Some local(ish) geeks gathered at our place Saturday night for some cassoulet and vino. There was Mark Davis and Leigh Ann from Portland, Marc Davis and MJ from Bellingham, and BJ and Leslie. Melissa and I brought the crew to eight.
We started with hors d'oevres and a too-long-decanted 07 Pepiere Granite de Clisson. Great wine, but it was better at 3 hours in the decanter than at 7. Next wine up was the 1989 Robert Denis Touraine Azay-le-Rideau. I was surprised at how pale the wine was; I expected more browning. It was also very fresh on the palate, with a lovely white fruit profile. Couldn't ask for much more.
Next up was the salad and a 2004 WIlli Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Spatlese #9. Beautiful elegant wine with lots of acidity to offset the RS. Only 7% (which was appreciated on this night).
As an intermezzo, we had the 07 Monastero Suore Cistercensi Rusticum. This is an orange wine. The wine was interesting, with a large apple cider component. Not something I'd want all the time. This was served without food, but I think it would be better with the right food (not sure what that is, though).
The next course was broccolini sauteed with bacon strips and ponzu vinegar. We had a couple of Poulsards with this, the 2004 Overnoy Arbois Pupillin and a 2004 Domaine de la Tournelle Ploussard Monteiller.
Finally it was time for the main course. We started the cassoulet with the 1993 Thevenet Morgon with this. This worked rather better than I expected, even though it was not a perfect match. The Thevenet was showing quite well, balanced with good stuffing. Still, the wines that followed were better with the food.
The 1982 and 1989 Cahors from Cayrou were the next two. The 1982 was good but starting to decline. The 1989 was young and vibrant, great with cassoulet. These were followed by the 2007 Robert Paris Cornas Granite 60. Decanted for 8-9 hours, this showed wonderfully. Big and assertive yet well balanced. One of the meats in the cassoulet was some pork shoulder that had been put on the smoker just before the wine was opened, and it was perfect with the wine.
There were various cheeses, but I only remember one: the fabulous St Marcellin. With the cheese, we had the 1996 Francois Cazin Cour-Cheverny Cuvee Renaissance. A bit of a kerosene note amidst the white-fruitiness. Great length and delineation; a real treat.
With the cake, there was a 2002 Baumard Quarts de Chaume. My memory of this wine is pretty vague. I'm pretty sure it had a reasonable acid structure, or I would have found it cloying. That's about all I can say.
We started with hors d'oevres and a too-long-decanted 07 Pepiere Granite de Clisson. Great wine, but it was better at 3 hours in the decanter than at 7. Next wine up was the 1989 Robert Denis Touraine Azay-le-Rideau. I was surprised at how pale the wine was; I expected more browning. It was also very fresh on the palate, with a lovely white fruit profile. Couldn't ask for much more.
Next up was the salad and a 2004 WIlli Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Spatlese #9. Beautiful elegant wine with lots of acidity to offset the RS. Only 7% (which was appreciated on this night).
As an intermezzo, we had the 07 Monastero Suore Cistercensi Rusticum. This is an orange wine. The wine was interesting, with a large apple cider component. Not something I'd want all the time. This was served without food, but I think it would be better with the right food (not sure what that is, though).
The next course was broccolini sauteed with bacon strips and ponzu vinegar. We had a couple of Poulsards with this, the 2004 Overnoy Arbois Pupillin and a 2004 Domaine de la Tournelle Ploussard Monteiller.
Finally it was time for the main course. We started the cassoulet with the 1993 Thevenet Morgon with this. This worked rather better than I expected, even though it was not a perfect match. The Thevenet was showing quite well, balanced with good stuffing. Still, the wines that followed were better with the food.
The 1982 and 1989 Cahors from Cayrou were the next two. The 1982 was good but starting to decline. The 1989 was young and vibrant, great with cassoulet. These were followed by the 2007 Robert Paris Cornas Granite 60. Decanted for 8-9 hours, this showed wonderfully. Big and assertive yet well balanced. One of the meats in the cassoulet was some pork shoulder that had been put on the smoker just before the wine was opened, and it was perfect with the wine.
There were various cheeses, but I only remember one: the fabulous St Marcellin. With the cheese, we had the 1996 Francois Cazin Cour-Cheverny Cuvee Renaissance. A bit of a kerosene note amidst the white-fruitiness. Great length and delineation; a real treat.
With the cake, there was a 2002 Baumard Quarts de Chaume. My memory of this wine is pretty vague. I'm pretty sure it had a reasonable acid structure, or I would have found it cloying. That's about all I can say.
