TN: Soul Flavors (May 14, 2013)

J

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
attendees: Jay & Arnold, Suzanne & Kenny, Salil, Mike, Jeff

Another visit to the local no-corkage chicken parlor.

Ganevat 2010 Cotes du Jura "Chalasses Marnes Bleues" - ouille (i.e., topped up so that it does not oxidize very much), crisp and juicy, a very long finish which at first is kinda faint with just a hint of wax and straw; trying it again later, the finish has become vibrant and resinous; great stuff

Pierre Peters 04 Champagne Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Cuvee Speciale "Les Chetillons" - chalk and lemon, rich and intense though not as bready-yeasty as previous bottles; deceptive finish which seems to be short but then rises up to linger a long time

Peter Lauer 2011 Ayler Kupp "Unterstenbersch" Riesling - 3 501 074 10 12, "liquid flowers" -Suzanne; it is very floral, minerally and only a little sweet, forceful but not heavy or hot, fascinating

Nikolaihof 1998 Steinriesler Riesling - talc and violets, the acidity is quite gentle and friendly

F. Legros 1993 Chambolle-Musigny 1er "Les Noirots" - from Jay's famous Jekyll-and-Hyde auction lot this one is neither... dusty cherries, stylish but a bit tired, lots of secondary flavors

Jadot 1995 Beaune 1er "Clos des Ursules" - fresher, brighter, very strawberry, yum

C. Bouchard 2008 Champagne Brut, Blanc de Blancs, "Roses de Jeanne", "La Bolorée" - disgorged 4/12, lush, vivid, and fresh

Fritz Haag 2003 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese - 2 507 050 14 04 (yes, it was bolded on the label), auction bottle, delicate and fine and gentle, shows a teeny bit of petrol

Joguet 1995 Chinon "Clos du Chene Vert" - shoe polish and burnt rubber, Jay and I dump this right out but Mike and Salil argue that this is typicity; for the record, Joguet's website says "Boire après aération ou attendre encore un peu. Apogée 2010."

Clos Rougeard 2002 Saumur-Champigny - aka the "Clos" bottling; wow, gorgeous, a bit of orange peel, raspberry, and red currant, medium weight, silky texture, long even finish

Chamonard 1998 Morgon "Le Clos du Lys" - more forceful and vivid than the bottle in the cellar recently, brambly, cinnamon, maybe a touch of alcoholic heat, moreish
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:

Ganevat 2009 Cotes du Jura "Chalasses Marnes Bleues" - ouille (i.e., topped up so that it does not oxidize very much), crisp and juicy, a very long finish which starts kinda faint with just a hint of wax and straw but, a half hour later, becomes vibrant and resinous; great stuff
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now that's quite a finish
 
A few comments:

The '04 Chetillons seems to have shut down a little from my last bottle in December. Still impressive, it's not quite as friendly.

I liked the Legros more than most (all?) - but then I have a thing for wines that have gone all tertiary. Lovely fading floral nose and traces of withered beauty on the palate.

The Lauer had an amazing nose, I didn't really notice any sweetness on the palate but enjoyed it anyway.

The Ganevat was very good early on and spectacular later.

The Clos Rougeard was the most complete wine and my WOTN. Beautiful, beautiful wine which it is hard to imagine getting better but equally hard to imagine getting worse for many years to come. Another argument for only buying the Clos.

Everyone else at the table liked the Ursules more than me, I think that like most 1995s it still needs a few years.

Sorry, but the Joquet did nothing for me. I didn't find typicity but that may just because my only real reference point for 95-97 Chinon is Baudry. So maybe Baudry is the atypical one.

A fine evening, even if the kitchen was not on its best form. My guess is that Chef Wayne might not have been back there. The fried chicken was dry that night.
 
originally posted by Robert Dentice:


The Lauer wines keep getting better and better. I sat next Florian Lauer at Reislingfeier and he is an extremely cool guy.
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Indeed. Failed to stop by during the March tour. Must fix.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Joguet 1995 Chinon "Clos du Chene Vert" - shoe polish and burnt rubber, Jay and I dump this right out but Mike and Salil argue that this is typicity
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I don't believe I said it was "typicity", just that I liked it a lot and didn't find it as reductive as you or Jay. Found enough fruit and developed green/earthy flavours there to enjoy, and the leftovers I took back (thanks Michael) were more enjoyable and less reduced the following night.

