Drinks from the cellar

Florida Jim

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
N/V Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde:
10% alcohol and about $6; light spritz, fresh grapefruit and pear aromas; excellent cut across the palate with light flavors that follow the nose, a distinct mineral tang and a clean, fresh finish. I adore this wine. We had it with a fresh pasta dish that included sauted zucchini, parmesan cheese and a very light cream sauce and it was absolutely perfect. Six bucks and a complete delight!

2002 Chidaine, Montlouis Les Choisilles:
13%; the difference in this wine since release is remarkable unripe pineapple, wool, mineral nose; brisk, tart fruit with substantial concentration and intensity, flavors that follow the nose and have the beginnings of nuance, a texture that coats the entire mouth; and one hell of a finish. From a sweet, somewhat insipid wine to a powerhouse with finesse nice.

2005 Ppire, Muscadet Granite de Clisson:
Utterly closed; do not open this bottle.

2005 Tete, Julinas Clos du Fief:
Open, wonderfully aromatic, perfectly balanced, deep, and with a long and full finish. This may be a wine that will last a long time in the cellar the stuffing is there and so is the balance but it is heavenly right this minute. 13% and the top shelf for the AOC.

1998 Vieux Tlgraphe, Chteauneuf-du-Pape:
Open on the nose with good fruit and meaty aromas; a saltiness in the mouth with round fruit and a worsted texture that seems thick but not heavy, integrated structure and considerable length. Finally, this is showing well, after years of being quite angry. I dont expect vin de garde from this house but this vintage certainly is.

2007 Edmunds St. John, Porphyry Barsotti Ranch:
Gamay from El Dorado County, CA; 13% abv; in a league with the very best Moulin-a-Vent in good years this is serious wine with tremendous depth and character; very pure, focused, detailed, balanced and long. Nothing else even comes close on this side of the pond.

1999 Verset, Cornas:
12.5%, price tag on bottle says $37.99 (I dont remember when I bought it); I lament here that I have so few bottles of Verset in my cellar - this starts out funky and animale but within half an hour, turns into a wine so distinctly representative of Cornas as to be moving; not a big wine or a plush one yet its full flavored and a magnificent rendition of its terroir. With meat loaf and mashed potatoes, something to write home about.

Best, Jim
 
In my experience, since the late 80s, VT has been one of the longest-lived CdPs (Pegau, Vieux Donjon, at least prior to 03, and Beaucastel are a couple of others). It goes through long closed periods, and goes to age 15 or 20 without heavy breathing. If there is a hit on it, it is that it is hard and closed for a long time.
 
originally posted by Cristian Dezso:
Jonathan, how is the 1995 VT nowadays? Is it in a closed phase?
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Based on a bottle sometime in 09, like a lot of 05s, it was more austere than one might expect but I think as ready as it will ever be. I prefer it to either Pegau or Beaucastel 95, though I still have more hope for the Beau (I'm not sure why). As with both of those, I prefer VT in 94.

By the way, some 95s, VD and Clos des Papes, for instance, are drinking quite nicely now. So my voice of apocalypse about the vintage should be downgraded to variable apocalypse. Also some 95 Gigondas has been doing very well since 05, at an age when Gigos from other vintages would be singing swan songs. I don't plan on holding any 95 Gigos much beyond this year, but a couple have surprised me.
 
95 Rayas quite nice now, but not as aromatic as expected.

Also a very good bottle of 2000 Tempier Tourtine. Heavy, though, to the extent I thought about digging out a Terrebrune.
 
. Also some 95 Gigondas has been doing very well since 05, at an age when Gigos from other vintages would be singing swan songs. I don't plan on holding any 95 Gigos much beyond this year, but a couple have surprised me.
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I was delighted by a bottle of 95 Trignon towards the end of last year...
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
vieux telegraphIn my experience, since the late 80s, VT has been one of the longest-lived CdPs (Pegau, Vieux Donjon, at least prior to 03, and Beaucastel are a couple of others). It goes through long closed periods, and goes to age 15 or 20 without heavy breathing. If there is a hit on it, it is that it is hard and closed for a long time.
Click to expand...

