WTN: 4 geeks & a tolerant wife (Pichler, Donnhoff, Jadot..)

[David M. Bueker]

Dinner at home last night with my wife & fellow WLDG luminaries Rahsaan, Keith M & Salil. Once again the pleasure of meeting/dining with folks from the WLDG cannot be emphasized enough. It was great to meet Keith, see Rahsaan again and welcome Salil back to CT for the fall.

Salil did yeoman's work in the kitchen providing enough drama for 10 men, as well as some very tasty vegetarian cuisine. The paneer was especially tasty. Rahsaan made some fantastic dessert as well. Keith, Laura and I just ate.

Oh we had some wine too.

2008 Ansgar Cluserath Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Kabinett
This was not an auspicious way to start the evening, as it was rather flat, flabby and boring. Next.

2005 F.X. Pichler Riesling Smaragd Kellerberg
2007 F.X Pichler Riesling Smaragd Kellerberg
This was a heavyweight battle, and there could really be no loser. After the 2005 got some air (Salil had opened the 2007 much earlier) there were two distinctive wines on the table, one in its first flush of fruit, and the other just finding its way to a secondary phase. The fruit and salty minerality of the 2007 was stunning, but I found the depth, creaminess & smoky/fusel elements of the 2005 to be more engaging. Both were outstanding, and really deserved to be co-white wines of the night.

Jacques Lassaigne Brut Blancs de Blanc NV
Stick your nose in a bowl of bread dough. Add bubbles. This was the most yeast, bready Champagne I have ever smelled or tasted. I have some in my glass now (24 hours later), and it has found its fruit yet still retains a very primary character. This is very promising, but I would let it rest for a while.

2001 Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spatlese
I have been investigating 2001s lately, and while some have been open, others have hung the do not disturb sign. This was one of the latter. There's lots to love in the coiled fruit and stone, but it's not giving up much in return, so leave it alone. All promise at this point.

2000 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese GK (auction AP#8)
The troubled 2000 vintage rears its ugly head with a chemical (pool water) aromatic that is shot through this wine. Underneath it there's some botrytis-tinged fruit, but it's not an enjoyable drink (re-checked on day two with similar results).

2005 Rheinhold Haart Piesporter Grafenberg Riesling Spatlese
Honeyed, spiced peaches in liquid form. Very, very tasty, but oh so young. I re-tried this on the second day & it seemed even more primary. To the cellar!

1995 Baudry Chinon Cuvee Signature
Meaty, earthy, spicy, dark and delicious. 'nuff said

2000 Louis Jadot Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Amoreuses
Delicious Burgundy just entering its drinking window. The aromatic could use a little more development, but the pleasure is right there on the palate, all silk and seamless fruit/earth. An hour of air brought out more of the aromatics, just confirming how good this wine is. fabulous & red wine of the night, though the Baudry was no slouch at all.

1988 Moulin Touchais Coteaux de Layon
Kicked in its butt by Rahsaan's desserts. This seemed almost artificial in its botrytis. Not interesting.

Bonus beer TN:

2008 Het Anker Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van de Keizer
Belgian triple bock & very tasty. Lots of caramel, nuts, bread and underlying spice. There was some of this left tonight & I paired it with pirogi with caramelized onions & it just worked. A very pleasant surprise for me.

David

Great write up. I really enjoy the write ups by the guys on this forum of their german rieslings, what is worth following and how they age etc. I have some of the 07 Rheinhold Haart lined to purchase when something I am working on finally closes later this year. Seems these wines take a while to open up.

Mark
(Just got back from a week or so in Central Otago skiing. Managed to visit some of the local wineries in between days of skiing. Hopefully will pull together some notes next week)

That was a really fun evening - great company and some incredible wines. I'll add my thoughts on a few of the hits and misses:

- The Clusserath was really disappointing, especially after my positive experiences with other lower pradikat/QBA 08s. Opened it the night before (where it showed massive sulfur that completely obscured the fruit), at dinner it was boring and leftovers tonight were a little better with some sweet apple and pear flavours over yeasty notes - but nothing particularly interesting or notable.

