Chenin Blanc from the Loire and Syrah from Sonoma County

My Chidaine Leftovers

Our schedules have been a bit hectic lately but Lou and I managed to squeeze in a casual evening this week. I had been saving up these three bottles from Domaine Francois Chidaine for a bit so I immediately offered them up. All three wines have a gentle, engaging mouthfeel with an ethereal manner of delivering their definitive personalities. The 2004 Les Choisilles seems to be drinking at or near its peak, showing complete integration. The 2007 Les Choisilles was my favorite of the trio, showing more grip to its depth of flavor and liveliness. The 2009 Clos Habert is still in an infant which should be cellared for several years. Lou’s 2006 Shane, Syrah, Jemrose Vineyard was a stunning effort for an inaugural vintage made from six-year-old vines! I would recommend trying any of the wines of Domaine Francois Chidaine and Shane Wine Cellars.

Update: I retasted the leftover Chidaine wines on the sixth night.  They had been stored with Private Preserve in my refrigerator since last week.  While the two Les Choisilles were hanging on the Clos Habert was still drinking well.  The nose and initial flavors were still quite tight with the residual sugar in good balance, perhaps resulting in the impression of becoming drier.  The finish and aftertaste had developed a lovely minerality and left a coating of grippy, sweet spices on the teeth.  This definitely deserves restasting in several years and will probably be long-lived.

2004 Domaine Francois Chidaine, Les Choisilles, Montlouis-sur-Loire -
Imported by Dionysos Imports. This wine is 100% Chenin Blanc sourced from 30-90 year old vines located throughout the estate on soils of clay and coarse flint on top of chalk. The fruit is fermented with indigenous yeasts in 600 liter demi-muids then aged for 11 months on the lees. There is no malolactic fermentation. The color was the richest golden-yellow. There was a nose of flint and smoke with a delicate texture. The aromas were quite tight at first but with air became fairly aromatic with a lemon-citrus component. In the mouth there was a familiar suppleness up front then leaner flavors with good acidity. There were notes of dried herbs (perhaps dried flowers?). Good finish but somewhat austere. On the second night the nose reminded me of botrytis with tropical aromas. The entire wine shows strong integration and a caressing suppleness. *** Now-2017.

2007 Domaine Francois Chidaine, Les Choisilles, Montlous-sur-Loire – $28
Imported by Dionysos Imports. This wine is 100% Chenin Blanc sourced from 30-90 year old vines located throughout the estate on soils of clay and coarse flint on top of chalk. The fruit is fermented with indigenous yeasts in 600 liter demi-muids then aged for 11 months on the lees. There is no malolactic fermentation. The color was a light+ honey-yellow. The nose revealed yeast and flint which came in waves riding on top of low-lying yellow fruit. In the mouth the supple fruit was yellow in flavor as it mixed with an ethereal yeasty “flor” component. There was a great mouthfeel as the wine was swished about, perhaps a touch soft in the middle but tightened up in the finish and aftertaste as some spice flavors came out. With air there was a note of dry popped popcorn. On the second night this showed more grip in the mouth with a refreshing finish. *** Now-2022.

2009 Domaine Francois Chidaine, Clos Habert Demi-Sec, Montlois-sur-Loire – $27
Imported by Dionysos Imports. This wine is 100% Chenin Blanc sourced from 60-year-old vines located on limestone soils of a particular vineyard. The fruit is fermented with indigenous yeasts in 600 liter demi-muids then aged for 11 months on the lees. There is no malolactic fermentation. The nose was lighter with riper fruit and a touch of smoke. In the mouth there were riper flavors at first with good acidity then a weightier mouthfeel took over as supple flavors came out which were spicy. The residual sugar was apparent when you swished the wine around and it left good texture on the tongue in the finish. This clearly needs cellar time. On the second night it tasted drier. **(*) 2015-2022.

After the trio of Chidaine wines we moved on to some reds. Earlier in the evening we walked down to his wine cellar to pick a red wine for the evening. Lou scanned about and I promptly agreed to his suggestion of a Shane Syrah. Two years ago he brought over the very good 2006 Shane, Syrah, Unknown. This time he pulled out the Jemrose Vineyard Syrah and promptly decanted it. Lou had opened up the Chateau Haut Queyran the night before but was not entirely pleased so he put it back in the fridge. We tried it again but it had not improved.

2009 Chateau Haut Queyran, Medoc – 375ml $9
Imported by Monsieur Touton. This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Tried on the second night the nose revealed a little wet animal fut and old perfume. There was a good mouthfeel at first then flavors of hard, stemmy green fruit came out before turning lean with dark red flavors and tannins. * Now.

