TN: Blind Leo (Aug. 21, 2012)

J

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
attendees: Dave Culang, Josh Leader, Salil, Jay, Jeff

The August edition of the "Leo dinners" is a blind BYO. There are two sittings of it, this year, hence a few seats for we non-regulars.

Grand Sichuan is the setting. Jay rattles off the order without even consulting the menu: pork soup dumplings, cucumber with scallion sauce, red cooked pork with chestnuts, tea-smoked duck. We order a few spicy dishes later.

And, mostly, we have concealed wines to taste:

Dave Fizzy - We are loudly informed that Dave like Jura wines so the first guess has to be that this is Crement de Jura; it tastes waxy, with citrus peel (lemon? grapefruit?), also a taste of green grapes, very savory, and yum
reveal: Foreau 2002 Vouvray Petillant Brut Reserve

A Dry White - the bottle is Austrian shape; pure, white flowers, good zip, at first it seems less like riesling and maybe more like muskateller?, but this develops a long finish and just continues to get better and better
reveal: Muller-Catoir 1998 Haardter Burgergarten Riesling Spatlese Halbtrocken

Jeff #1 - so dark! so black cherry! very dry, Josh: "tastes like Cru Beaujolais", Dave guesses very well at what I thought I brought... but it turns out that I grabbed the wrong bottle! This was supposed to be poulsard but instead
reveal: Jacky Renard 2009 Irancy

Jeff #2 - Jay: "smells like Cru Beaujolais"; my wicked plan has succeeded, despite bringing the wrong bottle for #1; heavier than the #1, fruitier, perhaps a warmer vintage?, but we know better
reveal: Dashe 2007 Zinfandel "l'Enfant Terrible", McFadden Farms

Jay #1 - clearly cabernet sauvignon, Salil jumps all over it... right bank... 1995... either La Dominique or Ch Magdelaine; yes, the '95 tannins are finally relenting
reveal: Ch. Magdelaine 1995 St-Emilion

Jay in the Ratty Foil - stinky!, we eventually pin it to mid-1980s chianti; it never recovers
reveal: Castellare 1985 Chianti Classico Riserva

Jay #3 - very ripe, seems like 2009 Burgundy village, impressive showing
reveal: Rhys 2009 Pinot Noir "Family Farm"

Jay Red Wax - quite tannic, is it shutting down?, it could be a big Morgon but the wax hints that it is Fourrier; I detect a late diacetyl note
reveal: Fourrier 2008 Morey-Saint-Denis "Clos Solon"

Josh Red Wax - we pick this one up easy; a little less zip and a little darker-fruited than the '07 but still really, really good
reveal: Foillard 2006 Morgon "Cuvee Pi"

Josh #2 - tannic, like a cab from a place that doesn't usually grow cab, way better in the nose than on the palate
reveal: Rion 1995 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er "Clos des Argilleres"

Dave Yellow Wax - aggressive nose and entry, good finish of wax and wool; it's Jura but not strongly oxidative
reveal: Ganevat 2000 Cotes du Jura "Les Vignes de Mon Pere"

Keller 2006 Florsheim-Dalsheim Kirchspiel Riesling - hot, tannic?, eh

Colin-Morey 2010 Puligny-Montrachet "Le Trezin" - woody, oily, eh

Kruger-Rumpf 1998 Munsterer Dautenpflanzer Riesling Spatlese - 7 702 089 016 99; juicy orange oil, chrysanthemums, slightly heavy, pretty, a lot of talk at the table about how second-rate K-R is

Mike Meisner Memorial Slurps

An addendum on some of the leftovers:

Dashe... has kept its form, still some acid structure, a bit heavier than a gamay wine but pretty good yet

Irancy... has lost all perfume, seems a bit metallic or flinty now

Porter Creek... yes, the bottle from a week ago, is still in good shape, showing heavier (14.8%) than the other two wines but also richer, riper, fuller; I think it's improved
 
originally posted by Andrew Zachary:
Like watching a bad strip tease -- there are promises to reveal, but nothing shows. Or are you leaving the idiots in suspense?
Click to expand...
Use highlight (hold the mouse button down, move the cursor across) on the lines following each "reveal:".
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Andrew Zachary:
Like watching a bad strip tease -- there are promises to reveal, but nothing shows. Or are you leaving the idiots in suspense?
Click to expand...
Use highlight (hold the mouse button down, move the cursor across) on the lines following each "reveal:".
Click to expand...

Nifty!
 
Jeff,

Any comparison between the '02 Foreau and recent '02 Huets?

And do you think the Dashe is improving with age, or would you rather have drunk it young.

For those of us without many bottles of '06 Foillard Pi, should one think about drinking soon?
 
I just had the 06 Foillard Py a couple of days ago and was underwhelmed. It had the Foillard perfume, but it was fleeting. Most of all, the wine was just flat. I'm going to hold mine for a couple years and hope for the best.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
Any comparison between the '02 Foreau and recent '02 Huets?
Click to expand...
I have not had '02 Huet recently. Compared to one about a year ago, I'd say there was more stuffing in the Huet but the Foreau is drinking nicely in a leaner style.

And do you think the Dashe is improving with age, or would you rather have drunk it young.
Click to expand...
Improving.

For those of us without many bottles of '06 Foillard Pi, should one think about drinking soon?
Click to expand...
No rush; it had plenty of life in it. I expect it will drink for several years just like it did that night. (That said, it does not have the acid of the '07 so it's always going to be heavier, for lack of a better word.)
 