I agree. I almost interjected in the thread about whether So. Rhone wines shut down that VT often takes many years to open up after shutting down. The '98 VT took a decade to start opening up again, and if your cellar is cold enough may not be open to this day. But Vieux Telegraphe is very atypical in several respects from other So. Rhone wines, isn't it?
 
originally posted by Bwood:
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
vieux telegraphIn my experience, since the late 80s, VT has been one of the longest-lived CdPs (Pegau, Vieux Donjon, at least prior to 03, and Beaucastel are a couple of others). It goes through long closed periods, and goes to age 15 or 20 without heavy breathing. If there is a hit on it, it is that it is hard and closed for a long time.
Click to expand...

I agree. I almost interjected in the thread about whether So. Rhone wines shut down that VT often takes many years to open up after shutting down. The '98 VT took a decade to start opening up again, and if your cellar is cold enough may not be open to this day. But Vieux Telegraphe is very atypical in several respects from other So. Rhone wines, isn't it?
Click to expand...

Why do you think it atypical? I think of it as an old-line CdP. More tannic and age-worthy than the average, but otherwise tasting as I like them. Unless you mean not typical of so much of what is happening in the S. Rhone these days, in which case, maybe yes.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:

Why do you think it atypical? I think of it as an old-line CdP. More tannic and age-worthy than the average, but otherwise tasting as I like them. Unless you mean not typical of so much of what is happening in the S. Rhone these days, in which case, maybe yes.
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Perhaps it boils down to the oft-stated belief that all CdPs basically taste the same. When I consider the three that I most often cellar, VT, Pegau and Beaucastel, I find three very different wines with at least as much difference in character as one would find in, e.g., Pauillac. IMO, one could also throw in Rayas and Bonneau without diminishing that argument. Of course, this all depends on one's not having a constitutional aversion to Grenache.

Mark Lipton
 
Always enjoy your vinho verde tn's, Jim. If interested, you can find the bottling date (month, at least) by plugging in the serial numbers into the vinho verde site (which in itself makes for a bit of interesting reading).

Hope to try that Porphyry some day. Sounds marvelous.
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:

Why do you think it atypical? I think of it as an old-line CdP. More tannic and age-worthy than the average, but otherwise tasting as I like them. Unless you mean not typical of so much of what is happening in the S. Rhone these days, in which case, maybe yes.
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Perhaps it boils down to the oft-stated belief that all CdPs basically taste the same. When I consider the three that I most often cellar, VT, Pegau and Beaucastel, I find three very different wines with at least as much difference in character as one would find in, e.g., Pauillac. IMO, one could also throw in Rayas and Bonneau without diminishing that argument. Of course, this all depends on one's not having a constitutional aversion to Grenache.

Mark Lipton
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Well, Beaucastel isn't like anything else in the region. But Pegau and VT I think are cut from the same cloth. If for instance, you added Marcoux, Charvin and Ferrand to your Rayas, you'd get another genre. I've never had a Bonneau, so I can't speak to it. But if you had some Pierre Usseglio, Bosquet des Papes and Clos Mt. Olivet, you'd get another take. People who have better terroir sense than me could probably break this down more. In addition to variety proportions, I find the differences between North and South, rocks and clay, and other things to create differences in the wine.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

2005 Tete, Julinas Clos du Fief:
Open, wonderfully aromatic, perfectly balanced, deep, and with a long and full finish. This may be a wine that will last a long time in the cellar the stuffing is there and so is the balance but it is heavenly right this minute. 13% and the top shelf for the AOC.
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I had the '05 Cuvee Prestige tonight and it was just delicious: great balance, delicious fruit, satin, good depth, modest complexity. Hugely pleasing wine. I can see it lasting quite a long time, but for me it's hard to imagine how it could have been much better than it was a few hours ago.
 
originally posted by Bwood:
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
vieux telegraphIn my experience, since the late 80s, VT has been one of the longest-lived CdPs (Pegau, Vieux Donjon, at least prior to 03, and Beaucastel are a couple of others). It goes through long closed periods, and goes to age 15 or 20 without heavy breathing. If there is a hit on it, it is that it is hard and closed for a long time.
Click to expand...

