Christmas Wine II

[Marchbanks]

This is another Brunier Châteauneuf, made with grapes from their vineyards away from La Crau where Télégraphe/Télégramme originates. I would say the Piedlong is more robust and less complex than the Crau wines. It’s made from 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre, which surprises me as I would have guessed nearer 70/30. Mourvèdre to me is plummy yet darkly tannic - approachable but with an undeniable dark side. A bit like this...

(Try getting that image out of your brain the next time you are at a posh tasting and a grower is trying to impress you with talk of his 50-year-old Mourvèdre vines. ‘50 years! Count them! Ha! Ha! Ha!’)

Sorry. Yes, you can definitely taste the Mourvèdre. Although I enjoyed this I’ll probably give the next bottle a year to see if those tannins ease off a bit. I’d guess that Piedlong is designed more for the long haul than Télégramme, and so this one was pretty young. The price of the two is similar, but I think it would be unfair of me to try to compare the two in terms of VFM as the only Télégramme I have tasted so far has been fully mature.

 

[BTC3]

That label style looks familiar. Looking in my cellar book (OK - my Excel spreadsheet) I see a positive note from Nov.2016 for Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, Central Coast, USA 2012; and another good note from May.2017 for Au Bon Climat Santa Maria Valley pinot noir "La Bauge Au-dessus" 2012.

I think Berry bros own label California Pinot is a Santa Barbara County Pinot. It’s definitely ABC, and rather tasty. Just checked, and indeed it is SBC PN by ABC .
We’ve enjoyed both Isabelle and Knox Alexander over the last few days - been fun to play with the Coravin (I know the bottles would have kept, but with the gadget there, seemed wrong not to play with it).

 

[Dogberry]

Wasn't sure what to have with this in the end went for
Abbas Brut Nature


https://www.vivino.com/GB/en/abbazia-di-praglia-domnus-abbas-brut-nature/w/7330811

 

[eternumviti]

This is another Brunier Châteauneuf, made with grapes from their vineyards away from La Crau where Télégraphe/Télégramme originates. I would say the Piedlong is more robust and less complex than the Crau wines. It’s made from 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre, which surprises me as I would have guessed nearer 70/30. Mourvèdre to me is plummy yet darkly tannic - approachable but with an undeniable dark side. A bit like this...

(Try getting that image out of your brain the next time you are at a posh tasting and a grower is trying to impress you with talk of his 50-year-old Mourvèdre vines. ‘50 years! Count them! Ha! Ha! Ha!’)

Sorry. Yes, you can definitely taste the Mourvèdre. Although I enjoyed this I’ll probably give the next bottle a year to see if those tannins ease off a bit. I’d guess that Piedlong is designed more for the long haul than Télégramme, and so this one was pretty young. The price of the two is similar, but I think it would be unfair of me to try to compare the two in terms of VFM as the only Télégramme I have tasted so far has been fully mature.

Piedlong comes from the plateau of the same name, pretty exposed to the mistral winds, so the wines tend to be finer-grained, less plump and rich, and yes, with a more exposed structure. Telegramme is primarily the younger vines of the Telegraphe/Crau vineyard, and meant to be drink pretty much from release, though as we know, it can happily take some cellaring, provided that the vinous accommodation is sufficiently ancestral.

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

Had my first Perrin CdR this evening, following the recommendations on here. 2016, and very much enjoyed it. More lush and full than the thin, austere CdR I’ve suffered in the past, and a very interesting leafiness on the nose which I wasn’t expecting. Definitely one I’ll have again and making me reevaluate my dislike of the appellation.

 

[Marchbanks]

CdR ...my dislike of the appellation.

You really shouldn’t post stuff like that without warning - a sudden shock can be fatal to an Old Person. Fortunately my system is running at about two-thirds normal speed due to the cold weather, so I think I got away with it.

I’ve always thought that Guigal CdR is a notch up from Perrin, so I’d suggest you give that a go next. Much easier to find too (Waitrose, Tesco...) Then move on to Saint Cosme and Ogier’s Le Temps est Venu and you will be a fellow Rhône bore before you know it.

 

[wacko]

Had my first Perrin CdR this evening, following the recommendations on here. 2016, and very much enjoyed it. More lush and full than the thin, austere CdR I’ve suffered in the past, and a very interesting leafiness on the nose which I wasn’t expecting. Definitely one I’ll have again and making me reevaluate my dislike of the appellation.

You were pretty unlucky to get thin, austere CdR: sounds more like run-of-the-mill Bordeaux. Maybe they were 2013/14 ? Choosing a 2016 was a good move.

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

You really shouldn’t post stuff like that without warning - a sudden shock can be fatal to an Old Person. Fortunately my system is running at about two-thirds normal speed due to the cold weather, so I think I got away with it.

