There were some interesting wines on show this Saturday at Rob by Luc H, one of Belgium’s more adventurous and colourful wine merchants. I was particularly pleased of the opportunity of tasting two basic cuvées from Jura’s Stéphane Tissot of whom I have heard much good.
Arbois Traminer 2007 – Stéphane Tissot - comes from Jura’s Savagnin grape which is synonymous with Traminer. The use of the non-Jura name is, I think, a stylistic statement; the nose was indeed fleshier and more grapey in the “Traminer” mode but the palate reverted back to Jura Savagnin with its tangy bracing acidity and sharp minerality; the 2007 vintage may have something to do with this profile; 15.5/20++.
Arbois Chardonnay 2007 – Stéphane Tissot – was surprisingly similar to the previous with less tang, perhaps, and shade more refinement but equally bracing and mineral; I will be interested to see how my bottles develop if I can keep my hands off; 15.5/20++. (Luc tells me that Tissot claims that Chardonnay’s presence in the Jura predates its introduction into Burgundy.)
Riesling 2006 – Château Belá, Stûrovo, Slovakia (a joint venture between Baron Ullmann and Egon Müller) http://www.scharzhof.de/English/bela/000bela.htm is an unusual expression of Riesling; dry, unlike most of Müller’s Saar Rieslings, and quite full with unusually spicy aromas, white fruit, hints of varietally typical hydrocarbon and abundant nutty flavours to which I am unaccustomed with Riesling; 15.5/20++.
Château Musar 2001 showed brett levels which were close to my tolerance ceiling together with the usual bright and substantial fruit, mouth-watering acidity (some VA?) and good body and length. Still young, of course, and I enjoyed it but would have preferred the brett more in the background, which it may be on other bottles because I don’t recall mention of it in Otto’s recent TN; 15/20 this bottle. (I’m opening a 91 tonight and am expecting great things).
Luc also showed as a curiosity a sweet Coteaux d’Ancenis made from Pinot Gris planted to order from a local priest who did not care for the prevailing crisp Muscadet in the region. I did not note its details as it was not my type of wine due to opposite preferences to those of the priest.