Chimay Belgian Ale

Haven't had one of these in a long time. Brought back memories of my Dad and I enjoying Belgian ales at the Richmond Arms in Houston when I lived there in the early 1990's. He would fly in for a brief visit and it was great catching up. 👍🍺

Paired nicely with grilled pork chops followed by Belgian chocolate for dessert...

NV Ciro Picariello Brut Contadino

 Initial impression is that I would enjoy this more as an Extra Brut, but who am I question a master of Fiano? 

2013 Marcel Deiss Cru d'Alsace Rotenberg

 12.5% abv

Produced from a co-plantation of Riesling, Pinot Gris and a bit of Muscat.

Beautiful pineapple-ly and pear fruit upfront, attractive fruit nose, nice pithy midpalate heading into decent, but somewhat of a clipped finish, lacking in complexity. I love the field blend approach of Marcel Deiss wines.

 

Overall a very enjoyable bottle paired with chicken and sausage jambalaya. 

2015 George Laval Brut Nature Les Chênes

 Wound tight as a drum now. Painfully young, this needs at least another 5 years to show well, preferably 7 to 10 years. Beautiful floral fruit burst upon uncorking the bottle, then things shut down. Chisled chalky minerality (no dosage) frames the potential of this Blanc de Blancs. Elusive peeks of the future as it warms in the glass. Will post day 2 notes tomorrow.

 

Day 2 notes (16 January 2022) on the 2015 George Laval Brut Nature BdB Les Chênes. Still quite austere and unyielding. Recalls to mind a phrase that I believe Donald Pennet (Champagne connoisseur and Michelin-starred chef) put forth "...sacrificed at the altar of no dosage..." , or something to that effect.

Lots of snow today. Optimal time to catch up by the fireside on the new McCartney tome...

Fun evening with Ruth & Jim at Bulla Gastrobar

2015 Marguet Ambonnay Grand Cru
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Disgorged September 2020
Zero dosage

Nicely balanced wine with citrusy attack backed by plum underpinnings. Good lift and freshness with a fine mousse and lively acidity. Paired with ...

Tapas
Albóndigas - pork + beef meatballs, Manchego, tomate frito
Ham croquetas - serrano ham + fig jelly
Chorizo stuffed dates - Medjool dates, house made chorizo, Manchego, wrapped in bacon, accompanied by arugula + onion salad

Pintxos
Cumin marinated pork loin skewers, mojo verde, greek yogurt,  rustic bread




2009 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Blanco Reserva
90% Viura
10% Malvasìa Riojana
+60 year old vines

A lighter vintage of Tondonia Blanco....  shy nose (no petrol accents). Typical palate of pear + quince + marzipan complemented by subtle salinity / chalkiness on a pleasing finish.

Paired with ...
Paella Mixta - Calamari, clams, shrimp, chicken, chorizo, sofrito de calamar, saffron
... and then churros con chocolate for dessert.... along with excellent cappuccino..

NV Champagne Jacquesson • Extra-Brut Cuvée No. 738 Dégorgement Tardif

 Jacquesson 738 Degorgement Tardif (2010 base?)... disgorged Juin 2019, Dosage 0.75 g/l

My first experience with Jacquesson DT cuvee. Sort of an incomplete wine with deep vinosity, but quite lacking in balance, freshness, lift and elegant salinity.  Finish is a bit harsh. Not undrinkable, just meh...

New Years Day, 2022

 

NV Guiborat Prisme 25 Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 
Very pleasing BdB at a reasonable price. Paired nicely with spicy calamari and tuna poke.



2019 Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco Secco Cá del Merlo 
What can I say about this intricate blend of Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Savignon Blanco, Chardonnay and Saorin from 30 year old vines grown on limestone and basalt that hasn't been said before?  The nose is priceless...
Paired nicely with crab cakes....



... thanks to @"Mark Scudiery" for introducing me to Quintarelli wines years ago 👍😊

NV Krug Grande Cuvée

...really delightful showing after it opened up (an hour or so). Beautiful saline finish wrapped around gorgeous fruit. 

