WTN: Sunday Dinner (Champagne, Riesling, Chard, Pinot)

[David M. Bueker]

Had a fun dinner with good friends yesterday. We sampled a number of wines.

Pehu-Simmonet Brut Champagne NV
Very dark fruited and rather brooding. Could have used more life/zest, but completely drinkable.

2008 St. Innocent Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard
Seems less oaky than some previous St. I Chards, or perhaps there's just more inherent fruit. Either way it was a fine partner to the grilled lemon/pepper chicken.

2003 Donnhoff Riesling Spatlese Norheimer Kirschheck
After a grumpy and undistinguihed period for this wine it finally seems to be shedding some of its fat & showingg a bit more spine. Good and getting better.

2008 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Peters Vineyard
I am going to make a dangerous comparison, but this was to me a new world version of a Truchot Burgundy. It's not remotely dark, even a touch cloudy, and there's a freshness to the fruit that is in a whole different class from nearly any new world Pinot I have ever tasted (perhaps some Rhys bottlings come close, but it's a stretch). I've now had two different vineyard designated 2008 Anthill wines, and what has struck me is the purity and freshness.

Nice lineup. That's a lot of praise for the Anthill! Glad to see an '03 Donnhoff is drinking well.

[David M. Bueker]

Indeed it is high praise, but I think the wine earns it. Clearly it doesn't taste like a Truchot, but the stylistic markers are there.

[James Roscoe]

This is the kind of thing that makes me hate you David!

Where did these Anthill folks come from? Are they new?

Someone brought a pinot gris rose to the Steve Edmunds dinner in Cambridge (it was fine, but I don't remember much) and I now I see a few people mentioning their wines.

I guess I don't follow closely enough what happens in CA.

[David M. Bueker]

I'm not sure where they came from, but they have not been around long. I think they may have sustained a stylistic shift (to the good) in about 2007. I posted a positive note about their Tina Marie vineyard Pinot elsewhere, with comments similar to that of the Peters and received back info about their 2005 being dark, extracted and alcoholic. I have never run into that with any of the Anthill wines I have tried, but they have all been from 2007 and 2008.

I'm not sure where they came from, but they have not been around long. I think they may have sustained a stylistic shift (to the good) in about 2007. I posted a positive note about their Tina Marie vineyard Pinot elsewhere, with comments similar to that of the Peters and received back info about their 2005 being dark, extracted and alcoholic. I have never run into that with any of the Anthill wines I have tried, but they have all been from 2007 and 2008.

Well, I guess it speaks to Florida's Jim's point about more exciting developments in CA. Which is a good thing. There's just not enough time to keep up with all these wines!

[David M. Bueker]

Stop by some time & we can help you catch up.

[James Roscoe]

I think I am moving to CT just to sponge off of Salil and David!