What are we drinking in the Omicron ominous?

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Sat Apr 11, 2020 7:14 pm

With charcuterie and sous vide sirloin, drank some 04 Haut Bailly.

I am a fan of Haut Bailly in general, and am starting to notice that for vintages with enough age and minimal tannins, tastes best in the first 15 minutes poured out of bottle. Then tends to shut down and lose the beautiful floral notes and freshness which is what makes me like Haut Bailly so much in general. I have yet to try any from top vintages but this is definitely the case for the 04 and the 06. I will try the 05 soon as a test

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sat Apr 11, 2020 8:18 pm

Another Haut Bailey fan here. Maybe my favorite Pessac-Leognan bang for the buck even though it’s not cheap. If I had baller money I’d drink Haut Brion, but alas...

Drank a 2018 Halcon Alturas Syrah from California (Yorkville Highlands) a couple of days ago. Nice red fruit, spice, pepper, good balance still young and pretty tannic, tight and focused.

Drinking a 2003 Pontet Canet today - posted on it in the global warming thread. Vintage characteristics taking over here.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat Apr 11, 2020 9:34 pm

All this discussion about Haut-Bailly convinced me to pull a 1998 for drinking tomorrow with lamb chops. Tonight we'll drink 2000 Talbot with strip steak.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Sat Apr 11, 2020 11:43 pm

I'm planning on opening a 2002 Latour on Monday. I'm thinking I should double decant about 8 hours before serving. Does that sound right?

SF Ed

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sat Apr 11, 2020 11:44 pm

The 1979 Haut Bailly is a great wine, was still singing a few years ago in nyc.

Popped a lovely 06 Mount Eden Chardonnay Estate for dinner. In a great spot, probably a little too big to make one think burgundy, but this is still balanced by plenty of brightness. 93+ pts.

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 2:23 pm

Very interested to hear how that 98 HB is Stefan, enjoy!

Had a fun Coravin night and a glass of each with charcuterie and then some lamb "burgers" and vegatables

05 Jean Michel Gaunoux meursault 1er Gouttes D'Or- Great color, great minerality, just a hint of creaminess still- 92pts
06 Michel Bouzereau Puligny Caillerets- Awesome wine, so much going on, maybe the closest to a grand cru puligny that i've had. Great weight, and some spices too.-94pts
96 Leoville Barton- with lamb burgers. Very nice and floral wine, hints of cedar that I tend to note on the 96 vintage but still strong backbone/structure. -93pts

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:00 pm

SF Ed wrote:I'm planning on opening a 2002 Latour on Monday. I'm thinking I should double decant about 8 hours before serving. Does that sound right?

SF Ed

Yes Ed but you could probably get away with four hours prior. I have heard great things about the 2002 Latour so look forward to reading your report.

I am opening a 2004 Leoville Barton tonight

Winona Chief · Post by **Winona Chief** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 5:23 pm

Blanquito,

I remember that 1979 Haut Bailly - very nice. There were many very good 1979 Bordeaux. Some others I really liked: Giscours, Cantemerle, Palmer, Pichon Lalande, Margaux and lots of Pomerol.

Chris Bublitz

Winona Chief · Post by **Winona Chief** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 5:30 pm

Last wine we opened was a 2010 Selbach-Oster Graacher Himmelreich Anhrecht. This is a very good German Riesling. Last night, Marjorie and I split a bomber of aged Avery Raspberry Sour (2016 release).

Chris Bublitz

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 5:38 pm

Winona Chief wrote:Last wine we opened was a 2010 Selbach-Oster Graacher Himmelreich Anhrecht. This is a very good German Riesling. Last night, Marjorie and I split a bomber of aged Avery Raspberry Sour (2016 release).

Chris Bublitz

How sweet was the Anhrecht, Chris? Over the years, my interest in offdry Riesling has waned, but the best sweet ones still appeal especially in acidic years like 2010 (I’m still a huge fan of the 2001 Germans at all levels of the pradikat).

Winona Chief · Post by **Winona Chief** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 5:52 pm

The Anrecht was labeled Spatlese. Had some sweetness but wasn’t too sweet and was nicely balanced with acidity - in a good place right now.

