The 2012 Robert Kacher Spring Portfolio Tasting: 2010 Burgundy

Entrance with Spring Portfolio Tasting Sign

The Robert Kacher Spring Portfolio Tasting presented a large number of wines from Burgundy.  This selection of the 2010 vintage was reason enough to attend and could have engaged ones attention for the entire afternoon.  I have been fortunate to taste wines from several of the producers before but these have been assorted bottles.  If I generalize about the wines tasted I would say they bore fresh fruit with the ripeness in balance with the lively acidity and approachable tannins.  With determination and focus we set about tasting through a fair number of these wines.  Though we did not get through all of the Burgundy we tasted our fair share.  You will find my tasting notes in the order the wines were tasted.

Entrance To the Main Tasting Room From the Lobby

Domaine Marc Morey

Marc Morey first begin bottling his own wine in the 1950s.  Today the domaine is run by his daughter Marie-Joe and her husband Bernard Mollard.  The wines are produced from 25 acres of vineyards.  The fruit is whole bunch pressed, fermented in cask with indigenous yeast then aged in barrels.  As a whole these were lovely wines with interesting noses and almost luscious flavors in the mouth.

2010 Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru En Virondot
There was a light to medium nose of ripe white fruit.  In the mouth the flavors were focused with notes of stone.  There was a good mouthfeel with a drier finish.  This young wine leaves nice spice flavors in the aftertaste.

2010 Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Vergers
This had a more textured nose compared to the En Virondot with fresh floral aromas and a hint of ripeness.  The wine was mouthfilling with structured white fruit that was a bit tart and mixed with watering acidity.

2010 Marc Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Caillerets
The light nose revealed low-lying heavier white and yellow fruit with a floral component.  In the mouth there was focused power with good integration.  The wine was almost chewy.  Notes of stone came out before some drying tannins.

Domaine Xavier Monnot

These wines are produced from a 17 hectare estate which is farmed organically.  The fruit is hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeast, along with controlled use of new oak.  The white wines tilted towards white fruit with strong flavors and will definitely benefit from aging.  The red wines revealed grapey and black fruit with lively acidity, quite refreshing.  Of the whites I particularly liked the Les Chevalieres and Les Charmes.  Of the reds I would single out the Beaune Toussaints, the Pommard Les Vignots, and the Volnay Clos des Chenes.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Bourgogne Blanc “Les Grandes Coutures”
The nose was light with fresh fruit.  In the mouth the up-front acidity was watering and lighter.  The white fruit mixed with some white citrus and a bit of tartness.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Monthelie Blanc, Les Duresses
The light nose revealed more focus and texture to the aromas.  In the mouth the flavors were interesting with flavors of stone fruits.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Meursault, Le Limozin
This tasted young and a bit brawny with delicate flavors.  There was an underlying creamy apple note with drying tannins on the teeth.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Meursault, Les Chevalieres
This started with a powerful wave of flavors with some puckering before good, subtle ripe flavors and a touch of sweet spice.  Nice.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Meursault, 1er Cru Les Charmes
There was a good, medium-strength nose with rich aromas.  In the mouth the wine was youthful and tighter.  There were some white apple notes with a dry finish.  Nice.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Folatieres
This tart wine showed vigor as it filled the mouth.  There was a good soft feel and tangy aftertaste.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Maranges, 1er Cru Clos de la Fussiere
The nose revealed grapey fruit and old perfume. In the mouth the flavors were very grapey with a pepper note.  It was a little racy with flavors of black and red fruit, some pepper, and good acidity and grapey tannins.  Nice aftertaste.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Beaune, 1er Cru Cent Vignes
There was good youthful depth to the nose.  In the mouth the grapey fruit had fine focus with old perfume, spice, and more fine+ tannins.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Beaune, 1er Cru Toussaints
This nose was subtle and tight.  In the mouth the wine was chewy with flavors of fresh, darker red fruit.  There was structure and stones in the finish with racy flavors left on the tongue in the aftertaste.  Clearly young with a good future.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Pommard, Les Vignots
The nose was young with not-quite-brambly aromas and youthful power.  The purple and black fruit was tasty with a little spicy aspect and very fine, coating and drying tannins.

