January 2024 Northern Rhone Dinner

Reds

• 2009 Marie et Pierre Bénetière Côte-Rôtie Cordeloux - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
  Possibly flawed. When we first opened it, it was definitely aromatically more reticent on the nose with the palate being more austere, darker, much more savory, and brooding. I actually liked it, but when it was in the decanter for a couple of hours and people re-visited, the palate seemed to be blown out by the alcohol.
  
  I had wine fall apart before with too much air, but this declined in a way I never experienced before. I’m not sure whether it was a case of re-visiting the '09 after having a ton of other wines; too much time in the decanter causing the fruit and other elements on the palate to zero out; or just a flawed bottle. I really have no clue. Interesting experience and still glad I tried it, especially in comparison with the '11, which was a totally different wine.
• 2011 Marie et Pierre Bénetière Côte-Rôtie Cordeloux - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
  Lifted on the nose with the palate red fruited and bright with a slight hit of savory smokiness. Very approachable right now and delicious (double-decanted before the dinner).
• 1994 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
  The La Landonne had a pretty, floral nose; on the palate, the tannins felt resolved and there was no strong glossy oak signature. The texture and weight of the wine leaned elegant, and the fruit, while big, did not feel over-extracted and was balanced by savory elements. However, the smokiness (I’m assuming from reduction) was absolutely “embiggened” to massive proportions and was so overpowering, it felt like I was sipping a glass of an Islay single-malt. This wine didn’t come across as over-oaked (unless counting the smokiness being amplified by the new oak treatment), and in some ways it was enjoyable in a steroidal kind of way, but I’m not sure I would like drinking a full glass of this with dinner. It was just too much (this was decanted before the dinner).
• 1994 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
  Now, behold the La Turque, and imagine the La Landonne except younger, stronger, bigger, and tannic-ier. Joking aside, it does come across as a much younger wine: more closed on the nose, and the palate smothered with drying, unresolved tannins. And, similarly to the La Landonne, it was just infused with an overwhelming bigness swaddled in smoke (decanted before dinner).
• 2011 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
  This showed really well and it struck a nice median between the bright, red-fruited ‘11 Cordeloux and the massive ‘94 LaLas. A touch darker than the Cordeloux, with a bit more meaty smokiness, but open for business and a pleasure to drink.
• 2015 Delas Frères Hermitage Ligne de Crête Les Grandes Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
  This was too young with very firm tannins that basically blocked most of the palate. I didn’t linger long enough to see whether this opened up any in the decanter.
• 2020 Kobayashi Winery Syrah Sans Soufre WeatherEye Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  A Syrah varietal wine sourced from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. Darker in character than the ‘11 Benetiere, it shared a fresh-tasting vibrancy and textural delicacy on the palate. While it had the smoke, meat, and herbs of the Northern Rhone, that Old World savoriness was married with a restrained, yet luminescent fruit that clearly placed it in the New. Although this cuvee is meant to be held for no longer than 10 years, the intensity of flavor feels a little too serious to be simply glou-glou, despite its easy-going drinkability. I never heard of this producer before, but I’m looking forward to following them in the future. (Apparently, Yves Gangloff consults on the Syrah and Viognier wines produced by Kobayashi).
• 2005 Peay Vineyards Syrah La Bruma - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Another fine New World effort that was restrained, elegant, and savory with a restrained fruit profile. It didn’t enchant me as much as the Kobayashi, but a serious effort that shared a similar smoked meat and herbs savoriness as the Northern Rhone wines without having the gobs of velvety fruit I expect from a wine from the Sonoma Coast.
• 2016 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Prestige - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  Definitely the red wines' “gobbiest” of the night (GOTN): laden with a heavy-handed dark fruit, a velvety, almost viscous texture, and slightly ponderous; I wouldn’t call it a bad wine, but not one I plan to revisit.
• 2016 Domaine de Trévallon - France, Provence, Alpilles
  Downright austere, with very assertive, unresolved tannins blocking most of the other flavors on the palate; I’m assuming due to the Cabernet in the wine. However, there seemed to be some promising stuffing underneath that wall of astringency. All too young to enjoy right now, but I’m kind of intrigued as to what this will taste like once the tannins resolve.

Whites

• 2006 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Les Terrasses de l'Empire - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu
  I was surprised how much I liked this wine. Very lively and surprisingly energetic, with a round, subtly oily texture, with yellow fruit suffused with the flavors of herbs and ginger. If anything, it got more complex with air.
• 2015 Peay Vineyards Roussanne/Marsanne Estate - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Another wine I was surprised I liked so much. Energetic, light footed, and airy, perhaps with a touch of honey and richness, but this is really all about its lively palate presence. Great stuff.
• 2006 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
  This was a bit of a confusing wine. It seemed a little shut down upon opening, with nothing but a ponderous yellow-fruit profile on the palate. It opened up a little with time and got better, but lacked any hint of salinity and did not feel particularly Chablis-like.
• 2002 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
  The great debate about this bottle was whether this was a one-off flawed, oxidized bottle or whether this was “premox.” Either way, it was borderline sherry. (FLAWED)
• 2016 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Champlots Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru
  First time having PYCM: it felt kind of glossy and oily on the palate. Some citrus and minerals at well, but the texture was a little confusing. I’m not sure whether this was oak that needed more time to integrate or whether this is just the PYCM style.
• 2021 Château de Montfaucon Côtes du Rhône Baron de Montfaucon Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
  A nice bottle of thirst-quenching white. Not exactly profound, but well-made with some mineral complexity. Not bad for a $19.99 bottle of wine.
• 2022 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Auslese "Förster" #5 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  We paired this with dessert, but this tasted more like a Spatlese and was not the greatest pairing with the pear tart. However, this is still a bracing bottle of German riesling that was well-balanced, white-fruited, and delicious (though I feel a step-down from the racy bottles of lightning we got from the ‘21 Krettnacher Euchariusberg cuvees from Falkenstein last year)
• 2022 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben "Gisela" #8 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
  Another delicious bottle of Gisela, although richer, fatter, perhaps a bit flatter, and less acidic and lively than the extraordinary ‘21. I remember Lars posting that he thought the ‘22s were more accessible, and while the ‘22s are good and very approachable now, I never really felt that the electric tension of the ‘21s was that jagged or unbalanced on release.
• N.V. Grande Chartreuse Cuvée des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France - France
  Piney and woodsy on the nose with a biting, refreshing herbal blast of heat on the palate. A really nice way to end the meal (and apparently they only sell this cuvee in Europe -- fun stuff!)

Sparkling

• 2018 Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Blanc d'Argile Brut Nature - France, Champagne
  Crisp, edgy, energetic, and fresh tasting. Hint of citrus on the palate, but very much a saline, mineral-forward wine. Not quite as angular as I was expecting; maybe a case where the champagne benefited from the riper, lower-acid profile of the vintage. Delicious.
• N.V. Domaine Nowack Champagne La Tuilerie Extra Brut - France, Champagne
  This was an interesting contrast to the Blanc d’Argiles. Had a noticeable nutty, almost almond-like oxidative profile with a slightly rounder texture than the Blanc d’Argiles. This was a bit surprising, because it was so different from the racier, fresher flavors of the Fontinettes that I had last month, or even the entry-level S.A. Still tasty, and a very interesting contrast to the first champagne.
• 2016 Bérêche et Fils Champagne Campania Remensis - France, Champagne
  A great bottle of rosé champagne. Bright, fresh, easy drinking, yet serious wine with subtle, pretty red fruit, elegance, and tension. Excellent.