WTN: Oliver’s housewarming party

With Remo and Oliver’s new girlfriend “Silvia II”. Oli prepared yummy porcini risotto and Asian-tinged ossobucco with veggies.

Van Volxem Weissburgunder #15 2007
Thanks to Oliver. Actually, the correct spelling is "Weißburgunder". Bright yellow-green. Soft white pepper, some minerality, pineappley lime. Lightly fat, pretty (and soft!) bitter note, nice soft acidity. Medium-plus length. Pretty. Rating: 87

Château Montrose St. Estèphe 2001
Thanks to Oliver. A bit more rustic compared to some other recent vintages of Montrose, but then, terroir typicity is one of the vintage’s strengths, along with early drinkability, even if this seems one of the ageworthier 2001s. Ruby-red, black hue. Lightly roasted blackcurrant and charcoal. Relatively spicy, suggestion of soy sauce. A touch animal. Quite complex. Firm tannin, has bite. Good body and length. Paradoxically not quite the freshness and precision of the 2003, nor of course the power, density and length. But one of the most convincing 2001s I have had, a nicely intense Montrose, still available at the fair price of about 60 dollars. Rating: 92+?

Vietti Barolo Riserva Villero 1996
Thanks to Remo. I like Vietti (my favourite wines so far are the 1982, 1985, 1989 and 1996, to a lesser extent also 1990, Baroli Rocche, and the 1989 Riserva Villero); this being the third time I got to taste this, I continue to believe it may be his best wine ever (even so, I find it expensive for what it is, being in the same price category as Giacosa Riserva). Too young to drink, this opened up for a couple of hours, then shut down again (severely). Ruby-red colour, soft orange at the rim. Youthful truffle top note. Rosehip tea fruit. Lightly smoky herbs. A touch of roasted meat. Quite racy. Subtlety unlike most Viettis. Long, quite finesseful. Nice acids. Lightly dusty-dry but flavourful tannin. Needs more bottle age. Rating: 93+/94(+?)

Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Marie Beurrier 1995
Contribution of mine. Best bottle of this so far, an ageworthy but approachable 1995 that needs to be decanted well in advance. Medium-plus ruby-red, black reflections. Meat juice-soaked cherry, soft beef blood, wet earth, integrated and soft but complex broth cube spices. Good depth. Beautifully archaic style. With airing sweeter raw meat and Kirsch, nuttier spices, saddle leather and sweet horse sweat, pipe tobacco and that American hazelnut coffee top note. Extremely long on the finish, round, almost creamy. Drink or hold. Stylistically my favourite wine of the night. Rating: 92

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[David M. Bueker]

I had the pleasure of the '95 Bonneau near last Christmas, and enjoyed it very much as well. In these days of Chateauneuf du Pape that is horridly outsized I enjoyed its grace & classicism allied with great aromatic & flavor complexity - proof that a wine does not need to bruise the palate to make an impression.

Thank you for the insight on the Montrose. I am patiently storing a few bottles alongside their brawnier 2000 brethren.

Thank you for the insight on the Montrose. I am patiently storing a few bottles alongside their brawnier 2000 brethren.

Montrose has become more modern-styled as well, but I've so far liked all more recent vintages (in the context of each respective vintage), and it has so far remained one of the more attractively priced top wines from Bordeaux.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[David M. Bueker]

Montrose has become more modern-styled as well, but I've so far liked all more recent vintages (in the context of each respective vintage), and it has so far remained one of the more attractively priced top wines from Bordeaux.

Given that the vast majority of old American connoisseurs as well as their British counterparts are getting rather on in years it is no surprise to me that the vast majority of estates would try to make their wines more approachable. The few people who buy wine for long-term cellaring are vastly outnumbered by those who do not have that kind of patience. The win-win (to use that horrid expression) is when a wine is still evocative of its type yet has incresed drinkability. Montrose, Poyferre, Las Cases, Barton (only subtly more modern-must be that old connoisseur at the helm) to name a few have straddled that line quite well for my tastes. Of course I know any number of folks (see Disorder) who would decry any suggestion of fruit in a St. Estephe as a crime against terroir.

As for the pricing - the 2003 was bid up into the stratosphere by Parker's praise. The 2005 is over $100 & out of my league, with no relief in sight.

As for the pricing - the 2003 was bid up into the stratosphere by Parker's praise. The 2005 is over $100 & out of my league, with no relief in sight.

The 2003 cost less than 60 dollars on subscription, which is when I bought some, and quite frankly, I think it's worth every dime!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[David M. Bueker]

1st tranche in my area was $120. I passed. I did eventually get some 2003 Leoville Barton though - delicious stuff.

...I know any number of folks (see Disorder) who would decry any suggestion of fruit in a St. Estephe as a crime against terroir.

...aww, whad do they know?!

I have a few of these 2001 Montrose as well.

David, care to give aging advice?

I have a few of these 2001 Montrose as well.

David, care to give aging advice?

It can be drunk now, but depending on how many I owned, I'd personally hold on to bottles for a couple more years at least, that is, taste a next one when this reaches age ten, and decide from there. I expect the 2001 Montrose to be reasonably mature by the age of fifteen at the latest, and drink well until it reaches age twenty at least. No more than an educated guess, of course, taking into account the one thing I've learnt over the years (if any), that one is better off drinking a wine too early than too late.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

I have a few of these 2001 Montrose as well.

David, care to give aging advice?

...the one thing I've learnt over the years (if any), that one is better off drinking a wine too early than too late.

oh yeah.

I didn't realise the 2001's were that supple (only have 1 mixed case of 01 Bordeaux, so no concerns about keeping them too long) -- good to know. Thanks!