TN: The 16th Annual Birthday Jeebus (June 14, 2014)

J

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
attendees: Brad, Jeff, Michel, Mark Anisman (special guest appearance), Jay + Arnold, Chris + Lisa, Don + Melissa, Suzanne + Kenny

Sez Brad: "So, it's that time of year again when we need to celebrate SFJoe's (June 9th), my (June 10th), and Lisa's (June 12th) birthday! Well, it's not really an "official" birthday party, but a good excuse to get together with friends."

We might add Eleanor Jane Hunawihr Katsman (June 11th) because she is finally getting close to legal drinking age.

Actually, it's a potluck with an open wine bar. Brad roasts chicken, Jeff brings a gratin, Suzanne brings affetatsi, and on and on.

And on:

First, the Oregon Moment.

Bow & Arrow 2013 Gamay Noir Rose, Willamette Valley - very pale salmon color, great zip, just barely ripe (Brad complains of 'string beans'), mostly bright berry soda but a little earthiness appears later, really good

Teutonic Wine 2013 Riesling, Crow Valley Vineyard (Willamette) - 10.59% abv, good varietal flavor, acidity is good (but better when chilled), nice but not exciting

Teutonic Wine 2013 Pinot Gris, Maresh Vineyard (Dundee) - fuller than the riesling, waxy in the finish and fruitier throughout, pleasant

Brooks 2012 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley - lightweight texture but the aggressive 'wild cherry' palate is busily trying to smother an otherwise clean, citrussy pinot; this is strangely unbalanced (too much punch for its weight-class)

Kelley Fox 2012 Pinot Noir "Mirabai" (Willamette) - extremely transparent, wow, not showing any dirt but suave, giggly, great texture

Now, back to our regularly-scheduled program:

Huet 1995 Vouvray Sec "Le Mont" - funky enough to scare me (but I am shouted down), precise, limey, wooly (yah, yah, "typique")

Dom. des Aubuisieres 1996 Vouvray "Les Girardieres" - sturdy, rich, glyceral, big-time waxy/wooly, if you love chenin then this is for you (it is for me!)

Luneau-Papin 2009 Muscadet "Le L d'Or" - just gorgeous

Prince Florent de Merode 1989 Corton "Clos du Roi" - gentle and sweet, this is refined and polite (and delicious)

Ch. Certan de May 1993 Pomerol - corked

Dom. Rollin 2010 Pernand Vergelesses "Les Fichots" - tannic, dark red-fruity, becomes more palatable with more time in the carafe

Burgaud 2005 Cote-Rotie - wow! rich, sweet, hypnotic, perfect

Joseph Drouhin 1985 Volnay - scalped? (and, no, I did not write down which Drouhin division)

Ch. de Hureau 1997 Saumur-Champigny "Lisagathe" - yup

Dom. des Comtes Lafon 1996 Volnay 1er "Champans" - sturdy (tannic, vivid, assertively aromatic, black fruits) but a great match with food

Ch. Le Bon Pasteur 1989 Pomerol - wow, full-on Bordeaux, rich, tactile, fragrant, did I say wow yet?

Bod. Berberana 1952 Rioja Gran Riserva - "roasty toasty cardamom" -Suzanne, spicy, citrussy, good balance

Ch. La Tour Blanche 2001 Sauternes - saffrony, sweet and pure and tangy

Ch. Guiraud 1975 Sauternes - not so rich but has taken on savory notes, salty, wheaty

It was a great hang-out evening. Lots of fun to meet Mark in person, finally, and chat about that little town he lives in.

Same time next year.
 
so that's what EJHK on some of the boxes in the cellar stands for. Thanks!
And look, you even had a 1996 to celebrate.

funny that Fichots is so impenetrable; not that any of the 10s should be touched, but the village continues to be irresistible, and the ile, while very young, is a gem of a superficial nature at the moment; i guess the Fichots is stuck in between

it is a tribute to 89 right banks that even bon pasteur would show this well.
I have been, with 89 right banks, like the freaking RP with 82 bordeaux, since day one, and I think I am turning out to be right. In fact the quality of that group of wines, may the goat lightning strike me, was the subject of the only out-and-out argument i had with a most respected wine critic that we know and love
 
the Fichots was not impenetrable to my palate. It was gentle and seductive very early and expansive and beautiful at the end of the evening. Maybe Jeff caught it in an in-between stage? I never noticed any obvious tannins in my 2 glasses.

I also liked the '95 Huet Sec a lot more than Jeff and the Aubuisieres not nearly so much.

The 2009 L d'Or was pretty well shut down on first pour, I'm assuming it opened by the time Jeff tried it.

I'm not sure what is meant by division in this context but I rather liked the Joseph Drouhin Volnay (villages bottling). Not a star but quite good.

Great to see Mark again and of course everyone else.

The Le Bon Pasteur was wonderful.

I choose to believe that my second bottle of 1993 Certan de May was also corked since I dropped it along with a 1990 Jadot Beaune Greves on 8th Avenue Monday night. And that was before I started drinking.
 
too bad about certan, nice wine, went through half a case without an incident

and it's LL and fb approved
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
I'm not sure what is meant by division in this context but I rather liked the Joseph Drouhin Volnay (villages bottling).
Click to expand...
I did not note whether it was "Joseph" or "Maison" or "et Freres" or "Mi-Cuit" or however many other labels they use to sell "Drouhin".
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
I'm not sure what is meant by division in this context but I rather liked the Joseph Drouhin Volnay (villages bottling).
Click to expand...
I did not note whether it was "Joseph" or "Maison" or "et Freres" or "Mi-Cuit" or however many other labels they use to sell "Drouhin".
Click to expand...

Is there really anything other than Maison Joseph Drouhin?
 
A fun time, as usual. Thanks to everyone for bringing tasty treats.

I was happy with how the last bottle of the first batch of Huet that I ever purchased, showed. Typically wooly, but there was good freshness and vibrancy with air.

I found the '09 L d'Or completely shut down. Really didn't get anything from it other than it was wet.

Loved the '05 Burguad and '89 Le Bon Pasteur. The Bon Pasteur was like a comfy old sweater and Coad and I reminisched how, back in the day, there used to be so much more Bordeaux at our jeebs.

The '52 Berberana was a little controversial, but I greatly enjoyed it. Nicely mellowed, sligthly maderized old Rioja, but it had lovely harmony and softness with still tasty fruit.

Both Sauternes were lovely, though Guiraud really took off after everyone left. Wonderfully expansive and complex.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Brooks 2012 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley - lightweight texture but the aggressive 'wild cherry' palate is busily trying to smother an otherwise clean, citrussy pinot; this is strangely unbalanced (too much punch for its weight-class)
Click to expand...
I visited Brooks on my recent trip to Oregon. When I described this wine to Jess, she said this could not be right and handed me another bottle of the same to take home.

Tonight, with pork loin off the grill, farro, and mixed veg saute: This is a whole different wine. This is lilting, lively, red-fruited, lightweight and open-textured, a pleasure to drink. The last of it shows a bit of white pepper (not the musky flavor), strawberries, and still shapely acidity. Delightful.

And all gone! How did that happen?
 
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