- The Pichlers were absolutely stunning wines in very different ways. I loved the broad flavour profile of the '05 (with some greenish notes that reminded me of Gruner at points), and the creaminess on the back end - although my only minor gripe with that was a little warmth on the finish. The '07 was an insane wine that seriously had my mind going back to my experience with the '07 FX Unendlich - amazing richness, power and length with great balance and really gorgeous fruit flavours over a huge mineral base. Give it a few years and I reckon that will be a mindblowing wine.

- Both the Spatlese that followed were disappointing. Even though it was a weak vintage that's already on the downswing, I had high expectations for the Schaefer particularly given the praise for his auction wines in 00. Maybe if I could stand the smell of chlorine I wouldn't have cribbed so much. The Donnhoff Kupfergrube was frustrating in a very different sense - there was enough fruit, mineral, acid and balance to suggest a really great wine inside, but it just didn't come out in the glass.

- The reds were both gorgeous - can't add to David's comments on the Baudry, but that Jadot Amoureses may have finally pushed me over the line into Burg-fan poverty. Amazing wine with really haunting aromatics after some air.

And another note of praise for Rahsaan's desserts (after which I stopped paying attention to the Coteaux du Layon) - the chocolate mousse in particular was phenomenal. Any chance of us getting the recipe?

I agree with my companions that it was a great time with lots of great food and wine. No real disagreements on the notes although I think we did have some slight debate at the table over the two Pichlers as they kept changing from minute to minute. So one of us would have an opinion based on the current showing while others would have different views based on what had been in their glass 10-20 minutes earlier. Needless to say, Salil did not lose focus and definitely gave both bottles plenty of attention . That said, I might not be as biased towards the 07 as Salil. I thought they both offered different pleasures and was happy I didn't have to choose.

I was pleased with the showing of the Baudry (which as everyone may know comes from the vineyard that became Croix Boissee as of 1996). Some bottles have been gorgeous while others have shown more leathery and vegetal (i.e. advanced) than others, but this one had plenty of rippling fruit with a pleasing amount of evolution and polish. I was worried how it would show next to the Amoureuses but I was pleasantly surprised that it held its own pretty well. Which was not easy because the Amoureuses was downright gorgeous, so sexy, and showed (at least to me) that terroir is not a myth. You can't grow that kind of elegance on trees!

And I am glad people enjoyed the desserts. The chocolate mousse recipe is fairly simple.

Three main components:
3 egg whites with 1/8 cup sugar beaten to stiff peaks
1/2 cup cream with 1/8 cup sugar beaten to soft peaks
Melted chocolate (the recipe called for 4 ounces but I am sure I used more) stirred with 3 egg yolks and chilled

Then combine!

The trick is buying the best possible cream, eggs, chocolate, etc. The one deviation I made from many recipes is that I didn't use butter when melting the chocolate. Which might have helped contribute to the slight lumps, but I don't think anyone minded too much!

Also, I found the Haart Grafenberg to be quite brisk and have more of a bracing refreshing component than is reflected in David's note. Although that could also be because we somehow opened it after dessert, the Trippel, and the Moulin Touchais. I remember it as nice, but nothing profound. But things were starting to get hazy!

What - me biased towards the 07 FX wines?
(When you're back in this area we'll have to open a Loibnerberg or Steinertal next!)

And I'll agree on the Haart - really rich, luscious fruit but it had serious backbone (certainly had the most acid I've ever noticed in a Piesporter) and was quite lovely and refreshing. The Baudry was an eye-opener for me - haven't had much experience with Chinon, none at all with older Chinon before this and that did remind me of a couple of the higher-acid Bordeauxs I've had and liked. I'll have to keep an eye out for more old Loire CF.

[David M. Bueker]

Also, I found the Haart Grafenberg to be quite brisk and have more of a bracing refreshing component than is reflected in David's note. Although that could also be because we somehow opened it after dessert, the Trippel, and the Moulin Touchais. I remember it as nice, but nothing profound. But things were starting to get hazy!

My note was from Saturday evening. I had zero recollection of tasting it Friday.

