TN: Holidays and Sadness- 1991 and other California wines, GV, Burg and Bojo, Oregon, Alsace, Ruwer, etc

My mom passed away last week. Seems a little weird to be posting tasting no tes, but there is comfort in routine.

I posted on the previous Friday but forgot the appetizer wine - I shucked s ome oysters and opened a half bottle of 2013 Fevre Chablis. Crisp, saline, correct. B-/B

that Saturday with Bobby Flay roasted chicken with green sauce, and the 200

6 Chanrion Cote de Brouilly. Lovely showing, rich red fruits with spice and sandalwood, juicy acids, good finish. B+/A-

Sunday was grilled squid over arugula and radish leaves, with barley, rutab aga, and the

2015 Huet Le Haut Lieu Vouvray sec. Apples, wax, honey- crisp and firm. B+

Monday Betsy made Boulud’s chicken with preserved lemons and olives , couscous, & kale sprout. Wineless, but then Wed before heading to GA we h ad leftovers with the 2001 Trimbach “Cuvee Frederic Emile”. Delicious, vivid acids, green apple and lemon, long and lively with some p etrol notes. A-

Tuesday went to a 1991 CalCab dinner at the Milling Room. Brief notes With grilled octopus

1991 Kalin DD Chardonnay- I liked more than most, like a blend between a Ca lChard and an old school white Rioja. Good acids, lots of oak, spicy. B

2011 Jadot Beaune-Greves blanc- young,oaky, but good B/B+

2001 Karthauserhof Spatlese- bright, vibrant, honied. B+/A-

With Berkshire chop, cabbage,and onion (good, but sauce too sweet)

1991 Cain 5 - herbal, a little lean, but good. B+/B

1991 Duckhorn CS- maderization on nose, plump on palate. C+ this bottle but probably storage issues

1991 Liparita CS- spritz, secondary fermentation funk, NR

1991 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Sturdy., redder fruit than some others, lots of herb and cedar, quite enjoy able. B+

1991 Dunn Howell Mtn- touch funky, cedary, tannins there but not as much as I expected. I like B+/A-

1991 Beringer Private Reserve- I liked better than another recent bottle, p lush texture, sweet black plum fruit, ready/ B+

1991 Etude CS- a bit advanced, creaky, though some nice bones underneath. B -

1991 Shafer Hillside Select- big, still tannic, sweet rich fruit, B/B+

1991 Phelps Insignia-corked

Good night with good people. Got call from my brother as I was on train hom e. Spent Wednesday making plans for holiday groups, then we flew to GA Th AM, went to dinner that night with my brother’s family at a small Itali an place, I had veal saltimbocca and a glass of Frescobaldi Chianti (vintag e unknown). Just what one would expect- some cherry, dried cherry, a little floral, not long but not bad. B-

Next night 2 BTG at a local tavern with my trout and Betsy’s shrimp and grits

2015 Domane Wachau Gruner Veltliner I’m usually a Domane Wachau fan (I’d probably rate it my 2n d fave co-op after Produttori) but this was a little dull. Hint of spritz, apple fruit, no real GV distinctiveness. B-/C+

2014 Foris Pinot Blanc Betsy had a cocktail and then ordered this with dinner (she has a distant f amily connection with winery), but I drank most of glass. This was on the “rich and bold white” section of the list, and I wouldn? ??t call it that, but it was quite enjoyable- light, saline, floral. B/ B+

Christmas eve my brother had some friends with younger kids over for a casu al evening - red and white chilis, salads, stuffed bread bowls, ChikFila nu ggets, etc. Beer, scotch, and wine:

NV Freixenet Black Label Better than I anticipated. Touch of sweetness, ripe apple, hint of bread do ugh, though short. B-/C+

2011 KIstler “McCrea” Chardonnay Good acids, but oak is just a little too out there for me. B/B-

2013 LXV “Reserve X” Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) Never heard of producer, but less OTT than I anticipated when I saw Paso Ro bles CS in a heavy bottle. Actually at 14.1 abv I guess quite restrained fo r PR. Sweet black plum fruit, a little baking spices, some vanilla. B/B-

Christmas day David and his fiancee Grace joined us (I had flown them in or iginally so Grace could meet my mom, alas). Betsy pitched in with communal cooking with my brother and his family. All I did was shuck some oysters. O yster wine was the 2010 Peter Michael Apres-Midi SB. Not a bad ringer for m id-modern Pessac, this tastes like a SB/Semillon blend even though I think all SB. Some vanillin oak, white pear fruit with citrus peel, hint of grass , a little fig. Good body, good finish. Ideally I’d like oak a bit more integrated, but I enjoy. B+

Dinner was Horseradish crusted standing rib, turkey, dressing, green beans, sweet potato, Barbuto kale salad, and lots more

2007 KIstler “McCrea” Chardonnay Mature, oak still out there, some interesting mineral notes. B

1985 Delas “Seigneur de Maugiron” Cote-Rotie Some fruit but fading, bacon, herbs, a bit of ashtray. Probably better 10 y ears ago, but I enjoy this a lot. B+/B

2009 Colgin IX Estate Pretty massive Bordeaux blend, ripe cassis with anise and vanilla. For me t his is a bit much on its own, but I do enjoy with the rib roast. Probably a n A/A- for those that prefer this style, for my tastes I’d give the Cote Rotie in its dotage a slight edge. B

