TN: Run of good wines, from Macon, Nahe, Loire, and Santa Maria Valley

Feb 20, 2011 1 Replies

I tasted the 2008 Heritiers du Comte Lafon "Les Maranches" Macon- Uchizy at Zachys from their machine, got a few. Mineral, good balance of ripeness and verve, good deal at $20. While delivering joint buy wine to a friend, the 2009 Breton "Trinch!" Bourgueil was quite tasty, black raspberries spiced with pepper, easy to drink.



After a long day culminating in a board meeting Thursday, I had some takeout Chinese with the 2009 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett Riesling. Nice, on bulky/sweet side for Kabinett, but with a clear nervy acidic core, great fruit, mineral note. Over next two nights it holds well. B+/A-



With sockeye in a honey mustard sauce, sautéed spinach, & miso soup, the 2006 Arcadian "Dierberg Vineyard " Pinot Noir (Santa Maria). Pretty ripe, I don't think this is a Burgundy ringer, but a solid core of acids, and some light tannins give it structure and a lively edge. Black cherries, a little bacon, earth. B/B+



Saturday with cod baked/braised with carrots, parsnips, and potatoes, the 2007 Texier Macon-Bussieres. This paired wonderfully with the food, but it was delicious by itself too. I drank the whole bottle, over 5 hours, it changed a bit throughout evening but never varied from "yum." Full-bodied, lovely fruit that seemed to change pitch from pear to peach to citrus, classy mineral notes, just a hint of spice and vanilla. I spend evening kicking myself I didn't buy more of this. A-



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



Interesting, Dale. I've had Dierberg's version of that wine, but not Arcadian's. Have you had any other of their wines? I've heard good stuff about them but am eternally distrustful of CA Pinot Noir producers.

Nice selection of wines! Mark Lipton

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