Impressions - 3-26-18
Bubbles:
2008 Louise Briton, Brut - my last bottle and clearly at peak; ethereal delivery, good length and all for about $22. What a wine!
2009 Deutz, Rose - very pretty with clean floral aromatics and a certain roundness in an otherwise crisp mouthfeel; nice
N/V Jean Michel, Cuvée Cep - bread, yeast, lemon, all sorts of good flavors and crystalline acidity; this will do.
Whites:
2016 Birichino, Chenin Blanc Jurassic Park Vnyd. - as always delicious; on the second day, even better. World class.
2010 Cowan Cellars, Isa - skin-fermented Sauvignon Blanc; eight years in, this wine makes me happy; tertiary development, good grip but still that intense fruit and those savory accents all in balance. ‘One reason I keep doing this . . .
2015 Massican, Gemina - blend of Pinot Grigio and Greco that is wonderfully complex and bright with excellent sustain. Wow!
2013 Sandlands, Chenin Blanc Amador County - pretty and appealing Chenin with nice detail. Charming wine.
2016 Lioco, Chardonnay Sonoma Cnty. - solid, mineral driven chard. and even better on day two.
2014 Remoissenet, Chablis Fourchaume - too much oak, obscures both aromas and flavors. To my mind, badly made.
2016 Edmunds St. John, Heart of Gold - a blend of Grenache Blanc and Vermentino, this wine is very crisp and almost sharp; I think it needs cellaring
2009 Radikon, Jakot - orange wine sans oxidation; cider, nutmeg, broth, hay and several indescribable scents and flavors all as whole cloth, with structure, texture and length. Not everyone’s cuppa but most certainly, mine. Wine with soul.
2015 Droin, Chablis - correct, fleshy, etched Chablis without oak or artifice; delicious.
2015 Cos, Pithos Bianco - as this gets some air, it morphs into a wine of focus and interest. A very different flavor profile but one that captivates me.
2015 La Pepie, Muscadet - something is wrong here; this lacks fruit and cut while showing dull.
2012 Stony Hill, Chardonnay - open 24 hours and this is firm, brilliant and flavorful with lots of nuance and mineral elements; damn good new world chard.
2015 Chateau d’Epire, Savennieres Le Hu Boyau - textured, full-flavored chenin with great acids, volume and sustain - a powerful but focused expression of the terroir and a real treat.
2011 Emilio Pepe, Trebbiano - nothing else tastes quite like this; a character driven wine that is remarkably complex but still agile, has good fruit but so much savory stuff it’s hard to believe. A wine you remember.
2013 De Moor, Masque Chablis le Vendangeur - clean, supple maybe a little overripe; Chablis without tricks.
2014 Liable, Riesling Achat - pure, correct but not much more.
2016 Cantina Frentana, Pecorino - a nice find; inexpensive, loads of character and charming wine that makes me want another glass - yum.
2008 Raveneau, Butteaux - fine wine but not at peak; still a joy to drink
2012 Dom. de la Grange des Peres, Blanc - remarkable complexity, depth and concentration; exceptional wine with character
2005 Dauvissat, Les Clos - at peak (or at least one of them) and fully expressing its place; terrific wine
Roses:
2016 Jolie Laide, Valdiguie Rose - Not much on day one and two; charming on day three with better complexity than expected.
2016 Dom. de Terrebrune, Bandol Rose - charming, dry rose; a magnum is just enough.
2016 Dom. Tempier, Bandol Rose - laughter in a glass, simply glorious.
Reds:
2014 Buehler, Zinfandel - very berry nose and palate, considerable grip, slightly attenuated in the mouth and a little drying on the finish. (Caveat: I drink very little zin so my comparisons are limited to bottles remembered.) And this won’t make me rush out to buy any.
2008 Bjornstad, Pinot Noir Van der Kamp Vnyd. - medium weight, silken fruit, toasted French oak Pinot with good sustain. Nicely resolved and easy to drink.
2014 Dirty and Rowdy and Enfield, Red Wine Antle Vnyd. - showing young and fruit filled, lightweight but intense, some complexity; needs a bit of time in the cellar
2015 Black Trumpet, Syrah Heintz Vnyd. - coastal Syrah with good fruit, savory accents and terrific textures. Keeps getting better in the glass.
2015 Thomas, Pinot Noir - a touch volatile with a hint of acetone; clearly an off bottle
2012 Sandro Fay, Valtellina Superior Costa Bassa - started out angular but quickly smoothes out and delivers a lightweight Nebbiolo profile with sustain.
2016 Cos, Frappato - more earthy than what I’m used to for this grape but complete and balanced. I don’t often think of frappato as serious; this is.
2013 Clos la Coutale, Cahors - a bit effusive but not offensive; simple, straight-forward Malbec/Merlot; a step above pedestrian
2005 Truchot, Morey St. Denis Clos Sorbes - beautifully scented, structured and flavored with complexity and length. A complete wine in the feminine register.
2010 Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie Cuvée Tardive - bigger and stronger than expected but also somewhat hard; eh
2015 Vissoux, Fleurie Poncie - lovely, gracious wine that speaks of sunny days and nights of fun; more please
2012 Ar Pe Pe, Rosso de Valtellina - while I appreciate the wine making here, the flavors were less than my expectations; maybe I expected too much?
2015 Rinaldi, Langhe Fresia - and this out performed expectations; a terrific expression of Nebbiolo.
2012 Roagna, Barbaresco Paje - slightly rustic, certainly young but a full throated statement of Barbaresco.
1981 Cvne, Rioja Vina Real Reserva - feminine, in perfect shape, graceful yet intense, precise yet generous; simply lovely.
2012 Santuvario, Lozio - I’ve never had Nebbiolo like this . . . and I want more. Mountain wine in no uncertain terms.
2005 Truchot, Clos de la Roche - this bottle tells everything one needs to know about Morey in 2005 but one must lean in to hear it. One of the most complete and complex Burgundies I’ve tasted but in a quiet stage.
2014 Voillot, Bourgogne VV - a puppy of a wine but a big puppy; full flavored, good character but, for now, not much complexity. On the other hand, it gets your attention.
Best, Jim