Over the weekend:

2002 Dom Perignon
2009 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc
2009 Chapoutier St Joseph les Granits Blanc
1990 Beaucastel CdP
2009 Chapoutier Le Pavillon

Plan Pegau, Lot 2010.

A very satisfying wine for under $15...

2007 Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet.

quote:

Originally posted by mpls wine guy:
2007 Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet.

What did you think?

Nice weekend ksc02 basecadet and Doktap!

How did you find the larrivet hb?

quote:

Originally posted by Gkapoor:
Over the weekend:


2009 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc

2009 Chapoutier Le Pavillon

What did you think of those at their tender age? I have both, and have more than once considered opening them, but conventional wisdom says to wait. Were they enjoyable to you?

quote:

Originally posted by Seaquam:

quote:

Originally posted by Gkapoor:
Over the weekend:


2009 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc

2009 Chapoutier Le Pavillon

What did you think of those at their tender age? I have both, and have more than once considered opening them, but conventional wisdom says to wait. Were they enjoyable to you?

I loved the Le Meal Blanc, tropical fruits on the nose and palate with a fleshy finish. Full disclosure, I prefer white rhones on the younger side. The Pavillon on the hand did not have a good showing, for my palate, as the nose was similar to a cali cab and finish a little hollow. Maybe it is closed for business, no idea.

GlennK and I had the Granits blanc and it was simply stunning, splitting hairs but it beat out the le meal blanc. Please post your thoughts if you decide to open them.

quote:

Originally posted by Gkapoor:

quote:

Originally posted by Seaquam:

quote:

Originally posted by Gkapoor:
Over the weekend:


2009 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc

2009 Chapoutier Le Pavillon

What did you think of those at their tender age? I have both, and have more than once considered opening them, but conventional wisdom says to wait. Were they enjoyable to you?

I loved the Le Meal Blanc, tropical fruits on the nose and palate with a fleshy finish. Full disclosure, I prefer white rhones on the younger side. The Pavillon on the hand did not have a good showing, for my palate, as the nose was similar to a cali cab and finish a little hollow. Maybe it is closed for business, no idea.

GlennK and I had the Granits blanc and it was simply stunning, splitting hairs but it beat out the le meal blanc. Please post your thoughts if you decide to open them.

First, two brilliant and serious wines.

The Granits should show better currently and glad to hear it was showing so very well... please try the Le Meal Blanc with age.

The Le Pavillon is so very young. The '90 is a pup, and I beg of you to hold the '09 until you are 50.

Thanks for the tip on the '09 Granits blanc, I shall start my search tomorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:

quote:

Originally posted by Gkapoor:

quote:

Originally posted by Seaquam:

quote:

Originally posted by Gkapoor:
Over the weekend:


2009 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc

2009 Chapoutier Le Pavillon

What did you think of those at their tender age? I have both, and have more than once considered opening them, but conventional wisdom says to wait. Were they enjoyable to you?

I loved the Le Meal Blanc, tropical fruits on the nose and palate with a fleshy finish. Full disclosure, I prefer white rhones on the younger side. The Pavillon on the hand did not have a good showing, for my palate, as the nose was similar to a cali cab and finish a little hollow. Maybe it is closed for business, no idea.

GlennK and I had the Granits blanc and it was simply stunning, splitting hairs but it beat out the le meal blanc. Please post your thoughts if you decide to open them.

First, two brilliant and serious wines.

The Granits should show better currently and glad to hear it was showing so very well... please try the Le Meal Blanc with age.

The Le Pavillon is so very young. The '90 is a pup, and I beg of you to hold the '09 until you are 50.

Thanks for the tip on the '09 Granits blanc, I shall start my search tomorrow.

Echoing the thoughts here. I tasted 08 through 10 Le Meal and 09 through 11 of the Granits when I visited Chapoutier a few months back. He Granits definitely showed better initially but the Le Meal just feels so much more coiled and dense. I sense the 09 going pretty far in longevity although I do not have enough experience with older hermitage blanc to be authoritative. Loved both though!

