TN: LDM Young and Old

Monday evening, Chamblee retailer Le Caveau hosted Kevin McKenna (the "M" in LDM Wines a/k/a Louis/Dressner Selections) and the charming Josefa Concannon, who I'd met during a prior visit to Atlanta, for a tasting of some of their current releases. The LDM portfolio is fairly new to Georgia, so I pulled some older selections from my cellar to share with the other attendees, our host Eric Brown, and the honored guests.

My notes are from memory and I'm omitting a slew of wines that I liked, but don't remember well enough to post impressions on. I was just having way too much fun visiting with Kevin, Josefa, and friends old and new in one of the most enjoyable evenings of wine and people I've had in a long time. I fell in love with a number of LDM wines about 18 years ago when a friend first introduced me to the portfolio, so it took some effort not to swoon like a schoolgirl at a One Direction concert when meeting Kevin for the first time, but he could not have been more gracious and enthusiastic. My only regret is that the evening passed too quickly, but I eagerly await Kevin and Josefa's next visit to Atlanta.

• 2011 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Beaujolais Blanc

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais

  Pure white fruit, and while not terribly complex, it's tasty and refreshing.

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• 2010 Domaine de Roally Viré-Clessé Tradition

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Viré-Clessé

  A clean expression of chardonnay that is tasty now, with lavender and vanilla scented peary/appley fruit, some noticeable residual sugar in the Thevenet/Goyard style, but no botrytis. I'm not sure it has the acidity to carry it too long, but acid can be a sneaky thing, particularly when there is residual sugar, and I just had a small taste, so I can't conclude with certainty that there isn't more structure lurking below the surface.

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• 2011 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Domaine

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  Mouthwateringly crisp fruit + a little earthiness and minerality = a real challenge to drink with moderation.

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• 2011 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône-Brézème

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône-Brézème

  It seemed a little reduced at first, but that blew off pretty quickly, allowing the brambleberry fruit and a touch of white pepper and chalky minerality to shine without distraction. The fruit is supported by prounounced acidity that I found to be pleasantly tart and well-integrated, but that some may find to be a bit shrill.

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• 1998 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Buster

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine

  This has held up surprisingly well, showing its age in the light gold color and a nutty hint of oxidation, but still deliciously fruity, modestly complex with a little mint adding some interest, and retaining enough acidity to keep it from being flabby, it was really quite nice. Drink 'em up, if you (like me) were negligent enough to hold them this long, but at least for this bottle, the aging experiment paid off.

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• 2000 Famille Peillot Roussette du Bugey Montagnieu Cuvée Buster Altesse de Montagnieu

  France, Bugey, Roussette du Bugey Montagnieu

  Another aging experiment that paid off. Subtle layers of flowers, zingy lemony pears, and rocks, with just a little nuttiness, it was much fresher than I'd expected, and held up well over the course of the evening.

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• 1997 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Cuvée Tardive

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie

  A little bretty at first, but that faded into the background as the wine opened up with air, turning into a brilliant and harmonious compote of earth, herbs, leather, and sweet strawberry fruit with enough acidity left to keep it sharp. I can't imagine that it will get any better, but it was probably my favorite wine of the night and my last taste, after it had been open for a few hours and the bottle was nearly empty, may have been the best.

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• 1999 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône-Brézème

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône-Brézème

  Surprisingly primary and youthful, the color was almost identical to the 2011 tasted with it, with only a slight ruby corona suggesting that this was the older wine. Smoked meat, minerals, and black pepper bring savory complexity to ripe but tart fruit and help to balance the prominent, but to me not offputting, level of acidity. This bottle suggests years of remaining life, but I'm not sure whether this is a representative sample.

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• 1996 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  When first opened, it was just a muddled, toneless slurry of tannin, earth, and leather. But it transformed after vigorous swirling brought out tart acidity and sweet brambly fruit that added definition and freshness, and hints of olive that bridged the gap between the fruit and the earth and leather. The sweet fruit and savory aspects continued to integrate over the course of the evening, making me wish I'd opened it earlier in the day, but it was still very enjoyable.

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• 2000 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords Flawed

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

  Corked and oxidized.

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