The Rougeard and the Pierre Peters were absolutely magnificent, and I liked many of the other wines at the table as well; the Nikolahof, Ganevat and Jadot were also wonderful.
 
Jeez, you guys never stop: my liver thanks me for living well away from NYC.

Kidding, jealous. Nice wines, notes; thanks. More shameless Chamonard hype.
 
You know, as much as I enjoyed the Chamonard it didn't make me want to run out an buy some. Really glad I got the chance to try it though as I had been eyeing it longingly on the CSW site.

Fortunately the Clos Rougeard isn't available as that could have easily overwhelmed my fragile sales resistance.

Michael was the one saying the Joguet was typical. I'm willing the cede the point that Baudry is not typical but exceptional. Though admittedly their 1995 Croix Boisee called something else wasn't all that thrilling either. Especially in comparison with 1996 and 1997.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller: Though admittedly their 1995 Croix Boisee called something else wasn't all that thrilling either. Especially in comparison with 1996 and 1997.
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I was thrilled many times by the 1995 Cuvee Signature, as I was by the 96 and 97 CB. Although admittedly I had a lot more of the 95 so am not really in a position to make detailed comparisons across the three wines.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
Harsh words
originally posted by Jay Miller: Though admittedly their 1995 Croix Boisee called something else wasn't all that thrilling either. Especially in comparison with 1996 and 1997.
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I was thrilled many times by the 1995 Cuvee Signature, as I was by the 96 and 97 CB. Although admittedly I had a lot more of the 95 so am not really in a position to make detailed comparisons across the three wines.
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Signature! Thank you, I'm always forgetting that. My only experience with it was from the CSW late release some years ago whereas I had laid down the 1996 and 1997 versions on release so that might account for it.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:

I was thrilled many times by the 1995 Cuvee Signature, as I was by the 96 and 97 CB. Although admittedly I had a lot more of the 95 so am not really in a position to make detailed comparisons across the three wines.
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Yes, I recall those two bottles of the '95 Cuvee Signature you opened for me a few years ago were quite wonderful - not in a position to make detailed comparisons to anything else either, but those bottles certainly were eye openers and got me started on Chinon (along with the '07 Croix Boissee.)
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
You know, as much as I enjoyed the Chamonard it didn't make me want to run out an buy some. Really glad I got the chance to try it though as I had been eyeing it longingly on the CSW site.
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I will be letting mine settle down for a few weeks. Old wine, recently in transit.... I expect good things based on my tastes in France.
 
I didn't mean to suggest the Joguet was typical for Joguet. I have not had enough old Joguet (particularly from before the dark period) to make that statement. What I meant to convey was that I thought it was not an unusual flavor profile for Chinon in general, and I was surprised that people thought it dump-worthy. It may have suffered from the contrast with '02 Clos Rougeard, but it kept getting better with air and I liked it.

The Ganevat was the 2010.

This was the first time I have tried the '08 Boloree, and I have to say I am in agreement with Kirk on this one. Sorry Sharon.

Jay, if that is the bad version of the fried chicken, I'd love to try the good version. Also, you seem to be pretty tough on your own wines, because everyone else loved the '04 Chetillons.
 
originally posted by Michael Lewis:
This was the first time I have tried the '08 Boloree, and I have to say I am in agreement with Kirk on this one. Sorry Sharon.
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?

neither Kirk nor Sharon have posted to this thread.
 
Please tell me you are aware of the legendary war that is being waged between Kirk and Sharon regarding Cedric Bouchard's wines. The Champagne palates of many lurkers have been won over or lost forever as a result of their verbal* scuffles.

*Actually, mostly written.
 
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