What are we drinking in the Omicron ominous?

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 3:41 pm

At the 2020 BWE convention in Washington DC (seems so far away, but it was only 7 months ago!), Noah brought a 3 liters of the 1986 Chateau Pichon Lalande... it was a fabulous Pauillac and everyone got good pours I guess. Like at any BWE convention, that 1986 PIchon Lalande was well surrounded by other great wines from Bordeaux. I particularly like my first poor ever of a Y dry white.

Nic

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Mon Oct 26, 2020 1:21 pm

Currently drinking 2010 Pascal Lescure NSG 1 er Cru Les Vaillerots.
Nose of sawn wood, savory forest floor characters, some mushroom, mocha and dark fruit.
More dark than red fruit with richness on the palate. Quite a bit of nutty, spicy French oak.
Typical NSG earthy, mocha like dark fruit with medium acid and soft tannins. Very nice wine though the oak is a little too potent for my palate, the aftertaste being a little aggressive. The fruit is quite sweet for NSG though overall a very good rather than great Burgundy.

Also drank Moet et Chandon NV as it is our Anniversary today.
Quite light and a little sweet with citrus and brioche flavours. A little simple to be honest but quite pleasant.
Moet is reliable and pleasant but not in the top shelf.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:45 pm

jal wrote:We had friends over for dinner yesterday, an anomaly in these crazy times. With lamb shanks we drank a 2016 Levet Côte Rôtie la Chavaroche. Dark purple, with dense black fruits, typical smell of olives, complex and with excellent depth, this was delicious, the wine has the brightness and purity I love in some Northern Rhône producers. It will obviously get much better in ten years or so but is very approachable right now. 94.

I believe you Jacques. Me too I'm having a Northern Rhône "crush" at the moment. Wonderful complex wines, even at that young age.

Nic

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 6:40 pm

Had 05 Cantenac Brown...Nice balanced wine, coming out of shell. Flowers, cherries, some incense and slight oak in the background with plenty of fruit. Would give it another blanquito easily...

Also had 05 G. Mascarello Santo Stefano Di Perno Barolo...Showed greatly with roses, tar, and violets, interlaced with ample acidity. It's kicking on all cylinders and is open for business...

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 7:27 pm

1997 Jadot Clos des Ursules. This is Jadot's flagship 1er cru Domaine wine. Jadot did a great job in 1997, but I finished all of my 1er crus a while back. This bottle came from an auction lot that contained mostly odds and ends. Anyway, the fruit is still tasty in the mouth but not detectable in the nose. There is some underbrush and sage. Still good, but I would reverse blanquito it if my wizard powers were better.

s*d*r · Post by **s*d*r** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 10:19 pm

The much anticipated and heralded 2008 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne has just arrived. It is wonderful and has tremendous potential, clearly a wine of great balance, finesse and concentration. Only needs about 1 Blanquito to come around. Unfortunately the price has shot up for this vintage, now coming in at $189, although many think the price will come down in later tranches once the buzz subsides.

Stu

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:07 pm

That’s a steep price... one can get a super second of a good vintage...

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:25 pm

What are we drinking on election night?

Champagne for me, either to celebrate or to drink into oblivion.

Gerry M. · Post by **Gerry M.** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:44 pm

JimHow wrote:What are we drinking on election night?

Champagne for me, either to celebrate or to drink into oblivion.

Can we assume it will be a magnum?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:50 pm

I do think the Dems may be making a big mistake in not focusing on having ballots counted by Election Day.
This business that we could still be counting ballots ten days later is asking for nothing but trouble.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Wed Oct 28, 2020 12:09 am

The vote counting schedule is up to each state by statute.

Tonight I opened a 2012 Ch. Garraud with Italian sausage stuffed crimini mushrooms.

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 2:13 am

On Nicklass's recommendation I picked up some 2009 Foillard Morgon Cote du Py. First purchase of this producer/vineyard although I did just get to try the 2015 recently as well. The 2009 is a very pretty wine, albeit just a tad too much cola for my taste. Otherwise, it is well balanced, with nice weight and a floral nose. Definitely came around with about an hour in glass. Worth the buy, although honestly tasted very similar to go Oregon pinot's. At $50 I won't complain for a good cru bojo with age that is probably right near the peak of its drinking window.

The 2015 was definitely as bigger wine, and I may have preferred it. I think that will come around with a few more years in bottle.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 12:11 pm

Racer Chris wrote:The vote counting schedule is up to each state by statute.