After memorial Monday, I spend some time helping reorganize my brothers? ?? cellar. He has a lot of California PN, not a area I know a lot about , but was interesting to see and I enjoyed moving things around, and making suggestions on what needed to be drunk soon (especially with European stuf f that he had mostly received as gifts). With leftovers Monday I suggested we try a bottle (with some backups) I had low expectations for- the 2003 Jo ulie Cote de Nuits Villages. Actually, a pleasant surprise to me, neither t oo old or overripe. Red cherry and cranberry, some smoky notes, some earth, only a hint of oxidation. B for me (my brother switched to scotch)

Our last night in GA, I warned of likelihood of 1999 Marc Colin “En cegnieres” Chassagne-Montrachet being gone. Color was good in bottl e, but got dark immediately on pouring. 17 years might be stretching for a village wine in any case, but this was fully oxidized though we can debate if premoxed. NR

We went to dinner at brother’s club. I had salmon as we tried a bot tle of the 2013 WillaKenzie “Gisele” Pinot Noir. Raspberry, cherry candy, a little forest floor. B

Wednesday no wine as Grace, David, Betsy, and I flew back to NY. Hard week, but really good to spend quality time with brother and his family (and the ir dogs).

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a p arty where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Reply to
DaleW
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My sincere condolences.

Reply to
Lawrence Leichtman

My condolences.

Jack

Reply to
cruciverbalist

notes, but there is comfort in routine.

some oysters and opened a half bottle of 2013 Fevre Chablis. Crisp, saline , correct. B-/B

006 Chanrion Cote de Brouilly. Lovely showing, rich red fruits with spice a nd sandalwood, juicy acids, good finish. B+/A-

abaga, and the

es, couscous, & kale sprout. Wineless, but then Wed before heading to GA we had leftovers with the 2001 Trimbach “Cuvee Frederic Emile? ?. Delicious, vivid acids, green apple and lemon, long and lively with so me petrol notes. A-

CalChard and an old school white Rioja. Good acids, lots of oak, spicy. B

ut probably storage issues

as I expected. I like B+/A-

plush texture, sweet black plum fruit, ready/ B+

, went to dinner that night with my brother’s family at a small Ita lian place, I had veal saltimbocca and a glass of Frescobaldi Chianti (vint age unknown). Just what one would expect- some cherry, dried cherry, a litt le floral, not long but not bad. B-

2nd fave co-op after Produttori) but this was a little dull. Hint of spritz , apple fruit, no real GV distinctiveness. B-/C+

family connection with winery), but I drank most of glass. This was on the “rich and bold white” section of the list, and I wouldn? ??t call it that, but it was quite enjoyable- light, saline, floral. B/ B+

sual evening - red and white chilis, salads, stuffed bread bowls, ChikFila nuggets, etc. Beer, scotch, and wine:

dough, though short. B-/C+

Robles CS in a heavy bottle. Actually at 14.1 abv I guess quite restrained for PR. Sweet black plum fruit, a little baking spices, some vanilla. B/B-

originally so Grace could meet my mom, alas). Betsy pitched in with communa l cooking with my brother and his family. All I did was shuck some oysters. Oyster wine was the 2010 Peter Michael Apres-Midi SB. Not a bad ringer for mid-modern Pessac, this tastes like a SB/Semillon blend even though I thin k all SB. Some vanillin oak, white pear fruit with citrus peel, hint of gra ss, a little fig. Good body, good finish. Ideally I’d like oak a bi t more integrated, but I enjoy. B+

s, sweet potato, Barbuto kale salad, and lots more

years ago, but I enjoy this a lot. B+/B

this is a bit much on its own, but I do enjoy with the rib roast. Probably an A/A- for those that prefer this style, for my tastes I’d give t he Cote Rotie in its dotage a slight edge. B

’ cellar. He has a lot of California PN, not a area I know a lot ab out, but was interesting to see and I enjoyed moving things around, and mak ing suggestions on what needed to be drunk soon (especially with European s tuff that he had mostly received as gifts). With leftovers Monday I suggest ed we try a bottle (with some backups) I had low expectations for- the 2003 Joulie Cote de Nuits Villages. Actually, a pleasant surprise to me, neithe r too old or overripe. Red cherry and cranberry, some smoky notes, some ear th, only a hint of oxidation. B for me (my brother switched to scotch)

Encegnieres” Chassagne-Montrachet being gone. Color was good in bot tle, but got dark immediately on pouring. 17 years might be stretching for a village wine in any case, but this was fully oxidized though we can debat e if premoxed. NR

ottle of the 2013 WillaKenzie “Gisele” Pinot Noir. Raspberr y, cherry candy, a little forest floor. B

k, but really good to spend quality time with brother and his family (and t heir dogs).

e, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objecti vity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Sorry to hear that, always tough to say goodbye to a parent.

Reply to
Dan the Man

Thanks everyone

Reply to
DaleW

So sorry to hear that news, Dale. Do whatever feels right and comforting.

In my experience (not considerable), the wines Randy Dunn made in the '90s are quite different from the '80s versions: less harsh tannins that soften earlier than those hard-as-nails earlier wines. I've had the '94 Howell Mountain and it was quite manageable.

Thanks for the notes, Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton

Guess I should get to my 1996 Huet soon!

Thanks for the note on the 91 Beringer - still have couple I should open soon. Maybe try it with the 91 Montelena....

Reply to
Bill S.

My deepest condolences Dale. I just lost my father in law last week so I can relate.

Reply to
Bi!!

Thanks Mark. I've had more 80s than 90s, good to know

Reply to
DaleW

I wouldn't worry about '96 too much. No issues with '89s either (except high TCA rate). But some worrying instances of premox is some other more recent Huet vintages, especially the '02s

Reply to
DaleW

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