82% Pinot Noir, 9% Meunier, 9% Chardonnay. On the nose - yeast, hint of baked apple, some red fruit, redcurrant. Lovely palate - real line and zip, but also persistence - some discussion at the table as to whether this could pass for a prestige champagne from a major house - to me this definitely has a “growery” character but it’s absolutely top drawer - cerebral and visceral both. Over time the nose becomes a bit more oxidative, maybe starts to feel a little more tired - this is super stuff but if I had some I’d be looking to drink.
Sprightly and taut - there’s some nervous energy here, a hint of lemon and maybe whitecurrants? Lovely poised acid profile, but somehow just a little dilute and finishes quickly.
Unscrewed and poured at the table. Just a hint of reduction. Real breadth and length here - concentrated and substantial. I really enjoyed it but more than a glass and a half would start to get tiring. I did feel the 14% abv.
On opening, a lot of reduction so decanted and served 45 minutes or so later. A fatness to this, a gorgeous mouthfeel. Mountain streams with an almost mossy character. But really - this is like jazz for me, I appreciate the quality, and I wish I were cool enough to be into it but…somehow doesn’t do it for me.
I’ve tasted this wine several times, and I have a sense that there is some bottle variation. Lovely intensity to this, the waxy character is strong, and there’s an almost black banana peel hint to it - in retrospect I’m wondering if there was some VA there. I was surprised that of the Gravonia pair at this dinner, I much preferred the younger one.
This also has that waxy, oxidative character, but oh so much lighter on its feet than the 2006. This was superb - I would happily drink half a bottle over the course of an evening and contemplate its evolution in the glass.
Lovely. Earthy, blood and soil character to this. Proper N Rhône Syrah. Some googling showed .5% Viognier in the mix - I was expecting none, but what do I know. WOTN for me - just shows how magical mature N Rhône can be. This is their entry level cuvee and yes, perhaps a little dilute on the finish, and I don’t think 2007 was a particularly substantial vintage but…this is proper wine and spoke to my heart more than any other we drank.
This is the other end of the Syrah spectrum - glossier, clearly high quality fruit and high quality oak but not fully integrated yet. More than decent, and on its own I think I would have appreciated it more, but tasted alongside the 07 Rostaing it rather felt like a loud brash young man, all Rolexes and BMWs, constantly interrupting and talking over the thoroughly fascinating and far less pushy person you’d much rather be listening to.
2009 Franck Pascal Champagne Quinte Essence
France, Champagne
82% Pinot Noir, 9% Meunier, 9% Chardonnay. On the nose - yeast, hint of baked apple, some red fruit, redcurrant. Lovely palate - real line and zip, but also persistence - some discussion at the table as to whether this could pass for a prestige champagne from a major house - to me this definitely has a “growery” character but it’s absolutely top drawer - cerebral and visceral both. Over time the nose becomes a bit more oxidative, maybe starts to feel a little more tired - this is super stuff but if I had some I’d be looking to drink.
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2018 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne-Aligoté
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté
Sprightly and taut - there’s some nervous energy here, a hint of lemon and maybe whitecurrants? Lovely poised acid profile, but somehow just a little dilute and finishes quickly.
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2014 Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill
New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Kumeu
Unscrewed and poured at the table. Just a hint of reduction. Real breadth and length here - concentrated and substantial. I really enjoyed it but more than a glass and a half would start to get tiring. I did feel the 14% abv.
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2016 Domaine Bernard Gripa Saint-Joseph Blanc Cuvée Le Berceau
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph
On opening, a lot of reduction so decanted and served 45 minutes or so later. A fatness to this, a gorgeous mouthfeel. Mountain streams with an almost mossy character. But really - this is like jazz for me, I appreciate the quality, and I wish I were cool enough to be into it but…somehow doesn’t do it for me.
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2006 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
I’ve tasted this wine several times, and I have a sense that there is some bottle variation. Lovely intensity to this, the waxy character is strong, and there’s an almost black banana peel hint to it - in retrospect I’m wondering if there was some VA there. I was surprised that of the Gravonia pair at this dinner, I much preferred the younger one.
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2012 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
This also has that waxy, oxidative character, but oh so much lighter on its feet than the 2006. This was superb - I would happily drink half a bottle over the course of an evening and contemplate its evolution in the glass.
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2007 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Classique
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Lovely. Earthy, blood and soil character to this. Proper N Rhône Syrah. Some googling showed .5% Viognier in the mix - I was expecting none, but what do I know. WOTN for me - just shows how magical mature N Rhône can be. This is their entry level cuvee and yes, perhaps a little dilute on the finish, and I don’t think 2007 was a particularly substantial vintage but…this is proper wine and spoke to my heart more than any other we drank.
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2009 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
This is the other end of the Syrah spectrum - glossier, clearly high quality fruit and high quality oak but not fully integrated yet. More than decent, and on its own I think I would have appreciated it more, but tasted alongside the 07 Rostaing it rather felt like a loud brash young man, all Rolexes and BMWs, constantly interrupting and talking over the thoroughly fascinating and far less pushy person you’d much rather be listening to.
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