WTN: Recent Nuits St. Georges, Loire, et al.

(2003) Philippe Jambon VdT de France Baltailles
Why did I buy this? I thought it would be interesting because it was something that I do not usually run across and the clerk pitched it as a fascinatingly delicate gamay for the vintage that was beginning to take on pinot noir characteristics although always in the fragrant gamay mold. Well sure, if you consider brown funk to be a core pinot noir characteristic. Undrinkable.

2006 Eric Morgat Savennières L’Enclos
I had been curious about these Morgat wines for some time and heard that the style was getting more precise in recent years. Not having tasted previous vintages I can’t make the comparison but this was still a bit too polished for my tastes. The fruit is round and polished but not at all oaky or clumsy. Yet it gets too tiring and does not inspire me to keep drinking. I want more vivacity in my Savennières!

2003 Domaine de la Citadelle Côtes du Luberon “Gouverneur Saint Auban”
Speaking of tiring. A friend gave me a bottle of this because he thought it was the most impressive example of the ‘rising’ Côtes du Luberon appellation and he even slipped in some words about massive Parker points. Well I don’t care much for the Luberon or Parker points, but I can see why this might appeal to those who like to drink dry port with their meals. For the rest of us mere mortals: no thank you!

2005 Jean Foillard Morgon ∏ Cuvée 3,14
My first time with the special Foillard cuvée and it did not disappoint. Definitely darker deeper and richer than the other bottlings but very fine, clear, focused, and picks up some lively tactile texture as it airs. Just what one would expect. One might prefer the other bottlings for something a bit less serious but this did not sacrifice the Foillard life and joy and was just another interpretation of Pure Pleasure.

2000 Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges Les Pruliers
With a little bit of air this drinks very very well. Not the most precise wine, and the nose/flavors are ever so slightly muddy, so I’m guessing I wouldn’t hold onto this forever. But it does have elegant threads of firm and ever so slightly sweaty sweet supple well-framed fruit. Not a blockbuster, but fun with the meal.

2000 Jean Grivot Nuits St. Georges Les Roncières
This needs more air than the Gouges Pruliers and over a few hours it shows lots and lots of exuberant pleasure. Friendly juicy wine with nice firmness for support and some underlying minerality to keep the palate alive. The sweet cherry beet note is a bit monotone and seems to betray a lack of nobility, but I’m no snob and this was so expressive and well-proportioned that I was more than happy to drink it.

1996 Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges Les Vaucrains
I opened this after hearing reports from a reliable source that a recent bottle had been outstanding. Well this was not exactly outstanding but it was better than I feared. Not at all tannic or acidic or difficult to drink. It was very clear, focused, deep, and elegant with plenty of firm fruit to toss around the mouth. All things considered it is probably not the best time to open it given what future developments probably have in store. But for those who are curious this was just fine to drink and avoids those Gouges stereotypes.

2006 Ghislaine Barthod Bourgogne Rouge
Not bad for Bourgogne rouge. That’s it.

2006 Eric Morgat Savennières L’Enclos
I had been curious about these Morgat wines for some time and heard that the style was getting more precise in recent years. Not having tasted previous vintages I can’t make the comparison but this was still a bit too polished for my tastes. The fruit is round and polished but not at all oaky or clumsy. Yet it gets too tiring and does not inspire me to keep drinking. I want more vivacity in my Savennières!

This mirrors my opinion of the 'new' style of savennieres, my favourite wine in the world. I don't think I'm a slavish follower of tradition, but I must say the attempts of 'modernize' savennieres (mainly through the use of barriques) has not created anything that I've enjoyed. For example, the Jo Pithon savennieres was a faux chardonnay type of chenin that didn't do much for me. As you say, not horrible, but just dull and too polished. Boring, in a word.

Let's hope the modernization efforts don't go overboard, or affect all producers...

Let's hope the modernization efforts don't go overboard, or affect all producers...

I'm guessing/hoping that there will be some sort of backlash depending on how these wines age. As I said, I haven't followed all the vintages but apparently this is already a more refined version compared to previous Morgat vintages. Perhaps there is a happy medium in which the wines still have lively acidity but are not rustically green. Or maybe that's impossible. Will see..

Glad the Foillard didn't disappoint! I'm curious about Morgat and will try to find some, despite the modernity problem. I see for sale at Crush that Mosse Arena Savennieres that I liked a lot in Paris in February. I wonder if you and John would find it modern, but it was lovely with the charm of Paris in the background...

I see for sale at Crush that Mosse Arena Savennieres that I liked a lot in Paris in February. I wonder if you and John would find it modern, but it was lovely with the charm of Paris in the background...

I thought these wines tilted towards hipster as opposed to modern. But then there is so much variation from year to year and cuvee to cuvee..

And yes, the charms of Paris are many!

I thought these wines tilted towards hipster as opposed to modern.

Hmm, I don't know the difference, at least as far as Savennieres. Is it anything you could try to put into words (for the uninitiated)?

Hmm, I don't know the difference, at least as far as Savennieres. Is it anything you could try to put into words (for the uninitiated)?

I think you're pretty familiar with hipster/natural wines aren't you? Which was the way in which I was using the word 'hipster', i.e. to refer to low/no sulfur wines that are often carbonic maceration, prone to oxidization, and various other quirky 'flaws'.

For me, 'modern' means wines that are forward, round, full, and polished, which is not at all what the hipster wines taste like.

I'm no expert and we should all defer to Richard Kelley here, but Mosse and Leroy have always seemed to be on the funky hipster end of things in Savennieres whereas Morgat, Laureau, and recent vintages from Closel and Papin have been moving more 'modern'. Not that I really want to get into arguments about them betraying tradition or anything, but just to describe the smoother rounder wines.

Got it. I hadn't associated natural with hipster because "hippies" (as several seem to look like) aren't hip! But as I write this I am suddenly assulted by etymological doubt: hipster is a derivation of hip, not of hippie, right?

Got it. I hadn't associated natural with hipster because "hippies" (as several seem to look like) aren't hip! But as I write this I am suddenly assulted by etymological doubt: hipster is a derivation of hip, not of hippie, right?

I don't know but I agree, these folks aren't 'hip'. And I have often fought the usage of the word 'hipster' to apply to their wines.

But I guess I've caved in...