WTN: Stuff we drank recently

[Jenise]

And a preface: some of these wines were consumed while on vacay on the big island of Hawaii where there seems to be a uniform standard practice for by-the-glass pricing and pour-sizing that is most admirable, and deserving of comment. Location descriptions are included not to brag but because the circumstances help me remember one wine from another if in the future I look back on my notes. But here's the important part: on the Big Island (and it may be true of other islands but I honestly don't recall running into it anywhere else in my travels, at all of the high end restaurants I went to, a by-the-glass pour was six ounces which is fully one quarter of a bottle, and the price per glass if the wine is also available by the bottle is exactly one quarter of the bottle price. Of course, you're on an island in the middle of the Pacific so prices are pretty high, but at least even if they're high they're fair no matter which wine or quantity you choose. And the BTG selections were in general awfully good, so I begrudge them nothing. If only all restaurants and hotels adopted this policy!

2010 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph
Decanted and monitored it's progress. Best in hour two of three, showing elegantly restrained fruit, olives, pepper, tobacco and outstanding future potential. Too, am convinced our opening this wine at half time today singlehandedly enabled the Seahawks to beat St. Louis. All is right in the world.

2013 Bergström Pinot Noir Bergström Vineyard Dundee Hills
At Ulu Ocean Grill, Four Seasons, Big Island. A classy, elegant Oregon pinot from an outstanding producer, but it's too tight at present for a by-the-glass list (we got the first pours). Needs time.

2012 Dutton-Goldfield Chardonnay Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley
At Ulu Ocean Grill, Four Seasons, Big Island. Here's everything I love about California chardonnay. Intense but not overly concentrated or overly ripe flavors of lemon and pear with a mineral stoniness that gives structure without robbing the wine of style.

2013 Babich Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
At The Canoe House, Big Island. I remember Babich from the early days of NZ SB's showing up in America. It was notably cheesy then--camembert with rind cheesy--which was more interesting to me then than now as, in this case anyway, it overwelmed the gooseberry and asparagus notes.

2012 Grgich Hills Sauvignon Blanc Fume Blanc Napa Valley
At Brown's Beach House, Fairmont Orchid, Big Island. A bold version of oaked Sauv Blanc, big bodied (which suggests ripeness) and on the extreme side of grassy (which doesn't). Interesting to have both in the same wine.

2013 Poseidon Vineyard Pinot Noir Poseidon's Vineyard Carneros
At Brown's Beach House, Fairmont Orchid, Big Island. Unknown producer to me and, apparently, almost everyone on CellarTracker since there are all of like two other bottles out there, but this was a very decent wine with good Carneros character. Balanced with notes of cola and cherry cough drop.

2012 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Dundee Hills
At The Canoe House, Big Island. Medium bodied, feminine/refined/pretty and yet a little earthy too--stunning, really. All about finesse and balance instead of raw power.

2002 Pommery Champagne Cuvée Louise Brut
Xavier Auerbach gave the definitive description, so I quote him: very fine bead; elegant nose of considerable finesse, ripe Chardonnay fruit, mineral and floral, hint of custard, toasty depth; the relatively broad but stylish palate...red apple and peach, a seamless structure and impeccable balance...very good length. I'm sorry I didn't buy more when I had the chance.

2011 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Thea's
Drinking REALLY well now though this wine shows like no pinot I've ever known before. Aromatics of fenugreek and something desirably green I fought to place before realizing I'd had it in syrah: green olives, as in Jaboulet Thalabert Crozes Hermitage green olives. Wore off somewhat after the first hour but remained intriguing throughout. Delightfully unusual.

2011 Ravenswood Zinfandel Belloni Russian River Valley
Haven't had a Ravenswood SV zin since the ownership change and was hesitant to expect much from a 2011, but this bottle was a happy reunion. Restrained but spicy plum and raspberry fruit, good acid and silky tannins; showing some complex development from time in bottle, medium bodied, very 'claret' in style. Delightful.

2013 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Delaille Sauvignon Blanc
At Merriman's Waimea. One of the best value white French imports; an elegant, creamy style without any of SB's savage character (which I like, but some don't) with a nice nervy backbone. Always delighted to find it on restaurant menus--should happen more often.

2013 Morgan Pinot Noir Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands
At Merriman's Waimea. Well delineated flavors; feminine but not weak. A perfect pinot for by-the-glass lists.

2012 Schug Pinot Noir California
Without food: plummy pinot with an earthiness that comes across a bit dirty; rustic overall character but not unpleasant. With stinky French cheese, however: the country bumpkin becomes a city boy, seemingly refined and much brighter. An odd but welcome transformation.

2013 NxNW Chardonnay The Benches Horse Heaven Hills
Bright yellow color with overt extracted fruit and skin flavors on the palate. Rather over-the-top for my palate. $19, would not buy again.

2010 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph
Decanted and monitored it's progress. Best in hour two of three, showing elegantly restrained fruit, olives, pepper, tobacco and outstanding future potential. Too, am convinced our opening this wine at half time today singlehandedly enabled the Seahawks to beat St. Louis. All is right in the world.

Glad to hear this opened up with some air time. I had a taste a week or two ago from a guest who ordered this at the restaurant, and it was overwhelmingly medicinal - like Vic's Vaporub.

2013 Bergström Pinot Noir Bergström Vineyard Dundee Hills
At Ulu Ocean Grill, Four Seasons, Big Island. A classy, elegant Oregon pinot from an outstanding producer, but it's too tight at present for a by-the-glass list (we got the first pours). Needs time.

That's quite the odd choice for a BTG list - if I remember right, that is one of the highest tier wines at Bergstrom, and likely needs a few years to integrate. Perhaps the 2013 Cumberland Reserve would be more approachable for immediate consumption.

[Jenise]

2010 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph
Decanted and monitored it's progress. Best in hour two of three, showing elegantly restrained fruit, olives, pepper, tobacco and outstanding future potential. Too, am convinced our opening this wine at half time today singlehandedly enabled the Seahawks to beat St. Louis. All is right in the world.

Glad to hear this opened up with some air time. I had a taste a week or two ago from a guest who ordered this at the restaurant, and it was overwhelmingly medicinal - like Vic's Vaporub.

2013 Bergström Pinot Noir Bergström Vineyard Dundee Hills
At Ulu Ocean Grill, Four Seasons, Big Island. A classy, elegant Oregon pinot from an outstanding producer, but it's too tight at present for a by-the-glass list (we got the first pours). Needs time.

That's quite the odd choice for a BTG list - if I remember right, that is one of the highest tier wines at Bergstrom, and likely needs a few years to integrate. Perhaps the 2013 Cumberland Reserve would be more approachable for immediate consumption.

No Vapor Rub in our bottle, not even at first. What a strange thing.

And yes, very odd choice for a BTG list. It was like $25 a glass but everything was $20-$25 a glass and fairly well-bred so it didn't stand out as wrong until we discovered it's austerity.