October Wines: a Laundry List
Can you get geared up for a laundry list post? I hope so, because here comes one.
-- Warning -- Laundry List to Follow --
Do you, dear reader, ever wonder.."Does that Brooklynguy ever drink anything that he doesn't write about on his blog?" Yes, I do.
Here are the wines I drank in October that have not, even in passing, appeared already in October on this blog. I am including in this laundry list the wines that I drank at home (mine, or a friend's home) with a meal.
I will rate these wines according to my own carefully thought out, sustainable, local, and hand-crafted scale. The "excellent" group consists of wines that are truly memorable, wines that inspire me to seek out and buy these and wines like them. The "excellent" and "very good" groups are wines that I would happily buy at the given price. All other wines, even if I liked them, are not wines that I would buy today given my recent experience with them. Doesn't mean that I think they are bad, just that there are other wines I would prefer to buy with that money. Within each group, I will list the wines in the approximate order of enjoyment. Organized enough for you?
Excellent Wines
--1985 Domaine Huet Le Mont Demi-Sec, price and importer unknown.
--2004 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Loibner Steinertal, $30, Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines.
--NV Equipo Navazos La Bota de Manzanilla Nº 16, $39, Eric Solomon Selections.
--1998 Hudelot-Noellat Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Malconsorts, $75 at auction, Old Vine Imports.
--1985 López de Heredia Rioja Viña Tondonia Gran Riserva, $83, Polaner Selections.
Very Good Wines
--Lustau Almacenista Fino del Puerto Sherry Matured by Jose Luis Gonzales Obregon, $23, selected by Christopher Cannan, Imported by Europvin USA.
--2004 Domaine de Bellivière Jasnières Les Rosiers, $28, Louis/Dressner Imports.
--2009 Coudert Clos de la Roilette Fleurie, $20, Louis/Dressner Imports.
--2009 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Clos des Briords, $16, Louis/Dressner Imports.
--2009 Peter Lauer Riesling Barrel X, $18, Imported by Mosel Wine Merchant.
--2005 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Tuffeaux, $20, Louis/Dressner Imports.
--2008 Jean et Gilles Lafouge Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru La Chapelle, $30, Imported by Fruit of the Vines.
--2008 Reinhard & Beate Knebel Riesling trocken, $14, Imported by Mosel Wine Merchant.
Good Wines
--2007 Jacques Puffeney Poulsard "M," $25, Neal Rosenthal Imports.
--1999 Foreau Vouvray Sec Clos Naudin, price unknown, Neal Rosenthal Imports.
--2000 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape, price and importer unknown.
--NV (based on 2007) Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs, $48, Imported by Petit Pois Corp.
--2007 Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux-de-Provence, $13, Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines.
--2006 Domaine Oudin Chablis Les Serres, $22, Jenny & François Selections.
--2009 Wimmer-Czerny Grüner Veltliner Fumberg, $16, cannot remember the importer.
--2005 Belle Pente Pinot Noir Murto Vineyard, Oregon, $32.
These, I Had Problems With
--1985 Mas de Daumas Gassac Vin de Pays de l'Hérault, $40 at auction, importer unknown.
--2007 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT, $26, Neal Rosenthal Imports.
--2007 Nigl Grüner Veltliner Privat, $38. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines.
--2005 Domaine des Croix Bourgogne, $25, Becky Wasserman Selections.
--2007 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume Vignoble de Vaulorent
10 comments:
BG, Le Vieux Donjon is imported by Wines of France, Alain Junguenet Selection, a very cool importer out of Jersey. You should check out some more of his wines, especially the Andre Neveu Sancerres, I think you would really enjoy them.
That's just October? You, sir, have the hardest-working liver in show business.
thanks Anon - I've heard of Alain Junguenet. He's considered to be the foremost expert on Rhone wines, isn't her?
Hey Alex! Long time no see. You understand, of course, that these wines were consumed in almost every instance with my wife, with friends, and at dinners. It's not like I drank these all by myself.
It's great to see you rate two of our 2009 entry-level selections as "very good." Dan and I were so glad to have Florian Lauer offer us some Barrel X feinherb at an affordable price. It's the first vintage he fermented this particular bottling with wild yeasts, and we noticed a significant jump in character and quality. This off-dry Saar Riesling also complements our dry Knebel Riesling from the Lower Mosel, i.e., two different climes (ends) of the Mosel region from two top domaines.
Mature Huet sounds good. I might have had that López de Heredia, too. Michael Wheeler opened some from the early eighties one evening out on the town. I've fond memories of 1994, 1995, 1998, and 1999 Le Vieux Donjon. The Michels have well-placed old vines mostly in Le Pied Long, a high plateau to the north of the appellation, and traditional wine-making, though they started to destem more beginning with the 1997 vintage, because of frost.
Alain Junguenet has been around for years. He has some very good traditional Châteauneufs. Back around 1992 I remember his selections during my days as a student working at an old-time liquor shop (hardwood floors, old ceiling) called Wiggy's, in Austin, TX. I was underage at the time, but learned from the sharp wine buyer (an English major dropout) about Kermit Lynch, Neal Rosenthal, Burgundy, the Jura, and Rhône.
BG, I do believe that Junguenet may be considered the foremost expert on Rhones, but the rest of his portfolio is equally interesting, especially as I'm not a huge southern Rhone fan. He brings in a champagne you should check out, Claude Genet. It's very traditional and very delicious.
Luke
Pretty disappointing that out of 26 or so wines listed you have only ONE Italian...
I know I'm biased too, but living in NYC you have the whole wine world at your feet!
C'mon! Let's see some more ITALIA!
I would be interested to hear your comments on the 07 Pian del Ciampolo.
Thanks, Marc D
thanks for your thoughtful comments, as always, Lars.
Marc D - the first time I drank the wine was about a year ago, late December of last year. i liked it then, although it was bretty and very gamy. it felt very true to place. I've had 2 bottles since then, most recently in early October, and the wine now smacks of carbonic natural wine making to me, very very ripe and fruit forward. It's not bad at all, but it's not something that I prefer. In fact, the last time I opened it was with a serious wine dude who said the same thing - he had problems with the wine, but we both noticed that we drank it and enjoyed it.
Hmmm, something sounds fishy about those bottles of Montevertine. I'd urge seeking out some other bottles/vintages. If you like Lafouge, Puffeney, Foillard, Fourrier..., Montervertine touches the same pleasure centers.
I'm a big fan of Lauer riesling! Awaiting a case of it as shipping is just resuming to sunny FL. Would be interested in your tasting notes (if you can remember) for the 1985 Huet Le Mont Demi-Sec. I bought one recently from Crush Wine and trying to get a sense of what it's like and what food to serve with it.
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