TN: La Persistance de la Memoire (June 5, 2018)

J

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
attendees: Madeleine, BJ, Jay, Jayson, Jeff

Ah, Cafe Loup. It has been so long since we trod these boards. Almost every table holds a memory... here, an Italian maker advises to skip 1997 Barolo and wait for the 1998; there an Allemand sans-soufre hand-carried back by Marty; over there, a family riesling event; way over there... you get the idea.

The menu is the same. They have not added or removed a choice in 15 years; 20 years if you overlook when they added the Asian-inflected tuna steak.

BJ is in town for a business-related event but we grab an evening for a jeeb.

Selbach-Oster 1983 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese - 2 606 319 016 84, nearly clear as water, condition is perfect, old and perfect, yet there isn't much here but a memory of diesel and flowers; reminds me of the Ayler Kupp wines that appeared from out of some forgotten keller a few years ago

Dom. de Roally 2014 Vire-Clesse "Tradition" - crisp, with attractive (but scant) hints of wax, tarragon, ciabatta, and green olive; yum

Dom. de Belliviere 2016 Chenin "Confluence" - from the negociant side of the house ("Les Arches"), beautifully fruity and juicy and fleshy and intense

Sterling Vineyards 1977 Cabernet Sauvignon - OMG bottle, perfect balance of reddish fruit and gentle tobacco, all clasped in a point acidity

A La Tache 2007 St-Joseph "Cuvee Badel" - another gorgeous bottle, earthy and blue-fruited, maybe not for the long haul but pure and pretty today

Brun 2006 Morgon - stewy and silty and muddy flavors, one hopes this was a bad bottle; it provoked some discussion about how long to stand bottles up for and the value of double-decanting off the sediment before shlepping to the table

Huet 1996 Vouvray Moelleux 1er Trie "Le Mont" - OMG bottle, tingling and dancing through the glass and across my palate, apricots sprinkled magic dust... crisp and rich and pure and complete

Bacchus has been very kind to us tonight.

I took a few bottles home and followed them for a few days. The "Confluence" maintained its yumminess through to the end, possibly even gaining a little weight, a last lick of wool reminds me the cepage. The "Cuvee Badel" slowly faded, losing its earthiness and going towards red fruits, but kept its purity to the end. The Huet, well....

A photo of the guest of honor:
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:

Selbach-Oster 1983 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese - 2 606 319 016 84, nearly clear as water, condition is perfect, old and perfect, yet there isn't much here but a memory of diesel and flowers; reminds me of the Ayler Kupp wines that appeared from out of some forgotten keller a few years ago
Click to expand...

I think you are referring to the Hans Kramp wines that Florian Lauer found and labeled.

Sorry to miss you BJ. I was actually in Ayl on this night.
 
originally posted by Robert Dentice:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Selbach-Oster 1983 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese - 2 606 319 016 84, nearly clear as water, condition is perfect, old and perfect, yet there isn't much here but a memory of diesel and flowers; reminds me of the Ayler Kupp wines that appeared from out of some forgotten keller a few years ago
Click to expand...
I think you are referring to the Hans Kramp wines that Florian Lauer found and labeled.
Click to expand...
Correct. The Kramp spatlese improved with a lot of air but nothing ever made the Kabinett better for me.
 
Jeff, for an ENTJ, you sure write good. And your photo makes me look thinner than I am!

Super fun evening indeed. Wish I lived in NYC to partake more frequently of fine conversation - pretty serious nuance about LOTR, the Silmarillion, Myers-Briggs, the oldest running DnD game in the universe, Max Ophuls, the three NYC proto-subways, hand cut tile as designators of older NYC subway stops...

We also performed a Test to the Rule. You know which Rule I'm talking about. Turns out, the Rule was faulty in this case, and the St. Joseph was quite fine, and a point. So we all know the saying - there is an Exception to every Rule, and we found a good Exception. Thankfully, noone really pointed this out during the jeeb.

Jeff's notes are great, so I'll just add a few thoughts.

The Roally had a bit less bling than I'm used to - it had been a few years, and the 2014 might be more subdued. But it was great.

I continue to think of Belleviere as one of the most underrated Chenin producers - I just love them. Actually, they make me think of Chidaine.

I bought a shit ton of 1970s Sterling on Winebid before folks woke up and raised the prices (I see those '75s on there right now...I paid $25 for that same wine not all that long ago...) - this one was right up there with the best of them. I do theorize a little that they taste a bit redwoody...old redwood cooperage?

