Juice

1996 Panther Creek "Shea Vineyard" Pinot Noir

Kelly's mom and pop and left this bottle at our house as a gift a few weeks back.  I have had Panther Creek pinots numerous times in the past but didn't know what to expect from this one.  I figured being a 1996 it was probably in the twilight of its life at best.  The 1996s were being made by winemaker Mark Vlossak.  Mark produces some of Oregon's most consistent and fine wines.  These days Mark is the winemaker/proprietor at St. Innocent which deserves kudos not only for their great wines but the commitment to keeping them affordable.

According to the Panther Creek website:

Shea Vineyard was first planted with wine grapes in the late 1980s. Today Shea Vineyard is a 200-acre property with 140 planted acres. 135 acres are planted with Pinot noir vines. The balance is planted with Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. Roughly 15% of the Pinot noir fruit is used each year by Shea Wine Cellars for its releases. The balance of the Pinot noir fruit is sold to wineries as close as the adjoining properties on both sides of the vineyard and as far away as Ojai, California. The vineyard sits on sedimentary soil over fractured sandstone. Shea was one of the early vineyards in this area of Yamhill County and on this soil type.

Having done no research before drinking it, I was curious. The wine was absolutely superb.  There was still a pretty amazing core of fruit.  The wine was ambering throughout the glass  Blueberry preserves, hints of spice, a bit of creaminess, a velvety texture, and a little vibrancy on the end.  This wine is mature and sexy.

This morning I decided to check what Pierre Rovani had written about it.  There was no rating but a fairly detailed account of the wine.  Seems it was a bit beguiling to him at the time.  Amazing what can happen to a wine in 9 years.  From erobertparker.com, Rovani's review (Oct 1998):

Panther Creek's 1996 Shea Vineyard is very reduced. At the winery it offered aromas of rubber and gamey meats that slowly transformed into stewed plums, cherries, and strawberries following aeration. It displayed excellent concentration, intensity, and a flavor profile dominated by reduced flavors (rubber, raw beef, and game) as well as spicy oak. Kaplan informed me that he and his team (including winemaker Mark Vlossak) had been confounded by this wine since fermentation. I have tasted it twice since. The first time it displayed spicy cherry yogurt aromas, as well as a creamy, complex, cinnamon-tinged, and sweet cherry-filled character. It was absolutely delicious. However, at a subsequent showing, it appeared more reduced than ever. Readers willing to cellar this wine for 5-6 years, or those who are willing to decant it for a number of hours, will be impressed by the wine's fruit (putting a few pennies in the wine will hasten the dissipation of the reductive notes). However, since I cannot expect readers to have loose change on hand at all times, I am reserving judgement.

2003 La Viarte Pinot Grigio

This wine came from the Kermit Lynch Friuli sampler offered in the March newsletter.  La Viarte means Springtime in Friulian (isn't hat a fun word to say, Friulian) so it was an appropriate choice.  I always like the wines of spring.  Picnic wines.  Wines that can be served slightly chilled.  The before dinner drink.  The aperitif is an understated beautiful thing.

The region of Friuli sits in the northeast corner of Italy, northeast of Venice.  It borders both Austria and Slovenia.  In fact many towns have Slovenian names and the many people speak more Slovak than Italian.  This wine comes from the Colli Orientali.  The other major wine producing region in Friuli is the Collio.

Kermit's story is:

I arrived in the Friuli this summer with a bunch of winery addresses to visit, but
none of the wines tempted me. My hotel/restaurant wine list was full of unknown

labels, so I picked a Grigio from a winery called La Viarte and . . . here it is. Obviously the quality appealed to me, but I want to use this page to call attention to their prices, which pleasantly surprised me.

 

This wine is probably best when not seriously dissected.  (I guess most are)  There was an initial stony, flinty character to the wine that seemed to blow off after about 45 minutes.  Grapefruit skins, lime, a little herb, and maybe a drop of sweetness at the end.  I would have liked a little more of everything this wine had.  Turn up the volume just a half notch.  Enjoyable nonetheless.

$13.95 per bottle.

