Jeff Morris gave me a heads up that he and his wife, Dena, were going to be up from North Carolina and would love to get together to share some wine. Via the various wine boards over the years, Jeff and figured out that that we had similar tastes in white wines and had a special passion for Vouvray, so when Jeff mentioned the Vouvray he was bringing with him, it was incumbent upon me to find other Loireheads to join in the fun in an evening that turned out to be Vouvray, German and Alsatian-themed. Don Rice, Jeff Grossman, Jay Miller and his significant other obliged and we all gathered at Fuleen Seafood House for an evening of great mirth and stellar wines.
2002 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin- Vouvray Brut Réserve - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Pretty tight on the nose, but it was rounder and a little richer on the palate than the last bottle I had. More mousse than the Jacky Blot Triple Zero that followed, though it was not overdone. Ripe yellow fruits, lanolin, brioche, ginger and typical Vouvray minerality on the palate. Good depth of flavor and length with a nice racy quality to the structure. A very nice showing. Low A-.
NV Jacky Blot- Montlouis-sur-Loire Triple Zero La Taille aux Loups - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire
Less ripe and less petillant than the Foreau Brut and it lacks that wine's depth and intensity, but it's still a quite pleasant sipper. It shows a softer, friendly profile with quince, yellow citrus and mineral flavors with a bit of a resiny character. B+.
2002 Domaine Pierre de la Grange (Luneau-Papin)- Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Le "L" d'Or - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
Briny, citrusy goodness here. Crushed oyster shells, pureed white gravel, white flowers and hints of melon. The citrus fruit seems a little riper than I recall from previous bottles and while there's plenty of life left ahead for this wine, it's now developed that Chablis-like creaminess and the acidity is a bit rounder and friendlier. Just lovely. A-.
1995 Huët- Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Another bottle and another persona. This bottle was purchased on release, cellared well and was the freshest bottle I've had as of late. Deeply earthy, a character that's a hallmark to me of this vintage at Huet. It's not the typical chalky quality, but darker than that. Surprisingly, this bottle was more stone fruited than yellow, with honey notes and roasted peanut skins. Quite fresh and wonderfully balanced. I found it more burly in character than the '95 Foreau demi that followed, but equal in quality. Solid A-.
1995 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin- Vouvray Demi-Sec - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
After this showing, I'm convinced the bottle I had two years ago at the Foreau-a-thon was corked. This bottle was quite fresh and showed riper than the '95 Huet CDB demi, but had impeccable balance. Shows what's to me a typical Foreau demi-sec character of quince, yellow citrus, ginger, acacia and mineral. The ginger notes are something I especially see much more frequently in the wines of Foreau than in Huet. Shows wonderful vitality and persistence. There's richness to the fruit, but also plenty of zing from the acids. Beautiful and plenty of life ahead. Solid A-.
1996 Huët- Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
It was great to try this again as I haven't had it since release and I stupidly never purchased any as I was more into the sweet wines at the time. It's a little lighter and showing less sugar than the two '95s, but is perhaps more vivid and youthful with the '96 acids keeping things snappy and lively. Precise and focused with more yellow fruits showing, though there is some apricot in the mix with a chunk of honeycomb. With air a strong chalky character emerged. Still extremely youthful, but no harm trying one now. A-.
2001 Dönnhoff- Schloßböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Spätlese Auction - Germany, Nahe
This is a helluvah wine! It starts to strut its stuff from the get go with a beautifully fragrant nose that's bursting with passion fruit, stone fruit, spice and mineral aromas. Honeyed and sweet, yet perfectly proportioned, there's a wonderful creamy texture to the wine and just a touch of softness in the midpalate. Passion fruit and mineral lead the way with white and yellow flowers and hints of peach. Wonderfully long and complex. Just a touch more acidic lift would've kicked this wine up a notch, but it's gorgeous as is and shows no sign of petrol development. Solid A.
1990 Willi Schaefer- Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #5 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Shows a more mature and cerebral profile than the Donnhoff, but is equally as complex and deep. More tropical and orange and in character with desiccated stone fruits as well as fresh nectarines, orange citrus, mango and mineral. Faint petrol notes, but there's a surprising amount of acidity which lends the wine a vivacious personality despite its more mature flavor profile. There's plenty of freshness here and while sweet, secondary development has probably robbed some of the sweetness that was once here. An absolutely delightful wine. A.
