Salil organized a group for (mostly) cassoulet at La Sirene last
night. A couple of last minute cancellations, but a very convivial
group ended up with good food and good wine. The leeks vinaigrette
just surpassed the mussels as my favorite La Sirene appetizer (I
pretty much always get cassoulet there, but the starters are more
uneven). The restaurant is tiny and cramped, so excuse my poor notes
(had to keep moving paper off table).

The whites
2008 Robert & Barnard Plageoles Ondenc (Gaillac)
Ondenc is the varietal. Floral, some onion skin notes, light and
fresh, could use more acidic zip. Not a bad summmer sipper at all. I
assumed it was one of those $10 Gaillac, but Zak says it was over $20,
at that price not on my list. B-

2008 Keller Kirschspiel Riesling
Big, bold, citrus and peach fruit with a wooly edge. I think I liked
this more than table, but it's a $60+ bottle, and again at that price
I'm not a buyer. As I noted, for dry Riesling CFE is more my style, at
considerably less. I will say that revisited with the leeks it was
more appealing, definitely a food wine. B+/B

2008 Willi Schaefer "Graacher Domprobst" Spatlese (#5)
Absolutely lovely, racy, exciting wine. Sturdy body, but light on its
feet with plenty of zip. Upfront citrus and apple fruit, loooong
mineral finish. WOTN for me. A-/A

1990 Max Ferd. Richter "Erdener Treppchen" Riesling Spatlese
Really nice nose of petrol and apple blossoms, with a touch of dates/
figs. On the palate it's lacking maybe a bit of concentration, but a
perfectly acceptable mature Riesling. B+

The reds
2005 Le Pech Abuse
I meant to write down more details for label, but forgot when I later
retrieved my reading glasses (La Sirene is dark, and I'm getting old).
I think Zak said this was called "abuse" because they were in conflict
with authorities (I'm not even sure what region this is). I know he
said it was a Bordeaux blend. Fresh raspberry fruit, a little prickly
note, earth. Nice and interesting wine. B/B-

1998 Ch. du Tertre (Margaux)
Jay had won the prize I had offered in the Haiti charity raffle, and I
carried down 2 of the 4 bottles he had won. He promptly opened this
one (not a bad deal for me, I give it away, and then drink it!). This
is really entering a nice place right now. Medium-bodied, good acids,
fresh cassis and red berry fruit. The little bit of overt vanilla I
had gotten in earlier bottles is way in background here, behind some
earth, flowers, and cedar. Not a blockbuster, just a pretty Margaux
entering prime time. B+

1997 Tahbilk Shiraz
Salil knows I don't get exposed to much cooler climate Aussie Shiraz,
and I thank him for bringing this. Nice balance of fruit, acids, and
tannins, good length, a little menthol note. Nice wine, though for my
tastes there's still just a bit too much "sweet Shiraz" to the flavor
profile, despite climate. Still, that's a quibble, and I'd happily
drink this any time. B

1989 Ch. Montus "Prestige" (Madiran)
My red of the night. Still some tannins, but hey we ARE eating
cassoulet. Solid Bordeaux ringer, rich cassis fruit, cigarbox, spice.
Good length, savory, delicious. A-

2001 Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny
This was the other bottle I carried for Jay (a substitute for Bordeaux
he wasn't interested in). I said we have too much wine, take it home
and enjoy. But suddenly cork was out- thank Jay. Pretty tight. Some
black cherry, earth, but not showing much this night (I think it was
originally a bit warm, and then went in an icebucket, and was a little
too cool). Nice wine lurking underneath.

1970 Ch. Calon Segur (St. Estephe)
I debated double decanting this before travel, decided no, and think I
made wrong choice. No danger of this fading, the red and black plum
fruit is quite young. But even after sitting a while it seemed a bit
less precise than a previous bottle, and I noticed some very fine
sediment in glass. Still, a solid and enjoyable bottle of Bordeaux,
with classic mature notes of leather and forest floor. B+/B

Fun night, with fun people. Slow trains made for a mad dash at the
end, and my last of my beloved Zachys cardboard carry boxes broke, but
3 out of 4 Schott Zweisels survived .