Um, Jeff - I'm pretty sure that was 1995 Chateau Magdelaine, not Clos de la Madeleine. A beautiful showing but despite the double decant it was best at the end of the evening.

The Fourrier, which definitely disappointed at on first pour, continued to improve over the course of the evening.

This was the best showing yet of the 2009 Rhys Family Farm. My favorite to date of the 2009 Rhys Pinots (still waiting to try the Horseshoe this Fall).

My WOTN was the 1998 MCHBSH. Beautiful, beautiful wine that I'd say is peaking now.

The 1998 Kruger Rumpf was a big disappointment but I certainly don't consider them second rate currently. Who was saying that? I loved the 2009s and like the 2010s very much.

The Foreau continued to improved over the course of the evening. Seemed a bit coarse on first pour but definitely not later on. Drinking well now and will continue to improve.

I was a little disappointed by the Foillard. Enjoyable but not a patch on the 2007. Very glad to have the chance to try it though.

Keller - most overrated/overpriced German producer?
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
Um, Jeff - I'm pretty sure that was 1995 Chateau Magdelaine, not Clos de la Madeleine. A beautiful showing but despite the double decant it was best at the end of the evening.
Click to expand...
Fixed. It was hard to read my handwriting.

The 1998 Kruger Rumpf was a big disappointment but I certainly don't consider them second rate currently. Who was saying that? I loved the 2009s and like the 2010s very much.
Click to expand...
There was a lot of discussion about LDM bringing in some German wines but that few of the names were top, and that led to further discussion of over-rated producers.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
Um, Jeff - I'm pretty sure that was 1995 Chateau Magdelaine, not Clos de la Madeleine. A beautiful showing but despite the double decant it was best at the end of the evening.
Click to expand...

who's taken down the FAQ page where it says not to drink magdelaine without me in the tri-state area?

The Fourrier, which definitely disappointed at on first pour, continued to improve over the course of the evening.
Click to expand...

we opened 08 gevrey vv in the cellar ( we looked for you everywhere, even lifted a couple of your boxes ).
Very interesting aromatically, but only offering superficial enjoyment on the palate. His Corpulence complained about chaptalization, let it be known.

The 1998 Kruger Rumpf was a big disappointment but I certainly don't consider them second rate currently. Who was saying that? I loved the 2009s and like the 2010s very much.
Click to expand...

have you had their dry wines?
You should ask to be blinded by the same wine one and two decades apart and see if you can tell the difference.

I was a little disappointed by the Foillard. Enjoyable but not a patch on the 2007. Very glad to have the chance to try it though.
Click to expand...

you expected 06 to compete with the 07 ?

Keller - most overrated/overpriced German producer?
Click to expand...

have you had the pinot noir? :-)
 
originally posted by .sasha:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
Um, Jeff - I'm pretty sure that was 1995 Chateau Magdelaine, not Clos de la Madeleine. A beautiful showing but despite the double decant it was best at the end of the evening.
Click to expand...

who's taken down the FAQ page where it says not to drink magdelaine without me in the tri-state area?

The Fourrier, which definitely disappointed at on first pour, continued to improve over the course of the evening.
Click to expand...

we opened 08 gevrey vv in the cellar ( we looked for you everywhere, even lifted a couple of your boxes ).
Very interesting aromatically, but only offering superficial enjoyment on the palate. His Corpulence complained about chaptalization, let it be known.

The 1998 Kruger Rumpf was a big disappointment but I certainly don't consider them second rate currently. Who was saying that? I loved the 2009s and like the 2010s very much.
Click to expand...

have you had their dry wines?
You should ask to be blinded by the same wine one and two decades apart and see if you can tell the difference.

I was a little disappointed by the Foillard. Enjoyable but not a patch on the 2007. Very glad to have the chance to try it though.
Click to expand...

you expected 06 to compete with the 07 ?

Keller - most overrated/overpriced German producer?
Click to expand...

have you had the pinot noir? :-)
Click to expand...

re Magdelaine - You get no sympathy, you were drinking Joe's 1999 Prager that night.
re Keller - no, never had their pinot noir
re Foillard - true, true
re KRumpf - no I have not
re Fourrier - I love the '08 Fourriers I've tried but that category does not include the GC VV. Chaptalization does not automatically offend me in Burgundy. The Morey really blossomed with air.

I dread the day 2008 Burgundies start shutting down en masse. I'm enjoying them so much right now.
 
originally posted by Yixin:
Really, Keller overrated?
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Really.

I read so many 'one of the greatest producers in Germany!' raves and I've yet to be impressed. This wine certainly didn't do it.

Mind you I've never tasted the full range of wines so it's possible I just keep hitting the bad ones. But if so my luck is really awful.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:

re Magdelaine - You get no sympathy, you were drinking Joe's 1999 Prager that night.
Click to expand...
Actually, he deserves extra sympathy. My '82 Magdelaine was corked that night.
 
originally posted by Cliff:
I just had the 06 Foillard Py a couple of days ago and was underwhelmed. It had the Foillard perfume, but it was fleeting. Most of all, the wine was just flat. I'm going to hold mine for a couple years and hope for the best.
Click to expand...

the Pi (3,14) or the "normale" Cotes de Py?
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by Yixin:
Really, Keller overrated?
Click to expand...

Really.

I read so many 'one of the greatest producers in Germany!' raves and I've yet to be impressed. This wine certainly didn't do it.

Mind you I've never tasted the full range of wines so it's possible I just keep hitting the bad ones. But if so my luck is really awful.
Click to expand...

I concur. I've not been terribly impressed with what I've tried so far.
 
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