Ian Fitzsimmons
Ian Fitzsimmons
What, no photos? Who are you and why are you posting over Brad's name?
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Nov. 19 and 20 in NY
- Thread starter Jonathan Loesberg
- Start date
It did make for a calm, relaxing get together. We had more talk of Sarko's left-wing agenda than purely aesthetic debate, unless you're willing to grant wide latitude to performance art. I know it will shock everyone that we had some weird wines. I thought the white wines stole the show, especially the 1995 Musar and the 2004 Texier Chateauneuf. Now, where are those who took notes?
originally posted by Cliff: I thought the white wines stole the show, especially the 1995 Musar and the 2004 Texier Chateauneuf.
Agree on the Texier, that was some special stuff.
But was the Musar really supposed to be white? Or are you just being clever. (Either way, it was literally brown and didn't ring my bells).
The Musar seemed more in the orange category than brown. Yes, I suppose I was trapped by those pesky binary, or tripartite, color categories used to segregate wine. We may not have left it in the decanter long enough to freshen up! It certainly isn't a mainstream wine by any stretch, but I found it very compelling. Did you think it was dead?
Salil Benegal
Salil Benegal
Sorry I missed it - hope you guys had a good time though! Though I really have a hard time believing that Brad forgot his camera.
Zachary Ross
Zachary Ross
I liked the Musar, especially after about two hours in the decanter (thanks Otto! and Jay). Pretty amazing how much it opened up.
originally posted by Zachary Ross:
I liked the Musar, especially after about two hours in the decanter (thanks Otto! and Jay). Pretty amazing how much it opened up.
Yes, Jay's face was very expressive when he tested it early.
originally posted by Rahsaan:
For some reason I thought the Musar was supposed to be red.
I can see how it would be off-putting as a red wine.
originally posted by Rahsaan:
Regardless, it was too volatile for me. A common problem that stands between me and many bottles of Muscar.
I've only had the entry-level white before. This was an entirely different animal. And it was animal.
I found the Musar undrinkable. Very disappointed with the showing of my '05 Thomas- Labaille- Sancerre Cuvee Buster. While it got better with air, It seemed a little hot and spotty on the finish. The only white I liked, which was my wine of the night, was the '98 Muller-Catoir- Riesling Spat, Haardter Burgergarten. Lovely, though I've certainly had better showings.
The Reds were eh. The '74 Sebastiani- Cab Proprietor's Reserve was at best intellectually interesting, though I commented to Jonathan without Jay hearing me that Jay would like it a lot more than I did and he did. My red of the night was whatever that '97 Masi was. I found the '06 Charvin- CDP to be showing a bit ponderous with too much alcohol showing. Everyone else like the '04 Clos Rougeard better than I, but I've never been a fan of those wines.
Even my '97 Niepoort- Port showed terribly last night. Granted, we may be catching it in a mood at age thirteen, but it was completely disjointed and showing too much alcohol.
I'm going to blame global warming and the economy for last night.
The Reds were eh. The '74 Sebastiani- Cab Proprietor's Reserve was at best intellectually interesting, though I commented to Jonathan without Jay hearing me that Jay would like it a lot more than I did and he did. My red of the night was whatever that '97 Masi was. I found the '06 Charvin- CDP to be showing a bit ponderous with too much alcohol showing. Everyone else like the '04 Clos Rougeard better than I, but I've never been a fan of those wines.
Even my '97 Niepoort- Port showed terribly last night. Granted, we may be catching it in a mood at age thirteen, but it was completely disjointed and showing too much alcohol.
I'm going to blame global warming and the economy for last night.
How could I forget Buster? Not a great pooch wine for the ages, but very nice all the same. Showing a little more development than I would have expected.
The Catoir was nice but diffuse. It might have pulled itself together if it could have found some room in the ice bucket.
I got all excited when you said the Sebastiani was no good but maybe intellectually interesting! It was interesting, but, I agree, a little soft and not as compelling as I hoped. It was funky with VA and didn't have the gravitas of the Musar to pull it off.
The Clos Rougeard was very nice.
The Catoir was nice but diffuse. It might have pulled itself together if it could have found some room in the ice bucket.
I got all excited when you said the Sebastiani was no good but maybe intellectually interesting! It was interesting, but, I agree, a little soft and not as compelling as I hoped. It was funky with VA and didn't have the gravitas of the Musar to pull it off.
The Clos Rougeard was very nice.
originally posted by Cliff:
The Catoir was nice but diffuse. It might have pulled itself together if it could have found some room in the ice bucket..
Yes, tricky ice bucket navigation there. I was never convinced by the 96 Chidaine Almendra, which took up much of that space. It may have been cool and poised but something about the hollowish metallic fruit was less than compelling. Yet another in our string of bad bottles?
Kay Bixler
Kay Bixler
Brad, my last '97 Niepoort was a mess as well and I still have a ton of bottles. Sure was nice young though, maybe it will come back around.
originally posted by Brad Kane:
My red of the night was whatever that '97 Masi was..
I still can't get over this. But I guess it makes sense given your preferences.
According to the Masi website, the wine has "extraordinary concentration, colour and tannin content, produces a wine of modern style..."
But I'm surprised you didn't like the Charvin more. It wasn't all together but it was certainly rich and fine.
originally posted by Rahsaan:
1997 Masi Osaroriginally posted by Brad Kane:
My red of the night was whatever that '97 Masi was..
I still can't get over this. But I guess it makes sense given your preferences.
It was my red of the night, but it was sort of like the tallest dwarf.
originally posted by Kay Bixler:
Brad, my last '97 Niepoort was a mess as well and I still have a ton of bottles. Sure was nice young though, maybe it will come back around.
This one was a leaker, as most of them are that vintage. A half bottle I had a few years ago showed infinitely better.
I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and wait some more. Not much else I can do.
originally posted by Rahsaan:
I was never convinced by the 96 Chidaine Almendra...
Wow. That is very sad. I've had maybe 15 delicious bottles of that wine.
Jonathan Loesberg
Jonathan Loesberg
I just got home. Thanks everybody for a great evening, even if not all the wines. I liked the reds better than everybody else. The Charvin was showing bigger than I would have liked but it was a nice wine for me. The Clos Rougeard was definitely the red of the evening. The Masi came in second.
The Texier white CdP and the Muller Catoir (in reverse order) were the best of the whites. The Musar was interestingly weird, but not actually pleasurable. Most of the other whites were also in some way askance.
The Texier white CdP and the Muller Catoir (in reverse order) were the best of the whites. The Musar was interestingly weird, but not actually pleasurable. Most of the other whites were also in some way askance.
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
I was never convinced by the 96 Chidaine Almendra...
Wow. That is very sad. I've had maybe 15 delicious bottles of that wine.
Yes, I had seen some of your positive comments on here which were all the extra prodding I needed to purchase. But I don't think I was alone in my lukewarm reaction. Bad luck/bottle for us I guess.