WTN: Bdx, Loire, CA

With Betsy away, I've had several solo meals. Wed I did a small strip steak, with baked potato and salad. Wine was the 2002 Potensac (Medoc). Moderate black plum and currant fruit, ok acidity, with some tannins that run a little hard. Pretty good with the steak, less satisfying on its own. I tried again on Fri, tannins still a little scratchy, fruit fading. Good with meat, but not looking for more. B/B-

Thursday I skipped wine, but Friday was back in the mood. Threw together a pasta sauce of mirepoix and then lots of leeks, with some frozen peas and shrimp added at end. For liquid I used wine, the 2006 Rodney Strong Chardonnay (Sonoma County). This was a host gift that has been sitting around for a while, I decided to finally open. First of all, this was nicely bright for a CalChard- maybe not zippy, but a far cry from say most Napa Chards. Definitely showing some wood, but not extreme, and more toasty than buttery. Tropical and sweet Fuji apple fruit. Not bad as an apertif, less successful with dish. Another glass later in evening was again pleasant on its own. Tonight, wood is sticking out more, less fun. But night one, B-/B

When Chard didn't appeal with pasta, opened the 2006 Pinon "Cuvee Tradition" Vouvray. Nice broad-beamed sec-tendre, a little wax over grapefruit and apple butter fruit. Good acidity, nice length for a $15 wine, quite pleasant. Hasn't budged in a day, we'll see tomorrow. B

Tonight I broiled some onion-marinated shoulder lamb chops, with potato and broccoli rabe (prepared at a deli). Wine is the 2005 Ch. Caronne Ste Gemme (Haut-Medoc). Quite ripe cassis fruit, but good acidity and a solid base of (fine) tannins. Some blackberry cobbler, kirsch with time. A bit sweeter than my ideal, but tasty and the tannic/acidic structure makes this a candidate for short term aging. B+/B

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.

Hi Dale,

Thanks for posting your notes.
But I'm left wondering if your assessment of the 2002 Potensac is not off-base due to its youth.
Not having had the wine since it was a baby, I don't claim to be in any position to contradict you outright.
It's just that if I compare what you say with other vintages of this estate, it seems to me that the taste profile could change mightily over time.

Best regards,
Alex R.

Thanks for the note on the "St Gemme." Picked one up for $15 or so at K&L based on a strong positive recommendation from the staff.

I really like buying from smaller wine bars and shops, but it is often hard to beat K&L!

Alex,
6 years can be an awkward time for a Bordeaux, and I know Potensac has the ability to age (I drank several of the '82s earlier this decade, and the '96 was tasty last year). It may well turn into something quite nice. I have a limited budget, however, and allocate based on what I taste. This didn't strike me as shut down, more just limited by harder tannins. I own some 2002s, know they need time, but others draw me more. Possibly in 6 years I'll taste again and kick myself.

Brian,
I love small stores and giving them business. It's also very true that big stores obviously have bigger selections,and can operate on thinner margins. So I am forced to shop at both.

So I didn't have wine last night (picking up Betsy at LaGuardia about beginning of 3rd qtr of Superbowl), but resampled 3 tonight:

R. Strong Chard- pretty dead on day 4, just wood and applesauce oxidized notes

Caronne Ste Gemme- showing well, clearly ripe modern style, but holding up

Pinon Vouvray- is there any grape that holds up better over time than Chenin Blanc? Young, bright, tasty on day 4.

[David M. Bueker]

I had the 2002 Potensac blind in a tasting along with the 2002 Poujeaux, and both seemed to have a ton of tannin, but the Poujeaux more balancing depth of fruit. I'm cellaring a couple of bottles of the Poujeaux just to see where it goes (sitting in a box next to 3 bottles of 2000 Potensac). I don't intend to get after it until about 2012 or so.

Pinon Vouvray- is there any grape that holds up better over time than Chenin Blanc? Young, bright, tasty on day 4.

Last night I found the remnants of a bottle of '95 Baumard Paon that has been opened for 3 weeks in the back of my fridge. It's still quite yummy.

I won't re-open the debate as to which is classier, great Sauternes or Chenin Blanc from the Loire, but I would point out that Sauternes shares this ability to keep well once opened.

However, no pissing contest is desired.

Best regards,
Alex R.

I had the 2002 Potensac blind in a tasting along with the 2002 Poujeaux, and both seemed to have a ton of tannin, but the Poujeaux more balancing depth of fruit. I'm cellaring a couple of bottles of the Poujeaux just to see where it goes (sitting in a box next to 3 bottles of 2000 Potensac). I don't intend to get after it until about 2012 or so.

Has anyone had any experience of how Potensac and Poujeaux 1995 are shaping up?

Has anyone had any experience of how Potensac and Poujeaux 1995 are shaping up?

Don't remember having the Poujeaux. I thought the Potensac showed poorly about 5 years ago in a big lineup of "under $20 Bordeaux". Of course, age 8 is a tough time to drink Bordeaux, and I have no clue re storage etc of this particular bottle. My note from 2003:

(9) 1995 Potensac,Medoc
Black fruit, a bit thin, quite disjointed. Only wine of night I really didn't like. Usually Potensac is a good value, and '95 should have been a decent year.
Awkward stage or poor bottle?

I'd also be curious as to opinions of someone tasting more recently, as I am generally a Potensac fan, and this was disappointing.