WTN: Champagne, Bordeaux, God only knows...

2002 Pierre Peters Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons
Quite disappointing given the hype and pricing. Obviously very youthful right now with rich apple and pear fruit accented by brioche and yeasty notes, but there's not much in terms of complexity and it comes across rather light on the back end. Most disappointingly, we had this over a couple of hours and last sip was very similar to the first without much development.

2005 Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion Blanc
Mediocre. The fruit comes across as heavy and overripe, mostly in the tropical spectrum with some butterscotch-like elements and a liberal amount of oak that is just barely tolerable at first and becomes increasingly unpleasant with air.

2009 Weingut von Othegraven Kanzemer Altenberg Riesling Kabinett Erste Lage
Very nice. Not quite as bracing, taut and focused as the '08, but full of fresh green limes and some riper nectarine fruit accented with herbal and floral notes. With some air a vivid minerality emerges underneath, and bright acids keep it nicely balanced and just moderately sweet.

1978 Château Haut-Bailly
Perhaps just slightly past its best, but still offering lots of pleasure. This isn't one for fruit hounds though - the flavours are fully developed, with savoury earth, herbal notes and gentle red fruited elements combining with mature leathery and tobacco flavours and that Graves smokiness. Very polished with tannins fully resolved, bright acidity keeping it very fresh and the whole package is very enjoyable.

2007 Cayuse Grenache God Only Knows
Very pale and clear in appearance for such a big wine (the label says 15.2% alcohol), looking more like a Pinot. What stands out immediately is how fresh and elegant this is, full of cherry and raspberry fruit that tastes as if it was just picked. With some air it really evolves and develops, picking up spicy, earthy and herbal nuances and all the while retaining a sense of elegance and finesse that I've rarely found in Grenache (particularly new world versions). Remarkable, and very impressive.

Champagne
Quite disappointing given the hype and pricing.

Sounds about right!

Most disappointingly, we had this over a couple of hours and last sip was very similar to the first without much development.

More seriously, I know it is always frustrating when wines don't show as much as we hope for. But in the grand scheme of things 'a couple' of hours isn't too much. If it's really wound up tight it probably needs more. But I don't know this particular wine.

Either way, thanks for the notes. I've heard a bit about Cayuse but never tasted any of their wines.

[David M. Bueker]

I don't know why you would even consider drinking the '02 Peters right now. Maybe 5-7 years from now, but now??? Heck, no.

No prior experience with it, and don't know enough about Champagne to have an idea when to open/when not to open. (Besides, Mike wanted to open it and I never say no to Champgne. )

A good vintage, those Bordeaux 78s. I was also generally pleased with wines from Graves from this vintage.

2000 Chetillons is much more enjoyable at this time than the 2002. But give it 5-10 years...

I love the 1978 Haut Bailly.

2007 Cayuse Grenache God Only Knows

I had this several months ago, was expecting a flabby, hot fruit bomb, and instead was stunned to find it just the way you described it. It was almost, dare I say it, Edmunds St. John-like. Unfortunately, any comparison to ESJ ends at the price, not to mention availability (I believe you have to be on Cayuse's list to buy any of their wines -- I was able to have it courtesy of my sister-in-law who gets bottles in exchange for helping out with one of their big tastings).