TNs: Some wines from a meat dinner

Fantastic dinner as usual at one of my favourite homedining places in Singapore, to mark the relaxation of restrictions back to group sizes of five here.

DINNER AT BELLYHAPPYCHEF - (26/11/2021)

  • 2013 Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
    Clearly a house rather than grower style with its generous dosage, but this was delicious nonetheless. Clean and fresh fruit of raspberries, made in a leaner and more elegant style, precise finish.
  • 2004 Château Branaire-Ducru - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    Not the best example of a Bordeaux with some age. It was quite floral on the nose but the vanilla stuck out a little as the oak was not fully integrated on this one. A little dark on the palate but at the same time it was also green and thin without much elegance. The fruit isn’t vibrant enough to last long enough for the oak to integrate I imagine.
  • 2012 Elio Sandri Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Not the best bottle - slightly pushed cork that was soaked through. I like VA and high-toned fruits but even this was a little too much for me. Definitely showed the heat of the vintage with the alcohol persisting on the palate, and the tough tannins made it quite difficult to drink. On the second day the tannins softened with more evidence of the pretty red fruits that I associate with the producer, but the alcohol was still protruding.
  • 2011 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
    Remarkably youthful still but the oak is already integrated. A rugged wine with the chalky, grippy tannins of Sangiovese but at the same time this was gorgeous with sweet fruit. A really lovely finish to this one, and it has the structure to last for a long while more yet.
  • 2001 Horst Sauer Escherndorfer Lump Riesling Beerenauslese - Germany, Franken
    Took a punt on this as this was ridiculously cheap for one of the best vintages in recent memory, but unfortunately this was definitely not a case of rising tide lifting all boats. Very honeyed, this was a chunky, ponderous and cloying wine without many redeeming features.







A quick note from earlier this mid-week

  • 2017 Jean-Marc Millot Côte de Nuits Villages Aux Faulques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages (24/11/2021)
    From the village of Comblanchien (not classified as a village in itself) just south of Premeaux (subsumed under NSG). Compared to a CdN VV I tried last year from the same vintage, this had lost some of its primary fruit. Only showed some glimpses of purple fruit but the sweetness was more prominent than the freshness. Seemed a little shutdown with some pruney flavours so hold for a while I think.

Great notes.
Just bought a 2012 Barolo Riserva from Elio Sandri… hope it shows better, in a few years, than your experience :grimacing:

Meat dinner? Is this some Singaporean thing?

Yes would tuck it away for some time in the hope that the alcohol becomes less prominent, usually love this producer as well!

Just a home dining with a focus on smoked meat, should have been clearer newhere

Didn’t want to start a new thread so another set of wines from this weekend! A very strong set of wines that aren’t the easiest to source, and my first time trying poulet de Bresse.

DINNER WITH POULET DE BRESSE - (27/11/2021)

  • NV Charles Heidsieck Coteaux Champenois Oger Blanc - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois
    2019 edition. A rare bottling shared by a generous friend. Quite a distinct Chardonnay, very aromatic and less acidic than I expected given the region. More apples than citrus fruit, some saline character. Liked this a lot.
  • 1986 Herve Kerlann Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combes aux Moines Vintages Collection - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    I think others liked this more than I did but I really dislike any feral or mushroom character in wines, and this had way too much brett on the nose. Acidic and sharp finish, I guess the nicest thing I can say about this is that it still tastes like wine.
  • 2005 Domaine Francois et Antoine Jobard Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce-sous-le-Bois - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Blagny 1er Cru
    A rare (Pinot vines have been pulled up) old-school Burg made by the master but I expected more from this. A rich wine whose alcohol level showed the heat of the vintage, had a cherry cola note and a little spritz on the finish. Still very primary though so I’ll keep my hands off my other bottle for a while.
  • 1989 Château Magdelaine - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
    A staunchly traditional Bordeaux with a very earthy but elegant nose, with some hints of VA. Much more structure than the 1990 and had a deeper, darker tone to it. Very good finish but unfortunately overshadowed by the Las Cases on the night.
  • 1986 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    This is going to sound churlish but finally a Las Cases that moved me. The nose showed a good balance between floral notes and earthiness, there was some hints of green according to others but I didn’t pick up on it. A truly classic Bordeaux with remarkable freshness rather than the heaviness found in modern ones. A very seductive palate but with an imposing structure. Combined the best of 1982 and 1990.
  • 2010 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
    A beautifully poised wine, guessed 2010 immediately on this one - perfect balance and yet immense potential. Very lifted aromatics of pretty red fruits, palate was very silky with sappy fruit without any hint of excess, just a pure driven finish. Absolutely love this vintage for the pleasure that it gives, but the wines still have a long way to go yet.



