Met up with a couple of (mostly) Berserker friends last week; we were glad to squeeze in a wine dinner before the holidays. Every bottle showed really well, including a couple more that I completely failed to take notes for (owing to being excessively tipsy). So grateful for everyone’s generosity (and foresight, in the case of those who started collecting before I was of legal drinking age)
2008 Gimonnet Extra Brut 'Oenophile’
Piercing, laser-like citrus fruit coupled to a distinctly salty/stony palate; despite the intensity, this never comes off as harsh or shrill; a really satisfying drink, and one that makes me want to cellar more Gimonnet; good plus
MV Andre Clouet Cuvee 1911
Blend of '04, '05 and '06 disgorged in 2011 and finished in Sauternes barrels; showing rich and even a touch nutty, the Sauternes character coming through; thins out a bit more than I would like towards the finish but very drinkable - I wonder if this would put on a little more weight with age; decent plus
2000 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny
An ethereal, beguiling scent - leafy and complex - then light bodied and wispy on the palate; the very embodiment of finesse and delicacy; somewhat overwhelmed by the heavy food (venison and a mushroom cream sauce) and some of the companion wines, but worked really well as an aperitif; really feels like it has transcended the corporeal world and could live forever just developing finer and finer complexities; good plus
1995 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny 'Les Poyeux’
Apparently this was bought & shipped from Switzerland for $36 (!!) many years ago; it marries the same leafy signature of the 2000 to a larger, more substantial frame that shows real drive and palate staining minerality; reveals new facets and complexities with the food; you can see the family resemblance between the two wines, but they are such utterly different expressions - this one earthbound and brash whereas the other is aerial and ethereal; very good minus
1982 Carmenet Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon
Made before Parker got his hooks into the region; crystalline red both in appearance and taste; nicely persistent on the palate with bright tertiary fruit embedded in a fine mineral structure; not the last word in complexity but very well preserved; good
2016 Thierry-Allemand Cornas 'Chaillot’
A robust, highly accessible expression of the Allemand signature, which I think of as violety purpley dark fruit, with none of the overt grapiness one might expect from a wine this young; already showing a little secondary nuance; thick, plush texture with unobtrusive powdery tannins; there’s a depth to this that promises many good things in the future; good plus with upside
1999 Vieux Telegraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape 'La Crau’
A most uncanny nose of sweet strawberries and cream, like we’re sitting down to high tea, and then an actual note of tea peeks out to complete the effect; the overall impression is this dangerously tempting confectionary sweetness that never quite tips over into being cloying; as with the 2000 Clos Rougeard this seems another wine to drink on its own, although for very different reasons; good
1996 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Premier Trie 'Le Haut-Lieu’
Lots of fruit with a touch of tertiary (coffee, apricot, papaya); nice raciness to it; not a major fan of Chenin but this is very enjoyable and a great way to end the dinner; good minus
The full lineup: