Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: Philippe R (CAN), Tony K, Iggy M, Daniel P, Markus K (CHF), Jeff G, Ethan A
Eleven headline wines spread over seven participants from three countries -- a spectacular event organized by Philippe. Jamet's wine rings all of his bells: whole cluster, wild yeasts, 3 weeks of maceration, only 20% new barrels, 22 months of rest (mostly in large casks) before bottling.
Philippe rang up Jean-Paul Jamet to discuss options for tasting. JPJ recommended dividing according to vintage character: cool or warm? Beyond that, he reminded us that his wines are made for enjoyment, not analysis. We cajoled very little out of him about the split with his brother. (But, as we soon saw, the wine told us all we needed to know.)
We convened at the North End Grill. Sadly, it is closing at the end of the year but even staring down the length of a rifle barrel NEG offers superlative service and beautifully-prepared food. We arranged a custom menu though nearly everyone ordered the same way: prawns, steak rare, and gelati.
We begin at the beginning with a few welcome wines:
Guigal 2016 Condrieu "La Doriane" - oaky, so oaky, and greasy, too; Dan squealed as I poured it out
Cedric Bouchard 2009 Champagne Brut, Blanc de Noirs "Roses de Jeanne" "Cote de Bechalin" - candied lemon, white flowers and very bright acidity, rather vinous, rather bubbly!; a few at the table wince and pine for leesy weight but most of us find it refreshing and maybe even startlingly good
Onto the main event.
First flight: brotherly combat!
Dom. Jamet (Jean-Paul) 2013 Cote-Rotie - an early lactic note blows off in just a few minutes; nose identifiably N. Rhone syrah but somewhat reticent; the palate, however, is open for business: broad, floral, complex, full
Vignoble Jean-Luc Jamet 2013 Cote-Rotie "Terrasses" - also a whiff of empty milk carton for a minute; nose is forthright and forward, a bit sweet, full of blue fruit; the palate, however, is very structured, even bony, with a pervasive bitterness in the mid-palate, "This could come from anywhere" -Dan
So there it is. JLJ wants to make a modern wine, pushed to show its fruit right away and sweetened by its barrel regimen. And very little soul. No wonder the brothers argue.
More about Vignobles Jamet: 2013 is the first vintage. They make a modern wine but have no website? One of our number tried to visit and discovered that there are no signs on the road to lead you to the new cellar, either. Is it a secret? What's not a secret is the difference in vinification (per the importer): 65% destemmed, more pumpovers and punchdown, all barrels new or less than 6 years, very few of them large.
All wines are Dom. Jamet from here on.
Second flight: cool vintages. Alas, we lost access to the 1996 and the 2008 when two people had to bow out at the last minute. We inserted the 2010, just to make three at a time, but it is in the wrong flight.
Dom. Jamet 1998 Cote-Rotie - This is the recent re-release hence it has a new-style label. The wine is just starting to lighten and show red-orange at the rim. And it is perfect: game meat, a touch of black olives, juicy acidity, a late hint of bergamot or violets, fully mature (and drink for pleasure)
Dom. Jamet 2006 Cote-Rotie - younger aspect, of course, this hints at complexity and florality soon to come; much talk at the table about how well this shows for a so-so year (I never thought 2006 was just so-so); a late whiff of spearmint is unusual
Dom. Jamet 2010 Cote-Rotie - a big wine but not over-plush, tannins are still hiding under the fruit (or have already gone fine?), lots of life here, steely and firm, it does not vary from attack to finish, this is for the long haul
Third flight: warm vintages. Again, we lost access to the 2003.
Dom. Jamet 1999 Cote-Rotie - another ready bottle: animal fur, mix of blue and red fruit flavors, still some tannins here so feels much younger than the 1998; this opens up further in the glass, wow
Dom. Jamet 2005 Cote-Rotie - perhaps the most troublesome of these wines for me: the palate is all dark fruit, maybe even slightly pruny and monolithic; there is also a teeny note of shoe polish that won't blow off; good and well-made and all that, but cluttered rather than complex, and it also shuts down a bit in the glass
Dom. Jamet 2009 Cote-Rotie - very pure and classic nose but also a little too sturdy in the mouth ("Thick" -Dan, "Rich" -Philippe), not very yielding today
Fourth flight: the youngsters. Because we only had three glasses per seat, really.
Dom. Jamet 2012 Cote-Rotie - "Green" -Iggy; hard to taste, not much showing
Dom. Jamet 2014 Cote-Rotie - yet somehow the youngest wine is willing to strut for us: rather full, broad palate, noticeable black pepper scents, definitely a toddler from the same family
Lastly, a little sweet wine to go with all that gelato.
Chapoutier 1995 Vin de Paille - if I read it right this has 105g rs, all marsanne, clean and lush and, yes, sweet and ripe; I can be happy with a bit of this
Many thanks to North End Grill for excellent cooking and service, to Philippe for organizing this international effort, to my fellow drinkers for good discussion and camaraderie, and, of course, to Dom. Jamet for the raison d'etre.
