Road Trip TNs: 07 Cristom Jessie, 95 Sociando, 05 Geantet Poissenot, 95 Troplong, and more

Took the campervan to the Dakotas and eastern Wyoming to tour National Parks and Monuments. Beautiful country, great people. Found that half bottles eased packing!


  • 2007 Cristom Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (6/10/2019)
    Translucent ruby. Nose of fresh cut berry, pine forest, violets, cherry pits. Somehow both autumnal and sleek on the palate with linear but concentrated raspberry and dark plum flavors cut with earth and iodine. Copious acidity and filed off tannin. Long finish of ever changing red and black fruits gripped by minute stony elements. Paired with charcoal grilled Copper River at Riverside State Park just outside of Spokane. Oh my! (93 pts.)
  • 1995 Château Sociando-Mallet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (6/8/2019)
    Garnet color. Nose of earthy damp cellar, cassis, red and black currant. Currant and plum on the palate complicated by leather, tobacco, and a hint of green. Concentration waned a bit after about an hour. Moderate acidity and still-firm tannins coexisting with feathery texture, leading to a moderately long finish of red and black currant fruit cut with earth and leather. Very nice, still evolving. From half bottle. (90 pts.)
  • 2005 Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Poissenot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (6/7/2019)
    Dark ruby hue. Nose of dark raspberry, cherry pits, violets, forest floor, and a bit of camphor. More evolved on the palate than the last bottle, with lovely velvet-textured black raspberry fruit laced with earth, plum, and bits of iron. Fresh acidity and strong tannins submerged by fruit. Long, exquisite finish of concentrated raspberry, iodine, and sweet grip. Beautiful with grilled chicken. From a 375 bottle, consumed at Cottonwood campground, Theodore Roosevelt NP as the sun set over the Little Missouri River. (92 pts.)
  • 1995 Château Troplong Mondot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (6/6/2019)
    Garnet color. Nose of currant, damp earth, beef blood, cassis. Hedonistic and ripe on the palate with loads of red currant, sauvage elements, cassis, green pepper, and meaty tones. Moderate acidity and unobtrusive tannin. Longer finish of red currant and slow sweet grip. Half bottle consumed at KOA campground in the shadow of Devils Tower, paired with grilled tenderloins. Super! From a 375. (92 pts.)
  • NV Krug Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne (6/1/2019)
    Light cranberry color. Nose of cherry, mulberry, stone, white flowers. Zesty yet deep red berry flavors on the palate with unexpected concentration and drill-down. Excellent acidity and mineral spine. Long finish of red berry and stone. Great with trout. From a 375, (92 pts.)
  • 2004 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (6/1/2019)
    Pale gold color. Reticent nose which after 45 minutes yielded scents of grapefruit, lime, chalk, and flint. Excellent acidity. Layers of chalk, grapefruit, granny apple, and white stone on the palate. Superb grip on the moderately long stony finish after about an hour. Excellent with grilled shrimp. Half bottle. (91 pts.)
  • 2005 Arcadian Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (5/28/2019)
    Opened while glamping in the camper van in Reed Point, MT to accompany charcoal grilled Copper River sockeye. Ruby color. Nose of dark raspberry, cherry pits, violets, schist, damp cellar. Layers of iodine, black cherry, raspberry, iron particles, and brambles on the textured palate. Ample acidity and smoothed tannin. Long finish of dark mulberry fruit, iron, and iodine. Lovely stuff. From a 375. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Cheers,
Doug