Originally posted 5/02/01.
Rob Gibson was in town for a short trip so a few members of the NY crew got together to welcome him with open bottles. In Attendance were Rob, Jay Miller, Jeff Grossman and myself.
A quick look at the reds everyone brought helped make the decision that there would be lamb shanks all around. The warm weather, however, did have us vacillating a little bit. Jeff dared to be different and ordered the chicken, although that too was a dish that would pair well with the wines.
On to the notes!
1996 Baumard- Savennires, Clos Papillon
This has consistently been one of my favorite Savennires. I decanted it for an hour before bringing it to dinner. A light hay color and a nose bursting with the usual aromatics: Quince, honey, mineral, acacia with something I havent detected before, underlying red fruit. On the palate, mouth-filling and wonderfully balanced, though a lot more accessible than I thought it would be at this stage. Rich quince, lemon and mineral flavors with a touch of bitter almond linger for quite a while. A little bit of lemon pith on the finish. I love this stuff. Years of development ahead. A/A-.
1983 Gruaud Larose- St. Julien
Ive had this wine 4 or so times in the past 3 years and this was the youngest looking and most fruit-filled bottle Ive tried. The color was a youthful looking dark ruby. Theres a nice snoutful of rich cassis, cedary oak, your typical Cordier barnyard stink and herbs. On the palate, this bottle is nowhere near as rustic and chunky as the others Ive had. This was downright refined. Time has apparently smoothed this one out. Tannins are soft and the wine is wonderfully balanced. Flavors were similar to the aromas, though there were more herb notes apparent on the palate. With extended air time, however, the wine did start to become a bit too herbal for me. Call it in A- for the first 1 hours and a B+ afterwards due to the herbs.
1983 Chapoutier- Hermitage, La Sizerrane
Garnet in color with a wonderfully elegant and perfumed nose of sweet strawberries, cherries, flowers, earth and light leather. Medium bodied with softened tannins, though the juicy acidity holds up the frame nicely. Red fruit and earth flavors dominate. Its maybe a smidge past prime and the nose promises a little bit more than it delivered on the palate, but this is a lovely wine that was terrific with the lamb shank. If you have em, drink em. A-.
1983 Paul Jaboulet-Aine- Hermitage, "La Chapelle"
Ruby/garnet in color, this wine is denser, richer and showing a lot more youth than the Chapoutier. A bit raisiny on the nose with sweet black and red fruit light earth and spice. Good tannin/acid structure, with sweet raisiny fruit, earth, light bacon fat, pepper and cloves. The problem I have with most La Chapelles Ive had is there, however. For some reason, these wines just never make my mouth comfortable. I find they generally promise more fruit than they deliver and that combines with what I perceive as relatively high acidity to make me squirm a little. That said, this was the best showing of the 83 Ive had and indeed is one of the better showings for a La Chapelle that Ive had. Enjoyable to drink now, but theres no danger in holding this wine for awhile. A-.
1990 Chapoutier- Hermitage, La Sizerrane
Deep ruby color, with rich, plummy black fruit, chocolate, spice and bacon fat aromas. Youthful with fruit dominating and no real tertiary flavors or aromas at this point. On the palate, firmly tannic with rich black fruit, spice and bacon fat. While everything seems technically correct, the wine is pretty devoid of character and in a word, boring. The flavors are pleasant, but theres no real life to the wine. Perhaps its in a bit of an awkward stage and time will season it some? B+ for now, with the possibility of a little improvement.
1989 Conterno Fantino- Barolo, Vigna del Gris
I bought this wine a year or so ago as I wanted to explore Italian wines more. I didnt really know much about it, but at $30 after a 15% discount and looking around at what the new release prices of Barolo were, I thought it would be a no-brainer. Turns out, it was a marvelous wine. The wine is a dark ruby/garnet. I had decanted the wine for an hour before the tasting, but the aromas were still reticent. A bunch of swirling brought out sweet cherries, roses, licorice, earth and a touch of leather. Shows a lot of brash youth on the palate with rough and tumble tannins. Big and mouth-filling with lots of sweet cherries that combine with earth, light leather, integrated oak and spice flavors to make a delicious and complex package. Sit on them longer if youre holding them. A solid A- now, but when tried later that evening, 5-6 hours after opening, the wine had softened some and became much more aromatic and friendly and merited an A/A-.
1998 Mller-Catoir- Scheurebe- Auslese, Haardter Mandelring
Pale straw in color with a most enjoyable nose that was almost reminiscent of a ripe New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Lots of gooseberry aromas with passionfruit, nectarines and tropical fruit. Lightly petillant acidity on the palate adds a nice freshness to the wine, though it should disappear with time. Nice sweetness and balance with passion fruit, sweet limes, and nectarine flavors dominating. Nice stuff. Solid A-.