Eleven headline wines spread over seven participants from three countries -- a spectacular event organized by Philippe. Jamet's wine rings all of his bells: whole cluster, wild yeasts, 3 weeks of maceration, only 20% new barrels, 22 months of rest (mostly in large casks) before bottling.
Philippe rang up Jean-Paul Jamet to discuss options for tasting. JPJ recommended dividing according to vintage character: cool or warm? Beyond that, he reminded us that his wines are made for enjoyment, not analysis. We cajoled very little out of him about the split with his brother. (But, as we soon saw, the wine told us all we needed to know.)
We convened at the North End Grill. Sadly, it is closing at the end of the year but even staring down the length of a rifle barrel NEG offers superlative service and beautifully-prepared food. We arranged a custom menu though nearly everyone ordered the same way: prawns, steak rare, and gelati.
We begin at the beginning with a few welcome wines:
Guigal 2016 Condrieu "La Doriane" - oaky, so oaky, and greasy, too; Dan squealed as I poured it out
Cedric Bouchard 2009 Champagne Brut, Blanc de Noirs "Roses de Jeanne" "Cote de Bechalin" - candied lemon, white flowers and very bright acidity, rather vinous, rather bubbly!; a few at the table wince and pine for leesy weight but most of us find it refreshing and maybe even startlingly good
Onto the main event.
First flight: brotherly combat!
Dom. Jamet (Jean-Paul) 2013 Cote-Rotie - an early lactic note blows off in just a few minutes; nose identifiably N. Rhone syrah but somewhat reticent; the palate, however, is open for business: broad, floral, complex, full
Vignoble Jean-Luc Jamet 2013 Cote-Rotie "Terrasses" - also a whiff of empty milk carton for a minute; nose is forthright and forward, a bit sweet, full of blue fruit; the palate, however, is very structured, even bony, with a pervasive bitterness in the mid-palate, "This could come from anywhere" -Dan
So there it is. JLJ wants to make a modern wine, pushed to show its fruit right away and sweetened by its barrel regimen. And very little soul. No wonder the brothers argue.
More about Vignobles Jamet: 2013 is the first vintage. They make a modern wine but have no website? One of our number tried to visit and discovered that there are no signs on the road to lead you to the new cellar, either. Is it a secret? What's not a secret is the difference in vinification (per the importer): 65% destemmed, more pumpovers and punchdown, all barrels new or less than 6 years, very few of them large.
All wines are Dom. Jamet from here on.
Second flight: cool vintages. Alas, we lost access to the 1996 and the 2008 when two people had to bow out at the last minute. We inserted the 2010, just to make three at a time, but it is in the wrong flight.
Dom. Jamet 1998 Cote-Rotie - This is the recent re-release hence it has a new-style label. The wine is just starting to lighten and show red-orange at the rim. And it is perfect: game meat, a touch of black olives, juicy acidity, a late hint of bergamot or violets, fully mature (and drink for pleasure)
Dom. Jamet 2006 Cote-Rotie - younger aspect, of course, this hints at complexity and florality soon to come; much talk at the table about how well this shows for a so-so year (I never thought 2006 was just so-so); a late whiff of spearmint is unusual
Dom. Jamet 2010 Cote-Rotie - a big wine but not over-plush, tannins are still hiding under the fruit (or have already gone fine?), lots of life here, steely and firm, it does not vary from attack to finish, this is for the long haul
Third flight: warm vintages. Again, we lost access to the 2003.
Dom. Jamet 1999 Cote-Rotie - another ready bottle: animal fur, mix of blue and red fruit flavors, still some tannins here so feels much younger than the 1998; this opens up further in the glass, wow
Dom. Jamet 2005 Cote-Rotie - perhaps the most troublesome of these wines for me: the palate is all dark fruit, maybe even slightly pruny and monolithic; there is also a teeny note of shoe polish that won't blow off; good and well-made and all that, but cluttered rather than complex, and it also shuts down a bit in the glass
Dom. Jamet 2009 Cote-Rotie - very pure and classic nose but also a little too sturdy in the mouth ("Thick" -Dan, "Rich" -Philippe), not very yielding today
Fourth flight: the youngsters. Because we only had three glasses per seat, really.
Dom. Jamet 2012 Cote-Rotie - "Green" -Iggy; hard to taste, not much showing
Dom. Jamet 2014 Cote-Rotie - yet somehow the youngest wine is willing to strut for us: rather full, broad palate, noticeable black pepper scents, definitely a toddler from the same family
Lastly, a little sweet wine to go with all that gelato.
Chapoutier 1995 Vin de Paille - if I read it right this has 105g rs, all marsanne, clean and lush and, yes, sweet and ripe; I can be happy with a bit of this
Many thanks to North End Grill for excellent cooking and service, to Philippe for organizing this international effort, to my fellow drinkers for good discussion and camaraderie, and, of course, to Dom. Jamet for the raison d'etre.