Chris Bublitz

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:12 pm

I was sipping on a glass of 2014 Echo de Lynch Bages, but just switched to the 1988 Mouton (from a 375) that I decanted 1 1/2 hours ago.
The lamb curry is simmering on the stove and my wife and I are about to sit down for a round of backgammon.

gco1133 · Post by **gco1133** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:23 pm

For aperitif tonight some Gosset Grand Grand Reserve NV aged about three years from a purchase in France. Some citrusy appley fruit and a nice mousse.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 10:01 pm

For breakfast with our kids in Berkeley and Eugene we drank 2006 Copinet Marie Brut, which was quite nice. I had a glass of a cheap, modern style 2015 Puisseguin St Emilion, Chateau Fongaban, with leftover strip steak. For my taste it is much better than any CA Cab that cost $15. It is now time for me to open the 1998 Haut-Bailly for dinner.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 1:53 pm

Lucie loved the 1998 Haut-Bailly. Upon pouring there was pronounced licorice and the taste was also true. The wine matched up well with grilled lamb chops. There was some dried grass in the bottom of the bottle.

I had trouble opening the bottle. I misused a screwpull on a cork that was dry and crumbly and had to decant before serving. I liked the wine but was less impressed than Lucie. It was thinner than I expected and the great bouquet went away too soon after pouring. Storage problem? Maybe, but it was mine. Being lazy, I never moved the OWC to my cooler storage. The wine was at around 64-66F for 20 years. This was the second bottle from the case. IIRC, we drank the first bottle a couple of years ago and I thought it would benefit from further aging.

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 2:36 pm

For me, too much!!!

Yesterday made some killer Bloody Mary’s for lunch, garnishing with a sprig of bacon and a spear of chorizo and blue cheese stuffed green olives.

For dinner, a 2017 Willi Schaefer Kabinett with a jumbo Bahamian lobster tail, polenta and roasted broccoli.

Covid will add 19 pounds on me when it is all said and done!

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:37 pm

OrlandoRobert wrote:Covid will add 19 pounds on me when it is all said and done!

Absolutely, my exercise regimen has gone to hell and I'm eating and drinking more due in part to boredom.

JCNorthway · Post by **JCNorthway** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 7:15 pm

With our Easter dinner featuring braised lamb shank (thanks to a very good local restaurant preparing meals), I opened my one and only bottle of 2005 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau. Though I enjoyed it, I believe it would have been better a few years earlier. There was still an abundance of dark and rich fruit flavors and a nice mouthfeel, but it was lacking the structure and "freshness" that I experienced with a couple of other recent 05 CdP's. I seem to recall that this received pretty good ratings back in the day, but I would give it no more than 89-90 points at this time.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:16 pm

A too good 2018 Chinon Gabare from Domaine Grosbois. I'll report in a seperate tread.

Chinon rocks!

Nic

Winona Chief · Post by **Winona Chief** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:39 pm

Tonight we had fettuccine with our tomato sauce, Italian sausages (chicken) and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The 2010 Bruno Rocca Barbaresco Rabaja that we drank with our dinner was wonderful. Really great stuff and surprisingly in a good place for drinking now.

Chris Bublitz

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:40 am

2014 Ken Wright Carter Pinot Noir with a turkey and mushroom casserole. Tastes like the winemaker just pressed the grapes and bottled. That is good compliment.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 3:13 am

2002 Latour for Lisa's birthday. OMFG. Easily the best 2002 I've had, and a classic example of Latour. Not a huge nose but a great palate, linear and full, with big tannins and a big finish. Perfectly ripe fruit, classic, and more ready than I would expect. Give this another 5-10 years, but early drinking Latour is a treat.

SF Ed

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 3:16 am

Happy birthday Lisa!
Yeah, I can imagine the combination of Latour + 2002 being something special.

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 3:24 am

2012 JF Ganevat Chardonnay Grusse en Billat and no matter how many of these intentionally oxidized Jura’s I try, I just can’t wrap my head around the flavor profile.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 1:27 pm

Happy birthday Lisa! Sounds like you had a suitable wine.

