What are we drinking in the Omicron ominous?

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Fri May 15, 2020 2:48 am

2016 Frattoria del Cerro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Very italian, but very good, with that rustic cherry rasberry character, with light spices, old vine wood, and acidic red berries. Light in mouth but long too. Good acidity to balance the 14 % alcohol.

Nic

Frederico · Post by **Frederico** » Fri May 15, 2020 11:56 am

Made surf and turf with prime rib roast and broiled garlic buttered lobster tail. Opened and decanted a '96 Pontet-Canet. No detailed notes but all I can remember is what a delicious meal.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Fri May 15, 2020 1:42 pm

2013 St Innocent Shea. Lucie and I continue to respond very differently to wines we drink. She preferred the Shea to the 2013 Laurene we drank the night before and consider the Shea fuller. I thought thought the Shea was thinner than Shea is in most years and the acid level higher. She preferred the Shea while I preferred the softer (to me) Laurene, particularly for drinking now.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Fri May 15, 2020 2:10 pm

I am opening 01 Merlkebach Urz Wurz Spatlese tomorrow. Abtsberg is a rockstar.

I have a couple of 2001 Selbach Oster ZS Auslese, but have not breached any.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Fri May 15, 2020 3:23 pm

I am huge fan of the 01 Merkelbach lineup. I have only a few left, and I’m hoarding them.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Fri May 15, 2020 9:08 pm

Blanquito wrote:I am huge fan of the 01 Merkelbach lineup. I have only a few left, and I’m hoarding them.

I saw your note on CT and will be making chicken on the grill in a lime chili marinade.

I was at an 01 German release tasting and when we got to Merklebach Kinheimer Rosenberg Spatlese it caused an immediate buying frenzy. Great and low priced.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat May 16, 2020 1:14 am

Tonight we drank 1998 Pavie-Decesse with beef & turkey meatloaf, baked potato, and sugar snap peas. The cork was dried out and broke even though I used my Durand. Fortunately, the wine was sound. It is still primary with good fruit, about the same as it was five years ago even though it has been at 64F the entire time. I like Decesse more than Macquin. Pavie I do not drink any more.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sat May 16, 2020 2:11 am

stefan wrote:Pavie I do not drink any more.

I found this helps when one needs to look oneself in the mirror the next day.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Sat May 16, 2020 5:33 pm

Claret wrote:I am opening 01 Merlkebach Urz Wurz Spatlese tomorrow. Abtsberg is a rockstar.

I have a couple of 2001 Selbach Oster ZS Auslese, but have not breached any.

I stuck one of those 01 Selbach ZS Auslese in the fridge for consumption this wknd, after checking with Mrs R that she would have some. We had a really great 07 Selbach WS kabinett this week that motivated me.

Its kind of crazy when I think about it - 2001 was the only German vintage I ever bought in any size - maybe 10 cases at the exhortations of Pappadoc and Lyle Fass and everything was fantastic. But what I have left can be counted on one hand, if that. Ever since then I only buy a few bottles as needed since nothing has ever seemed as awesome and cheap as they were then.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Sun May 17, 2020 2:28 pm

Arv, let me know how it performs. I wish I had bought 10 cases of 01's, but I have 17 bottles left.

The Merkelbach yesterday was very, very good.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sun May 17, 2020 4:10 pm

At some point, my purchased of 01 Germans totaled around 20 cases, mostly via backfilling. These were getting dumped on Winebid circa 2009-2010 at or below the already very low release prices, and I basically bought it all.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sun May 17, 2020 5:40 pm

I'm having a glass of 2010 Ch. Talbot with lunch right now. Lunch is B/L/A (bacon, lettuce, avocado) sandwiches on Neo Tuscan Boule, with Cape Cod kettle cooked potato chips The wine has opened up considerably since I opened it last night during our Zoom gathering, but I expect will be even better tonight with dinner. Typical Talbot profile - understated elegance.

sdr · Post by **sdr** » Mon May 18, 2020 6:33 pm

AKR wrote:
Claret wrote:2001 was the only German vintage I ever bought in any size - maybe 10 cases at the exhortations of Pappadoc and Lyle Fass and everything was fantastic. But what I have left can be counted on one hand, if that. Ever since then I only buy a few bottles as needed since nothing has ever seemed as awesome and cheap as they were then.

