What did you drink tonight?

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
1998 Angerville Volnay was a bit tannic (stems?) and astringent last night. Food softened it, but it still came off as brawny and built to be a premier cru. Mercifully without salient alcohol or wood, but there wasn't much pleasure to be had. As befits an aristocrat's wine, no sediment at all, unlike a 98 Chamonard Morgon Clos de Lys the night before, that had tons, as befits a farmer's wine.

Ah, so sad, O. I've opened one from my stash (same lot as yours IIRC) with similar results. Will time wound all heels, or will it never offer up much in the way of pleasure? And will I live long enough to find out? So many questions, so little wine.

Mark Lipton
 
Rough, isn't it, Mark? Only one more to go. Perhaps those Burgs that take a long time to come around are "made" with more stuffing, hardly conducive to what seems most appealing about Burgundy. Not so sure there is a pot of gold waiting at the end of the long wait.
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
1998 Angerville Volnay was a bit tannic (stems?) and astringent last night. Food softened it, but it still came off as brawny and built to be a premier cru. Mercifully without salient alcohol or wood, but there wasn't much pleasure to be had. As befits an aristocrat's wine, no sediment at all, unlike a 98 Chamonard Morgon Clos de Lys the night before, that had tons, as befits a farmer's wine.

Ah, so sad, O. I've opened one from my stash (same lot as yours IIRC) with similar results. Will time wound all heels, or will it never offer up much in the way of pleasure? And will I live long enough to find out? So many questions, so little wine.

Mark Lipton

There have been reports from a reputable DC source that in general 1998 Burgundies have shut down again. And d'Angerville tends to need a lot of time anyway.

I'm holding all my 1998 and 1995 red Burgs at the moment. On the other hand many 1993s and 1996s are finally awakening from their long slumber.
 
Though a 98 Bouchard Reignots was lovely two months ago, around the same time as a 95 Gouges was, yes, shut tight. But why make a Burgundy so you have to wait like a Barolo? I don't see such strong evidence that making them so they can't be drunk for 20 or 30 years will lead to transcendental results (for your estate) when a 2008 Bizot VR 1er and a 2012 Claire Naudin Aloxe-Corton were sensational just the other day. Maybe I'm just tired of the whole waiting game.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Though a 98 Bouchard Reignots was lovely two months ago, around the same time as a 95 Gouges was, yes, shut tight. But why make a Burgundy so you have to wait like a Barolo? I don't see such strong evidence that making them so they can't be drunk for 20 or 30 years will lead to transcendental results (for your estate) when a 2008 Bizot VR 1er and a 2012 Claire Naudin Aloxe-Corton were sensational just the other day. Maybe I'm just tired of the whole waiting game.

The Monkey has weighed in on this from time to time. It very much depends on what you're looking for in the wine. If you want youthful vigor and fresh, translucent* fruit, why would you want to wait? If, OTOH, you want the old British ideal of the wine entirely contained within its bouquet, then you'll have to age it to near-senescence. De gustibus, man.

* Yes, I use this word purposefully.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

originally posted by MLipton: the wine entirely contained within its bouquet

Mark, Is this just another way of saying "well-aged" or does it signify some additional parameters?

Tell me what you mean by "well-aged," Pete, and I'll answer that. What I'm referring to is the stage in a wine's development when it's all about the nose, which is nuanced, delicate and intoxicating -- a sharp contrast to the lack of flavor of the liquid when you put it into your mouth. And even the nose disappears after some amount of time (minutes, hours).

Mark Lpton
 
originally posted by MLipton:

Tell me what you mean by "well-aged," Pete, and I'll answer that. What I'm referring to is the stage in a wine's development when it's all about the nose, which is nuanced, delicate and intoxicating -- a sharp contrast to the lack of flavor of the liquid when you put it into your mouth. And even the nose disappears after some amount of time (minutes, hours).

Mark Lpton

Brad? Is that you?
 
Mark, Thanks! I'll have to think about that.

I guess I never really considered a wine's nose staying "intoxicating" while fading away on the palate.

I'll give it some thought.

. . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by MLipton:

Tell me what you mean by "well-aged," Pete, and I'll answer that. What I'm referring to is the stage in a wine's development when it's all about the nose, which is nuanced, delicate and intoxicating -- a sharp contrast to the lack of flavor of the liquid when you put it into your mouth. And even the nose disappears after some amount of time (minutes, hours).

