Chinatown dinner with a mixed group of folks and wines.
We started by pouring the 2010 Marguet Les Bermonts Extra-Brut which was a delightfully crisp and frank expression of elegant sparkling chardonnay. I am not a champagne regular, but other who spend more time with the region seemed impressed, and all was going well.
We then veered off into the 2015 Enderle and Moll Grauburgunder, which was nothing fancy but was very satisfying with its fragrant floral orange wine character and a (mostly) perfect match with the food. (The chrysanthemum fish with pine nuts and a bright orange sauce was the one too-sweet blockage, color notwithstanding) I only knew their red wines so I had to bring this, and it did not disappoint. Very fun.
A bit more attention was required for the 2006 Prager Klaus Smaragd Riesling, which at first had various off notes that made me worry about TCA. But with air all was clear. And the wine was fine. A golden core as befits its place in the life cycle, but also plenty of clarity and poise. All the usual elegant stuff. Bravo.
Oswaldo poured us the 2014 Envinate Lousas Vino de Aldea Ribeira Sacra, which was not familiar to me but had plenty of juicy semi-carbonic freshness to make itself appealing. This set off a series of conversations about the relationship between carbonic maceration and terroir, evolving along with the wine, and by the end of the bottle it seemed to converge with all the berry-spiced flavors and lacquered textures that I know and love from the semi-carbonic Morgon. Although of course it was not exactly that. Whatever it was, it was tasty.
Our final wine was 2005 Hubert Lignier Gevrey Chambertin Aux Combottes, which brought yet another dimension of wine to the table. Darkish and almost-brooding, it was nonetheless drinkable and very much Burgundy. I think we all enjoyed it for what it was. Yet we also all agreed that more time would only be a plus.