Sharon Bowman returns to NY with an eclectic mix.
Tasted November 11, 2008 by BradKNYC with 896 views
Introduction
Sharon Bowman and new hubby Arnaud were back in New York last night and we feted their return with plenty of food, wine and fun at the hipster lounge known as Chez SFJoe. I was especially keen to see Sharon again as aside from bringing her wit and her charm, she generously agreed to schlep a few bottles of wine for me across the Atlantic. Thanks again Sharon!
Michel Abood, Chris and Lisa Coad, Asher Rubinstein, Jay Miller and Ben Sherwin were there to welcome our French visitors, but it being a school night, Joe didn’t have time to whip up his usual gastronomique feast, but he did manage to make up some very tasty black trumpet mushroom quesadillas and huitlacoche (corn fungus) quesadillas and that, along with roasted cauliflower, precisely and laboriously cut by Sharon, morel risotto with arugula and chickens from Bouley Bakery served as a nice accompaniment to the lengthy list of wines that paraded up and down the table. Sharon also hand carried some wonderful cheeses in from France.
Quite an array of wines, but that’s pretty much expected with this bunch. I gather the world was turned upside for a number of folks there when Sharon, a known Chenin Blanc hater liked a Vouvray and I actually liked a Cot. I know Coad was worried about Sharon and I sitting together with his belief that our palates were like matter and anti-matter, but there was no cataclysm. In fact, it seemed as if perhaps I got a little of my peanut butter in her chocolate and she got a little chocolate in my peanut butter a la Reese’s.
In any event, a very fun night and it’s always great to see Sharon and I hope we see more of her soon…she still has six more bottles for me!
Notes are in the order I tasted, for the most part. I missed a few wines and didn’t jot down notes on a few. I know I missed a Clos Roche Blanche Rosé, there was a corked ’98 Côte-Rôtie, and two Champagnes, one which was a Selosse that I didn’t love.
Flight 1 (13 notes)
White - Sparkling
1964 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Sec
France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray Pétillant
Talk about blasé, Joe opens this up to a small chorus of “the ’64 again?” Thanks to Joe I’ve had this wine eight or nine times with variable showings. Last year at the Huet Fete Part III, it showed very well. This bottle seemed a bit more advanced and tired. It was a deep gold color and while the bead was soft, it seemed fresher than others I’ve tried, but strangely, the flavors were more muted and dominated more by apples and desiccated stone fruits to go with its ubiquitous earthy mineral character. Fresher bottles show less apple, more vibrant apricot and usually a citrus and honeycomb note. Still, this certainly beats a sharp stick in the eye. B+.
White
1990 Nikolaihof Riesling Vinothek
Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Always one of my favorite Austrian wines. A very nice showing tonight, but maybe a small step down from the last time I’ve had it as it was showing a more subdued persona and a little less fruit and oomph and a bit more petrol. The usual wet stone and friendly yellow fruit character is there along with its precise and rigid backbone, but it’s a little like talking to a friend that’s momentarily staring off into space and not really listening. A/A-.
White - Off-dry
1962 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Haut-Lieu
France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Lighter gold than the ’64 Petillant. This was popped and slammed into a decanter, but served before it really got going. Luckily I went back to it some hours later when the transformation had begun. Even Sharon was astounded by the change that took place. Initially very tightly coiled with big structure and showing dried fruits, earth and hints of tea. After a few hours of air, though, the wine emerged from its cocoon. The structure, while staying very fresh, pulled back a little to reveal much more of the wine’s fruit character that, through the magical powers of Vouvray, had gotten younger! While the aged stone fruit notes were still there, a youthful quince profile had also emerged along with intriguing brown spices and ginger notes. Long and harmonious in the mouth. A much better showing than a bottle I had with Joe last year. Solid A-.
White
1996 Coche-Dury Meursault
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
I’m not sure anyone at the table liked this wine. It was all popcorn and gunpowder on the nose and largely that on the palate, though much more sulfury and oaky in the mouth. I chugged the remains of my Huet for a pour of this? Please. C+.
Red
1998 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Shows a pretty nose of sweet red cherries, a touch of cola and spice with a hint of green in a pleasant way. Elegant on the palate while maintaining nice fruit levels. Like flavors with no real trace of oak. Very tasty Pinot and drinking well now. A-.
Red
2006 Domaine du Moulin (Hervé Villemade) Vin de Pays du Loir-et-Cher Pivoine
France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays du Loir-et-Cher
A geek wine carried in by Sharon and a very pleasant surprise. I’m usually not the biggest fan of Côt, finding them usually a little under ripe with severe structure, while Argentine Malbecs often show a little too much wood, but this is a fun, fruit forward and very gluggable drink. Loads of crushed blackberries and black pepper with an easy going structure. I wouldn’t mind having a case of this to go along with dinners in front of the TV. Low B+.
Red
1981 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
I’ve always loved this wine and the bottle we had tonight was younger and fresher than one I had with Lou Kessler this past summer. Deeply perfumed and full of cherries, cedar, smoke and spice. There’s real sweetness and vibrancy to the fruit and not as much in the leather and worn wood department as there often is. Just delicious with a long life ahead of it. A/A-.
Red
1988 Chateau Musar
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
Really comforting on the nose and palate in a rustic way. It’s like being on a small farm full of various livestock on a rainy autumnal day. Brown, earthy, barnyardy with sweet brown spices. Perhaps a little less generous on the palate than on the nose with leathery notes and a root beer thing going on. But, there’s nice sweetness throughout, though it is a touch drying on the finish. Would be nice to curl up by the fire with this one and just think about life. Solid B+.
Red
1991 Chateau Musar
Lebanon, Bekaa Valley
Aromatically, I liked the ’88 better than the ‘91, but this is the better wine. Ladies should keep their manicured nails away from this one as there is a big blast of volatile acidity here that pretty much dominates the nose. While still there on the palate, it is nowhere near as dominating as it is on the nose. Brighter, redder and fresher than the ’88 with livelier acidity. Deep, long and complex with delicious red fruit, spice and a pleasant tobacco streak. A-.
Red
1995 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Another wine we needed to decant much earlier and didn’t and its showing was hurt by the lack of air. The nose was dominated by cloves, nutmeg and sassafras. Way too young and unyielding on the palate. There’s a noticeable core of red fruit, but the structure is formidable and making the wine too austere. Bury in the cellar. B+.
Red
1962 Château Beychevelle
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Joe whips this out to go with cheeses and to go with a theme that only he knows is developing. ’62 wines. Beautiful, classic aged Bordeaux. Perfectly integrated with red fruit, earth and herb flavors and aromas with more of a tobacco character on the palate. Drink up. A-/B+.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1962 Château du Breuil Anjou Coteaux du Layon Beaulieu
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon
Sharon brought this along thinking this was Dougherty’s birth year. I guess Joe looks young for his age as he’s a couple of years older. Golden colored. Ben, being a Chenin newbie, thinks the wine is corked. He’s quickly schooled on the lanolin/wooliness character aged Chenins often exhibit. Rich, with honey, apricot, bergamot and mineral flavors. It lacks the mid-palate excitement and depth of an old late harvest Vouvray, but is holding up well and drinking nicely. B+.
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