What did you drink tonight?

originally posted by Yixin:
Chenin Blanc is a funny beast. Clay-chalk Chenin less so than schist, but it still does awkward things which nobody (okay, nobody I know) understands. Have I had Chenin Blanc that seems past it, and then five, ten, fifteen years later a bottle from the same case surprises me? Heck yes. And while Vouvray does not seem to go through as angry or as long a shut-down phase as e.g. Savennières (c.f. earlier comment, since I just retasted a very, very grumpy R-a-M last week), I don't usually like them between 7-15 years of age. They often show flat, and if handling has been less than ideal, especially with the newer, less-sulfured wines, the impact is quite obvious.
Click to expand...

Yes.
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
originally posted by Yixin:
I hesitate to do this (as I don't want to point fingers), but I have tasted/drunk more than 100 bottles of the 2002 Huet Pétillant Réserve over the last 18 months, both heat-damaged and not, and every single note suggesting premature oxidation reads like a note of one of the heat-damanged bottles I've had.
Click to expand...

Huh. That's interesting.

So you'd put down the 2002 pétillant premox to something other than the Big Mysterious Bad Thing that is making premox in white Burgundy, Alsace, and Loire?

I am not being snarky, because my sample size is far smaller than yours (though I have a sample, on both continents).
Click to expand...

I don't know, and hesitate to say so, but the notes don't seem so different from my own.

And I think the Big Mysterious Bad Thing probably has multiple causes. My best guess is higher pH, lower sulfur at bottling, change in corks, less than ideal handling, and (importantly) much larger sample size/record-keeping. Maybe alone, none of these factors push wines over the edge, but when you get enough people drinking enough older wines which are made and closed differently from their predecessors, and middlemen still pull the same lame-ass "let's save a nickel per bottle by cheaping out on inland trucking since the French drivers grumble about the noise from the compressor" routine, shit happens.
 
originally posted by Larry Stein:
Vieux Telegraphe 1981-1988 last night. Yup, all 8 vintages.

6 of the wines were very, very good to utterly fantastic. The only one that showed some considerable over-the-hillness was the '85. However, it still hadn't lost some fruit sweetness. 1986 had a bit too much band-aid brett. 1984 and 1987 were a touch chunky and coarse compared to the ones I liked better, but I would be happy to drink either of those. 1981-3, and 1988 were totally amazing. Texture, complexity, finish. Completely seamless. Those four wines were the total package. By no means do they need to be drunk now.
Click to expand...

I had an 88 VT from magnum from a generous friend a month ago. It was also fabulous and amazingly young, even for a VT, at 25 years old. I had assumed that was due to the magnum. Maybe I'm just not crediting VT with its full aging potential.
 
originally posted by Yixin:
And while Vouvray does not seem to go through as angry or as long a shut-down phase as e.g. Savennières (c.f. earlier comment, since I just retasted a very, very grumpy R-a-M last week), I don't usually like them between 7-15 years of age. They often show flat, and if handling has been less than ideal, especially with the newer, less-sulfured wines, the impact is quite obvious.
Click to expand...

Was stupid enough to open a 2006 Coulée de Serrant last night, volatile acidity stood out upon opening, diminished after 10 hours in a decanter, but still quite present. Other than that, mute on the nose, though acidic enough once imbibed, with the alcohol showing more as a peppery zing than excess alcohol. Will henceforth apply the rule of 15 to all CdSs (even though you meant Vouvray).
 
We opened another 2002 Huet Petillant (first release) on Thursday, which started off flat and hard, but has improved with each passing day, gaining tang and depth, and showing surprisingly vigorous fizz, even on the third day.

Also a 2012 Picq AOC Chablis, which carries some extra flesh early on, but its mineral-acid spine is a thing of wonder. Value about on a par with the 2012 Briords.

Then a 2011 Jouan Passetoutgrain, which I've become quite fond of, reliably tart and succulent on the third day.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
We opened another 2002 Huet Petillant (first release) on Thursday, which started off flat and hard, but has improved with each passing day, gaining tang and depth, and showing surprisingly vigorous fizz, even on the third day.

.
Click to expand...

LALALALALA, wait, what?

I really need to dig a bottle out and try this for myself.
 
Last night we opened by mistake a 2007 Texier Dom. De Pergault Brezeme VV. while it wasn't entirely shut down, it was quite unforthcoming even after 6 hr in the decanter. Half the bottle was saved for later evaluation.

