The real Jay Miller organized a tasting of Edmunds St. John wines for
yesterday evening. I joined Rahsaan on a train upcounty, met up with
Jay and Jeff at station, and host John Gilman picked us up. We arrived
to find Salil and David and Laura Bueker had already arrived. Nezi
joined us as we finished the whites.

John and Marie-France were great hosts, and the food was delicious- a
nice spread of cheeses and mousse, followed by an extraordinary
mushroom strudel, with lamb and couscous as the main course.

Fun evening, with lots of ..um....debate about screwcaps. A couple of
whites, a pink, and then a horde of reds.

White Flight

2008 Edmunds St. John Heart of Gold
Peaches, floral, slightly oily, round. B/B-

2004 Edmunds St John Roussanne
Floral, big, soft, edging towards hot. B-

A lone Pinky

2009 Edmunds St. John Bone Jolly Gamay Rose
Bright strawberries, spring flowers, good acids. Very good. I'll buy.
B+

Gamay Flight

2008 Edmunds St. John Porphyry Gamay Noir
OK, I'm a screwcap fan, but this definitely reduced (as well as
closed). It does open and show some red fruit, and some of the
reductive aromas blow off with air, but my least favorite C+

2007 Edmunds St. John Porphyry Gamay Noir
Bright, fresh flowers, cherries, nice length and goof Gamay typicity. B
+

2008 Edmunds St. John Bone Jolly Gamay Noir
Cherries, a bit of a kirsch edge though not hot or heavy, I think I
liked more than table. B/B+

A lone Cali Sangiovese
1999 Edmunds St. John Matagrano Sangiovese
This might have been good at one point, but well past it for my
tastes. VA, prunes, ashtray. C/C-

The Blends

2005 Edmunds St. John Rocks & Gravel
Corked, just slightly, but it's there. Too bad because a good wine
lurks underneath

2006 Edmunds St. John That Old Black Magic
Ripe, forward, fleshy and friendly. Herbs and red fruits. B+/B

2003 Edmunds St. John Shell and Bone
A little tight at first, but good. Ripe red fruits, herbs, mineral. A
nice CdP from California! B+

2001 Edmunds St. John Los Robles Viejos
As much as I like the Shell and Bones, I like this even more.
Complete, complex, deep. A-

A few lone Syrahs

2002 The Shadow Syrah
Smoke, dense fruit, I liked more than some others. B+

2008 Edmunds St. John Fairbairn Syrah
Primary, young, but I think with lots of potential (someone found it
hot, I didn't). B for now

2005 Edmunds St. John Parmelee Hill Syrah
Good ripeness, excellent length, clean Syrah aromas. B+

The Wylie Fenaughty Flight

2001 Edmunds St. John Wylie-Fenaughty Syrah
Lovely, nice length, medium bodied with good concentration. Black
berry fruits, olives, spice. A-

2003 Edmunds St. John Wylie-Fenaughty Syrah
A bit muted, seems to be good stuff underneath, but hidden. I think
this might be corked, just below my level of perception?

2005 Edmunds St. John Wylie-Fenaughty Syrah
Medium bodied but really long, ripe dark fruits, good acids, elegant.
Earth, flowers, berries. My WOTN. A/A-

The Bassetti Flight

2001 Edmunds St. John Bassetti Syrah
Some light brett notes, but within my tolerance level. A bit heftier,
still needs time. Someone says the Bassetti is the Hermitage to the W-
F's Cote Rotie, I think it's more Bassetti is to Cornas as WF is to
CR. B+

2003 Edmunds St. John Bassetti Syrah
Black fruit, spice, meaty, chewy. B+

2005 Edmunds St. John Bassetti Syrah
Earth, dark fruits, some herbs. Lots fo structure, this needs time. B+/
A-

The Durrell Flight

1999 Edmunds St. John Durell Syrah
Some lifted notes, mature, pleasant. B

1997 Edmunds St. John Durell Syrah
Drinking well, black fruits and smoked meat, some light tannins
remaining. good acidity. B+/A-

1994 Edmunds St. John Durell Syrah
Mature but not the least bit tired, bacon and olives, blackberries. A-/
B+

A lone Zin
1988 Edmunds St. John Amaronese Zinfandel
Complex nose of toffee, spice, and blackberry liquer, but a bit
disjointed on palate, probably better 10 years ago. B (I liked more
than some others)

Quite an event -special thanks to Jay and John. I liked or loved the
vast majority of the reds. If anything this strengthened my resolve to
buy ESJ. Wish I could make it to some of the NYC events this week.