2010 Xavier Monnot, Volnay, 1er Cru Clos des Chenes
The youth nose revealed purple fruit with black fruit hints.  In the mouth there was a good core of black fruit, pencil shavings, and spicy, drying tannins.

Domaine Albert Morot

This is an old domaine that produces wine from 8 hectares of vines.  It has been run by Geoffroy Choppin de Janry since 2000.  The fruit is fermented in stainless steel with the red seeing less than a third new oak.  Geoffrey commented that this vintage saw approximately 40% reduction in yield.  The wines showed quite well all around.  I found the aromas to be somewhat subtle right now but there were determined flavors in the mouth…which I really liked.  Robert Kacher provided a magnum  of the 2003 Teurons for fun….and it sure was.  Grab a selection of these wines for your cellar!  I had a hard time describing the Aigrots so I would love to hear from others.

Geoffroy Choppin de Janry, Domaine Albert Morot

2010 Albert Morot, Savigny les Beaune, 1er Cru La Bataillere aux Vergelesses
There was darker redf ruit on the nose with a hint of red grapefruit.  The mouth followed the nose with quite nice fine grained, drying tannins.

2010 Albert Morot, Beaune, 1er Cru Cent Vignes
This nose revealed focus, subtle ripe fruit with a bit of grapiness.  In the mouth the red fruit was well structured in this precise wine with a hint of pepper and perfumed spices.

2010 Albert Morot, Beaune, 1er Cru Toussaints
The nose was subtle with dark fruit and hints of ripeness.  In the mouth the red fruit had good expansion, red citrus acidity, and very fine drying tannins.

2010 Albert Morot, Beaune, 1er Cru Aigrots
The nose was lifted but subtle with red fruit and red grapefruit.  In the mouth the red fruit mixed with coffee and had a hard to describe component that stood out.  Good and quite unique.

2010 Albert Morot, Beaune, 1er Cru Bressandes
The nose was subtle.  In the mouth the flavors were darker, tighter with fresh, almost chewy red fruit.  The fine+ tannins dried on the lips.

2010 Albert Morot, Beaune, 1er Cru Teurons
The nose was of focused red fruit.  In the mouth there was controlled power, stones, really quite nice, good depth, chewy, and a racy finish with black fruit.

2003 Albert Morot, Beaune, 1er Cru Teurons, en magnum
This was lovely with an earthy and open nose.  In the mouth there was beautiful texture and mineral flavors in this maturing but still youthful wine.  It had a good ethereal character.  Beautiful.

Domaine Joblot

These wines are produced from 14 hectares of vines.  These wines are fermented and aged in barrel for up to 16 months.  These are strapping, interactive wines that will clearly benefit from age.

Domaine Joblot

2010 Joblot, Givry, 1er Cru Clos du Cellier aux Moines
The brambly nose lightly mixed with spices, quite a lot was going on.  In the mouth the red and black fruit was cool and tight, showing a similar spice as on the ose.  The tannins were chewy.  This has good potential.

2010 Joblot, Givry, 1er Cru Clos de la Servoisine
The nose revealed blacker fruit and stones.  In the mouth there was a subtle perfume to the fruit with was tart and red with a black core.  This definitely needs time and is very young.

Domaine Claude Dugat

These wines are produced from 12 hectares of vineyards which are farmed organically.  The wines are fermented and aged in barrel for up to 16 months.

2010 Claude Dugat, Bourgogne Rouge
This had a good mixed berry nose that stood out.  In the mouth there were tart red fruit, though a touch thinner than the nose.

2010 Claude Dugat, Gevrey-Chambertin
Again there was a good mixed berry nose with some ink.  In the mouth the tart red fruit had plenty of acidity, dryning tannins, and a delicate perfume.

Domaine Chauvenet-Chopin

These wines are produced from 17 hectares of vineyards.  The Village and Premier Cru wine see up to one-third new oak with the Grand Cru seeing up to two-thirds.  These fruit driven wines are meant to be drunk younger.  They were easily approachable with the Argillas being a clear step up in quality.

