WTN: Burgundies, Alsace, Bdx, etc

Thursday I made red snapper en papillotte, and opened the 2001 Domaine de Haut Bourg Muscadet- Cotes de Grandlieu. This was a recent purchase, this wine spend 7 years on its lees and is the current release. The good news is it still tastes young- high acids, lemony fruits. The flip side is that this didn't show me any of the complexity that wines like the Pepiere Granite de Clisson or the L-P Semper Excelsior show. At $13 I'm not really complaining. B/B-

Friday I made chicken in red wine,. a speedy pressure cooker version I hesitate to call coq au vin, but it was good. The cooking wine was a labelless bottle - I thought it was the 2005 Canon (Canon-Fronsac)- memory fail, but close, corked showed it was the 2005 Puy Guilhem (Fronsac). Black plums, smoke, tannins still a tad grating, servicable Right Banker. B-

The drinking wine showed beautifully, the 2009 Foillard "Cote du Py" Morgon was at the top of its game. Black cherries, woodsmoke, flowers and lavender. Beautiful balance, plenty of acids, maybe big for Gamay but to me not at all ungainly. A-

Saturday Betsy was glad to have time to cook, and used a new Jacques Pepin compilation I had borrowed from library to make arugula and sardine salad, veal scallopine with apples, cream, and Calvados, and glazed carrots. Wine was the 1999 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling. Tight before decanting, showed well after (I thought color was little advanced, but wine didn't show it). Grapefruit, petrol, a little tropical edge. Good length. B+

Sunday Betsy was playing Traviata at BAM, so I went stag to a Valentine's open house. I mostly drank seltzer and avoided Yellowtail et al, but did take 3 small pours
2009 McManis Chardonnay
Screwcap. Light, a tad sweet, simple, harmless. B-/C+

2005 Ch. Marquis d'Alesme (Margaux)
Light for a big vintage classified Bordeaux, slightly tough tannins, subdued cassis fruit, a little leather. B-

2009 Bertagna "Les Dames Huguettes" Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits
Big name for a little wine. Cranberry, raspberry, a little cocoa. Not bad. B-

For dinner I made white beans Bretonne to supplement leftovers, needed a bit of white wine and opened a 375 of the 2008 Billaud-Simon
"Vaillons" Chablis 1er. Fresh, minerally, very tasty. B+

Dinner wine was the 2008 Drouhin Cotes de Nuits Villages. Fresh, redfruited, spice, very nice for level. B+/B

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

Not a bad week.

I do love that Foillard. I know 2009 is not "typical" for Beaujolais, but I really like it anyway. They already took away my Diserderly card, so I guess it doesn't matter!

Might have to get into a bottle of 1999 CFE some time soon.

Dale great! I have waxed on about the `01 Haut-Bourg here, even posted a TN.

David, while I have run across some 2009s that I thought overripe and atypical, in general I am a fan, but my tastes are fairly catholic.

Bob, while a perfectly fine wine, I just didn't think the time on lees especially showed, at least compared to the "luxury" bottles from Pepiere and Luneau-Papin that spend a mere 3 years on lees.

Dale - last month, we poured the 2009 Cote du Py alonside the Corselette and they were both beautiful. The CdP started out the prettier wine, but it started tightening up just about when the Corselette was opening. If you add an animal quality to your notes, that would describe the Corselette. It was hard to pick a favorite, but my vote goes to the Cote du Py.

I had my first 2010 last week, a Lapierre Morgon, and it was more of what I expect in Beaujolais - fruity, and spicy - delicious.