Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Le Clos Grand Cru 2007

Saturday was an excellent day for tasting. A nice bright early spring day in Southern California. I was very excited. I was attending a show of all wines rated 95 or above by Tanzer, the “Bob” or by the Spectator. I admit I do not prefer whites, but I do like them. This is the 2nd time I can remember going to a show where a white stole the spotlight for me. The Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Le Clos Grand Cru 2007. The soil of Le Clos sits on Clay, chalk and even deeper an ancient sea bed.

The wine is focused and dry. Bright with hints of citrus, mineral, flint and a slight hint of citrus blossom sweetness. Long finish. This was a wow(!) for me. Definitely worth every penny for the $47.99 it was selling for. It was aged in 20% oak and 80% foudre (essentially vast oak barrels that are too big to impart any wood to the juice). In case you are wondering and are not familiar with Chablis wines, it is 100% Chardonnay.

A New Rhone Ranger

(Note:  this a repost from January 26, 2010):  I originally had something else in mind for my first post. I changed my mind, that’s why you taste. I will follow up with my original thought on a later thread. I had seen this PBS show called The Winemakers, it was OK, and the end was pretty funny.

The winner was a biker from Texas. He loves his rock ‘n’ roll. Enough that he named his label “Flipside.” Really didn’t think much about it until I tasted it at a local tasting. Very surprised, very good. The 2006 Flipside is a Paso Robles Syrah based blend. Very fruit forward, easy to drink with some complexities. Spectator gave it 90 pts if you’re into that. Beware it is 15% EtOH.

Goes great with hearty dishes. I love it with mesquite grilled (smoke roasted) Tri Tip Roast with my Smoked Pimenton Rub. In the pan I roasted some beets with other veggies for the jus. Used the beets with goat cheese as a salad on lechuga. No need for an acidic dressing. Try it with duck or a Provencal French bean stew (cassoulet). Take care despite yourselves

Aging Pinot’s?

The other day I had an interesting discussion with someone I frequently taste with about Pinot.  I had opened a bottle of 2002 Lorca Gary’s Vineyard.  It was a very big Pinot Noir.  It seemed to have entered (this bottle anyway) a prime drinking window.  Conventional wisdom suggests an 8 year maximum to age Pinot.  I am not sure I agree with that anymore.  California makes some big Pinot’s.  I believe with modern wine making techniques and ripe grapes Cali Pinot, can do well with a longer aging window, especially the Santa Lucia Highlands.  The Lorca I had was still vibrant.  In my opinion this wine can go another 2 years in my cellar.

Now some people are shying away from the high alcohol, fruit forward Pinot bombs coming out of California.  I am not one of those.  As long as the wine is balanced, I say let nature take it’s course.  Is this expression of the varietal grown in Cali not part of it’s terroir?  I would argue yes.  Is it not easy to differentiate a classic Oregon Pinot (which I also enjoy) and a Cali Pinot?  Again, the answer is yes.

Remember, wine is what you like.  Discovery is part of the magic.  I still have several bottles of the 2002 Lorca Gary’s Vineyard and look forward to see how well it will age over the 8 year mark, as I will with other Pinot’s in my cellar.  But then this brings me to the question, do I want to risk over aging my Kosta Browne’s?  Another topic for another time.

Sparkling

In Champagne, the French use 3 grapes.  Chardonnay and 2 reds Pinot Noir and Pinot Munier.  In California, there are a few wineries that use all 3 varietals in their cuvees.  Utilizing 1 white and 2 red varietals make sparkling wine a very versatile wine that can pair with a wide range of foodstuffs, not just for celebrations.

Enter Laetitia Brut Cuvee.  This is an excellent bottle of bubbly.  It uses the 2 Burgundian varietals Chard and Pinot Noir.  They also blend in a different Pinot, Pinot Blanc.  (A la Cremant de Buorgogne).  This bottle has excellent mouthfeel, a nice fine bead and, as mentioned before, versatility!  A sommelier friend of mine pairs this with Sushi.  I’ve had success pairing this with various spicey Mexican dishes.  But what I love about a sparkling wine like this is I can pair this with an excellent surf and turf.  We paired it with the traditional Steak and Lobster.  But the pairings with this wine are virtually endless, cheese, fruit, nuts.  It has enough acidity to pair with salads.   The cost ranges from $18-$25 and recently I have seen it at a 5 cent sale which really makes this a great bargain.

Continue Prowling

Pinot Noir vs Merlot

Is Merlot growing better since Sideways?

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