Inspired by Jim's musings, I've decided to do my bit for the content wars and put together impressions of wines that I have records for.
2008 Marie-Noëlle Ledru Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée du Goulté Blanc de Noirs Brut
At the Southern Jeebus. This may be apex Ledru, so powerful and intense with a vintage to match. Uncompromising and singular. Should have food.
2015 Domaine de Roally Viré-Clessé Tradition
We drank more than one bottle of this which is why I don't have enough older examples. For whatever reason, the Thevenet style scratches a big itch for me. It's big and full fruited but
2015 Domaine André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé Le Coteau de l'Epinet
Different in style from the Thevenet wines, on the leaner side, but still very much Maconnais chardonnay. Takes a while to unfold. From a single plot of old vines. I'm looking forward to trying the other single plot wines from these guys.
2015 Gilbert Picq & ses Fils Chablis Dessus La Carriere
Very much marked by the vintage and not standard chiseled Chablis but still in proportion. I like what Picq has done in this vintage with a different mineral expression and the fruit doesn't go tropical. They don't have holdings in the best spots, but these wines are excellent.
2014 Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Les Gruyaches
2014 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Baronne
Had these two the same night and it was a study in contrasting styles. The Lafon has a candied lemon drop type thing going on while the Fichet is much more linear. The both have minerality but the Fichet is driving through the rocky finish and the Lafon shows as just an accent. I shade the Fichet but would be happy drinking either but since the Fichet is about half the price, I'll let you guess the one we drink.
2007 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme
2007 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme Collis Carellae
Part of our steady diet of Alto Piemonte. We've had a disturbingly high corked rate with this particular vintage. Not sure if we're unlucky or that there is a problem. When the bottles are sound, these are lovely wines. Nice fruit and flowers with firm but not imposing structure. A bit of spiciness. The Carellae isn't so much different in kind, just different in intensity and worth the extra dosh, I think.
2014 Briceland Vineyards Syrah Ishi Pishi Ranch
2014 Briceland Vineyards Zinfandel Ishi Pishi Ranch
I bought a mixed case of these on the advice of Mike Evans. I really liked the zinfandel which was on the crunchy red fruit and herbs side of the spectrum. The syrah was more of a mixed bag. I brought it to a dinner and it everyone commented on how it reeked of weed even without knowing it was from Humbolt.
2012 Ceritas Pinot Noir Hacienda Secoya Vineyard
2013 Ceritas Pinot Noir Hacienda Secoya Vineyard
I think I like Ceritas as much as any domestic pinot noir. There is a snap and structure to them. When they get the fruit balance right, they can be really delicious. The 2012 is better in that regard than the 2013. If you aren't a CA pinot noir drinker and you have a chance, you might enjoy these.
2009 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Cot
At the Southern Jeebus, life affirming.
2006 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg
Also at the Southern Jeebus so there are notes somewhere, really excellent. Shows a real stony depth.
2005 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée
Starting to really hit its stride. When these were young, no one was really sure what would happen because analytically they had so much more of everything than any previous vintage. I remember first tasting these with the Baudry's and I think they'll be happy with how they turned out.
2011 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux
2011 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin
2010 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots
2010 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vignes Rondes
Had all of these over a couple nights with the Texiers. I think I'm going to drink more young Burgundy. The Echezeaux was the best of the group with a real intensity. The Ruchottes may have been a little off,but no on eelse thought so. The Chaignots had more and deeper fruit, the Vignes Rondes more chiseled. The real takeaway from all this is that I need to drink more young Burgundy. It's really delicious and I like fruit.
1998 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin
At the Southern Jeebus where it showed well although lacked a bit of drive and intensity that I have expected from this last vintage of the old vines. This is a wine that I should learn to take on its own terms, as it is very good, rather than approach it with the outsized expectations I bring to it.
2005 Domaine Pavelot Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru La Dominode
Good, crunchy and red fruited. Not mature yet but not sullen. Something like the archetype of Savigny.
2010 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban Vieille Serine Domaine de Pergaud
This wine is young but intense and awesome. I like to decant it just to piss off Eric even when he's not here. Really juicy fruit with fine tannin and lovely floral notes.
2011 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône-Brézème Vieille Serine Domaine de Pergaud
Compared to the St. Julien this is so much crunchier and earthier. Takes more time to open up and the nose is complex. Good now with a hunk of meat, it should be great down the line.