NV Cruse Tradition Sparkling Wine

 

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. No dosage. Disgorgement date not listed. Cool label! Must be a story behind it.

I drink very few domestic sparklers. This benefits significantly from aeration and settles into an interesting wine. 

The challenge here is that for about $18 more, you can get into a Guiborat Prisme 15 Grand Cru BdB that will rock your world. 

NV Araujo Estate Grappa

 Produced from Cabernet Sauvignon must. Stone fruit with hints of pepper on the finish. Small sips are delightful (it ain't wine!)...

A real treat! 👍

Holiday Noshes 2021

 Coming up with some variations on traditional noshes and bites for the holdays...

        🎄Ham Raclette⛄

Our local bakery makes delicious onion rolls, so...
- Slice fresh baked onion roll in half and toast each half in the oven with Raclette cheese melted on top 
- Fry up slices of glazed holiday ham in an iron skillet using light amount of Lake Garda DOP EVOO until glaze on the edges of the ham slices just begins to caramelize
- Top the Raclette onion roll with the fried ham
- Garnish with red grapes on the side

Pair with a 2015 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard and a 2015 Tiberio Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Fonte Canale

Yum!

 

Egly-Ouriet and Max Ferd. Richter - Christmas Eve, 2021

 2009 Egly-Ouriet Brut Grand Cru Millésime

Something like 8.5 years on the lees. Don't recall the dosage. Disgorged in March 2018. 70% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay, I think.

Depth of character/vinosity is riveting. Don't drink too cold. There is nothing quite like Egly's wines that spend a lot of time on the lees. Just marvelous. Paired with Balanzoni,  caramelized onion,  pistachio, & wild boar fennel sausage.

Comparing 2009 vintage champagne, I slightly prefer the 2009 Jacquesson Ay-Vauzelle Terme (100% pinot noir) for its clarity & refinement, and the 2009 Jaquesson Avize-Champ Caïn (100% Chardonnay) for its incredible freshness.



2015 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese AP 11

Incredibly delicious pineapple palate supported by rapturously savory framework and beautiful balanced acidity. This is in a really nice window right now. Impossible to stop drinking once you get started.

I am very fond of what Oliver Haag does with the slice of Mosel heaven designated Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr. This is a superb introduction to Constantin Richter's interpretation of the hallowed terroir.



Wishing all a Merry Christmas! Here is a beautiful bit of poetry by John Russell "Hondo" Crouch, the Mayor of Luckenbach Texas, recited on the front porch of the General Store, just before his in passing in the mid-1970's... (accompanied by Jerry Jeff Walker on acoustic guitar)...

https://youtu.be/qS-q2ZfsI-o

NV Francoise Bedel Extra Brut Entre Ciel et Terre

 

Disgorged March 2018

60 months on the lees

12% abv

50% pinot noir, 35% pinot meunier, 15% chardonnay

Dosage not listed on label

First time trying this producer based on recommendation from Donald Pennet.

Bedel is recognized for her pinot meunier, which is sourced from vineyards in the western reaches of the Marne Valley near the village of Charly-sur-Marne.

Let this wine open up and it will reveal intriguing complexity as it warms in the glass. Very shy nose, but has a lovely saline citrus character up front on the palate with sous bois accent and hints of nuttiness on the finish.

Paired deliciously with fried chicken.

2006 Saddleback Nils 25th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Cacao-inflected black cherry palate with a medium finish. Pleasant, but not showing a lot of complexity....  tannins not that elegant...Paired ok with beef stew.

 

2009 Jacquesson Extra Brut Dizy - Corne Bautray

Rounding out my tour of the Jaquesson single vineyard bottlings, the 2009 Dizy - Corne Bautray is 100% Chardonnay. 

Very enjoyable but not as refined as the 2009 Ay - Vauzelle Terme (100% Pinot Noir) and the 2009 Avize - Champ Cain (100% Chardonnay).  