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 Mar 25, 10:20*am, DaleW > wrote:
> Salil organized a group for (mostly) cassoulet at La Sirene last
> night. A couple of last minute cancellations, but a very convivial
> group ended up with good food and good wine. The leeks vinaigrette
> just surpassed the mussels as *my favorite La Sirene appetizer (I
> pretty much always get cassoulet there, but the starters are more
> uneven). The restaurant is tiny and cramped, so excuse my poor notes
> (had to keep moving paper off table).
>
> The whites
> 2008 Robert & Barnard Plageoles Ondenc (Gaillac)
> Ondenc is the varietal. Floral, some onion skin *notes, light and
> fresh, could use more acidic zip. Not a bad summmer sipper at all. I
> assumed it was one of those $10 Gaillac, but Zak says it was over $20,
> at that price not on my list. B-
>
> 2008 Keller Kirschspiel Riesling
> Big, bold, citrus and peach fruit with a wooly edge. I think I liked
> this more than table, but it's a $60+ bottle, and again at that price
> I'm not a buyer. As I noted, for dry Riesling CFE is more my style, at
> considerably less. I will say that revisited with the leeks it was
> more appealing, definitely a food wine. B+/B
>
> 2008 Willi Schaefer "Graacher Domprobst" Spatlese (#5)
> Absolutely lovely, racy, exciting wine. Sturdy body, but light on its
> feet with plenty of zip. Upfront citrus and apple fruit, loooong
> mineral finish. WOTN for me. A-/A
>
> 1990 Max Ferd. Richter "Erdener Treppchen" Riesling Spatlese
> Really nice nose of petrol and apple blossoms, with a touch of dates/
> figs. On the palate it's lacking maybe a bit of concentration, but a
> perfectly acceptable mature Riesling. B+
>
> The reds
> 2005 Le Pech Abuse
> I meant to write down more details for label, but forgot when I later
> retrieved my reading glasses (La Sirene is dark, and I'm getting old).
> I think Zak said this was called "abuse" because they were in conflict
> with authorities (I'm not even sure what region this is). I know he
> said it was a Bordeaux blend. Fresh raspberry fruit, a little prickly
> note, earth. Nice and interesting wine. B/B-
>
> 1998 Ch. du Tertre (Margaux)
> Jay had won the prize I had offered in the Haiti charity raffle, and I
> carried down 2 of the 4 bottles he had won. He promptly opened this
> one (not a bad deal for me, I give it away, and then drink it!). This
> is really entering a nice place right now. Medium-bodied, good acids,
> fresh cassis and red berry fruit. The little bit of overt vanilla I
> had gotten in earlier bottles is way in background here, behind some
> earth, flowers, and cedar. *Not a blockbuster, just a pretty Margaux
> entering prime time. B+
>
> 1997 Tahbilk Shiraz
> Salil knows I don't get exposed to much cooler climate Aussie Shiraz,
> and I thank him for bringing this. Nice balance of fruit, acids, and
> tannins, good length, a little menthol note. Nice wine, though for my
> tastes there's still just a bit too much "sweet Shiraz" to the flavor
> profile, despite climate. Still, that's a quibble, and I'd happily
> drink this any time. B
>
> 1989 Ch. Montus "Prestige" (Madiran)
> My red of the night. Still some tannins, but hey we ARE eating
> cassoulet. Solid Bordeaux ringer, rich cassis fruit, cigarbox, spice.
> Good length, savory, delicious. A-
>
> 2001 Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny
> This was the other bottle I carried for Jay (a substitute for Bordeaux
> he wasn't interested in). I said we have too much wine, take it home
> and enjoy. But suddenly cork was out- thank Jay. Pretty tight. Some
> black cherry, earth, but not showing much this night (I think it was
> originally a bit warm, and then went in an icebucket, and was a little
> too cool). Nice wine lurking underneath.
>
> 1970 Ch. Calon Segur (St. Estephe)
> I debated double decanting this before travel, decided no, and think I
> made wrong choice. No danger of this fading, the red and black plum
> fruit is quite young. But even after sitting a while it seemed a bit
> less precise than a previous bottle, and I noticed some very fine
> sediment in glass. Still, a solid and enjoyable bottle of Bordeaux,
> with classic mature notes of leather and forest floor. B+/B
>
> Fun night, with fun people. Slow trains made for a mad dash at the
> end, and my last of my beloved Zachys cardboard carry boxes broke, but
> 3 out of 4 Schott Zweisels survived .
>
> 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.**

Update:
I couldn't read my own writing, the Tahbilk was the 1991 (and the
"1860" bottling)

