Archive
Madeira in Early America, The dinner party
Discussing the history of wine is thirsty work. After completing our breakout sessions and the walk around tasting for The Stanford Wine Society, it was time for dinner. Back in San Francisco a handful of us gathered at a round table to refresh with a glass of NV Laurent-Perrier, Champagne Brut Cuvee Grand Siecle. Grand Siecle is a blend of three vintages, the exact set unknown to us, but based on the label we know this was released in the 1980s. From an English cellar, this is robust, lively wine with mature flavors and the core to persist for a number of years.
Carried over from England, the 2011 Arnaud Ente, Meursault La Seve du Clos is the most engaging and impressive wine of the evening. Impeccable and easy to drink, this is the first wine I have found such level of flavor from a small sip. The aromas, flavors, and mouth feel engage multiple senses.
A lack of vintage label invoked a study of Clape label styles to arrive at a backet of mid 1980’s vintages for our first red wine. After tasting, those of more experience narrowed down to 1984 [believed] Auguste Clape, Cornas. The nose is gorgeous, the palate gentle.
We met fate with our pair of 1989 Chateau Rayas, Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve and 1990 Chateau Rayas, Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve. The former in fine condition but the sea spray aromas on the later 1990 indicated an off bottle. The 1989 is all pure framboise with texture.
Of the final pair, the 1991 August Clape, Cornas first overshadowed the 1999 Noel Verset, Cornas. The Clape is a deep, dense, flavorful wine from the start such so that I first finished my glass before moving. Upon settling down with the Verset, I was impressed by how well it responded to air. This is a wine with strong potential, the young flavors are tense with energy and the old-school note speaks of interesting complexity yet to come.
NV Laurent-Perrier, Champagne Brut Cuvee Grand Siecle
Imported by The Rare Wine Co. Alcohol 12%. 1980s release. A mature color with a fine, textured nose. Initially a robust wine with a fine cut of acidity and yeasty streak. Lively, with both chalk and a core of fruit followed by plenty of presence through the finish. The mature flavors are up front, coating the mouth and taking on sweetness with air. **** Now – 2028.
2011 Arnaud Ente, Meursault La Seve du Clos
The very light color belies the aromatic nose of sweet, floral aromas, and tropical fruit. In the mouth is a bright start with the body immediately developing and coming out to fill the mouth. An almost inky finish brings a toast note. The balance is impeccable and the effortless concentration is impressive. Flavors of lemon, with a tart hint on the sides of the tongue, mix with fat and long-last acidity. One really needs just a small sip to enjoy all the wine has to offer. Gorgeous. ****(*) Now – 2028.
1984 [believed] Auguste Clape, Cornas
Imported by The Rare Wine Co. A gorgeous nose of vintage perfume, flowers, earthy hints, and menthol freshness. In the mouth are gently sweet flavors of red fruit. There is concentration and the citric grip is structured from the middle through the finish. The fruit flavors are mostly up front and of tart, red flavors meaning the nose is the star of this wine. ***(*) Now.
1989 Chateau Rayas, Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve
Pure, aromatic fruit on the nose followed by framboise in the mouth. The flavors turn a touch tart with air but they are pure, clean, and in plenitude. There is plenty to perceive as well, fine berries with texture, evocative of seeds, minerals, and even structure. Lovely. **** Now – 2023.
1990 Chateau Rayas, Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve
Not quite right on the nose, sea spray. In the mouth are slightly short red fruit flavors, sharper fruit, and a tart middle. Grippy on the tongue with plenty of grip and extract. Clearly an off bottle but enough going on that you could drink around it as a mid-week wine. Shame! Not Rated.
1991 August Clape, Cornas
Imported by The Rare Wine Co. Alcohol 12.5%. Slightly textured, animale, dense and flavorful. The fruit is not bright, rather dense and deep in flavor. Fine polished wood and a deep, meaty end wrap things up. **** Now – 2028.
1999 Noel Verset, Cornas
Alcohol 12.5%. Lot 1. A greater purity to the red fruit. There is still structure but the grapey tension and resolution with time only makes the wine more attractive. Delicate yet greatly flavored with an old-school note. This bottle shows strong potential. ****(*) Now – 2033.
A dinner with John Junguenet and Mannie Berk
It was time for dinner following an afternoon spent on Madeira research with Mannie Berk, founder of The Rare Wine Co. We made our way to the Common Lot in Millburn, New Jersey where we met up with John Junguenet. If the Junguenet name sounds familiar that is because John is the son of Alain Junguenet who founded Wines of France in the 1980s.