Mark Lipton
 
LALALALALA, wait, what?

I really need to dig a bottle out and try this for myself.
Click to expand...

It wasn't the most flattering, but plenty interesting, and impeccable with food. I'll try to open a second release bottle in a while.
 
'64 Faustino- I Rioja Gran Reserva, '05 Robert Michel- Cornas Cuvee des Coteaux and '01 Selbach-Oster- Risling Auslese, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr were all lovely last night.
 
Tonight, I opened a 1995 Counterpoint Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain from Laurel Glen with a grilled porterhouse.

A testament to the age worthiness of mountain fruit and Patrick Campbell's winemaking, it shows few signs that it is approaching its 20th birthday. Still purple throughout, with trademark currants, tobacco, herbs, a little minerality, and a hint of green pepper, it isn't designed for the fruit bomb crowd, but it makes me very happy.

Early on, there was a little oaky sheen, but it faded to the background as the other characteristics took prominence. Very well-knit, with nothing out of place, it continued to improve over a few hours, and has plenty of both tannic and acidic structure to support the fruit for years to come. It's also the closest thing I've had to an old style Graves that I've had in a while.

Not bad for a $20 second wine. Patrick may not be the most under appreciated winemaker in California over the last 30 years, but he certainly would be in the conversation. Thank you, Mr. Campbell, for making honest, affordable wines with character and a sense of place.
 
originally posted by MLipton:
Last night we opened by mistake a 2007 Texier Dom. De Pergault Brezeme VV. while it wasn't entirely shut down, it was quite unforthcoming even after 6 hr in the decanter. Half the bottle was saved for later evaluation.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

did you try some immediately, as soon as you opened it, or as you decanted it? It used to show for the first 15 minutes.
 
Raining like hell up here in Seattle. Herb and lemon roasted chicken with a 2010 Chignard les Moriers approaches perfection for a few minutes anyway.
 
You know, back to heat damage and what-not, maybe it's useful to show-and-tell. File this under shameless self-promotion, but here's a quick look at what we do to ensure our wines are kept cool throughout:

Container unstuffing
 
2009 Dettori Rosso Tenores Badde Nigolosu Sardegna 16.5%
100% Cannonau, 80 yr old vineyards. With a cold on the horizon, I went for the antiseptic properties of Dettori, this being the last of an experimental batch of four different bottles (two white, two red). Almost no aroma of any kind, be it volatile acidity or alcohol, much less fruit. Pre-food, there's CO2 fizz and pleasantly picquant alcohol, fairly nice fruit, only mildly jammy. But, after the first bite, the acidity vanished, the fruit became very jammy, the equal of any new world stereotype. I guess I just don't understand, even allowing for de gustibus and all that, how anyone enlightened enough on the curve to be an inspector of natural wines (there's a good title) could enjoy wines that are, for the most part, so unbalanced (and Dettori, afaik, are fairly successful). And I'm not even going into the instability issue.
 
All last week (still in Lexington): Massimo Clerico 2010 Spanna "Coste Della Sesia" - day 1: high-toned, light texture, cinnamon and hibiscus, curious to see whether it develops any dirt/earth notes tomorrow; day 2: very typique but not particularly charismatic; day 3: gained a bit of heft and showing hints of fresh-turned earth and muddy cherries, I like this
 
originally posted by .sasha:
originally posted by MLipton:
Last night we opened by mistake a 2007 Texier Dom. De Pergault Brezeme VV. while it wasn't entirely shut down, it was quite unforthcoming even after 6 hr in the decanter. Half the bottle was saved for later evaluation.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

did you try some immediately, as soon as you opened it, or as you decanted it? It used to show for the first 15 minutes.
Click to expand...

Alas, no. Was too busy getting ready for the annual cull party to do more than sniff the wines for TCA taint.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
Last night we opened by mistake a 2007 Texier Dom. De Pergault Brezeme VV. while it wasn't entirely shut down, it was quite unforthcoming even after 6 hr in the decanter. Half the bottle was saved for later evaluation.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

That's a shame. I've read elsewhere that this was showing well. I'm glad I couldn't get to mine. I'll wait a while.

A 2006 Texier Côte-Rôtie was fantastic. Fragrant and supple. Sophisticated wine. It nodded in and out and wasn't seamless. A few more years should see it hit a perfect spot for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top