And I'll agree on the Haart - really rich, luscious fruit but it had serious backbone (certainly had the most acid I've ever noticed in a Piesporter)

I don't know exactly where Grafenberg is located, but I'm guessing it doesn't have the same perfect sun-trap location of the Goldtropfchen. A little internet searching reveals that Theo Haart replanted the vineyard and 2005 was the first year he bottled it on its own.

The Baudry was an eye-opener for me - haven't had much experience with Chinon, none at all with older Chinon before this and that did remind me of a couple of the higher-acid Bordeauxs I've had and liked. I'll have to keep an eye out for more old Loire CF.

Olga Raffault wines from 89 and 90 are often available in New York although the style there is a bit less fruit-driven than Baudry. Older Breton is also available from time to time and their style is closer to Baudry. Although of course it depends on the vineyard. Baudry Grézeaux has pretty respectable aging potential although it is much leaner and more mineral than the Croix Boissee.

Then, to take your Bordeaux comparison further, you could also move out to Saumur Champigny and Clos Rougeard. A very different and very very worthy interpretation of Loire cabernet franc, although you'll have to spend more money.

[David M. Bueker]

I don't know exactly where Grafenberg is located, but I'm guessing it doesn't have the same perfect sun-trap location of the Goldtropfchen.

The Grafenberg is a steep, east facing slope that rises behind the Haart house/winery. If the global warming trend continues that kind of exposure could be very beneficial.

Delicious evening indeed. Thanks to all involved.

Not too much to add . . . though I did have different takes on some. Rather than shifting over time, my initial opinions of the Pichlers became more and more reinforced as I revisited them. The 2005 was stunning, but in a very very tender way. I never got the touch of alcohol that seemed a constant note for Rahsaan--to me it was just beautifully understated and pleasurable. The 2007 never opened up for me as it did for others--it has a solid nose and greenness matched with baby fat, but it just maintained its perfect edges without giving me much of a glimpse of the inside. That 2005, however, was just a beautiful thing to savor. Notable that both were particularly explosive with different foods--opened up whole new worlds of flavor and persistence. Truly incredible food wines.

In addition to hearty yeast and zippy granny smith fruit, the midsection and mouthfeel on the Jacques Lassaigne were just stunning to me. It felt like drinking silence--explosive on entry but very quiet afterwards--nice.

Ditto what's been typed on the Donnhoff--but I didn't find the Schaefer nearly as troublesome. The chemical smell, to the degree I caught it didn't bother me much, and the wine just felt looser and less focused (which made a difficult time for it on a table of very focused wines) but still offering soft and delicate soothing flavors underneath. Certainly not the wine of the night, but I wasn't nearly as disappointed in it as Salil was. But I'm a forgiving man . . .

The Baudry was absolutely delicious--through and through it represented the Loire very well. Hard to share a table with the Amoreuses, but the Baudry was probably my number two of the night. Lip-smacking good. And the Amoreuses, ahh the Amoreuses . . . took a bit to open it up, but that last sip clearly defined where Burgundy addictions are born. Utterly beautiful mouthfeel and mysterious and alluring. A fantastic experience.

Ditto on the Haart--very happy it was as refreshing as it was, though the finish was perhaps a bit too intense for my tastes. But it was still kicking, so crisis averted. The Moulin Touchais didn't feel so much artificial as much as just lacking any sort of integration among its various components. Really hard to derive pleasure from that. The Gouden Carolus has integrated beautifully in the last year--the first sip had me worried with an excess of tripel intensity (that it certainly had with last year's baby fat), but once it opened it indeed was a delicious drink--even in the midst of August heat! Certainly my beer of the night!

Thanks again to all. A fantastic way to spend an evening!

OK. I've heard enough about Salil's cooking. Next time I am at your house David, I expect to have chef Salil in the kitchen(I will offer my services as a very capable sous chef to learn his secrets )

Regards,
Doug

[David M. Bueker]

OK. I've heard enough about Salil's cooking. Next time I am at your house David, I expect to have chef Salil in the kitchen(I will offer my services as a very capable sous chef to learn his secrets )

I bet we could arrange something.