Saturday I had a speech at a synagogue in White Plains, Dean picked me up (Fred too) and headed to Candlewood Lake for part one of Beaujolais Fest. Initial spread included smoked salmon, cheeses (Womanchego, Berkshire Bloom, Ossau Iraty), charcuterie ( mousse trufee Biellisse Finochiono, prosciutto), Fred’s crostini (salmon, tapenade, roasted tomato). ,
2015 Marguet Crayeres Crisp, flinty, elegant mousse, loved this.A-Sasha had carefully double decanted all of the Gamay wines, kept in cellar so all served pleasingly cool. Most of these wines came from a late friend’s incredible cellar, supplemented by Sasha and Jayson,
We just focused on 2 producers for this round.
Flight 1
2012 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie Very tight, dark fruit, more potential than pleasure for tonight. B for now2010 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Drinking quite well,. Red fruit, hint of sandalwood, light without being weak. . B+/A-
Flight 2
2009 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie Ripe but blanched, deep and complex.I think I was in minority preferrign to 10.A-/B+2010 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie Tight though not unyielding, smoky, dark. B+
Flight 3 (more Burgundian style showed in all)
2010 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Cote du Py Black cherry, sandalwood, floral. B/B+2010 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernieres Spicy, floral, complex. A-
2010 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Impenitients Big, full, but if you blinded me and said my choices were Morgon or a CA PN (from a not over the top producer), I know which way i would go (and I’d be wrong). B-/C+Flight 4
2009 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Cote du Py Ripe,delicious, fun. B+2009 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernieres Also ripe, but pretty with a nicely funky nutskin note.,Pretty. B+/A-
A solo
2009 Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis Fleurie WOTN for me I think. I drink these too young. Black cherry, coffee, cocoa, wildflowers. Long, complex, balanced. Very good and will probably get better! A-Another solo
2007 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie Opened beautifully as it warmed a little. Bright red fruit, spice, menthol. B+Flight 5
2005 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Black cherry, a little barnyard funk, floral B++2005 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie Black cherry and plum, ferric, smoke and chocolate., A-
Flight 6
2005 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernieres #1 2005 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernieres #2 I didn’t write any notes on these, found both excellent if a bit tannic, and hard to tell apart. I think others found #2 better,Last loner
2000 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Some baby diaper, but not overwhelming, most ready wine of night, red plum and violets, very tasty. B+Flight 7
2000 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Cote du Py These are really showing a turn towards a PN characters. This is ripe, round and ready, and would be a good Burg ringer. B+1999 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Cote du Py A bit more focused/chiseled, also a good Burg ringer, long. A-/B+
What a great lineup of Beaujolais.
I blinded folks with 2011 Pavelot Corton Blanc, which I realized was maybe only wine in my cellar I have never tasted in ANY vintage. Not even sure I’ve had ANY Corton blanc (it’s not Corton Charlemagne). Initially quite tropical, with mango, peach and a little honied note. First guesses were Semillon and Condrieu (!),but once they got to white Burgundy John got appellation and producer. Good, but John thought maybe the tropical notes presaged premox. B+/B now
NV Georges(Vincent) Laval Rose (2014 base 2016 disgorgement) Great stuff. Raspberries, strawberries, and blood orange. Bread, flowers, citrus zest. A-/B+ Sasha served a chicken “confit” stew that was great. There were of course blind bottles
#1 I think everyone was in Bordeaux, I whiffed with my St Julien guess. Cassis, red plum, tobacco, a little whiff of menthol. Enjoyed this 1989 Belair (St. Emilion) B+/B
#2 Arguments raged, I was in the VA camp, others thought TCA, or other unnamed flaws. Volatile, pruney, leafy. John said it got better, he was right, but never something I wanted to drink. 1979 Belair (St Emilion). C+/C
#3 Sasha said it was the cheese wine, Jayson knowing Sasha declared it Huet before seeing it Who are we to argue? Some felt sec,most of us demi-sec, guesses concentrated in 70s and 80s (John said 60s). Light sweetness, orange, caramel, lemon tea. Really fun. 1946 Huet Le Haut Lieu Vouvray Demisec. B+
Great wines, great food, great friends.
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 objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.