WTN: Briords and ESJ

Having recently returned from a week's outing to Great Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park, Jean and I were invited out to dinner at a friend's house. With a dinner of grilled skewered prawns and kielbasa we opened two bottles from home:

2008 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet SeM "Clos des Briords"
nose: shy, minerals, limes
palate: tight, tart, reticent fruit

2001 Edmunds St. John Syrah "Wylie-Fenaughty Vyd" El Dorado County
nose: dark, briery berry fruit, a hint of smoke
palate: smooth, supple, rich, firmly acidic

Despite having read good things recently about the '08 Briords from usually reliable sources such as (the good) Jay Miller, I found the wine on this night to be quite shut down relative to what I expect from this bottling. I will keep my hands off my remaining stash for quite some time, methinks.

The ESJ Syrah, OTOH, had no such problem and was really in top form. I've been following this wine since about 2005, having been introduced to it by Rahsaan Maxwell in Berkeley. During this time, it has rounded out and softened somewhat, developing a few non-primary characteristics, and is now drinking fabulously. I see no problem letting this wine age another 5-10 years, though, and would not be surprised if it could go twice that distance. Will it get better? I'm not sure that it will, but I wouldn't bet against it, either.

Gratifyingly, both wines went well with the food.

Mark Lipton

Will it get better? I'm not sure that it will, but I wouldn't bet against it, either.

You'd be a wise man not to make that bet. Not that I know what will happen with the wine. But given the track record...

Gratifyingly, both wines went well with the food.

Is that Briords with the prawns and W-F with the kielbasa?

My 2008 Pepiere Briords have all been drinking well. Bottle variation? They must make a heck of a lot of it.

Anyhow, this is one of my year to year stand-bys. Am looking forward to the 2009s. Anybody tasted them?

Am looking forward to the 2009s. Anybody tasted them?

Yes. Had a few stunningly beautiful bottles of the 09 Briords this weekend. You won't be disappointed.

The regular is not bad either but unless the Briords is brutally closed or not available, I usually go for that.

Yes, as far back as I can recall, the Briords overshadows the regular. I'm looking forward to it. By all accounts 2009 is a stellar Muscadet year.

Having recently returned from a week's outing to Great Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park

That is what I get for not paying attention to the board a little bit more.... someone who posts to WLDG an hour or less away!

Of course, this presumes y'all might have been interested in a little gathering....

Mike

[James Roscoe]

Mike, the Smokies are awesome. You just need to do a little advance planning. I was there last year with the family and a case of wine. We did a bunch of hiking and avoided a bunch of tourist crap!

Mark, great notes!

2001 Edmunds St. John Syrah "Wylie-Fenaughty Vyd" El Dorado County
nose: dark, briery berry fruit, a hint of smoke
palate: smooth, supple, rich, firmly acidic

The ESJ Syrah, OTOH, had no such problem and was really in top form. I've been following this wine since about 2005, having been introduced to it by Rahsaan Maxwell in Berkeley. During this time, it has rounded out and softened somewhat, developing a few non-primary characteristics, and is now drinking fabulously. I see no problem letting this wine age another 5-10 years, though, and would not be surprised if it could go twice that distance. Will it get better? I'm not sure that it will, but I wouldn't bet against it, either.

Mark-
I'm oh so glad that I went oh so long on this wine. Been drinking it and loving it for the last 4 years and still have 8 or 9 bottles left. Never had a bottle that disappointed.
Bill

Mark-
I'm oh so glad that I went oh so long on this wine. Been drinking it and loving it for the last 4 years and still have 8 or 9 bottles left. Never had a bottle that disappointed.
Bill

And it is of course thanks to your own efforts, Bill, that I own any of the wine at all, so thank you yet again for your work on my behalf. Alas, that was my last bottle, so perhaps I'll have to butter you up over the next few years so that I can cadge a bottle or two outta you. Fortunately, I went long on the '05s, which will in turn fill that niche in my wine consumption.

Mark Lipton

On the '08 Briords, I've had one bottle of that so far and my experience was very similar to yours, Mark. I'm also hoping that it just needs to sit a while.

You just need to do a little advance planning. I was there last year with the family and a case of wine. We did a bunch of hiking and avoided a bunch of tourist crap!!

Not sure I follow on the "advance planning" part here, but as I am an hour or less from the mountains, and usually get through it a couple times a year (some trips picking up wine from my ship drop in N.C.), I feel fortunate to be as close as I am.

Just saying that I wish I had been paying attention to WLDG and posting more as I ALWAYS encourage folk to let me know if they're in the area, and would want to gather to pull bark (or twist, pull plastic, etc.). Got lots of wine in the cellar that is in need of sippin'!

Mike

Having recently returned from a week's outing to Great Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park

That is what I get for not paying attention to the board a little bit more.... someone who posts to WLDG an hour or less away!

Of course, this presumes y'all might have been interested in a little gathering....

Mike

Mike, as it happens we avoided K'ville entirely this outing. I was in Nashville and the family drove down from IN; we met at TYS and drove into Cade's Cove using 129/321/73, thereby avoiding the clusterf*k that is Gatlinburg. This was strictly a camping expedition, so little wine and no socializing for us, apart from the occasional wildlife encounter. Since we travel with a 5 year old boy, wine get togethers are hard to arrange. Maybe another time...

Mark Lipton

I find that both the first and second bottlings of the Pepiere are drinking better than the '09 Briords at the moment. Nothing that a few years won't change but I'm storing some '09 Briords and drinking some '09 Pepiere these days.