Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
It's the Claude Courtois 2005 Les Caillous du Paradis Racines, $26.99.
There's an entry on the 1996 in Kermit Lynch's Inspiring Thirst, here. I made a mental note to hunt down the wine after reading that bit. Eventually I stumbled on the 2001 at Garnet earlier this year, which was staggeringly good -- rich and large in scale, but muscular, packed with sap and stoniness. The thickness of fruit material that screamed Rhone to Kermit was kept in check by the intense minerality and the acidity's lively cut. I kicked myself for only buying one bottle.
Fortunately Chambers just got in a whole stash of the 2005. It doesn't have the sheer density of fruit that I remember in the '01 (or that Kermit reported in the '96). I don't know whether this reflects the difference in age or the difference in vintage, but it's much more linear in its definition and more plush and airy in material. The sense of crunchiness to the fruit is an interesting contrast to its weightless presence, though. It's definitely teetering on the very edge of ripeness, with a stalky, resinous greenness and thirst-quenching acidity freshening the berries. Somehow it's both exciting and soothing. But the '01 had even more personality so I'm going to cellar these puppies for awhile and see what comes out.
There's an entry on the 1996 in Kermit Lynch's Inspiring Thirst, here. I made a mental note to hunt down the wine after reading that bit. Eventually I stumbled on the 2001 at Garnet earlier this year, which was staggeringly good -- rich and large in scale, but muscular, packed with sap and stoniness. The thickness of fruit material that screamed Rhone to Kermit was kept in check by the intense minerality and the acidity's lively cut. I kicked myself for only buying one bottle.
Fortunately Chambers just got in a whole stash of the 2005. It doesn't have the sheer density of fruit that I remember in the '01 (or that Kermit reported in the '96). I don't know whether this reflects the difference in age or the difference in vintage, but it's much more linear in its definition and more plush and airy in material. The sense of crunchiness to the fruit is an interesting contrast to its weightless presence, though. It's definitely teetering on the very edge of ripeness, with a stalky, resinous greenness and thirst-quenching acidity freshening the berries. Somehow it's both exciting and soothing. But the '01 had even more personality so I'm going to cellar these puppies for awhile and see what comes out.