WTN: Chenins and Bojos

[Jenise]

I'm tasting candidates for next week's neighborhood tasting featuring chenins and 2009 beaujolais. The chenins will be on a table for self-pour, an exercise for which the price point's pretty low, and then we'll sit down to six Bojos. For this group of tasters, a broad range of prices is always wise. I've already chosen a Moulin-a-Vent Kermit Lynch import, Diochon, a Girardin Morgon, a Foillard du Py, and the gamay made in Oregon by Dominique Lafon per Marcel Lapierre's directions. I've ordered a Roilette Fleurie but am not sure I'll get it. Three of us tasted the following on Friday night, looking for more candidates at the lower end of the price spectrum:

2010 Pontin Del Rosa chenin blanc, Yakima, Washington
Very pale, almost clear. Great nose, very fresh, full of white flowers and clean laundry. On the palate, big pear notes followed by white nectarine, sweetish middle, dry finish. Pretty darned good for domestic chenin and $9, and Lynette LOVED this.

2008 Rosnay Vouvray, Loire Valley
The reverse of the Yakima wine, this one was more white nectarine than pear, very tangy, waxy, some washed rind cheese notes, and a smidge of white graperfruit. More intense sweetness on the midpalate but more intense all around, and Bob's and my favorite of the two for complexity. $15.

2009 Paul Etienne Beaujolais
Color on the blue side of purple. A bit carbonic-macerationly grapey (yuck), peppery but simple, slick. Only $9, but no.

2009 Louis Tete 'Le Pot'
More garnet colored, sweet strawberry nose with thyme and cherry, balanced, rustic compared to all the rest, with black licorice on the finish. Tastes of wine-by-the-carafe in Lyon to me, and I like it. Improved nicely in the glass and held there throughout the evening. $19.

2009 Jadot Villages
Purple, pretty but demure raspberry and blueberry fruit, refined mouthfeel. Flavorwise, a lot like the next wine but with less body and intensity such that at $20 it couldn't compete on price, so probably not a contender. Must point out, though, that five hours later when Bob and I revisited the wines, it had improved considerably. Didn't change in any one direction so much as it seemed like someone just turned the volume up, way up. It had required effort to appreciate it before but now it took no effort at all and it was quite good, our favorite of the night.

2009 George De Boeuf Morgon, Jean-Ernest Descombes
Wow, THIS is only $13? Concentrated blueberry and black cherry fruit, balanced, big bodied, pure pleasure. Where are the bananas?--this isn't the George I used to know. An easy pleaser and slam-dunk for the tasting. But strictly a drink-now wine, five hours later there was green stuff where the fruit had been.

2009 George De Boeuf Morgon, Jean-Ernest Descombes
Wow, THIS is only $13? Concentrated blueberry and black cherry fruit, balanced, big bodied, pure pleasure. Where are the bananas?--this isn't the George I used to know. An easy pleaser and slam-dunk for the tasting. But strictly a drink-now wine, five hours later there was green stuff where the fruit had been.

That's the new George.
Still, my bottles are usually gone in less than five.
Best, Jim

[James Roscoe]

That '09 Jadot Village Bojo is so damn easy to drink and it goes with everything!!!! What a great little wine. Not the best wine, but great in its own little world.

Domaine du Vissoux's range are well worth adding. The Cuvee Traditionnelle Vieilles Vignes 2009 is one of my favorite wines all around. It retails here in the $14-16 zone. The Crus are all excellent and in a reasonable price zone (mid 20s).

I thought the 09 Jadot Macon was also a good buy, with a bit more iron fillings on the nose than the Villages. Compared to the 09 Bouchard Macon, it's a bit more restrained, in my opinion. 09 seems like such a strong and ripe vintage that even traditional Gamay producers can overplay it, for my tastes. Still for Gamay, a ripe vintage offers more room to play with than if it is too unripe and the producers have to rely on chaptalization to get the necessary alcohol.

[Jenise]

Kelly, there's been a recent change in the distributor who handles Vissoux and the rest of the Dressner book, and wine supply is in serious disarray. I put a feeler out on the Vissoux last week but can't count on getting any. Another distributor faxed me his list this morning, and the only thing on there I haven't tapped yet is the 09 Thivin. Anyone with any recent experience? There's a Brouilly at $16.80 and a Cote de Brouilly at $17.50 (wholesale). I guess I don't understand Beaujulais terminology--what's the difference between these two?

