TN: Some 2010 Clos Roche Blanche

M

Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis
I figured I would try out a few of the 2010 CRBs over the last couple of nights while it was still possible to pick up more. Haven't cracked any of the Gamay or the Rose yet, but hopefully will get to do that shortly.

2010 Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon Blanc Touraine Sauvignon No. 2 - France, Loire Valley, Touraine (7/21/2011)

Extremely light straw color. For me, this was restrained to the point of austerity. Serious effort was required to coax anything out of this, and what was coaxed was mostly freshly-picked herbs and rocks. Not a trace of fruit that I could detect. Now, this was certainly refreshing and the acidity did a fine job of cleansing the palate, so there was a reason to return to it over a light meal on a warm summer night, but that reason certainly wasn't its friendliness. (87 points)

2010 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine L'Arpent Rouge - France, Loire Valley, Touraine (7/20/2011)

This shows a cloudy ruby/purple color that is somewhat pale but quite vivacious. On first pour there is a very strong aroma of warm soil, a note that I have found repeatedly in Cab Franc (yes, I know this wine is made from Pineau d'Aunis) from Chinon, most recently in the 2009 Baudry Chinon Les Grezeaux. By itself, I do not find it an altogether pleasant smell, but it is quickly complemented by a host of other aromas, including strawberry and other red berry fruit, barnyard, shrubs, flowers and later a hint of savory, dark chocolate. It is fresh and expressive on the palate. There are light and smooth, but grippy, tannins that culminate in what is unfortunately a short finish, but if that is my only complaint then this wine is really something for the price. (90 points)

Posted from CellarTracker
 
It's a bit of a dead horse, but it saddens me to see Catherine and Didier's excellent work in this vintage summed up in points. These are not univariate wines.

I haven't had the SB since it landed but it showed a lot more than you describe in the spring and doubtless will again.
 
I liked the L'Arpent Rouge a great deal when I opened a bottle a couple of weeks ago. I'm looking forward to trying the other wines, particularly the rosé (as I seem to be going through my stash of Baudry rosé much too quickly in this heat).
 
So, 2010 Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon Blanc Touraine Sauvignon No. 2 is only 6,4516129% less good than '09 Hirztberger grüner ...

Not bad for a simple Touraine SB.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
It's a bit of a dead horse, but it saddens me to see Catherine and Didier's excellent work in this vintage summed up in points. These are not univariate wines.

I haven't had the SB since it landed but it showed a lot more than you describe in the spring and doubtless will again.
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It's a second order factor score.
 
Those of us in fly-over country have to wait until fall to award points on these babies.

Plus I want to wait for Suckling to release his scores to make sure I'm not wrong about mine.
 
As a supplement to writing notes, I typically assign scores to wines so that I have a personal measure of the relative amount of enjoyment I derived from drinking a wine at a particular point in time. It should go without saying that I do not believe a wine can be "summed up" in points alone, and the value of a score is certainly subjective and personal, but I find scores useful as precisely that - a personal, subjective measure. Perhaps next time I will be careful to delete any scores before posting the narrative part of the note so as not to offend the disorderlies.
 
i feel a pang for prongs (as the actress said to the bishop...).

fb.
 
The PdA shouldn't be cloudy - perhaps it needs a bit more time to rest before being opened?

So why award points at all? Do you give scores to every person you fuck? Does it help you masturbate better?
 
I haveno objection to scores per se. My only issue is that every crb wine is perfect in it's own way and should therefore be assigned a score of 100 by default.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
I haveno objection to scores per se. My only issue is that every crb wine is perfect in it's own way and should therefore be assigned a score of 100 by default.
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Here! Hear!
 
All we need is David from Switzerland and we can have a points-a-palooza.

[Not opposed to points personally; just too lazy to score]
 
Please always refer to my notes, not my numbers, for the latter are like a snapshot of a runny nose. In due time, there will be sneezes as well as both cessations and recurrences.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
I haveno objection to scores per se. My only issue is that every crb wine is perfect in it's own way and should therefore be assigned a score of 100 by default.
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Not true, as some are clearly made from Sauvignon Blanc, thus flawed wine.
 
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