WTN: Chasse Spleen, plus Poujeaux, bubbles, Weinbach

Betsy got back from NC Wednesday, we had our belated corned beef and cabbage. Wine was the 2008 Weinbach Cuvee Theo Riesling. Lithe and lifted, more stony than fruity, citrus peel andginger as well as light petrol notes. Fun, and makes me wonder why I haven’t bought Weinbach in ages. B+

Thursday up to Croton for a look at Chasse-Spleen, a historic estate in Moulis that I confess I’ve never paid too much attention to.

Cheeses, prosciutto, pate de campagne, foie gras mousse
NV Lilbert-Fils Blanc de Blancs base year 2020, dg 10/03
Dull and a little bitter, not my groove. C+

2006 Tarlant “La Vigne d’Or” Extra Brut
100% Meunier, dg 2024. Pear and peach, almond and hazelnut, long long elevage has taken edge off the no dosage. B+/A-

Ok, the main event

2016 Ch. Chasse Spleen
Fresh, cassis, already cedary, refined tannins. B

2015 Ch. Chasse Spleen
Black fruit, not jammy but plummy and strangely sharp on finish, big tannin. B-

2003 Ch. Chasse Spleen
Redder fruit, very ripe but not pruney, tannic, a success for the vintage. B/B-

2000 Ch. Chasse Spleen
cassis and tobacco , young classic Medoc B+/B

1995 Ch. Chasse Spleen
maderized

Next 2 made a great flight
1989 Ch. Chasse Spleen
full and deep, restrained, gravelly, elegant. B+/A-

1988 Ch. Chasse Spleen
feral and ferric , long, still lots of spine. B+

Next flight matched the Chasse Spleen with the Poujeaux, they were originally parts of the same estate
1986 Ch. Chasse Spleen
big tannic - lots of power here, needs time. B
1986 Ch. Poujeaux
Some tannin but rounder and more approachable, lovely. B+/A-

Bubble break while chef worked,
2018 Sebastien Girost Blanc de Blancs
Sweet apple and pastry cream, hazelnuts, bright (no malo), impressive. Apparently property abuts Ulysses Colin. A-/B+

Short ribs with mushrooms and orange zest were wonderful.

Blind red - ripe cassis with mocha and cigarbox, classic Medoc, it’s the 2003 Ducru-Beaucaillou, best 03 I’ve ever had. A-

1982 Hermitage de . Chasse Spleen (2nd wine)
pretty oxidative, tired red fruit. C+

1985 Ch. Chasse Spleen
Balanced, herby, elegant B+

1982 Ch. Chasse Spleen
Classic, ripe with a good backbone, this still has time B+

1982 Ch. Poujeaux
Lovely and ready, quiet dark fruits, leather, cigarbox, a spicy chipotle note. B+/A-

1981 Ch. Chasse Spleen
High acid, some green, good finish, I like more than 78 but am in minority B

1978 Ch. Chasse Spleen
a little caramel, slightly tired, others like more. B-

1975 Ch. Chasse Spleen
Another good ‘75! Dark fruits, coffee, a little barnyard, long finish without any hard tannin., B+/B

Really fun night with an estate I will look out for.

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.

[David M. Bueker]

The more I read, hear and taste 2020 base Champagnes and 2020 Chablis, the more concerned I am about the vintage. There's something not quite right in there.

[Jenise]

Fun read. The '86 was one of my early Bordeaux loves but my memory--floral, feminine--doesn't match your description. I'm sitting on some 2000's.

Betsy got back from NC Wednesday, we had our belated corned beef and cabbage. Wine was the 2008 Weinbach Cuvee Theo Riesling. Lithe and lifted, more stony than fruity, citrus peel andginger as well as light petrol notes. Fun, and makes me wonder why I haven’t bought Weinbach in ages. B+

You and me both. It occurs to me that I rarely see Weinbach on retail, which is surprising since it's a Vineyard Brands import.

1982 Ch. Chasse Spleen
Classic, ripe with a good backbone, this still has time B+

1982 Ch. Poujeaux
Lovely and ready, quiet dark fruits, leather, cigarbox, a spicy chipotle note. B+/A-

Wow! What a great idea for a vertical. These were, I believe, the first two Bordeaux wines Jean and I ever tried. Needless to say, we drank them way too young, but in our defense we had no storage back in our grad student days in NYC. Nonetheless, those two wines convinced us that Bordeaux and, more broadly, European wines were worth our consideration. And here we are now... I look forward to reading the "long form" account of this tasting