MLK Weekend with My Parents

This weekend was the first time my parents and my sister saw my new place in Woodley Park. Valerie and I cooked dinner two nights in a row, and I obviously popped some wine. With my parents, I always like to mix it up, as they like diversity. We had a great time together, and some great wines along the way.

• 2010 Black Star Farms Chardonnay Arcturos Sur Lie 90 Points

  USA, Michigan, Old Mission Peninsula

  (1/14/2012)

  My good friend Ian was hanging out in Michigan for the holidays and brought back this chardonnay from the Old Mission Peninsula. I was really intrigued by the Sur Lie labeling, meaning this wine was aged on the less, in this case for six months. It's bottled under a screwcap, and it comes out with a bit of a spritz. The nose shows lemons, fresh flowers and white peach. This chardonnay is from riesling country, and as another commentor noted, it shows. It has a deliciousness to it, but also a tangy, nervy streak. I love the grapefruit rind flavor that leads the way in this wine. It's a tad sweet, but the acid is stunning, almost laser-like. There's a streak of minerals throughout this wine, especially on the finish. We all really enjoy the crisp, freshness of this wine. This could be a needle in the haystack of Michigan chardonnay, but I was really impressed with this wine.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2009 Domaine André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé Vieilles Vignes 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Viré-Clessé

  (1/14/2012)

  This was an interesting find at Weygandt. It's a new producer they're bringing in, a chardonnay from a lesser-known area of the Maconnais. The nose shows plump pear and green apple, with just a bit of butter. The palate has great acid and minerals, but also some rich yellow pear, cream and butter. No toast here, just pure and plush fruit with a solid dose of acidity to keep it fresh.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2009 Domaine des Moirots Bourgogne 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  (1/14/2012)

  I opened this for my mom and dad and they both really enjoyed it. Beautiful ruby color in the glass, with bright cherry, red plum and lold library aromas. Soft tannins on the palate, with bright red currant fruit. There's a tangy, rhubarb pie flavor in this wine that I really enjoy. Medium acid, some chocolate on the finish. For $17 at Weygandt, this wine is a crowdpleaser.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 La Ferme du Mont Côtes du Rhône Premiere Cote 84 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  (1/14/2012)

  There is some bottle variation in this wine. I tasted two bottles with Peter Weygandt, the importer, and we both agreed that the first bottle wasn't flawed, but it was just a bit weak, not the best representation of the wine. The first bottle showed cranberry, sour cherry and a lot of acid. It was much thinner than the second. It was still good, just not great.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 La Ferme du Mont Côtes du Rhône Premiere Cote 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  (1/14/2012)

  The second bottle showed much darker fruit, plum skins, dense tannins, black cherry and mocha. Both bottles were from the same case, and I score bottle #1 84, and bottle #2 88. I was really impressed with the depth of dark fruit flavors. My dad and I liked this bottle a lot better.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 Alliance Loire Cabernet Franc Réserve des Vignerons 86 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

  (1/15/2012)

  I opened this with my dad because he's traveled to the Loire Valley, he likes cab franc, and I'm planting cab franc on his property in Virginia. So it seemed like a good wine to open. It showed classic aromas of cassis, pencil lead and some green pepper. I find this wine a little acidic when I first taste it. It's a lighter style of cab franc, but it does come together. Sour cherry leads the way to raspberry, a bit of smoke and tobacco, and some coffee grinds. And, speaking of coffee grinds, this wine must be unfiltered because there is some serious sediment in this wine.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 VINTJS Chardonnay Chalk Hill 87 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Chalk Hill

  (1/15/2012)

  Since it was my parents' first visit to my place, I figured I'd pop open our official "house chardonnay." My ma loved the buttery, pear flavors in this wine. Again, for the price, it's a case buy.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2007 Domaine Carneros Brut 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  (1/15/2012)

  Nice creamy pear, butter, and biscuit aromas and flavors. I really liked the acid on this. My ma really enjoyed it.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No