Mannie first met Alain Junguenet in those early years when Alain started off by importing Beaujolais. They traveled through France together and remain friends today. With John’s rise in the family business, new friendships are made, thus I found myself drinking several incredible bottles with two men whose lives are steeped in wine.
A very quick check reveals I have never drunk Coche-Dury with more than a decade of age. To move back nearly three decades is downright exciting! Our bottle of 1988 Coche-Dury, Meursault Les Rougeots was in very fine shape. Both the aromas and flavors bring forth green apples and stones with a particular tangy grip. The acidity is bright but provides tension matched by the texture of the wine. There is, perhaps, a sense of maturity on the nose but this wine should drink great for at least a decade.
The name Henri Jayer should need no introduction. He made some of the most sought after Burgundy which also became the most expensive Burgundy in the market. However, there is also coveted Burgundy from the other Jayer brothers, Georges and Lucien. A bottle of 1989 Lucien Jayer, Echezeaux Grand Cru was our first red wine. The three brothers each owned distinct parcels in Echezeaux with Lucien’s being Les Treux. Vineyard work and winemaking were a bit of a family affair such that Lucien tended the vines and Henri made this particular wine. [I do see that John Gilman writes that Lucien made the wine.] Regardless of winemaking, this is a young, pure, initially elegant wine. It ever so slowly responds to air, building both aroma and depth to the tense red fruit.
We then moved back to the 1960s. One sniff of the 1964 CVNE, Vina Real, Rioja Reserva Especial transports you to another era. A quick inspection inspired Mannie to decant this bottle. This is beautiful, traditional Rioja with no sense of fragility to the lifted, sweet flavors which fill the mouth and cling through the aftertaste. I really enjoyed this bottle.
Something happened to the 1969 J. Pedroncelli Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon Private Stock, Sonoma County at some point in its life. Soft and limp, it was set aside. The 1978 Diamond Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon, Volcanic Hill, Napa Valley did not disappoint. It opened up with air, becoming the sort of intensely pleasurable wine you want to drink all by yourself. But then you would feel guilty for not sharing the experience with your closest friends.
1988 Coche-Dury, Meursault Les Rougeots
Shipped by Radman & Co. Imported by Grand Cru Inc. Alcohol 12.5%. There is a fine nose of stones, gunsmoke, and apples. The aromas become even deeper with air. In the mouth are finely textured flavors of green apple. This wine has a tangy grip, plenty of stone like flavors, and bright acidity. There is great tension and attractive texture on the mouth. Drinking brilliantly but will easily live on. ****(*) Now – 2027.
1989 Lucien Jayer, Echezeaux Grand Cru
An Alain Junguenet Selection imported by Wines of France. The young nose is pure, full of beautiful aromas of red fruit and perfume. In the mouth the red fruit oscillates between tang and tart, building flavor and citric grip with air. There is a hint of smoke. This bottle is in fantastic condition as this tense wine slowly builds, adding both flavor and persistence. The structure and acidity are there, capable of supporting years of future development. ****(*) Now – 2032.
1964 CVNE, Vina Real, Rioja Reserva Especial
Imported by The Rare Wine Co. Ahhh, that familiar old Rioja nose. This is a grippy, mouth filling wine with sweet, lifted flavors that cling to the mouth. It tastes of another era with its vintage perfume notes and ability to brighten up and build flavor with air. The aftertaste is very persistent. Drinks great now but will last. ****(*) Now – 2023.
1969 J. Pedroncelli Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon Private Stock, Sonoma County
Alcohol 12%. It smells off on the nose and while better tasting in the mouth, it is limp. Not Rated.
1978 Diamond Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon, Volcanic Hill, Napa Valley
Alcohol 12.5%. The dark aromas make way to minty, dark fruit which fills the mouth with both menthol and animale flavors. The wine improves markedly with air, revealing it as thicker, racy, and oily. It has an almost grainy texture to the black fruit. An excellent bottle with years of life ahead. ****(*) Now – 2027.
Mature wines at an annual dinner
Lou and I gather the families every year for a pre-holiday dinner featuring mature wines. This year we were joined by Darryl and Nancy for whom mature wine is a bit of an obsession. To accompany the dinner of crab cakes, coq au vin blanc, and leg of lamb we had planned nothing more than opening a random series of mature red wines. This was then surrounded by a Champagne and white wine starter eventually to be concluded with a dessert wine.