Rob Gibson was in town for a short trip so a few members of the NY crew got together to welcome him with open bottles. In Attendance were Rob, Jay Miller, Jeff Grossman and myself.
A quick look at the reds everyone brought helped make the decision that there would be lamb shanks all around. The warm weather, however, did have us vacillating a little bit. Jeff dared to be different and ordered the chicken, although that too was a dish that would pair well with the wines.
On to the notes!
1996 Baumard- Savennires, Clos Papillon
This has consistently been one of my favorite Savennires. I decanted it for an hour before bringing it to dinner. A light hay color and a nose bursting with the usual aromatics: Quince, honey, mineral, acacia with something I havent detected before, underlying red fruit. On the palate, mouth-filling and wonderfully balanced, though a lot more accessible than I thought it would be at this stage. Rich quince, lemon and mineral flavors with a touch of bitter almond linger for quite a while. A little bit of lemon pith on the finish. I love this stuff. Years of development ahead. A/A-.
1983 Gruaud Larose- St. Julien
Ive had this wine 4 or so times in the past 3 years and this was the youngest looking and most fruit-filled bottle Ive tried. The color was a youthful looking dark ruby. Theres a nice snoutful of rich cassis, cedary oak, your typical Cordier barnyard stink and herbs. On the palate, this bottle is nowhere near as rustic and chunky as the others Ive had. This was downright refined. Time has apparently smoothed this one out. Tannins are soft and the wine is wonderfully balanced. Flavors were similar to the aromas, though there were more herb notes apparent on the palate. With extended air time, however, the wine did start to become a bit too herbal for me. Call it in A- for the first 1 hours and a B+ afterwards due to the herbs.
1983 Chapoutier- Hermitage, La Sizerrane
Garnet in color with a wonderfully elegant and perfumed nose of sweet strawberries, cherries, flowers, earth and light leather. Medium bodied with softened tannins, though the juicy acidity holds up the frame nicely. Red fruit and earth flavors dominate. Its maybe a smidge past prime and the nose promises a little bit more than it delivered on the palate, but this is a lovely wine that was terrific with the lamb shank. If you have em, drink em. A-.
1983 Paul Jaboulet-Aine- Hermitage, "La Chapelle"
Ruby/garnet in color, this wine is denser, richer and showing a lot more youth than the Chapoutier. A bit raisiny on the nose with sweet black and red fruit light earth and spice. Good tannin/acid structure, with sweet raisiny fruit, earth, light bacon fat, pepper and cloves. The problem I have with most La Chapelles Ive had is there, however. For some reason, these wines just never make my mouth comfortable. I find they generally promise more fruit than they deliver and that combines with what I perceive as relatively high acidity to make me squirm a little. That said, this was the best showing of the 83 Ive had and indeed is one of the better showings for a La Chapelle that Ive had. Enjoyable to drink now, but theres no danger in holding this wine for awhile. A-.
1990 Chapoutier- Hermitage, La Sizerrane
Deep ruby color, with rich, plummy black fruit, chocolate, spice and bacon fat aromas. Youthful with fruit dominating and no real tertiary flavors or aromas at this point. On the palate, firmly tannic with rich black fruit, spice and bacon fat. While everything seems technically correct, the wine is pretty devoid of character and in a word, boring. The flavors are pleasant, but theres no real life to the wine. Perhaps its in a bit of an awkward stage and time will season it some? B+ for now, with the possibility of a little improvement.
1989 Conterno Fantino- Barolo, Vigna del Gris
I bought this wine a year or so ago as I wanted to explore Italian wines more. I didnt really know much about it, but at $30 after a 15% discount and looking around at what the new release prices of Barolo were, I thought it would be a no-brainer. Turns out, it was a marvelous wine. The wine is a dark ruby/garnet. I had decanted the wine for an hour before the tasting, but the aromas were still reticent. A bunch of swirling brought out sweet cherries, roses, licorice, earth and a touch of leather. Shows a lot of brash youth on the palate with rough and tumble tannins. Big and mouth-filling with lots of sweet cherries that combine with earth, light leather, integrated oak and spice flavors to make a delicious and complex package. Sit on them longer if youre holding them. A solid A- now, but when tried later that evening, 5-6 hours after opening, the wine had softened some and became much more aromatic and friendly and merited an A/A-.
1998 Mller-Catoir- Scheurebe- Auslese, Haardter Mandelring
Pale straw in color with a most enjoyable nose that was almost reminiscent of a ripe New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Lots of gooseberry aromas with passionfruit, nectarines and tropical fruit. Lightly petillant acidity on the palate adds a nice freshness to the wine, though it should disappear with time. Nice sweetness and balance with passion fruit, sweet limes, and nectarine flavors dominating. Nice stuff. Solid A-.