the information about the differences. The Chicago importer gets a more highly sulfured wine than does KLWM.

Mark Lipton

 

[mark meyer]

originally posted by MLipton:

originally posted by mark meyer:

John,

I know we have touched on this before-but I like the Chicago importer's Lapierre better than the KL bottles I buy in STL or from Brown Derby-maybe
it is the shipping from Oakland to Mo or maybe the Chicago importer has a
slightly different wine than KL. Maybe Dressner knows the answer.

mark

Claude Kolm has provided the information about the differences. The Chicago importer gets a more highly sulfured wine than does KLWM.

Mark Lipton

That's interesting-as regards to my preference-as we tasted both sulfer and non sulfer at Milan and Gourgonnier in Sept and preferred the non sulfer by far in
each instance. The non sulfer was brighter, fresher and seemed fruitier.

mark

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by mark meyer:

That's interesting-as regards to my preference-as we tasted both sulfer and non sulfer at Milan and Gourgonnier in Sept and preferred the non sulfer by far in
each instance. The non sulfer was brighter, fresher and seemed fruitier.

That's also been my experience, Mark. In my case, the only chance I've had for a direct comparison was in the cellars of M. Lapierre, but then it was quite clear that the unsulfured version was distinctly brighter and fruitier. The question posited at the time, though, was whether this difference would continue to be manifested as the wines sat in bottle. M. Lapierre was unwilling to commit himself to a position on this, and I continue to be unsure of the long-term differences between the two bottlings.

Mark Lipton

 

[lars makie]

originally posted by MLipton:

originally posted by mark meyer:

That's interesting-as regards to my preference-as we tasted both sulfer and non sulfer at Milan and Gourgonnier in Sept and preferred the non sulfer by far in
each instance. The non sulfer was brighter, fresher and seemed fruitier.

That's also been my experience, Mark. In my case, the only chance I've had for a direct comparison was in the cellars of M. Lapierre, but then it was quite clear that the unsulfured version was distinctly brighter and fruitier. The question posited at the time, though, was whether this difference would continue to be manifested as the wines sat in bottle. M. Lapierre was unwilling to commit himself to a position on this, and I continue to be unsure of the long-term differences between the two bottlings.

Mark Lipton

I think there is some definite travel/storage issues at play here. I vividly remember the first bottle I bought of the'07 Lapierre (here in Chicago) had a Lot N sticker on the back. While I didn't take down any formal notes I remember the wine as being good (at least enough to buy another bottle), but a bit lacking; dull almost as if wrapped in a veil. The next bottle I bought (also in Chicago) had the Lot S sticker on back. This was what hooked me. It tasted much more vibrant, bright, plussed. Then there's the Cuvee Mathieu (Lot S, but for Mon Ami Gabi) which is ok, nice enough.

[edited to add] oh, and the '07 Lapierre VdP Gaules I had wasn't anything like the '08 mentioned up top. Super fruity, red berry, easy drinking, good time kinda wine.