2006 Shane Wine Cellars, Syrah, Jemrose Vineyard, Bennett Valley, Sonoma County – $38 (in 2008)
This wine is 100% Syrah sourced from the Cardiac Hill Block. It was fermented with 50% whole clusters then aged for 10 months in 50% new French oak. The nose revealed gravelly fruit, a touch of ripeness, and white pepper notes. The aromas of blueberry fruit remind me of the grainy, concentrated blueberry mixture I add to my Greek yoghurt. The great nose continues to develop white pepper and floral herbs. In the mouth the flavors followed the nose with fruit that was focused with some ripeness because tightening up with hints of smoke, iron-like minerals, and perfume. Really quite good and definitely coming into its own. Though this should last for sometime I would drink now with an hour of air or within the next few years. **** Now-2019.

No Deposits on the "2006" Numerals!

Tasting A Variety of Wines at Lou’s

We recently joined Lou and Adriene for dinner and wine in their newly renovated dining room….and kitchen.  I think the wine bottles look great on the marble countertop!  There was not much attempt to coordinating the wines and I am finding such diversity enlivening.  The Albert Morot and La Sirena were decanted a few hours ahead of time by Lou whereas the Fidelitas saw less than an hour of air.  As usual the leftover wine was divided up, dosed with Private Preserve, then retasted the next night.  The La Sirena was a standout wine for me, a lovely treat that I believe all of us very much enjoyed.  The Albert Morot is still young and in its oscillations revealed hints of what its future will be.  This was Jenn’s favorite wine of the evening.  The Charles Schleret was beguiling youthful, fresh, and virtually unchanged over both nights.  The Faury is an infant which should age while you drink the 2009.  What I remember most is that the evening was so relaxing.  We gently floated through the cheese, wine, and dinner, happily chatting with no regard to time.

2005 Domaine Charles Schleret, Riesling Herrenweg, Alsace - $24
Imported by Neal Rosenthal.  The delicate aromas of Riesling fruit step out of the glass and reveal a delicate, floral perfume.  In the mouth the gently ripe fruit mixed with spice, lively acidity, and controlled ripeness before expansive darker flavors come out.  Tastes young.  On the second night the flavors tightened up a touch in the aftertaste otherwise it remained virtually unchanged.  Easy to drink and will undoubtedly drink for a long time.  *** Now-2022.

2010 Domaine Faury, St Joseph Blanc – $28
Imported by Kermit Lynch.  This wine is a blend of 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussane.  The light to medium nose is of delicate sweet herbs and white fruit, florals, and perhaps passion fruit.  In the mouth the bright white fruit flavors mix with stones in the supple, fruity body.  On the second night the acidity was well-integrated and the aftertaste had drying spices on the tongue.  Light compared to the 2009 vintage and in need of age.  **(*)  2015-2022.

2009 Bruno Clavelier, Bourgogne Passetoutgraine, Vieilles Vignes – $15
Imported by MacArthur Beverages.  This is a blend of old-vine Gamay and Pinot Noir.  Opened the night before. The nose was piercing with raspberry aromas and some spicy, Big-Red.  In the mouth the flavors bore gritty citrus tartness before becoming tart and cardboard-like.  * Now.

2007 Albert Morot, Beaune Toussaints 1er Cru, Beaune – $25
Imported by Robert Kacher.  This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from 40-year-old vines.  It was aged for 16 months in new and old oak.  In the glass the color was a light garnet with a tinge of rose.  The nose bore brighter red fruit, a touch of celery, and a hint of Italian parsley.  In the mouth the flavors were focused with bluer-red fruit, a minerally acidity throughout that worked well with the wood notes.  This refreshing wine opened up to reveal roasted meats, herbs, and a richer nose.  On the first evening it did tighten up at time and on the second night it was less aromatic, tight, and youthful.  I would age this a bit more.  *** 2015-2022.

2003 La Sirena, Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley
From the wines of Heidi Barrett she is famous for being the winemaker at Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, Grace Family, and others.  This wine is 100% Syrah aged for 20 months in oak.  In the glass the color was medium+ ruby with some garnet.  The nose was finely textured with vanilla notes and quite a stand out.  The flavors in the mouth were expansive with blue and black fruit, controlled power, and a youthfulness with some age.  With air it became ripe, gritty, and showed flavors of waffles with maple syrup.  On the second night it still showed lively blueberry flavors, concentration, and orange juice acidity.  Nice!  **** Now-2020.

2007 Fidelitas, Red Wine, Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley – $36
This wine is a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Cabernet Franc which underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel then was aged for 24 months in 50% new and 50% used American and French oak.  This wine was powdery with sweet spices, vanilla, in a soft personality. The flavors in the finish tilted towards cinnamon spice with a soft aftertaste.  On the second night the wine tightened up for the better with ripe black fruit, pleasing warm acidity, and a stone sheen.  I suspect this will not make old bones.  ** Now-2015.

An Older-Wine Dinner at Joan’s House

Joan has been a lover of fine wine for quite some time. She has bought a variety of wines over the years both from local stores and also on national and international wine trips. She has held on to particular bottles which she likes to bring out once they are mature. Joan recently hosted a dinner so that she could open the 1992 and 1993 Beringer, Private Reserve. The wines this evening were lovely. With the exception of the completely faded fruit of the Veedercrest all of the bottles were in great shape and developed throughout the course of the evening. My thanks go out to Joan for hosting an evening of wonderful food and wine.

