Christmas Wine
- Thread starter eternumviti
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Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
One to stir memories in our thread mentor tonight. And in me of driving round the Languedoc in a leaky plastic convertible.
Further note to staff: That coffee machine is still in a disgraceful state.
Further note to staff: That coffee machine is still in a disgraceful state.
blossomchris
I feel better than James Brown
I may start to use this with new additions. I tried a few tonight but they were either unknown, or not same vintage.
May need another wine fridge.
Bloss
blossomchris
I feel better than James Brown
Your maintenance manager is slacking, too many coffee breaks I imagine. He needs to arrange for possibly re grouting and either to renew or replace timber moulding to
wall/top junction and to apply silicone sealant joint to all abutments.
BTW, the hair lip protector looks a lip smackingly good idea.
Bloss
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
When you add wines there is a ‘new vintage’ facility underneath all the listed vintages.
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
Call me a gullible eejit (I’d probably agree) but I’ve just fallen H,L & S for the L&W marketing machine and bought three bottles of this lurking-in-the-vineyard-cellars-for-thirty-years find after receiving their flyer a couple of hours ago...
The wine itself is very special: the 1989 Chinon Les Quatre Ferrures. It’s a wine Bruno, and his father Serge before him, only make in the very best vintages, averaging around one release a decade.
Looking at the plot, you’d be forgiven for not believing that it could make something this special. Down on the plain, near the river, it’s in an area not renowned for the quality of its production. Indeed, it’s been known for these vines to be winter pruned from boats, such is the propensity of the area to flood.
But there’s something very individual about these few rows: the huge iron content in the soil. Indeed, this is what has given rise to the plot’s name: quatre ferrures probably comes from ‘casses-ferrures’ - the lumps of iron in the soil would break the plough, and the horses’ shoes.
And that particularity means that in certain vintages, the plot outperforms all Bruno’s other wines. 1989 was one such year (and one of the best that Chinon has ever seen).
This is spectacular. Were you to head south to Bordeaux, a wine of this age and quality would be many times the price.
...I finished the last of my Joguet 1989s a year or so ago, and they certainly were spectacular. As these vineyards are just the other side of the river, I thought ‘why not?’ If it turns out to be a mistake, I’ll know not to trust L&W’s gushings in future. And anyway, how could a chap with pagan leanings resist this tasting note?
We tasted it, and were blown away. It was still remarkably fresh, with notes of dark fruits, iron oxide, blood, and a touch of forest floor.
To make the order up to six, and bring the average bottle price down substantially I ordered three of Bruno’s entry level 2018, as it got something of a rave review from The Wine Doctor, whoever he may be.
The good doctor’s comments about Chinon reds in 2018 backs up what I was told by the Joguet rep at the Lille wine fair last November. She told me the grand cuvées will be released in spring/summer 2021. A good excuse for a holiday in the Loire valley, I think.
The wine itself is very special: the 1989 Chinon Les Quatre Ferrures. It’s a wine Bruno, and his father Serge before him, only make in the very best vintages, averaging around one release a decade.
Looking at the plot, you’d be forgiven for not believing that it could make something this special. Down on the plain, near the river, it’s in an area not renowned for the quality of its production. Indeed, it’s been known for these vines to be winter pruned from boats, such is the propensity of the area to flood.
But there’s something very individual about these few rows: the huge iron content in the soil. Indeed, this is what has given rise to the plot’s name: quatre ferrures probably comes from ‘casses-ferrures’ - the lumps of iron in the soil would break the plough, and the horses’ shoes.
And that particularity means that in certain vintages, the plot outperforms all Bruno’s other wines. 1989 was one such year (and one of the best that Chinon has ever seen).
This is spectacular. Were you to head south to Bordeaux, a wine of this age and quality would be many times the price.
...I finished the last of my Joguet 1989s a year or so ago, and they certainly were spectacular. As these vineyards are just the other side of the river, I thought ‘why not?’ If it turns out to be a mistake, I’ll know not to trust L&W’s gushings in future. And anyway, how could a chap with pagan leanings resist this tasting note?
We tasted it, and were blown away. It was still remarkably fresh, with notes of dark fruits, iron oxide, blood, and a touch of forest floor.
To make the order up to six, and bring the average bottle price down substantially I ordered three of Bruno’s entry level 2018, as it got something of a rave review from The Wine Doctor, whoever he may be.
The good doctor’s comments about Chinon reds in 2018 backs up what I was told by the Joguet rep at the Lille wine fair last November. She told me the grand cuvées will be released in spring/summer 2021. A good excuse for a holiday in the Loire valley, I think.
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
Good grief - perhaps I got an impulse buy right for once. The flyer said there were ‘a few hundred bottles.’
Delving into the deeper recesses of CT I see so far six people (including me) have bought and listed a total of 45 bottles today. One bought a dozen but another only two, so I’m not quite the biggest cheapskate.
