Wine Impressions 9-6-18

Florida Jim

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
Wine Impressions - 9-6-18

Bubbles:
N/V Henriet-Bazin, Champagne Rose - bone dry and yet the impression of sweetness, steady bead, clean and a crisp finish. Nothing I would buy buy I’m happy to drink yours.

Whites:
2016 Lioco, Chardonnay Sonoma County - pure, clean, no discernible oak, great acid and real Chardonnay flavors. Is it Chablis, nope; but it is delicious and without artifice. And it’s under $20.
2014 Dom. des Malandes, Chablis Vaudesir - not much showing now and no hint that this is Vaudesir. Pleasant enough, I guess, but unimpressive today.
2014 Louis Michel, Chablis Montee de Tonnerre - on the other hand, this is utterly sublime, drinking at grand cru level and clearly of its place. A wonderful showing.
2017 Valenti, Etna Bianco Enrico IV - arresting, suave, feminine, fascinating wine; one of those wines that could quite feasibly come from a mountain spring.
2016 Cave Dog, Albariño - laser like, crystalline flavors, great cut; more please.
2016 Louis Michel, Chablis Butteaux - deep, brooding, angular wine that has loads of promise but isn’t ready yet
2014 La Chablisienne, Chablis Cote de Lechet - ready for prime time; balanced, mineral driven, lemon fruited, limestone Chardonnay - what the grape should taste like.
2015 Idlewild, Cortese - if Gavi is your reference point for this grape, forget it. Deep citrus skin aromas, honeyed flavors, serious textures and lots of sustain mark this wine as the outlier. But it’s where I want this grape to go. And there is so much left to develop. Pretty special.

Roses:
2016 Cowan Cellars, Jack’s Rose - energetic, plenty of cut yet strong red fruit flavors; performing well and actually gaining complexity with time in the bottle.

Reds:
2017 Elio Grasso, Langhe Nebbiolo Gavarini - honest Nebbiolo for under $20. No oak noticeable, excellent balance, dusty but soft tannins and some complexity. And because of its lighter weight, it goes with almost any dish. A tasty QPR standout.
2016 Sojourn, Pinot Noir Reuling Vnyd. - initially, a confected delivery which calms down over time yet there is always more sweetness than I like; still, good flavors and textures and it reflects its Sonoma Coast AVA.
2015 Sandlands, Mataro Contro Costa County - nose typical of Mourvèdre with no noticeable oak, rich and smooth in the mouth with solid flavors, some nuance and a satin texture. Perhaps, a bit more polished than is my preference but I’d still drink this anytime.
1998 Havens, Merlot Reserve (magnum) - bottle bouquet, old leather, dried fruit and layered. Fully mature and resolved; engages the intellect as well as the senses.
2016 Daniel Bouland, Morgon - my first from this producer and an eye opener; a bit of ash leads into intense fruit with a peacock’s tail of flavors and complexity. Mid-weight, charming and satisfying. Yum!
2015 Cowan Cellars, Syrah Bennett Valley - 100% whole cluster, all wild yeast, foot tread only; peppery, black fruit with nuance, depth and length. Never too rich or cloying but full flavored. ‘Love this wine.
2007 Frescobaldi, Tenuta di Castiglioni - Cab/Merlot/Franc/Sangio from Tuscany; very heavy oak nose and the wood has dried out some of the fruit. Another, yawn, super Tuscan, yawn, monstrosity.
2011 Marchesi di Barolo, Barbera del Monferrato Maraia - light and somewhat closed nose, light weight, nicely balanced Barbera with more finish than expected. With a dish of greens with beans, corn and sausage, delightful. At $10, this works.
2014 Two Shepherds, Cinsault Bechthold Vnyd. - Lodi red wine that seems like it came from the Jura; lightweight, racy, energetic juice that simmers with aromatics and layered flavors. A joy to drink and grand accompaniment to pot roast. From the oldest Cinsault on earth.

Stickies:
1997 Pierre-Bise, Cote du Layton Beaulieu Les Rouannieres (500 ml) - appears bottled yesterday; singular, deep, sweet and rich but there’s no point in opening this for thirty (more) years.
1995 Huet, Vouvray Cuvée Constance (500 ml) - dry maple syrup, tea, fresh herbs, fig compote, dark honey . . . and the list goes on. I am not a sweet wine fan but this was truly good - the nose alone was worth 15 minutes of your uninterrupted concentration. Lots of volume in the mouth but no heaviness, brilliant acidity, perfect balance and an ethereal savory essence that can not be put into words. Energy, precision, power - oh my!