2010 Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette, Les clapas Blanc, VdP de l’Herault
Imported by Elite Wines. This a blend of 40% Carignan Blanc, 30% Granache Blanc, and 30% Terret Bourret. Though a lighter color in the glass the nose was medium strength with focused aromas of white flowers and stones. This medium bodied wine offered lemon flavors with plenty of stone notes, tilting towards a tart profile with green apple flavors. This was a fresh wine that is young and will benefit from short-term cellaring. If you must drink it now then decant it for one to two hours. *** 2015-2019.

2009 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Les Caillerets, Chassagne Montracher 1er Cru
Imported by MacArthur Beverages. Two-thirds of the fruit is sourced from 60-year-old vines with the remaining third from 20-year-old vines. The nose was young with a subtle ripeness of fruit mixed with flint. The gentle texture bore apple-like tart fruit which developed lifted flavors of flint as the wine breathed. There were some toast notes in the finish. This tight wine slowly developed before the bottle was finished, this definitely requires cellaring before it will reveal its full personality. **(**) 2017-2022.

Opening the red wines

After the Bouillabaise we moved onto the red wines. Joan cooked braised short-ribs accompanied by roasted Brussel sprouts and root vegetables. The Veedercrest and Beringers had been stood up a day or two ahead and opened shortly before being poured. The Judd’s Hill had been double-decanted to remove sediment thus had four to five hours of air.

Corks from the 1974 Veedercrest and 1993 Beringer

I did not start with the best luck in removing the corks. The Judd’s Hill cork crumbled in two using a waiter’s corkscrew and the 1992 Beringer cork got stuck. So I switched to my poor-man’s Durand corkscrew composed of the worm from a Screwpull and an Ah-So. This worked wonders with the Beringer corks. The Veedercrest cork did not want to come out so at Lou’s advice I put the bottle on the floor between my feet. After some concentrated tugging and twisting it finally came free!

1974 Veedercrest Vineyards, Petite Sirah, Cask YUG 77 Batch 2, Sonoma County
This was a vibrant medium garnet color. The musky nose was animale with dark fruit notes. Eventually the musk blew off to reveal a nose of old wood. The flavors were light in the mouth, still a little acidity to keep things going. The fruit had faded way leaving old sweet wood notes. * Now.

1992 Beringer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Private Reserve, Napa Valley
This is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from 57% Bancroft Ranch, 21% State Lane, 14% St. Helena Home, and 5% Chabot along with Cabernet Franc from Bancroft. Each vineyard was aged for two years in new French oak before blending. This was a medium garnet color. The nose was medium strength with aromas of meat stew, a little roast, and Hoison sauce (or was it sweet soy sauce?). The complex flavors were very expansive at the start before a midpalate of tart red and black fruit flavors. With air the roast veggies and soy/Hoison sauce remained but the fruit became riper and balanced everything out. **** Now-2017.

1993 Beringer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Private Reserve, Napa Valley
This is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from 62% Bancroft Ranch, 24% St. Helena Home, and 11% Tre Colline along with 2% Cabernet Franc from Bancroft and 1% Cabernet Franc from Tre Colline. Each vineyard was aged for two years in new French oak before blending. The nose was subtler than the 1992 with the fruit more primary and aromas of herbs. In the mouth the youthful flavors were subtler, a little chewy as they were mixed with grapey tannins. There was a lovely cedar box component in the tart and gritty finish. **** Now-2019.

1997 Judd’s Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Compared to the Beringers the nose was simpler with riper fruit and tobacco with the aromas becoming delineated with air. In the mouth the youthful and tight flavors were of tart red fruit, tobacco, and cedar. But over the evening it started to open up very well. This is a lovely wine just hinting at maturity and will undoubtedly develop for many years to come. ***(*) 2015-2025.

After the red wines we moved onto a trio of desserts made by Joan’s friend Patty. To accompany the fruit tart, rice pudding, and apple cobbler Joan offered a selection of dessert wines with Lou picking one from the Loire. Located within the Coteaux du Layon the village of Chaume sets its own requirements which include a significantly higher minimum level of sugar from grapes that must be affected by botrytis (noble rot) or passerillage (drying of the grapes by the sun). Joan used to drink quite a few wines from Chaume with this particular bottle purchased for $23 from MacArthur Beverages some years ago. After trying this bottle I am kicking myself for being content to read about these sweet wines made from Chenin Blanc instead of actually drinking them!

1997 Domaine Cady, Coteaux du Layon Chaume
Imported by Vintner Select. There was a woodsy amber color. This was fun to smell with aromas of maderized pear and apple that opened up rapidly. In the mouth the flavors were well-perfumed with lots of residual sugar but good acidity, plenty of sweet spices, flavors of apricot, and an unctuous caramelized apple-cinnamon and sugar vein. Incredibly tasty and enjoyed by all. **** Now-2025.

