TN: A Bunch of Quick Notes

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
First, there was a tasting of natural wines (meaning, no added SO2) at Chambers:

De Moor 2009 Vin de Table "A Ligoter" - Vin de France?; whatever it's called, this bottle is delightfully lithe and suave and reminiscent of Chablis without being it

Frick 2007 Alsace Riesling Sans Soufre - this bottle is so tight, so closed, that it may as well have been water; Jay had a better one

Bellotti 2009 Bianco Vino da Tavola "Semplicemente Vino" - cortese must be an interesting grape... this wine offers a scent of something green and licorice-like, perhaps tarragon, and good body; Jay had a worse one

Ducroux 2009 Regnie - as they say, "yum" ((bought this))

Cousin 2009 Vin de Table Grolleau VV - very lean, in the cranberry-cherry school of tart red fruit, I think Jay likes it more than I do

Maisons Brulees 2008 Vin de Table "Le Herdeleau" - interesting but hard to describe; the peppery tang of the pinot d'aunis stands out from the other grapes

Guttarolo 2007 Gioia del Colle Primitivo - ooh, I like this: herbs and berries, light and loosey-goosey texture, not sweet or zin-like (prim-like?) at all ((should buy this))

Saetti 2009 Rosato dell'Emilia - nicely gamey but a bit sweet

La Tournelle NV Petillant Naturel de Raisin - ok

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Then, there was a revelation-filled dinner at Grand Szechuan with Jay Miller:

Alesia 2007 Green Valley Pinot Noir - by the Noodle, this is what's meant to be drunk with cucumber with scallions (and quite a lot of sesame oil)!

Lopez de Heredia 2000 Rioja Tondonia Rose GR - the Noodle says, this is what's meant to be drunk with pork soup dumplings!

Frick 2007 Alsace Pinot Blanc "Precieuses" - oh my Noodle, this is what's meant to be drunk with smoked tea duck!

Note: I took the rest of the LdH home. It was still interesting the next day but was fading by two days after. My partner, who is not a big wino, would not drink it at all because it smelled too much like sherry.

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Finally, there was a prep run for Thanksgiving at my house:

Giacosa 1995 Barolo Villero - I reached for a bottle of Brun 06 Cote de Brouilly but it wasn't there so this came up next; my last Giacosa '95; classic and promiscuous nose of roses; stings a bit in the mouth; the fond au verre smells brown and old, however; tons of sediment; works nicely with the rich heritage turkey meat and with the not-too-sweet cranberry sauce
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:


Cousin 2009 Vin de Table Grolleau VV - very lean, in the cranberry-cherry school of tart red fruit, I think Jay likes it more than I do

the cousin grolleau has traditionally been my least favorite of his wines, but i absolutely love the 09. the fruit just sings for me.
 
originally posted by scottreiner:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:


Cousin 2009 Vin de Table Grolleau VV - very lean, in the cranberry-cherry school of tart red fruit, I think Jay likes it more than I do

the cousin grolleau has traditionally been my least favorite of his wines, but i absolutely love the 09. the fruit just sings for me.

Wow. The grolleau has always been Cousin's best wine, IMO. The rest are a minefield of indifferent cellar technique. I've had cabernets from them that made me want to hit someone.
 
there was a tasting of natural wines (meaning, no added SO2) at Chambers:

Funnily enough, my mother stopped by this tasting while I was at home with the baby.

How's that for changing times!
 
originally posted by VLM:


Wow. The grolleau has always been Cousin's best wine, IMO. The rest are a minefield of indifferent cellar technique. I've had cabernets from them that made me want to hit someone.

for me, the gamay anjou. the tannins in the grolleau have always seemed out of balance for me, until 09.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
TN: A Bunch of Quick NotesFirst, there was a tasting of natural wines (meaning, no added SO2) at Chambers:

De Moor 2009 Vin de Table "A Ligoter" - Vin de France?; whatever it's called, this bottle is delightfully lithe and suave and reminiscent of Chablis without being it

I assume this was a pun on Aligot: was that the grape? St. Bris is near Chablis, but I have always found it very much its own place.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
Funnily enough, my mother stopped by this tasting while I was at home with the baby.

How's that for changing times!

It's a baby; of course, you're going to spend time changing it. How did Mom like the wine?
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
TN: A Bunch of Quick NotesFirst, there was a tasting of natural wines (meaning, no added SO2) at Chambers:

De Moor 2009 Vin de Table "A Ligoter" - Vin de France?; whatever it's called, this bottle is delightfully lithe and suave and reminiscent of Chablis without being it

I assume this was a pun on Aligot: was that the grape? St. Bris is near Chablis, but I have always found it very much its own place.

This is the Tirage de Printemps, traditionally my favorite aligote from them. IIRC (I'm sure someone will correct me) A Ligoter is a pun based on how they tie the grape vines. My pour at this tasting was from a fresh bottle that was still too cold and hadn't opened up at all. But I had already bought one the previous day so I'll get to try it under better circumstances.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman: How did Mom like the wine?

She didn't mention any favorites. But needless to say she's become a Loire lover and semi-frequent Chambers shopper due to my encouragement. (And her memories of drinking 89 Foreau and 89 Foucault in Tours. Unfortunately the experience has been harder to replicate back in the States).
 
I really expected the Alesia to be a great match with the smoked tea duck. I was wrong. The Frick was a great match with the smoked tea duck and the Alesia was a great match with the cucumbers and scallions. I think I'm going to throw up my hands and stop pretending to know what wine and food will match well.

Oh, and I love that Herdeleau.
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
I'd say that's a likely reason. " ligoter" means "fit to be tied" but sounds exactly like "aligot," the grape.

Ah, puns.

I would say the stresses are slightly different, but yeah.
 
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