The Champagne was in the form of the impressively boxed 1990 Veuve Clicquot, Champagne Vintage Cave Privée. This is surprisingly fruity on the nose with precise flavors in the mouth that are supported by robust bubbles. There is only a touch of yeast and the sense of maturity really takes many hours to develop. It was a good showing.
The white wines moved us onto experimental territory. The 2008 The Scholium Project, Naucratis, Lost Slough Vineyards is Verdelho on steroids. Unfortunately the 16.3% alcohol breaks through towards the finish as pure alcohol. No matter how seductive and correct the nose is, I could not get past the burning sensation in my throat. The 1998 Hugel, Riesling Jubilee Hugel, Alsace is only made in the best vintages. You get that sense from the lifted aromas on the nose but in the mouth the wine is starting to tire. Switching gears once again, the 1995 Pierre Morey, Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres is a wine for mature Chardonnay drinkers. The apple orchard flavors and bits of subtlety speak of maturation but the fat draws you back to peak drinking.
1990 Veuve Clicquot, Champagne Vintage Cave Privée
Imported by Moet Hennessy. Disgorged October 2008. Alcohol 12%. The nose is quite pretty with a surprising amount of berry fruit. The fruit continues in the mouth but soon picks up lemons and baking spices with a touch of yeast. With air the flavors develop towards maturity. The wine has good precision to the flavors which are enlivened by fine, robust bubbles. This is more of a fruity wine than yeasty/biscuit wine. **** Now – 2026.
2008 The Scholium Project, Naucratis, Lost Slough Vineyards
Alcohol 16.3%. There is a rich, nutty, creamy, and seductive nose. In the mouth is a rich mouthful followed by toast and baking spices. The wine finishes spicy with a sharp, alcoholic jolt in the end. It starts of promising but is unpleasant by the end. *** for the nose but for drinkability * Now.
1998 Hugel, Riesling Jubilee Hugel, Alsace
Alcohol 12.5%. There is an attracted, lifted nose with lemons and herbs in the short finish. Interesting to smell but tiring out. ** Now.
1995 Pierre Morey, Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres
Alcohol 13.5%. The golden amber color speaks of maturity. In the mouth is an moderately dense wine with apple orchard flavors and spot-on acidity. It is clearly at its peak, with a suggestion of subtlety, that is briefly waylaid by the fat in the finish. *** Now.
While Lou and I finished our dinner preparations we required some red wine. Together we had both stood up a dozen or so bottles to try which we arrayed on a desk. A fine looking 1976 Bitouzet-Prieur, Pommard was selected at random. I was curious about this wine, Pommard being the first mature Burgundy I ever drunk. This bottle is from the first year Neal Rosenthal began working with the estate. The significant amount of muddy looking mold under the capsule foretells disaster in my experience. While not completely gone the dusty, dirty aroma pervaded the flavor. Down the drain it went and out came the cork on the half bottle of 1969 Sterling Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley. From the first released vintage, this wine was in good, though fully mature shape. Peter Newton and Michael Stone founded Sterling Vineyards in 1964 with Ric Forman as the winemaker. Both Peter Newton and Ric Forman went on to found Newton Vineyards once Sterling was sold to Seagram in 1977. So this is an historic wine in two senses. It proved a solid experience though the aroma of bananas and sweet rather than lively aspect of flavor prevented it from being excellent. No regrets though, for one should try as many 1960s Californian wine as possible, for it is an historic period.
1976 Bitouzet-Prieur, Pommard
Shipped by Neal Rosenthal. Imported by Select Vineyards LTD. Alcohol 11-14%. It smells of dust and dirt. There are some dark flavors in the mouth but the dusty, dirt aspect is less than subtle. An off bottle. Not Rated.
1969 Sterling Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (375mL)
Alcohol 12%. The nose reminds me of red fruit and bananas. In the mouth are clean flavors of red fruit which are sweet. With air this becomes quite a mouthful. The assertive acidity brings forth a burst, of sweet flavor. It leaves the impression that this was a larger, slightly sweet wine in youth. *** Now.