1990 Zind-Humbrecht- Gewurztraminer Goldert Vendange Tardive - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru AOC
A terrific wine in its own right, it actually got a little lost in this lineup of high acid wines with lower alcohol levels. Beautiful and typical gangbuster Gewurz nose that's a fusillade of lychee, floral, ginger and nutmeg aromas. Sweet, pleasantly plump with an oily texture and like flavors as aromas. There's some bitterness and alcohol on the spicy finish. Quite nice and in good shape for a twenty-three year old Gewurz, even if it is a bit of a sluggard in this company. A-.
1959 Huët- Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut-Lieu - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
It's amazing how youthful this wine was in color and on the palate. It was reticent on the nose as the wine was just popped and poured, but was effusive from the onset in the mouth. There's an intense cheese rind character present that's not overbearing and that I find quite pleasant. Acacia, apricot, mineral, marzipan and honeycomb are all there and are most welcomed and quite familiar. Still showing nice sweetness levels, but there's plenty of acidity keeping the wine fresh. Tremendous length and just so dynamic across the palate with a beautiful and long honeyed finish. Gorgeous. A.
1989 Huët- Vouvray Début Pressée Le Mont - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Corked, dangit. NR (flawed)
1990 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin- Vouvray Moelleux "Goutte D'Or" - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
As far as I can recall, I've never had this legend though I do own a few bottles of it. I was thrilled when Jeff mentioned he was bringing a bottle. Despite extremely high expectations, this wine lived up to the hype. Just a thrilling wine! Deeply ambered, though Foreau's sweet '90s were all pretty dark shortly after release. You can smell the sweetness. The nose offered up apricot preserves, honey, quince paste, a touch of ginger and maple syrup. Tokaji Essencia-like on the palate with similar flavors as aromas, it's uber sweet and thick but there's a surprising amount of acidity underneath keeping the wine balanced brilliantly. Endlessly long and intense across the palate. There were about two or so ounces left that I brought home and shared with six other friends today at lunch, three days after the event, and it showed no degradation. The only change was the acidity had come up a bit more and the wine had developed a strong tarte tatin character. An absolutely stunning and immortal wine! Solid A+.
Some pictures from the evening.
The group.
The Vouvray minus the two sparklers.
The non-Vouvray.
L to R, '95 Foreau- Demi-Sec and '95 Huet- Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec
L to R, '59 Huet- Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux, '89 Huet- Le Mont Début Pressée, 1990
'90 Goutte D'Or under light.
Guests of honor Jeff and Dena.
Jeff is not a crook.
The wines were trance inducing. Just ask Jay.
Don, deep in thought.
2002 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin- Vouvray Brut Réserve - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Pretty tight on the nose, but it was rounder and a little richer on the palate than the last bottle I had. More mousse than the Jacky Blot Triple Zero that followed, though it was not overdone. Ripe yellow fruits, lanolin, brioche, ginger and typical Vouvray minerality on the palate. Good depth of flavor and length with a nice racy quality to the structure. A very nice showing. Low A-.
NV Jacky Blot- Montlouis-sur-Loire Triple Zero La Taille aux Loups - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire
Less ripe and less petillant than the Foreau Brut and it lacks that wine's depth and intensity, but it's still a quite pleasant sipper. It shows a softer, friendly profile with quince, yellow citrus and mineral flavors with a bit of a resiny character. B+.
2002 Domaine Pierre de la Grange (Luneau-Papin)- Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Le "L" d'Or - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
Briny, citrusy goodness here. Crushed oyster shells, pureed white gravel, white flowers and hints of melon. The citrus fruit seems a little riper than I recall from previous bottles and while there's plenty of life left ahead for this wine, it's now developed that Chablis-like creaminess and the acidity is a bit rounder and friendlier. Just lovely. A-.
1995 Huët- Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Another bottle and another persona. This bottle was purchased on release, cellared well and was the freshest bottle I've had as of late. Deeply earthy, a character that's a hallmark to me of this vintage at Huet. It's not the typical chalky quality, but darker than that. Surprisingly, this bottle was more stone fruited than yellow, with honey notes and roasted peanut skins. Quite fresh and wonderfully balanced. I found it more burly in character than the '95 Foreau demi that followed, but equal in quality. Solid A-.
