Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Brad, Pascaline, Don+Melissa, Ben, Jason, Jay, Jeff
Prompted by discussion of the unobtain (unattain?) -ability of Clos Rougeard, we promise ourselves that we'll start looking for another great Loire cab franc maker... by drinking wines we already know and love.
The reservation is under Scott Reiner's name although he could no longer attend. But the nice folks at Racines know us already and we get a warm welcome.
As folks filter in, we look around the room and have one of those New York moments: We see four Master Sommeliers in the room, two of whom are women (of which there are only 21 in the entire world). It's a big place and a little town, this New York.
On to the victuals: We decide that each person should order his or her own starter and entree but the table will share dessert: a platter of Chef Duca's luscious lamb shoulder confit.
We served the reds in flights of two.
Nigl 2005 Riesling "Privat" - beautiful, gorgeous, so much substance it seems almost tannic, aromatic, lively, a wow bottle (and Jay's only one)
Breton 2005 Bourgueil "Clos Senechal" - plenty of VA here, which blows off a bit but it remains shoe-polish-y the whole night; brambly fruit is still in good shape, mild but adequate acidity, it really is a friendly puppy of a wine (...that stuck its nose in the Kiwi)
Baudry 2002 Chinon "Franc de Pied" - here is something of a different nature altogether: this is so much lighter in weight and texture, red raspberries instead of woodsy blueberries, pure and delicate, a city slicker among the rustics
O. Raffault 1989 Chinon "Les Picasses" - strong but slightly strange nose; still youthful, typical Chinon; there is an unfortunate metallic note in the finish
O. Raffault 1990 Chinon "Les Picasses" - tobacco and saddle, so well-put-together, always a pleasure to drink this
Baudry 2008 Chinon "Croix Boissee" - another wow bottle, vivid flavors, tannins are fine and furry, a thoroughbred wine
Baudry 1996 Chinon "Croix Boissee" - recognizably the same wine as its younger sibling and the extra time has brought extra minerality, "a stone mist that fills the room"-Jay
Corbineau 1989 Touraine - warm, mature, kinda mild and not as floral as Corbineau says it should be (so perhaps this bottle is a little closed)
Couly-Dutheil 2002 Chinon "Clos de l'Echo" - another excellent Chinon, textbook, perhaps just a tad soft
Couly-Dutheil 1976 Chinon "La Baronnie Madeleine" - "When your dog becomes incontinent you will know this smell"-Jason
Joguet 2010 Chinon "Les Varennes du Grand Clos" - more red-fruited than foresty but the butter or margarine note is definitely off-putting
Huet 1990 Vouvray Moelleux "Le Haut Lieu" - very ripe, rather sweet, with air this starts to show orange blossom, not complex but a great bottle
As always, thanks are due to everyone for a great evening.
Prompted by discussion of the unobtain (unattain?) -ability of Clos Rougeard, we promise ourselves that we'll start looking for another great Loire cab franc maker... by drinking wines we already know and love.
The reservation is under Scott Reiner's name although he could no longer attend. But the nice folks at Racines know us already and we get a warm welcome.
As folks filter in, we look around the room and have one of those New York moments: We see four Master Sommeliers in the room, two of whom are women (of which there are only 21 in the entire world). It's a big place and a little town, this New York.
On to the victuals: We decide that each person should order his or her own starter and entree but the table will share dessert: a platter of Chef Duca's luscious lamb shoulder confit.
We served the reds in flights of two.
Nigl 2005 Riesling "Privat" - beautiful, gorgeous, so much substance it seems almost tannic, aromatic, lively, a wow bottle (and Jay's only one)
Breton 2005 Bourgueil "Clos Senechal" - plenty of VA here, which blows off a bit but it remains shoe-polish-y the whole night; brambly fruit is still in good shape, mild but adequate acidity, it really is a friendly puppy of a wine (...that stuck its nose in the Kiwi)
Baudry 2002 Chinon "Franc de Pied" - here is something of a different nature altogether: this is so much lighter in weight and texture, red raspberries instead of woodsy blueberries, pure and delicate, a city slicker among the rustics
O. Raffault 1989 Chinon "Les Picasses" - strong but slightly strange nose; still youthful, typical Chinon; there is an unfortunate metallic note in the finish
O. Raffault 1990 Chinon "Les Picasses" - tobacco and saddle, so well-put-together, always a pleasure to drink this
Baudry 2008 Chinon "Croix Boissee" - another wow bottle, vivid flavors, tannins are fine and furry, a thoroughbred wine
Baudry 1996 Chinon "Croix Boissee" - recognizably the same wine as its younger sibling and the extra time has brought extra minerality, "a stone mist that fills the room"-Jay
Corbineau 1989 Touraine - warm, mature, kinda mild and not as floral as Corbineau says it should be (so perhaps this bottle is a little closed)
Couly-Dutheil 2002 Chinon "Clos de l'Echo" - another excellent Chinon, textbook, perhaps just a tad soft
Couly-Dutheil 1976 Chinon "La Baronnie Madeleine" - "When your dog becomes incontinent you will know this smell"-Jason
Joguet 2010 Chinon "Les Varennes du Grand Clos" - more red-fruited than foresty but the butter or margarine note is definitely off-putting
Huet 1990 Vouvray Moelleux "Le Haut Lieu" - very ripe, rather sweet, with air this starts to show orange blossom, not complex but a great bottle
As always, thanks are due to everyone for a great evening.