March 2009 House Cleaning

Another shipment to offsite, another house cleaning. One of these times, I'll realize that I don't need to acquire much more but instead need to consume faster. As I'm gathering a bunch of stuff to send offsite, touching a bunch of bottles, it's impossible not to open a few. This weekend was no exception. The notes below reflect the results. In general, this was not a "open the crappy bottles" exercise, but rather one of "open some interesting bottles". By and large, mission accomplished.

Some really good wines in this batch, at least as it compares to what I often drink. The 1994 Klein was a particular standout given its oddity/rarity. The Grand Siecle and Girardin were also in the rock star category.

• 1994 Domaine Ernest Burn Riesling Goldert Clos Saint Imer 88 Points

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  (3/29/2009)

  An interesting experiment, and a serviceable wine. Golden in color. After opened for awhile, the nose develops some really seductive aromatics...deep and perfumed. Unfortunately, the palate doesn't match up. it still carries a fair amount of structure / acidity along with something that comes across as a bit tannic / woody on the finish. Less elegant / "put together" than the 1994 Klein aux Vieux Remparts Muscat also opened. Needs food.

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• NV Laurent-Perrier Champagne Grand Siecle 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  (3/29/2009)

  I've had a bit of variability with these given they come from auction, unknown disgorgement, etc. But when they're good, and this bottle is, I really enjoy this wine. Great balance between razor sharp and chewy...right in the middle with just a touch of sweetness on the palate. A "center of the plate pitch" from a style perspective. I've got 3 more of these from the same source / timing, so I'm optimistic, especially given the fact that I froze this one in the freezer trying to get it cooled. This bottle is just a touch heavy on the finish which may be a function of the way I mistreated it. It will be interesting to see how the others compare. I'd rate this one 92-93 pts.

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• 1994 Klein aux Vieux Remparts Muscat 91 Points

  France, Alsace

  (3/29/2009)

  I have to respectfully disagree with the prior reviewer on the matter of "interesting". For me, a neophyte as relates to aged Alsatian wine, this is very interesting. And very good. Still very light straw in color, perhaps a reflection of its provenance. While this is very well put together, there's still enough left in terms of both fruit and structure to carry it for quite some time. This drinks like a much younger wine...nimble, bright, and some edge on the finish. I'm in no rush to drink the remaining bottles......

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• 2004 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée 93 Points

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

  (3/28/2009)

  Caveat - I've probably rated this a point or two high because for me....this is what I'm after in a burgundy. Traditionalists may differ on this one. An intoxicating wine from start to finish. On the nose, a bit of creme brulee, oak, a hint of grassiness and a salty spiciness that reminds me of what would have been called the "marine" genre of men's cologne a few years back (e.g. Creed Erolfa). The palate is rich and long in the finish, but will benefit from more time. I don't know why Girardin wines were getting dumped on the secondary market a year or two ago, but the resulting price ($28) makes this a ridiculous QPR. One of the best white Burgundies I've had in my limited experience.

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While I normally veer more toward reds, and enjoyed most of the wines below, none gave me quite the satisfaction that the best of the whites above did.

• 2002 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard Flawed

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  (3/29/2009)

  Cooked tomato stew

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• 2005 Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Véro 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  (3/29/2009)

  This is from a shipment that came in frozen winter of '08. No obvious ill affects. Served in a traditional burg glass. A lighter style for sure, but there's a fair amount going on. Lightly perfumed on the nose. Palate is light to medium light in weight, and is a lovely change of pace from the "whack over the head" stuff I normally drink. This is a great pairing with pork tenderloin and risotto. This is a food wine rather than a cocktail.

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• 2006 Bodegas Olivares Monastrell Altos de la Hoya Finca Hoya de Santa Ana 89 Points

  Spain, Murcia, Jumilla

  (3/29/2009)

  This is obviously a polarizing wine based on a quick read of the reviews. It happens to fit a style I like when in the right mood. A very different bottle from the last outing, and much better. Pepper, slight smoke, and of all things...banana on the nose. Rich and mouthcoating on the palate without being overbearing. A nice finish, hints of tannins and very little if any of the astringency I picked up the last time around. This drinks very nicely now, and while I don't see it as a long-term ager, it should continue to be a very nice wine over the next 2-3 years.

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• 2002 St. Francis Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  (3/28/2009)

  Popped/poured, and it was initially a little out of sorts and empty, not much on the nose or palate. After 20 minutes, it improved considerably, gaining depth on both the nose and palate. Nose - medium dark fruit and cassis. Palate - medium bodied, with a nice cassis / resin on the finish. A nice bottle for the price. Fell completely apart on Day 2.

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• 2001 Tenute Lunelli Trento Terre di Pietra 90 Points

  Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino, Trento

  (3/28/2009)

  Well, unfortunately my wife never made it down for those extra bottles and as a result, this is my last. Last time around, it crashed on the second day so I thought it needed to be consumed relatively quickly. Then I lost the bottle for a couple of years in the mess that passes for a "cellar". Found it tonight, and happy I did.
  
  Drinking remarkably similar to the way I recall it from 2+ years ago. Just a hint of barnyard on the nose, nothing distracting or annoying about it. On the palate, the Bordeaux grapes bring a depth, while the other two varietals (Lagrein and Teroldego) seem to give the wine both a bit of brightness and rusticity. Oddly, while I didn't notice it from the Riedel shiraz glass, when I poured another for my wife into a Riedel Extreme Cab glass, I pick up some sweetness that wasn't noticeable earlier. For my experience, it's such a unique blend that it's hard to pin down and I think that's part of the allure. An inexpensive cab can be compared to an expensive one, and faults can be found. I think the Lagrein and Teroldego keep this one unique, and in the "comfort" zone I described last time around.

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• 1992 Marietta Cellars Angeli Cuvée 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  (3/29/2009)

  This is probably a few years past its prime, but it's a great bottle of wine. A bit of bricking in the glass. Not much on the nose, a bit tired with musty red fruit and socks, almost corked. Given the palate though, "corked" is ruled out. It really explodes on the palate with some notes of old zin and a brightness that's hard to place (eucalyptus?). It stays with me a long time on the finish. After being open for a couple of hours, the nose is still funky, but the palate settles in and gains some weight. G. hates this one.

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• 2004 Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot 91 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma

  (3/29/2009)

  Damn it. I thought I was grabbing an '05, but instead opened my only remaining '04. Oh well. On the nose, heavy vanilla and dark fruit. Toasted oak and fruit on the palate all the way to the finish. If you don't dig oak, you won't dig this. At this point in its life, the oak is too discrete a component and not married into the overall. My reaction is closer to Laube's than Parker's, much as it pains me to say that.....

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• 2007 White Rose Estate Pinot Noir Mercotti's Milieu 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  (3/29/2009)

  Relatively light in color given its youth. Delightfully aromatic sweet and sour on the nose. On the palate, this is the most Burgundian pinot from the New World that I've had in quite some time, at least in terms of balance. None of the gaminess ("I want to be a Rhone") or stem character (Burg '04). Simply a great imitation of a really good Burg. Slight stems on the palate, but not over the top "illegal herbs". This is the second bottle of White Rose Wines that I've had, and I really have to give kudos to the style. For whatever reason, I pulled this one aside before sending a bunch of others to offsite. I can't wait to start going through the others when they reach their rightful maturity.

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I shudder to think, after reviewing inventory, how many times I will have to conduct similar events to whittle away at the bottles in my cellar. I'm also struck by the benefits of aging whites. Even the '04 Girardin has a couple years on it now, and showed the better for it. The '94 Klein was my emotional favorite of the weekend.