Recent tastes

[Florida Jim]

1990 McDowell, Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino:
12.8% alcohol; some bricking at the edge, medium garnet; expansive nose with bottle bouquet, plum, herb and iodine aromas; rich and almost lush in the mouth but without weight, solid fruit flavors with considerable complexity, accents of earth, brush and herbs, maybe even some mint; good length and no drying tannins. More like an older Bordeaux than expected and no hint of decay. Fine wine.

2008 Drouhin-Laroze, Gevrey-Chambertin:
13.5% alcohol; beautiful nose of fruit and earth with a touch of spice, very alluring; silk in the mouth and complete, clearly Burgundy in delivery and weight, mouth-watering; good length that is every bit as delightful as the palate and nose. Charming in so many ways and as pretty a pinot noir as I have had in awhile.

N/V Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Premier:
12% alcohol; vigorous bead; smells slightly of fruit and bread; clear, clean taste with lively acidity and the texture of light mousse. I know little of Champagne but I enjoyed this and would be happy to drink it any time.

2009 Ladd Cellars, Pinot Noir Cuvée Abigail:
14.5% alcohol; feminine but not frail, this Sonoma Coast pinot has the texture of satin with good fruit (both treble and bass notes) and some nice earthy/spicy accents, starting to close down just a little, decanter time helps. Seductive is an often over-used descriptor but here, it is warranted. A lovely pinot with as pleasing a texture as any I can remember.

2011 Centonze, Frappato:
12% alcohol; a deft, lightweight, pure wine with supple fruit, an elegant delivery and surprising sustain. The style reminds me of Beaujolais but the flavors are all frappato. Charming wine and less than $20, retail.

Best, Jim

 

[Andrew Zachary]

originally posted by Florida Jim:

2008 Drouhin-Laroze, Gevrey-Chambertin:
13.5% alcohol; beautiful nose of fruit and earth with a touch of spice, very alluring; silk in the mouth and complete, clearly Burgundy in delivery and weight, mouth-watering; good length that is every bit as delightful as the palate and nose. Charming in so many ways and as pretty a pinot noir as I have had in awhile.

I think 2008 was the last year before they went over to the dark side, or was it 2007? Claude, care to weigh in?

 

[Ian Fitzsimmons]

originally posted by Florida Jim:
[...] as pretty a pinot noir as I have had in awhile [...]

Are you really allowed to say this about red Burgundy? I hope the USG is not selling missile drones to the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin.

 

[Larry Stein]

originally posted by Andrew Zachary:

originally posted by Florida Jim:

2008 Drouhin-Laroze, Gevrey-Chambertin:
13.5% alcohol; beautiful nose of fruit and earth with a touch of spice, very alluring; silk in the mouth and complete, clearly Burgundy in delivery and weight, mouth-watering; good length that is every bit as delightful as the palate and nose. Charming in so many ways and as pretty a pinot noir as I have had in awhile.

I think 2008 was the last year before they went over to the dark side, or was it 2007? Claude, care to weigh in?

I'm curious, too. I took a flyer on this wine when Premier Cru closed it out at $19.99. I haven't opened one yet.

 

[Larry Stein]

originally posted by Florida Jim:
Recent tastes

2009 Ladd Cellars, Pinot Noir Cuvée Abigail:
14.5% alcohol; feminine but not frail, this Sonoma Coast pinot has the texture of satin with good fruit (both treble and bass notes) and some nice earthy/spicy accents, starting to close down just a little, decanter time helps. Seductive is an often over-used descriptor but here, it is warranted. A lovely pinot with as pleasing a texture as any I can remember.

Best, Jim

I look forward to Eric's next offering (whenever that may be...He and Steve Edmunds could share the award for Wine Marketers of the Year...emoticon, emoticon).

At a dinner a few months ago, Eric brought '08 Sonoma Coast (IIRC) Pinot Noir. This was the Year of Fire and Smoke during crush. There was absolutely no evidence of smoke taint. Really lovely wine.

 

[Claude Kolm]

originally posted by Andrew Zachary:

originally posted by Florida Jim:

2008 Drouhin-Laroze, Gevrey-Chambertin:
13.5% alcohol; beautiful nose of fruit and earth with a touch of spice, very alluring; silk in the mouth and complete, clearly Burgundy in delivery and weight, mouth-watering; good length that is every bit as delightful as the palate and nose. Charming in so many ways and as pretty a pinot noir as I have had in awhile.

I think 2008 was the last year before they went over to the dark side, or was it 2007? Claude, care to weigh in?

2007 was the year he began to use reverse osmosis. I don't know if it was used on the 2008s because I never went back after tasting the 2007s -- there are more producers that I want to visit than I have time for, and after what was done to the 2007s (at least some of them), D-L was no longer the list of producers that I wanted to visit. I have heard from various sources, including one of his importers, though, that reverse osmosis is still in use (although not necessarily on every wine, I think).

It is interesting that beginning with the 2007 vintage when RO was apparently first employed, the estate's reputation has greatly increased in certain quarters, although to my palate, RO did what it almost always does in deforming the texture and fruit.