2010 Chauvenet-Chopin, Bourgogne Rouge
The nose was fruity with some old school notes.  In the mouth the creamy red fruit mixed with pastilles and grapefruit.  This is easy-going for near term consumption.

2010 Chauvenet-Chopin, Cotes de Nuits Villages
The light nose had a core of brambly black and red fruit aromas.  In the mouth this wine was fruity, dense, with good acidity as it turned tarter with spicy tannins.

2010 Chauvenet-Chopin, Nuits Saint Georges, Argillas
This wine stepped up with a refined fruity and grape nose with quite nice depth. In the mouth the tart black and red fruit bore similar depth with racy flavors and good concentration.

Maison Ambroise

This is an old domaine dating back to the 18th century.  Bertrand Ambroise took over the domaine in 1987 which produced wine from 17 hectares of vines.  He works organically.  The wines are left on their lees for one year and may see 100% oak in barrels less than two years old.  Starting with the Cotes de Nuits Villages these wines all bore beautiful aromas.  They are vigorously youthful and need time in the cellar.  My favorites were the Nuits St Georges, 1er Cru Les Vaucrains and the Corton, Grand Cru Le Rognet.

Maison Ambroise

2010 Maison Ambroise, Aries, Bourgogne
This is produced from 70-year-old vines farmed organically, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and raised in 30% new oak.  The nose revealed old-school perfume and grapefruit.  In the mouth there was focused red fruit with a little tartness.

2010 Maison Ambroise, Bourgogne Rouge
This is raised in 20% new oak.  The nose contained redder fruit with old perfume.  In the mouth the flavors were focused with crisp acidity, and black flavors in the finish.  Quite tight.

2010 Maison Ambroise, Cotes de Nuits Villages
This wine had a good nose with a little bit of inky perfume.  The perfume note follows into the mouth with focused red fruit and acidity.

2010 Maison Ambroise, Nuits St Georges, Vieilles Vignes
This nose was a bit restrained with good inky perfume.  In the mouth the redder fruit was pure with less tartness and no inky character.

2010 Maison Ambroise, Nuits St Georges, Hautes Prulieres
The light nose bore low-lying aromas.  In the mouth the black and red fruit was chewy with acidity.  Perhaps a touch of oak came out as the flavors became tart and tight with chunky acidity.  The finish was spicy with fine, powerful tannins. Quite nice.

2010 Maison Ambroise, Nuits St Georges, 1er Cru Les Vaucrains
The nose bore lovely red fruit and floral aromas.  In the mouth the black and red flavors mixed with dried herbs and integrated acidity.  There were similar spicy, powerful tannins.  Quite nice.

2010 Maison Ambroise, Corton, Grand Cru Le Rognet
The beautiful nose revealed black and red fruit with brewed black tea aromas.  In the mouth the flavors were lively on the tongue with a good core and black fruit in the aftertaste.  This wine was tight but shows strong potential for its long life.  Quite nice.

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.

Tasting Wines with Nancy Priest of Frederick Wildman

A week and a half ago Lou and I went down to MacArthur Beverages to purchase some wine and taste a selection of wines poured by Nancy Priest of Frederick Wildman & Sons.  Nancy is the Fine Wine Manager for the mid-Atlantic region.  I tasted the white wines out of the little plastic cups so my impressions for those wines are brief.  We did switch to wine glasses for the red wines and I very glad we did.  For the nose on the 2001 Baron de Lay was in full-glory.  It overshadowed the other wines with its complexity, depth, and engaging personality that floated out of the glass.  This alone was worth the trip.

2009 Domaine Faiveley, Montagny Blanc – $17
Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons.  This wine is 100% Chardonnay which was aged for 10-12 months in tank and neutral barrels.  There were flavors tilting towards cool with greenhouse and floral notes, a creamy mouthfeel, and turning citric-tart in the finish.  Precise and nice!

