EWG tastes Umami

The EWG rolled to Umami Burger for a night of comfort food and wine geek selections. Loire whites, 2009 Beaujolais and Rioja was the theme. I enjoyed the apps we had with the salad and the smashed potatoes being most memorable. I also like my burger though I think medium rare leaves them too drippy and I will try my normal medium for my next taste. Its hamburger, not steak even if it is made from fresh Wagyu.

Our white wine flight was strong across all four. The Loire Valley is just a great place for whites that I enjoy. Never a big fan of Beaujolais and often perplexed with the wine geek adoration with its obvious fruity character, Gregg tossed some of the 09's in my face for some comparison tasting. I'm still struck by the obvious fruity character of the wines regardless of their structure. I'll never be a lover but a couple of these were impressive, especially in light of their cost. The Brun is clearly an excellent wine. The Rioja's were all over the map ion several ways but the Prado Enea stood out and is my WOTN, even over a wine from my birth year. The two Clos de Sainte Catherins were a fun comparison. The 04 showed the best qualities of that strong vintage and should be an excellent drink for many years to come.

• 2009 Château La Tarcière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie

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

  Big sweet nose of bright pear and minerals. Lemon slatey palate with light minerality. Clean with a finish that bites like fresh lemon juice. Another winning Muscadet.

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• 2005 Gérard Boulay Sancerre Monts Damnés

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  Sweet grapefruit nose with notes of wool, pee and minerals. The palate is real light on its feet, expressive yet almost weightless. Notes of pear integrated with strong sharp acids on a palate cleansing finish. I really like the wines from this house. Excellent.

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• 2008 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos Habert

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire

  On the tight side the nose gives up some banana like notes. Rich, concentrated and weighty. The acidity picks up with air and there seems to be a touch of RS tucked underneath the structure. A strong entry that should only get better. Leave it along for a few years if you can.

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• 2008 François Chidaine Vouvray Le Bouchet

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Lanolin/wet wool aromas dominate the nose at the moment with some citrusy type notes coming out later on. Sharp palate with strong tart acids. Concentrated in the midpalate showing light touches of sweetness and citrus. Very well put together though really tight right now. The sweetness in this one seems to be well integrated with the fruit like the Montlouis. I liked this one today for its lighter touch in comparison to the other but it also should be better in a few years as the fruit opens. Very good.

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• 2009 Marcel Lapierre Morgon

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon

  Soily boysenberry nose. Clean and tight showing nice rocky minerals. The tannin is a bit drying but that is a minor quibble for an otherwise very good wine. Needs a little more time.

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• 2009 Joseph Drouhin Morgon

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon

  Huge nose of sweet blackberry jam. Lots of rich sweet berries on a lightly tannic palate. Much more forward than the others and one of those that makes me wonder about the wine geek fascination with Beaujolais. I suspect if this were from a non-European place it would be criticized for its obvious huge sweet fruit. Appears to be a bargain at its price. One to drink while the other more structured entries age.

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• 2009 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon

  Ripe nose with notes of teriyaki and balsamic vinegar, almost like a Belgian sour beer. Tight and tannic, drinking chunky and uneven for me. This needs some air and showed a very late touch of heat. This one seemed to be in a funky place to me.

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• 2009 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Morgon

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon

  Now we're talking. This is a wine that could get me into Beaujolais. Gregg said he opened it the previous day so it may have caused it to show better than the others. Earthy boysenberry nose similar to an Oregon Pinot with a hint of cracked pepper. Very structured with the acids hitting at the midpalate. Terrific acid and mineral core underneath the still somewhat tight fruit with plenty of tannin on the finish. Excellent but leave it rest for a few.

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• 1968 Viña Valoria Rioja

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Very bright in color for such an old wine with little in the way of bricking. Notes of tea and cherry on a youthful nose. A soil Burgundy like note adds complexity. Bright and clean with big acids and somewhat drying tannin. This could use a bit more fruit but it still doesn't seem 40 years old. Very well taken care of.

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• 2001 Bodegas Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  The nose shows spicy American oak with a strong dill note. Bright and fresh palate, very pretty. Strong fruit concentration showing off some blackberry notes today in front of beautiful structure. Lovely today with a long future ahead of it. It kept me coming back for more.

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• 2004 Bodegas Muga Rioja Torre Muga

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  This was very hard to get a read on as it was the most shut down wine I've tasted in quite some time. There is a touch of spicy French oak on the nose and the tannins feel fairly harsh. Just tight with a capital 'T' all around.

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• 1990 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon

  Good to see your thoughts echoed in other's notes. 'AustinWineSalon' seems to show the same experience we had. Fat nose of peach cobbler, dried apricots and earth and then vegetal notes coming out with air. The palate felt a bit fat and soft with notes of fig. Very round in the midpalate. Seems like the acidity wasn't high enough this vintage to really support the fruit.

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• 2004 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon

  Rich and weighty with a sweet core of fruit but plenty of stitched in acids making this seamless to the finish. The sugar is nicely integrated making it more pretty than thick. Beautiful with a long life ahead of it.

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