I really don't think the Brun was flawed...remember the New Rule: Decant off sediment - see my recent post on same.

And remember, the first rule of dealing with ENTJs: just say yes! Or at least "OK".
 
Hey and by the way it's Vire-Clesse, buddy.

Also, what about the Specials? Those 15 years old too?
 
originally posted by BJ:
Hey and by the way it's Vire-Clesse, buddy.

Also, what about the Specials? Those 15 years old too?
Click to expand...

I have a friend and former grad school apartmentmate (and also a drummer and a physicist) that was a big fan of The Specials (and BTW despised The Eagles).
 
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
originally posted by BJ:
Hey and by the way it's Vire-Clesse, buddy.

Also, what about the Specials? Those 15 years old too?
Click to expand...

I have a friend and former grad school apartmentmate (and also a drummer and a physicist) that was a big fan of The Specials (and BTW despised The Eagles).
Click to expand...

I am neither a drummer or a physicist, but I love The Specials.

2014 is a particularly lean Roally. I think it will age superbly.
 
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
originally posted by VLM:
2014 is a particularly lean Roally. I think it will age superbly.
Click to expand...

Huh, I was about to ask how "crisp" goes along with any Roally, by definition. Perhaps this explains it. Or not.
Click to expand...

The 2014 has a lot of dry extract and comes across surprisingly steely and almost quinine, and clean. I drank the remains the next couple days as well, and I am very hopeful for the long term potential along a Premier Cru Chablis type trajectory. Fifteen year Rule for the next one.
 
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
originally posted by VLM:
2014 is a particularly lean Roally. I think it will age superbly.
Click to expand...

Huh, I was about to ask how "crisp" goes along with any Roally, by definition. Perhaps this explains it. Or not.
Click to expand...

The 2014 has a lot of dry extract and comes across surprisingly steely and almost quinine, and clean. I drank the remains the next couple days as well, and I am very hopeful for the long term potential along a Premier Cru Chablis type trajectory. Fifteen year Rule for the next one.
Click to expand...

I have some in a corner where I can't reach them, so I hope to find out. And I bought a ton (for me) of 2015 to get in the way.
 
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
originally posted by VLM:
2014 is a particularly lean Roally. I think it will age superbly.
Click to expand...

Huh, I was about to ask how "crisp" goes along with any Roally, by definition. Perhaps this explains it. Or not.
Click to expand...

It really is. I'm trying to find a vintage comparison, but I can't because I'm old now and I can't remember all the vintages.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
originally posted by VLM:
2014 is a particularly lean Roally. I think it will age superbly.
Click to expand...

Huh, I was about to ask how "crisp" goes along with any Roally, by definition. Perhaps this explains it. Or not.
Click to expand...

It really is. I'm trying to find a vintage comparison, but I can't because I'm old now and I can't remember all the vintages.
Click to expand...

So I am actually drinkIng the last glass and a half of the Roally tonight, 8 days after opening it, and it is not only still delicious. It has gone to that special place for whites. Red fruit. Here raspberry and blood orange. In that order of intensity on the nose, and reversed on the palate. This should be thrilling with age.
 
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
originally posted by VLM:
2014 is a particularly lean Roally. I think it will age superbly.
Click to expand...

Huh, I was about to ask how "crisp" goes along with any Roally, by definition. Perhaps this explains it. Or not.
Click to expand...

It really is. I'm trying to find a vintage comparison, but I can't because I'm old now and I can't remember all the vintages.
Click to expand...

So I am actually drinkIng the last glass and a half of the Roally tonight, 8 days after opening it, and it is not only still delicious. It has gone to that special place for whites. Red fruit. Here raspberry and blood orange. In that order of intensity on the nose, and reversed on the palate. This should be thrilling with age.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I think. Can you come up with an analogous vintage? I tried, but really couldn't.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
originally posted by VLM:
2014 is a particularly lean Roally. I think it will age superbly.
Click to expand...

Huh, I was about to ask how "crisp" goes along with any Roally, by definition. Perhaps this explains it. Or not.
Click to expand...

It really is. I'm trying to find a vintage comparison, but I can't because I'm old now and I can't remember all the vintages.
Click to expand...

So I am actually drinkIng the last glass and a half of the Roally tonight, 8 days after opening it, and it is not only still delicious. It has gone to that special place for whites. Red fruit. Here raspberry and blood orange. In that order of intensity on the nose, and reversed on the palate. This should be thrilling with age.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I think. Can you come up with an analogous vintage? I tried, but really couldn't.
Click to expand...

No. But I don’t recall trying 2010.
 
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