Lou, Joan, and the Author

Holiday Wines With Lou

Being Christmas Lou thought it would be fun to drink some nice wines of his.  I am always happy to drink any wine that he brings over so I quickly agreed.  When he suggested Aubert, Cayuse, and a Burgundy I became quite excited.  A couple years ago I attended a high-end California Chardonnay tasting and absolutely loved the wines of Aubert.  I have been itching to drink Aubert with Jenn ever since then.  My Cayuse experience was limited (still is) but there was a bottle of 2003 Cayuse, En Chamberlin sitting in my basement, which was a generous gift from Julia, so I made good on an old promise to open the bottle with Lou. The other selections for our tasting solidified rapidly.

We double-decanted all of the red wines except for the 1995 Domaine Chauvent-Chaupin which was simply popped and poured.  Due to hectic schedules the 2003 Cayuse had approximately one hour of air before the other red wines were opened.  The red wines were served blind with the Pinot Noirs in the first flight and the Syrahs in the second flight.  My notes are in the order the bottles were tasted.

This was an enjoyable evening.  The Aubert was absolutely irresistible.  The two from Cayuse were layered and complex, allowing for innumerable small sips of enjoyment.  Towards the end of the evening I found myself drinking the Chauvenet-Chopin because its lighter maturity was refreshing.

The Aubert Starter

2008 Aubert, Larry Hyde & Sons, Carneros
There was the typical, slightly cloudy color of light yellow straw.  The rich nose was muted compared to the palate.  In the mouth there was initially a little, light spritz followed by tropical white fruit, some sweetness with a rich mouth filling body.  Then it turns a little watery midpalate before a tremendous expansion marked by pleasing acidity on the middle of the tongue.  The finish showed citrus-like fruit.  There was an effortless and long-lasting aftertaste.  I was surprised to see 15.8% ABV on the label.  This was a beautiful wine that raised Jenn’s bar for Californian Chardonnay.  Jenn thought it was an older vintage due to the complexity and type of flavors.  Both she and Lou made sure not a single drop was left in the bottle.  Lorelei commented “orange.” ****(*) Now-2016+.

The Pinot Noir Flight

I would venture that we all preferred the Chauvent-Chopin for the mature aspect of its nose and palate.  While this will last for many years to come it was drinking quite well in the current state.  The Firesteed came across as primary in comparison and in need of several years of age.  Shane did tell me to cellar it for several more years but as it was the oldest Pinot Noir in my basement I just had to give it a try.

#1 – 1995 Domaine Chauvenet-Chopin, Vieilles Vignes, Nuits-Saint-George
This wine was imported by Robert Kacher Selections and purchased for $30 at MacArthurs.  There was a consistent garnet color throughout the glass with a touch of cloudiness.  The nose was mature with good notes of cedar.  In the mouth it was fruitier and richer than the nose.  The structured fruit made way to a racy finish, tannins, and an aftertaste of old ladies’ perfume.  There was a fairly consistent profile throughout the evening.  Jenn liked the earthniess and “salami” notes.   Lorelei commented “brown.”  This tasted tired on the second night. ** Now.

#2 – 2001 Firesteed, Citation, Pinot Noir
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir that was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels followed by seven years of bottle age before release.  A vibrant garnet color with a pigeon blood core and youthful look.  There was a fine scent to the nose.  In the mouth it revealed richer red fruit but was simpler.  Lorelei commented “Strawberry, pink.”  In the end it was a nice wine but I gave a nod to the Chauvenet-Chopin. **(*) 2014-2019.

The Syrah Flight

We then moved on to the Syrah Flight.  It was a relatively easy matter to identify what each of these three wines were for #3 and #5 bore a familiar resemblance with #4 showing less earthy, more pure, and primary fruit flavors.  #3 looked and tasted a bit older than #5.  All three wines were enjoyable and seemed to share one component, that of orange aromas in the nose.  Though the Cayuse was a step up from the Ross Andrew, the later was still a good drink and counterpoint.

#3 – 2003 Cayuse, Syrah, En Chamberlin Vineyard, Walla Walla
The fruit is sourced from the rocky 10 acre En Chamberlin vineyard planted in 2000.  This was quite opaque with a garnet rim that made me guess it was older.  There were flavors of roasted fruit, earth, and prominent notes of “olives and herbs” according to Jenn (but not in an underripe manner).  There were some orange and mango flavors along with smoke, darker fruit, and roast in this savory wine.  On the second night this showed more age. **** Now-2017.

#4 2008 Ross Andrew, Syrah, Boushey Vineyard, Columbia Valley
This wine is 100% Syrah produced from three different clones sourced from the Boushey vineyard.  The wine is aged for 14 months in 70% French 320 liter barrels.  This was the youngest looking wine in the glass.  The medium nose was fruitier, more pure, and higher pitched than #3 and #5.  This wine was still primary with a rich, fruity personality, some sweet flavors, nice texture, and a little heat.  Still vigorous and lively on the second night. ***(*) Now-2017.

