Chablis and Chassagne with Greek food

[jal]

Ok, more like grilled fish than Greek food but it was at a Greek restaurant.

David and Peggy met us at Blu Kouzina, our favorite restaurant in Sarasota yesterday, we only had Greek salads to start, and as a main dish we shared a huge 5lbs grilled striped that was phenomenal, accompanied with roasted potatoes and some green beans.

We had a 2014 Michel Niellon Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champ Gain, ripe and tropical, the Champs Gain is the most ripe and fruity of Niellon's Chassagne, David said this could almost be Californian, the wine is delicious, buttery, without the heavy oak treatment, I find it long with hints of pineapple and apricot. 92

With the fish, we drank a 2014 Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Les Forets, minerality and steely grip with vibrant acidity, excellent core of fruit. A lot better with fish than the Chassagne, the problem is that the fish was so good that we barely came up for air to drink the wine, we left almost half a bottle which made the waiter happy. 93

Great evening, too bad these guys are leaving this week, it was fun seeing them and catching up. Next year or hopefully earlier. Now we're excited for Danny and Danielle's visit.

[DavidG]

Jacques and Jill are enticing me back to the dark side of white Burg. One of my first loves, I gave up on it once premox hit. But these are so good, even young, that I am seriously tempted. I was surprised at how tropical and ripe the Niellon was. We drained it pretty quickly. The Louis Michel was everything you could want from a Chablis and just as Jacques described.

Blu Kouzina was great. We arrived a bit late, Jacques tells me "We got a big fish." When they brought it out it was as long as the table. A striped bass (we sometimes refer to them as rockfish in Maryland), this was as fresh as ones I've caught myself in the Chesapeake Bay. Simply grilled with olive oil and a little parsley, it was delicious. We just couldn't stop and consumed the whole thing. Highly recommended.

[stefan]

Louis Michel is my favorite Chablis producer and 2014 is one of the best vintages for Chablis. Niellon's 2014 Champ Gain is lovely and almost not too young. These are my kinds of white Burgundies.

[JimHow]

Stefan, what was that white Burgundy you bought at MacArthur's and then uncorked a little later at the lunch at Black Salt?
That was a Niellon, was it not?
That one that Jacques brought to dinner the other night was heavenly with the lobster opening course.

[stefan]

Yes, that was a Niellon Chassagne 1er cru, Jim. Maybe the Maltroie?

[jal]

Yes, that was a Niellon Chassagne 1er cru, Jim. Maybe the Maltroie?

I love the Clos de la Maltroie, but my favorite Chassagne 1er from Niellon is the Chaumees Clos de la Truffiere, followed by the Vergers, the Champs Gain is so different than the rest due to its ripeness.

Ok, basically, I love Niellon, my favorite producer in Chassagne. Much better imo than Ramonet.

[stefan]

Ramonet is no slouch and perhaps has higher highs, but Niellon is my "go to" guy for Chassagne. I like all of his, but Truffiere is my favorite.