Ramon organized a Loire dinner, and a nice group of 6 gathered at Left Ban k in the West Village. Service was friendly and efficient We started with some whites (and a couple of salumi/cheese plates)
2006 Pascal Cotat “Les Monts Damnes” Sancerre Ripe and full, grapefruit and lemon peel, but really about the wet rocks. A-/B+
2008 Chidaine “Le Bouchet” Vouvray I’m a Chidaine fan but not sure I’ve run across this bottl ing before. I’d call it on borderline between sec-tendre and demi-s ec. Ripe apples, pineapple, a little floral. BMy starter was highlight of meal- grilled octopus w/fennel, artichoke & aio li
2010 Huet Petillant Vouvray Brisk and frisky, apples and quince, just a hint of sourdough, ready to go. B+2000 Ch. De Hureau “Lisagathe” Saumur-Champigny Still some good red fruit, some cocoa, but comes across as a little flat. A couple times I thought I got a hint of corkiness on the palate, but not th ere on nose, which for me is much more sensitive to TCA, so don’t t hink it was corked. B-
1985 Breton “Perrieres” Bourgueil I double-decanted in afternoon, some green tobacco leaf aromas immediately convinced me this would not be a wine to convince a Loire-red-hater (and in deed I think our waiter didn’t care for). Raspberry and cassis, ear th, a greenness that I found pleasant in a raw tobacco/ herbal way, but one person found asparagusy. B+/A-We shared two orders of pasta for a little taste- I especially liked the g nocchi with fiddleheads, but the tagliatelle with (a very light) Bolognese was good too.
1989 Olga Raffault “Les Picasses” Chinon This can be variable but this was a good bottle. Black cherry, smoke, coffe e, and leather, rustic but I enjoy. B+1990 Olga Raffault “Les Picasses” Chinon Riper but not roasted, just a hint of barnyard, still rustic but more polis hed/smoother than the 1989. B+
For my main I had roast chicken with ramps and potatoes
2007 Rougeard “Les Clos” Saumur-Champigny Lovely wine, darker fruit framed with cigarbox and an almost Rhone-y smoked meat, full and long. A-2007 Rougeard “Les Poyeaux” Saumur-Champigny Smoky, pure, refined, with cassis, black cherry, and sandalwood. A-
2014 Fosse-Seche “Eolithe” Saumur Apparently billed in a retail offer as a Rougeard slayer, so served blind n ext to them. Tough duty. This was a really nice young Cab Franc - spicy, fu ll, and fresh. B+On to some dessert wines
1997 Jo Pithon Coteaux du Layon Very dark color, apricot and orange peel, the least Chenin-y of the group, tastes like Sauternes laced with toffee. B1998 Baumard Quarts de Chaume Much lighter color, tropical, good acids. B+/B
1997 Pierre-Bise Quarts de Chaume (500 ml) Also dark, marmalade and wax, a wooly note, but could use more acid. BFun night with an excellent crowd
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 party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectiv ity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.