2017 Sunier Fleurie

R

Rahsaan

Rahsaan
I first tried the Julien Sunier wines maybe 10 years ago, which must have been the early vintages. They did not catch my attention, and as things go, I never got around to following them. But tonight in a restaurant the group needs called for a *lighter* red wine, so I figured it was the moment to order the 2017 Julien Sunier Fleurie.

And it was delicious. Ripe red silky gamay fruits with elegance, fragrance, substance and freshness. Pretty much perfect for the dinner occasion and it made me want to follow the wines in more detail. Nice stuff.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
2017 Sunier FleurieI first tried the Julien Sunier wines maybe 10 years ago, which must have been the early vintages. They did not catch my attention, and as things go, I never got around to following them. But tonight in a restaurant the group needs called for a *lighter* red wine, so I figured it was the moment to order the 2017 Julien Sunier Fleurie.

And it was delicious. Ripe red silky gamay fruits with elegance, fragrance, substance and freshness. Pretty much perfect for the dinner occasion and it made me want to follow the wines in more detail. Nice stuff.
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Thanks for the note. These are available to us locally now so we are looking at them.

Do you have a stylistic comp?
 
That would be great if they were available. Obviously I bought it at an NC restaurant (Oakleaf) but didn't know where they could be found at retail.

Am hesitant to make too much of a pronouncement on style after the one bottle, but the ethereal crunchiness evokes the carbonic process and will remind you of Foillard and Descombes. But this Fleurie was more linear than their Morgon wines and should fill a somewhat different Beaujolais niche. Tough to say more off that one bottle.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
That would be great if they were available. Obviously I bought it at an NC restaurant (Oakleaf) but didn't know where they could be found at retail.

Am hesitant to make too much of a pronouncement on style after the one bottle, but the ethereal crunchiness evokes the carbonic process and will remind you of Foillard and Descombes. But this Fleurie was more linear than their Morgon wines and should fill a somewhat different Beaujolais niche. Tough to say more off that one bottle.
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Thanks.
 
I'm pretty familiar with the Sunier wines (both Julien's and his younger brother Antoine's). Crunchy and linear is a good description of Julien's, across all his cuvees. Really aromatic but perhaps too ethereal, whereas with Foillard and Descombes there's flesh to balance the structure. Antoine's wines are a little more joyous, more Lapierre than Foillard. Well worth seeking out.

I asked them both when they like drinking their wines. Antoine likes his best about 2 years after the vintage, Julien 4-5.
 
originally posted by twlim:
Crunchy and linear is a good description of Julien's, across all his cuvees. Really aromatic but perhaps too ethereal, whereas with Foillard and Descombes there's flesh to balance the structure.
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Thanks for that. Do you have a sense of why there is more weight in Foillard and Descombes? Terroir or growing/wine-making style?
 
I believe style. He has a really cold, really high altitude cellar (one of his US importers told me it's the highest in Beaujolais). The same importer mentioned that he does a really long, slow, gentle press - I don't know enough to say what kind of effect the pressing has but Julien seems to think it's key.

His Morgon, for instance, comes from many of the same parcels that Foillard works - Charmes, Corcelette, Py.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
That would be great if they were available. Obviously I bought it at an NC restaurant (Oakleaf) but didn't know where they could be found at retail.
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I'm curious what you thought of Oakleaf. I sort of gave up on them after a couple of dinners. I didn't really like the food that much and the wine list wasn't quite interesting enough. The room, however, was lovely.
 
originally posted by mark e:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
That would be great if they were available. Obviously I bought it at an NC restaurant (Oakleaf) but didn't know where they could be found at retail.
Click to expand...

I'm curious what you thought of Oakleaf. I sort of gave up on them after a couple of dinners. I didn't really like the food that much and the wine list wasn't quite interesting enough. The room, however, was lovely.
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You didn't like the food? Too fussy?

I really like Oakleaf, by local standards. I appreciate that they go for good quality ingredients (even if it means smaller portions), and by local standards I think the menu is pretty intelligent. The wine list is not great, but again, by local standards it is pretty good. I've been 5-6 times and am happy to give them repeat business, especially since it never seems full!

The new kid on the block is Hawthorne and Wood. Maybe you heard about it, or know the chef? Lots of energy in the room and very good food. Seems like a quality operation. Will be curious what it's like in a year or so after the buzz dies down.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by mark e:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
That would be great if they were available. Obviously I bought it at an NC restaurant (Oakleaf) but didn't know where they could be found at retail.
Click to expand...

I'm curious what you thought of Oakleaf. I sort of gave up on them after a couple of dinners. I didn't really like the food that much and the wine list wasn't quite interesting enough. The room, however, was lovely.
Click to expand...

