Preface: So, I’ve been remiss in my duties over the past six months, being swamped with work and classes. Classes over, and work slowing down for the next two months, I’ve decided to work back in time with tasting notes that have log-jammed my brain. The following is from a Cull party at Glenna Weiss’ house (where the enigmatic Charles Weiss has been known to frequent).
2002 Domaine de la Pépière Clos des Briords Muscadet: Does anyone really need to write a tasting note on this wine for the next five years? I think not.
2002 Le Petit Chambord Cour-Chevergny Vendanges Manuelles: Romorantin; neat! I remember Romorantin being a buzz grape on Therapy a few years back. It sure smells great! Tastes… God… *ack* sour white grape juice? Rarely do I encounter wine that tastes so grapey. It’s a good thing. I’d probably drink less wine. Cull? Bet your ass.
2001 Erath Riesling: Not nearly as bad as you would imagine from cheap Oregon Riesling. Not good, but probably a nice glass for non-geeks.
1998 Alvear Fino En Rama: “What the Hell,” I say to Bill, “vintage Fino? Why would you want vintage Fino? Isn’t that something you want to just drink the latest release of…wait, Alvear makes it, it must be 100% PX!” Bill, now reading the back label, announces, “why, yes, it is 100% Pedro Ximinez.”
Vintage Fino.
From Pedro Ximinez.
The wine smelled nicely of brine, walnuts and dates, but the palate was all fish oil and sweet-but-not-sweet, notes. It lacked the freshness and the precision of a good Fino.
Ottauquechee Pear Wine: Charles and Tom get to this first and mull over it as they reclined against the kitchen counter. “You know” Charles begins, “this isn’t the worst Pear wine I’ve had” “No. You’re right.” Tom replies. Intrigued, I gave it a whirl. Madre de Dios. Is this another prank? Skunk cabbage mingles with gummy hard candies… the kind you can only find collecting dust in an unused ashtray in the house of someone who remembers seeing Bobby Darin live. Worst wine of the night by a good margin.
1990 Chateau Beaucastel Blanc: Albert’s precious bottle, this was an outstanding wine which featured the entire spectrum of possibilities: floral, mineral, petrol, hints of fruit, round body, decent acidity, excellent length...
1993 Chateau Beaucastel Roussanne V.V.: Much darker than the young vines, this was oxidized, but still interesting. Charles’ $25 clearance tag featured prominently on the bottle. Likely some prior storage issues, but, interesting.
1982 Maitre D’Estornel: Used machine oil, compost heaps and road kill. Still quite fresh, shockingly, but that was actually a detractor in this case.
1998 Chateau-Grillet Vin Blanc: “I want to dip lobster in this!” I said to Bill. This wine was all freshly churned butter. If only this was a butter tasting…
1996 Domaine du Closel “Clos du Papillion” “Cuvee Special” Savennieres: Something’s not right here… vegetal, awkward and a bit sloth-like.
1997 Domaine Cotat “Le Monts Damnes” Sancerre: Amy and Lill pounded this in the corner across the room - I nearly lost a finger wrestling it from them! Nothing cull-worthy here. Great wine with good acidity, a hint of sweetness, and probably near peak.
1973 Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real Gran Reserva: This is not a cull. Bill thought to toss a ringer into the pit of despair with this gem. As usual, great wine that displays the beauty of resolved old American oak integrating into a savory palate of leather and clay. A touch of oyster mushroom on the finish. Terrific.
1970 Chateau L'Evangile Pomerol: Typical over-the-hill Bordeaux notes.
1990 Bodegas Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Reserva: Damn, why did I bring this? Very much alive and about as angry as Rioja can get. Chewy dried cherries, great acidity and length. How did MdM screw up the 89s so bad and bounce back with such success?
1982 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Vina Monty Gran Reserva: Mitake Mushrooms. I hate Mitake Mushrooms. This is definitely a cull. I think I got a bad batch of these.
1990 Domaines Ott Chateau de Selle: Shaped like a Mrs. Butterworth’s bottle, Bill told me that this was 75% Syrah and 25% Cab. We both agreed it tasted much more like the other way around.
1983 Chateau Saint Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon: Still a baby. American Cab lovers should take notice.
1995 Chateau Lynnat: As welcoming as an empty home with a cold fireplace and nothing in the fridge.
1967 Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases: Elegant wine with cedar box nose and decent acidity. A touch of musk obscures the fruit. Very nice.
1996 Lafarge Volnay: Some rose petals on the nose, but the body is hollow and afflicted with uneven acidity. What’s up with Lafarge? Last year I opened a 95 Volnay that was definitely over the hill with no signs of damage.
2003 Ogier La Rosine: Albert got hot and heavy over this wine. “This is GREAT wine” he said with his Belarus accent. “It’s good wine…” I replied. “WHAT? No, this is GREAT wine!” “Bill, BILL, what do you think of this - it’s GREAT - no?” “Well” says Bill, “It’s very good” “Charles, CHARLES, what do think of this?” (continues)
In truth, Ogier straddled the ripeness of 2003 and produced a fun, fruit-forward, wine.
1998 Domaine Deshenrys Coteaux-du-Languedoc "Eleve en Futs de Chene": Not a cull, but not anything worthy of remark, either. Run-of-the-mill juice.
1998 G.A.E.C. Belle Pere et Fils Crozes-Hermitage “Les Pierrelles”: Nice, clean, wine that represents Crozes quite well. The finish is a tad short, but I wouldn’t dump it out of my glass.
1986 Chateau D’Issan: Elegant Bordeaux with a nice aromatic bouquet. Near peak and very silky. Certainly the best Bordeaux of the night.
1966 Drouhin Savigny-les-Beaune: Outstanding!!! By far the best 1966 Savigny-les-Beaune that I’ve tasted. The color of moon jellyfish during mating season. I would strongly suggest anyone sitting on a case of this to be patient for a few more years. These babies are going to blow your mind when they peak. Wow, man, wow.
1971 Les Ormes de Pez: Refusing to die, this wine flashed bits of tannin as El Deguello played in the background.
2001 JJ Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr GoldKap Auslese #22: One of our companions brought this from their cellar not realizing it was the Goldkap. I think he subconsciously wanted us to by happy and his hand was thus moved. Young, as is expected, but showing all the right moves with impeccable timing. Very very lovely.
2001 August Perll Bopparder Hamm Mandelstien Auslese: The sweetness in this wine was more similar to sugar cubes than the fructose sweetness of the Prum, but it was approachable. A bit mousy in comparison, but good.
1995 Linden Late Harvest Vidal: Make the bad man stop.
1988 Bastor-Lamontagne Sauternes: Rough, like un-sanded wood.
1992 Kurt Darting Ungsteiner Honigsackel Scheurebe Auslese: Typical Scheurebe which makes a good platform for botrytis but not much else.
ETKO Commandaria “St. Nicholas”: Is this wine? The bottle doesn’t look like it… looks more like a Molotov Cocktail. Tastes Ok… some sweetness… not entirely unlike a simpler version of Setubal.
1983 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port: Sinewy… I’m driving home so I don’t go much further than that. Ah well.
On the way out the door, I grabbed a glass of 1991 Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'Oree that I had set aside for the duration of the evening in the hopes that something might emerge. In the end, bizarre muskiness and chestnuts intermingled with an uncomfortably milk-like presence.
Thanks to Charles and Glenna for hosting (and making some great food - Amy is still talking about the perfect mushroom gravy). Cull night is a grand tradion, well, a tradition at the very least. There’s some pain, some joy, and much relief from being able to unload those cellar undesirables on others.
(more notes to come)
Best,
Joe
