Preliminary Mo'Cool report
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:01 pm
I'm back in North Carolina after a glorious weekend! Thanks organizers, Guimonds for hosting the party for out-of-towners, all who helped set up and clean up, and chef Alan Kerr and sous chefs. Also, all who contributed such wonderful wines! Thanks to John and Barbara Trombley for arranging the tasting of Michigan Rieslings (with an older Marlborough Riesling thrown in.) I was impressed with their quality overall. Thanks to Tom Noland for organizing the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling vertical and horizontal tastings. In the vertical I discovered that maybe I like my Rieslings less than 20 years old. The organizational efforts of the Mo'Cool team showed and paid off handsomely.
I didn't try to take notes on all the wines I tasted but wrote down names of some of the wines that impressed me. They include Howie Hart's own Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend (elegant!), and at the Friday night party:
2012 Philippe Fichet Meursault "Les Tessons"
2004 Hospice de Beaune Meursault Cuvee Johan Humblot
2000 Chateau Mouton Rothschild white Bordeaux (the Aile d'Argent I believe) I don't normally have high praise for Bordeaux Blanc but this was exceptionally tasty)
I didn't get the producer's name on the 2000 Morgon and 2000 Fleurie Beaujolais Cru wines--both were surprisingly fresh for their age.
2007 Alysian Wines Floodgate Vineyard West Block Pinot Noir. Russian River Valley, CA. Gary Farrell started this winery with a partner after selling his namesake enterprise in 2004. Floodgate Vineyard is the estate vineyard in the Middle Reach of the Russian River Valley. (Alysian Wines also makes Chardonnays and sources grapes from Hallberg Vineyard, Rochioli and others.) This was the wine I brought to the Guimonds. I have loved it since release and have three more bottles at home. Gary Farrell indicated that he personally prefers the 2008 vintage which he said is more the Burgundian style he seeks to make. I have a couple bottles of the 2008 but haven't opened one yet. The nose of the 2007 was what first impressed me and is more evident when the wine is decanted. On this tasting I got some bacon scents and flavors I hadn't noticed back in 2010. Others said "sweet fruit" and "chocolate." One commented "outstanding."
2002 St. Innocent Seven Springs Pinot Noir, Oregon
2002 Archery Summit Arcus Estate Pinot Noir, Oregon (I thought this tasted too oaky with the first sips but improved with aeration; I understand that the winemaking is a bit less heavy on the oak in recent vintages.)
I had a small taste of Musigny (my first ever) but didn't get the specifics on producer and vintage.
Even less notes at the picnic.
I did like the Spanish wine I brought, the 2001 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial (80% Tempranillo grapes, 20% Garnacha) only the third vintage to be declared after 1964 and 1973. Aged in American oak for 36 months. Received 93 points from Robert Parker and 92 points from IWC. I agree more with the IWC description of the wine which found dark fruits on the palate. I found dark muddled berries, a decently long finish and some meaty characteristics. The wine was a light mahogany color.
John Trombley provided an excellent 2009 Van Volxem Goldberg Auslese, Saar tributary of the Mosel (only 7.5% alcohol by volume.) Pretty deep gold color. John said it was really TBA level but it didn't have the cloying quality of some TBA. I would choose this wine over most TBA.
The food was excellent as always! I especially liked the caprese salad type dish, and the smoky-flavored prime rib at the picnic (and the desserts) and the pulled pork sandwiches, slaw and polenta at the Guimonds. Oh, and all the cheeses at the picnic--marvelous.
I didn't try many of the Loire whites having had so many white wines already at the Michigan Riesling and Wehlener Sonnenuhr vertical tastings. I also didn't try many from the Rhone but did taste a 2004 Vieux Telegraphe and one vintage of the Pegau (not sure which vintage.) I had several red Spanish wines that I didn't record and also some red Italians.
