Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
I did not take notes at any table but I did drink a lot and do some scribbling after the fact.
On the Bird Day with family:
A bottle of FRV100, of course.
Marimar Torres 2008 Pinot Noir "Stony Block" sure is! Scratchy acidity, fine tannins, minerally and not at all frooty, lightweight and light texture, I like this
Ch. L’Echarderie (Vignobles Laffourcade) 2009 Coteaux du Layon just barely sweet, golden raisins and apricots, not a wine that shouts but a more conversational tone, long finish
Chamonard 1998 Morgon "Clos de Lys" stinky at first, with a couple hours it shows tannins, iron, and blue-black fruits
- - - - -
The next day in the cellar:
Breton 2004 Chinon "Picasses" open for three days without a cork in the neck; still quite pretty, firm, the only sign of decay is a late-arriving bitterness in the finish
Willi Schaefer 2012 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett - 03 13, also open 4 days (2 without a cork), a real beauty with depth and purity to spare
Trimbach 2006 Riesling "Cuvee Frederic Emile" warmer tones, softer acidity than the Schaefer
P. Amiot 1985 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er "Aux Charmes" an accidental purchase (Jay was looking for B. Amiot) but this is drinking nicely: the acidity is a tad sharp, with a slight sour mash aspect to it, but the fruit is still there, red and red and red, and still, faintly, that gamy/venison note that is a signature for MSD. I note that this vineyard is on the line with Gevrey but it doesn't taste at all like Gevrey. If anything, I was speculating that it was rather Vosne-like.
P.S. According to Coates, the P. Amiot domaine is still in business, run by the two sons.
- - - - -
At a dinner hosted by Jay Miller:
WHITES
Benoit Lahaye 2006 Champagne Brut GC medium toasty, medium leesy, rather dry, a bit less personality than the 2007 but still likable
Rhys 2010 Chardonnay, Alpine Vineyard ugh, oh this is SO not doing it for me, I had to rinse my glass immediately
Selbach-Oster 2008 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling "Schmitt" I think this wine was nice enough but the Schaefer overshadowed it
Willi Schaefer 2012 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #14 from 375ml, this wine had a lovely sweet str-e-t-ch in the midpalate that gave it the appearance of weight without being at all heavy
J. J. Christoffel 2001 Erdner Trepchen Riesling Spatlese I don’t remember
J. J. Christoffel 2001 Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese I don’t remember
REDS
Roty 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin "Champs Chenys" VV a bruiser, big and sweet and swaggering; good in a tough-guy way
Ferrando 2004 Carema (white label) Thunderbird prize; not earth-shaking but a really nice nebbiolo wine with a little fragrance of roses, a little scratch of their tannic thorns, a little dank something or other from their roots
Champy 1996 Volnay 1er "Les Caillerets" singing in a gravelly bass-baritone voice, Jay thinks this might be very slightly corked, Scott says this is not a representative showing
Montevertine 1999 IGT "Pergole Torte" ah, chianti for grown-ups, this is suave and cheerful, dry earth and red fruits, falls apart after about an hour
POST-PRANDIALS
Henriques & Henriques 1898 Verdelho Solera brown butter! unctuous
Dom. Dupont 1972 Bas-Armagnac
Ch. Ravignan 1979 Bas-Armagnac
Lemorton 1970 Calvados Domfrontais pleasantly soft, I always like this brandy although it seems really soft following the armagnacs
Cazottes Prunelart really charismatic fire-water
On the Bird Day with family:
A bottle of FRV100, of course.
Marimar Torres 2008 Pinot Noir "Stony Block" sure is! Scratchy acidity, fine tannins, minerally and not at all frooty, lightweight and light texture, I like this
Ch. L’Echarderie (Vignobles Laffourcade) 2009 Coteaux du Layon just barely sweet, golden raisins and apricots, not a wine that shouts but a more conversational tone, long finish
Chamonard 1998 Morgon "Clos de Lys" stinky at first, with a couple hours it shows tannins, iron, and blue-black fruits
- - - - -
The next day in the cellar:
Breton 2004 Chinon "Picasses" open for three days without a cork in the neck; still quite pretty, firm, the only sign of decay is a late-arriving bitterness in the finish
Willi Schaefer 2012 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett - 03 13, also open 4 days (2 without a cork), a real beauty with depth and purity to spare
Trimbach 2006 Riesling "Cuvee Frederic Emile" warmer tones, softer acidity than the Schaefer
P. Amiot 1985 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er "Aux Charmes" an accidental purchase (Jay was looking for B. Amiot) but this is drinking nicely: the acidity is a tad sharp, with a slight sour mash aspect to it, but the fruit is still there, red and red and red, and still, faintly, that gamy/venison note that is a signature for MSD. I note that this vineyard is on the line with Gevrey but it doesn't taste at all like Gevrey. If anything, I was speculating that it was rather Vosne-like.
P.S. According to Coates, the P. Amiot domaine is still in business, run by the two sons.
- - - - -
At a dinner hosted by Jay Miller:
WHITES
Benoit Lahaye 2006 Champagne Brut GC medium toasty, medium leesy, rather dry, a bit less personality than the 2007 but still likable
Rhys 2010 Chardonnay, Alpine Vineyard ugh, oh this is SO not doing it for me, I had to rinse my glass immediately
Selbach-Oster 2008 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling "Schmitt" I think this wine was nice enough but the Schaefer overshadowed it
Willi Schaefer 2012 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese #14 from 375ml, this wine had a lovely sweet str-e-t-ch in the midpalate that gave it the appearance of weight without being at all heavy
J. J. Christoffel 2001 Erdner Trepchen Riesling Spatlese I don’t remember
J. J. Christoffel 2001 Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese I don’t remember
REDS
Roty 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin "Champs Chenys" VV a bruiser, big and sweet and swaggering; good in a tough-guy way
Ferrando 2004 Carema (white label) Thunderbird prize; not earth-shaking but a really nice nebbiolo wine with a little fragrance of roses, a little scratch of their tannic thorns, a little dank something or other from their roots
Champy 1996 Volnay 1er "Les Caillerets" singing in a gravelly bass-baritone voice, Jay thinks this might be very slightly corked, Scott says this is not a representative showing
Montevertine 1999 IGT "Pergole Torte" ah, chianti for grown-ups, this is suave and cheerful, dry earth and red fruits, falls apart after about an hour
POST-PRANDIALS
Henriques & Henriques 1898 Verdelho Solera brown butter! unctuous
Dom. Dupont 1972 Bas-Armagnac
Ch. Ravignan 1979 Bas-Armagnac
Lemorton 1970 Calvados Domfrontais pleasantly soft, I always like this brandy although it seems really soft following the armagnacs
Cazottes Prunelart really charismatic fire-water