WTN: Sadie, Copain, Telegraphe, Banfi, Gilette

February blind tasting lunch notes

2006 Eben Sadie Palladius – this South African wine had us looking all over the world trying to place it. Part of the reason may be that it is a blend of Viognier, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc & Grenache Blanc. Peach and lemon nose, full and flavourful with lively acid.

2000 Copain Pinot Noir Hein Vd. – clearly a pinot by the nose, fairly deep colour, rather Burgundian but without the complexity and with more stuffing, so we did arrive at US, then CA. Smooth and clean in the mouth with a bit more oak than a Burg. Deft touch in the winery on this one – well made.

1983 Chasse Spleen – we had a great deal of difficulty trying to nail down the vintage on this and tried just about every possible 80s vintage before asking about 1983 in desperation. It showed a dusty funky nose that cleaned up only a little with time in the glass. Mature Bordeaux in the mouth, good feel, drying a bit at the end, and still carrying surprising tannin. Won’t improve, but very decent now.

1998 Griffin Creek (Rogue Valley) – a blended wine from Oregon, made from 97% merlot and 3% syrah. Cocoa tomato nose, bit lean but still tasty.

1995 Clos de Cazeaux Vacqueyras – unusual chocolate and raspberry nose, rather sweet, and the wine showed a blue tint to the colour. Pretty big in frame, some tannin, but now mature – interesting and very hard to pick as a Rhone.

1993 Vieux Telegraphe CNduP – an even more unusual nose of tinned tomatoes from a nicely balanced wine with good fruit and length. Also mature but will hold.

1999 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Pogio al Oro – this one was instant Tuscan sangio to me and I got to Brunello quickly. Good fruit and a lingering sweetness in the finish, this was a good showing. Maybe time for me to dig out my 88 Oro!

2000 Mastroberardino Radici Taurasi – 100% Aglianico grapes, aged in oak, gives a dark wine with a warm smoky fruity nose, nice and smooth on palate with soft tannins good length and clean acidity. Although this is drinking beautifully today, I got the impression it would also last well.

1985 Ch. Gilette – this Sauternes producer is unusual in that they age their wine in cement tanks for many years (20 to 30) before bottling and release very late. I believe they only recently released their 1986 for sale. Modest botrytis, light gold colour, bit of pineapple and pear, and excellent long finish. Lovely wine!

years (20 to 30)

Years? 20 to 30 years in tanks before bottling? Sure you didn't mean months?

years (20 to 30)

Years? 20 to 30 years in tanks before bottling? Sure you didn't mean months?

Years!

Yup, they hold the wine a long time.

We had this one up at a weekend tasting in Vermont last month:

1958 Chateau Gilette Demi-Doux Sauternes. This is a dark gold matte color and actually smells a bit to me like aged Chenin Blanc. Aromas of honeycomb, beeswax and interesting funk lead the way, with perhaps more typical notes of caramel topping and butterscotch coming in behind. It is finely acidic on the palate, with crisp edges and a somewhat narrow core of off-dry yellow fruit and butterscotch flavors that finish decidedly dry. It feels a bit aloof and removed at times and I can’t say I ever warmed up to it from a pleasure delivery standpoint. However, there is no denying that this is some unusual and interesting stuff that I enjoyed pondering while I was slowly losing all my chips to Gerry in the waning minutes of the final poker game.

-Michael

[Jenise]

I didn't take very good notes yesterday, seemed to be too busy yapping and keeping an eye on Broocie. But here goes:

2006 Eben Sadie 'Palladius' Very cool wine for a blind lunch. I recall saying that I was sure it wasn't reisling or gewurz, but it could be almost anything else. And it was--everything else! I recall it too from the time David and Nadine brought it to a terrine event. Though there was some warm climate heat in the finish this time around too, the 14.5% alcohol wasn't as dominating as it was earlier. Very good wine.

2000 Copain Pinot Noir Hein Vd. – I couldn't wait to get home yesterday and look up my earlier notes on this wine because, though I agree with everything you wrote about it as it showed yesterday, I would never in a million years recognize my wine based on the three prior bottles I had. I remember a bright, fastidiously clear wine that had me bouncing off the walls--it was true happy juice, and unabashedly Californian. Here, read my note and the resulting thread, you'll get the idea: http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4168&p=31826&hilit=Copain+Hein#p31826 I was just blown away by yesterday's difference--was this a flawed bottle or can time really change the spots on the leopard like this? Doesn't seem possible.

1983 Chasse Spleen – What you said.

1998 Griffin Creek (Rogue Valley) – Nice performance for a ten year old wine from a winery most of us have never heard of.

1995 Clos de Cazeaux Vacqueyras – "interesting and very hard to pick as a Rhone." Yes, indeed.

1993 Vieux Telegraphe Wildly different nose of canned tomatoes, roasted beets and a bit of mint. I would never have guessed it to be what it was, but I loved it.

1999 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Oro – I thought this wine was absolute perfection. I wish every bottle I open could be in as good a place as this was yesterday.

2000 Mastroberardino Radici Taurasi – I haven't had enough Aglianico to recognize the grape in the glass, but this was certainly a masterful version and made the case for putting this grape in our cellars. I agree, it should hold here and perhaps even improve for years.

1985 Ch. Gilette – What a treat this was! I've read about this wine and never thought I'd actually taste one myself. It was magical. Thanks, Bruce.

Although slightly off topic, the Sadie Family Columella 2003 (being their red wine) was one of my favourite wines from 2008. I have South African biz partners so I end up there a reasonable amount of time each year. IMO, the Sadie family are consistently turning out some of the most interesting wines in SA. The Columella is made from seven vineyards and is a blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Great purity of fruit and complexity, if you see one, it is definitely worth trying.

I have the 03 and 04 Columella. Drinking window...?

About 18 months ago, I felt that the 2002 Columella needed about 2-3 years to fully come into its own, so my best guess on the 2003/2004 might be 1-3 years from now. Again, that is based on just the one bottle and a single impression, but it just seemed like a wine that would drink best about 7-8 years from the vintage. 2 cents...

By the way, I am planning a trip to South Africa wine country next month and would appreciate any travel advice or winery visit recommendations! To save even more thread drift, maybe I will post elsewhere looking for advice (or anybody can feel free to drop me a priviate message!).

-Michael

Thanks for the 2000 Mastroberardino Radici Taurasi note, I have one and will hold a few years.

I have the 03 and 04 Columella. Drinking window...?

BIll my best problem with these would be keeping my hands off them. I found the 03 incredibly moorish.

About 18 months ago, I felt that the 2002 Columella needed about 2-3 years to fully come into its own, so my best guess on the 2003/2004 might be 1-3 years from now. Again, that is based on just the one bottle and a single impression, but it just seemed like a wine that would drink best about 7-8 years from the vintage. 2 cents...

By the way, I am planning a trip to South Africa wine country next month and would appreciate any travel advice or winery visit recommendations! To save even more thread drift, maybe I will post elsewhere looking for advice (or anybody can feel free to drop me a priviate message!).

-Michael

Michael, if you have never been and would like some tips based on the couple of trips I have made that way, drop me a PM.

As good as his South African wines are, I thinl Eben Sadie's best red wines are those from Priorat. His 2006 Dits del Terra was one of the top wines in our yearly tasting of high-end wines from that northeastern Spanish region.

Thanks for that, Victor. I assume they are also among the most expensive from the region......

Wel, you know what top-end Priorat means... Dits del Terra, his most expensive cuvée, retails for about €80 in Spain - much more in the US.