2009 Maison J. J. Vincent, Marie Antoinette, Puilly-Fuisse – $18
Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons.  This wine is 100% Chardonnay vinified in stainless steel with 25% of the wine touching wood.  This bore subtler yellow fruit, as compared to the Montagny Blanc, with notes of stone.

2001 Baron de Ley, Gran Reserva, Rioja – $40
Imported by Frederick Widman & Sons.  This wine is 100% Tempranillo which was fermented in stainless steel before aging for 24 months in used French and American oak.  All of the fruit is from Baja.  There was a strong nose of red fruit, cedar, wood notes becoming minerally with red fruit and aged aromas.  In the mouth the wine was slightly juicy with red cherries and a tart acidity that ran through the finish.  Fresh in the mouth, it should drink well for some time.

2009 Hect & Bannier, Cotes du Roussillon Villages – $22
Imported by Frederick Widman & Sons.  This wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Lledoner Pelut.  It was aged 40% in demi-muids, 30% in tank, and 30% in stock vat.  This showed delicate, dark fruit, notes of lipstick, and a textured finish.  Just a short note as I recently posted about this wine here.

2009 Paul Jaboulet Aine, Domaine de Thalabert, Crozes-Hermitage – $52
Imported by Frederick Widman & Sons.  This wine is 100% Syrah vinified in neutral casks then aged for 12 months.  The nose was dark and tight.  In the mouth the dark fruit became dark blue fruit in the middle with compact, linear delivery that gave the impression of cool, strength and precision.  A bit spicy with a wood note.  The fruit, acidity, and tannins were taut and clearly needs to age for the mid-term.

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

Brown Bags at Weygandt Wines

Just Some of the Brown-Bagged Wines

Last night I stopped by at Weygandt Wines for the monthly Food and Wine Bloggers night.  Hosted by Tim O’Rourke with invitations sent out by Joon Song of Vinicultured, the event was attended by several bloggers, people in the business, and many wine lovers.  The theme was a blind tasting and in the end there were 14 bottles of wine sourced from both the store and other places.  I suspect two dozen people rotated through.  To some degree everyone attempted to guess what they were drinking but that did not distract from social, talkative, enjoyment.

I enjoyed the range of wines with the Jean Francois Ganevat, Poulsard being the most unusual experience.  Of the whites I enjoyed the 2010 Gerard & Pierre Morin, Sancerre along with the 2008 Heitz, Sauvignon Blanc.  In terms of the red wines the  2010 Domaine Collotte is of good value, the 2002 Olga Raffault interesting, the 2007 Domaine Dugat-Py, Gevrey Chambertin was very drinkable, the 2009 Domaine les Aphillanthes needs to be revisited, and the 1995 Thunder Mountain was surprisingly good.

I have included my casual tasting notes.  They are presented in the order in which the bottles were numbered but not necessarily tasted.

#1 – 2010 Gerard & Pierre Morin, Vieilles Vignes, Sancerre
This is imported by Weygandt-Metzler.  This had a very light color.  There was a light nose, grassy, and textured.  In the mouth there were expansive flavors midpalate, note of stone, and acidity in the back of the mouth.  Attractive. Not Rated.

#2 – 2010 Domaine Collotte, Cuvee de Noble Souche, Burgundy
This is imported by Weygandt-Metzler.  A young color of ruby with purple tinge.  I thought this was Gamay!  The nose had notes of pepper and with time developed a good perfume.  There were some gravelly flavors and fine tannins. Not Rated.

#3 – Jean Francois Ganevat, Poulsard, Cuvee de l’enfant terrible, Cotes du Jura
This is a Jeffrey Alpert Selection.  This was a garnet-orange color.  Fizzy when poured it sported a foxy nose.  Quite unique with piercingly high acidity and citrus notes.  Interesting but not my preference, probably better with food. Not Rated.

#4 – 2002 Olga Raffault, Les Picasses, Chinon
This is imported by Louis/Dressner Selections.  It is made from Cabernet Franc grown on soils of limestone and clay.  A garnet color showing some age.  A perfumed nose, good red fruit, some stemmy forest wood flavors. Not Rated.