With dinner we sat down to some serious wine. The glass bottle of the 1961 Drouhin, Domaine General Marey-Monge, Romanee St-Vivant was covered with cellar grime and label damage from racking. It is one of those bottles whose provenance was lost over the years or decades. There was a fair bit of ullage but the color through the green glass, though light, reminded me of watered down cranberries which is a good indicator. With a gorgeous nose and lively flavors, there is much on offer with this wine. If I nit-pick, it does not have the harmony of the 1964 Momessin, Clos du Tart but it has personality. I really like this type of wine. Just one year younger the 1962 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac had very top-shoulder fill just below the neck. This was my first experience with Lafite. Yes, I have sadly written about more older vintages than the number of bottles tasted. Still this proved a great start. The nose is great, unique, and worth spending some time on. In the mouth this is a fully mature wine with just a touch of fat and graphite.
I admit the 1945 Chateau Calon-Segur looked horrible. As you can see by the picture, it still does, with the label almost falling off after lying in my equally old Eurocave. Inside the glass is what counts so the top-shoulder fill, dark color, and firm cork waylaid some fear. All of that aside, being of the 1945 vintage and bottled by John Harvey & Sons of Bristol, where I spent my sophomore year abroad, warranted trying it out. The color is the darkest of all opened that night. The nose and the flavors are marked by eucalyptus with bright, tart, red fruit. In the end it is a relic.
With calls for more fruity wine I selected the 1979 Chateau Cabrieres, Chateauneuf du Pape. The fill was excellent and the capsule contemporary so I suspect this is an ex-domaine release. I cannot imagine someone would fake a modest vintage of Chateauneuf du Pape. I liked it a lot. To me it offers a balanced, mature Chateauneuf.
I recently wrote how I prefer equally old dessert wine following an old wine tasting. I am happy to report that the 2009 Chateau Suduiraut, Sauternes marks me wrong. It is incredibly complex and flavorful both on the nose and in the mouth. This is an outstanding wine.
1961 Drouhin, Domaine General Marey-Monge, Romanee St-Vivant
Imported by Dreyfus, Ashby, & Co. This is almost light brown in color. The nose, though, is gorgeous with aromas of cranberry and vintage perfume underpinned by an earthy note. With air it develops both bacon aromas and hints of smoke. In the mouth the vintage flavor tastes sweeter with air. This is a vibrant wine with fine acidity. As should be the case, this old Burgundy develops with air, improving at first then maintaining its lovely state until finish. **** Now but will last for a decade.
1962 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac
Shipped by Mestrezat-Preller. Imported by White Company Ltd. Alcohol 11%-14%. The nose is aromatic and beautiful from the very first pour. It sports sweet, unique aromas of blood and iron. In the mouth are bright, clean red fruit which follows the nose. There are hints of fat and hints of dry graphite. This is drinking at its peak. **** Now.
1945 Chateau Calon-Segur, Saint-Estephe
Bottled by John Harvey & Sons of Bristol. The color is remarkably dark but of proper garnet brown. There is a fresh nose of eucalyptus and dust. Similar eucalyptus mixes with bright, tart red fruit carried through with watering acidity. There is even some structure. *(*) Now.
1979 Chateau Cabrieres, Chateauneuf du Pape
Alcohol 13.5%. The nose smells of a library and garrigue. This wine peaks after 10 minutes providing an attractive blend of blue and red fruit, garrigue, and leather. Everything is in balance with this properly mature wine. It still suggests at ripe fruit. *** Now.
2009 Chateau Suduiraut, Sauternes
The nose is amazing and almost effervescent as the aromas fly out of the glass. In the mouth is a core of butterscotch flavors, ripe pineapples, and sweet cream. This racy wine is already, impressively complex. Why not drink it now? ****(*) Now – 2036.
From young Boillot to old Giscours, La Mission Haut Brion, and Montrose
Drinking old Bordeaux from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s is a complex game for you cannot predict the quality of the wine based on vintage and chateau alone. This period saw not only significant changes in technology but estates also changed ownership with vineyards subsequently reconstructed and replanted. As a result, I find reading about the history of these wines adds depth to the experience of drinking them. It also extends the period during which I think about the wines. Before I could think about Bordeaux, Lou and I tucked into a pair of white wines. Even after being open for three days, the 2012 Henri Boillot, Meursault proved it needs a few more years in the cellar. I found the oak supportive of the tart, grippy lemon flavors. On the other hand, the 1998 Robert Mondavi, Chardonnay Reserve, Napa Valley shows gobs of oak without enough interesting flavors.
2012 Henri Boillot, Meursault –
Imported by MacArthur Liquors. This wine is 100% Chardonnay that was aged for 18 months in oak barrels. Alcohol ?%. The aromas already bore complexity and were supported by oak. In the mouth the wine was fresh, tart and grippy with spot-on lemon flavors, good acidity, and some raciness. The structure is clearly supportive for development. *** 2014-2022.
