salil visits chicago - some highlights

Matt Latuchie

Matt Latuchie
salil was in town for a conference, so we were able to open up some nice bottles of wine during this weekend in town. here are a couple highlights:

1996 Noel Verset Cornas - brilliant cornas. rustic, meaty, and drinking in what felt like the perfect spot. paired nicely with some homemade pizza.

2011 Pierre Overnoy Chardonnay - young and firm this had incredibly bright citrus and floral notes with some earthy tones underneath. acidity was off the charts with lemon and grapefruit tones on the finish.

2008 Marie-Noelle Ledru Coteaux Champenois - this was the first Coteaux Champenois I've had from Ledru and thought it was a bit tight on night #1. tonight is night #2 and the flavors have developed a bit more. more florals, more earthy. very good.

1998 Domaine de Vallouit Hermitage Les Greffières - quite the Hermitage. gave the verset a run for best syrah of the weekned

2007 Dönnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Spätlese Auction - gorgeous bottle that combined intense peach/apple/pear with stone. acidity was buzzing beneath the rich fruit. complete package.

2012 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese #9 - i think adrian described this nicely; "pineapple gummy bear explosion". Uber tropical, lithe palate, great acidity.

2012 Peter Lauer Stirn Faß 15 - powerful tropical notes, some lychee, and a big burst of acidity. impressive.

2012 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - definitely closer to Auslese style in my eyes, but while the weight was amped up, it had great acidity and balance. pretty awesome.
 
Thanks Matt, I had heard that some of these German Mosel '12s are good. I look forward to them getting out here.

Cheers, Howard
 
Yeah, thanks to Salil for carrying in those unicorns - the Vallouit and Ledru were real treats.

Matt - no Ceritas notes? That Peter Martin Ray was a revelation.
 
originally posted by fillay:
Yeah, thanks to Salil for carrying in those unicorns - the Vallouit and Ledru were real treats.

Matt - no Ceritas notes? That Peter Martin Ray was a revelation.

The Ceritas PMR chardonnay was one of the best domestic chardonnays i've ever tried - crystalline & precise.
 
Phil - great meeting you at the tasting/dinner. Fun weekend (thanks for organizing and hosting Matt!) and some killer wines.

The Verset and Vallouit were both incredible. Two very different expressions of syrah, yet both very traditional and savoury, and absolutely amazing.

No shortage of great Riesling either - and I really need to put some '12 Schaefer Auslese in my cellar.
 
Had a 98 Vallouit Cornas just the other night and it also was right on point. Very elegant, yet not too polished wine.

These Vallouits (Hermitage, Cornas and Cote Rotie) from 1998 plus some 94s, 95s and 97s have showed up frequently on ebay Germany over the last year and now I regret that I only bought a few of them.
 
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