#5 2007 Cayuse, Syrah, Armada Vineyard, Walla Walla
The fruit is sourced from the extremely dense, 16 acre Armada vineyard planted in 2001.  This was a little lighter in color than the 2003 but only just.  In the mouth the rich, delicately textured fruit was perfumed with a sweetness that Jenn found akin to “chewing gum” but in a good manner.  More youthful than the 2003 with a rough finish this wine had an incredibly expansive, persistent aftertaste.  I found the wine savory and Jenn loved the saltiness.  It was still rocking on the second night. ****(*) Now-2022.

Lou and Aaron

An Impromtu Tasting of New Zealand Pinot Noirs

I recently suggested that Shane come over to taste some wine this past weekend.  Working for Bacchus Importers during the day he is always excited to taste wine with friends.  He suggested we drink New Zealand Pinot Noir as he still had six bottles from a tasting-dinner he meant to host earlier in the fall.  After some last-minute texting and phone calls Shane brought his friend Natasha and her daughter, our neighbor Mark showed up, and Jane from the Greater Washington Wine School stopped by as well.

We wedged ourselves into our small dinning room to taste the wines and eat some food.  The wines were brown-bagged and simply opened.  The group represented a diverse set, from people in the business to fans of drinks.  In the end there was a group consensus that the favorite wine was the 2006 Voss Estate followed closely by the 2009 Felton Road.  The rest of the wines fell into a middle grouping.  Unfortunately the 2008 Peregrine was an off bottle.

1. 2006 Voss Estate, Pinot Noir, Martinborough
2. 2009 Felton Road, Bannockburn, Pinot Noir, Bannockburn, Central Otago
3. 2008 Escarpment, Pinot Noir, Martinborough
   2009 Mohua, Pinot Noir, Central Otago
4. 2008 Nautilus, Pinot Noir, Marlborough

Here are notes and Shane’s from the evening.  They are listed in the same order we tasted the wines.  The 2006 Voss is at or near peak drinking.  The 2009 Felton Road will clearly develop with age but it a lovely bottle right now.  I think the 2008 Escarpment and 2008 Nautilus need more time as they fluctuated throughout the evening and need to settle down.

#1 – 2006 Voss Estate, Pinot Noir, Martinborough
This is imported by Meadowbank Estates which is a division of Empson USA.  This wine is 100% Pinot Noir that was aged for 12 months in 15-20% new French oak barriques.  There was a medium strength nose of earthy, brambly fruit, with notes of pencil/cedar.  In the mouth this medium-bodied wine had good texture with earthy flavors of brambly fruit and pencil.  With air there were some blue, inky flavors in the finish along with integrated, supporting acidity.  Clearly the most mature wine of the lot.  This is drinking very well right now. My #1.**** Now.

Shane’s note, “Earthy with subdued dark fruit at the back.  Big on the palate and well-balanced between fruit and earth notes.  Long finish.”

#2 – 2008 Escarpment, Pinot Noir, Martinborough
This is imported by Meadowbank Estates which is a division of Empson USA.  This wine is 100% Pinot Noir that was aged for 11 months in 30% new French oak barriques.  This was young and fruity on the nose.  There is good texture in the mouth and a slightly chewy midpalate.  The fruit tilts towards sour red fruit with a hint of minerality.  I tied this between #3 and #4. **(*) Now-2017.

Shane’s note, “Lighter than #1 and more acidic, but more red fruit.  Won’t live as long, I don’t think so.”

#3 – 2009 Mohua, Pinot Noir, Central Otago
This wine is imported by Vineyard Brands.  This wine is 100% Pinot Noir from hand-harvested fruit that was de-stemmed then aged in a mix of older French oak barrels.  This was very fresh with a lighter and restrained nose.  In the mouth the cherry flavors reminded me of typical New Zealand Pinot Noir.  The fruit was a tad sweet.  I did not care for this so #5. * Now.

Shane’s note, “Big fruit bomb, a bit thin and acidic.  Still acid at the finish.”

#4 – 2008 Nautilus, Pinot Noir, Marlborough
This wine is imported by Negociants USA.  This wine is 100% Pinot Noir from hand-harvested fruit that  was de-stemmed and aged in a mixture of new and older French oak barriques.  There was a fine scent to the nose.  Reminiscent of the #2 but with more, good grip.  The ripe fruit and fine tannins were enjoyable.  There were youthful flavors of orange lemon grass with darker berries in the aftertaste. Drink now for youthfulness but will develop with age. I tied this between #3 and #4. **(*) Now-2017.

Shane’s note, “Acid in the front, cherry.  Finish is nice.”

#5 – 2009 Felton Road, Pinot Noir, Bannockburn, Central Otago
This is imported by Wilson Daniels.  This wine is 100% Pinot Noir with 20% whole-cluster fermentation using indigenous yeast.  The wine was aged for 11 months in French oak barrels.  This wine stood out with its nose of darker red fruit with notes of roasted earth.  In the mouth the fruit was a bit prickly with tip of the tongue acidity.  A lovely, young wine that almost reminded me of a brambly, rustic Cotes du Rhone.  My #2. ***(*) Now-2017+.

