WTN: 1997 Charles Joguet Chinon Clos du Chêne Vert

I return once more to the wine I can't keep my hands away from. This is currently the only the Cab F available in the country (Alko sucks!) - but not for long as I've just reserved the remaining bottles I've drunk about two cases of this hoping that we'll get some cooler year once this is finished (but trust me, drinking this has been a pleasure). The pseudo-Arabic dish of couscous with vegetables and quite a bit of spices wasn't a very good match the wine (but wasn't catastrophic either), but as Chinons have usually been some of the most food friendly wines around I just had to try.

• 1997 Charles Joguet Chinon Clos du Chêne Vert - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (3/27/2006)
  Somewhat developed colour. The nose is great: shit. Barnfuls of it. Yet it is just the sort of Brett which doesn't mask all the other characteristics of the terroir and the grape: this is leafy, cassis scented, savoury fruited, mineral even, but refined rather than rustic - as Chinon as can be. The warm year is more evident on the palate with the sweet fruit and fairly low acidity. It is pleasantly herbal/green as Cab F should be, still a touch tannic, and though the acidity is lower than I would like, it is noticable and keeps the wine fresh. The aftertaste is mineral and savoury/bitter in the way that only Cab F can be. Lovely. Though a cooler year would be even better!

Posted from CellarTracker

Cheers,
Otto

Otto, I'm a little confused. The learning here is that this wine should age for another five years. Yours seem to be drinking awfully well now.

Any guidance? I've got three bottle of the '97 in the wait bins.

Regards, Bob

Otto, I'm a little confused. The learning here is that this wine should age for another five years. Yours seem to be drinking awfully well now.

Any guidance? I've got three bottle of the '97 in the wait bins.

Regards, Bob

The learning here? I haven't seen anyone else drinking this wine! I think that in such a warm a year as 97 this wine - due to lack of acidity - might not go as far as usual. Besides, I hear from reliable sources, that Joguet isn't doing as good stuff post 96 as pre. All this, and the fact that this is delightful stuff now, has made me drink this wine by the case now. I do have a few bottles tucked away for 5 more years (insha'alláh, I'll manage to keep my hands off them). I'll report back both then and meanwhile how it is progressing. Right now my hunch is that this should be drunk in the next 3-4 years. Not enough structure to go longer. If you're willing to sacrifice one of your bottles, I'd love to hear what you think about it now. I'd be willing to open one more of mine soon if you'd like to do an on-line tasting?

Otto

Love to, Otto. Pick a date and time after May 2.

Regards, Bob

Love to, Otto. Pick a date and time after May 2.

Regards, Bob

Damn! I was hoping you'd say something like "ok, lets open a bottle now!".

Thursday the 4th of May might work for me. We'll have to ok it closer to the period though - I've got tons of tastings and dental surgery coming up that month....

We're off to see "Ring of Fire" and check out Batali's new restaurant Del Posto tonight, and then a big hiking project that will keep me moving up and down for three or four days.

Let me know though later next week. And, I'm sorry to hear about the surgery -- no fun that's for sure.

Regards, Bob

The nose is great: shit. Barnfuls of it. Yet it is just the sort of Brett which doesn't mask all the other characteristics of the terroir and the grape: this is leafy, cassis scented, savoury fruited, mineral even, but refined rather than rustic

Otto, I'm listening.

I doubt I'll have a chance to try this wine, but I sure hope that I can zero in on examples like it that are reliably bretty. Any time a wine takes me to the barnyard, I'm a happy camper.

[Jenise]

I've got a 99 I can pull and join you guys with.

I've got a 99 I can pull and join you guys with.

That would be great! But do you really want to commit infanticide? The suggested date ok with you as well?

Bob, is the 4th still ok? Jenise ok for you as well? I might actually manage that day!

[Jenise]

The 4th is looking good for me. What time?

Jolly good Jenise! Due to the time difference, perhaps it's best to just write our notes rather than take it to chat? Or if I stretch mine to last until 23:00 (21:00 Greenwich) would that be too early for you two?