Swiss, CDP blanc, Pauillac, Corton, Suduiraut, etc.

[AlexR]

My wife is away on vacation with the children, but I decided to host a dinner for 8 all on my own on Sunday. I warned my friends: no hot food! As it turned out, I was able to prepare everything the day before and so could enjoy the meal without hopping up and down too often…

2009 Humagne Blanc, Jean-Bernard Berclaz, Valais: Made by a friend of mine, this wine was well-focused with attractively dry, fruity flavors. I don’t think the grape variety exists outside Switzerland. My guests were enthusiastic about it, so it was considered rather good, and not just exotic. Slight CO2 contributed to the freshness.

2008 Domaine de Janasse, Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc: I’m not a big fan of white Rhône wines (and least of all ones made with Viognier), but I tasted this wine at the Printemps de CDP a couple of years ago and really liked it. Fortunately, I had just as high an opinion when I opened a bottle at my house. The wine was dynamic and tasty with a chalky minerality and subtle citrus aromas. It is delicious now, but will probably be equally so in years to come, but in a different way.

2007 Puligny Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Folatières, Jean-Louis: This had more of a green tinge than I am used to seeing in Burgundy and it surprised me in that it was not at all heavy, more like medium-bodied with relatively high acidity. I felt that the wine was in an awkward stage and the aromas were not very developed. I have 2 more bottles of this wine and think I will open the others in a few years, hoping that the dreaded premox doesn’t get them before that.

2004 Château Bellegrave, Pauillac: This little-known estate makes lovely wine in a classic style i.e., lower alcohol and elegant and soft for a Pauillac. The tannin had a particular quality that I can only compare to… tea. This 2004 is in a good place and is a real treat for people who like wine as a beverage rather than some hulking great thing meant to impress. A lively, refreshing, easygoing and somewhat atypical Pauillac.

2002 Château Corton Grancey, grand cru, Louis Latour: I had sampled several vintages of this wine at Millésima tasting last year and was not overwhelmed. This bottle confirmed my impression. Oddly, there were some tough tannins, but unfortunately not the stuffing to go along with them. Balance is not the keyword here and I would not go out of my way to buy the wine again. I don’t think age will even things out either.

1986 Château Montrose, St. Estèphe: corked.

1996 Ch. Suduiraut: I bought a case of 50 cl. bottles of this wine for a song a couple of years ago. It is not a great Suduiraut, but a more than serviceable one. Restrained rather than exuberant nose and medium body with medium sweetness. Not the depth or length of a great Sauternes, but a good wine even so. Has nothing to gain from further ageing.

1989 Gau-Heppenheimer Pfarrgarten eiswien, Rheinhessen, Weingut Christmann-Roll (half bottle): Is it any wonder I find it hard to get a handle on German wines with a name like that? 7.5% alc./vol. Lovely honeyed nose reminiscent to me of Tokay. Such a different acid/sugar balance than the previous! Finished fairly refreshing and mineral. An nice and very exotic wine to drink here. Probably a few years past its peak.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[Houndsong]

When your wife is away with the children, it is you on vacation, my friend.

[jmccready]

Very informative notes. I have yet to have a Grancey that was balanced, and as you say, none of them had sufficient stuffing. I quit trying them
in the mid 90's, even if the vintage was good. And I am a Burgundian at heart. Current vintages don't seem to be much different based on your
tastings. Has anyone out there had better luck? Interesting, as I find most of the Latour line quite good-I drink their whites often. Jim

[stefan]

1962 and 1964 Grancey were well balanced and fine.

[finner]

I had a half bottle (split) of 1966 LL Grancey a few months ago. It had a classic nose and was drinking well, the tannins were protruding on the finish. I think this will always be a tough balancing act of a wine.