Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Brad, Jeff, Cliff, Victor, Jay, SFJoe, Manuel, Lisa, Chris, Asher
Back at Clos Kane for an impromptu gathering to celebrate the periodic return of the Latin Liquidator to our fair shores.
There is the usual groaning board of bread, cheese, salumi, nuts, etc. But Brad has truly taken the spotlight with a smoky-tender flank steak and an outstanding lobster and corn hash.
Nigl 2001 Senftenberg-Kremstal Riesling "Privat" - acidity still good, earthy, a bit of Pixie-Stik, a touch sweet, vivid wine
Les Chais du Vieux Bourg 2008 Cotes du Jura "B.B.1." - brought to you by the relocated-Bavarian team of Bindernagel and Eigenschenck, this was their first wine and the name is a homophone honoring it ("bébé #1"); complex and honeyed, almost as yum as the previous bottle
Egon Muller 2009 Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett - 23-10, tutti-frutti, intense, just twitchy-acid, and... corked
Do Ferreiro (Bod. Mendez) 2010 Albarino "Cepas Vellas" - from the Eira de Galiñanes vineyard, this is no doubt the fullest and richest albarino ever, yet for all that it is still clean and crisp and strangely delicate
F.X. Pichler 2001 Durnsteiner Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd - something like the Nigl but more vigorous and a little less nuanced
Belluard 2010 Vin de Savoie "Cepage Gringet" - yes, gringet is a grape; yes, there's only about 50 ha left in the world; yes, Belluard is biodynamic/ambient/low-sulfur/yada; the wine had good acidity but not too much flavor, just a hint of alpine flowers way in the back; the Internet suggests that the wine deserved more attention than it got from me
Foil-Wrapped Mystery Wine on the Left - OK, it's red; it's pretty; there's the very slightest suggestion of school-paste; acidity is sound; Suzanne says Bordeaux and I say Burg; absolutely no one guesses the decade on this stunner... (Dom. Gruaud-Larose 1966 St-Julien)
Foil-Wrapped Mystery Wine on the Right - another red; a whiff of rosemary; definitely Bordeaux; tannins resolved; a little red-fruitier than the other Mystery Wine; another wine showing so beautifully tonight... (Dom. Beychevelle 1955 St-Julien)
Ch. de Fieuzal 1989 Graves - brutishly young, oh, wait, let's recalibrate; transparent, high-toned, almost strawberry, alcohol shows just a bit
Dom. de la Grange des Peres 2008 Vin de Pays de l'Herault - tannic and buttery, eh
Rhys 2008 Syrah "Horseshoe Vineyard" - corked
Dom. Weinbach 2000 Riesling "Cuvee Ste Catherine" - dead (and they richly deserve it for making their cuvee names impossible to determine)
Felsina 1990 Chianti Classico Riserva "Berardenga" - dead
Farou 1989 Chinon "Clos du Parc de St-Louans" - corked
Ridge 1987 Geyserville Zinfandel "Trentadue" - still some fruit, still some coconut, unexciting though, "Should have been drunk 10 years ago"-SFJoe
Keller 2005 Dalsheimer Burgel Spatburgunder Trocken "Cuvee Felix" - 46-07, black raspberry, stemmy, best with food
Joguet 2009 Chinon "Clos de la Dioterie" - pretty but a bit lactic with a sticky texture
Ridge 2009 "Monte Bello" - for a young CA wine this is kinda quiet; Chris and I wonder whether something is amiss but we don't taste anything wrong; does this subtle showing indicate good things to come?
Foreau 1997 Vouvray Moelleux - Foreau says the 1997s are advancing faster than he'd like; this taste exactly like apricot nectar (of course, the feel is lighter)
Eminence Road 2008 Gewurtztraminer - the nose is slight but still pretty; the palate is getting kinda stinky
Bod. Riojanas 1970 Rioja GR "Vina Albina" - smooth but kinda worn, "Beef blood and earth"-Brad, "...and Coppertone!"-SFJoe
NB. If you're a FB'er, there are pix available to you.
