CWD: Montbourgeau

VLM

VLM
I'm back from my Kane-induced Hiatus. To check on my personal Hiatus status, please see my profile.

In general, the more I have Montbourgeau wines, the more I like them. This may be becoming my favorite estate in the Jura. Im curious if others feel similarly.

2002 Domaine de Montbourgeau L'Etoile Savagnin
Surprisingly open and accessible. Even though Im not sure that sous voile wines are really terroir wines, I really like them, just as I really like sherry. This had the bitter nut skin on the nose and palate buttressed by stone pit yellow fruit. Waxy and mineral at once that was generous and a bit bracing. Supposedly too young, but I find it delicious now and dont see any reason not to start drinking it.

Note: The preview function was used in the construction of this post.
 
I like the noting of your hiatus status in your profile. Very nice!

It's also handy to know where to go to read The Real Truth in case you are in the market for such stuff.
 
The sous voile style is not for me; the ouille style very much is.
Curiously, I like the lighter sherries. Why that does not translate to Jura wines baffles me.
And I have never had any wine by that producer.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Bwood:
Nathan, I'm curious why you think sous voile wines are not really terroir wines.

Seems like a case of process overriding vintage and site variation. Sure not all sous voile wines taste the same. But it leaves a pretty strong mark on the wines, much like new oak. Do you disagree?
 
I think Nathan's being consistent, in that he doesn't see terroir in sparkling wines either. In each case, he thinks the process overwhelms the site.
 
originally posted by Bwood:
Nathan, I'm curious why you think sous voile wines are not really terroir wines.

I don't know who this Nathan is, my name is Joe, but I'll try to answer for him.

For myself, I'm just not sure that I can detect differences that are presents between wines that are due to terroir rather than other factors in the sous voile wines. For example, it could be just differences ibn ambient temperature of the cellar, the yeast populations, etc. It may be that these things are part of the terroir of the wine just as much as the vineyards themselves are. I just don't know, so I guess I'm not all jihad on that subject, but I just can't say that they are terroir wines.

The same goes with Sherry. I've had long discussions with an importer of Sherry who is a close friend where he explained how the soils in which wines he represents were grown expresses itself in the finished wines. He almost got me there, but at the end my skepticism won out.

I want to point out that I very much enjoy both Sherry and sous voile wines and find them to be perfect with certain foods. I think that this is akin to semi-carbonic or skin contact hipsterism. While I may really enjoy some of the resulting wines, I'm not really sure that they express terroir in the way that a more traditional elevage would. For example, track down an old Gravner ribolla and compare with a recent one. They can both be remarkable wines, but they are very different.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

Curiously, I like the lighter sherries. Why that does not translate to Jura wines baffles me.
And I have never had any wine by that producer.
Best, Jim

That is pretty curious. They don't tend to be as pretty as good Sherry can be. A bit more extreme in composition.

Note: The preview function WAS NOT used in the composition of this reply.
 
I was inspired by this thread to open a bottle of the 2000 Montbourgeau Savagnin - man is it good, especially with roasted almonds and cashews.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by Bwood:
Nathan, I'm curious why you think sous voile wines are not really terroir wines.

Seems like a case of process overriding vintage and site variation. Sure not all sous voile wines taste the same. But it leaves a pretty strong mark on the wines, much like new oak. Do you disagree?

Yeah, I kind of knew what he meant. I think a more precise way to ask my question would have been if on the Dr. vlm Terroir Obfuscation Scale:

1. chaptalization in Burgundy is a .08
2. oak in Bordeaux is a .13
3. 200% oak at Laurent is a .19
4. rotos and barrique in the Piemonte is a .23
5. commercial yeast is a .45
6. carbonic maceration in hipster wines is a .76, and
7. procedures in Champagne are a .80

then is sous voile in the Jura an .85 or a 1.00?

Nothing but the Real Truth needed in response.
 
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