[Jenise]

2009 George De Boeuf Morgon, Jean-Ernest Descombes
Wow, THIS is only $13? Concentrated blueberry and black cherry fruit, balanced, big bodied, pure pleasure. Where are the bananas?--this isn't the George I used to know. An easy pleaser and slam-dunk for the tasting. But strictly a drink-now wine, five hours later there was green stuff where the fruit had been.

That's the new George.
Still, my bottles are usually gone in less than five.
Best, Jim

I hear you. We just, for once, had more bottles open than capacity to drink them.

[Jenise]

That '09 Jadot Village Bojo is so damn easy to drink and it goes with everything!!!! What a great little wine. Not the best wine, but great in its own little world.

I really loved it. Surprising elegance. I bought a few more for my own cellar yesterday.

2009 Jadot Villages
Purple, pretty but demure raspberry and blueberry fruit, refined mouthfeel. Flavorwise, a lot like the next wine but with less body and intensity such that at $20 it couldn't compete on price, so probably not a contender. Must point out, though, that five hours later when Bob and I revisited the wines, it had improved considerably. Didn't change in any one direction so much as it seemed like someone just turned the volume up, way up. It had required effort to appreciate it before but now it took no effort at all and it was quite good, our favorite of the night.

Really? Its an $11 bottle in my part of Maryland. That is a significant difference from one coast to the other.

[Jenise]

Really? Its an $11 bottle in my part of Maryland. That is a significant difference from one coast to the other.

I was taken aback; it's never been a $20 wine anywhere I've lived, either. But I just double-checked my receipt--yup, $20.

Don't forget Dry Creek Vineyards Chenin Blanc for an inexpensive, Vouvray-styled quaffer. Typically $10.

John

There's a Brouilly at $16.80 and a Cote de Brouilly at $17.50 (wholesale). I guess I don't understand Beaujulais terminology--what's the difference between these two?

Are you asking about the quality or specifics of the contents or about the specifics of the nomenclature? Two separate Appelations. AOC Brouilly is the town and AOC Cote de Brouilly is the hills above the town. In my (admittedly limited) experience the later is superior to the former though they're both good. The Bouland Cote de Brouilly is one of my favorite Bojos going (requires air, ~$25).

BTW Vissoux is Weygandt-Metzler not Dressner. Quantities were limited with the great rush for 09s but there was still some around, though this could have changed since I'm stocked up and haven't been checking. Still if the same distro is handing both that does you no good. In any case if you need it:

http://www.weygandtmetzler.com/chermette.htm

[Jenise]

There's a Brouilly at $16.80 and a Cote de Brouilly at $17.50 (wholesale). I guess I don't understand Beaujulais terminology--what's the difference between these two?

Are you asking about the quality or specifics of the contents or about the specifics of the nomenclature? Two separate Appelations. AOC Brouilly is the town and AOC Cote de Brouilly is the hills above the town. In my (admittedly limited) experience the later is superior to the former though they're both good. The Bouland Cote de Brouilly is one of my favorite Bojos going (requires air, ~$25).

BTW Vissoux is Weygandt-Metzler not Dressner. Quantities were limited with the great rush for 09s but there was still some around, though this could have changed since I'm stocked up and haven't been checking. Still if the same distro is handing both that does you no good. In any case if you need it:

http://www.weygandtmetzler.com/chermette.htm

Re the Brouilly, it was the nomenclature I didn't undersand but of course all relevant information is helpful. I'm sure I've had Thivin in the past as the name is very familiar, I just don't remember anything about what I tasted. Re the Vissoux, the guy I'm pulling the wines through was sure the Vissoux was Dressner. Either way, it's the same f-ed up distributor in both cases so yeah, even if they have some in Seattle it would be dicey to order it, wouldn't know until too late that they hadn't put it on the truck. The Thivin, OTOH, I can count on.

[Jenise]

Really? Its an $11 bottle in my part of Maryland. That is a significant difference from one coast to the other.

I had a friend of mine look it up in the Columbia catalog yesterday: $8.40 wholesale. At the typical markup for this area, should have been right about $11 too. I'm going to call the store manager today.