WTN: Hodge Podge

[Jenise]

NV Gran Ducay Bodegas Brut Nature Cava Macabeo-Xarello-Parellada Blend
Gift from a friend. Impressive lemon-apple dry flavor profile with a fine bead and great persistence at the intended $10.99ish retail. Drinks above it's price point and probably on par with last year's remarkable CVNE--terrific value.

2002 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
So I opened this after complaining the other day that I rarely open Bordeaux because I'm not eating as much of the kind of food that warrants this kind of wine. Nicely mature with dark chocolate and a sweet/meaty note like beef jerky complimenting concentrated blackberry fruit. Good but on the downhill side; drink up.

2010 Tua Rita Perlato del Bosco Toscana IGT Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese
5th of 6 bottles owned, and best so far. Previous bottles have been all over the place, including OTH, but this was in peak form.

2011 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley
Tart and cranberryish, verging on shrill. Sipped over two hours, didn't get much improvement. Threw a cork in it and revisited three days later--maybe 5-10% better, but no thrill.

2015 Michelle Philipon Côte de Beaune Villages Pinot Noir
Different than expected based on first bottle a year ago but my expectations probably weren't realistic. It's gamy now, and there's a rusticity that reminds you it's unfiltered. I am possibly soon to be punished for not drinking them all early.

2016 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
Richer now with more depth, but still light enough to show well with scallops and asparagus. Seems more about the Semillon than the Sauv Blanc, though the latter's the larger component.

2014 Idiot's Grace Cabernet Franc Idiot's Grace Vineyard Columbia Gorge
Still a work in progress. Tasty enough but the hoped-for secondary nuances haven't logged in yet.

2014 Dönnhoff Hermannshohle Riesling Großes Gewächs Nahe
Superb choice for pairing with a ten year old Cougar Gold for yesterday's deck time: coconut, grapefruit and quince. Deep and dry.

[David M. Bueker]

Love that Hermannshohle GG every year.

I saw your original note last year (?) on the 2015 Michelle Philipon Côte de Beaune Villages Pinot Noir and bought a couple bottles. I saw this recent note and thought I'd better check it out.

I didn't take notes, but I get your gamy and rustic comments. But these notes seemed to disapate after about 2 hours, and the wine opened up, became smoother and longer - it was originally tight and almost died in the mid palate - and I thought it improved. I'll hold on to my last bottle and see what happens in a few years.A nice 'regional' wine, nothing fancy, but definitely good QPR for BC.

[Jenise]

John, I have four more so I'll pull another bottle soon and open it earlier in the day to see where it goes. I didn't give this one any advance time.