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blossomchris
I feel better than James Brown
I had two of these, first one not so good, so thought we had better finish it, and this one was lo
wine by chris watford, on Flickr
Feel free to comment on condition of property, etc.
Bloss
wine by chris watford, on FlickrFeel free to comment on condition of property, etc.
Bloss
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
It looks quite well-kept, going by the drawing on the label.
Feel free to comment on condition of property, etc.
Bloss
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
Not your first one though, was it? I seem to remember you trying one before.
I will be opening my first Le Volte 2016 tomorrow (probably today by the time I hit the ‘post’ button) so will raise a glass to you if I like it (not in doubt, of course.)
Yes, it will be today.
I did try one a few months ago. Trying to pace myself on them.
Let me know what you think of Volte ?
Marchbanks
Hat and Beard member
I think I may have asked before, but does anyone fancy swapping CT names (by pm) so that we can take a look at each others’ stash?
I mention it because I’ve just spent an interesting hour on a virtual tour of the cellars of some of the others who bought the 1989 Chinon above. I immediately bonded with one chap who has roughly the same quantities of 15/16/17 Beaucastel as I do. Sadly I can’t match his run of Ducru-Beaucaillou (back to 75) or even Musar (79). His collection of Fonseca and Quinta do Noval isn’t too shabby either. Bastard. But he has stacks of a couple of CdRs that are obviously his go-to plonk although the names are new to me, and it was this sort of effective recommendation that I thought might be interesting and useful.
Anyone up for it?
I mention it because I’ve just spent an interesting hour on a virtual tour of the cellars of some of the others who bought the 1989 Chinon above. I immediately bonded with one chap who has roughly the same quantities of 15/16/17 Beaucastel as I do. Sadly I can’t match his run of Ducru-Beaucaillou (back to 75) or even Musar (79). His collection of Fonseca and Quinta do Noval isn’t too shabby either. Bastard. But he has stacks of a couple of CdRs that are obviously his go-to plonk although the names are new to me, and it was this sort of effective recommendation that I thought might be interesting and useful.
Anyone up for it?
Last night I finally opened the Warres Port that bought for Christmas, absolutely loved it, I've never tasted port like that before, in fact it didn't taste like port to me it tasted amazing.
Just a very lovely wine and worth every penny, I'll be buying more that's for sure.
"2005 Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port (cask sample) – This ooze monster is one of the better VPs of the vintage and both the 2004 and 2005 SQVPs from the Cavadinha property have impressed me and I look forward to seeing how the next full-bore Warre’s VP is going to present itself. Deeply extracted dark purplish-crimson color and fully opaque. Classy from the first sniff its vivid violet, licorice and plum notes offered a sexy scent. Initially it showed a medium body and later joined the ranks of heavy weight contenders. Big, bright and massively structured with an intertwined marionberry and pomegranate profile, the fruit tannins are enormous and will make for a long lived Port. It’s a harmonious wine that may not be a blockbuster, but it exudes complexity on the mid-palate and possesses a sound foundation, firmly based in its superb balance and has excellent prospects for aging 2-3 decades. Drink today, tomorrow or through 2030. 94-96 points 12/17/07"
https://www.fortheloveofport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/FTLOP-2005-Vintage-Port-Forecast.pdf
Just a very lovely wine and worth every penny, I'll be buying more that's for sure.
"2005 Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port (cask sample) – This ooze monster is one of the better VPs of the vintage and both the 2004 and 2005 SQVPs from the Cavadinha property have impressed me and I look forward to seeing how the next full-bore Warre’s VP is going to present itself. Deeply extracted dark purplish-crimson color and fully opaque. Classy from the first sniff its vivid violet, licorice and plum notes offered a sexy scent. Initially it showed a medium body and later joined the ranks of heavy weight contenders. Big, bright and massively structured with an intertwined marionberry and pomegranate profile, the fruit tannins are enormous and will make for a long lived Port. It’s a harmonious wine that may not be a blockbuster, but it exudes complexity on the mid-palate and possesses a sound foundation, firmly based in its superb balance and has excellent prospects for aging 2-3 decades. Drink today, tomorrow or through 2030. 94-96 points 12/17/07"
https://www.fortheloveofport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/FTLOP-2005-Vintage-Port-Forecast.pdf
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eternumviti
Insufficient privileges to reply.
Blimey, that Hersh guy is definitely American, and graduated from the Robert Parker school of tasting note! Oooze monster!
Good stuff though. I would have thought the 2005 is still relatively young, but then it is (unbelievably) 15 years.
Good stuff though. I would have thought the 2005 is still relatively young, but then it is (unbelievably) 15 years.
Think I paid £27, worth every penny, I can only imagine what a really good vintage port tastes like.
The 1997 vintage seems to be the last great vintage after 2016 & 2017, and you can buy a bottle from a decent port producer from about £60 or so.
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