#5 – 2010 Chateau de la Bonneliere, Rive Gauche, Chinon
This is imported by Weygandt-Metzler.  A grapey color.  Young Cabernet Franc flavors with plenty of supporting acidity. Not Rated.

#6 – 2007 Domaine Dugat-Py, Vieilles Vignes, Gevrey-Chambertin
This is imported by Weygandt-Metzler.  A garnet color.  The slightly earthy nose is richer.  But the body was slight with precise, elegant flavors, tannins, and lots of acidity. Not Rated.

#7 – 2009 Domaine les Aphillanthes, 1921, Cotes du Rhone Villages Rasteau
This is imported by Weygandt-Metzler.  This wine is mostly Grenache sourced from a parcel planted in 1921.  A nose of black fruit and some pencil lead.  Very ripe, powdery fruit, a little spice, grapey tannins in finish.  Quite different from the other reds, powerful, I found this overbearing at first but when I revisited it later the wine had shaken off the baby fat and showed structure. Not Rated.

#8 – 2003 Edmunds St. John, Rocks and Gravel
This blend is roughly 35% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and 30% Mourvedre.  The nose was quite sweet like a rich vanilla-cake with a dash of spice.  The nose was quite different from the body which was quite restrained. Not Rated.

#9 – 2008 Heitz Cellars, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
This was enjoyable and drinkable with citrus flavors, decent body, and some concentration. Not Rated.

#10 – 1995 Thunder Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bates Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains
This was an aged garnet color.  A very pretty nose, lifted and complex with mature aromas but it ended with a vegetal note.  In the mouth it was crisp, precise, and had an enjoyable texture.  I thought it was Austrian! Not Rated.

#11 – 2004 Chateau de Valcombe, Prestige, Costieres de Nimes
This is imported by Robert Kacher.  The wine is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache.  I found a nose of old ladies perfume with flavors of wet cardboard and very fine tannins.  I did not like this. Not Rated.

#12 - 2010 Domaine Croix des Marchands, Fraicheur Perlee, Gaillac
This is imported by First Vine.  The wine is a blend of 34% Mauzac, 33% Muscadelle, and 33% Loin de l’Oeil sourced from 30-year-old vines.  Unfortunately, I did not taste this bottle. Not Rated.

#13 – 2004 James Judd & Sons Vineyards, Malbec Verdot, Paso Robles
This is a blend of 75% Malbec and 25% Petite Verdot.  The 2005 was aged for 22 months in American, French, and Hungarian oak barrels.  I found this overblown and hot, not my style. Not Rated.

#14 – 2008 Blenheim Vineyards, Blenheim Farm Petit Verdot, Monticello
This smelled like bleach in my glass.  After I dumped it the glass took on aromas of tobacco and dried herbs. Not Rated.

Joon and Aaron

Tasting Robert Kacher Selections at MacArthurs

This past Saturday I managed to squeeze in a short visit to MacArthurs to taste several wines poured by Bobby Kacher.  For over two decades Bobby has imported wines from his base in Washington, DC.  Though there was a continuous crowd of approximately one dozen people, he poured the wines, kept track of what everyone was drinking, meticulously managed the bottle temperatures, checked every glass before handing them over, and kept up an engaging banter.  To demonstrate the development of secondary aromas and flavors for one customer, he opened up a bottle of the 2007 Vernand Ambroise, Les Vaucrains.  My notes are a bit better than usual for a store tasting because the pours were decent and wine glasses were used.

This was a fun tasting.  I always enjoy tasting wines that I have not picked out and particularly enjoy tasting outside of the regions we typically drink from.  The Domaine Thomas, Domaine Santa Duc, and Chauvenet-Chaupin are all pleasing and interesting wines appropriately priced between $24-$35 per bottle.  At the higher-end of the selections I would be happy simply smelling glasses of the Ogier and Bertrand Ambroise.

2010 Domaine Thomas & Fils, La Crele, Sancerre – $23.99
This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from the La Crele vineyard.  This vineyard is located on a hillside with soils of limestone and small rocks.  The vines are 35 years old.  A strong, lifted nose of  subdued tropical fruits with good citrus and grassy components.  In the mouth there is a good mouth feel with balanced acidity.  After we had tasted the Santa Duc, Bobby poured us a second glass of this wine to demonstrate the purity of the nose.  Quite a nice wine. Not Rated.

