Impressions February 2019

[mark e]

originally posted by VLM:
Impressions February 2019

2007 Le Piane Boca - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca (2/15/2019)
Another very enjoyable bottle of this, I love how the blend gives these wines a different spirit, a warmth and looseness, that pure nebbiolo wines don't have. It manifests itself as spice and earthen bass notes to the nebbiolo cherry.

How does this compare to the 2011 and the 2009? And have you tried the 2015 by any chance?

 

[Levi Dalton]

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Fracassi likes some Nebbiolo Rosé in his blend, so apropos of your comment about liking the Boca because of the blend of different grapes besides Nebbiolo (Nebbiolo Rosé being a separate grape variety). I have had the Barolo from Fracassi back to the late 1980s with pleasure, so from the beginning of the current owner's run with the winemaking. In the meantime, he has changed up some aspects to make the Barolo more approachable, including the addition of more Rosé, which he likes.

As soon as our guests left (who also loved it) I immediately did a google search for more information. Not much came back and most of it regurgitated from the Porto Vino site except for the IDTT podcast. Interesting listen and a seemingly charming personality. Thanks for that. I'm going to put them on my list for my next visit.

I can tell you that a visit will be difficult to arrange. However, he owns a restaurant (floor to ceiling frescos) next to his compound in Cherasco and you can buy the wines at the restaurant. There is also a coffee shop across the street that may have his wine available btg, and near that, a gourmet goods shop that sells his wines among others. Cherasco is a charming place to pass some time, btw. Don't skip on the local chocolates. Or if you are snail fan, Cherasco is the spot.

If you want to meet the man you will probably need to get a local to take you, or you will need to be fantastically lucky. His place is a Wes Anderson movie set, you could get lost in there.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
Is the 2013 Thevenet Bongran the most current release? It is also the one I have had most recently and I haven't seen any more recent vintages on the market, though I don't watch that closely? Is Thevenet given to late releases?

Yes, it is the current release as imported by LDM. Thevent always releases this wine late.

I remember buying it years ago, before LDM was its importer and Calvert Woodley brought it in. I don't remember the releases being this late then, but that was many years ago, maybe still in the 20th century, so I'm not sure.

My recollection is ~3 years after vintage in the late 90s. So 1995 released in 1998, 1996 in 1999. Something like that.

I also think it rotates through the properties. Roally first, then Gillet, then Bongran in order. Roally is now 2016, so I would expect Bongran to be 2014 shortly. That being said, because the other two wines go out more quickly after the vintage I get the feeling that they release this when they want to. That's just a guess though.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by VLM:
Impressions February 2019

2007 Le Piane Boca - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca (2/15/2019)
Another very enjoyable bottle of this, I love how the blend gives these wines a different spirit, a warmth and looseness, that pure nebbiolo wines don't have. It manifests itself as spice and earthen bass notes to the nebbiolo cherry.

How does this compare to the 2011 and the 2009? And have you tried the 2015 by any chance?

Haven't had 2015 yet, it's still 2012 in my market, then it'll be 2015 before 2013. At least that's what I've been told.

AFAIK, I haven't had the 2009 and the 2011 is hard to compare to the 2007 because my bottles of 2007 aren't pristine. There is a weight to the 2011 that I think probably is comparable to the 2007, but the 2011 is the most feral of these I've had. I'm not exactly sure what I mean by that, but that word matches how I felt as I perceived it. So much for words.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by Levi Dalton:

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Fracassi likes some Nebbiolo Rosé in his blend, so apropos of your comment about liking the Boca because of the blend of different grapes besides Nebbiolo (Nebbiolo Rosé being a separate grape variety). I have had the Barolo from Fracassi back to the late 1980s with pleasure, so from the beginning of the current owner's run with the winemaking. In the meantime, he has changed up some aspects to make the Barolo more approachable, including the addition of more Rosé, which he likes.

As soon as our guests left (who also loved it) I immediately did a google search for more information. Not much came back and most of it regurgitated from the Porto Vino site except for the IDTT podcast. Interesting listen and a seemingly charming personality. Thanks for that. I'm going to put them on my list for my next visit.

I can tell you that a visit will be difficult to arrange. However, he owns a restaurant (floor to ceiling frescos) next to his compound in Cherasco and you can buy the wines at the restaurant. There is also a coffee shop across the street that may have his wine available btg, and near that, a gourmet goods shop that sells his wines among others. Cherasco is a charming place to pass some time, btw. Don't skip on the local chocolates. Or if you are snail fan, Cherasco is the spot.

If you want to meet the man you will probably need to get a local to take you, or you will need to be fantastically lucky. His place is a Wes Anderson movie set, you could get lost in there.

Thanks, that's helpful intel.

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Jayson Cohen:

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
Is the 2013 Thevenet Bongran the most current release? It is also the one I have had most recently and I haven't seen any more recent vintages on the market, though I don't watch that closely? Is Thevenet given to late releases?

Yes, it is the current release as imported by LDM. Thevent always releases this wine late.

I remember buying it years ago, before LDM was its importer and Calvert Woodley brought it in. I don't remember the releases being this late then, but that was many years ago, maybe still in the 20th century, so I'm not sure.

