Warren's B-Day Bash

My friend Warren knows how to throw a birthday party! It's not surprising, but the tasting focused mainly on Burgundy and the Loire Valley, with some interesting additions thrown in. Good wine and good company all around. There were probably six or eight more bottles at this tasting that I didn't get to try or didn't take notes on. Not bad for a Tuesday night!

• 2002 Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos la Néore 90 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  This bottle didn't show as well as the other I tried, but I still love it. Aromas of dried wax, yellow apple, apricot and minerals. The palate is full of ripping acid and minerals. Oyster shell meets dried honey meets lemon zest. Perhaps a bit tired, and time to drink up. This wine was controversial, with a lot of people saying it didn't taste like Sancerre. But I can't help but love the uniqueness of this wine.

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• 1999 Château du Coing de Saint Fiacre Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Comte de Saint Hubert Vieilles Vignes 90 Points

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

  Another great showing by this wonderful Muscadet. Aromas of orange peel, slate, lemon curd and white flowers. The palate is crisp but full. Lots of rich yellow apple, white peach and cream, but equal amounts of sea and minerals.

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• 2011 Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Sec Les Caburoches 92 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Even among such good company, as soon as I smelled this wine I knew something awesome was going on. Such aromatic bliss: intense sea spray, white flowers, green and yellow apple, honeysuckle... just goes on and on. The acid tears across the palate, but the wine is rich and creamy as well. Minerals, quinine, honey, wax and mixed apple flavors abound. Excellent Vouvray, one of the better 2011 Loires I've tasted. I really need to get my hands on some 2012.

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• 2008 Domaine Servin Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  A solid showing by this 2008 Blanchots. Smells a bit more advanced in age than I would expect, with dried honey, hay, lime, oyster shell and sea salt. Chalky and honeyed on the palate, with crisp acid. Takes a green apple and floral route, with notes of hay and herb. Lacks that mineral verve I love from Servin, but it makes up for it with honey and some saline aspects. Rich for a 2008. I'm not sure I'd age this for very long.

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• 2011 Cameron Pinot Gris Ramato Abbey Ridge Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  I didn't know Cameron made a skin-fermented pinot grigio, but I'm happy as hell I found out. That nice Romato-style copper-apricot color. Smells of melon rind and papaya mixed with brie, dried flowers and mint. Medium+ acid on the palate. It's got white peach, strawberry and yellow apple fruit, but it's not a fruit-dominated wine. The minerality and lots of herbal tones are all sorts of complex. Great focus and length. Drink like you would a rose.

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• 2004 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année Rosé 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  So young, but so intense and demanding of attention. I understand when people say this is closed. Yes, it is, in a sense. But the intensity and underlying power is amazing, even this young. On the nose, I got a salty, strawberry aspect, and a deep cherry and mineral note. The full mouthfeel is contrasted with the high acid. Endless finish full of crisp green and red apple fruit, brioche, minerals, a hint of seashell. Wow! Tim, thanks for throwing this into the tasting. Beautiful, but worthy of some serious cellaring.

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• 2012 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Rosé 91 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  One of my favorite roses, year-in, year-out. So much strawberry and floral and sea spray notes on the nose. Crisp acid, but so much strawberry and melon fruit. Laced with minerals. Rides that line betweet tartness and richness so well.

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• 2009 Clos Cibonne Tibouren Côtes de Provence Cuvée Spéciale des Vignettes 87 Points

  France, Provence, Côtes de Provence

  Fun and unique as always, with aromas of watermelon, cheese rind and dried herbs. On the palate, cherry, strawberry and watermelon rind mixes with herbal and mineral tones. Not the most complex wine, but unique and interesting.

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• 2003 Jean-Claude Lapalu Brouilly Vieilles Vignes 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly

  Showing some serious sediment in the bottle. An auburn-red plum color in the glass. Interesting mix of aromas: dried cherries, violets, herbs and distinct notes of gamey red meat. Tangy acid on the palate, with very fine tannins. Sweet cherries mix with flavors of bay leaf, sage and pepper. Crisp and light for a 2003. Perhaps nearing the end of its life, this is still a fun, aged Brouilly.

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• 2011 Jean-Louis Dutraive (Domaine de la Grand'Cour) Fleurie Clos de la Grand'Cour 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie

  This Fleurie is full of pickles, herbs, smoke and tar on the nose, and I love it. Firm tannins and medium-to-high acid provide structure for the palate. Juicy cherry and raspberry fruit plays with black licorice, pepper and pickle flavors. Very focused and full of minerals and crushed rocks. I love the understated fruit and the interesting mix of non-fruit flavors in this wine.

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• 2005 Klein aux Vieux Remparts Pinot Noir Saint-Hippolyte 88 Points

  France, Alsace

  A lovely Alsace pinot. Transparent cherry red in the glass. Smells of sour and ripe cherries, smoke and some notes of braised meat and tobacco. Zesty on the palate with crisp acid. Not light or weak at all, yet it's not rich or candied. Just crisp red fruit, minerals and notes of tobacco and pickle that last onto the finish.

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• 1999 Domaine Michel Juillot Corton-Perrières 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Closed down at first, but by the time I tasted the last pour it was singing. Aromas of deep cherries, loam, tobacco and charcoal. Grippy tannins provide serious structure, and they need more time to easy up. Zesty acid, but still a dense mouthfeel. Dark cherry and plum fruit matches up with beefy, mineral, earthy tones. Still very young, this could use another five years or a solid decant. Still, when it opens, it's beautiful.

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• 2005 René Bouvier Gevrey-Chambertin Jeunes-Rois 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

  My contribution to the tasting. I think this showed very well and despite being a 2005, it seems ready for business. Aromas of smoke, tart berries, iron, tobacco, a bit of sulfur but it blew off immediately. Grippy tannins on the palate, but they're manageable, medium acid. Dusty cherry and plum fruit combines with olives, bacon and earthy-charcoal notes. This begs for some braised meat and veggies. Yum. Showing well with air, but this still has plenty of time left.

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• 2010 Shooting Star (Jed Steele) Blaufränkisch Blue Franc 86 Points

  USA, Washington

  Lots of dark fruit on the nose, currants, black cherries, earth and mocha. The palate is juicy and full of red and black fruit, but it's still fresh on the palate. Smoky and charred earth notes add some complexity. A fun wine.

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