Shane’s note, “So pretty and soft, beautiful midpalate and great finish.  May be my favorite.”

#6 – 2008 Peregrine, Pinot Noir, Central Otago
This wine is imported by Vineyard Brands.  This wine is 100% Pinot Noir that was aged for 10 months in 38% new French oak barrels.  This was an off bottle. Not Rated.

Catching Up at Saxon + Parole

Somehow we let four and a half years slip by since we last visited William in New York City.  This past weekend we took advantage of a rare alignment in schedules and Lorelei’s general excitement, to drive up.  Lorelei was excited for a vacation and game for a “late night” dinner at AvroKO’s recently opened restaurant, Saxon + Parole.  We stayed at a hotel in Soho so had a bit of a walk-around before changing and heading over for dinner.  I took the liberty of bringing up two bottles from Les Sang des Cailloux to drink with dinner.

As we entered the restaurant Linden quickly greeted us then directed us over to William.  I suspect there are not too many three-year olds who dine here but she was made welcome.  William started us off with the superb Celery Gimlet for Jenn, the Lower East Cider for myself, and a sparkling orange juice concoction for Lorelei.  With drinks in all four of ours hands he gave us a tour of the restaurant.

Perhaps visiting the spaces designed by AvroKO at discrete intervals makes for an easier time in grasping their development but I truly believe they are achieving a level of maturity in design and execution that is unassailable.  Beyond the thoroughness is the skilled restraint and editing, the sense of properly sized rooms, dark lighting, and surprising music.  From the main floor of Saxon + Parole through the secret door to Madam Geneva then doubling-back into the basement of the restaurant and ultimately back up to our table, Lorelei firmly clutched her drink, sucking down every last drop in her glass.  Even she understood the deft touch to Narem’s drinks.

I requested the charcuterie board to give Lorelei something to start on.  She immediately went for the salami and blue cheese.  I particularly liked the chicken liver mousse pot, pickled cauliflower, and pistachio terrine. We could not resist the toast points which had the perfect amount of caramelization from lovely bread.  William ordered the rest of the meal.  Soon the carrot, ginger, and lemon soup arrived, followed by the razor-clam salad, and miso-glazed bone marrow.  All were outstanding with the soup upstaging the rest but the salad was undeniably satisfying and the orange & olive marmalade for the bone marrow restrained in sweetness and showing good depth.

The entrees consisted of the Maine lobster , Berkshire pork, and roasted chicken accompanied by mustard mashed potatoes and braised Brussels sprouts.  Lorelei loved the Berkshire pork and I think we all agreed.  While Jenn instilled in me a love of Brussels sprouts, these were amazing with their perfectly caramelized bark.

Lorelei was fading fast so a chocolate mousse and doughnuts quickly appeared.  While the whiskey ice cream of the mousse was excellent, I must follow Lorelei in that the doughnut with the vanilla cream was hands down perfect.  Lorelei and Jenn cabbed it home after dessert.  After seeing them off William and I moved into Madame Geneva.  Though late for my body it was early for a bar so we were able to get comfortable on a banquet.

We moved onto a decanter of Moss Wood eventually followed by a decanter of Fenocchio Renato, Barbaresco.  We were stepping it up, talking about the street food of Bangkok, ideas for this blog, getting excited, and just having a great time.  I love the historical depth to wine and food so it is always enjoyable to talk with William and to visit his spaces where ideas and research are physically represented.  I left that night glowing from the wine and invigorated with ideas for my blog.

2000 Les Sang des Cailloux, Cuvee Azalais, Vacqueyras
This was the favorite wine for all.  Lovely, rich, earthy, minerally, expansive, this bottle delivered to its maximum capability with William finding it “elegant.” **** Now-2017.

2004 Les Sang des Cailloux, Cuvee Lopy, Vacqueyras
Drunk next to the 2000 Cuvee Azalais, this was clearly younger and coiled.  After an hour it left lovely, spiced, blue fruit and minerals on the lips and tongue followed by a long aftertaste.  Cuvee Lopy is the old-vine cuvee and I believe this bottle needs to be aged. ***(*) 2015-2025.

2006 Moss Wood, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
I picked a range of wines then William spoke with Chris the sommelier.  I have not drunk a bottle of Moss Wood before so it was quite a delight.  After an hour this opened up to have lovely ripe fruit, good mouth feel, concentration, and  balanced structure.  Our last glasses were the best so I would continue to cellar this. ***(*) 2015-2025.

The Italian, 2006 Agricola Fenocchio Renato, Barbaresco
A complete left-turn with bright, grainy red fruit, higher-acidity, and stylistically the most different of the three.  I was absolutely beat so I only had a glass.  Probably a good wine in another context but I was so tired I had to go to bed. Not Rated.

Enjoying Stolpman Syrahs with Lou

Lou was interested in trying a selection of his Stolpman Syrahs for some time.  It was at his house that he first introduced me to the wines of Stolpman by pouring the 2008 L’Avion.  I subsequently purchased the 2009 L’Avion which I enjoyed a bottle of in August.  When Lou brought up Stolpman Syrah as the focus for our gathering I quickly agreed.  With my offer of Salus and Miner Chardonnay our tasting was set.

