Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Morgan, Jason, Suzanne, Don, Jeff
Our second gathering at this comfortable restaurant on its free corkage night. We have a round table up near the front, we get a receptacle for unused wine, we get a cheery hello from the waitress who recognizes us from last time, we get lovely food and service, we tip generously, we have wine chat with the staff who read Morgan's tweet-ahead that he'd be there.
AND, on top of all that, by some Dionysian whim we had all wonderful beverages tonight:
Dom. Closel (Ch des Vaults) 2005 Savennieres "Clos Papillon" - good zip, nuttiness in the attack fades quickly on the palate into something juicy and yellow-fruity; I am no fan of oxidative wine but this is a good trick; about 3 hours later, this has really blossomed into something exquisite, ripe, balanced, a vino da meditazione
Cidre Brut de Carnac, Lot 6 - vintage 2003 approx.; lost in Suzanne's cellar for a while; a little soft but interesting: the flavor wanders in and out of apple-ness, vinyl car seat, apricot, mustard seed, sometimes tannic, sometimes sweet; I didn't go back to it later but Jason said that Time did not treat it well
Cedric Bouchard 2003(disg.) Champagne Brut, Blanc de Noirs "La Parcelle" - really good acidity, a green grape (or otherwise light) flavor profile, a gentle bead; this is very appealing and we keep going back to it
Ganevat 2009 Cotes de Jura "Cuvee Julien" - pinot noir; weightless, lilacs, zing, pinky-red fruit, gulp me!
Baudry 2002 Chinon Rouge "Les Grezeaux" - singing like the Ganevat but a half-octave lower: dirt and fruit, black raspberries and rose; I think Jason also said that this was less good after 3 hours open
Baudry 2009 Chinon Rouge "La Croix Boisee" - rich and full and keenly balanced; this, too, is rather deft: sure it's ripe but it's not extracted or spirity; another really good wine
Bernard Faurie 2001 St Joseph VV - a touch watery but very pretty mature syrah, earth and blue fruits and well-integrated acidity
Eminence Road 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon - unreleased; Don has the bottle because Andrew wants some feedback; I get a pour before Don does the Mollydooker Shake on the bottle (because several folks thought there was spritz); the wine is advertised as 'stains anything it touches' and it sure is dark; acidity is OK; flavor is a good, solid, ripe-but-not-too-ripe cabernet, but it is a bit tough and could use something to broaden/lighten it (maybe a little merlot or cab franc?)
Our second gathering at this comfortable restaurant on its free corkage night. We have a round table up near the front, we get a receptacle for unused wine, we get a cheery hello from the waitress who recognizes us from last time, we get lovely food and service, we tip generously, we have wine chat with the staff who read Morgan's tweet-ahead that he'd be there.
AND, on top of all that, by some Dionysian whim we had all wonderful beverages tonight:
Dom. Closel (Ch des Vaults) 2005 Savennieres "Clos Papillon" - good zip, nuttiness in the attack fades quickly on the palate into something juicy and yellow-fruity; I am no fan of oxidative wine but this is a good trick; about 3 hours later, this has really blossomed into something exquisite, ripe, balanced, a vino da meditazione
Cidre Brut de Carnac, Lot 6 - vintage 2003 approx.; lost in Suzanne's cellar for a while; a little soft but interesting: the flavor wanders in and out of apple-ness, vinyl car seat, apricot, mustard seed, sometimes tannic, sometimes sweet; I didn't go back to it later but Jason said that Time did not treat it well
Cedric Bouchard 2003(disg.) Champagne Brut, Blanc de Noirs "La Parcelle" - really good acidity, a green grape (or otherwise light) flavor profile, a gentle bead; this is very appealing and we keep going back to it
Ganevat 2009 Cotes de Jura "Cuvee Julien" - pinot noir; weightless, lilacs, zing, pinky-red fruit, gulp me!
Baudry 2002 Chinon Rouge "Les Grezeaux" - singing like the Ganevat but a half-octave lower: dirt and fruit, black raspberries and rose; I think Jason also said that this was less good after 3 hours open
Baudry 2009 Chinon Rouge "La Croix Boisee" - rich and full and keenly balanced; this, too, is rather deft: sure it's ripe but it's not extracted or spirity; another really good wine
Bernard Faurie 2001 St Joseph VV - a touch watery but very pretty mature syrah, earth and blue fruits and well-integrated acidity
Eminence Road 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon - unreleased; Don has the bottle because Andrew wants some feedback; I get a pour before Don does the Mollydooker Shake on the bottle (because several folks thought there was spritz); the wine is advertised as 'stains anything it touches' and it sure is dark; acidity is OK; flavor is a good, solid, ripe-but-not-too-ripe cabernet, but it is a bit tough and could use something to broaden/lighten it (maybe a little merlot or cab franc?)
