Salil came from CT and we carpooled to Jersey City yesterday (Google maps t ook us through Hoboken that was different). The scent of gougeres led us ri ght to Jay and Arnold's apartment where a nice group of winegeeks were gath ered. Besides the gougeres, we enjoyed tapenade, gingery Filipino chicken rice soup with chicken hearts (a bit like congee) , a whole pig. squid sisig (chopped crunch mix that you wrap in lettuce). delicious octopus, green beans, pureed cauliflower, and cheese (and Betsy said great tiramisu)
Waaaayy too many wines for real notes. I hope I at least got wines accurate ly. I was mostly talking and tasting, wrote a few (cryptic) notes.
Whites
2007 F. Cotat Monts Damnes Sancerre My wine, showing well (couple people thought too ripe), full bodied , miner ally, long. A-2009 Pepiere Thebaud Muscadet (mag) Tangy, leesy, full, citrus and saline. B+/A-
1993 Baumard Clos du Papillon Savennieres There's an odd lactic note that I find a little offputting at first, but it seems to blow off. Waxy, good acids, nice. B/B+2005 Peillot Altesse Rousette du Bugey Montagnieu Floral, light, maybe getting a bit tired but tasty. B/B-
2004 Cazin "Cuvee Renaissance" Cour-Cheverny a little drier than I remembered, wax, wool, and pretty apples, drinking ni cely and I should go dig out mine. B+2014 Terre de Nere Calderara Sottana Etna Bianco Full, structured nice acids, lots of extract, big but sprightly. B+
I didn't note anything re the 2014 Huet le Mont Demi-Sec or a 2001 Leitz Sp atlese, though liked them both. There was a bottle of Joly Coulee de Serra nt that I missed vintage on (though clearly young), I think others enjoyed more than I did, thought a bit plodding. There were several wines I didn't get a chance to try (I think at least 2 JJ Prums)
Reds
1990 Edmunds St John Durell Syrah (mag) Nice of Salil to bring this since he had unknowingly outbid me at auction l ast year. Really nice showing from mag, earth and coffee over red plum frui t, second visit shows leathery (in a nice way). Balanced acids, just enough tannin remaining to give a some structure, thanks. A-1995 Mt St Mary Quintet Red fruits, menthol/eucalyptus, slightly gritty tannin but I like a lot. B+
2009 Texier "La Croix" St Joseph VV This is going to be great, but I thought pretty tight yesterday. B for drin king now.2008 Bea Sagrantino di Montefalco Pagliaro Others liked this more than I did, I thought it had an almost Amarone-ish q uality. I usually love Bea. B-/C+
2006 Clos Roche Blanche Cabernet Red fruits, plenty of tannin, green herbiness that I enjoy but some others dislike. Maybe most divisive wine of the day. But for me B+2000 Domaine Filliatreau Saumur-Champigny VV Light to midbodied Cab Franc, dark fruits with green pepper and herbs, live ly and in no danger of fading. B/B+
2006 Pousse d'Or Volnay (I think this was the 60 Ouvres, but can't swear) I liked this a lot, already in a nice early drinking mode, black cherry fru it with earth and mocha, nice balance, A-2006 Marechal Savigny-les-Beaune VV Also drinking nicely, black cherry and raspberry, floral. B+
2005 Raphet Clos de la Roche You can sense some real potential here, but this is pretty primary and with some real tannin. B for drinking now.1996 Gouges Nuits St Georges This was in a decanter, I could see the Gouges label but never checked to i f a 1er. Good red and black cherry fruit, tangy acids, a little funk, a lit tle roasted meat. B+
The next 3 wines were tasted blind,but I nailed them all (because they were unveiled before I tasted them)
1998 Clos de Roilette (Coudert) Fleurie Pretty sure this was the regular not the Tardive. Really quite pretty- crun chy raspberry/cranberry fruit, smoke, soil. This is the oldest regular Coud ert I've tried and I guess I should age more! B+/A-1995 Savoye Morgon Not a producer I've had much experience with, this seems like a good wine t hat is maybe just past it, but with signs of what was. . Dark fruits, beef blood, leather, ashtray. B-C+
1995 Pierre Bise Gamay (Anjou) Herby, a bit of potted plant, red fruits, others liked more. B-Another wrapped bottle, this one I did taste blind, whiffed. Black plum, he rbs, mint, I guess late 70s/early 80s CalCab (reminded me of some Burgess C S from that era. It's the 1990 Matanzas Creek Merlot. B
Jay taped some candles to a decanter and we sang HB to Andrew as he brought out the 1966 Warre Vintage Port. Nicely balanced, on lighter side (that's a good thing) with cocoa and violets. B+/A-
Corked wines included my 1988 Drouhin Clos Vougeot, a 1964 Monte Real , and an Austrian Riesling. Sure there were other wines I tasted and missed, and some I didn't taste. Really fun day/evening, and nice of Betsy to drive Sa lil and I back.
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.