I’ve always thought that Guigal CdR is a notch up from Perrin, so I’d suggest you give that a go next. Much easier to find too (Waitrose, Tesco...) Then move on to Saint Cosme and Ogier’s Le Temps est Venu and you will be a fellow Rhône bore before you know it.

Thanks, and sorry, should have given advance warning. I bought a Guigal at the same time, but it’s younger, so thought I’d start with the Perrin. Got them from my local Booths. Will definitely look for the recommendations above, at some point. I love some Rhone wines already- Crozes Hermitage, CdeP, but CdR always felt like the (very) junior partner. I blame inexpensive supermarket plonk.

 

[Marchbanks]

I love some Rhone wines already- Crozes Hermitage, CdeP, but CdR always felt like the (very) junior partner. I blame inexpensive supermarket plonk.

The problem with the label ‘Côtes du Rhône’ is that it covers an enormous range, from plonk from rubbish producers through a huge variety of co-op and négociant stuff to single vineyard wine that is really Cornas or Côte-Rotie or Châteauneuf but can’t be named as such because the vines are on the wrong side of the fence.

 

[eternumviti]

I like the wrong side of the fence.

 

[Joe Hutch]

Had my first Perrin CdR this evening, following the recommendations on here. 2016, and very much enjoyed it. More lush and full than the thin, austere CdR I’ve suffered in the past, and a very interesting leafiness on the nose which I wasn’t expecting. Definitely one I’ll have again and making me reevaluate my dislike of the appellation.

I still have a few bottles left of the 2011 Perrin Vielle Vignes, which I see is now selling at around £60 per bottle, making it the most expensive wine I've ever drunk (and probably the nicest).

 

[Marchbanks]

It’s obviously been a busy time for the Greek Wine Marketing Board - I’ve have flyers from both the Wine Soc and L&W in the last 24 hours telling me I’ll be a national laughing stock if I don’t buy some Right Now.

Actually I’m quite tempted by this one...

https://www.laywheeler.com/product-detail?price=in-bond&id=3519847A

...it’s not too expensive (good) and it has Xinomavro in it (a bonus for @wacko). However, on the hyperbole side it has a touch of grip (oxymoron?), and according to the flyer not only is it simultaneously reminiscent of Syrah and Beaujolais (curious), but the winemaker is ‘exciting’ and it is ‘a stunning buy.’

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

Was recently introduced to this rather lovely Cretan white:

https://www.lyrarakis.com/en/wines-single-area-thrapsathiri-armi

we had the 2017, and have since bought more.

 

[wacko]

^^ Greek wines are greatly improved. As opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance I think you should give in to temptation and try a few bottles at that price.
I'm drinking the Alpha Xinomavro slowly as the bottles are so heavy they can be used to knock out an intruder without breaking.

 

[Marchbanks]

I'm drinking the Alpha Xinomavro slowly as the bottles are so heavy they can be used to knock out an intruder without breaking.

Perhaps they bought a batch from Au Bon Climat (empty Isabelle bottle 1200gm vs empty Piedlong bottle 600gm.)

 

[Marchbanks]

This was bought before my adoption of CT (or vice-versa) so I can’t be certain of the purchase details. However, I know it was bought in the autumn sale at a French supermarket (maybe Monoprix), probably four or five years ago. I think it was around the 14-15€ mark. It was recommended by a friend of mine who was on the lookout for some more himself, having had his stock finished off for him (‘I needed a bottle to take to a party last night, Dad, so I grabbed one out of the Eurocave. Hope that was OK!’)

Thoroughly enjoyable, another in the line of 2010 left-bankers that have given me a deal of pleasure lately. You know what a decent Médoc tastes like, so I’ll leave it at that rather than get the Crunchy Fruit Thesaurus out. Sadly I only had one bottle of this, so I’m down to the Cissac and Lamothe-Bergeron now.

Unfortunately events conspired to put me in a rather confrontational mood last night and chose music to suit, so the Fourcas Hosten had to battle against Party Intellectuals by Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog. It did a fine job, and I thoroughly recommend the record if you think something pitched between King Crimson in full metal mode and a synth-led version of Last Exit mixed with skewed pop songs would make your next dinner party go with a swing.

 

[andrew d]

https://www.vinatis.co.uk/brexit-transition
Anyone had any luck with continental imports? Vinatis still not delivering to the UK.

 

[chartz]

This: pure bliss with some Comté and walnuts.
Savagnin blanc. This will be also used for a sauce with cream and morels. Not far from Vin Jaune.
Just a few miles away from where I live.

 

[Dogberry]

This: pure bliss with some Comté and walnuts.
Savagnin blanc. This will be also used for a sauce with cream and morels. Not far from Vin Jaune.
Just a few miles away from where I live.

That looks good ,good to have that locally.
I had to get an NZ.chardonnay.

 

[chartz]

Oh, Chardonnay the village is also in my vicinity!
The real one that gave its name to the vine variety.