WTN: Bocce and Beaucastel

Had some people over for the first Bocce tourney of the season – Late, I know, but our weather has been unusual and unpredictable lately.

After a first bocce game was sprinkled out (maybe we gave up too easily due to excessive thirst) we started in on wine and food.

Opened a couple of venerable whites with some nice pate:

1995 Dom. Closel Savennieres Cuve Speciale – I had been concerned about premature oxidation on some of these long lived wines, and the colour of this one gave me pause, being light yellow, but there was no sign of maderisation in this one. Lots of nuttiness (almonds?) and mature fruit, an interesting wine with a vey long finish, still carrying amazing acidity, although the impression of slight RS I had when this was released is now gone and it finishes quite dry.

1993 Ch. de Beaucastel Vieilles Vignes Roussanne – this wine was right in line as far as colour was concerned, a light amber colour. The nose was slightly sweet, with an apricot component that became more pronounced with airing. Viscous and smooth on palate, finishing very long, quite dry and with no notes of oxidation.

We switched over to a southern French pasta dish, angelhair pasta with Prosciutto, black olives, fresh thyme and lemon zest dressed with EVOO and lemon juice.

1998 Ch. des Tours Reserve Cotes du Rhone – recently found in the cellar while searching for something ele – nose developed alright, but ultimately to old and a bit flat, so consigned to the cooking wine supply and we opened my back up…

1998 Lesec Dom, Coursedon St. Joseph La Sensonne – black olive and leather nose, still holding lots of fairly soft tannin and no rush. Very nice.

I think it was about this point where we went out to bravely try another bocce match and burn off some Rhone. The match was handily won by the team yours truly was on, and was distinguished by Coop letting loose many of his patented bombing shots, none of which struck anything much as I recall, but he may tell it differently.

Back to the house for cheese and:

2000 Brusset Les Hautes de Montmirail – much less traditional sweeter nose, slightly sweet entry, well balanced, and of decent length with soft tannins. Opened in the glass and improved.

2000 Ch. de Beaucastel – I continue to be surprised (slow learner?) at how approachable these wines have now become, relatively early in their life, compared to the older vintages. Dark wine with a ripe truffley nose, sweet entry, then smooth slightly tannic midpalate, followed by a long smooth drawn out finish. Lots of stuffing and an impression of Grenache you don’t always get with this wine.

1995 Dom. Closel Savennieres Cuve Speciale – I had been concerned about premature oxidation on some of these long lived wines, and the colour of this one gave me pause, being light yellow, but there was no sign of maderisation in this one. Lots of nuttiness (almonds?) and mature fruit, an interesting wine with a vey long finish, still carrying amazing acidity, although the impression of slight RS I had when this was released is now gone and it finishes quite dry.

This is good to hear. It sounds much better than the 1996 bottle the other day. In most cases, I have found 96 more satisfactory than 95.

2000 Ch. de Beaucastel – I continue to be surprised (slow learner?) at how approachable these wines have now become, relatively early in their life, compared to the older vintages. Dark wine with a ripe truffley nose, sweet entry, then smooth slightly tannic midpalate, followed by a long smooth drawn out finish. Lots of stuffing and an impression of Grenache you don’t always get with this wine.

From a vertical a couple of years ago, I recall 2000 as being exceptionally forward. 2001 was much tougher as was 1998, though the latter was beginning to open up.

[David M. Bueker]

2000 is a remarkably forward and approachable vintage across CNdP.

The 99, 97, 96....a lot of 'forward' vintages lately that I fully expect to last well, but they drink well much more quickly than older ones did.

2000 is a remarkably forward and approachable vintage across CNdP.

With the exception of Julia's 2000 Pegau, it seems...
Cheers, Anders

[David M. Bueker]

Julia's bottle seems to be an outlier. 2000 Pegau has remained quite lush and open any time I have tried it (last about a year ago).

I had the 2000 Beau about a year ago and was surprised at how great it tasted. I liked it better than the 2000 Pegau that was drunk along side it, but I was in the minority. I've had several Pegau, and they have shown varying amounts of brett. One bottle was totally undrinkable and some have hints of brett, and then others are purely lovely. It has been a crapshoot everytime I open one.

Your note makes me want to open another 2000 Beaucastel.

I found my notes on a 2000 Gigondas in support of the forwardness of the vintage:

2000 Gigondas, “Domaine du Cayron,” made by Parker fave Michel Faraud. Faraud is known as a conservative/traditionalist; he makes Gigondas only—no “special cuvees”--and has resisted such modern practices as the use of new oak for aging.

In the event, it had a huge nose of raspberry, cedar, and cooked strawberry, and a rich palate of dark red fruits–very full and silky in the mouth. At first I dismissed it as a California-like fruit bomb, but this wine just kept on giving, revealing subtle notes of chocolate, even more red fruit, cigar box, and the ever-ineffable garrigue. Spectacular.