For my birthday, we had dinner at Rue Cler with a bunch of friends, among tastes of various things others brought, we had at our table:
Texier Brézème Blanc “Pergaud Roussette” 2012 MAGNUM
Beautiful, languid, etched. It has a strange note on opening, but I decanted and recanted. Flowers, fruit and minerals. Seemed to grow through the evening as it stretched out. No problem drinking this now, but no rush either.
Texier Brézème “Pergaud” 2005 MAGNUM
Sublime, layered, silken. I loved the dark fruit balanced by savory notes, but the texture is what was really compelling which was not at all obvious when this was a young wine. I think this is the beginning of Eric really getting a handle on what he wants from this wine. Every subsequent vintage has been fantastic. Not fully resolved but with some air I don’t see any reason for a long sleep. Moved slowly throughout the evening, so there is no rush either. I did decant and then recant into the bottle.
Baudry Grézeaux 2007 MAGNUM
Started out great and very Grézeaux with the dark earth and berries that I get from the site. As the evening wore on it got a bit volatile. I think go ahead and drink up. My 750s of this wine are long gone.
Baudry Croix Boissée 2005
Wow, topsy turvy. As I’ve found with this wine (and my theory of wines from high limestone vineyards) this was both spectacular (“best wine of the night” according to some) and dumbfounding. It’s still moving around a lot with air, so I’m not sure what advice to give. We did just open it and go, so maybe open it for about an hour? Could also be held for the foreseeable future.
The subsequent weekend we went down to Charleston with a couple of friends and hit the town pretty hard. We did double dinners at 5 and 10 both nights. While the food was up and down, service everywhere was warm, efficient and gracious.
At Charleston Grill. Food was good, if a bit dated.
Krug 1990
A supposed centerpiece, I found it a bit dull. It had all the markings of vintage Krug, but I found it to lack energy. I’m not really down with “old” Champagne for the most part, so maybe that’s it. I don’t think of 1990 as a great vintage for the long term anyway. It was good, mind you, but not what the pedigree and provenance (perfect) would have led me to expect.
Boxler Sommerberg Riesling 2007
On the soft side with the youthful vigor gone, creamy but still light on its feet without any milky or petrol notes. Warm yellow fruits, honey and flowers. Not spectacular, but very good.
Pignan Chateauneuf 2006
We came to drink 2006 Rayas, but they had moved on to 2008 so we had this instead. Had all the beautiful spice and red fruits that you expect from this wine. Lovely texture, full of grace. The prices for Rayas that I thought were so crazy expensive years ago now look like deals when you taste the wines.
Rougeard Bourg 2004
Fantastic showing, dark and silky. Nose and palate re deep and the texture caresses. Great wine.
At the Ordinary, where we had the best meal of the trip.
Ledru “Goulté” 2008
Typical of this wine, intense chalky brick of pinot. Taught mousse that relaxed a bit with air. Really dig this wine.
Rougeard “Breze” 2008
Oaky and too cold on first opening but snowballed as it got air and warmed up a bit. As it did, it really opened up to the whole array of chenin from this site. Minerals, wax, yellow fruit in abundance and some flowers and oak notes peaking around the side. Great wine.
Duplessis Chablis 1er “Vaugiraut” 2012
First time with this bottling and it was really delicious. Good fruit intensity, almost sucrosity, but without and undue weight or heaviness. Frightfully easy to drink.
At Cypress where the décor was Vegas like and the food only OK, but the service was stellar. They stood up both wines we ordered for a couple of days and decanted before service for our 10PM reservation.
Vilmart “Coeur de Cuvée” 2006
Best bottle yet of this wine. Broader and softer than the Ledru with a creamier center. Excellent length. Delicious.
B. Mascarello Barolo 2004
Great wine. Drinking even better than I hoped. Lots of fruit but also some balsamic, earth and leather notes. Palate is silky and yet still firm. You get that the wine is on the young side, but that it has decided to let you have a ride. A big wine, but with nothing out of proportion or place. ~$100 cheaper than retail. I guess I’ll have to go to Cypress every time I’m in Charleston until it’s gone.
Produttori Barbaresco “Montestefano” 2007
Obviously lighter than the Mascarello and showed more spice notes on top of the normal nebbiolo scents. Really excellent length and balance. Great price on the list. I wish I had bought some of these on realease.
We also hit the Husk bar (good) Friday early, Artisan Meat Share (great) Saturday lunch, and Leon's Oyter Depot (good) Sunday lunch.
