With Gochujang shrimp and green beans, with a side of spinach , the 2015 Donnhoff Estate Riesling. Peach, lime, with just enough sweetness to counter the heat, fresh. B
No wine Wednesday (pizza takeout)before taking a college group around city.
Thursday I hosted part two ofour exploration of aged Muscadet. I put out beet cured salmon, charcuterie, cheeses, bluefish dip; others brought more cheeses and charcuterie as well as some excellent bread. Periodically I shucked some oysters.
2005 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses
2nd bottle in a week, unusual for me, but John hadn’t tasted this. Approachable for young Goisses. Rich, pie dough laced with ginger and honey, just a hint of warm nuts. B+/A
2012 Luneau-Papin Terre de Pierre de la Butte de la Roche Muscadet
Stony, lemon, flowers, orange peel, quite young. B+
2007 Luneau-Papin L’d’OrMuscadet
I thought this was good but a little muted, I think others found more expressive. Quiet, apple, lemon, and mineral. B.
2004 Luneau-Papin L’’d’Or Muscadet
Seabreeze on the seashore, crunchy citrus, but really all about the mineral/rock/saline notes. A-/B+
2005 Bregeon Muscadet
Light, citrus peel and a little grass, others liked more than me but I enjoyed.B
2004 Bregeon Gorges Muscadet
I thought this was really quite expressive, the most giving wine up to this point. Pit fruits and citrus, fresh cut hay, wet rocks. B+/A-
2005 Perraud Clisson Muscadet
This should have been in the Pepiere tasting, but I ran across before this. Quite alive, but not a lot of depth or length, pear and lemon,all in a minor key. Overcropped? B-
Somewhere along here I served stew with clams, mussels, squid, cod, and shrimp
2002 Luneau-Papin L’’d’Or Muscadet
First bottle was corked, second oxed NR
(cork randomness, we had a great bottle of this recently
2001 Luneau-Papin L’d’Or Muscadet
Both oxed, deep brown colors. NR
2000 Luneau-Papin L’d’Or Muscadet
One shot, one drinkable but advanced. Apple edging toward cider. C
1999 Luneau-Papin L’d’Or Muscadet
Not a ton of depth, softer, but nice lime and oyster shell B/B-
Time for a blind palate bender. I think Rahsaan called Loire CF immediately, but took a while for folks to get vintage.
2003 Joguet Clos de la Dioterie Chinon
Red fruits, tobacco leaves and herbs,while ripe it doesn’t show any roasted ‘03 notes to me. B+
Back to our normal programming
1995 Luneau-Papin L’d’Or Muscadet
Full with surprising melon fruit, river stones, and orange peel. Ready and willing. B+
1993 Luneau-Papin L’d’Or Muscadet
This was the surprise of the night for me, I have no conception for ‘93 in Western Loire. Taut, saline, mineral, leesy and long. A-
1990 Luneau-Papin L’d’Or Muscadet
Sweet orange, lemon, and apple, surprisingly fruity for 30+ year old Muscadet, but still with a delicious seahore/rock base. Most people’s WOTN I believe, though I thought the 93 a contender.. A-
1989 Luneau-Papin L’’d’Or Muscadet
Good but with some nutty notes, I actually enjoyed, but thought not a pristine bottle. Still , B+/B.
Great night with great people. Lots of fun wines, and i think most of the off ones were mostly due to imperfect cork seals.
That night had been our anniversary,. Betsy had graciously agreed to move celebration dinner to Friday. Terrible traffic into city, but we made it to Joomak Banjum. Beautiful and charming place. Chefs both came up as pastry chefs, and each dish was a treasure to behold (and tasty too). An amuse was “everything bagel” (where the bagel was meringue). I started with a seabream dish with green apple and cucumber, while Betsy had a Hiramasa “eclair” (with fruit and nuts). Then I had “Clam Chowder” (a round of potato mousse, with an intense broth with tiny clams & oyster cracker - made with dried oyster), while she had brioche dumpling with scallop & corn veloute.I had a great tilefish main with squash and chili oil, while Betsy had Galbi duck leg topped with a cruller made with duck stock. Betsy wasn’t really drinking, so I had 2 BTG that we shared:
2015 Abbatucci Faustine Blanc VV
Intense salinity, with pear and peach fruit, a pleasant slightly bitter herb note, good acids. B+/B
2020 Pierre Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne Rose
I’ve had a lot of PYCM, but never the rose. Sweet raspberry, tomato leaf, fun if not compelling. B
Saturday over to friends for a dinner in honor of another friend/former neighbor. Fried green tomatoes with remoulade, then baked chicken, roast broccoli rabe, sweet potatoes, and cauliflower.
NV Barbichon Blanc des blancs
Good acids, tart green apple,but rather short. B-
2017 Pavelot Savigny les Beaune Blanc
Pear, lime, chalk, really fun. B+
2001 Cantemerle
Betsy’s and my anniversary, and year we were neighbors with guest of honor. Light cassis fruit, some earth and oak, not the most compelling claret. I’m usually a big Cantemerle fan, and tend to like 2001,but this is a little disappointing, though group loved. B-
Fun night
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.