2009 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils, En Virondot, Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru - $69.99
This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from a steep, rocky section.  There is a rich, delineated nose with some toast aromas.  In the mouth there are green apple flavors, an undertone of vanilla, and crisp apple-like acidity.  The fruit is textured with tannins becoming evident towards the finish.  This wine is young and need time for the oak to integrate.  But I must admit that I rather liked the tannins. Not Rated.

2009 Domaine Santa Duc, Cuvee Tradition, Gigondas – $29.99
This wine is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre, and 5% Cinsault.  The nose sported pure red fruit and a little earthiness.  In the mouth the lovely textured red fruit lifted and expanded midpalate before the incensed finish.  The mouth is completely covered by the time of the long aftertaste.  There is a nice quality to this wine as the fruit turns darker with blue/black berries in the finish. Not Rated.

2007 Michele & Stephane Ogier, Cote-Rotie – $79.99
This wine is 100% Syrah with 70% sourced from Cote Blonde and 30% from Cote Brune.  The vines are 18-63 years of age.  This was incredibly aromatic, the most out of all wines tasted this day.  The nose was earthy and textured with aromas of red and black berries.  In the mouth the flavors were more subtle with red, grainy fruit and a cool finish.  Right now the nose steals the show but hopefully in a few years it will develop in the mouth. Not Rated.

2009 Chauvenet-Chaupin, Cotes de Nuits-Villages – $34.99
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir.  A nose of red fruit.  In the mouth there are brambly red berries, good body, and a mineral-incense aspect.  The fruit turns bluer midpalate with a fine texture before becoming lifted in the aftertaste.  This should develop for a few years but it is absolutely pleasing at this point. Not Rated.

2009 Domaine Joblot, Clos  de la Servoisine, Givry 1er Cru - $39.99
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from very rocky, limestone rich soils.  This was lighter and more structured than the Chauvenet-Chaupin.  With more obvious oak, there is a complex midpalate, and long finish.  Very young at this point. Not Rated.

2007 Bertrand Ambroise, 1er Cru ”Les Vaucrains, Nuits Saint Georges – $79.99
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from 50+ year old vines then aged in 100% new oak.  The nose immediately revealed developed aromas of earthy, maturing fruit.  In the mouth there were ample flavors of red fruit that are still precise.  There is plenty of supporting acidity, still very fine tannins, and somewhat of a lifted aftertaste.  I would give this a few more years of age or several hours in the decanter. Not Rated.

The Rather Good 2009 Domaine des Moirots, Givry

This post concerns another wine selected for me by Matt.  This wine is imported by and available at Weygandt Wines for $25.  I was pleasantly surprised by this wine.  The earthy nature immediately appealed to both Jenn and I.  It is drinking very well right now which was attested to the quickly drained bottle.  I would look no further if you want to drink a Burgundy over the holidays.

2009 Domaine des Moirots, Givry
The light to medium strength nose contains earth notes before the red fruit steps out.  In the mouth this was quite tasty right out of the bottle.  The black cherry flavors mix with incense, a fair amount of tannins, and noticeable amount of dark fruit in the aftertaste.  The overall impression is of accessibility, balance, and an engaging nature. *** Now-2015.

Dinner and Wine at RN-74 in Seattle

Entrance to the Arctic Club Hotel

When I was tasting wine at Amavi/Pepper Bridge, Jennifer told me that I should really check out the new restaurant RN-74.  She was quite excited by the outstanding selection of Burgundies that the owner had brought over and were not available anywhere else in the state.  She said the prices were reasonable as well.  I did a double-take as there is an RN-74 in San Francisco designed by one of my friends.  This one was train themed too, it had to be an AvroKO designed restaurant.