They are still awesome and relatively cheap. I bought a lot of 2001 German and enjoyed them young. I still have a fair amount left and they are much more interesting now. I can’t remember what I did then but now I can’t figure out how to match them with food. The Spatlëse are too sweet with almost everything and the Auslese are not sweet enough for a dessert wine. Strangely, I find the best combination is with white meat turkey. I don’t eat much spicy food which probably would work better. No need for apéritif at home, either.

Stu

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Mon May 18, 2020 6:39 pm

Stu, try Asian, Indian or Thai foods and they should all work to varying degrees based on the dish.

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Mon May 18, 2020 7:04 pm

sdr wrote:
AKR wrote:
Claret wrote:2001 was the only German vintage I ever bought in any size - maybe 10 cases at the exhortations of Pappadoc and Lyle Fass and everything was fantastic. But what I have left can be counted on one hand, if that. Ever since then I only buy a few bottles as needed since nothing has ever seemed as awesome and cheap as they were then.
They are still awesome and relatively cheap. I bought a lot of 2001 German and enjoyed them young. I still have a fair amount left and they are much more interesting now. I can’t remember what I did then but now I can’t figure out how to match them with food. The Spatlëse are too sweet with almost everything and the Auslese are not sweet enough for a dessert wine. Strangely, I find the best combination is with white meat turkey. I don’t eat much spicy food which probably would work better. No need for apéritif at home, either.

Stu

Get some Indian or Thai takeout, or cook a red curry Thai sauce or something...killer match with Riesling that have a bit of RS

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Mon May 18, 2020 7:06 pm

We have one more week of cool weather here in DC so I am looking forward to some good wines this week...have a couple of good Burgundy still to go through and a Loire, down to almost my last Bordeaux at home, a 2000 Lanessan.

Once the weather hits the mid-80s outside I usually don't feel like "big reds" any more.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Mon May 18, 2020 8:09 pm

Riesling and pork or grilled chicken works too.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Mon May 18, 2020 9:10 pm

We did riesling with roast caraway crusted pork last week, but mostly have it with Thai takeout food.

And I agree on the auslese sweetness level - its not really sweet enough for me for a real dessert wine.

Glen - that 01 Selbach is still very zesty, zippy, crisp. It seems to be aging at a slow pace.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed May 20, 2020 12:31 am

With a grilled Flannery ribeye and roared vegetables, we drank a 2000 Léoville Poyferré. Stored since release, in perfect shape. Drinking well as a still-youthful Bordeaux, give it a Blanquito or two if you want aged complexity.

sdr · Post by **sdr** » Wed May 20, 2020 3:10 am

Turkey frozen from November goes well with dry Riesling too. An ‘01 (Trimbach) Clos Ste. Hune tonight was impressive, the wine having survived the ages better than the turkey.

Stu

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Wed May 20, 2020 3:14 am

2018 Masselina Romagna Albana : excellent dry white made from Albana grape. Reminded me some very elegant Chardonnay, with good fruit, medium intensity. I should buy some more as distinctive and would go with lot of different meal type.

2018 Bourgogne Terres dorées Jean-Paul Brun: pinot noir grown in... fucking Beaujolais (to say like a famous BWE member). Excellent too for the price, nice pinot fruit, with sligthly ripe style but good acidity to balance. Also that light vegetal that the pinot can sometime have. Cool down a bit, will be a winner in the summer.

Nic

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Wed May 20, 2020 12:27 pm

Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva 2001
Beautifully fragrant with pure red raspberry, cherry, herbs, leather and tobacco scents that lead way to a silky, round sour cherry and tobacco driven palate that is soft yet lingering. Fully integrated, drinking and will undoubtedly last for decades. 93

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Wed May 20, 2020 1:19 pm

2015 Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva.
95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot - the Merlot adds plummy and fruity characters to the nose but not much on the palae.
Medium bodied, nose of cherry and various berries, a touch of toasty oak and green tobacco.
Palate was pretty good - nice balance, mild tannins and some acid, with a well balanced core of red fruits, anise and tobacco.
The finish is a little hard with drying oak tannins and firm acid.

I quite like decent Chianti Classico and this was good but not great.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Wed May 20, 2020 5:28 pm

With guacamole, flat iron, and salad we drank 1998 Domaine de Chevalier last night on our front patio while zooming with friends. It is mature and the blackberry fruit has a strong backbone. My only criticism is that it is less distinctively Grave than I like, although Lucie thinks I am being picky.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed May 20, 2020 6:50 pm

My only criticism is that it is less distinctively Grave than I like, although Lucie thinks I am being picky.