2008 Marie-Noëlle Ledru Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée du Goulté Blanc de Noirs Brut
At the Southern Jeebus. This may be apex Ledru, so powerful and intense with a vintage to match. Uncompromising and singular. Should have food.
2015 Domaine de Roally Viré-Clessé Tradition
We drank more than one bottle of this which is why I don't have enough older examples. For whatever reason, the Thevenet style scratches a big itch for me. It's big and full fruited but
2015 Domaine André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé Le Coteau de l'Epinet
Different in style from the Thevenet wines, on the leaner side, but still very much Maconnais chardonnay. Takes a while to unfold. From a single plot of old vines. I'm looking forward to trying the other single plot wines from these guys.
2015 Gilbert Picq & ses Fils Chablis Dessus La Carriere
Very much marked by the vintage and not standard chiseled Chablis but still in proportion. I like what Picq has done in this vintage with a different mineral expression and the fruit doesn't go tropical. They don't have holdings in the best spots, but these wines are excellent.
2014 Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Les Gruyaches
2014 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Baronne
Had these two the same night and it was a study in contrasting styles. The Lafon has a candied lemon drop type thing going on while the Fichet is much more linear. The both have minerality but the Fichet is driving through the rocky finish and the Lafon shows as just an accent. I shade the Fichet but would be happy drinking either but since the Fichet is about half the price, I'll let you guess the one we drink.
2007 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme
2007 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme Collis Carellae
Part of our steady diet of Alto Piemonte. We've had a disturbingly high corked rate with this particular vintage. Not sure if we're unlucky or that there is a problem. When the bottles are sound, these are lovely wines. Nice fruit and flowers with firm but not imposing structure. A bit of spiciness. The Carellae isn't so much different in kind, just different in intensity and worth the extra dosh, I think.
2014 Briceland Vineyards Syrah Ishi Pishi Ranch
2014 Briceland Vineyards Zinfandel Ishi Pishi Ranch
I bought a mixed case of these on the advice of Mike Evans. I really liked the zinfandel which was on the crunchy red fruit and herbs side of the spectrum. The syrah was more of a mixed bag. I brought it to a dinner and it everyone commented on how it reeked of weed even without knowing it was from Humbolt.
2012 Ceritas Pinot Noir Hacienda Secoya Vineyard
2013 Ceritas Pinot Noir Hacienda Secoya Vineyard
I think I like Ceritas as much as any domestic pinot noir. There is a snap and structure to them. When they get the fruit balance right, they can be really delicious. The 2012 is better in that regard than the 2013. If you aren't a CA pinot noir drinker and you have a chance, you might enjoy these.
2009 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Cot
At the Southern Jeebus, life affirming.
2006 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg
Also at the Southern Jeebus so there are notes somewhere, really excellent. Shows a real stony depth.
2005 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée
Starting to really hit its stride. When these were young, no one was really sure what would happen because analytically they had so much more of everything than any previous vintage. I remember first tasting these with the Baudry's and I think they'll be happy with how they turned out.
2011 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux
2011 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin
2010 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots
2010 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vignes Rondes
Had all of these over a couple nights with the Texiers. I think I'm going to drink more young Burgundy. The Echezeaux was the best of the group with a real intensity. The Ruchottes may have been a little off,but no on eelse thought so. The Chaignots had more and deeper fruit, the Vignes Rondes more chiseled. The real takeaway from all this is that I need to drink more young Burgundy. It's really delicious and I like fruit.
1998 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin
At the Southern Jeebus where it showed well although lacked a bit of drive and intensity that I have expected from this last vintage of the old vines. This is a wine that I should learn to take on its own terms, as it is very good, rather than approach it with the outsized expectations I bring to it.
2005 Domaine Pavelot Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru La Dominode
Good, crunchy and red fruited. Not mature yet but not sullen. Something like the archetype of Savigny.
2010 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban Vieille Serine Domaine de Pergaud
This wine is young but intense and awesome. I like to decant it just to piss off Eric even when he's not here. Really juicy fruit with fine tannin and lovely floral notes.
2011 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône-Brézème Vieille Serine Domaine de Pergaud
Compared to the St. Julien this is so much crunchier and earthier. Takes more time to open up and the nose is complex. Good now with a hunk of meat, it should be great down the line.
