Betsy made a dish of green beans and tomatoes Thursday, but main
course was a shepherd's pie she had picked up at bakery (busy day). I
opened the 2006 L'Esprit de Chevalier (Pessac-Leognan). Black
plums, a little herb, moderate acidity, some fairly firm tannins,
just a touch of vanillin oak. OK finish. Not a bad glass of red
wine, but doesn't particularly say Bordeaux to me (much less Graves).
Still, at $5 am I complaining? Nah. B-/B

There was enough shepherd's pie that I had leftovers Friday, as Betsy
was playing in city. This time the wine was the 1999 Paul Jaboulet
"Les Jalets" Crozes-Hermitage. To me in their larger bottlings (at
least in 90s) PJA is probably the absolute king of bottle/batch
variation. The '95 Parallele 45 CdR ranged from the greatest $5 bottle
I remember to almost undrinkable. The range of the '99 Jalets has also
been wide, though never the heights of the 95 P45. So it was with a
little trepidation I opened my last bottle of this. This actually
showed some variation within the same bottle.
At first the acidity bordered on the screechy. But with a bit of
airtime the fruit seemed to expand , and countered the acidity. Redder
fruit than typical Rhone Syrah, but clean and bright with a little
earth and very light funky/gamy odors. I quite enjoy, but after about
a while it started cracking up, and seeming disjointed. Acidity
reasserted itself, and the fruit started taking on pruney notes. Rest
to the vinegar crock. This probably should have drunk up two or three
years ago, but this bottle was fairly enjoyable for about an hour. At
it's best, B/B+, but C+ is probably ultimately more realistic, even on
my totally subjective scale.

I felt like one more glass, and opened the 2005 Baumard "Carte
d'Or" Coteaux du Layon. CdL is generally sweet, but in my limited
experience less so than QdC, somewhere in the netherland between demi-
sec and full-blown dessert. This came across as pretty solidly sweet
however, baked apple pie with spices, for my tastes it could use a bit
more acidity. I found a glass more than I wanted, we'll see what Betsy
thinks tonight. This really should be more of a dessert wine - I was
careless opening this.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

On May 2, 1:32*pm, DaleW > wrote:
> Betsy made a dish of green beans and tomatoes Thursday, but main
> course was a shepherd's pie she had picked up at bakery (busy day). I
> opened the 2006 L'Esprit de Chevalier (Pessac-Leognan). Black
> plums, a little herb, moderate acidity, some fairly firm tannins,
> just *a touch of vanillin oak. OK finish. *Not a bad glass of red
> wine, but doesn't particularly say Bordeaux to me (much less Graves).
> Still, at $5 am I complaining? Nah. B-/B
>
> There was enough shepherd's pie that I had leftovers Friday, as Betsy
> was playing in city. This time the wine was the 1999 Paul Jaboulet
> "Les Jalets" Crozes-Hermitage. To me in their larger bottlings (at
> least in 90s) PJA is probably the absolute king of bottle/batch
> variation. The '95 Parallele 45 CdR ranged from the greatest $5 bottle
> I remember to almost undrinkable. The range of the '99 Jalets has also
> been wide, though never the heights of the 95 P45. So it was with a
> little trepidation I opened my last bottle of this. This actually
> showed some variation within the same bottle.
> At first the acidity bordered on the screechy. But with a bit of
> airtime the fruit seemed to expand , and countered the acidity. Redder
> fruit than typical Rhone Syrah, but clean and bright with a little
> earth and very light funky/gamy odors. I quite enjoy, but after about
> a while it started cracking up, and seeming disjointed. Acidity
> reasserted itself, and the fruit started taking on pruney notes. Rest
> to the vinegar crock. *This probably should have drunk up two or three
> years ago, but this bottle was fairly enjoyable for about an hour. At
> it's best, B/B+, but C+ is probably ultimately more realistic, even on
> my totally subjective scale.
>
> I felt like one more glass, and opened the 2005 Baumard "Carte
> d'Or" Coteaux du Layon. CdL is generally sweet, but in my limited
> experience less so than QdC, somewhere in the netherland between demi-
> sec and full-blown dessert. This came across as pretty solidly sweet
> however, baked apple pie with spices, for my tastes it could use a bit
> more acidity. I found a glass more than I wanted, we'll see what Betsy
> thinks tonight. This really should be more of a dessert wine - I was
> careless opening this.
>
> Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
> wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
> drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
> promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

I actually revisited this Thursday (no wine with dinner at office),
had a glass when I got home. 6 days after opening, fresh and probably
tastier than first night. The miracle of Chenin

On 2009-05-10 07:25:37 -0700, DaleW > said:
>
> I actually revisited this Thursday (no wine with dinner at office),
> had a glass when I got home. 6 days after opening, fresh and probably
> tastier than first night. The miracle of Chenin

I've been a fan of Chenin Blanc for a long tome, but my experience has
been limited to the California version. A great quaffer IMHO....
Always looking to expand my wine horizons, I tried a Savennieres which
was touted by my wine pusher, but found no fruit in it - like sipping
cold rock soup. Does it need to be decanted and let out for a week
when young? Do I need to look for a different producer? (I'm not sure
who did this one - it was a while ago)

I've also tried a South African one which I was not enamoured with.
Does anyone have generally available (Oregon, Western US) examples of
Loire and SA Chenins I should try?

Thanks,

JB

On May 10, 1:49*pm, Ronin <not > wrote:
> On 2009-05-10 07:25:37 -0700, DaleW > said:
>
>
>
> > I actually revisited this Thursday (no wine with dinner at office),
> > had a glass when I got home. 6 days after opening, fresh and probably
> > tastier than first night. The miracle of Chenin
>
> I've been a fan of Chenin Blanc for a long tome, but my experience has
> been limited to the California version. *A great quaffer IMHO....
> Always looking to expand my wine horizons, I tried a Savennieres which
> was touted by my wine pusher, but found no fruit in it - like sipping
> cold rock soup. *Does it need to be decanted and let out for a week
> when young? *Do I need to look for a different producer? *(I'm not sure
> who did this one - it was a while ago)
>
> I've also tried a South African one which I was not enamoured with. *
> Does anyone have generally available (Oregon, Western US) examples of
> Loire and SA Chenins I should try?
>
> * * * * Thanks,
>
> * * * * JB

Savennieres is probably the most austere style of Chenin to be found.
Cold rock soup is not a bad descriptor. If I were you, I'd look for
Vouvray - I know the Pinon Tradition is available in OR. Just a tad
off-dry