I sit here with a bottle of 1998 Domaine Lanoix Chateaumeillant Cuvee du Chene Combeau laughing in my face. I feigned outrage when I saw the wine at my local wine purveyor taking up valuable shelf space way across the store from the mark down bin. Okay, I meant it a little, too. This wine has to be way over the hill. Like its contemporary CdP mentioned elsewhere. Dont you have to drink this stuff before the next vintage? But hey, where else an you get a Chateaumeillant in these parts? I set aside my general aversion to all things Gamay (could be well-dosed with Pinot, I rationalized) and coughed up the $13, (Ohio price unknown). Here I am a month an a half later wondering what to open.
It's been hit or miss lately. The 2005 Richou Anjou Chauvigne was pretty. Not exuberently fruity chenin, more tightly wound. Great mouthfilling minerality, though. The 2007 Grange Tiphane Touraine-Amboise Bel Air seemed unripe. Perhaps an effect of the difficult vintage that I've read about. Not a total failure, but difficult to enjoy. I think these things have a way of resolving themselves with time, though. The chenin fruit is clean and bright. Maybe I'll lose the other bottle for a decade or so. Not so hopeful about the 2004 Ogereau Anjou blanc. I really, really liked the 2002. It's still a great drink. The 04 that I opened was oxidized. Not the color, but rather the aroma and flavor were clearly scarred. I bought a half case of these on faith. Not a good season for faith, it seems. 5. More. Bottles.
2001 Ferrando Carema was tasty, if a bit reduced. Mountain-grown nebbiolo can be sullen. But I like nebbiolo in all of its moods. 2000 Corregia Roero was more of a forward, commercial wine. Sweetly fruity. These are sort of my everyday Nebbiolos, along with the Produttori Langhe.
1999 Saloman Riesling Pfaffenberg was unexpectedly over-the-hill. I guess I don't know what to expect from which Austrian rieslings. 2002 Aubuisieres Vouvray Les Girardieres is very satisfying. Great with Thai appetizers. As good a Vouvray as you can get at the price. I took a 2000 Girardin Maranges Clos des Loyeres to that dinner, too. It was nice. I can't remember much about it. Not bad with Thai food. And a bottle of some Austrian eiswein, pinot blanc, I think. Can't remember whose. Sorry. But it did pair well with the Gran Marnier creme brulee (not Thai).
Cole brought a 2000 Dagueneau Pur-Sang to Christmas dinner. It was delicious. It helped to ameliorate the salty roasted chicken. I need to hone my brining skills. There was also a 1995 De Vogue Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru. Nice enough. Maureen had been spoiling me on Grand Crus lately, though. I liked the 1997 Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Marginale. It seemed to me to be imbued with the holidays. All cranberry and fireplace ash. Maureen thought it tarry. Cole liked it. I thought it good with the roasted potato and fig dish (thanks, Rahsaan). And I liked the 1997 Le Gallais Wiltinger braune Kupp Riesling Spatlese. Maureen thought it soft. I prefer to think of it as comfortable. Nice Saar slate/stone, without the usual Saar acid frame.
2005 Santa Barbara Verdicchio dei Castelli de Jesi Le Vaglie was uplifting. The white alter ego of Barolo's iron fist in a velvet glove. Nuts and herbs. The 2005 Orsolani Erbaluce di Caluso La Rustia has been open for almost a week. Not a hint of oxidation yet. Pink grapefruit, mango, and some hazelnut. Not the passito.
Oh. Chateaumeillant. It seems familiar. At first I thought Ciro. Hints of roof tar. Then Taurino Salice Salentino of bygone years. Lacrima di Morra dAlba, maybe? No I know! I once kept a bottle of Pelle Menetou-Salon rouge longer than I had planned. 1995, I think. This is older that that was, though. Aged upstream Loire Pinot. Really intriguing. Perhaps there is some Pinot here. Dried fruits, herbs. Smoke. Pomegranite seeds? Cut grass. Oh well. Whatever the aromas/flavors, I like it when a wine makes me feel nostalgic. Evoking small memories. Completing the circle. Or one of them, anyway. Chateaumeillant.
It's been hit or miss lately. The 2005 Richou Anjou Chauvigne was pretty. Not exuberently fruity chenin, more tightly wound. Great mouthfilling minerality, though. The 2007 Grange Tiphane Touraine-Amboise Bel Air seemed unripe. Perhaps an effect of the difficult vintage that I've read about. Not a total failure, but difficult to enjoy. I think these things have a way of resolving themselves with time, though. The chenin fruit is clean and bright. Maybe I'll lose the other bottle for a decade or so. Not so hopeful about the 2004 Ogereau Anjou blanc. I really, really liked the 2002. It's still a great drink. The 04 that I opened was oxidized. Not the color, but rather the aroma and flavor were clearly scarred. I bought a half case of these on faith. Not a good season for faith, it seems. 5. More. Bottles.
2001 Ferrando Carema was tasty, if a bit reduced. Mountain-grown nebbiolo can be sullen. But I like nebbiolo in all of its moods. 2000 Corregia Roero was more of a forward, commercial wine. Sweetly fruity. These are sort of my everyday Nebbiolos, along with the Produttori Langhe.
1999 Saloman Riesling Pfaffenberg was unexpectedly over-the-hill. I guess I don't know what to expect from which Austrian rieslings. 2002 Aubuisieres Vouvray Les Girardieres is very satisfying. Great with Thai appetizers. As good a Vouvray as you can get at the price. I took a 2000 Girardin Maranges Clos des Loyeres to that dinner, too. It was nice. I can't remember much about it. Not bad with Thai food. And a bottle of some Austrian eiswein, pinot blanc, I think. Can't remember whose. Sorry. But it did pair well with the Gran Marnier creme brulee (not Thai).
Cole brought a 2000 Dagueneau Pur-Sang to Christmas dinner. It was delicious. It helped to ameliorate the salty roasted chicken. I need to hone my brining skills. There was also a 1995 De Vogue Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru. Nice enough. Maureen had been spoiling me on Grand Crus lately, though. I liked the 1997 Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Marginale. It seemed to me to be imbued with the holidays. All cranberry and fireplace ash. Maureen thought it tarry. Cole liked it. I thought it good with the roasted potato and fig dish (thanks, Rahsaan). And I liked the 1997 Le Gallais Wiltinger braune Kupp Riesling Spatlese. Maureen thought it soft. I prefer to think of it as comfortable. Nice Saar slate/stone, without the usual Saar acid frame.
2005 Santa Barbara Verdicchio dei Castelli de Jesi Le Vaglie was uplifting. The white alter ego of Barolo's iron fist in a velvet glove. Nuts and herbs. The 2005 Orsolani Erbaluce di Caluso La Rustia has been open for almost a week. Not a hint of oxidation yet. Pink grapefruit, mango, and some hazelnut. Not the passito.
Oh. Chateaumeillant. It seems familiar. At first I thought Ciro. Hints of roof tar. Then Taurino Salice Salentino of bygone years. Lacrima di Morra dAlba, maybe? No I know! I once kept a bottle of Pelle Menetou-Salon rouge longer than I had planned. 1995, I think. This is older that that was, though. Aged upstream Loire Pinot. Really intriguing. Perhaps there is some Pinot here. Dried fruits, herbs. Smoke. Pomegranite seeds? Cut grass. Oh well. Whatever the aromas/flavors, I like it when a wine makes me feel nostalgic. Evoking small memories. Completing the circle. Or one of them, anyway. Chateaumeillant.