A Long Weekend of Burgs and a Few Others

Scottsdale, AZ
Tasted Thursday, May 17, 2012 - Sunday, May 20, 2012 by joe d with 589 views

Introduction

My old burg-drinking buddy was in town with his wife for a long weekend and we drank a few good bottles. Everything was served with food in a social setting, so I did not take any formal notes.

Flight 1 - Day 1 (2 Notes)

Friends arrived around 7:30pm and were pretty tired. Two years away from Phoenix makes people forget what driving around in 100 degree heat does to you. We had some takeout sushi and popped a couple of non-burgs.

  • 2010 Venica & Venica Collio Pinot Grigio Jesera 85 Points

    Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio

    (5/17/2012)

    We have been drinking Venica's Friuliano and Sauvignon Blanc offerings with a lot of pleasure recently and the Pinot Grigio has just hit the shelves. This is a nice PG with bright flavors, good acidity, and fruit and body on the palate to provide a nicely balanced package. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2009 Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato 90 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane

    (5/17/2012)

    Delicious wine. Sweet black fruits with acidity and some earthiness. Very well balanced and easy to drink with moderate 12.5 ABV. The epitome of a natural wine for me. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 2 - Day 2 - Dinner for Seven (8 Notes)

We invited a few like-minded wine friends for dinner. The weather was not tooooo hot and we were able to enjoy crostini on the patio before heading inside for grilled Alaskan king salmon over rice with red pepper and corn, sauteed cabbage with feta and walnuts, and endive and avocado salad in a mustard dressing.

  • 2004 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords 85 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

    (5/18/2012)

    Very pale color - looks just like it did at purchase. Reticent nose leads to classic mineral and saline flavors with a little roundness from the bottle aging. Delicious. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1996 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia 85 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    (5/18/2012)

    Brought by one of the guests, a very pleasant surprise. Vaguely oxidative on the nose and palate but complementary, not intrusive. Aromatically shy and not showing too much on the palate either. Fresh citrus flavors kept the oxidative note in the background. This was good but just not very expressive today. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2002 François Cazin (Le Petit Chambord) Cour-Cheverny Vendanges Manuelles Cuvée Renaissance Flawed

    France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Cour-Cheverny

    (5/18/2012)

    Corked. Dang.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Domaine 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

    (5/18/2012)

    Another excellent example of the 2002 Bouchard C-C. Pale yellow with a beautiful floral nose. Grippy mineral and citrus flavors on the palate with great acidity. Never a hint of premox with this bottling over the years. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2004 Nicolas Potel Clos St. Denis 85 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru

    (5/18/2012)

    On a night of mostly burgs, this one was the odd one out. Opened an hour or so in advance, had a nice dark-fruited nose and palate. It was open and fairly expressive if not too complex. After a while, I noticed a fairly strong menthol or eucalyptus aroma that was distracting. Another at the table found something distracting in the wine as well but couldn't put his finger on it. Good, but I'm a little uncomfortable with how it evolved over a few hours. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2005 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 90 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    (5/18/2012)

    Great showing. Opened a couple of hours in advance and was delicious right out of the gate. Very pale rosy color and an absolutely dynamite nose. Fruit, spice, great complexity and a good long finish. This held its own and then some among some pretty good company from the Cote d'Or.
    My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru

    (5/18/2012)

    Opened a couple of hours in advance. Medium red color, showing some maturation on the nose with a little burgundy stink. Boy this is tasty - nice red fruit with the earthy sous-bois flavors following the nose. Good acidity and some fine tannins fill out a complete package that is delicious but still has plenty of life ahead. Tastes right on the front edge of prime drinkablility. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus 85 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

    (5/18/2012)

    Drank at the end of an evening of pinots to accompany cheese. It had been open a few hours. Deep ruby color with a nice complex spicy nose that brought back memories of Baby Jesus' past. Medium body with plenty of red and black fruit, it's good but doesn't have the complexity or length on the palate that I would hope for. Still young, I think it can develop. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 3 - Day 3 - Post-pizza With Some Wisconsin Cheeses (1 Note)

Visited the local Italian deli (which happens to double as a wood-fired pizza joint 3 nights a week) for a couple of fantastic pies and his melt-in-your-mouth grilled calamari. Returning home we served a couple of cheeses with another delicious burgundy.

  • 2006 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 95 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

    (5/19/2012)

    Oh my! Popped and poured, the nose alone says that this is obviously Chambolle of great pedigree. Limpid ruby in the glass. On the palate delicate medium-bodied red fruit flavors. Light tannins and moderate acidity complete a beautifully balanced package. On this night, exceptional, and one of the top two wines of a weekend of very good ones. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 4 - Day 4 - Sunday Wrap-up (2 Notes)

Before the weekend when I suggested an all-Muscadet evening, I was met with a skeptical: "I like muscadet but they're all pretty similar." Au contraire: I present to you Marc Ollivier's Granite de Clisson 2005. Dinner was The Barefoot Contessa's Grilled Tuna Nicoise Platter - a great recipe.

  • 2005 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Granite de Clisson 90 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine

    (5/20/2012)

    Opened this to show my friend what Marc Ollivier can do with this cuvee. This 2005 is drinking very well right now. The pungency that I found on release has eased a bit, leaving a deliciously balanced mix of citrus and mineral flavors rounded off nicely by a few years of bottle age. Really good. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2001 Domaine Dujac Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes 95 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

    (5/20/2012)

    I wish I owned more Dujac. This bottle presents an interesting contrast with the Rousseau CSJ - darker fruit, more development and integration. Earth and mineral flavors give away its proximity to Morey. A complete package on this day and one of the two best wines of the weekend. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Closing

What a fabulous weekend with great friends. There was really not a clunker wine in the bunch and a couple of epiphanies. The 2006 Drouhin Amoureuses was in a wonderful spot. We really miss having them around and sharing great bottles like these with good food and conversation.

Sante everyone!

×
×