I was fortunate enough to get to this tasting early so for the first hour there were no lines and plenty of time to chat with the winemakers. Marc Ollivier was a joy to talk with as were Francois Pinon, Claude-Emmanuelle Desvignes, and Luca Roagna. Ya, it was ok meeting that Dressner guy too. The wines…well, there weren’t many that I wouldn’t care to drink and most that I’m looking forward to having again.
Pepiere: Msr Ollivier was pouring 05 Pepiere, 05 Eden, and 06 Briords. I’ve had lots of both of the ‘05s but that didn’t stop me from drinking with Marc. Both are solid wines. The Briords was similar to the ’04, without the heft of ’05. Great essence of granite, great balance. Marc explained the pains of the 2006 harvest, having to spend so much time in grape selection to avoid rot. No sign of anything but yumminess.
Clos Roche Blanche: The ’06 Sauvignon Touraine was fruity and bright. I haven’t had this wine before but I’d buy it.
Closel: Pouring ’04 and ’05 Savenniers La Jalouise. I found the ’05 to be simple and one dimensional while the ’04 had a lot more depth.
Belliviere: I’ve never had their wines either. The ’04 Jasnieres les Rosiers was very full, very rich, but a tad heavy. I loved the ’05 Coteaux du Loir VV Eparses. Rich in peach flavors, lots of minerality, sweet, acidic, and very expressive from their 80 yr old vines.
Pinon: Francois was pouring the Vouvray Petillant which is one of my favorite off-line starters. He explained that he keeps the CO2 low as the acidity and minerality are so high that more CO2 would make it unwieldy. 2005 Cuvee Tradition was a well balanced, flavorful, demi.
Jean Paul Brun: The 2006 Rose d’folie was a lovely strawberry/mineral treat. 2006 l’Ancien has incredible structure. The 2005 Fleurie has a really big structure but should be wonderful in a few years.
Desvignes: The 2005 Morgon Cote du Py and 2005 Javernieres are both HUGE wines. Immense structure that Claude-Emmanuelle suggests giving 10+ years in the cellar to tame.
Breton: I tried the 2005 Trinch!, 2004 Galichets, and 2004 Clos Senechal. Not having any experience with Bourgueil, it’s hard for me to see where these wines will go. Right now the Galichets and Clos Senechal are huge monsters but with an attractive mineral vein.
Chateau Moulin Pey Labrie: I found both the 2003 Ch. Moulin and 2001 Canon Fronsac simple and uninspiring.
Radikon: The 2002 Oslavje and Ribolla Gialla were both fascinating wines. Unctious, amber colored fluid, bone dry, both had that long barrel aging oxidized profile. I found more life in the Ribolla but I’d love to sip either of these over a night.
Roagna: Luca Roagna is a dynamo. He is just so enthusiastic about taking over the family business and making his mark while maintaining traditional winemaking. The 2005 Dolcetto was big, brash, and needs a year or two. The 1999 Barbaresco Paje comes from their 4 acre plot. It’s a good, solid Barbaresco but nothing special. The ’98 Barbaresco Crichet Paje on the other hand is spectacular. Tarry, tannic, floral, and worth putting away. The 1999 Barolo la Rocca e la Pira was my WOTD. Already showing that licorice, tar profile with ripe fruit, sizeable acidity, and griping tannins. It would be tough to drink now but should be a blast in 10 years. I was fascinated with the Barbaresco Opera Prima XV. which is a blend of 1996, 97, and 98 Paje. I’d guess it was predominantly ’96 given the relentless grip of the wine. At it’s price point, it’s a steal.