WTN: Two fun wines. See how they disappear

Both of these wines were great matches with some morning-fresh-from-the-ocean haddock (via Mike Lawton) baked with clementine-infused olive oil, served alongside roasted pink Lawton potatoes, and a green pepper and eggplant sauté. Lovely way to spend Wednesday evening. But onto the notes...

2008 Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Kabinett
Wow that is fun. Zippy intense raw young riesling with freshness and a cleansing palate but still plenty of punchy fruit to keep people interested. Admittedly the juicy fruit is in the cold blue steel register and not the tropical wackiness of recent years, so who knows what will happen in the future. But this is fun right....now.

2005 Drouhin Chorey-les-Beaune
I had heard reports of some of these "modest" 2005 appellations showing well and this did not disappoint. The color and the flavor were full-on saturated intense flavorful and oh-so aromatic. The palate was not quite as deep and betrayed some crispy beety edges that may become more prominent with age? (What do I know!) But for now it was very seductive and resolved and easy to smell smell smell, and drink. Or at least this bottle was. Your ice-cold storage may show differently. But I had fun.

some morning-fresh-from-the-ocean haddock .......very nice and appealing Rahsaan but you got haddock out there in Ma?!!
Your post has me thinking Santorini and the fisherman tenderising freshly caught squid, bashing it against the rocks!!

2005 Drouhin Chorey-les-Beaune
I had heard reports of some of these "modest" 2005 appellations showing well and this did not disappoint. The color and the flavor were full-on saturated intense flavorful and oh-so aromatic. The palate was not quite as deep and betrayed some crispy beety edges that may become more prominent with age? (What do I know!) But for now it was very seductive and resolved and easy to smell smell smell, and drink. Or at least this bottle was. Your ice-cold storage may show differently. But I had fun.

Glad to hear this was punching above its category.

[David M. Bueker]

I've had the '05 Drouhin Chorey 3 or 4 times, and It has always been a delicious drink.

Do you know where the Vollenweider was purchased? I can't find it locally and a friend provided me with a vertical of four bottles but I don't have the 2008.

Thanks for notes. I've generally thought the Drouhin Chorey a fine value, but especially the 05

[David M. Bueker]

JC,

Vollenweider is typically available at Gordon's in the Boston area. Mike Lawton tends to pre-order a bunch for a group. This was the first year I did not buy (no space and no screwcaps).

some morning-fresh-from-the-ocean haddock .......very nice and appealing Rahsaan but you got haddock out there in Ma?!!

I'm pretty sure it was haddock. Does it not usually come this far south?

Do you know where the Vollenweider was purchased?

As David said, the Vollenweider came via Mike Lawton, along with the fish and the potatoes. Not a bad set-up!

Try the 2006 Drouhin Chorey: best value in red Burg I've ever encountered!

Try the 2006 Drouhin Chorey: best value in red Burg I've ever encountered!

How do you compare it to the 2005?

Just different vintage profiles?

Try the 2006 Drouhin Chorey: best value in red Burg I've ever encountered!

How do you compare it to the 2005?

Just different vintage profiles?

Haven't had the 2005. Based on your note, I'd say similarly aromatic, softer, and less concentrated.

I'm hoping Crush brings in some 08 Vollenweiders. I had the Goldgrube GKS recently and it was a stunner. As far as the 08 Kabinetts, the better ones I've tried (Leitz and Christoffel) had that steeliness to the fruit which I really loved - I have no idea how they'll age though, nor do I care as there's so much stuff from 06, 05, 01 and plenty of other years this decade that should age magnificently for a long time and the 08s (the right ones, as opposed to sulfur-laden bombs ) are really awesome to drink right now.

[David M. Bueker]

Rahsaan,

Did Mike not eat?

I'm hoping Crush brings in some 08 Vollenweiders. I had the Goldgrube GKS recently and it was a stunner..

Apparently the GKS is so stunning that our order got reduced. I was expecting a whopping 3 bottles but could only get 1. Now I have to be careful when I open it!

Rahsaan,

Did Mike not eat?

Dinner was actually just me at home. I stopped off at Mike's place on my way home to pick up the wine and they generously loaded me up with extra fish and potatoes as well. But, he mentioned that he wasn't going to be eating any fish. What a shame!

[David M. Bueker]

Yeah, it's a tough allergy, especially since Carla really likes fish. But he has to be careful. I've seen even the slightest contamination really mess him up.

some morning-fresh-from-the-ocean haddock .......very nice and appealing Rahsaan but you got haddock out there in Ma?!!

I'm pretty sure it was haddock. Does it not usually come this far south?

I grew up in MA and worked at a lobster pound in Hingham in my teens. The majority of haddock sold in MA, RI, CT, NY and NJ is from Georges Bank (a fishing bank situated between Cape Cod and Novia Scotia).

The '05 Chorey-Les-Beaune "Les Beaumonts" from Machard de Gramont was, I thought, very nice, and under $20 at Total. So when I went back for more, they were into the next vintage, same price, but as we all know, not the same wine. I took a chance and found a wine almost as compelling, but earlier drinking (as I have found to be the case with most '06's). Yet another Chorey that is better than average! "Les Beaumonts" is on the "right-side-of-the-tracks" (west of the N74) and abuts Savigny-Les-Beaune. I will look for the Drouhin, thanks for the tip!

I grew up in MA and worked at a lobster pound in Hingham in my teens. The majority of haddock sold in MA, RI, CT, NY and NJ is from Georges Bank (a fishing bank situated between Cape Cod and Novia Scotia).

Thanks for the info.