Hi

friday evening with the boys from a couple of newsgroups : the
pretext, to taste a 1955 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape white sweet
wine.

Many of you travel to Provence, I highly recommend this place, La
Beaugraviere, in Mondragon just north of Orange. Prices are reasonable
for a cuisine that is truly great, no stars, but that is just because
the owner wants to keep it simple, only the food and especially the
wine count for him. The decor is basic, acoustic tiling if you can
believe that, but the room is peasant enough. Just removing the
acoustic tiling would make him automatically get a star, IMHO. But he
does not care.

So, I was sharing a table for 11 with, among others, Jerome Bressy,
author of one of the area's best wines, a Rastea, but comparable to
the best Chateauneufs like Beaucastel or Rayas. The winery is called
Domaine Gourt de Mautens. Buy it before Parker finds it. Also present,
Thierry Sabon of the Clos du Mont Olivet, Chateauneuf du Pape. Both
are part of the new generation of supertalented very young french
winemakers.

The cellar of La Beaugraviere is amazing, a book that you will spend
at least half an hour leafing through in awe. Awesomely reasonable
prices, too. Vintages go far back in time, a 1919 here, a 1929 there.
Apparently the cellar is host to two bottles of Ratafia de Champagne
made by Moet et Chandon in ... 1745!

The Rhone selection is superb, but there are other areas of great
depth, for example a whole page of vintages and "climats" of Meursault
by Compte Lafon. And a whole page of Guigal senior's famous 3
vineyards. Huge selection of Jaboulet la Chapelle, and of Chateauneuf
du Pape. Plus we have booked so many bottles that the owner allows us
to add a few from our own cellars...

Inizio promettente, Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf du Pape bianco
2000 Vieilles Vignes, complesso e fruttato, ancora troppo giovane ma
con grandi promesse, degustato con un risotto di tartufo nero e
asparagi. Accordo magnifico.

Si continua con un Coulee de Serrant 1970 fornito dall'amico JPH, non
era da mettersi in ginocchio, sara stato il viaggio dalla Bretagna, ma
era veramente notevole, con note di marmellata di arancie, di miele,
nessun segno di evoluzione ossidativa, lungo ma con un qualcosa di
metallico che lo rendeva meno che perfetto (ma quasi).

Proseguiamo con Chateauneuf du Pape Vieux Donjon 1998, sotto l'odore
animale si sente un bel vino, ma nella fase attuale e' difficile da
bere, troppo giovane, molto tannico.

Chateauneuf du Pape, Chateau Rayas 1995, bel vino molto carico e
quindi difficile da riconoscere come Rayas, ma un'annata di
straordinaria maturita da questi risultati. Concentrazione,
complessita, cuoio, ciliegie, un grande vino.

Chateauneuf du Pape 1989, Domaine de Beaucastel, STUPENDO, una carica
aromatica incredibile che a occhi chiusi fa pensare a una bianco con
le sue note di agrumi e una grande acidita, di nuovo questo aroma di
scorze di arancia candite che, ci spiega Jerome, e tipico delle
migliori vigne vecchie di grenache. Con un filetto di manzo e'
straordinario. L'evoluzione nel bicchiere e' pure notevole, e il
bicchire vuoto con il suo residuo di due gocce di questo gran vino
esala ancora grandi profumi. Bel colore, molto piu chiaro di quanto mi
aspettavo. Alla cieca scommetto che Beaucastel sarebbe stato
identificato come Rayas, e viceversa.

Chateauneuf du Pape, Cos du Mont Olivet 1966, portato dal Thierry
Sabon in persona, dalla cantina del padre, bellissimo vino di colore
mattone, con sentori di liquirizia e di bosco, quasi mentolato, ancora
molto vivace, il frutto ancora presente, nessun segno di fatica,
persistente, etereo.

Finalemente, con un souffle semplicissimo appena aromatizzato al Grand
Marnier, viene portata la caraffa col liquido giallo oro vivo quasi
fluorescente che ci ha fatti venire da tutti gli angoli della Francia,
un Chateau Rayas 1er Cru bianco passito 1955, grande, lunghissimo,
concentrato ed equilibrato, bouquet di cotognata, di mele, di
biancospino. Nessun segno di ossidazione, all'occhio sembra un vino
recente, e questo colore mai visto, brillante. Non ho idea del livello
di alcool, la bottiglia non lo menziona, ma sospetto che nonostante la
quantita di zucchero anche l'alcool sia elevato. In bocca dopo un
primo attacco che conferma la struttura del vino, arriva una seconda
ondata di sensazioni, e non finisce mai. Nella categoria dei passiti,
senza botrytis,direi che e' il miglior vino che ho bevuto, eccezion
fatta per quegli Ermitage di due secoli fa di cui scrissi un primo di
aprile due anni fa e che tutti presero per un pescione.

