The end

M

MarkS

Mark Svereika
Summer's end is in sight. Tomatoes make their appearance in local farmers markets, the garlic stalks have been pulled and trees are beginning to lose their color. Catching up with the last of the season's notes here.

Domaine du Vissoux, Fleurie, 'les Garants', 2011
Plummy and salty, with a reductive-medicinal tang on the finish. Fresh, lively, simple but charming. I'm drinking these on the younger side because I don't like how Chermette's wines age. B+

Passopisciaro, Sicilia IGT, 'Guardiola (bianco)', 2010
Although it doesn't say on the bottle anywhere, I think I saw somewhere that this is chardonnay. Volcanic soil must be good for chardonnay then, because this is delicious. A nose of lemon shavings over buttered popcorn. Buttered nuts (hazlenuts?), soft lemon spiced tea, with a calcium finish. Enough acidity here for 2 or so more years of aging, but this is really good right now. Slight spice note on the finish, perhaps ginger and clove. 13% A-

Prince Florent de Merode, Corton, 'Bressandes', 2008
Rose petal for the nose. Roses fall on the palate, along with cherrystones, strawberry and gum arabic. Sweet finish. Very smooth and quite ready already. Good. A quiet and pretty wine. 13% A-

Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon, Macon-Villages, 2011
For under twenty dollars, you get a chardonnay that is light and delicate, slightly chalky, and very soft. I'll pass, hoping that 2011 Chablis show much better definition than this. Forgettable. B 12.5%

[Texier] Domaine de Pergaud, Saint Julien en Saint Alban, 'vieille serine', 2010
Even though that Zellerberg character would never say he likes this, I say how can you not? Savory smoked filled plums and ash, fresh and lively, pure and sappy. Almost too good right now to age. A-/B+ 13%
 
I just listened to Levi's interview with Eric again yesterday, great to hear give deep background on the St. Julien.

Curious about your feeling towards Vissoux with age: the 05 traditionelle developed beautifully, though I'm less sure about the Poncie.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
[Texier] Domaine de Pergaud, Saint Julien en Saint Alban, 'vieille serine', 2010
Even though that Zellerberg character would never say he likes this, I say how can you not? Savory smoked filled plums and ash, fresh and lively, pure and sappy. Almost too good right now to age. A-/B+ 13%
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Interesting. I'll have to try that.

Last night I had the 2010 Brezeme Pergaud and it was very delicious and increasingly enjoyable as the bottle emptied/aired, but I found myself thinking that time would only be favorable to the wine.
 
I thought the 05 Traditionelle got boring and generic with age. But I generally dissent with the zeitgeist on Vissoux and don't buy them anymore.

And not to swell Brézème's ego too much but 2010 Texier anything just seems to be pretty much great. Although I have so far only drank things that are red in color. I really hope I am able to snag a few bottles of Côte-Rôtie whenever they briefly appear.
 
Ian - the Vissoux's I've cellared (from 05, some from earlier years) have just not turned into anything interesting, they seem like parts of a smooth rock that stick up and are pointy: you sense those parts but there is no harmonium. They are delicious on release, but I've never had one with age that I've thought rewarded it's basement voyage, unlike other Beaujolais which do.
 
originally posted by slaton:
I generally dissent with the zeitgeist on Vissoux and don't buy them anymore..
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What zeitgeist? Where I go, attitudes on Vissoux are much more mixed than on the more exalted producers like Coudert.

And I don't buy Vissoux either.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by MarkS:
[Texier] Domaine de Pergaud, Saint Julien en Saint Alban, 'vieille serine', 2010
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Last night I had the 2010 Brezeme Pergaud and it was very delicious and increasingly enjoyable as the bottle emptied/aired, but I found myself thinking that time would only be favorable to the wine.
Click to expand...

I'm in agreement here. FWIW, Eric has said to me that he thinks that this vintage of Brézème Pergaud may be his Platonic ideal for syrah, or at least Brézème.

The St.A-St.J is much plumpier and sexier, without the angles the Brézème has.

originally posted by slaton:
And not to swell Brézème's ego too much but 2010 Texier anything just seems to be pretty much great. Although I have so far only drank things that are red in color. I really hope I am able to snag a few bottles of Côte-Rôtie whenever they briefly appear.
Click to expand...

