Drinking French With Todd French, P Robert and The Gang

I really want to extend a thank you to Phillip Robert and Todd French for having me over to this small gathering. It was very generous of P to share these wines with us, as I think most of them were from his cellar. And, it's appreciated that I can expand my french base with a real nice selection of gc burgs like these. We also had a nice bbq with salad and it all worked great on a Sunday night. Thank you both, again!

• 1997 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières

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

  This drank quite nicely with a honey-like texture, kind of a baked apple and even a touch of caramel. Kind of decadent but without the real weight. Nice long finish.

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• 1997 Domaine Michel Niellon Chevalier-Montrachet

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

  There was some talk in the group that this was poxed. What I found was some lemon zest, some up front fruit but then it finished a little light, kind of dead. The color was a bit mixed of amber, too. I don't have much experience with driving the Chevy so to speak so take my comments here for what they are. The wine just seemed like the life had gone out of the finish, as opposed to say the '97 Leflaive Folatieres that we drank next to it.

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• 2007 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ-Canet

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

  I brought this wine to the gathering. This was the 2nd bottle I have drank and I very much enjoyed the wine even more this time. The first bottle went to dinner with me and was consumed over 2 hours, much like this wine. However, the difference this time in addressing this bottle was that I was very impressed with the weight, which was elegant, lithe with perfect pitch. There was some pineapple, some tropical notes if you will, but also a really lovely dried pear note that along with the minerality closed the finish. Between the pear and the zip from the lime flavors, this was really satisfying. And, to any oak intrusion, not any I could tell. Maybe time to see if Envoyer still has one left, as this was just great. Awesome.

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• 1992 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Richebourg

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  I was pretty amazed how fresh this wine was still, even with it being almost 20 vintages removed. There was a small hint of secondary nuance but it was more of a bit player here. Red fruits, smooth, nose of animal, although Frenchie called it "pickled". Whatever you term it, I did not find it to be out of favor. Drank pretty well and nicely balanced.

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• 2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  Damn it, this was really good. Pungent nose of smoke, iron and stem. The palate was gentle and restrained with red cherries and tracings of pepper. The finish? Rose petal and mineral. What a treat to be able to enjoy a wine of this caliber and just savor it. Much recently with the '95 Rousseau Chambertin I was fortunate enough to drink, so too with this DRC. Awesome wine.

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• 2002 Domaine Bertagna Clos St. Denis

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru

  As if there wasn't enough grand cru burg to go around last night, well, another one to taste! Of all the wines last night, this was the biggest styled, although what interested me is that the wine tightened up the more air it got. Early on, showed a riped styled nose with dark fruits and flowers--quite aromatically luscious. On the palate, the wines started out with blue fruits, watermelon and blue flowers. All of this said, it maintained balance. Then, as it aired, more atringence, dried berry, some leathery tannin and sweet raspberry. Quite a contrast and study of wine evolving over time.

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• 1994 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Of all the marvelous bottles I was fortunate enough to enjoy last night, this wine just did not move me. Raspberry, dried cherry and just honestly tasted a little punchy and juicy for me. Frenchie, who is off course a homer for Hermitage loved this....I was just not all that enamored with it. Call me all wet if you like!

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• 2006 Rhys Pinot Noir Swan Terrace

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  This got a good decanting, according to Wet Rock. Sitting next to all the grand cru burgs on the table, not sure if the comparison is fair, although I know from meeting Kevin Harvey recently what he is striving to do and the wines he so often writes about. Yet, this wine seemed to be much bigger boned than not only the burgs next to it, but moreso, this 2006 was quite bigger than all the recent Rhys wines I tasted at the winery, what was essentially all the 2009s from bottle. This 2006 was full of blue fruits, black cherry, but was just bigger boned and more throttled than I would associate to Kevin's wines. Was it a bad drink? No, not at all but in my own palate for pinot now, this was even pushing the limits as to what was big. Not sure where this wine goes as it's a vivacious and intense wine but enjoy it now would be my advice. It's good in that vein.

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• 2002 Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir Vigneron Select

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  My oldest CP from my cellar. Drank next to several grand cru burgs, which I am certain would make Wes Hagen proud! This showed the size of the vintage but you know, it held it all together. Big but no heat, juicy and dark with baking spice, blackberry and dark plum skin. What I liked was that it didn't get blowsy or out of balance. Drink now and enjoy.

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