Stolpman Vineyards, Image by mreidphillips (flickr)

It is rare that we start with beer but I could not resist opening the Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny the Elder.  Almost a year ago Clark told me about how much he enjoyed Pliny the Elder.  I checked the availability in the DC area and there was none to be found.  Suffice to say even Clark’s corner beer store (with several hundred different beers) did not get any in stock until this summer.  Julia monitored the store’s Tweets and eventually it was made available at the limit of one bottle per person!  Fortunately Clark is a good customer and was able to part with a bottle for myself.

Russian River Brewing Company, Pliny the Elder
This double IPA beer was lovely, balanced, delicate with citrus acidity, and easy to drink.  The hops are controlled in this complex beer.  I found it quite refreshing. Thanks Clark!

Aaron and Lou

We drank small glasses of the Pliny while bagging the wines and setting the table.  We then moved outside to tasted the Chardonnays and Syrahs.  As always, the reds were double-decanted a couple of hours prior and all wines were served brown-bagged.  The leftovers were split between us, filled with Private Preserve then tasted the next night or two.  I have listed the wines in the order they were tasted.

I preferred the Salus over the Miner since the later was a bit too loose with too much toast notes.  In terms of the Syrahs Jenn and I preferred the 2005 Hilltops followed by the 2006 Estate, both are amazing!  On the first night I preferred the  2007 Estate over the 2009 Originals but my preferences flip-flopped on the second night.  The 2007 is very young and the 2009 is not giving up much, perhaps a revisit in three  to five years might help my perspective.  As far as for current drinking the 2005 and 2006 are an easy step up.  All of the Stolpman wines were lovely and shared a common floral quality.  I strongly recommend these wines.  The member prices are a good value with the higher-tier Hillside and Originals future-priced in the mid $30s and the others much less.

2007 Miner Family Vineyards, Chardonnay, Wild Yeast, Napa Valley
This wine is 100% Chardonnay that was fermented with wild yeast then aged for 15 months in 70% new French oak.  This medium-bodied wine was softer and creamier in the mouth than the Salus.  There are ample notes of vanilla with a soft and loose delivery, some minerals, then it lets go as wood toast comes out in the finish.  On the second night the creamy texture remained, perhaps a bit more notes of toast, but a nice inky, pervasive note developed. *** Now-2015.

2009 Staglin Family Vineyard, Salus, Estate Chardonnay, Rutherford, Napa Valley
This wine is 100% Chardonnay that was barrel fermented then aged for 11 months in 61% new and 39% used barrels.  This was a tad darker than the Miner with a crisp, clean nose.  It was rich in the mouth but with good acidity, a creamy midpalate, and notes of lemon drop.  On the second night it was quite mouthfilling, well-balanced, and surprisingly fresh. ***(*) Now-2015.

2007 Stolpman Vineyards, Estate Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley
This wine is 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier that were co-fermented.  A tad more purple in color than the 2006.  This was very scented at first.  In the mouth there were crisp, violet flavors, with more tart red flavors throughout.  This savory, salty wine carried fine grain tannins, juicy red fruit, with a little toast and heat towards the finish.  On the second night the wine was quite primary with grapey red fruit.  There was the slightest hint of white pepper.  The fine, spicy tannins made this the most tannic of them all.  This is quite focused and might require many years to open up. ***(*) 2015-2022.

2006 Stolpman Vineyards, Estate Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley
This wine is 85% Syrah and 15% Grenache that were co-fermented.  This was powerful and concentrated.  It effortlessly filled the nose with aromas each time I was about to swallow.  There were clean, floral notes of lavender.  In the mouth the lingering flavors of hard, black fruits mixed with some spice, a wee bit of salivating acidity, a bit more spice, and some tannins.  With air it became a tad inky.  On the second night the nose was darker than the 2007 and fine textured tannins came out midpalate.  This wine was more enthusiastic in personality than the 2005 Hilltops.  Lovely. **** Now-2017.

2009 Stolpman Vineyards, Originals Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley
The inaugural release of the Originals Cuvee is made from 100% Syrah sourced from the oldest vines.  This wine gave the least.  Purple in color and with flavors of tart red fruit mixed with a bit of Christmas spice.  On the second night, it sported the lightest nose but showed more concentrated flavors. **(*) 2015-2019.

2005 Stolpman Vineyards, Hilltops Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley
This wine is 100% Syrah sourced from parcels located at the highest elevations of the vineyard.  The wine is aged for 12 months in 100% new French barrels.  After the L’Avion Roussanne is moved from barrel to tank, the Hilltops is racked into the L’Avion barrels which still contain the lees.  The Hilltops is then aged a further 8 months.  This leans towards a garnet color and clearly looked like the oldest of the wines.  This was powerful and integrated with riper fruit, prominent blue flavors, a floral aspect, and richer mouthfeel.  There were herbs and complex, sweet fruit in this denser, meatier wine.  Really quite lovely.  On the second night the nose became more refined and the flavors were still the richest of all the bottles.  On the palate it became almost jammy and had developed chocolate notes.  Quite nice! **** Now-2017.

