WTN: Homebound Hooch

I'm popping a few more bottles than I usually do in these pandemic times. I did manage to briefly escape for a few days cross country skiing before the stuff hit the fan.

• 2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Haut-Lieu - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (2020-04-19)
  Step 1, open and pray to the Loire gods for no oxidation. Step 2, colour looks good, only slightly golden in colour, phew. Step 3, have a taste, extra phew, dodged the oxidation bullet. This is completely different than the bottle I tasted over 14 years ago. There's still the funky chenin flavours on the moderately powerful nose: straw, honey, ginger, pears, quince, pineapple are all wonderfully integrated. The medium bodied, just off dry palate echoes the nose, and keeps changing, with the acidity strengthening over time to make it seem even drier. Again, all the flavours are wonderfully integrated. This still much younger than its 18 years, and sound bottles - always a worry - could last at least 5-7 years. Huet wines can really age. Intriguing, wonderful wine that went well with a vegetarian red curry. (A)
• 2012 Antinori Chianti Classico Villa Antinori Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (2020-04-18)
  Hazy notes from last night. After some air, this improved to become a lovely chianti, with mainly red fruits (e.g., cherries), earth, and a hint of tobacco. A smooth, medium bodied wine with tannins and acidity that helped give it a lift. Nice now, but should last a while. (B+/A-)
• 2015 Michelle Philipon Côte de Beaune Villages - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Beaune Villages (2020-04-16)
  Hazy notes. It started out a little gamy and rustic, as Neecies noted, but these notes seemed to disappate 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. (B+)
• 2011 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (2020-04-11)
  Interesting to see so many different notes on this. My bottle showed very well. It was certainly showing the 2011 vintage, but in a very good way for me. I enjoyed the cool red fruit flavours, silky tannins on the medium bodied palate. Nice to taste this restrained OR pinot (A-)
• 2012 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Block 5 Shea Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (2020-04-07)
  The last Shea I had (a 2009), was a overripe mess. I wasn’t hopeful with this, another warm year, but this was much better, with real pinosity. Medium bodied, with deep cherry, some earth and a hint of clove and pine. There are some tannins and acid that add to and lift the wine. (B+/A-)
• 2006 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2020-04-04)
  It was a battle to open this screwcapped wine, but I eventually won. A little closed on opening, but opened up to show a lovely wine with a stone fruit profile and more acidity (and less botrytis) then usual from this sometimes ponderous, ripe vintage. But it still drinks more in the auslese range. This still has lots if time left, but drinks well now after some air. (A-)
• 2013 Bleasdale Frank Potts - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Langhorne Creek (2020-04-01)
  Big and bold, fruit forward, black fruit, tar and black licorice. Good for its style and probably best with food. (B)
• 2012 Lady Hill Cuvée Marie Dorion Tapteil Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (2020-03-28)
  Hazy notes. I’m not sure what the blend is, but the cab Sauvignon is definitely at the forefront, with lots of black fruits and a hint of oak. Medium to full bodied, nice, healthy tannins and quite tasty. Drinking well now, but it will last too. Very nice. (A-)
• 2011 Baer Winery Arctos - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (2020-03-26)
  Drinking well now, with the cab dominant and the other varieties adding some complexity. Nice concentration, well judged oak, and very tasty on the plush, medium to full bodied palate. Mainly black fruits and a touch of mint as well. Very new world, and I enjoyed this. (A-)
• 2015 Synchromesh Riesling Four Shadows Vineyard - Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (2020-03-22)
  Hazy notes from ski trip. This has improved since I last tasted it. All the parts are gelling together, and the citrus and stone fruit flavours are improved by the kick of acidity and the off dry, medium bodied flavours on the finish. Nice now but should last at least several years. (A-)
• 2014 Balthasar Ress Hattenheimer Schützenhaus Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Rheingau (2020-03-22)
  Hazy note from ski trip. Solid kabinett, with stone fruit and citrus and a nice level of acid. Started on the sweet side but ended up less sweet on the finish. Nice now but would last certainly. (B+)
• 2001 Moris Farms Maremma Toscana Avvoltore - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana (2020-03-22)
  Hazy notes from ski trip. This was much younger and bigger than I has anticipated. Very ripe flavours, mainly in the red fruit spectrum and some tannins as well. This still needs time I think. It wasn’t really my type of wine. (B+)
• 2005 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (2020-03-22)
  Hazy notes from a ski trip. This was a real tannic beast. It took about 3-4 hours to really open up. There is lots of promise here, and I enjoyed the wine very much after it had softened somewhat. Classic southern Rhone flavours and not at all too ripe or heavy. I wouldn’t open this for a while or give it a solid decant. (A-)
• 2008 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2020-03-22)
  Hazy notes from last week. Integrating very nicely now, a great melange of fruit and acidity and a long finish. Fruits are mainly in the stone fruit realm. Drinking well now but will definitely last many years. (A-)
• 2007 Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (2020-03-17)
  Hazy notes from last week. This wine is integrating well, with the fruit and acidity merging into a blend of mainly stonefruits, rich, viscous and rather sweet, but then ending up only off dry on the long finish. Ready now but will last and improve. (A-)
• 2009 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Block 5 Shea Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (2020-03-12)
  This was similar to my other experience with a 2009 Shea wine (the estate): the only positive was that there was no overt alcohol sticking out. Otherwise, extremely ripe fruit, almost black fruits, and dead fruit as well, with little tannin or acid to perk it up. Perhaps this was better younger, but I don't see this improving at all: more a hideous mockery of pinot for me. (D)

[Jenise]

Very impressed with the report on your St. Cosme. We had the Deux Albion from the same vintage a few weeks ago--fantastic, not done yet, and not backward. I haven't meant many Giggies that would be THAT tight 15 years out.