Texier Brézème Blanc “Pergaud Roussette” 2012 MAGNUM
Beautiful, languid, etched. It has a strange note on opening, but I decanted and recanted. Flowers, fruit and minerals. Seemed to grow through the evening as it stretched out. No problem drinking this now, but no rush either.
Texier Brézème “Pergaud” 2005 MAGNUM
Sublime, layered, silken. I loved the dark fruit balanced by savory notes, but the texture is what was really compelling which was not at all obvious when this was a young wine. I think this is the beginning of Eric really getting a handle on what he wants from this wine. Every subsequent vintage has been fantastic. Not fully resolved but with some air I don’t see any reason for a long sleep. Moved slowly throughout the evening, so there is no rush either. I did decant and then recant into the bottle.
Baudry Grézeaux 2007 MAGNUM
Started out great and very Grézeaux with the dark earth and berries that I get from the site. As the evening wore on it got a bit volatile. I think go ahead and drink up. My 750s of this wine are long gone.
Baudry Croix Boissée 2005
Wow, topsy turvy. As I’ve found with this wine (and my theory of wines from high limestone vineyards) this was both spectacular (“best wine of the night” according to some) and dumbfounding. It’s still moving around a lot with air, so I’m not sure what advice to give. We did just open it and go, so maybe open it for about an hour? Could also be held for the foreseeable future.
The subsequent weekend we went down to Charleston with a couple of friends and hit the town pretty hard. We did double dinners at 5 and 10 both nights. While the food was up and down, service everywhere was warm, efficient and gracious.
At Charleston Grill. Food was good, if a bit dated.
Krug 1990
A supposed centerpiece, I found it a bit dull. It had all the markings of vintage Krug, but I found it to lack energy. I’m not really down with “old” Champagne for the most part, so maybe that’s it. I don’t think of 1990 as a great vintage for the long term anyway. It was good, mind you, but not what the pedigree and provenance (perfect) would have led me to expect.
Boxler Sommerberg Riesling 2007
On the soft side with the youthful vigor gone, creamy but still light on its feet without any milky or petrol notes. Warm yellow fruits, honey and flowers. Not spectacular, but very good.
Pignan Chateauneuf 2006
We came to drink 2006 Rayas, but they had moved on to 2008 so we had this instead. Had all the beautiful spice and red fruits that you expect from this wine. Lovely texture, full of grace. The prices for Rayas that I thought were so crazy expensive years ago now look like deals when you taste the wines.
Rougeard Bourg 2004
Fantastic showing, dark and silky. Nose and palate re deep and the texture caresses. Great wine.
At the Ordinary, where we had the best meal of the trip.
Ledru “Goulté” 2008
Typical of this wine, intense chalky brick of pinot. Taught mousse that relaxed a bit with air. Really dig this wine.
Rougeard “Breze” 2008
Oaky and too cold on first opening but snowballed as it got air and warmed up a bit. As it did, it really opened up to the whole array of chenin from this site. Minerals, wax, yellow fruit in abundance and some flowers and oak notes peaking around the side. Great wine.
Duplessis Chablis 1er “Vaugiraut” 2012
First time with this bottling and it was really delicious. Good fruit intensity, almost sucrosity, but without and undue weight or heaviness. Frightfully easy to drink.
At Cypress where the décor was Vegas like and the food only OK, but the service was stellar. They stood up both wines we ordered for a couple of days and decanted before service for our 10PM reservation.
Vilmart “Coeur de Cuvée” 2006
Best bottle yet of this wine. Broader and softer than the Ledru with a creamier center. Excellent length. Delicious.
B. Mascarello Barolo 2004
Great wine. Drinking even better than I hoped. Lots of fruit but also some balsamic, earth and leather notes. Palate is silky and yet still firm. You get that the wine is on the young side, but that it has decided to let you have a ride. A big wine, but with nothing out of proportion or place. ~$100 cheaper than retail. I guess I’ll have to go to Cypress every time I’m in Charleston until it’s gone.
Produttori Barbaresco “Montestefano” 2007
Obviously lighter than the Mascarello and showed more spice notes on top of the normal nebbiolo scents. Really excellent length and balance. Great price on the list. I wish I had bought some of these on realease.
We also hit the Husk bar (good) Friday early, Artisan Meat Share (great) Saturday lunch, and Leon's Oyter Depot (good) Sunday lunch.