The Revealed Bottles

2009 Arianna Occhipinti, SP68, Sicily IGT

When I saw this bottle by Arianna Occhipinti on the shelves at MacArthurs I immediately grabbed it.  I had previously enjoyed her 2008 Il Frappato so I was quite curious to try this blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola.  In my brief experience with Frappato I have come to enjoy blends because the Frappato lends an aromatic nose and the Nero d’Avola provides good body.  I particularly like her confidence which is exhibited in this picture at Gnarly Vines in Brooklyn.

Arianna Occhipinti, Image by J. Gomez Pallares (flickr)

This wine is imported by Louis/Dressner Selections and available at MacArthurs for $23.  This week I quietly pulled the cork then poured a splash into my glass and Jenn’s.  One quick nose of the glass immediately grabbed our attention and we rapidly took a sip.  Jenn immediately remarked, “This is a good wine.”  She is correct, this is a very good wine at a very good price.  While you drink through the entire bottle you will continuously be delighted by both the nose and the mouth.

2009 Arianna Occhipinti, SP68, Sicily IGT
This wine is a blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola sourced from vineyards at 280 meters.  The vines are ten years old and harvested during the middle of October.  The wine is aged for six months in stainless steel.  There is a light to medium strength floral scented, Frappato nose of cherries, spices, and orange zest.  In the mouth the stoney red fruits are tart with grapey qualities and an underlying, darker profile of fruit.  The dried herbs mixed with stoney flavors.  This exuberant wine is drinking well. **** Now-2015.

A Couple of Pinots at Shane’s

The original plan was to taste a bunch of New Zealand Pinot Noirs at Shane’s house.  Unfortunately he had caught the never-ending cold that was circulating in these parts.  So we opted to save the New Zealand wines for another day.  When I showed up Shane had two decanters sitting out.  I first guessed that the Sojourn decanter contained a Grenache blend and that the Etude decanter was definitely Pinot Noir.  Hah!  In the end I enjoyed the treat of two wines centered around the Petaluma Gap.

2009 Sojourn Cellars, Pinot Noir, Rodgers Creek Vineyard, Sonoma Coast
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir (Pommard Clone and clone 777) that was fermented with native yeast then aged in 50% new French oak.  The fruit is sourced from vines planted in 2001 at the Rodgers Creek vineyard.  It is located at 300 feet on the top of the Petaluma Gap and is exposed to the wind and fog.   At first whiff I noticed young, sweet red fruit.  In the mouth the raspberry/cherry fruit had dark red, almost blue fruit, undertone.   There was a bit of spice and earthiness, in this medium to full-bodied wine is compact and balanced.  It slowly unveiled over several hours and I really think could use at least a few years of age. ***(*) 2014-2019.

2005 Etude Wines, Pinot Noir, Temblor, Carneros
This vintage is the inaugural release of the Temblor Pinot Noir.  The fruit is sourced from the Temblor vineyard located in the northwest corner of Carneros.  The vineyard is directly influenced by the Petaluma Gap.  This was certainly fun to taste as it was obviously mature.  The fruit was redder with flavors of strawberry and cherry.  There were plenty of mature, earthy, forest like aromas and some spice.  This medium-bodied wine is drinking perfectly right now and is probably best consumed within the next few years. **** Now-2014.

Post Gold Cup Wines with William

William is naturally curious when it comes to food and drink.  He is also equally excited to drink both young or mature wine.  The wine list at Public NYC is international in scope but has an Antipodean focus.  They carry the 2006 Torbreck, The Steading so decided it would be fun to open the 1999 and 2000 vintages along with the 1999 Domaine Pallieres, Gigondas as a foil.

2000 Torbreck, The Steading, Barossa
This was quite different from the 1999.  It showed tart red fruits mixed with cherry flavors.  The entire wine is driven by acidity and tartness.  Noticeably more mature than the 1999 there are little flavors of dried herbs.  There are small amounts of fine tannins.  I would drink this up soon.  While it is in no danger of cracking up I do not see it developing further.  ** Now.

1999 Torbreck, The Steading, Barossa
This wine took several hours to open up.  On the second night it started with primarily brighter red fruit before revealing a core of inky, blue, earthy, minerally flavors that developed into mouth filling flavors.  The aftertaste left gentle, perfumed, dark flavors with minimal tannins.  This is a tasty wine with many years left. **** Now-2017.

1999 Domaine Les Pallieres, Gigondas
This bottle took its time to open up.  On the second night the nose contained red fruit and dried herbs.  In the mouth the restrained red fruit mixed with gobs of dried herbs.  There are very fine tannins that coated the inside of the lips.  The overall impression is of solid, rustic wine with red fruit that is riper and sweeter than that of the Torbrecks. *** Now-2017.

I broke a cork on the second night