For an explanation of this post's (uncharacteristic) brevity, please see the first installment.
9 September 2003 – San Francisco, California
Estate Wines (part one – French whites) – A winemaking friend arranges to add me to the (apparently exclusive) guest list of this portfolio tasting in one of the sterile meeting rooms at the Fort Mason complex. It's very sparsely-attended, especially compared to East Coast tastings of a similar nature, and the clientele is proportionally casual.
(Notes, as from any large portfolio tasting of this nature, are brief. I return for second tastes of some of the more difficult-to-decipher wines, but most are relatively quick takes, and should be considered in that context.)
Jacquesson Champagne Brut "Perfection" (Champagne) – Floral and fruity, with lemon, grapefruit and extremely ripe apple. Rather vivid, and enjoyable for that reason, but it lacks just a bit of class (which may emerge with some age to tame the exuberant fruit).
Ollivier "Domaine de la Pépière" 2002 Muscadet Sèvre & Maine "Sur Lie" Clos des Briords "Cuvée Vieilles Vignes" (Loire) – Intense, rocky, and strong with a leveled aspect to the fruit; grassy grapefruit rind emerges on a long and growing finish. Impressive, with aging potential.
Peillot 2002 Roussette du Bugey Montagnieu Altesse (Ain) – Peach bliss, a wet attack followed by drying steel. A little fluffy, and probably needs some time to develop some spine.
Jessey "Domaine du Closel" 2001 Savennières "Les Caillardières" (Loire) – Sweet carbonized apple and quinine with sweetish fruit and a musty old closet holding sweaty workout clothes; in other words, classic chenin. Turns to some anonymous sort of jerky on the finish. Doesn't seem particularly complete.
Things aren't always what they a-pier
Brun "Terres Dorées" 2002 Beaujolais Blanc "Chardonnay" (Beaujolais) – Earthy chanterelles with pear, but mostly soil-driven with great acidity and a long finish. Terrific.
Bret Bros. 2001 Mâcon-Villages "Cuvée Terroir du Mâconnais" (Mâcon) – Forward, leafy/floral lightness with huge acidity and vanilla. Obvious and somewhat clumsy, but drinkable.
Bret Bros. "La Soufrandière" 2001 Pouilly-Vinzelles "Les Quarts" (Mâcon) – More complex but still somewhat obvious, showing orange laced with vanilla. Greater intensity, good balance, and some oak spice on the finish. Not bad, but not great.
Alphonse Mellot 2002 Sancerre "La Moussière" (Loire) – Canned peas, canned asparagus, and underripe green pepper. Just awful.
Pinon 2002 Vouvray "Cuvée Tradition" (Loire) – A delicate chalk powder dusting lightly sweet apple. Beautiful and elegant, lithely dancing and balanced throughout. Long. Lots of potential here, and one of the best Pinons in years.
![[pier on the Embarcadero]](http://www.myspeakerscorner.com/forum/user_images/tci_ca03_pier_lamps.jpg)