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Christmas Wine II

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I admit the quiz is somewhere between very, very difficult and impossible. Get the actor and the character he is playing and you will be there, well, just about. More clues and a partial giveaway will follow on Tuesday if I reach my destination on schedule. But no, not Toby Belchaka, Mr Dukenfield (for whom I have a lot of time, particularly for his juggling skills and views on children) or the chap who looks a bit like me before I went on a diet (even the backdrop is a dead ringer for the Towers’ kitchen.)

In the meantime, tonight saw the end of another bottle of Saint Cosme CdR 2018. Very good indeed, particularly when paired with a selection of Todd Rundgren albums from his er, magic mushroom years. Nice to have a 100% Syrah CdR, although that hasn’t stopped me replacing it with a batch of these, which arrived yesterday...

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...I had been led to believe from everything I read that this is 100% Grenache. But not so - according to the label there is Pinot Noir in there too, of all things. One might almost think some merchants don’t read the labels themselves, just cut and paste erroneous information from others who have done the same before them. Heaven forfend. Looking forward to trying some in the next few weeks.
 
A couple more JP Brun bottles to report on. I tried his Chardonnay Vinification Bourguignonne 2019 a few weeks ago and thought it was fantastic. That’s high praise from a Chardonnay sceptic - in fact I could have been fooled into thinking it was SB. There goes any remaining credibility. I paid 11€ for this - blimey, what a bargain.

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I was just a little less enamoured with the Côte de Brouilly 2019 I tried tonight. It’s the first of his Cru offerings that I’ve tried, and I have to say at the moment I prefer his 2018 l’Ancien. The Brouilly seemed to have a little too much tannin for such a light wine. Perhaps that will disappear in another year or so. Or maybe I’m simply predisposed towards a wine that is named after me. No complaints at the price I paid at Lidl - under 10€ - and I’m very happy to have another five in the cellar, but l’Ancien edges it for me at a similar price.

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Of course (my bad) memory may be playing a part here. I really need an opportunity to taste M. Brun’s wines side by side. And today a pal offered me the run of his flat in Aix-en-Provence in early June while he’ll be away. A free week in the south of France, JPB just off the autoroute on the way down and a chance to miss all the Jubilee nonsense - this is looking irresistible...

Is there Star Trek connection?
I have no concrete evidence, but there is every possibility the chap in the photo was acquainted with both a Starship Commander and a Klingon General before they reached those ranks. The timeline works, and the circumstances permitted. Ditto Neil Young. But none of that is relevant to the question, sadly. And that’s all I’m saying on the subject until Tuesday!
 
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I completely agree on the Cote de Brouilly vs l'Ancien, no competition right now. The CdB is a tight bugger.

I can't understand why you would pay as much as €11 for the Chardonnay Futs when you could buy it from me for £21.

Honestly, some people!
 
I can't understand why you would pay as much as €11 for the Chardonnay Futs when you could buy it from me for £21.

Honestly, some people!

Sorry about that. Carole in Nuits-St-Georges made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Or believe, in fact. I had to be assured it was correct before I was prepared to order.

I hadn’t realised until you lured me back to Beaujolais by singing the praises of Brun, Sunier et al. that the unpleasant banana peel taste I had always disliked so much about most of it is nothing to do with Gamay at all, but down to a rather repulsive-sounding man-made Dutch yeast.

‘Brun wants to make "old-style" Beaujolais and his vinification differs from the prevailing practices in the region. He believes that the charm of Gamay's fruit is best expressed by the grapes' indigenous yeasts, rather than by adding industrial yeast. Virtually all Beaujolais is now made by adding a particular yeast during fermentation. Known as 71B, this yeast is a laboratory product made in Holland from a tomato base, which imparts wines with banana and candy aromas. It produces a beverage, but with no authenticity and little charm. Brun, on the other hand, wants to make a pure Gamay wine.’

https://www.bowlerwine.com/producer/terres-dorees
 
I was just a little less enamoured with the Côte de Brouilly 2019 I tried tonight. It’s the first of his Cru offerings that I’ve tried, and I have to say at the moment I prefer his 2018 l’Ancien. The Brouilly seemed to have a little too much tannin for such a light wine. Perhaps that will disappear in another year or so. Or maybe I’m simply predisposed towards a wine that is named after me. No complaints at the price I paid at Lidl - under 10€ - and I’m very happy to have another five in the cellar, but l’Ancien edges it for me at a similar price.
The advice I saw last year on the 2018 Côte de Brouilly (as well as his other crus: Fleurie, Moulin à Vent - La Rochelle, Morgon C. Py -Javernières, St Amour) was to forget them somewhere for a couple of years, confirmed by the bottle I sampled that was still quite harsh. So this would suggest the same applies to the 2019.
 
I admit the quiz is somewhere between very, very difficult and impossible. Get the actor and the character he is playing and you will be there, well, just about. More clues and a partial giveaway will follow on Tuesday if I reach my destination on schedule. But no, not Toby Belchaka, Mr Dukenfield (for whom I have a lot of time, particularly for his juggling skills and views on children) or the chap who looks a bit like me before I went on a diet (even the backdrop is a dead ringer for the Towers’ kitchen.)

In the meantime, tonight saw the end of another bottle of Saint Cosme CdR 2018. Very good indeed, particularly when paired with a selection of Todd Rundgren albums from his er, magic mushroom years. Nice to have a 100% Syrah CdR, although that hasn’t stopped me replacing it with a batch of these, which arrived yesterday...