Back at Clos Kane for an impromptu gathering to celebrate the periodic return of the Latin Liquidator to our fair shores.
There is the usual groaning board of bread, cheese, salumi, nuts, etc. But Brad has truly taken the spotlight with a smoky-tender flank steak and an outstanding lobster and corn hash.
Nigl 2001 Senftenberg-Kremstal Riesling "Privat" - acidity still good, earthy, a bit of Pixie-Stik, a touch sweet, vivid wine
Les Chais du Vieux Bourg 2008 Cotes du Jura "B.B.1." - brought to you by the relocated-Bavarian team of Bindernagel and Eigenschenck, this was their first wine and the name is a homophone honoring it ("bébé #1"); complex and honeyed, almost as yum as the previous bottle
Egon Muller 2009 Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett - 23-10, tutti-frutti, intense, just twitchy-acid, and... corked
Do Ferreiro (Bod. Mendez) 2010 Albarino "Cepas Vellas" - from the Eira de Galiñanes vineyard, this is no doubt the fullest and richest albarino ever, yet for all that it is still clean and crisp and strangely delicate
F.X. Pichler 2001 Durnsteiner Kellerberg Riesling Smaragd - something like the Nigl but more vigorous and a little less nuanced
Belluard 2010 Vin de Savoie "Cepage Gringet" - yes, gringet is a grape; yes, there's only about 50 ha left in the world; yes, Belluard is biodynamic/ambient/low-sulfur/yada; the wine had good acidity but not too much flavor, just a hint of alpine flowers way in the back; the Internet suggests that the wine deserved more attention than it got from me
Foil-Wrapped Mystery Wine on the Left - OK, it's red; it's pretty; there's the very slightest suggestion of school-paste; acidity is sound; Suzanne says Bordeaux and I say Burg; absolutely no one guesses the decade on this stunner... (Dom. Gruaud-Larose 1966 St-Julien)
Foil-Wrapped Mystery Wine on the Right - another red; a whiff of rosemary; definitely Bordeaux; tannins resolved; a little red-fruitier than the other Mystery Wine; another wine showing so beautifully tonight... (Dom. Beychevelle 1955 St-Julien)
Ch. de Fieuzal 1989 Graves - brutishly young, oh, wait, let's recalibrate; transparent, high-toned, almost strawberry, alcohol shows just a bit
Dom. de la Grange des Peres 2008 Vin de Pays de l'Herault - tannic and buttery, eh
Rhys 2008 Syrah "Horseshoe Vineyard" - corked
Dom. Weinbach 2000 Riesling "Cuvee Ste Catherine" - dead (and they richly deserve it for making their cuvee names impossible to determine)
Felsina 1990 Chianti Classico Riserva "Berardenga" - dead
Farou 1989 Chinon "Clos du Parc de St-Louans" - corked
Ridge 1987 Geyserville Zinfandel "Trentadue" - still some fruit, still some coconut, unexciting though, "Should have been drunk 10 years ago"-SFJoe
Keller 2005 Dalsheimer Burgel Spatburgunder Trocken "Cuvee Felix" - 46-07, black raspberry, stemmy, best with food
Joguet 2009 Chinon "Clos de la Dioterie" - pretty but a bit lactic with a sticky texture
Ridge 2009 "Monte Bello" - for a young CA wine this is kinda quiet; Chris and I wonder whether something is amiss but we don't taste anything wrong; does this subtle showing indicate good things to come?
Foreau 1997 Vouvray Moelleux - Foreau says the 1997s are advancing faster than he'd like; this taste exactly like apricot nectar (of course, the feel is lighter)
Eminence Road 2008 Gewurtztraminer - the nose is slight but still pretty; the palate is getting kinda stinky
Bod. Riojanas 1970 Rioja GR "Vina Albina" - smooth but kinda worn, "Beef blood and earth"-Brad, "...and Coppertone!"-SFJoe
NB. If you're a FB'er, there are pix available to you.
