1989 Coulee de Serrant

S

SFJoe

Joe Dougherty
Had this tonight on a beautiful evening outside on a grand deck in Brooklyn. The grill was cooking away, we all enjoyed the evening, it was pretty copacetic.

As was the wine. This was the CdS that I have most enjoyed in years and years.

Maybe it was the lack of botrytis in '89? Such a good thing.

Anyhow, the wine was flavorful, balanced, ripe but not alcoholic, clean, pretty, such nice stuff.

A guy could forget that this was a wine that was supposed to be great, but that you had to make such special allowances for it because of the sincerity or vehemence of the producers, or something. (Look at me and my "what's in the glass", will you?)

But here you have a wine with everything--what's in the glass, what's in the blowhard producer's mind, what's in the market, what have you. And you still have a delicious wine.

Don't I wish that this fabulous terroir had produced a wine that I liked this much during the period since.

I suspect a bit that a ripe vintage without botrytis was part of the key here.

And I don't believe that the terroir has produced a better wine since. But I do very much root for it and hope that it will one day again.

Invite me when you open your next of this.

Joe
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
1989 Coulee de SerrantHad this tonight on a beautiful evening outside on a grand deck in Brooklyn. The grill was cooking away, we all enjoyed the evening, it was pretty copacetic.

As was the wine. This was the CdS that I have most enjoyed in years and years.

Maybe it was the lack of botrytis in '89? Such a good thing.

Anyhow, the wine was flavorful, balanced, ripe but not alcoholic, clean, pretty, such nice stuff.

A guy could forget that this was a wine that was supposed to be great, but that you had to make such special allowances for it because of the sincerity or vehemence of the producers, or something. (Look at me and my "what's in the glass", will you?)

But here you have a wine with everything--what's in the glass, what's in the blowhard producer's mind, what's in the market, what have you. And you still have a delicious wine.

Don't I wish that this fabulous terroir had produced a wine that I liked this much during the period since.

I suspect a bit that a ripe vintage without botrytis was part of the key here.

And I don't believe that the terroir has produced a better wine since. But I do very much root for it and hope that it will one day again.

Invite me when you open your next of this.

Joe
Click to expand...

Spoke with someone who just visited and was very encouraged by the samples proferred.
 
Very glad to hear you enjoyed this wine, knowing your concerns about vintages since then. I was surprised how good a recent bottle of this was. I'm not sure why "surprised" - received wisdom perhaps. Also, 1990 has been very pleasing, but 1995 moelleux is one that I would put fully on par with the 1989 for honouring the terroir, albeit with a touch of botrytis and some residual sweetness.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:

Spoke with someone who just visited and was very encouraged by the samples proferred.
Click to expand...

Maybe cooler vintages?

Anyhow, they have the Noodle's own vineyard there, I hope things go well for them.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:

Spoke with someone who just visited and was very encouraged by the samples proferred.
Click to expand...

Maybe cooler vintages?

Anyhow, they have the Noodle's own vineyard there, I hope things go well for them.
Click to expand...

They pointed to more involvement from the next generation.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Levi Dalton:

Spoke with someone who just visited and was very encouraged by the samples proferred.
Click to expand...

Maybe cooler vintages?

Anyhow, they have the Noodle's own vineyard there, I hope things go well for them.
Click to expand...

They pointed to more involvement from the next generation.
Click to expand...

That has been true for a few years now, and is reason for hope.

I regret that the first several of those years didn't do it for me. Haven't had the most recent couple of vintages.
 
Fourteen to fifteen years ago, I recall the '90, '89, '85 and '81 Coulee de Serrant making somewhat frequent appearances at jeebi with our local NY group. The main criticism we had of the '89 at the time was that while good, it underperformed for the vintage. Was it just a question of time?
 
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