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Really, the 2nd set of wines deserves a thread of it’s own.

Appreciate your sharing the notes.

It’s been a while since I’ve had the 1986 LLC and I recall from back then that it was prototypical of the backward vintage. Your note make it seems like it finally started to strut. Up until now, I personally rank 1990 and 1985 as the LLCs of the decade and just ahead of 1982.

Good to read up a current note on the 1989 Magdelaine. Not their strongest in the decade, but still a Magdelaine in all its make-up. I have a bottle sitting in my home fridge and toying with the idea of opening soon.

The 2005 Jobard Blagny red is indeed a rarity. Perhaps, they should stick to whites? In my rare foray into Burgundy, I love what Matrot does in that vineyard.

Was also curious about the ‘meat dinner’ reference. Clearer now. The brisket(?) looks good.

Good to hear. Only tasted a Langhe so far, so have been buying based on description and hype :slightly_smiling_face:. Also bought a 15’ Riserva and quite a few 16’s.

Cheers Ramon, appreciate it. Yes the 1986 is ready but has a long life ahead still, the 1990 was surprisingly hedonistic to me while the 1982 was still tightly coiled and didn’t show much. Looking forward to try the 1985 soon hopefully! Which Magdelaine from that decade do you prefer? Have read good things about the 1982 and 1985 so have been on the lookout for those at a good price but none forthcoming so far.

Those were beef short ribs and the chef’s specialty!

The 15 Riserva was much better and true to producer style so no worries there, am on the lookout for the 16s as well!

My take on Magdelaine from the 80s:

1982 > 1986 > 1990 > 1989 > 1985 > 1988.

Even at the end of the ranking, the 1988 we had with locals about 2 months ago was in very good drinking form and held its own against Haut Bailly/Canon/LaCarmeHB/Palmer from 70s and 80s. Still holding on to a bottle from the same purchased lot. Magdelaine 1985 is regarded highly by people who I drink with and who have more Magdelaine experiences than I do, but I’ve had up-and-down experiences with the vintage.

I meant to ask. I realize that you had Poulet de Bresse, but in the spirit of the thread title, how did the chicken dinner go with these wines?

Great notes; thanks.

Your “generous dosage” comment reminds me how far the pendulum has swung. Brut champagne has traditionally had less than 12 g/l sugar. Extra-brut less than 6. I believe the Roederer rosé checks in at about 8, a moderate and reasonable dosage in my book. I’m finding with few exceptions the aged champagnes I like have at least some dosage. I seem to be an outlier these days, as many great winemakers are going the non-dosed route. Time will tell. And don’t get me started on sulfur…

Cheers,
Warren

Thanks Ramon, will keep a lookout for these Magdelaines even though they are getting more and more difficult to source!

The chicken went better with the white unsurprisingly, but I think it would have been even better with champagne! The chicken was lovely though my first time trying it and I am the rare Asian who likes the breast more than the thigh, but even my friends loved the breast on this one.

Cheers Warren, yes definitely I am not a stickler for dosage as long as it is balanced, and definitely agree about the older grand marques which have aged beautifully. I had a 2000 Billecart Nicolas Francois last year and it was one of my most memorable champagnes.

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