WTN: Summer's end and catching up

Where has the time went? Come, and gone. I feel autumn is arriving early this year, as witness the early harvest in California and leaves beginning to change color already here in the Northeast. I haven't posted enough notes here lately.

Patrick Piuze, Chablis, 'Vaucoupin', 2008
Drunk at a high cellar temperature, this is a bit harsh. It needs to chill a bit. Biting acidity with an almost jalapeno/capsicum-like finish. With some chill, this takes on some sunflower oil, crabapple, and unripe Thompson seedless grapes. Not much joy in Whoville. Sharp, without any body. Give me Muscadet! 12.5% B

Pepiere, Muscadet Sevre et Maine, 'Clos des Briords', 2011
Light lime and sea spritz on the nose. Pretty, soft and pillowy, without the strong driving acids, a victim of the vintage. Has the requisite flavors of lime, calcium and saline, with added bitter green tea and green tomato on the finish. Not one to put away in the deep back for 10-20 years while drinking your ox-ing white Burgundies. 12% A-

Conti, Boca, 'Il Rosso delle Donne', 2007
Musk-filled cherry pit aromas, thickish and heavy on the mouth with astringent tannins and ground cherry wood dust. Rough and a little raw, tasting of twigs and stems. On the young side, showing the workingclass side of the Piedmont. I'd say try again in another 4-5 years to give it time to mellow out and smooth its class attitude. 13% A blend of Nebbiolo, Vespolina and Uva Rara. B+

Farmers Jane, Field Red, California, 2013
I'm not even sure what exactly is in this. 29 barrels produced of this elixir pedestrian juice. For the price it's alright, twenty-something but wouldn't want to pay much beyond thirty for it. Easy drinking, like a syrah-heavy Cote-du-Rhone. Soft, red plummy fruit, with a hawthorn fruit finish. 13.2% Gotta have a wallop of carignan in here as well. B/B+

Gonon, Saint Joseph (blanc), 'Les Oliviers', 2008
While the reds get all the lust and attention, the whites are nothing to sneeze at, unless you don't like Rhone whites, and in that case, this will leave you panting like a sick dog. But this is getting to mature stage already, as shown by the burnished golden color that shows walnut highlights throughout. Aromas of pear and peach skins that are soaking in a mild eau-de-vie, but without the heaviness that you might think. A wonderful nutty finish, hazlenuts perhaps with a fairly neutral demeanor, and finishing with some honeyed wax (not quite as strong a note as beeswax). On the second night with salmon, it almost takes on a more buttery, nuttier, and richer feel. Cool stuff. Drink up unless super-well stored. B+/A-

Maestracci, Corse Calvi, 'Clos Reginu', 2012
Funkytown! A wine of strange bedfellows from the island of Corsica [get this: blend of 30% Niellucciu, 30% Grenache, 15% Sciaccarellu, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan]. 12.5% This has a very perfumed nose of red fruit and candy straw. Has a strange texture, as it is immediately fruity and almost 'sweet', but then also shows sour hard candy balls, tannins, and a note of stems. Interesting. I wonder how this ages? For a mid-teens price, it might be worth a gamble to find out. Color is pretty cool too, almost a bright, autumnal glow-red. A-/B+

Great notes especially the Pepiere...the Rhone white not too shabby eh

[David M. Bueker]

I think that is the first note I have noticed on the 2011 Pepiere. Maybe I missed them amid all the love for the '12 and '14.