Re these two:

2012 Lady Hill Cuvée Marie Dorion Tapteil Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (2020-03-28)
Hazy notes. I’m not sure what the blend is, but the cab Sauvignon is definitely at the forefront, with lots of black fruits and a hint of oak. Medium to full bodied, nice, healthy tannins and quite tasty. Drinking well now, but it will last too. Very nice. (A-)
2011 Baer Winery Arctos - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (2020-03-26)
Drinking well now, with the cab dominant and the other varieties adding some complexity. Nice concentration, well judged oak, and very tasty on the plush, medium to full bodied palate. Mainly black fruits and a touch of mint as well. Very new world, and I enjoyed this. (A-)

I have never even HEARD of Lady Hill, and I have encountered very few 2012s showing well at this point. Most are too biggish and too low in acidity.

Re the Baer, I have had at least three over the years I've lived here but have yet to find one that impresses me. I'm aware that the lady winemaker has a fine reputation, but my experience has been very inconsistent and none great. That said most cab and syrah based '11's from Washington have turned out pretty grand and your description is very compelling.

I was also very surprised about how tight the 2005 St Cosme was. It did open up, but it took quite a while.

Lady Hill is a bit of a small, hidden winery. Their winery is located in Oregon (between McMinnville and Portland), and they share the winery space with Sinnean. It's a bit out of the way from other OR wineries, so I only visit there very infrequently. I think I bought that wine the first year the shared winery opened. I went to see Sinnean, but enjoyed the Lady Hill wines. They only used to make WA wines, but I think they also make pinots now too. But their wines are still mainly from WA grapes. I think the Tapteil vineyard - right at the top of Red Mountain - is a little cooler and definitely more tannic, which can help tone down hot vintages.

I agree Baer isn't at the top tier in WA. I tried this at the winery in 2013 and liked this cab dominant blend the best. It was a restrained style, as per the vintage and I think that helped it showed well for me. I don't have any other of their wines.

Great notes
I think demi-sec is my fave style of Huet. No '02 LHL, but should have some Le Mont, must dig out
Even though I've seen them for years, takes a second to adjust to "Moris Farms" being Italian
I think Kerpen is underrated (as is aging Kab)

[David M. Bueker]

Kerpen didn't get much love for years, hence the breakup with Skurnik/Theise. It's too bad, as the wines offered great value.

I tend to prefer St Cosme with plenty of age. I am still enjoying my 1998s (both cuvees).

That Philippon is very nice as is their Maranges.

Dale, demi sec is the sweet spot for me too, for almost every vouvray producer. Just like riesling, I like all versions of each grape, from dry to dessert, but demi sec in the Loire and spatlese in Germany are often my preferred realm. But the ultra dry savennieres are also one of my absolute favourite chenins and wines in general...

Bill, I did buy both those Philippon burgundies, thanks to the notes you and Jenise posted here.

Bill, I did buy both those Philippon burgundies, thanks to the notes you and Jenise posted here.

Excellent. I have some 2016 Philippe Foreau Vouvray - Domaine du Clos Naudin, both sec and demi in the pipeline.

I also just ordered some 2017 Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge 1er Cru 'Ile de Vergelesses' on the Burg front. Getting hard to find decently priced Burgs in this province!

[Jenise]

Bill, I've got a few Delarches:

2016 Domaine Marius Delarche Corton-Le Corton Vieilles Vignes Corton Grand Cru Pinot Noir
2009 Domaine Marius Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Ile des Vergelesses Pinot Noir
2015 Domaine Marius Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses Les Boutières Vieilles Vignes Réserve
2016 Domaine Marius Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses Les Combottes (white)

They're not serious Burgundies--the Devins of this world wouldn't give them a second look--but they're at least serviceable, and I love the white. I scored the GC's for $40 ea just a few months ago while they were still being offered on the importer's (No. Berkeley) website at $100+.

Sound like perfect terrine wines, Jenise....

[Jenise]

Sound like perfect terrine wines, Jenise....

What isn't?

Sound like perfect terrine wines, Jenise....

What isn't?

Hmm...Retsina?

[Jenise]

I surrender.

I doubt that. You'll probably come up with a feta cheese and roast lamb terrine that will turn out to complement Retsina perfectly!

[Jenise]

Oh sounds great. Maybe I'll create the connection with a pine-needle enhanced sauce grbiche!

And have the terrine coated in vine leaves rather than bacon!

Or



For me, looking for an eggcentric approach:

[Jenise]

Love the veggie one, but it will be a cold day in hell before I think that putting hard boiled eggs inside a terrine's a good idea.

Hard boiled - no (can't see any of us submitting a Melton Mowbray)

But I have thought about whether a core of scrambled egg with finely chopped truffle wouldn't work.

[Jenise]

Scrambled eggs are rarely done cold, but there's a basis for it in the sushi item that comes with egg, usually wrapped in a piece of smoked eel I think. By the same token, in a very thin layer one could create a wrapper out of it.

That is Tamago. Need to add a little mirin to give a slight sweetness and you roll it into a square or a tight log.. Been thinking that it would work decently in the right terrine.