2009 Neely Pinot Noir

- 2008 Ramey Chardonnay Carneros

Very nice, but doesn't hold a candle to the Hyde or Ritchie.

2008 kir-yanni ramnista(nice nose with lots of acidity and tannins- needs time but should be stellar-excellent qpr)

quote:

Originally posted by VinT:

quote:

Originally posted by on the wine:
We went up to the cottage with friends & our kids for Family Day/Heritage Day or whatever we call this excuse for not working. It's been pretty nippy (-21C in the evening), so we've spent more time bending elbows vs freezing our touchas off in this winter wonderland. Good thing I have a large wine cellar up here.

Just curious otw: how do you maintain a steady temperature in that cellar?

The cellar is underground accessible from the basement but outside the footprint - like a old-fashioned 'cold cellar'. It is insulated all round with ARXX insulating concrete. I have a humidifier which keeps the humidity between 65-70%, but no other cooling or heating. It stays around 55F throughout the fall/winter/spring and tends to drift up towards 60F in the summer. The maximum variation I get is 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It's surprisingly stable.

Listed in ascending order of quality

2010 Ferraton Pere & Fils, Crozes-Hermitage, La Matiniere
2005 Lopez de Heredia, Rioja, Vina Cubillo
2010 La Ragnaie, Rosso di Montalcino

The latter was quite the big RdM

Just curious otw: how do you maintain a steady temperature in that cellar?[/QUOTE]
The cellar is underground accessible from the basement but outside the footprint - like a old-fashioned 'cold cellar'. It is insulated all round with ARXX insulating concrete. I have a humidifier which keeps the humidity between 65-70%, but no other cooling or heating. It stays around 55F throughout the fall/winter/spring and tends to drift up towards 60F in the summer. The maximum variation I get is 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It's surprisingly stable.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like an ideal cellar!

2009 Peay Vineyards Pinot Noir Scallop Shelf

Januik 2005 Cabernet

surprised how good this little cab was...

2003 Kistler Pinot Noir Cuvée Catherine
2009 Littorai Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:

quote:

Originally posted by g-man:
1985 Fonseca
NV Marc Chauvet
2002 Quinteralli Valpolicella
2004 Ken Wright Carter Vineyard
2005 Baumard QdC
2005 Cayuse Cailloux Syrah
2003 Cos
2007 Larkmead Firebelle
2007 Aubert Richie Chard
1988 La mission haut brion
2000 Solaia

How was the Cos?

youthful, but muddled currants.
notes say that i got more notes of ink and brambles to start and only later did some currants show up.

I'd say it was in a dumb stage.

quote:

Originally posted by VinCentric:

and the Solaia gman?

brilliant.

Clean bright red fruit flavors structured by some lovely dried tobacco that builds on the palette and gets heavier with each sip and finishes sweet and mouth watering.

quote:

Originally posted by g-man:

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:

quote:

Originally posted by g-man:
1985 Fonseca
NV Marc Chauvet
2002 Quinteralli Valpolicella
2004 Ken Wright Carter Vineyard
2005 Baumard QdC
2005 Cayuse Cailloux Syrah
2003 Cos
2007 Larkmead Firebelle
2007 Aubert Richie Chard
1988 La mission haut brion
2000 Solaia

How was the Cos?

youthful, but muddled currants.
notes say that i got more notes of ink and brambles to start and only later did some currants show up.

I'd say it was in a dumb stage.

Sorry to hear that. I had the '03 Cos last summer, and it was my WOTY by a wide margin. It did need 12+ hours of air though...

quote:

Originally posted by Shane T.:

quote:

Originally posted by mpls wine guy:
2007 Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet.

What did you think?

The 2007 was drinking well and the 2008 will be released in March. Most Napa wines are on the 2009 or 2010 vintage but Heitz waits longer to release their wines.

quote:

Originally posted by GlennK:
2009 Peay Vineyards Pinot Noir Scallop Shelf

I have two of these. How is the wine showing?

2010 Mathilde de favray pouilly fume
2010 Felsner Moosburgerin Gruner V.
Both with Thai food

2009 J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon Hilltop Vineyard.