AvroKO is an international firm run by the four long-time friends William, Kristina, Adam, and Greg.  I met William in the late 1990s when we lived in Seattle.  William was an interior designer and a local artist who was starting to gain a following.  Seattle could not contain his creativity so he left for New York City and helped start AvroKO in 2000.  Starting with Public NYC they now have designed a series of restaurants throughout the country and also Hong Kong.  Now that we have a young daughter the days of zipping up to New York to eat at William’s last opening are temporarily suspended.

I was feeling lazy after battling rush-hour traffic to get to my room at the Arctic Club Hotel.  I knew I had to eat but there were two wines I needed to taste in my room, making room service sound tempting.  The 2008 Rulo Winery, Syrah, Walla Wall was open and I liked it so I definitely wanted to take a note.  The 2009 Tried and True Tablewine would put me over my weight limit so it had to be tasted.  But Jenn reminded me that we rarely get the chance to visit one of William’s (AvroKO’s) restaurants so I should go and not worry about dumping leftover wine.

Self-Portrait Encompassing Two Parking Garages

The Arctic Club Hotel is decent but the immediate area is a bit barren and anchored by several parking garages.  I bucked up and headed over. The garages are actually interesting affairs and have a style that is quintessentially Seattle.

Revocable

A few of the buildings along 4th Ave. subtly remind you of their property boundaries and distracted my attention.

Entrance at 4th and Pike

But then I caught sight of RN-74 and immediately recalled that just over a month ago I had passed by and wondered about the then, almost complete, restaurant.  While there is a lot of foot traffic in the area, it is not a corner that I would expect this restaurant to open at.  The front door was open and there was quite a buzz from all of the people, I forgot about the location.

Wine Selections, Interesting Lamps, and Communal Table

RN-74 is named about the Route Nationale that runs through Burgundy.  The wine list primarily focuses on the wines of Burgundy but Bordeaux is close by with many wines from the 1950s and 1960s.  The Rhone and other regions are well represented but not at the expense of Washington and Oregon states which are deep in vintages.

I sat at the bar to eat the Painted Hills Burger and taste some Pinot Noir.

Pinot and Beef

The higher-end wines-by-the-glass are poured from a Enomatic machine and served in Spiegelau glasses.  In case you have multiple glasses in front of you they label a ticket which is slipped around the stem.

Filament Bulbs

Being an AVROKO restaurant you find the thorough attention to detail, including graphics, the communal table, filament bulbs, dress of the staff (check out the shirts), and attention to both food and drink.  A small selection of the wines are listed upon the wall, evoking train tickers, but others are listed on a moving ticker.  I was tempted by the 2009 Gremenon, Les Laurentides, but Jenn and I have drunk it before and it is currently available at MacArthur’s. And I could not forget the bottles in my hotel room.  The prices on the ticker do move and not randomly.

Wine Specials

2000 Domaine Drouhin, Laurene, Dundee Hills, Oregon
There were 1900 cases of this wine produced.  This wine has a garnet color and a subdued nose.  There are still concentrated flavors of red fruits, tart berries, cherries, and vigorous grip.  There are some citrus qualities to the mature flavors.  The minerals or crushed stones in the finish integrate with fine+ tannins then blue fruits.  This bottle was well stored and in no rush to be consumed, what a nice treat and surprise to find by the glass.  Definitely new world and probably won’t develop a complex nose but it is good fun to drink.  There are ample, affordable wines that should be drunk mature but do not find their way to restaurants, let alone, served by the glass.  ** Now-2015.

2007 Chandon de Brailles, Volney 1er Cru, “Caillerets”, Burgundy
There were 148 cases of this wine produced.  It is a lighter color than the Drouhin with purplish tinge.  It has an interesting, perfumed nose of ripe, blacker-stone fruits..  The flavors in the mouth are darker, with initial red fruit then underlying black fruit developing, with a structured stone-like personality.  **(*) Now-2019.

2008 Domaine de Montille, Beaune 1er Cru, “Les Sizes”, Burgundy
This wine had the lightest color of them all and it was a rose/ruby.  There is a nice nose of minerals, red fruit, and some earth.  In the mouth the tart, red fruit was complemented by some spiciness.  As it was a new bottle it eventually revealed delicate scents on the nose.  ** 2015-2019.