Mark Lpton

Brad? Is that you?

François Audouze, is that you?

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Michael Lewis:
These new cuvees are all from Arbois, which is not where Ganevat (at least previously) had parcels. He was in La Combe. I heard a rumor that the new cuvees are a collaborative project with an Arbois-based producer (possibly retiring/retired) that were bottled under the Ganevat label. Makes sense to me. But I don't have any details. So far I have only tried the Les Clos Chardonnay, but have most of the other bottles in the queue. I found it to be a nice wine, but a touch softer than I normally expect from young Ganevat. I've heard it is the weakest of the new cuvees though, so that bodes well for the others.

Also Chateau Chalon
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Though a 98 Bouchard Reignots was lovely two months ago, around the same time as a 95 Gouges was, yes, shut tight. But why make a Burgundy so you have to wait like a Barolo? I don't see such strong evidence that making them so they can't be drunk for 20 or 30 years will lead to transcendental results (for your estate) when a 2008 Bizot VR 1er and a 2012 Claire Naudin Aloxe-Corton were sensational just the other day. Maybe I'm just tired of the whole waiting game.

Related: the Bizot '01 Echezeaux was wonderful with roast chicken the other night. I didn't know what to expect from the domaine, but have been very happy.
 
2006 François Chidaine Montouis Clos Habert 12.5% was aromatically enticing but way beyond off-dry in its cloying sweetness. In 2006, demi-sec must have been the new moelleux, and while piano players knew, they didn't tell. Went terribly with the savory part of lunch, only attaining a measure of equilibrium with dessert. A pretty mess.

2011 Julie Balagny Fleurie Carioca 12.5%
Hot-to-trot hottentot princess, pupil, and protegé of the great Yvon Metric system. Bottle purchased for parochial reasons, since Lawd I was born a Carioca man. Gorgeous aromas waft into the ether, church spices, pot-pourri, earth, graphite and raspberries. Delicious acidity and savoriness, but a bit deficient in mass, like wet matter lacking in dry. Envelope drops precipitously at the four second mark, leaving a hole in its wake, one that did not correct with food. Remained a nostril banquet but, mouth-wise, self-involved. May come into its own around the five year mark, when many of these more respectable renditions hit their stride.
 
We opened an '05 L d'Or (Luneau-Papin), which was vibrant-Muscadet good with grilled fresh shrimp, but showed more nuance and refinement the following evening.

Also opened a '10 Amirault Grand Clos, which was very young but well-worth drinking with rack of lamb for its fine balance and brilliant acidity.
 
2003 Lopez de Herdia, Vina Tondonia Reserva: wood dominated at first but after a few hours, days, the wine is all about leather and sweet fruit. Good balance, drinking well now.

2010 Olga Raffault, Chinon Les Picasses is tight with earth and iron flavors. Three days open and and it does not budge.

1998 Clos du Coulaine, Anjou Rouge has a perfect cork, thank god, and is drinking as well as ever. Not a lot of fruit left but beautiful texture and flavor. This bottle disappeared quickly with some roast pork and greens.

1998 Closel, Savennieres Clos du Papillon is amber colored and tasting. Flat apple juice with remarkable minerality. It rallied for a bit but ultimately this one was not up the task. Perhaps an off bottle.
 
with lunch (spicy putanesca (with ortiz bonito del norte) with ramp fusilli from Brooklyn's Sfoglini (my first try)): Cornelissen Susucaru 5 (2012); my 3 or 4th bottle of this in the past 18 months. I love its flavors; and i've been lucky. no refermenting bottles. and the bottle says 14% above, but it sure feels lighter.
(from the internet: the wine is a co-fermentation of red and white grapes: Malvasia, Muscat Petite Grains, Cattaratto, Chardonnay, and Nerello Mascalese.)
(I doubt i'll be buying the Sfoglini again; perfectly good, but so inferior to Italian products at the same price; i'll have to buy carbon footprint offset credits.)

As i reheat some Rancho Gordo's from the freezer, and we snack on Orwasher Sesamo toast with ramp compound goat butter: rose cremant de Jura from Overnoy-Crinquand (pollard); just funky enough. light and long; touch of raspberry/cranberry. delightful on a slightly over-warm mid-May eve.
 
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