I agree. I almost interjected in the thread about whether So. Rhone wines shut down that VT often takes many years to open up after shutting down. The '98 VT took a decade to start opening up again, and if your cellar is cold enough may not be open to this day. But Vieux Telegraphe is very atypical in several respects from other So. Rhone wines, isn't it?
Click to expand...

I think the '98 VT is a monster and needs another 10 years minimum.
I agree that this is one of the longest lived CdP and rewards patience.
 
originally posted by Steven Spielmann:
originally posted by Florida Jim:

2005 Tete, Julinas Clos du Fief:
Open, wonderfully aromatic, perfectly balanced, deep, and with a long and full finish. This may be a wine that will last a long time in the cellar the stuffing is there and so is the balance but it is heavenly right this minute. 13% and the top shelf for the AOC.
Click to expand...

I had the '05 Cuvee Prestige tonight and it was just delicious: great balance, delicious fruit, satin, good depth, modest complexity. Hugely pleasing wine. I can see it lasting quite a long time, but for me it's hard to imagine how it could have been much better than it was a few hours ago.
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The Royals were offering this last week.

Not my very favorite '05, but you could do worse.
 
originally posted by Arno Tronche:
originally posted by Bwood:
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
vieux telegraphIn my experience, since the late 80s, VT has been one of the longest-lived CdPs (Pegau, Vieux Donjon, at least prior to 03, and Beaucastel are a couple of others). It goes through long closed periods, and goes to age 15 or 20 without heavy breathing. If there is a hit on it, it is that it is hard and closed for a long time.
Click to expand...

I agree. I almost interjected in the thread about whether So. Rhone wines shut down that VT often takes many years to open up after shutting down. The '98 VT took a decade to start opening up again, and if your cellar is cold enough may not be open to this day. But Vieux Telegraphe is very atypical in several respects from other So. Rhone wines, isn't it?
Click to expand...

I think the '98 VT is a monster and needs another 10 years minimum.
I agree that this is one of the longest lived CdP and rewards patience.
Click to expand...

I wonder if this quality carries over into Pallieres at all.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
originally posted by Arno Tronche:
originally posted by Bwood:
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
vieux telegraphIn my experience, since the late 80s, VT has been one of the longest-lived CdPs (Pegau, Vieux Donjon, at least prior to 03, and Beaucastel are a couple of others). It goes through long closed periods, and goes to age 15 or 20 without heavy breathing. If there is a hit on it, it is that it is hard and closed for a long time.
Click to expand...

I agree. I almost interjected in the thread about whether So. Rhone wines shut down that VT often takes many years to open up after shutting down. The '98 VT took a decade to start opening up again, and if your cellar is cold enough may not be open to this day. But Vieux Telegraphe is very atypical in several respects from other So. Rhone wines, isn't it?
Click to expand...

I think the '98 VT is a monster and needs another 10 years minimum.
I agree that this is one of the longest lived CdP and rewards patience.
Click to expand...

I wonder if this quality carries over into Pallieres at all.
Click to expand...

The jury is out since the earliest vintage of theirs was, I think, 98. But I would say that I don't think so. At least mine from 99 and 00 (and I like those wines) are acting like ca 10 year old Gigondas--in the prime of life, having some more years, but not acting like vins de garde particularly. I'd guess my 98 Raspail Ay will outlast them.
 
originally posted by Steven Spielmann:
originally posted by Florida Jim:

2005 Tete, Julinas Clos du Fief:
Open, wonderfully aromatic, perfectly balanced, deep, and with a long and full finish. This may be a wine that will last a long time in the cellar the stuffing is there and so is the balance but it is heavenly right this minute. 13% and the top shelf for the AOC.
Click to expand...

I had the '05 Cuvee Prestige tonight and it was just delicious: great balance, delicious fruit, satin, good depth, modest complexity. Hugely pleasing wine. I can see it lasting quite a long time, but for me it's hard to imagine how it could have been much better than it was a few hours ago.
Click to expand...

Had the 2002 regular last week and that bottle was starting to fade.
 
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