Best, jim
 
Another fantastic set here Jim.

So many good reports on 2014 Louis Michel MdT. Going to have to pull one out.

Bouland is making very fine texturally-interesting Morgon that has struck me as the closest thing to Desvignes other than Desvignes. Still under the radar. Love the Delys bottling. Try that one next if you can.

I had thought 1997 Bise CdLs were never going to get somewhere really interesting, despite their overt but extremely sweet deliciousness, and then I brought my last bottle of Quarts du Chaume to a dinner last year. It was off the charts. The dregs were even better after a full 3 months open. Crazy immortal wines in 1997. I’ll have to check to see if I have any Rouannieres left. I think I brought my last one to Kane’s within the past couple years....

Despite the insanity that is the 1989 Constance, the 1995 has always been my favorite Constance, going on twenty years since I first had it. Exquisitely elegantly balanced “everything you wrote”. Wine doesn’t get much better. Maybe it doesn’t. Of all Huet wines I own, that and the 1996 Le Mont 1er Trie are the ones I want to drink at some special birthday decades from today. Maybe some others too. And some before then too.
 
Yes, interesting on the Bise. I might have picked 97 as my least favorite of the 95-96-97 trio (for the sweet wines in general), but they were all delicious and I haven't tasted any of them in years. So what do I know!

And maybe you guys will inspire me to give Bouland another try. I sampled a few wines and they seemed too heavy and to lack character, but I think it was 09 on release so maybe they were not the most representative. (Even though I enjoyed my favorites - e.g. Foillard CdP - from 09 on release, but perhaps greater familiarity helped see through the vintage)
 
Delys may be kind of Desvignes-y, but I think that's more of a site thing than a house style. Otherwise I find Bouland's stuff pretty slick and polished with none of the tough structure of Desvignes.

Foillard Cote de Py '09 is showing great at the moment, BTW. I sadly had to dump some '09 Bouland Corcellettes that had fallen apart (inadequate sulfur?) - been a bit afraid to see if the Delys suffered the same fate. Hope not.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
...the closest thing to Desvignes other than Desvignes.
Click to expand...

Is Desvignes the Sin Qua Non of Beau-jo-lais?
Click to expand...

That’s a deliberately terrible analogy! Shame on you. But pretty much. I think I’ve said this before on WD. For me, there’s Desvignes and Coudert. And then everybody else (including J-P Brun, to whom I have historical sentimental attachment, and including Bouland, who I don’t find overly or pejoratively slick). I still keep an open mind. For example, I have an interesting 2016 bottling from Julie Balagny that caught my eye in the near-term drink queue, but Beaujolais generally does not hit a palate sweet spot that makes it worth it for me to invest my own $$ on constantly keeping up with the Jones’s. Plenty of folks around NYC to keep me plied.
 
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
...the closest thing to Desvignes other than Desvignes.
Click to expand...

Is Desvignes the Sin Qua Non of Beau-jo-lais?
Click to expand...

That’s a deliberately terrible analogy! Shame on you. But pretty much. I think I’ve said this before on WD. For me, there’s Desvignes and Coudert. And then everybody else (including J-P Brun, to whom I have historical sentimental attachment, and including Bouland, who I don’t find overly or pejoratively slick). I still keep an open mind. For example, I have an interesting 2016 bottling from Julie Balagny that caught my eye in the near-term drink queue, but Beaujolais generally does not hit a palate sweet spot that makes it worth it for me to invest my own $$ on constantly keeping up with the Jones’s. Plenty of folks around NYC to keep me plied.
Click to expand...

Jayson, this statement interests me. What about Foillard? Do the wines put you off in some way?

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Delys may be kind of Desvignes-y, but I think that's more of a site thing than a house style. Otherwise I find Bouland's stuff pretty slick and polished with none of the tough structure of Desvignes.
Click to expand...

I hear you but don’t agree entirely - and I didn’t say Bouland was Desvignes and I have no idea if his wines can age but I’m willing to have my mind changed on your point. I’ll leave it for my next trip to DC, although I expect we’d be happier drinking Burgundy and Bordeaux with age on it than comparing Bouland and Desvgnes in a side-by-side. OTOH, I do have my oldest Desvignes approaching Age 20.

