2010 Domaine de Montcy Cheverny Cuvée Clos des Cendres

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  1/28/2011, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (MONTCY Cheverny BLANC ( Blanc)) UPDATE: The French Paradox Parisian culture is quickly losing something near and dear to what it means to be Parisian (its happening in London, Rome and other cities as well). A time honored tradition in France and especially Paris is the gaze, the stare, the obvious and continual look (sometimes up and down but also directly into your eyes) by a complete stranger on the street corner. Generations of woman have been the subject of the male and scrutinizing female gaze in Paris (and vice versa) - walking down the street has as much to do with sport as the pavement itself. In some way, it forces everyone to up their ante or to fluff their feathers in just the right way. Going outside and simply wandering is a European tradition that we, as Americans, know far too little about. In Paris or Rome or Prague, apartments are small, often shared by an entire family and your only means of privacy is out on the street with the thousands of other male and female potential catches caught in the same situation. At cafes, those sitting at street side tables are like ticket holders – it is their right to gaze and stare at every passerby...simply for the fee of a café. This very important social aspect of public primping and preening is slowly going by the wayside and you can thank Steve Jobs. On every street corner, in every café, on the boulevards and even in the shops, young Parisians have their head down instead of up – attached to an iPhone or other texting and email device and they rarely look up – even if your charisma or gaze would have electrified them in the past, today, they are too busy texting to care: http://bit.ly/hZ1yVC One wonders how many lost relationships or encounters have occurred because of this? Think of Sliding Doors or many other “right place, right time” stories, but in Paris, circa January 2011, Parisian culture is losing its battle with the traditional up and down stare. While this new-found texting/head-down revolution has been going on in the US for some time, in Paris, it’s relatively new. In the US, we’ve been used to a certain sense of anonymity, brought about by a culture that cultivates a “good fences make good neighbors” suburban mentality. For us, the smartphone is the ultimate fence but also the ultimate security blanket – you can wall yourself off or interact as intimately as you choose. It will be interesting to observe how this newfound lust for wireless contact affects the Parisians moving forward but the immediate sense is that people are getting to know one another far less than in the past – I mean, really getting to know one another. Maybe they are typing more or they count more “friends” than before but they are looking into each other’s eyes less and less. When you’ve stopped looking at Paris and the Parisians around you, you’ve crossed a line into a certain complacency that so many others in the world would relish in your place. Whoever first uttered the phrase “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” was never more on-point than today as I stand on Rue Mabillon and I am the only one with my head up looking at the wonder of St. Sulpice. When the the City of Light begins to rely on the glass panel of an iPhone for illumination, the streets have eerily become dim. - Jon Rimmerman ************************** 2009/2010 Dear Friends, I have so many interesting items backed up on the docket for you but I’ve scrapped them all (for later days) after tasting this portfolio last night. Simply put, if you enjoy wine, all three of the lovely examples below below are class-leading entrants and they should be quaffed with abandon (although the Saussaye is also for ageing). I was going to wait until March to offer these but I have to put them out today as Montcy is nearly sold out of their 2009 reds and they haven't publicly offered them yet! From a producer that takes organic viticulture and hands-off winemaking as seriously a she does her trade relationships, Laura Semeria of Domaine de Montcy is about to enter the next phase of her notoriety and we may as well be first in line...especially for the ridiculously low prices below: 2010 Domaine de Montcy Cheverny Blanc – Ahh....after the textural fat of so many 2009 white wines, this is a palate-perking breath of fresh air. Classic lime and juniper with such a fresh nose – the wine is full of stone and a delightful cutting, medium weight style that will be toted to more than a few picnics his summer. A blend of Sauvignon with a touch of Cheverny Chard, this is like drinking Muscadet mixed with tank-raised Pouilly Fume – almost like finding the best make-shift lemonade stand on a county road somewhere. Before you know it, half the bottle is gone. 11.5-11.8% alc and it’s as fresh as can be (while it is tough to resist, this wine does not require immediate consumption - it can last for several years and develop interesting nuances along the way). A top vintage for the Blanc and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 2009 Domaine de Montcy Cheverny Rouge – Absolutely classic. Tough to get better than this if you're looking for feminine expression from a great red wine vintage. Laura Semeria (the owner/winemaker) is not shy about the quality of 2009 calling it the “greatest season of my life” and this red wine proves that adage with ammunition to spare. The Gamay and Cot stand out but just enough of her signature Pinot Noir makes this seductive, alluring and crystal-clear expression very long on the back-end. The best red ever from Montcy? Its velvety framework is a hallmark of 2009 but it’s still only 12.5-12.8% alc. Medium in weight and light as a feather in the mouth – you actually taste all three fresh-pressed berries (Gamay, Cot, Pinot Noir) in the same sip. This is Montcy’s version of 2009 Chiroubles with Laura’s tank style there in spades – can’t get enough of this. The type of “just-picked” experience people come to France and enjoy with an unassuming lunch somewhere and they spend the next 20 years trying to re-create the experience but nothing ever measures up. A dancing, lilting butterfly that you can only find in this very specific area of the Loire...and nowhere else on earth. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for a brilliant oxymoron of light extract but juice-filled flavor and minerality that only comes around once in a blue moon. 2009 Domaine de Montcy Cheverny Rouge “Louis de la Saussaye” – What a wine. This comprises the very best red material of the 2009 vintage and while it is more more structured than the regular 2009 Rouge above, it is still beautiful and seductive and never overdone – if anything it is even finer and more complete. Raised in old/big barrels (and tank) the 2009 Saussaye has fine-grained tannins and an admirable framework from the Malbec (Cot). It is still somewhat compressed but it is going or be a stunner in 2-4 years. Wet cement, long and very pure on the entire palate, this wine has mineral tone in abundance with no tricks – what you see is what you get and I’m not sure they can top the 2009? Laura agrees as the vintage was just about perfect for all the red varietals in the Saussaye (Cot and Pinot Noir with just a touch of Gamay). Another example that proves $20 can be your investment limit and it will still allow you to experience the world’s finest wine. EXTREMELY LIMITED ONE SHIPMENT ONLY directly from the winery cellar with perfect provenance. Please give us your maximum number of each and we will allocate accordingly. To order: niki@garagistewine.com This parcel is set to depart form Cheverny – it will arrive in March (please check OARS for local pick up after March 20th). It will ship during the Spring shipping season. Out of state orders will be held for free under ideal storage conditions (56 degrees/70%humidity) until shipping is possible. Locals may pick up at their leisure. For current local pick up and arrival/ship information, please see your OARS link below (at the bottom of this offer) - don’t know how to access your OARS? Simply click the link and see your account. You can also paste the link into your browser. If you are having trouble with your link or your account, please contact: support@garagistewine.com NO SALES TO RETAILERS OR WHOLESALERS Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Loire6451 Loire6452 Loire6453 Click here to view the status of your orders in O.A.R.S.