This is the complaint that some of us have about DDC. It is meticulously made but not distinctive. Internationalized.

jal · Post by **jal** » Wed May 20, 2020 7:16 pm

stefan wrote:guacamole, flat iron and salad

Too funny, that's on our menu for tonight's Zoom meeting. With 2010 Lagrange leftovers (Repour covered) from the Saturday BWE Zoom meeting

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Wed May 20, 2020 7:55 pm

How was the 2010 Lagrange Jacques?

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Wed May 20, 2020 8:01 pm

You know what they say about great minds, Jacques.

jal · Post by **jal** » Wed May 20, 2020 8:07 pm

Comte Flaneur wrote:How was the 2010 Lagrange Jacques?

Ian, I poured a glass a couple of hours before before our Zoom meeting and immediately stuck a Repour in the bottle so I'll have a better opinion tonight.

On Saturday it started quite shy on the palate, some black cherries, a strong backbone but a little dry on the finish. It developed a little but I would still triple blanquito any bottles I have.

We'll see how it is tonight with the steak.

Dandersson · Post by **Dandersson** » Wed May 20, 2020 11:43 pm

Nothing fancy tonight: Tesoro de Bullas, Monastrell, La mancha, 2015. Nice balanced wine, dark berries and liquorice, shows the character of the grape. Good enough length. I like this wine. Could potentially evolve for 2-3 years, might let one of them rest in the cellar just for fun. To me it is generally a 86-88p wine. Have a nice evening!

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Wed May 20, 2020 11:51 pm

2014 Pierre de Montignac (Medoc) for me tonight. Its pretty good with roasted baby potatoes in leftover pesto.

JCNorthway · Post by **JCNorthway** » Wed May 20, 2020 11:58 pm

Also a simple night for me - 2017 Ratti Nebbiolo Ochetti with pork tenderloin and roasted cauliflower.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Thu May 21, 2020 12:17 am

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013 tonight with baked chicken and roasted potatoes. Simple but nice in a sour, bright, lemongrass-and-lime milieu.

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Thu May 21, 2020 1:05 am

Domaine Dujac Morey Saint Denis 2014
Aromatically beautiful with blueberry, tobacco, cedar and spice that lead to a sweet, juicy black raspberry and cherry driven flavor profile that fades with floral notes that emerge on the finish. 91

jal · Post by **jal** » Thu May 21, 2020 1:50 am

The 2010 Lagrange was better tonight, still ways away from ready. The nose got better and more expressive as the evening went on but the fruit is still very tart and the tannins quite drying.

So looking at Parker notes, he or rather Neal Martin gives this 95 (tasted April 2020). Parker gave the 1989 Gruaud Larose we had two weeks ago a score of 89 in December 2003. Scores are subjective, I know, but this is ridiculous, I had the Gruaud at various stages of its evolution, and the 1989 Gruaud at ten years old was miles better than this Lagrange. But this is a discussion best saved for the 1945 Copenhagen tasting thread, I guess

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Thu May 21, 2020 4:42 pm

Scoring is just insane from most critics -- it seems like a polished wine with slick fruit automatically gets you into the mid-90s.

I went to a long vertical of Lagrange and I didn't think a single wine, including the 2010, would have qualified as 95 points which to me is an extraordinary wine and not just a good one. The 1990 was maybe closest I guess.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu May 21, 2020 4:52 pm

The 2010 also had "drying tannins", Jacques. From my limited experience I would say that 2010 Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux at 10 years are as tough to drink as 1986 Bordeaux was at age 10.That is quite different from the 2009 Bordeaux.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Thu May 21, 2020 7:27 pm

Thanks for the note Jacques I am beginning to feel guilty that I may have enticed both you and stefan to open - and waste - 2010s way before their time. I was feeling bullish after my d’Issan experience and I really liked the Pav Rouge, although it was really just giving me a polite glimpse of how good it will be in a few years from now.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Thu May 21, 2020 7:29 pm

Tonight Keshaw Elgin Clonal Chardonnay 2016
Jamet Cote Rotie 2007 with moussaka

jal · Post by **jal** » Thu May 21, 2020 8:06 pm

Comte Flaneur wrote:Jamet Cote Rotie 2007 with moussaka

Ooooh!