2002 Pousee d'Or Corton Bressandes Grand Cru

For Kelly's birthday dinner with my parents I figured I better open something great.  Honestly I'm not sure if that was for her benefit or mine but whatever.  I settled in on a magnum of 2002 Pousse d'Or Corton Bressandes.  I found these mags priced at about $100 and jumped on them because suggested retail for the 750s was $100 at premiercru.net.   Pousee d'Or has a regal bloodline as at one time it was part of a dream estate that also included Romanee Conti and Clos de Tart.  It's modern history started in 1998 with he purchase of the estate by Patrick Landanger.  The domaine had been underachieving by many accounts through the 90s and Patrick sought to make the necessary investments to express the ultimate potential.  Lower yields, later harvesting, more new french oak (from 20% to 30%) has resulted in some very nice wines.  Alan Meadows writes about the 2002s

As the scores suggest, this is by far and away the best set of wines that Landanger has made since he purchase Pousse d’Or in 1997. There is a purity of expression as well as much better transparency to the underlying terroir that has been missing in the past and these are decidedly less new world in style too. It’s rare to see a domaine where every wine is worthy of your attention. In short, this is simply an outstanding set of wines that has Pousse d’Or once again rejoining the elite domaines in Volnay.

The 2002 Corton Bressandes had an absolutely charming nose.  Deep cherry and wildflowers (violets), a little bit of earth.  Very elegant and round on the palate.  Love the texture.  Leaning more dark than bright red fruits.  Fairly low in acidity.  Lots of layers to think about.  Nice sweet tannin at the end.  Super long finish. After about two hours decanted it was still fresh and evolving nicely.  Didn't finish before the souffle's came so the rest was donated to the waiter.  Hope he enjoyed.

1999 Alex Gambal Vosne Romanee and Flame the Steakhouse

I can turn into an apologist when it comes to Burgundy, especially when I'm the one paying for it.  I'll look intensely for any redeeming qualities.  Leave it alone, come back and hope it has evolved.  Hold it in my mouth longer, blame the food, question if I just "get it."  Burgundy more than any other place asks for a bit of intellect.  But sooner or later when a wine just isn't very appealing you have to have to say it.  Especially frustrating when almost everything under the "Pinot Noir" side of the list would have been a better value.

Alex Gambal is an American who owns Maison Alex Gambal in Beaune.  Alex and his wife moved to Burgundy on a sabbatical in 1991 and it became their life's calling to be in the wine business.  Alex writes,

"         I left the export business in September 1996 and enrolled in the adult         wine school in Beaune, a division of the Lycée Viticole. I finished         the program in June 1997 and as part of my study developed a plan for         a French negociant (literally wine merchant) company which we started         in July 1997. In addition to several small vineyards on which I grow grapes         with partners, the major part of our activities involve buying grapes,         grape must (mout), conduct its elevage (literally raising) in barrel (12-22         months) and then bottle...We make all our wines in an artisanal         manner in small lots by hand, manipulate the wines without pumps, bottle         by gravity without finning or filtering our reds and only lightly fining         our whites. We make approximately 60% red and 40% white.

I have enjoyed a number of Alex's wines in the past and he is undoubtedly an up and comer to watch for.  I even ran into him at a restaurant in Boston a few months ago.  The 1999 Vosne Romanee was very thin with almost no real fruit to speak of.  There was a tough tannic almost vegetal finish.  Didn't offer up much on the nose.  For the $85 I paid at Flame in Springfield, MO it was probably one of the worst selections on the list.

The food at Flame was very good.  The food is simple American fare.  Dry aged steaks, shellfish, Fries Lyonnaise style, Onion rings, Lobster Mac and Cheese....I had a 12oz. strip that was dry aged for at least 14 days.  It was served on a small plate, cooked perfectly medium rare, with a small dab of butter.  They come with a nice crust on the outside and very juicy on the inside.  One of the better steaks I've had at Flame.  They also have a small raw bar that has very good Blue Points and nice shrimp.  Kelly and I shared the shrimp cocktail which can be pretty boring especially in the Midwest but it was tasty.

Interview with Delmas of Haut Brion

Philippe Blasco of terroir-france.com has posted an interesting interview with Jean-Philippe Delmas of Haut Brion on his site.  It is a pretty extensive interview.  Kudos to Phillipe.

Read it here.

2000 Robert Chevillon Nuits St Georges "Les Pruliers"

I recently bought this wine online from Rare Wine Co. in Sonoma.  They were excellent to deal with but when the wines came I was a bit concerned that they did not contain Kermit Lynch's import strip.  they were imported by Barrique Wine Co. in Chicago.  Barrique was bought by Vins Divino so I have had a difficult time finding out the shipping conditions or if this is the same wine sent to Kermit Lynch.  Had it been filtered.  Had it baked in a container. I would like to get a Kermit Lynch bottle to compare but can't find one anywhere.

Luckily the wine was pretty good.  Much deeper and rounder than 2000 "les St Georges" I reviewed a while back.  Less of the stoniness, perhaps a bit less elegance.  Very nice length.  A bit unwilling to give up a lot on the nose but nice nonetheless.  Very pleasant juice.  Nice dark flavors with a little fading on the rim.

