November 17, 2022 - Tasted double blind from small capped bottles. Classic loire cab franc - this one is really light and mature, leaves and forest floor, bell peppers and tomato, lots of dirt and earth. leafy tobacco - mushroom - really savory and umami . Tart and dirt and earth on the palate - a bit of leaves and dirt. Finish is tart and bit bony - minerals. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je ne Sais Quoi 1/2 = 14.5/20.
Day 3: this is more tired than before. Showing lots of green and tertiary umami characteristics - tobacco and bell pepper, mushroom, dirt. Palate is these bit very sour and bony. Finish shows some funk and must - from age but has a nice earthy sweetness to it. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi 1/2 = 14.5/20.
April 8, 2017 - dark red with a bit of browning. showed well, bottle was in good shape. a bit of dark fruit but mostly mineral and intense earthy notes. medium in body, medium- acidity
October 26, 2016 - Perfect bottle of this at Rouge Tomate, NYC. Lighter-bodied with delicate dark cherry fruit along with bell pepper and violets. Finishes quite complex with notes of minerals and red spice. Just beautiful right now.
September 11, 2016 - Not a library release bottle. Stood up for a day and decanted off sediment right before drinking. The wine is past it's prime. It is not falling apart - it has good color and mouthfeel, but whatever vibrancy it (probably) once had is now gone. There is still the suggestion of fruit but no complexity, and although there is acidity it comes across as shrill and not integrated. The taste is also just kind of foursquare and dull, with none of the mineral signature that I know from this place. 45 minutes in the decanter help to coax out some tobacco and earth but it's just a glimpse, an optimistic interpretation on my part because I love this producer. I feel confident that it's not a case of the wine needing more time or hiding what it has. I'm guessing it is a wine that showed better 10 years ago.
August 13, 2016 - Olga Raffault Les Picasses - Past & Present Tasting (New York, NY): Not a library release bottle and the worst condition of the bunch. Stood up for 24 hours prior to serving. Fill level was to the top of the shoulder. Cork was intact with seepage about halfway up. Black charcoallooking su bstance (assume dried wine) and the cork starting to turn white under foil. Slow ox'd for 1 hour prior to tasting. Color was mostly brown. Heavy sediment at bottom of bottle. On the nose and palate this smelled strongly of canned green beans. Brought me back to the 1970's opening veggies from a can. Not really a pleasant smell for me. I think this is definitely past peak or perhaps this bottle was just not stored the best (recently purchased at retail). This was the least favorite of the flight and for me one of the least favorite of the tasting.
February 27, 2016 - Q1 Tasting - Cabernet Franc wines (Our Apt): Wine #9: Drank as part of a blind Cabernet Franc tasting and this was the winner. Age very apparent. When first poured was almost a touch musty, but that blew off quickly. Get some leather and leaves and stems and kindof a whole cluster feel to it. Interesting wine. Enjoyed. (7 pennies)
June 10, 2014 - Very dirty tasting. Like liquid soil. Earthy to the max.
December 31, 2013 - The somm at Sweet Basil in Vail, CO walked to the bar with this bottle opened. A customer had ordered it but sent it back claiming it was "past its prime". Their loss was our benefit. The somm was so very kind to share some of this bottle, which had a wonderful nose, and this Chinon had aged beautifully. Elusive, subtle, minerally, the fruit was in retreat but not surrender. One of my most memorable bottles, for the context of it all created what it was. A gift.