I realized writing this I can’t quite figure out your palate Keith. An enigma. We can discuss over the next bottle of 2008 DRC Monty. Or not.
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
...the closest thing to Desvignes other than Desvignes.
Click to expand...

Is Desvignes the Sin Qua Non of Beau-jo-lais?
Click to expand...

That’s a deliberately terrible analogy! Shame on you. But pretty much. I think I’ve said this before on WD. For me, there’s Desvignes and Coudert. And then everybody else (including J-P Brun, to whom I have historical sentimental attachment, and including Bouland, who I don’t find overly or pejoratively slick). I still keep an open mind. For example, I have an interesting 2016 bottling from Julie Balagny that caught my eye in the near-term drink queue, but Beaujolais generally does not hit a palate sweet spot that makes it worth it for me to invest my own $$ on constantly keeping up with the Jones’s. Plenty of folks around NYC to keep me plied.
Click to expand...

Jayson, this statement interests me. What about Foillard? Do the wines put you off in some way?

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

Nope. Throw Foillard in the second bucket. I do admit that he hit a double, maybe even a triple, in 2009.
 
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
originally posted by MLipton:

Jayson, this statement interests me. What about Foillard? Do the wines put you off in some way?
Click to expand...

I am not Jayson, but yes. Since you ask.
Click to expand...

This interests me. Can you say why?

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:
originally posted by MLipton:

Jayson, this statement interests me. What about Foillard? Do the wines put you off in some way?
Click to expand...

I am not Jayson, but yes. Since you ask.
Click to expand...

This interests me. Can you say why?

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

No suffering.

I like Foillard just fine, but Coudert, Desvignes and, for me, Descombes are 95% of the Beaujolais I cellar. I guess I sub Descombes for Foillard because they're easier to find and I find them roughly equivalent in style and temperament.
 
We are spoiled for great Beaujolais. I would be interested to hear the anti-Foillard argument, but I suspect that (like many things here) it just comes down to personal taste (and perhaps emotion).

At the moment Foillard and Descombes are the only Beaujolais I own, although Chamonard was a close third for my affection.

But I would never try to argue that these wines are better than Coudert, Desvignes, Thivin, or many many others. There's just too much good stuff to choose from!
 
I love that Lioco Sonoma County. I grab it whenever I see it. Reminds me of a solid Puligny. Though last time it was $25.
 
I am just going to throw down the gauntlet here and say there's a little too much close mindedness around here when it comes to Beaujolais. It's a big old world out there.
 
originally posted by BJ:
I am just going to throw down the gauntlet here and say there's a little too much close mindedness around here when it comes to Beaujolais. It's a big old world out there.
Click to expand...

*feh*
 
originally posted by BJ:
I am just going to throw down the gauntlet here and say there's a little too much close mindedness around here when it comes to Beaujolais. It's a big old world out there.
Click to expand...

Over the years I’ve seen discussion of the wines of Chermette, chignard, Coquelet and Brun as well as the usual suspects.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by VLM:


No suffering.

I like Foillard just fine, but Coudert, Desvignes and, for me, Descombes are 95% of the Beaujolais I cellar. I guess I sub Descombes for Foillard because they're easier to find and I find them roughly equivalent in style and temperament.
Click to expand...

Curious, VLM, do you cellar Descombes for very long? He's long been my favorite producer but I tend to want to drink them younger than Coudert or Desvignes.
 
Unlike other appellations, it seems to me rather odd that people are discussing favorite Bojo producers without separating them into the semi-carbonic and conventional fermentation camps. Completely different kettles of fish and, to me, not comparable. A panegyric by someone who prefers Brun to Lapierre will be of limited use to someone who prefers something from the Chauvet world, and vice versa.

An example of the kind of clear-cut answer to Professor Lipton's query that is being denied by some would be: "When I was a child, my parents loved me as a narcissistic extension of themselves rather than for who I was, so I grew up hard, cold and humorless. As a result, I prefer teh Bojolay that is, or tastes, conventionally macerated and, as a corollary, despise the vulgar, fruity, glou glou carbonic versions that are eager to please and, by inference, lacking in self-esteem."
 
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