1998 Robert Mondavi, Chardonnay Reserve, Napa Valley –
This wine is 100% Chardonnay which was fermented and aged in oak. Alcohol ?% The nose was a bit stinky with sweet and heavy aromas of oak. The flavors were soft and creamy with just enough acidity to prevent flabbiness. With an eye towards mouthfeel, the matching tropical flavors eventually leaned towards fresher, weighty lemons. With notes of wood and old wine, this was ultimately a survivor. Not my type of wine. * Now.
I expected the 1961 Chateau Giscours, Margaux to be dead and despite Mark Wessel’s (MacArthur Beverages) warnings of volatility, I still expected the 1970 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, Graves to be drinkable. Lou selected the as 1964 Chateau Montrose, Saint-Estephe a backup bottle which I prejudged as an apt replacement for the Giscours. The corks for the Giscours and La Mission Haut Brion were in fine form and of good aroma. A quick sniff of the Giscours surprisingly revealed sweet fruit, “jammy” as Lou described, that was attractive and indicated the wine was very much in good shape. On the other hand, the La Mission Haut Brion was volatile and as reflected in Lou’s facial expressions, not worth drinking. Up came the Montrose from the cellar and out came the cork. There was somewhat troubling mold encased down the top sides of the cork but the bottom smelled fine. Lou poured the Montrose and we both immediately commented on the relatively youthful, and certainly dark color of the wine.
Bottles of 1970 La Mission Haut Brion, and indeed the vintages surrounding it, are known to be marked by volatile acidity. The explanation lies within Clive Coates’ Grands Vins (1995). Frederic Woltner bought the estate in 1919 and upon his death, his son Henri Woltner took over running things. The Woltner’s were remarkably progressive, having installed stainless steel tanks in the 1920s and 1950s (from a brewery none the less). This enthusiasm for the wine seems to have faded during Henri Woltner’s final years before his death in 1974. It is this period, particularly from 1967 to 1974 that Clive Coates details as one of a “lack of supervision” with the wines suffering from “an excess of volatile acidity.” The famed oenologist Professor Emile Peynaud was brought in as a consultant in 1974 and the wines subsequently improved. Needless to write, our bottle of the 1970 vintage, represented this slump in full force. As a replacement we drank a lovely bottle of 1964 Chateau Montrose. You may read about the history of this youthful wine in my post “Picked before the rain”: the 1964 Chateau Montrose, Saint-Estephe.
While the 1970 La Mission Haut Brion lived up to its reputation I think the 1961 Giscours somewhat exceeded it. Once described by Michael Broadbent as “Not highly recommended”, notes of this wine by the major writers are noticeably absent from such books as David Peppercorn’s Bordeaux (1991). Chateau Giscours was acquired by Nicolas Tari in 1954. Nicolas Tari was an experienced winemaker from Algeria who set about reconstructing and replanting the vineyards. When he started purchasing the estate in 1947, only 7 of the 80 hectares were planted with vines. Thus the 1961 vintage was produced from young vines. The most recent significant note on this wine comes from Clive Coates. From a tasting in 2003, he describes the “Rich, aromatic, quite concentrated nose” as well as “no great complexity or distinction” in flavor. As far as our bottle relates, he is spot on!
1961 Chateau Giscours, Margaux –
Unknown shipper and importer. The attractive nose bore sweaty, low-lying aromas of sweet and dark fruit. At first, the wine shows weight that matches the nose but after an hour it starts to thin out by the finish. The initial flavors of tart red fruit and hints of dark, earthy flavors take on older flavors that echo in the mouth. As leather notes develop there is a bit of a grip at the back of the mouth and even some tart, strawberry flavors in the end. *** for the nose alone but overall ** Now.
1970 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, Graves –
Unknown shipper and importer. Top-shoulder fill. Old and foxy on the nose and certainly not worth drinking. With air the wine developed sweet fruit flavors that could not overpower the volatility. Not Rated.
1964 Chateau Montrose, Saint-Estephe –
Shipped by Pierre Cartier & Fils. Imported by Monsieur Henri Wines. Alcohol 12%. Mid-shoulder fill. A beautiful wine in the glass with a dark and youthful core of color. Both the nose and the mouth exhibit firm, cherry red fruit, and hard, watering acidity. The wine is not terribly complex, instead it offers pure fruit flavors that are both beautiful and elegant. *** Now 2030.