Drinking Pinot Noir by Lou’s Pool

The Author and Lou by the Pool

Sometimes last-minute arrangements work best.  Between work and his family, Lou is a busy guy so I was excited that we could arrange a last-minute get together.  We independently wanted to drink some Pinot Noir so I brought selections from Oregon and Lou opened up some Burgundy.  Jenn kindly played with Lorelei, who was repeatedly jumping into the pool, as I tasted through the wines.  I must admit, I was a bit distracted so I did not completely focus on taking wine notes.  I revisited our share of the wines at home as we watched USA beat Brazil in penalty kicks.  All of the reds were double-decanted almost two hours ahead of time and were later placed on ice to bring them back down to temperature.

2009 Domaine Cambis, Le Chante de Griots, Languedoc
Lou purchased this for $13 from MacArthur’s.  This is a blend of 60% Viognier and 40% Roussanne.  It was the color of a light to medium straw with hints of yellow-green.  It was refreshing with good texture, a slightly oily characteristic, but showed a little heat in the finish.  ** Now.

Cheeses from Maryland

We snacked on local cheeses, salami, and bread while we tasted the wine.  All of the reds were bagged and my notes appear in the order they were tasted.

2009 Joseph Drouhin, Cotes de Nuits-Villages, Burgundy
Lou purchased this wine from MacArthur’s for $20.  It had a grapey color in the glass with purple highlights.  There is a little heat on the nose and hints of pepper.  In the mouth there were hard red fruits, a clean profile then a little black cherry.  I guess this was a Burgundy.  It was very slow to open and after many hours developed a nose of herbs, particularly sage mixed with subtle red fruits.  It was lighter in the mouth than the Cotes de Beaune and developed pure sage flavors.  Jenn really loved the sage aspect because she is from New Mexico.  ** 2015-2019.

2008 White Rose Estate, Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley
I purchased this bottle from Esquin Wine Merchants for approximately $40.  It was a little bit darker than the Cotes de Nuits-Village and ruby in color.  This was a fruitier wine, almost medium bodied, that I guess being from Oregon.  It showed younger in profile, with polished wood aromas and an almost fishy quality to the hard nose.  In the mouth there were herbed red fruit, and some reduced, wooden redness.  The polished wood aspect was interesting.  While this wine clearly needs some age, it is a wee bit expensive.  ** 2015-2022.

2009 Beaux Freres, Les Cousins, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
I purchased this bottle from McCarthy & Schiering for $30.  Their prices tilt towards full retail so could probably be bought for cheaper.  There were 1,300 cases produced.  This had a young nose of dark, gritty fruits.  There were big flavors of dark, red fruits, with a grippy quality to the well presented fruit.  There were more tannins than the previous two wines but this was offset by the bluer, creamier fruit that developed through the finish.  I guess Oregon.  It became lush as it opened and developed into good stuff, with spices and mouthfilling flavors.  Jenn and I rather liked it.  This is a strong value under $30 and represents a more accessible style. *** 2015-2022.

2009 Joseph Drouhin, Cotes de Beaune-Villages, Burgundy
Lou purchased this bottle for $20 from MacArthur’s.  This was a similar lightness like the Les Cousins but redder in nature.  There were red fruits and some spice in this young, nice wine.  I guessed Burgundy and for the longest time preferred it to the Cotes de Nuits-Villages because it delivered a bit more.  But I can see how the strong sage scent of the Cotes de Nuits-Villages won over Jenn.  ** 2015-2019.

2009 Cameron Winery, Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley
I bought this bottle from McCarthy & Schiering for $28.  This is on the high-side and can be found for $23-$25 in stores.  I actually opened this bottle the night before.  I thought it a bit tight but did not mind it.  Jenn wasn’t too thrilled so we switched to the 2009 Buty, Merlot/Cabernet Franc instead.  At Lou’s this showed some lifted aromas of hard, old ladies’ perfume.  I did guess Oregon.  In the mouth this reminded me of dirty earth and not the good earth that may be found in Rhone wines.  Strange. * Now-2019.