2010 was particularly kind to the way Eric makes wine and the Côte-Rôtie is excellent (but the 2011 is the current release). I'd make sure I had a good stock of Brézème and St.A-St.J Pergaud's as well.

The Brézème Blanc Pergaud is also killer, but much harder to find.

I agree with everyone who is lukewarm on Vissoux. I'll drink it when my 10 favorite Beaujolais are not available.
 
originally posted by slaton:
I thought the 05 Traditionelle got boring and generic with age. But I generally dissent with the zeitgeist on Vissoux and don't buy them anymore.

[...]
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I'd say for a villages Beujolais, generic is about what you'd expect, as opposed to terroir-driven. Within its genre, it developed impressive depth, volume, even some complexity, on a scale I've not observed in other regionals. We finished our stash last year. Imo, the '11 will also have legs and is good value @ about $14. Iirc, the vines for this wine are something like 80 years old, or some of them.

originally posted by MarkS:
Ian - the Vissoux's I've cellared (from 05, some from earlier years) have just not turned into anything interesting, they seem like parts of a smooth rock that stick up and are pointy: you sense those parts but there is no harmonium. They are delicious on release, but I've never had one with age that I've thought rewarded it's basement voyage, unlike other Beaujolais which do.
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The 05s were my first Vissoux, when I bought the Traditionelle, Garants, and Poncie. The Garants imo is mostly still closed, based on a bottle opened earlier this year. The Poncie I'm not sure about: it's much more generously endowed with fruit, and I can't tell if it's tiring or still processing the endowment.

The Garant grapes supposedly grow in a section of Fleurie near the Roilette's, which likewise was formerly classified as Moulin-a-Vent, fwiw.

So my personal Vissoux jury is still deliberating, though I did dip my toes into the 2009s and 2011s. I'd welcome observations on development in vintages older than 2005.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by MarkS:
[Texier] Domaine de Pergaud, Saint Julien en Saint Alban, 'vieille serine', 2010
Click to expand...
Last night I had the 2010 Brezeme Pergaud and it was very delicious and increasingly enjoyable as the bottle emptied/aired, but I found myself thinking that time would only be favorable to the wine.
Click to expand...

I'm in agreement here. FWIW, Eric has said to me that he thinks that this vintage of Brézème Pergaud may be his Platonic ideal for syrah, or at least Brézème.

The St.A-St.J is much plumpier and sexier, without the angles the Brézème has.

originally posted by slaton:
And not to swell Brézème's ego too much but 2010 Texier anything just seems to be pretty much great. Although I have so far only drank things that are red in color. I really hope I am able to snag a few bottles of Côte-Rôtie whenever they briefly appear.
Click to expand...

2010 was particularly kind to the way Eric makes wine and the Côte-Rôtie is excellent (but the 2011 is the current release). I'd make sure I had a good stock of Brézème and St.A-St.J Pergaud's as well.

The Brézème Blanc Pergaud is also killer, but much harder to find.

I agree with everyone who is lukewarm on Vissoux. I'll drink it when my 10 favorite Beaujolais are not available.
Click to expand...

I had my first taste of the Brezeme Roussanne this weekend. It was the 2011. I thought it was great, and it really opened and blossomed with extended air. Subtle peach and honey but very dry. Waxy texture but also really fine acidity. Pretty amazing considering how far south it comes from. A lot of potential to age well, I would guess, but would love to hear from Eric what he thinks about aging these.

Also want to say that I was impressed with the Domaine des Bodines Arbois Savagnin 2010. We drank it last night with a mix of grilled corn, chanterelles and french beans.
Very pretty ouille version of the grape. Thank you C and G for getting this. I wish I bought more!
 
I wouldn't age the plain roussanne too long. An 2005 was fine a few weeks ago, but I had some 2007 that were really showing their age.
The vines are only 10 years old.
2012 is the last vintage where some old vines grapes were added.
Pergaud Blanc is a different animal. I hope this bottling will reach the same ageworthiness than Pouchoulin's.
My last 1978 was really young in 2009.

Cheers
 
75 cases. hopefully 125 cases begining in 2013, since I won't use any more old vines in the plain roussanne. It doesn't need it anymore as 2012 proves it, imo.
 
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