Tonight I opened a 2012 Ch. Garraud with Italian sausage stuffed crimini mushrooms.

Unless the SC says state statute is inconsistent with the state constitution. I think that’s what yesterday’s memo said. So there is the potential for a Bush v Gore scenario in several states.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 1:49 pm

With braised rabbit we drank 1999 Grivot Vosne-Romanee Les Rouges 1er Cru. This wine has what I like about 1999: firm structure, good mouth feel, fine balance. It also has what I do not like about so many of them: it is tight and unyielding. Will blanquitoing it one or two more times bring out the fruit that seems to be there? I have my doubts.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 11:25 pm

2016 La Dame de Montrose... Mmmm baby doll. We were wondering what the merlot content is here? Don't care. This wine is a beauty.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Fri Oct 30, 2020 2:58 am

I had another bottle of the 2017 PYCM VERGELESSES COMBOTTES Blanc, which I picked up on sale for $42, and I am kicking myself for not buying a case. This is a sensational white burg, it checks all of the boxes for me. I suppose in its relative youth it lacks is some complexity (and if nitpicking, it doesn’t have the layered magic of the creme de la creme of the region), but this wine runs with far more exalted communes which cost multiples of this modest satellite wine.

Ianjaig · Post by **Ianjaig** » Fri Oct 30, 2020 5:51 am

Saint Pierre 2011: PNP and initially this was all chocolate and sweet fruit. A one hour decant later and this has settled down into something quite special. Mocha dominant followed by a tannic rusticity. Beautiful.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Fri Oct 30, 2020 10:59 pm

1986 Chateau Meyney. Did is da shizzle, fo show.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sat Oct 31, 2020 12:09 am

Bottle empty.
wow

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Sat Oct 31, 2020 12:21 am

Racer Chris wrote:Bottle empty.
wow

In 1 hr and 10 mins, none too shabby.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sat Oct 31, 2020 9:45 am

I was already on the second glass when I first posted.

But it was so good - probably the best bottle of the 3 I had this year.

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Sat Oct 31, 2020 12:22 pm

Racer Chris wrote:1986 Chateau Meyney. Did is da shizzle, fo show.

I wrote a note a bit ago on WB.com calling this the greatest QPR in the history of QPR.

I’ve easily had 2+ cases of this wine starting in the mid-1990s. It’s shined every single time. A classic OB wine. Give me da Cordier funk, sung in a Tone Loc voice.

Love this stuff.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sun Nov 01, 2020 12:14 am

Tonight it's a bottle of 2010 Ch. Meyney, with grilled petite sirloins and vegetable stew.
I like this, but I really liked the '86!
I would like to have 2 more of the 2010 so I can have another one after ten more years, and then again one more time.

JCNorthway · Post by **JCNorthway** » Mon Nov 02, 2020 1:45 pm

With grilled bacon-wrapped filet, steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes, I opened a 2000 Talbot, which was decanted for 3-4 hours before dinner. If I were to describe the wine in one word, it would be "stern." There was decent fruit, lots of minerality adequate acidity, and very noticeable tannins. But it just was not giving up a whole lot. This is the 2nd bottle from a case, and the first was similar, though I think a bit more giving. At age 20, I would have expected this to be more mature and open, but perhaps I need to hide the remaining bottles for a least blanquito (or two?).

Gerry M. · Post by **Gerry M.** » Mon Nov 02, 2020 1:59 pm

JimHow wrote:2016 La Dame de Montrose... Mmmm baby doll. We were wondering what the merlot content is here? Don't care. This wine is a beauty.

FYI, 52% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Nov 02, 2020 3:01 pm

Thanks Gerry. Love this wine, there still seems to be quite a bit in stock in NH, I would get more if I were ever buying more wine again....

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Nov 03, 2020 2:12 am

With a wonderful mushroom pie we drank

2009 Jadot Clos des Ursules. The 1997 version of this we drank last week needs -1 blanquito and this baby will probably peak for my taste with +1 blanquito. Actually, it is drinking very well now. Lucie loves it for its balance. It has a shy nose at first for me, but with air I enjoy the asphalt accent that Lucie got right away. Recent vintages are around $80-90, so this wine is no longer a great bargain, but then what 1er Cru Burgundy is these days? Lucie is wine fasting right now and drank only one glass, but the only way I can avoid finishing the bottle is to think about how well it will go with leftover mushroom pie for lunch tomorrow. I love Lucie, but no way will there be any of the Ursules left for her dinner tomorrow.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:07 pm

Nicklasss wrote:A perfect night.2016 Chateau Haut Peyrous, Graves, from the fame vintage. Organic, my 4th or 5th bottle in a short time. Soooo claret. Uncomplicated, just the fix you need. Smoke, minerals, blackcurrants, violets flowers, light vegetal. I will buy more. Sappy. Classy. Miss me already.