$35

2001 Robert Chevillon Bourgogne

Continuing on my infatuation with Robert Chevillon wines, I opened a 2001 Bourgogne.  Unlike the almost universally liked 2002s, 2001 was less ripe vintage.  Like 2000 weather tended to swing from extremes. Early frosts, a much cooler than average first two weeks of July, and much hotter than usual second two weeks of July, an extremely hot August with a hail storm that destroyed much of the grapes in Volnay.  As is the case often in Burgundy, the most talented growers came in with the best fruit.  Low yields and proper hang time sometimes seem like new ideas but in fact they have been used by the best in Burgundy for generations.   The best 2001s are elegant and reflect well their origins.  At this stage I like many of them as much as the 2002s.

The 2001 Chevillon showed lots of finesse and elegance for a wine of its pedigree.  light medium ruby.  charming if not complex nose.  Bright fruit balanced by nice acidity.  Not sappy.  Showed great dexterity on the mouth.  Most important of all....FUN TO DRINK.

Paired with grilled ham gouda, onions, frisee on sourdough sandwhich.

About $25.

2002 Van Duzer Pinot Noir

Van Duzer the winery gets its name from the Van Duzer the corridor.  This corridor ushers in cool pacific air into the Willamette Valley.  Van Duzer's vineyards sit at the mouth of this corridor.  According to their website, this positioning allows the afternoon temperature in the summer to be much cooler than other vineyards in the Willamette Valley.  Cooler weather logically leading to longer hang times for grapes.  Longer hang time leading to more complete flavors.  Cooler weather leading to the holy grail.  The holy grail for domestic Pinot being a wine that recalls Burgundy more than Napa.

Van Duzer is a member of L.I.V.E., Inc.  (Low Input Viticulture and Enology)  L.I.V.E. is an Oregon organization that offers certification of sustainable and responsible agricultural practices.  you can read more about them at their website.

This wine was on Wine Spectator's top 100 list in 2004 which makes me feel a bit like a chaser.  The label is also very cool.  It depicts Zephrya the Greek Goddess of the West Wind. Good wine is good wine though.

For $25 you would be hard pressed to find a much better Pinot.  It's got a beautiful light shade of red.  Tastes of blackberries and currants.  Subtle spice notes of cinnamon and nutmeg were present.  the flavors were bright without being too high toned.  What impressed me the most wasn't the fantastic richness of the flavors but the overall balance and purity.  Two qualities I value the most.  Pretty.  (also my favorite compliment for a wine)

Can be ordered many places.  Van Duzer's website has some left as well.   They offer free shipping on case orders.

2000 Robert Chevillon Nuits St Georges "Les St. Georges"

Robert Chevillon is one of the most consistent great producers in Burgundy.  His wines are a study in balance.  The operations are now run by his two sons Bertrand and Denis.  All of their bottlings are from Nuits St Georges.  Mostly premier cru vineyards, although he does have a Nuits St Georges villages wine as well as a Bourgogne.

2000 was a rather odd weather year in Burgundy with spikes in heat and then dips into below average temperatures.  Rain at all the wrong times.  It resulted in a large but irregular crop.  Denis Chevillon reported that they did a pretty big green harvest in order to keep yields down which is definitely NOT the norm in Burgundy.

The 2000 "les St Georges" is an amazingly pure wine.  It hits so many points on the fine, balanced, precise, elegant scale that I am at a loss to find the right words here.  It has perhaps less bulk than other vintages of this wine like 1999 and 2001.  There are raspberries and sweet cherries and a very fine minerality but those descriptions are not the story here.  This wine has a killer cerebral finish.  Still thinking about it.  This is Gwentyh Paltrow and not Jessica Simpson.  It is crafted from 75  year old vines.

This Kermit Lynch imported beaut is bottled unfiltered with some egg white fining. 

Zin again

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If there is one grape variety that I have more or less neglected for the past two years it would have to be zinfandel.  This is probably at least partly due to the fact that I lived in France for two years.  However at one time I believe I would have said Ridge Lytton Springs was my favorite wine.  After reading Alder Yarrow's post about ZAP I searched out a bit of info to become reacquainted.  I found a great article at Gastronomica about Zin.  Below is a passage about some of the old vies at Ridge:

The vines themselves are, at first glance, remarkably unhealthy-looking. Gnarled, dull, brown, low, knotted and twisted, they look like midget osteoporotic oak trees about one chilly week away from death. In fact, barring unforeseen catastrophe, these vines will probably outlast anyone reading this article...

I see a Ridge in my near future.