51904426759_3352c9ea8c.jpg


...I had been led to believe from everything I read that this is 100% Grenache. But not so - according to the label there is Pinot Noir in there too, of all things. One might almost think some merchants don’t read the labels themselves, just cut and paste erroneous information from others who have done the same before them. Heaven forfend. Looking forward to trying some in the next few weeks.

Do report back on the Little James Basket. What I want is a wine which is cheap enough to cook with and nice enough to enjoy a glass or two while cooking -- half in the pot, half down my neck, sort of thing. At the moment I'm using Porto 6 red and white -- the white is more interesting for me than the red by the way, dryer and spicier, but both just do the job. One glass is enough of that stuff for me, which is probably a good thing. But if James Basket was much better, so that I would actually relish a glass or two, and maybe even occasionally open a bottle for drinking, well I'd be up for it, even at twice the price of Porto 6.

Looks like you had to buy 12 to get it at a fair price -- that's what's been putting me off.
 
I’d buy a wine you’re happy drinking, then cook with it. Why compromise like that?

I’ve been away with work for a couple of weeks. No wine - other than Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle in the lounge before flying out - the first week. The second saw some pretty forgettable stuff by way of mass catering for a conference.
However we managed to sneak in a couple of bottles of Orin Swift’s Prisoner with dinner one night. And a nice Adi Badenhorst Tinta Barocca with dinner once I got back yesterday.
 
Sorry about that. Carole in Nuits-St-Georges made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Or believe, in fact. I had to be assured it was correct before I was prepared to order.

I hadn’t realised until you lured me back to Beaujolais by singing the praises of Brun, Sunier et al. that the unpleasant banana peel taste I had always disliked so much about most of it is nothing to do with Gamay at all, but down to a rather repulsive-sounding man-made Dutch yeast.

‘Brun wants to make "old-style" Beaujolais and his vinification differs from the prevailing practices in the region. He believes that the charm of Gamay's fruit is best expressed by the grapes' indigenous yeasts, rather than by adding industrial yeast. Virtually all Beaujolais is now made by adding a particular yeast during fermentation. Known as 71B, this yeast is a laboratory product made in Holland from a tomato base, which imparts wines with banana and candy aromas. It produces a beverage, but with no authenticity and little charm. Brun, on the other hand, wants to make a pure Gamay wine.’

https://www.bowlerwine.com/producer/terres-dorees

I thought that was my Brun profile, until I hit the word 'candy'! We're certainly singing from the same sheet. I reckon the bustid pinched it from me!
 
Do report back on the Little James Basket. What I want is a wine which is cheap enough to cook with and nice enough to enjoy a glass or two while cooking -- half in the pot, half down my neck, sort of thing. At the moment I'm using Porto 6 red and white -- the white is more interesting for me than the red by the way, dryer and spicier, but both just do the job. One glass is enough of that stuff for me, which is probably a good thing. But if James Basket was much better, so that I would actually relish a glass or two, and maybe even occasionally open a bottle for drinking, well I'd be up for it, even at twice the price of Porto 6.

Looks like you had to buy 12 to get it at a fair price -- that's what's been putting me off.

Yes Guigal CdR at under £10 a bottle is fine for red -- white is the problem.
 
How about a nice Muscadet Sur lie.
Must say never tried this in years it seems it's
bad reputation is ill deserved.
 
Yes Guigal CdR at under £10 a bottle is fine for red -- white is the problem.
I use a white Provence: a nifty blend of Rolle (=Vermentino) and Sémillon, certainly good enough to enjoy as an apéritif.
Very dry, does the job (cooking, while lubricating the cook) and keeps for a few years (currently finishing the 2018). About 7€ when bought locally.
 
Yes Guigal CdR at under £10 a bottle is fine for red -- white is the problem.
Sounds like the sort of thing Edelzwicker from a reputable source (that bit underlined and in capitals) could be made for. Uncle Bruno’s used to be pretty good, although I haven’t tried it for a decade or so. Good luck with finding it in the UK, but other Edelzwickers are available, as they say.
 
How about a nice Muscadet Sur lie.
Must say never tried this in years it seems it's
bad reputation is ill deserved.

Noted.

I use a white Provence: a nifty blend of Rolle (=Vermentino) and Sémillon, certainly good enough to enjoy as an apéritif.
Very dry, does the job (cooking, while lubricating the cook) and keeps for a few years (currently finishing the 2018). About 7€ when bought locally.

Ah

Sounds like the sort of thing Edelzwicker from a reputable source (that bit underlined and in capitals) could be made for. Uncle Bruno’s used to be pretty good, although I haven’t tried it for a decade or so. Good luck with finding it in the UK, but other Edelzwickers are available, as they say.

Of course Sorg's is unavailable and the one which is available comes in quite expensive for one bottle to try, because of delivery. No London wine dealer seems to have one on the shelf.

Cave de Turckheim Edelzwicker Vin d’Alsace 75cl - ND John Wines
 
How about a nice Muscadet Sur lie.
Must say never tried this in years it seems it's
bad reputation is ill deserved.

Fantastic with shellfish we went to Normandy years ago and you could buy six oysters and a 'glass' of muscadet Sur lie for six euros from a man in a van by the side of the road, the dish was plastic with indentations for the oysters and a place for the plastic wine glass and slices lemon, amazing.
 
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