1995 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin- Vouvray Demi-Sec - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
After this showing, I'm convinced the bottle I had two years ago at the Foreau-a-thon was corked. This bottle was quite fresh and showed riper than the '95 Huet CDB demi, but had impeccable balance. Shows what's to me a typical Foreau demi-sec character of quince, yellow citrus, ginger, acacia and mineral. The ginger notes are something I especially see much more frequently in the wines of Foreau than in Huet. Shows wonderful vitality and persistence. There's richness to the fruit, but also plenty of zing from the acids. Beautiful and plenty of life ahead. Solid A-.
1996 Huët- Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
It was great to try this again as I haven't had it since release and I stupidly never purchased any as I was more into the sweet wines at the time. It's a little lighter and showing less sugar than the two '95s, but is perhaps more vivid and youthful with the '96 acids keeping things snappy and lively. Precise and focused with more yellow fruits showing, though there is some apricot in the mix with a chunk of honeycomb. With air a strong chalky character emerged. Still extremely youthful, but no harm trying one now. A-.
2001 Dönnhoff- Schloßböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Spätlese Auction - Germany, Nahe
This is a helluvah wine! It starts to strut its stuff from the get go with a beautifully fragrant nose that's bursting with passion fruit, stone fruit, spice and mineral aromas. Honeyed and sweet, yet perfectly proportioned, there's a wonderful creamy texture to the wine and just a touch of softness in the midpalate. Passion fruit and mineral lead the way with white and yellow flowers and hints of peach. Wonderfully long and complex. Just a touch more acidic lift would've kicked this wine up a notch, but it's gorgeous as is and shows no sign of petrol development. Solid A.
1990 Willi Schaefer- Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #5 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Shows a more mature and cerebral profile than the Donnhoff, but is equally as complex and deep. More tropical and orange and in character with desiccated stone fruits as well as fresh nectarines, orange citrus, mango and mineral. Faint petrol notes, but there's a surprising amount of acidity which lends the wine a vivacious personality despite its more mature flavor profile. There's plenty of freshness here and while sweet, secondary development has probably robbed some of the sweetness that was once here. An absolutely delightful wine. A.
1990 Zind-Humbrecht- Gewurztraminer Goldert Vendange Tardive - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru AOC
A terrific wine in its own right, it actually got a little lost in this lineup of high acid wines with lower alcohol levels. Beautiful and typical gangbuster Gewurz nose that's a fusillade of lychee, floral, ginger and nutmeg aromas. Sweet, pleasantly plump with an oily texture and like flavors as aromas. There's some bitterness and alcohol on the spicy finish. Quite nice and in good shape for a twenty-three year old Gewurz, even if it is a bit of a sluggard in this company. A-.
1959 Huët- Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut-Lieu - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
It's amazing how youthful this wine was in color and on the palate. It was reticent on the nose as the wine was just popped and poured, but was effusive from the onset in the mouth. There's an intense cheese rind character present that's not overbearing and that I find quite pleasant. Acacia, apricot, mineral, marzipan and honeycomb are all there and are most welcomed and quite familiar. Still showing nice sweetness levels, but there's plenty of acidity keeping the wine fresh. Tremendous length and just so dynamic across the palate with a beautiful and long honeyed finish. Gorgeous. A.
1989 Huët- Vouvray Début Pressée Le Mont - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Corked, dangit. NR (flawed)
1990 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin- Vouvray Moelleux "Goutte D'Or" - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
As far as I can recall, I've never had this legend though I do own a few bottles of it. I was thrilled when Jeff mentioned he was bringing a bottle. Despite extremely high expectations, this wine lived up to the hype. Just a thrilling wine! Deeply ambered, though Foreau's sweet '90s were all pretty dark shortly after release. You can smell the sweetness. The nose offered up apricot preserves, honey, quince paste, a touch of ginger and maple syrup. Tokaji Essencia-like on the palate with similar flavors as aromas, it's uber sweet and thick but there's a surprising amount of acidity underneath keeping the wine balanced brilliantly. Endlessly long and intense across the palate. There were about two or so ounces left that I brought home and shared with six other friends today at lunch, three days after the event, and it showed no degradation. The only change was the acidity had come up a bit more and the wine had developed a strong tarte tatin character. An absolutely stunning and immortal wine! Solid A+.
Some pictures from the evening.
The group.
