Posts belonging to Category Chenic Blanc

Touting a Garagiste – aka “G.” – purchase is always dicey. Like nostalgia, praising a great G. buy only works in retrospect. Rimmerman’s selections almost always sell out so there is no going back and buying in. You have to be there when it all goes down. There are other pitfalls when mainlining G. which Dotoré will insist we mention [ed. and we have in an earlier G. post] such as Rimmerman’s twist on the “availability principle,” as in “it’s not a question of price but availability.” With G. you have to strike early and decisively since it is apparent G. buys “on the come.” When you check your warehouse chart you will find many “pre-arrival” notes next to the wine for which you so willingly even anxiously..yes thrillingly!!…pulled the trigger! (more…)

With temps in the 80s, offshore winds and longer daysit is starting to feel like Dotoré’s favorite season. Fighting off the urge to nap we have time to hit you with some wine reviews. And the occasional observation.

What if Andrew Dice Clay reviewed wines?

The Underground Wine Letter is running a series on wine fraud. Phony DRC wines caught at auction. I saw a guy on Auction Hunters crying because he only got $55,000 for his Delorean “time machine.” It was a replica. So these wine frauds pay for empty bottles of premium Bordeaux and Burgundy. If you can get past the effete-iness it makes for interesting reading. Especially the entry where Tilson (UWL editor) goes through a multi-decade process solving a mystery about a case of very unusual 1928 St Emilion he bought at auction. (more…)

The Los Angeles Magazine Wine and Food Event was held this past Sunday October 23 at the Semler Ranch. 100% first class show worth every dollar of 100 to get in. We shall be reporting back in bite size tastes and half spittable half sippable drinks over the next several weeks. Look for interviews with new and familiar winemakers in the Santa Rita Hills. We are also anticipating the holiday season. In the spirit of re-gifting we therefore are cleaning out the cellar along with last season’s “lost” wine notes for recycling purposes for our readers. After, all, we are at te end of the pre-holidays window of relative peace and ordinary life before the 10 week-long fiasco takes hold of our mass consciousness and we are bombarded with jingles and endless last minute sales with the lowest prices of the year. Here is what we came up with for your pre-holiday pleasure.

2007 Durant Dundee Hills La Casita Pinot Noir $20: Quite sweet for this vintage and region. Could be mistaken for Santa Rita Hills. The 2007 vintage in Willamette is typically more lean and even elegant in a severe Heidi Klum way. “One of you will remain and one of you…will be dismissed.” Jawohl!

2009 Anne Gros Bourgogne AND Hauts Cotes des Nuits $33: Just released and already impossible to find. Same price for either wine. When you wait for a wine this good this long it cannot possibly fulfill the expectation. But it does. Much tannin without being lean. Somewhat muscular in a youthful style. Fruit in reserve. Cannot wait to taste again but next time with a Vinturi – the aerator. Ages faster than smoking three packs a day. Steve Goldun says they are equally delicious. Only tasted the Bourgogne which was just fine.

2009 Clos de la Roilette $26: This bottle keeps tasting better with time. Reviewed most recently here Great balance of generous fruit with enough stuffing to keep it all firm and gripping. Nothing flashy. Just very nicely made Cru declassified Fleurie Beaujolais. Gotta love it. Beaujolais IS the longest standing bargain. This wine is in the top 5 from the very good 2009 vintage.

2009 Domaine Alain Michaud Brouilly $23: Add this one to the list of superb 2009 Beaujolais cru wines. Had not tasted this one until very recently. Extra bonus – Paul Wasserman pouring! Creamy smooth like a 1950s puro. Quite delicious. Shall hunt down and bag a few. Believe it will still be within reach.

1989 Chateau Soucherie Chaume $33: Creamy, chalky, Double lovely. Like pears and heavy cream. Golden color. At 23 years still drinking young. This is a Chenin Blanc from the Loire. These are another group of less fashionable wines that deserve your attention. You will not be disappointed. Can take 20 years easily. This is how to buy a wine with age and open it tonight. Pricing is bargain city. Go find and buy then drink. Dessert wine without the candy. 12.5%

Holidays are coming. Good time to share wines with loved ones. We can also help with top of the line plonk advice and how to handle re-gifting!

Another year another day eating delectables from Joan’s On Third, drinking excellent wines (Margerum Klickitat Pinot Gris, 7 Hearts Pinot Noir and Rousanne, Huet Sparkling Vouvray and a perfect Provencal Ros√©) and listening to a superb lineup of contemporary and classic jazz musicians. Just like the world of wine…the world of this music festival in the Hollywood Bowl has changed for the better. (more…)

Watching the college hoops tournament this year is like waiting to see how a rain-soaked vintage year turns out. Disasters everywhere but who knows what will be the outcome long as the weather and vines dry out for a few weeks prior to harvest. Could¬†be incredible. In fact it is looking that way…for the brackets anyway. This week field correspondent Mouse (aka Field Mouse) offers two U20 tasting reviews along with his always helpful musings on regions and producers. tBoW team leader Dotor√© offers some screw top science worth your time. There is no science for picking March Madness. (more…)