Ma un passito e' un passito, e tanto per confermare la nostra passione
comune per la muffa, FHM tira fuori dalla sua macchina una mezza di
Coteaux du Layon 1997 Cuvee Maria Juby di Patrick Baudouin, di colore
fra ambra e rame, denso, almeno 300 g/l di zucchero secondo me,
acidita alle stelle, un attacco quasi violento, albicocche, ancora
cotogne, pesche, tartufi, funghi, una concentrazione vicina
all'eszencia, una bomba da questo grande viticoltore ormai nostro
amico e insuperabile nella sua AOC. Durante il viaggio di ritorno quel
sapore persiste, mi pizzica la gola.

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France
email link http://www.tommasi.org/mymail

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 18:25:29 +0100, Mike Tommasi
wrote:


oops, somehow I posted my message before finishing the translation...
give me a another hour or so...

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France
email link http://www.tommasi.org/mymail

"Mike Tommasi" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 18:25:29 +0100, Mike Tommasi
wrote:


oops, somehow I posted my message before finishing the translation...
give me a another hour or so...

Why translate :-) that poetical language needs no translation...
É molto facile, if memory serves me right
:-) Anders

Thanks for the detailed notes and recommendations, Sig. Tommassi, I saved
them for future use.

"Mike Tommasi" in ...
. . .
Many of you travel to Provence,


Not, I hope, for the purpose of fixing up old houses and writing books about
them. I hear that an EU ban on this practice is pending ... ;-)

Mike Tommasi wrote:

Hi

friday evening with the boys from a couple of newsgroups : the
pretext, to taste a 1955 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape white sweet
wine.

What a fantastic tasting, Mike -- and great company to boot!


So, I was sharing a table for 11 with, among others, Jerome Bressy,
author of one of the area's best wines, a Rastea, but comparable to
the best Chateauneufs like Beaucastel or Rayas. The winery is called
Domaine Gourt de Mautens. Buy it before Parker finds it. Also present,
Thierry Sabon of the Clos du Mont Olivet, Chateauneuf du Pape. Both
are part of the new generation of supertalented very young french
winemakers.

Very interesting. I've been a fan of Clos du Mont Olivet since the
mid-80s, but frankly the past few vintages have failed to excite me. In
the past, I've found their wines to be excellent examples from the
"rustic" school of CdP, but the '98-00 (haven't tried the '01) have
struck me as more forward, less powerful and -- dare I say it? -- more
commercial in character. I still have several '89s and the '90 Cuvée du
Papet, but haven't anything more recent.


Inizio promettente, Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf du Pape bianco
2000 Vieilles Vignes, complesso e fruttato, ancora troppo giovane ma
con grandi promesse, degustato con un risotto di tartufo nero e
asparagi. Accordo magnifico.

This is their Roussanne cuvée?


Chateauneuf du Pape 1989, Domaine de Beaucastel, STUPENDO, una carica
aromatica incredibile che a occhi chiusi fa pensare a una bianco con
le sue note di agrumi e una grande acidita, di nuovo questo aroma di
scorze di arancia candite che, ci spiega Jerome, e tipico delle
migliori vigne vecchie di grenache. Con un filetto di manzo e'
straordinario. L'evoluzione nel bicchiere e' pure notevole, e il
bicchire vuoto con il suo residuo di due gocce di questo gran vino
esala ancora grandi profumi. Bel colore, molto piu chiaro di quanto mi
aspettavo. Alla cieca scommetto che Beaucastel sarebbe stato
identificato come Rayas, e viceversa.

Great notes. I'll have to open my last bottle of this before too much
longer. It sounds like it's hit its stride.

Thanks for the stimulating notes, Mike!

Mark Lipton

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 18:25:29 +0100, Mike Tommasi
wrote:

Hi

friday evening with the boys from a couple of newsgroups : the
pretext, to taste a 1955 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape white sweet
wine.

