WTN: Philipponat, Groffier, Bevan, Mordoree

[Jenise]

Saturday night's dinner wines with friends:

1996 Philipponnat Champagne Grand Blanc
Fantastic nose of King's Hawaiian bread and baked green apple. Generously endowed on the palate with meyer lemon curd and a touch of butterscotch. Fine, persistent bubble throughout. A perfectly aged bottle.

2013 Bevan Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Ritchie Vineyard Russian River Valley
My god, where have these been all my life? Light yellow, mildly cloudy. Full-bodied, Rochioli-ish flavors of grass, grapefruit and pineapple guava, but due to being unfiltered imbued with something else, a vaguely bready flavor and sense of texture that both softens and deepens the impressions. Outstanding.

2006 Domaine de la Mordorée Lirac Cuvée de la Reine des Bois
Vibrant and exuberant, meaty grenache fruit. Almost opaque in the glass, mild pepper. Superb balance, drank very well without decanting.

1998 Domaine Robert Groffier Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Pinot Noir
Softer and less distinct than the last bottle in 2012, which at the time seemed magnificently in the moment and, seen now through the lens of this bottle, clearly was. But, still a great bottle.

Do you know if the Bevan Sauvignon Blanc sees any oak or is it fermented in stainless steel or cement?

[Jenise]

JC, I don't. It wasn't my bottle but something a friend brought to dinner, and it was my introduction to Bevan all the way around. But my tastebuds and that yellow color tells me there's some oak; it's a very serious Sauvignon Blanc.

Did you know that Mordorée's owner, Chrisophe Delorme, died a few days ago at age 52? Very sad that a talented guy like that has disappeared in the prime of life. His Châteauneuf du Pape Reine des Bois 2000 was one of the best from there, which has come my way. But his prices had been escalating quite fast in recent years.

[Jenise]

Tim, we did know that, hence my friend's choice of this wine. We toasted him with this bottle.