Thanks to Donald Pennet for recommending the Jacquesson cru wines. 

Definitely more than I typically spend on Champagne, but well worth exploring what Freres Chiquet are doing...👍🍾

2018 Fedellos do Couto Bastarda

 Tasting this Ganevat- inspired, mostly Trousseau wine from Ribeira Sacra is a treat! It's still on the young side with the high toned cranberry palate complemented by brilliant aromatics. Nice length on the finish. Worth a rebuy.

2010 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Enrico VI

 

Showed beautifully despite being on the young side. Have always enjoyed Alberto's expression of the Villero Cru.  Elegant balance... with at least another decade of prime time ahead. Would like to try in 10 years to get into tertiary character...

2014 Clos de la Tech Pinot Noir Domaine Valeta Sunny Slope (Santa Cruz Mtns)

 First time trying this producer. Well crafted Santa Cruz Mountains pinot noir.. Not the most complex palate, but the quality of the fruit makes it delicious,  and it exhibits nice balance. 

2009 Jacquesson Extra Brut Avize-Champ Caïn

 Beautifully seductive nose and a bit more fruit forward enticement compared to the 2009 Vauzelle Terme. 

Paired deliciously with mussels in a delicious broth and whole grilled Branzino...

Superb wine....Bravo!

100% Chardonnay from grand cru vineyards in Avize (Côte des Blancs)...

Jacquesson is one of Champagne’s most venerable houses, not only predating Krug, but giving birth to it, when in 1843 Johann-Joseph Krug left Jacquesson to form his own house. But despite more than 200 years of history, Jacquesson has become a revolutionary among Champagne’s established houses, under the leadership of brothers Laurent and Jean-Hervé Chiquet, who took over from their father in the 1980’s. Since then, the house has adopted a herbicide-free, terroir-based philosophy. It also retired, after 150 years, its non-vintage blend and replaced it with a groundbreaking single-vintage-based cuvée, which changes yearly. And next came its terroir-based cuvées, an unprecedented move for a traditional house.

1987 Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Privée MEC

 

Special thanks to Dr. Jim Wheatley for sharing two jeroboams of this rare champagne at our Cru Holiday gathering!

Producer notes: The Charles Heidsieck Cellars are a Unesco World Heritage site and comprise more than eight kilometres of chalk tunnels interlinking forty seven subterranean cathedrals called Crayères, reaching 30 metres high and believed to have been dug out in the 3rd century.

Jeroboam's are fantastic, the ageing slows right down, this large bottle of NV or as Charles call them "mis en cave" part of Charles Heidsieck Collection Crayeres, a second late release of vintages direct from their cellars in Reims in November 2020. The releases are very limited quantities & a perfect chance to buy & enjoy champagne with age in its very best condition. This is the fourth time of an annual “Collection Crayeres” release & honours five of the oldest vintage & non-vintages & showcases their exceptional capacity for withstanding time, their incredible aromatic opulence capacity & their structure after several decades of cellaring.

Mis En Cave is a name for the concept of NV the “Charles way” whereby the Champagne is 'laid in cellar' in the spring after the harvest. Charles Heidsieck have released several bottles Mis En Cave 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2008 Each of these bottles contains the non-vintage wine with the base vintage of the year before. Mis en Cave 1987 is the same as saying it is a NV from the dominant vintage 1986!

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru
Grape Varieties: 46% Pinot Noir, 38% Chardonnay, 16% Meunier
Mis En Cave: 1987 or NV based on 1986
Disgorged: 2020
Lees ageing: 33 years!
Drink: Now to 2040+

Just 87 Jeroboams exist!

Producer Tasting Note: Golden with green glints. Strong toasty smokey notes combining with candied ginger and roasted peanuts with an amazing spread of fruits, loads of tropical like pineapple and dried apricots. Amazingly fresh and structured palate, there is no hurry with these Jeroboams, they have decades of life ahead.