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MuscaDay 2015
Tasted May 31, 2015 by isaacjamesbaker with 648 views
Introduction
The wines speak for themselves. The food (from Black Salt) was amazing: insane amount and diversity of oysters, shrimp, prawns, lobster, snow crabs, crab cakes, crab salad, ahi tuna. Not to mention cheese, etc. An amazing afternoon of great friends, food and wine. I jotted down random notes, nothing serious, but the wines all deserve much more time and attention than I was able to give them. Oceanic bliss.
So many good friends in one spot reminds you how awesome life is. I missed a dozen-plus wines, but that's how it goes.
I didn't attach scores to any of these wines, but if I had, they pretty much would've all been in the 90+ range.
Flight 1 - Lunea-Papin Le "L" d'Or (5 notes)
These wines are just great. Vintage variation keeps things interesting, but the wines are beautiful, vintage-in, vintage-out. Love the depth of oceanic elements and the precision of these wines. The 97 was showing beautifully, but perhaps the 2002 just edged it out because it a bit more intensity and brightness. I'd happily drink any of these bottles over the course of an afternoon with seafood.
White
1995 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or
A bit closed and muted at first but shows a lot of minerals, melon, chalk. Not too briny, moderately floral, similar to the 2002 in its structure, but with a bit less verve.
White
1997 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or
Briny, focused, bright, tons of sour lemon, sea breeze, crusty jetty rocks. Creamy notes, slight honey, still plenty of life ahead. Tied with the 2002 for my favorite.
White
1999 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or
Bright, a bit more seashells on this one, still an attractive creaminess, plenty of acid.
White
2002 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or
A beautiful L d'Or, tons of cut and verve. Saline, chalk, intense and brisk with candied lemon, apricot, oyster shell and lots of potpourri and spice. So alive and bright, years ahead if cellared properly.
White
2005 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie "L" d’Or
Young but showing a ton of attractive elements. Chalky, floral, dried herbs, intensely oceanic. Great cut but creamy body, lots to unpack in the cellar.
Flight 2 - Clos des Briords (4 notes)
Gotta love Briords. The 08 was my favorite, but I'd love to taste all of these wines again in three years.
White
2008 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords
My favorite wine in this flight, perhaps of the night. Delicious, exotic, refined, full of complexity. So much chalk and minerals, but the green pear and apple fruit is still going, a creamy, richer aspect accents the acidity. Wonderful stuff, still seems to have years ahead.
White
2010 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords
So brisk, briny, salty, full of lime and flowers. Intense, alive, nervy, but showing some refinement. I wish I had a half case of this to cellar and pop a bottle every year.
White
2012 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords
A more bold and forward appeal (obviously, still tons of minerals, ocean spray and brine), but some orange, apple and candied lemon. Seems to be opening up, I'd love to try this again in two-to-four years.
White
2013 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords
Still really intense and young, full of salty, oceanic intensity. Not as plump as the 2012, but a lot of concentration and age-worthy potential. Very good stuff.
Flight 3 - More Muscadet (9 notes)
White
1996 Château du Coing de Saint Fiacre Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Grande Cuvée Saint-Hilaire
Super floral, honeysuckle, spice, some Riesling-like notes of oil and dried nuts. Still lively, but an attractive oily aspect. Very nice.
White
2002 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Excelsior Clos des Noelles
Probably the creamiest Muscadet in the bunch. Rich, almond, nougat, peaches, wax. Still crisp acid and full of mineral intensity, but a richness that is very attractive. Bold but beautiful.
White
2004 Jérémie Huchet & Jérémie Mourat Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Gorges
Rich yet brisk, floral and alive, saline and honey line up perfectly. Aged characteristics of dried honey and herbs but still tons of freshness.
White
2005 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Cuvée 3
Plump, full and yeasty, yet mineral-driven and full of tangy citrus and oceanic elements. Perhaps even more complex and effusive than when I tasted this in 2012.
White
2005 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Cuvée Eden
Brisk, clean, yet floral and spicy. Peachy, lots of pears, seashells and spice notes. From magnum, still a ways to go.
White
2009 Chéreau-Carré Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Le Clos du Chateau l'Oiseliniere
Crisp and tart, limes and sea shells, oceanic but light and perhaps a bit restrained. Quite nice, but perhaps it needs time?
White
2010 Jérémie Huchet & Jérémie Mourat Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Clisson - Les Bêtes Curieuses
Tangy, intense, chalky, lots of minerals and oyster shells yet maintains a fruity, suave appeal.
White
2010 Domaine Bruno Cormerais Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Granite de Clisson
Elegant, so mineral-driven, lots of slate and saline. The lime, green pear and spice elements work well. Seems to be in prime drinking condition.
White
2010 Domaine Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Terre de Pierre Butte de la Roche
Salty, clean, full of minerals, but a richer approach, leesy with some serious concentration. I'd hold this for three-to-eight.
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Flight 4 - Non-Muscadet Goodness (4 notes)
White
2010 Domaine Servin Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre
A bit of apple sauce and nutty element, but not too many. Still, a bit troublesome considering the age. Still a good showing, with great acid and intense minerals, but not pristine.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Nicolas Maillart Champagne Degorgement Tardif Platine
Delicious, great cut and minerality, accented with toasted baguette and yeast. I really liked this from magnum, but I want to taste it next to the basic Platine, because I couldn't detect much difference tasting this late disgorged on its own.
Rosé
1998 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
One of the most unique and memorable roses anywhere. Smells of mushrooms, a stoner's basement and strawberry greens. Full of funky, earthy, savory elements on the palate, but the acid is amazing, and there's some white cherry and wild strawberry fruit as well (but it takes the far back seat). Chalk, almonds, dried honeycomb, lots of interesting elements to dissect.
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White
1996 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia
93 points
Such a cool, crazy, insane wine. Salty, musky, earthy, full of tea and nuts. The candied orange peel and lemon curd fruit is blasted with nuts, dried honey, all sorts of herbs. An awesome wine, and even better when paired with a black and white pepper-crusted goat cheese. Such intriguing, challenging, but ultimately rewarding stuff.