Old World Grab Bag

Eight folks got together to show their love for wines from the "Old World." This was a blind tasting of 7 whites and 6 reds. Overall the wines were superb as was the company and the conversation.

• 2005 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 92 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant

  Oily nose. Petroleum based product - lacquer, house paint? Very sherry-like. Also honeysuckle, anise and florals. Viscous, honey, aggressive acid. Finishes kinda funky. Guessed correctly to be Loire Chenin Blanc.

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• 2002 Domaine Bernard Morey et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Showing a little oak, apples, pears, minerals. On the light side. Still young. Guessed Chablis? Was wrong, but at least in the same region.

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• 2006 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 90 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  Grassy, hay-like and herbal. Showing citrus with a hint of sweetness, zippy acidity and a bit of melon on the finish. A very intriguing wine

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• 2006 Richard Leroy Anjou Blanc Les Noëls de Montbenault 91 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou

  My white contribution of the night. Having recently had it recently, I didn't try to analyze this one. My previous notes - Absolutely delicious. Generous enough to give pleasure now, but will age beautifully as well. Gorgeous nose of pina colada, spiced pear, and smokey minerals. Beautiful fruit on the palate. Lots of pineapple, some ginger, even persimmon. Full bodied, complex. Definitely a touch of residual sugar but well integrated acidity. Expect this to gain even more complexity and depth with age. Hints of maybe some petrol notes to come.

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• 2004 Domaine Jo Pithon Savennières La Croix Picot 89 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières

  Really funky, as in fungal, nose. Apples, high acid. Loire Chenin was my guess. Thought it was older than it turned out to be.

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• 2007 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Absolutely fascinating nose of car exhaust, bug spray, flinty, smokey, petrol thing going on. Sugar cane and green apples on the palate. Carbonation prickling the toungue. A very young Riesling with a tremendous amount of baby fat to shed. A crime to drink now.

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• 2000 Domaine Laroche Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots Réserve de l'Obédience 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Tropical fruits on this, gives an impression of sweetness on the nose and palate. Very pearish. Lots of sea shore action going on here. An older Chablis that's lost some zip. I don't know if I'd hold this any longer. Beautiful wine though.

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• 2006 Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 92 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil

  Veggie, herbal nose, but showing pretty fruit as well. Very nice mouthfeel. A very balanced and elegant wine with a long finish. My red contribution for the night, so I knew what it was when I tasted it. Others at the table found it suprisingly forward for a Loire Cab Franc.

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• 1999 Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvée Spéciale Cabassaou 92 Points

  France, Provence, Bandol

  Rippin good. Tobacco and ripe cherry (almost medicinal) abound. Nice grip, excellent finish. Couldn't ask for much more. Guessed this to be Left bank. Suprised.

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• 1990 Château Clerc Milon 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Right off the bat, unmistakeably Left bank. Cigar box, cedar box, blackberry with some barnyard elements. A finish that lasted until the following morning. Incredibly deep and persistent. Being with this wine is like chilling in the library of some old school English masion, surrounded by old books with a fire roaring, laid back in a comfy old leather chair, reading a classic, with a dog sleeping at your feet. Age this as long as you care to.

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• 2000 Château Pontet-Canet 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Still very young and tight. Fruit still kind of primary, almost grapey. Strong tannin is peppery in the mouth. Did get some nice pencil shavings out of it. Can only improve. The fruit lead me to guess young Right bank.

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• 2006 Di Lenardo Friuli Merlot Just Me 93 Points

  Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli

  Clearly the biggest wine of the night. Tannic as an m'fer. A real ballbuster. But very complex. Incredibly dark, pure fruit on this. Plums and graphite lead me to think S. Rhone. Never would have guessed Merlot, let alone Italy.

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• 2007 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Jokes on me with this one. I guessed Vacqueyras. Ended up being a young CdP I've already had and tasted non-blind and scored 4 points higher. That was without palate fatigue and this night, this impressive CdP happened to be wine #13. I found it grapey, kind of fat, but loads of pepper and minerality. Another severe case of infanticide, but the fruit on these 07s is just astounding. I'm really hoping these 07s will show some more complexity as they age.

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