You didn't like the food? Too fussy?

I really like Oakleaf, by local standards. I appreciate that they go for good quality ingredients (even if it means smaller portions), and by local standards I think the menu is pretty intelligent. The wine list is not great, but again, by local standards it is pretty good. I've been 5-6 times and am happy to give them repeat business, especially since it never seems full!

The new kid on the block is Hawthorne and Wood. Maybe you heard about it, or know the chef? Lots of energy in the room and very good food. Seems like a quality operation. Will be curious what it's like in a year or so after the buzz dies down.
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Hmmm, I didn't even know about it. & Name generator name, check, pretty pictures, check, Asian inflected food, check, Napa decorated chef, check. I guess we'll check it out, but this isn't really the type of restaurant I wish folks would open. Wine list is pretty weak as well.

I've still never made it to Oakleaf but we only go to 4-5 places.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Rahsaan:

The new kid on the block is Hawthorne and Wood. Maybe you heard about it, or know the chef? Lots of energy in the room and very good food. Seems like a quality operation. Will be curious what it's like in a year or so after the buzz dies down.
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Hmmm, I didn't even know about it. & Name generator name, check, pretty pictures, check, Asian inflected food, check, Napa decorated chef, check. I guess we'll check it out, but this isn't really the type of restaurant I wish folks would open. Wine list is pretty weak as well.

I've still never made it to Oakleaf but we only go to 4-5 places.
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Yes, the H&W website also turned me off prior to my visit. (As did the location) The vibe with the waitstaff was a bit precious but all things considered I suppose it's good for them to take pride in their work and the quality of the food was there. (At least in the early goings)

So, maybe it doesn't hit the perfect Rahsaan (or VLM) notes, but all else equal it seems like a positive addition on the consumer side. And in their defense, apparently the name comes from neighborhoods in CA where the family has lived.

On the wine list, I agree. Nobody within a wide radius comes close to yours!
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by mark e:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
That would be great if they were available. Obviously I bought it at an NC restaurant (Oakleaf) but didn't know where they could be found at retail.
Click to expand...

I'm curious what you thought of Oakleaf. I sort of gave up on them after a couple of dinners. I didn't really like the food that much and the wine list wasn't quite interesting enough. The room, however, was lovely.
Click to expand...

You didn't like the food? Too fussy?
Click to expand...

Fussy? No, not really that fussy. Good, no. Everything was always out of balance for me.

I really like Oakleaf, by local standards. I appreciate that they go for good quality ingredients (even if it means smaller portions), and by local standards I think the menu is pretty intelligent. The wine list is not great, but again, by local standards it is pretty good. I've been 5-6 times and am happy to give them repeat business, especially since it never seems full!
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I don't agree on the ingredients. Service was amateurish and, yes, the wine list is not great. Even all the Oregon wines they chose were producers I would never drink. It is horribly boring to say, but we always went to Lantern, which was less than 10 min away. But no one's list will ever come close to VLM's, even Death & Taxes' list, which was pretty good.

The new kid on the block is Hawthorne and Wood. Maybe you heard about it, or know the chef? Lots of energy in the room and very good food. Seems like a quality operation. Will be curious what it's like in a year or so after the buzz dies down.
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They were not open - or at least not long enough to hear of it yet - when we were in CH. They call themselves a neighborhood restaurant, but given their location I have no idea what that means.

The website is really terrible. The badly written PR speak does mean that someone doesn't get it, instead of writing it themselves in plain English. And I quote:

"Our unique patio lounge and shaded outdoor dining area, private dining room and sumptuous bar and lounge provide our guests with a variety of experiences, from after-work cocktails to weeknight family dinners, from date nights to corporate soirees. The team of service professionals at Hawthorne & Wood will greet you with smiles and anticipate your needs. We have a full bar, a carefully curated but reasonably priced international wine list (as well as a reserve list, for those so inclined), and a healthy complement of North Carolina beers.
 
Sounds like they're trying to be all things to all people. Does that imply they don't have a regular clientele (and so must fish harder)?
 
originally posted by mark e:

I don't agree on the ingredients. Service was amateurish and, yes, the wine list is not great. Even all the Oregon wines they chose were producers I would never drink. It is horribly boring to say, but we always went to Lantern, which was less than 10 min away.
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Fair enough. I'm surprised you liked Lantern so much better, it seems to be pretty much in the same league. And in recent years I've found Lantern less interesting, maybe just a stylistic preference.

In SF at the moment and walked by Slanted Door yesterday and thought of you. More than ever, there are good things here but the city is becoming such a caricature.
 
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