WTN: "Panic" and Mystery wines

A few weeks ago, Keiichi proposed the idea of a wine lunch with a couple of his Japanese wine buddies. Naturally, the Usual Suspects were more than willing to oblige. Lunch was at an old favorite, Je Suis Gourmand. While we each brought bottles, our Japanese friends also brought a couple of bottles, mostly served blind and, for the latter bottles, termed by them “Panic” wines. As far as I could make out, I think this meant they were wines meant to confuse the tasters.

I arrived early but found Aaron and Greg already there enjoying:

Freixenet Cava Elyssia Rose NV – 85% Pinot Noir, 15% Trepat. Very attractive strawberry pink color. Rather fruity. An easy wine to drink but a little simple. I much prefer the regular white Elyssia but I would have no problem drinking this.

With everyone showing up after a few minutes, we had another sparkler, this time from Japan.

Etude Rubaiyat Blanc des Blancs 2008 – An experimental wine closed with a crown cap. Very peppery. Quite light with a rather weak, sour finish. Pleasant enough but you can get a pretty good basic Champagne at the same price.

Next came the first Mystery wine.

Light gold, a little overripe in character. Soft and a bit sweet. Definitely past peak. Chateau Mercian Hokushin Chardonnay 1998.

2 Rieslings followed:

Dr. Loosen Bernkasteller Lay 2007 – Grapefruit, green apples and grapey. Enjoyable and easy as always.

Navarro Riesling 2007 – Sweet, candy-like nose. Half-dry with a slightly bitter, citrus rind finish. Excellent balance; everything in the right place. Very good.

We proceeded to the reds with a Mystery wine to start.

Odd, slightly medicinal smell. Very soft and aged. A little leathery. Way too old. Chateau Branaire Ducru 1982.

Next was a Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva 2000 – Attractive, caramel nose. Soft tannins with firm acidity from red berry fruit. A little hollow, though. Good, but the ’99 I had a month earlier was much better fleshed-out.

Then came a series of 4 Mystery wines, the first a regular Mystery wine with the next 3 called by the Japanese “Panic” wines.

Very dark. Firm tannins on the finish but a rather supple mouthfeel. Quite dry. Seems at peak or just a bit past. Nicely rounded. Very good. Chateau Pichon Lalande 1998.

Panic Wine #1 – Quite tannic with a bit of acidity. The fruit has faded but the wine is still rather vibrant. From Canon-Fronsac, Chateau Canon 1962. Considering the appellation and vintage, a very impressive showing.

Panic Wine #2 – Probably New World. Young, tannic, sweet, ripe, polished. Bittersweet chocolate on the finish. Most guessed Napa Cabernet. Le Serre Nuove dell Ornellaia 2007. This threw everyone off..

Panic Wine #3 – A little smoky. Youthful, slightly hollow and a little rustic. Just past peak, with the fruit already subdued. I guessed late 90s St.Estephe. I was more than 10 years off on the vintage but I got the appellation right. Chateau Cos d’Estournel 1986.

We ended with Chateau Rieussec 1996 - Initially medium-bodied but a lightweight in the finish. Ripe, but not a great deal of botrytis. Burnt sugar, pineapple, marmalade. Fairly complex. It seems to have peaked and will probably not improve further. Good, but I've had better.

Another 4 hour lunch with much laughter, great fun, and vague promises to visit our new friends in Japan sometime in the future.

Too bad about the 1982 Branaire Ducru. I remember enjoying this wine during a tasting about 2 years ago.

The 1986 Cos d’Estournel had almost always received favorable TNs. I liked it during an ’86 Horizontal last year. It’s just a bit too expensive for me to consider back-filling.

I admit that I don’t even know of a Ch. Canon in the Fronsac, but your notes reinforces the fact that there will always be good bottles, regardless of vintage, classification or commune. I always like to read positive notes on wines, abstract (to me) as they may be, especially if they go way back.

Nice lineup of wines there.

I love your TNs, Jay. "Panic" wines? Must be a dictionary translation of a Japanese word but I have no idea what word. A Japanese sparkler named "Etude Rubaiyat Blanc de Blancs"? That made my day. And your 1998 Mercian Chardonnay reminds me of the time a Japanese friend told me he was bringing me a gift of a wine he said he was told was very good. Turned out to be a five-year-old bottle of Beaujoulais Nouveau.

I wonder if there was a storage problem with the over the hill 1986 Cos d'Estournel. I checked the Cellar-Tracker notes on it and they confirm my impression that Cos is still at its peak. But I know the 1982 Banaire Ducru is over the hill.

I admit that I don’t even know of a Ch. Canon in the Fronsac, but your notes reinforces the fact that there will always be good bottles, regardless of vintage, classification or commune. I always like to read positive notes on wines, abstract (to me) as they may be, especially if they go way back.

There are actually 2 Canons in Canon-Fronsac (AOC in 1939 and used to be called Côtes Canon-Fronsac until 1964): one really small estate that used to be owned by the Moueix group but now owned by Jean Galand (100% merlot), and a larger one owned by Henriette Horeau (90% merlot, 5% cab franc and 5% cab sauv).

It has been written that in 1783, the entire production of Château Canon was reserved for the court of the Dauphin at Versailles. I wonder who the dauphin was then...because this was the reign of Louis XVI but his son/heir was born 2 years later in 1785. Maybe the dauphin at that time was Louis Stanislas Xavier who eventually became Louis XVIII? Anyone know for sure?

It has been written that in 1783, the entire production of Château Canon was reserved for the court of the Dauphin at Versailles. I wonder who the dauphin was then...because this was the reign of Louis XVI but his son/heir was born 2 years later in 1785. Maybe the dauphin at that time was Louis Stanislas Xavier who eventually became Louis XVIII? Anyone know for sure?

Louis-Joseph was born in 1781 and was the Dauphin until the summer of 1789 when he died. So he would have been the one who had the wine reserved in his honor.

Louis-Charles was born in 1785 and was known as Louis XVII, although of course he never got to assume that title as king, and he died in 1795.

Louis-Joseph was born in 1781 and was the Dauphin until the summer of 1789 when he died. So he would have been the one who had the wine reserved in his honor.

Louis-Charles was born in 1785 and was known as Louis XVII, although of course he never got to assume that title as king, and he died in 1795.

Ah, yes, of course, I forgot all about the older son who died. Gosh, my memory is getting worse than I thought. Thanks!

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