My recollection is ~3 years after vintage in the late 90s. So 1995 released in 1998, 1996 in 1999. Something like that.

I also think it rotates through the properties. Roally first, then Gillet, then Bongran in order. Roally is now 2016, so I would expect Bongran to be 2014 shortly. That being said, because the other two wines go out more quickly after the vintage I get the feeling that they release this when they want to. That's just a guess though.

I believe back in the 90s, Thevenet and Roailly were separate properties. Roailly was imported by LDM for as long as I've been buying it. Not so with Thevenet.

 

[Jayson Cohen]

originally posted by VLM:

originally posted by mark e:

originally posted by VLM:
Impressions February 2019

2007 Le Piane Boca - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca (2/15/2019)
Another very enjoyable bottle of this, I love how the blend gives these wines a different spirit, a warmth and looseness, that pure nebbiolo wines don't have. It manifests itself as spice and earthen bass notes to the nebbiolo cherry.

How does this compare to the 2011 and the 2009? And have you tried the 2015 by any chance?

Haven't had 2015 yet, it's still 2012 in my market, then it'll be 2015 before 2013. At least that's what I've been told.

AFAIK, I haven't had the 2009 and the 2011 is hard to compare to the 2007 because my bottles of 2007 aren't pristine. There is a weight to the 2011 that I think probably is comparable to the 2007, but the 2011 is the most feral of these I've had. I'm not exactly sure what I mean by that, but that word matches how I felt as I perceived it. So much for words.

Did it bite you?

I might pull the trigger on buying a couple from 2006, but I’m not sure of the provenance.

In an earlier discussion I was kvelling about the 2015. When Morrell put it on sale a few weeks ago, I bought 3 bottles. Manhattan Wine has mags.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
I believe back in the 90s, Thevenet and Roailly were separate properties. Roailly was imported by LDM for as long as I've been buying it. Not so with Thevenet.

Roally, Gillet and Bongran are all made (and I belive owned) by Thevenet now. Gautier Thevenet, IIRC.

 

[wrrntl]

2010 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (2/8/2019)
WOW! What a sculpted, intense, perfectly crystalline nose. The purity of fruit and minerals is staggering. Not really anywhere near ready or open. The palate is quite firm and strict though it opens somewhat on day 2. The fruit is so deep and intense, but is that an illusion of the structure which drives and carries it? It's hard to know what the future holds, but my guess is that this will be thrilling when it comes out of its shell. This seems like Phase III of this wine. There was Phase I which lasted through 2002 showing the potential. Then there was Phase II starting in 2003 when the shift in climate had a dramatic effect on the Loire and Matthieu was taking over. I think that Phase III started in the late 2000s when they started to come to grips with the new climate reality and gained in confidence. I've been saying this for more than a decade, but it bears repeating, this is the cheapest "great wine" in the world. It really is challenging Rougeard (although they are different stylistically), and I don't think that is hyperbole. Considering you can get a case for the cost of a bottle of Bourg, well, figure it out. (92 points)

I am going to have to beg to differ on this one. We had it blind last night and it was monolithic even clunky and really not even close to the Clos Rougeards on the table. In fairness it was a flight of Poyeaux '05-'07 but still.

 

[VLM]

originally posted by wrrntl:
2010 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (2/8/2019)
WOW! What a sculpted, intense, perfectly crystalline nose. The purity of fruit and minerals is staggering. Not really anywhere near ready or open. The palate is quite firm and strict though it opens somewhat on day 2. The fruit is so deep and intense, but is that an illusion of the structure which drives and carries it? It's hard to know what the future holds, but my guess is that this will be thrilling when it comes out of its shell. This seems like Phase III of this wine. There was Phase I which lasted through 2002 showing the potential. Then there was Phase II starting in 2003 when the shift in climate had a dramatic effect on the Loire and Matthieu was taking over. I think that Phase III started in the late 2000s when they started to come to grips with the new climate reality and gained in confidence. I've been saying this for more than a decade, but it bears repeating, this is the cheapest "great wine" in the world. It really is challenging Rougeard (although they are different stylistically), and I don't think that is hyperbole. Considering you can get a case for the cost of a bottle of Bourg, well, figure it out. (92 points)

I am going to have to beg to differ on this one. We had it blind last night and it was monolithic even clunky and really not even close to the Clos Rougeards on the table. In fairness it was a flight of Poyeaux '05-'07 but still.

I heard about that from Michael.

When we did Rougeard Clos from the same vintage blind with Croix Boissée we found that the CB was equal in class, which you preferred was a matter of taste. Personally, I find that CB really hits my lizard brain in a way that Poyeux rarely does despite its obvious pedigree although I think ti has been a long time since I've had Poyeux and CB together and when I did it was 2004 and the Bourg was there and stole the show (according to CT that was in February of 2013 with Sophie Barrett). I sense a need for an upcoming thematic dinner.

 

[Ian Fitzsimmons]

At what age range do you find the Croix Boissée comes into its prime, given the vagaries of vintage conditions?

I have exemplars from a few vintages but not enough bottles, I feel, to do a whole lot of trial-and-error learning.

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

How do you know in advance that they are exemplars rather than just examples?