On Mar 25, 10:20*am, DaleW > wrote:
> Salil organized a group for (mostly) cassoulet at La Sirene last
> night. A couple of last minute cancellations, but a very convivial
> group ended up with good food and good wine. The leeks vinaigrette
> just surpassed the mussels as *my favorite La Sirene appetizer (I
> pretty much always get cassoulet there, but the starters are more
> uneven). The restaurant is tiny and cramped, so excuse my poor notes
> (had to keep moving paper off table).
>
> The whites
> 2008 Robert & Barnard Plageoles Ondenc (Gaillac)
> Ondenc is the varietal. Floral, some onion skin *notes, light and
> fresh, could use more acidic zip. Not a bad summmer sipper at all. I
> assumed it was one of those $10 Gaillac, but Zak says it was over $20,
> at that price not on my list. B-
>
> 2008 Keller Kirschspiel Riesling
> Big, bold, citrus and peach fruit with a wooly edge. I think I liked
> this more than table, but it's a $60+ bottle, and again at that price
> I'm not a buyer. As I noted, for dry Riesling CFE is more my style, at
> considerably less. I will say that revisited with the leeks it was
> more appealing, definitely a food wine. B+/B
>
> 2008 Willi Schaefer "Graacher Domprobst" Spatlese (#5)
> Absolutely lovely, racy, exciting wine. Sturdy body, but light on its
> feet with plenty of zip. Upfront citrus and apple fruit, loooong
> mineral finish. WOTN for me. A-/A
>
> 1990 Max Ferd. Richter "Erdener Treppchen" Riesling Spatlese
> Really nice nose of petrol and apple blossoms, with a touch of dates/
> figs. On the palate it's lacking maybe a bit of concentration, but a
> perfectly acceptable mature Riesling. B+
>
> The reds
> 2005 Le Pech Abuse
> I meant to write down more details for label, but forgot when I later
> retrieved my reading glasses (La Sirene is dark, and I'm getting old).
> I think Zak said this was called "abuse" because they were in conflict
> with authorities (I'm not even sure what region this is). I know he
> said it was a Bordeaux blend. Fresh raspberry fruit, a little prickly
> note, earth. Nice and interesting wine. B/B-
>
> 1998 Ch. du Tertre (Margaux)
> Jay had won the prize I had offered in the Haiti charity raffle, and I
> carried down 2 of the 4 bottles he had won. He promptly opened this
> one (not a bad deal for me, I give it away, and then drink it!). This
> is really entering a nice place right now. Medium-bodied, good acids,
> fresh cassis and red berry fruit. The little bit of overt vanilla I
> had gotten in earlier bottles is way in background here, behind some
> earth, flowers, and cedar. *Not a blockbuster, just a pretty Margaux
> entering prime time. B+
>
> 1997 Tahbilk Shiraz
> Salil knows I don't get exposed to much cooler climate Aussie Shiraz,
> and I thank him for bringing this. Nice balance of fruit, acids, and
> tannins, good length, a little menthol note. Nice wine, though for my
> tastes there's still just a bit too much "sweet Shiraz" to the flavor
> profile, despite climate. Still, that's a quibble, and I'd happily
> drink this any time. B
>
> 1989 Ch. Montus "Prestige" (Madiran)
> My red of the night. Still some tannins, but hey we ARE eating
> cassoulet. Solid Bordeaux ringer, rich cassis fruit, cigarbox, spice.
> Good length, savory, delicious. A-
>
> 2001 Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny
> This was the other bottle I carried for Jay (a substitute for Bordeaux
> he wasn't interested in). I said we have too much wine, take it home
> and enjoy. But suddenly cork was out- thank Jay. Pretty tight. Some
> black cherry, earth, but not showing much this night (I think it was
> originally a bit warm, and then went in an icebucket, and was a little
> too cool). Nice wine lurking underneath.
>
> 1970 Ch. Calon Segur (St. Estephe)
> I debated double decanting this before travel, decided no, and think I
> made wrong choice. No danger of this fading, the red and black plum
> fruit is quite young. But even after sitting a while it seemed a bit
> less precise than a previous bottle, and I noticed some very fine
> sediment in glass. Still, a solid and enjoyable bottle of Bordeaux,
> with classic mature notes of leather and forest floor. B+/B
>
> Fun night, with fun people. Slow trains made for a mad dash at the
> end, and my last of my beloved Zachys cardboard carry boxes broke, but
> 3 out of 4 Schott Zweisels survived .
>
> 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.**

Plus, Zak filled me in on the Le Pech Abuse
Le Pech Abuse is from Buzet, a small southwestern appellation. The
domaine is Domaine du Pech, and they make wine that is markedly better
(and therefore "atypique") than the wines made at the Buzet
cooperative, which controls the AOC. Pech was refused the AOC Buzet
status one year, so their response was "Le Pech Abuse" -- which also
is a pun on "Le Pech a Buzet", though they now have regained their AOC
status.