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:08 pm

Folks
Just drank the last of the 2001 Rion Clos de Vougeot I brought from Australia a decade ago.
A bit ordinary for a GC but CV can be everything from wonderful to awful. Light slightly murky color and the damn cork collapsed on opening. Quick decant and a filter to get the cork out.
Nose is nice with smoky oak, red and black fruit, some musk and truffles And a touch too much acid. It is light to medium bodied lacking intensity and complexity. It is a pleasant wine but not GC quality.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 3:45 pm

I’ve been fasting, although I plan on partaking if we do a Zoom event.
It’s like impossible to lose weight if you drink regularly, even if you diet aggressively otherwise.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:28 pm

Ed - glad your 2002 Latour stepped up, I thought it would. Very envious of you because not picking up FGs from this vintage is one of my biggest regrets. They were released in dark days - maybe not as dystopian as now - and were going for a song. Belated birthday greetings to Lisa.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 10:01 pm

Lisa and I were married in 2002, so we went pretty long first growths and grand crus, at least for us. 6 (or thereabouts) each of Latour, Lafite and Haut Brion, plus LMHB, Las Cases, Pichon Lalande, etc. Tremendous value (if you can say that sort of thing about first growths).

I have a couple of magnums of 2002 Latour. I should bring one to BWE 2022.

SF Ed

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 11:08 pm

Happy bday, Lisa...

Last night we had two half bottles, a pretty overdone split of the 2003 Beaucastel CDP and surprisingly oaky 2005 Carbonnieux rouge. The Beaucastel had some redeeming features and we happily drank it, but it has an overripe nose of red wine reduction and some pruney notes. The Carbonnieux was popped after we polished off the CDP, and it was all new oak anise on the bouquet. The palate has come a long ways over the last 12 years, and while the fruit is still primary, the structure is wide open and already pretty silky-- it is definitely ready for a Howing. The bouquet improved a lot with some air time and I don't recall any excessive oak in the past, so this could just a short-lived phase.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 11:11 pm

I'm sipping on a glass of 2015 Larose Trintaudon right now. Nice, young, basic Bordeaux.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed Apr 15, 2020 2:51 am

2007 Vieux Telegraphe had plenty of ripe cherry and red fruits, some garrigue and tar. Decent balance and excessive Grenache sweetness. Great match with a big slab of grilled Flannery beef.

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Wed Apr 15, 2020 10:11 pm

Easter night with some grilled pork chops, chicken, rice and vegetables
glass of 2009 Maison L'Oree puligny folatieres - solid but did not come around well until the end and with food that had more flavor
glass of 2005 Louis Boillot Caillerets-- Lots of tart cherry early, but came around after 30-45 min in glass. Integrated and in a good spot after some air

Tuesday Night with lamb
Glass of 2005 Faugeres- Have liked this wine more in the pas but it was a bit pedestrian last night. Example of a parkerized right bank wine that is not my cup of tea these days

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Apr 15, 2020 10:18 pm

I've been fasting but it's tough with all this bad news.
The paper mill up here where my brother works at in Maine exploded today.
Thankfully he's been out with shoulder surgery.
Miraculously, nobody was injured.
It's feeling the end time.
I'll break my fast this Saturday at the BWE Zoom meeting.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:38 am

I polished off the '15 Larose Trintaudon alongside of my deconstructed guacamole appetizer, and had a couple glasses of 2012 Ch. de la Huste (Fronsac) with my chicken burrito with beans and Mexican rice.
The oak in the Trintaudon has softened a bit and makes it much nicer to drink.
The Fronsac is in a good place right now. I have three more bottles that will probably be gone by year's end.

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 2:21 am

2007 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St Georges Les Vaucrains 1er

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:07 am

JC, how was the Gouges? Normally a producer i like. I will get 2 bottles of the 2016 Clos des Porrets St-Georges sometimes in June.

Nic

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:43 am

Nicklasss wrote:JC, how was the Gouges? Normally a producer i like. I will get 2 bottles of the 2016 Clos des Porrets St-Georges sometimes in June.

Nic

My note read: an inviting nose of cherry, mushroom and forest floor notes that lead to a silky, ripe, sweet cherry and spice profile that carries good acidity that fades into the finish (93 points) and tonight I popped a 2004 Siro Pacenti BdM and it is still in dire need of more time as the French oak is still way to prominent for my liking.

JCNorthway · Post by **JCNorthway** » Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:52 am

JC, at age 15, do you think those Brunellos will lose the prominent oak before the wine fades? I have a few bottles of 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape that still has significant and troubling oak presence. Based on following this wine since release, I'm not sure it will ever achieve a balance.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:23 am

2012 Rhys Alpine Chardonnay. A stunner.