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.**

DaleW wrote:
> The real Jay Miller organized a tasting of Edmunds St. John wines for
> yesterday evening. I joined Rahsaan on a train upcounty, met up with
> Jay and Jeff at station, and host John Gilman picked us up. We arrived
> to find Salil and David and Laura Bueker had already arrived. Nezi
> joined us as we finished the whites.
>
> John and Marie-France were great hosts, and the food was delicious- a
> nice spread of cheeses and mousse, followed by an extraordinary
> mushroom strudel, with lamb and couscous as the main course.

So, Jay organized it but John hosted it? Interesting!


> 2009 Edmunds St. John Bone Jolly Gamay Rose
> Bright strawberries, spring flowers, good acids. Very good. I'll buy.
> B+

We've still got several bottles of the '08 on hand, but I'll definitely
get some of the '

> 2008 Edmunds St. John Porphyry Gamay Noir
> OK, I'm a screwcap fan, but this definitely reduced (as well as
> closed). It does open and show some red fruit, and some of the
> reductive aromas blow off with air, but my least favorite C+

This interests me, as I recently enquired on Disorder if many people
experience reduction with screwcapped wines (I know of John Gilman's
views on this matter). Do you encounter reduction very often in
screwcapped wines?


> 2008 Edmunds St. John Bone Jolly Gamay Noir
> Cherries, a bit of a kirsch edge though not hot or heavy, I think I
> liked more than table. B/B+

Well, you know /my/ views on this wine! ;-) I'm with you, Dale.


> 2006 Edmunds St. John That Old Black Magic
> Ripe, forward, fleshy and friendly. Herbs and red fruits. B+/B


> 2001 Edmunds St. John Los Robles Viejos
> As much as I like the Shell and Bones, I like this even more.
> Complete, complex, deep. A-

I've had both of the above wines and have at least one of the latter
still in the cellar. I'll have to open it soon, as it sounds ready to
go. I have a bottle of the '05 Rocks and Gravel, too.

>
> A few lone Syrahs
>
> 2002 The Shadow Syrah
> Smoke, dense fruit, I liked more than some others. B+

This was a rather ponderous wine when I had it a few years ago. In know
that Steve never had much love for it, but it's still a well-made Syrah.


> 2001 Edmunds St. John Wylie-Fenaughty Syrah
> Lovely, nice length, medium bodied with good concentration. Black
> berry fruits, olives, spice. A-

Yup. Still got some of this. It's probably time to drink up.

> 2005 Edmunds St. John Wylie-Fenaughty Syrah
> Medium bodied but really long, ripe dark fruits, good acids, elegant.
> Earth, flowers, berries. My WOTN. A/A-

Good to hear, Dale! I went long on this a few years ago. What do you
think as to the future development of this wine?

> 2005 Edmunds St. John Bassetti Syrah
> Earth, dark fruits, some herbs. Lots fo structure, this needs time. B+/
> A-

Yeah, that's my feeling, too. This was the most backward of Steve's
'05s, IMO.

Thanks so much for you (and David) posting notes on these wines. I wish
that I could've joined you for this.

Mark Lipton


--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On May 9, 10:12*pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:

> So, Jay organized it but John hosted it? *Interesting!

Jay's place in NJ would have been too far for the CT folks

>
> This interests me, as I recently enquired on Disorder if many people
> experience reduction with screwcapped wines (I know of John Gilman's
> views on this matter). *Do you encounter reduction very often in
> screwcapped wines?
>

No, but I think I'm not especially sensitive to reductive aromas. But
it was pretty blatant here. But I think as winemakers use SCs more and
more, they'll be better at eliminating reduction problems.