Here is the rest of the message in english

Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf du Pape white 2000 Vieilles Vignes,
complex, fruity, still a bit young but showing promise, tasted on a
risotto of wild asparagus and black truffle. Superb match.

Coulee de Serrant 1970, possibly a bit tired after a trip from
Brittany, but very impressive, bitter orange marmalade aromas with no
sign of oxidation, very long but with a slight metallic finish.

Chateauneuf du Pape Vieux Donjon 1998, pronounced animal bouquet but
way too young, sharp tannins but immense potential.

Chateauneuf du Pape, Chateau Rayas 1995, beautiful wine full of
intense dark colour (hence unrecognizable as a Rayas) from an
extraordinary vintage. Concentrated, complex, cherries, leather. A
great wine.

Chateauneuf du Pape 1989, Domaine de Beaucastel, stupendous wine, an
explosion of aroma that leaves you thinking of a white, with its
candied orabge peel bouquet, typical of old vine grenache according to
Jerome. Great acidity. Time makes this wine evolve rapidly in the
glass, even the last two remaining drops are full of perfume. Nice
colour, light, too light for Beaucastel, il looks like a ... Rayas...

Chateauneuf du Pape, Cos du Mont Olivet 1966, brought by Thierry
Sabon himself, brck coloured beautiful wine with licorice and
mushrooms aroma, very lively and still full of fruit, no sign of being
tired, persistent and ethereal.

At last, along with a simple souffle, we are presented with a carafe
containing a bright almost fluorescent yellow liquid, the reason for
this pilgrimage : Chateau Rayas 1er Cru (!) sweet white 1955, grand
wine with incredible length, concentrated yet balanced, all quinces,
apples and hawthorn. Looks like a young wine, no amber signs of age,
huge attack revealing great structure, then a second wave of never
ending sensations. Few "vin de paille" come close to this.

Somehow though we felt we had to end the evening with a botrytis wine,
so out comes Coteaux du Layon 1997 Cuvee Maria Juby by Patrick
Baudouin, amber-copper coloured, dense, very sweet and very acid,
vilent attack of apricots, quinces, peaches, truffles, mushrooms,
concentration approaching 8 putts, a massive wine from our friend
Patrick. On the drive back, the taste lingers on.

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France
email link http://www.tommasi.org/mymail

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 22:52:49 GMT, Mark Lipton said:

]
]
] Mike Tommasi wrote:
]
] Hi
]
] friday evening with the boys from a couple of newsgroups : the
] pretext, to taste a 1955 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape white sweet
] wine.
]
] What a fantastic tasting, Mike -- and great company to boot!
]

You said it Mark. Thanks Mike.
]
] So, I was sharing a table for 11 with, among others, Jerome Bressy,
] author of one of the area's best wines, a Rastea, but comparable to
] the best Chateauneufs like Beaucastel or Rayas. The winery is called
] Domaine Gourt de Mautens. Buy it before Parker finds it. Also present,
] Thierry Sabon of the Clos du Mont Olivet, Chateauneuf du Pape. Both
] are part of the new generation of supertalented very young french
] winemakers.
]

Ah, a new Rasteau to discover. Do you know if it's available in Paris anyplace
particular? Otherwise, do you have Jerome's #? I'll ask for a price sheet.
Only caveat: why does it taste like a CdP and not a Rasteau??

[snip]
]
] Chateauneuf du Pape 1989, Domaine de Beaucastel, STUPENDO, una carica
] aromatica incredibile che a occhi chiusi fa pensare a una bianco con
] le sue note di agrumi e una grande acidita, di nuovo questo aroma di
] scorze di arancia candite che, ci spiega Jerome, e tipico delle
] migliori vigne vecchie di grenache. Con un filetto di manzo e'
] straordinario. L'evoluzione nel bicchiere e' pure notevole, e il
] bicchire vuoto con il suo residuo di due gocce di questo gran vino
] esala ancora grandi profumi. Bel colore, molto piu chiaro di quanto mi
] aspettavo. Alla cieca scommetto che Beaucastel sarebbe stato
] identificato come Rayas, e viceversa.
]
] Great notes. I'll have to open my last bottle of this before too much
] longer. It sounds like it's hit its stride.
]

Hmm, how about that oak component we were "arguing" about? Any sign?