Nic

Last night, opened a 2018 Volnay from Glantenay, and damn it, it was corked. I really wanted to taste it to see if i would order more...

Instead, as backup, i opened another bottle of the 2016 Chateau Haut Peyrous, Graves. Still very very good, withat light flowery, lot of cassis, smoke, and plummy vegetals. Took weight with air, but stays very medium body claret, drinking very well right now. Yum. Tn: 89-90.

Nic

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat Nov 14, 2020 5:33 pm

With mushroom and spinach crepes we drank
2009 Gerard Raphet Clos de Vougeot. Lucie thought this in a good place because "all the pieces are so blended together that it is hard to separate them". She particularly liked the "milk barn aroma". Not having ever lived on a farm, I call the smell clean earth, but apparently milk barns in Iowa have no number 2 smell. For my taste the wine will surely be better in five or ten years, but even now it is enjoyable.

Ianjaig · Post by **Ianjaig** » Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:30 am

Haut Brisson 2017: Day one: Big, chunky, luscious. Somewhat glossy. Needs time++
By day 2 & 3 this has mellowed and softened, evolving into something quite special. Rich, intense blueberries. Must buy some more.

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Sun Nov 15, 2020 12:54 pm

My birthday yesterday - as it is with Prince Charles.
No relation of course.
Billecart Salmon NV was very good. Been in the wine fridge for about 5 yrs and now showing that honey, quince and baked apple character from age. Maybe I’m a bit eccentric but I hold NV Champagne for some years as I like the developed characters more than the fresh, light it’s citrus characters of young NV.

Then had Cockburn LBV Port.
Quite evident alcohol (20%) on nose seems a bit hot and spirity.
Better on palate with typical rich fruit and nutty characters. Maybe a touch sweet and alcoholic for me. Good but not great.

Now sipping a McLaren Vale wine. Hardy’s Tintara Shiraz 2016. I normally give this region a miss due to high alc and jammy fruit. At 14.5% it is at the edge of my range. Quite hot nose with plums and blackberries. Some aged wood characters - smoky tarry notes and whisky barrel flavours. It provides plenty of flavour though is rather spirity and overtly woody and I don’t like the astringent and bitter aftertaste.
I should not bag SA wines but this is fruity but the American oak and high alc roughs it up. Okay but I am overly sensitive these days to crappy oak treatment and high alcohol. Wendy did not like it so the last of the bottle is going in the sauce tomorrow.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 1:07 am

Happy Birthday Mark. Like you, I prefer NV Champagne with 3-5 years or more of cellaring.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 2:12 am

Happy b-day, to the great BWEer located in tropical Singapour. Best wishes. I like Billecart-Salmon too. Maybe i should try it after 5 year of storage.

Nic

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 2:39 am

I had a lovely red burgundy tonight with almost new world levels of fruit. And I know I would be in trouble for reporting it here but for the fact that it was a 2005.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 2:58 am

Blanquito wrote:I had a lovely red burgundy tonight with almost new world levels of fruit. And I know I would be in trouble for reporting it here but for the fact that it was a 2005.

Blanquito, who intimidates you that much, here on BWE? It shouldn't be.

BTW, we need to try some other red wines sometime, to still be convinced that red Bordeaux are the best.

Nic

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:36 am

Blanquito
I love 05 Burgundy and it was the WOTY albeit under protest.
What was it??

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 4:45 pm

Yes, the protest 05 burgundy WOTY was my rationale.

It was the delicious Alain Burguet Gevery-Chambertin "Mes Favorites" Vieilles Vignes. Not profound but super well balanced.

s*d*r · Post by **s*d*r** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 5:21 pm

1995 Ridge Monte Bello.

Damn, that is really, really good. Almost as good as Bordeaux. Old world style, fresh, lively, fruity but not too fruity, solid tannins, ripe and mature. Not all California wine sucks

.

Stu

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Mon Nov 16, 2020 10:14 pm

Stu, how mature is the 95 Monte Bello? I have a bottle or two floating around, but I just assumed it needs more time.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:52 am

With homemade pizza:

2010 Bruna Grimaldi Camilla Barolo. Pretty good for an inexpensive Barolo. Mouth drying by itself, it is fine with pizza.