One exception, you describe '95 as an "extraordinary" vintage; I can only agree
in the sense that it seems to have produced some atypical wines, that unlike
most CdPs show no sign (from my cave anyway) of going to sleep. The Rayas
sounds pretty awake too. I'm not saying '95 is a bad year (far from it) just that
my experience of it doesn't put it at the top. Certainly sounds like a great Rayas though.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to
by removing the well known companies

o, I was sharing a table for 11 with, among others, Jerome Bressy,
author of one of the area's best wines, a Rastea, but comparable to
the best Chateauneufs like Beaucastel or Rayas. The winery is called
Domaine Gourt de Mautens. Buy it before Parker finds it.

I'm pretty sure this has been a Parker baby for a while. Which is why I think
it's around $30 in US. Nice wine, but a little too international for me. If it
was priced like a typical Rasteau, I might go for it (I'm not a total
oakaphobe), but not at $30.

Thanks for the great notes!
Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

On Mon, 22 Mar 2004 17:20:40 +0100, Emery Davis
wrote:


Ah, a new Rasteau to discover. Do you know if it's available in Paris anyplace
particular? Otherwise, do you have Jerome's #? I'll ask for a price sheet.
Only caveat: why does it taste like a CdP and not a Rasteau??



Hi Emery

not sure wher eto find it, Lavinia has everything so try there...
Otherwise, www.absoluvins.com has it...

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France
email link http://www.tommasi.org/mymail

In article ,
amnspam (Dale Williams) writes:

'm pretty sure this has been a Parker baby for a while. Which is why I think
it's around $30 in US. Nice wine, but a little too international for me. If
it
was priced like a typical Rasteau, I might go for it (I'm not a total
oakaphobe), but not at $30.

Ok, right after writing that, I ran across this from David Schildknecht, an
importer of Gourts de Mautens- sounds like maybe I should try again:

"With 2000 and 2001, not only did Bressy get his impeccably organized
winemaking facility up and running, but he also made a number of significant
changes.

First, his plantings of Syrah and Mourvedre have begun to inform the blend of a
wine that began life as essentially 100% old vines Grenache, and in which after
1998 he included the fruit of the old vines of Carignan, after convincing
himself that there was no reason for prejudice against them (au contraire).

Secondly, he rigorously pursued separate vinification of each parcel, to be
assembled in a manner that takes Gerard Chave as a model.

Finally and at least superficially most significant, he backed off on new wood
and became less aggressive in his extraction, feeling he had overdone those
aspects in his early efforts to make a case (at a Chateauneuf price) for
Rasteau and for his domaine. He believes he can produce a wine with more
aromatic nuance, textural allure, and length white retaining the richness and
core of fruit and mineral extract to which earlier vintages already called
eloquent attention"

My comments were based on the '98, sounds like he's going for a more
restrained, less international style.


Dale

Dale Williams
Drop "damnspam" to reply

On 22 Mar 2004 20:01:05 GMT, amnspam (Dale Williams)
wrote:


My comments were based on the '98, sounds like he's going for a more
restrained, less international style.

I never tasted pre-2001 wines. He warns that his wines are not made to
be drunk young, they tend to be very reductive, and my tasting
confirmed this, with a strong overlay of crushed black olives, yet you
could still tell that underneath that there was something great. SOme
do not like his wine (some described the aroma as burnt hair).

Time will tell...

Mike

Mike Tommasi, Six Fours, France
email link http://www.tommasi.org/mymail

On Mon, 22 Mar 2004 18:53:06 +0100, Mike Tommasi said:

] On Mon, 22 Mar 2004 17:20:40 +0100, Emery Davis
] wrote:
]
]
] Ah, a new Rasteau to discover. Do you know if it's available in Paris anyplace
] particular? Otherwise, do you have Jerome's #? I'll ask for a price sheet.
] Only caveat: why does it taste like a CdP and not a Rasteau??
]
]
]
] Hi Emery
]
] not sure wher eto find it, Lavinia has everything so try there...
] Otherwise, www.absoluvins.com has it...
]
] Mike
]

Thanks Mike, apparently absoluvins _doesn't_ stock it. Not that I could find anyway.
(Is this the famous fellow in pyjamas I've heard mentioned on frbv, BTW?)

Anyway I'll keep my eyes open for it, thanks again.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to
by removing the well known companies