My contributions to the Italian table were the 2008 and 2009 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno "Super Tuscans." This is the flagship wine of Tenuta Sette Ponti. I prefered the 2008 vintage. Jeannette Roscoe seemed to favor the 2009 which she said she likes for the tannins. I don't like pronounced tannins in the wines I drink so will give the remaining 2009 bottle several more years of cellaring. The 2009 is 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot and is aged in French oak for 18 months. It is labeled at 14.5% abv. I don't have the specifics on the grape blend in the 2008 vintage but I think it may have had a higher percentage of Merlot. According to a note on CellarTracker, 2008 was the first vintage with no Sangiovese in the blend. Also, both wines are described as "young" in 2013 notes on CellarTracker so might benefit from five to ten more years of aging.
I didn't try to take notes on all the wines I tasted but wrote down names of some of the wines that impressed me. They include Howie Hart's own Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend (elegant!), and at the Friday night party:
2012 Philippe Fichet Meursault "Les Tessons"
2004 Hospice de Beaune Meursault Cuvee Johan Humblot
2000 Chateau Mouton Rothschild white Bordeaux (the Aile d'Argent I believe) I don't normally have high praise for Bordeaux Blanc but this was exceptionally tasty)
I didn't get the producer's name on the 2000 Morgon and 2000 Fleurie Beaujolais Cru wines--both were surprisingly fresh for their age.
2007 Alysian Wines Floodgate Vineyard West Block Pinot Noir. Russian River Valley, CA. Gary Farrell started this winery with a partner after selling his namesake enterprise in 2004. Floodgate Vineyard is the estate vineyard in the Middle Reach of the Russian River Valley. (Alysian Wines also makes Chardonnays and sources grapes from Hallberg Vineyard, Rochioli and others.) This was the wine I brought to the Guimonds. I have loved it since release and have three more bottles at home. Gary Farrell indicated that he personally prefers the 2008 vintage which he said is more the Burgundian style he seeks to make. I have a couple bottles of the 2008 but haven't opened one yet. The nose of the 2007 was what first impressed me and is more evident when the wine is decanted. On this tasting I got some bacon scents and flavors I hadn't noticed back in 2010. Others said "sweet fruit" and "chocolate." One commented "outstanding."
2002 St. Innocent Seven Springs Pinot Noir, Oregon
2002 Archery Summit Arcus Estate Pinot Noir, Oregon (I thought this tasted too oaky with the first sips but improved with aeration; I understand that the winemaking is a bit less heavy on the oak in recent vintages.)
I had a small taste of Musigny (my first ever) but didn't get the specifics on producer and vintage.
Even less notes at the picnic.
I did like the Spanish wine I brought, the 2001 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial (80% Tempranillo grapes, 20% Garnacha) only the third vintage to be declared after 1964 and 1973. Aged in American oak for 36 months. Received 93 points from Robert Parker and 92 points from IWC. I agree more with the IWC description of the wine which found dark fruits on the palate. I found dark muddled berries, a decently long finish and some meaty characteristics. The wine was a light mahogany color.
John Trombley provided an excellent 2009 Van Volxem Goldberg Auslese, Saar tributary of the Mosel (only 7.5% alcohol by volume.) Pretty deep gold color. John said it was really TBA level but it didn't have the cloying quality of some TBA. I would choose this wine over most TBA.
The food was excellent as always! I especially liked the caprese salad type dish, and the smoky-flavored prime rib at the picnic (and the desserts) and the pulled pork sandwiches, slaw and polenta at the Guimonds. Oh, and all the cheeses at the picnic--marvelous.
I didn't try many of the Loire whites having had so many white wines already at the Michigan Riesling and Wehlener Sonnenuhr vertical tastings. I also didn't try many from the Rhone but did taste a 2004 Vieux Telegraphe and one vintage of the Pegau (not sure which vintage.) I had several red Spanish wines that I didn't record and also some red Italians.
My contributions to the Italian table were the 2008 and 2009 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno "Super Tuscans." This is the flagship wine of Tenuta Sette Ponti. I prefered the 2008 vintage. Jeannette Roscoe seemed to favor the 2009 which she said she likes for the tannins. I don't like pronounced tannins in the wines I drink so will give the remaining 2009 bottle several more years of cellaring. The 2009 is 45% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot and is aged in French oak for 18 months. It is labeled at 14.5% abv. I don't have the specifics on the grape blend in the 2008 vintage but I think it may have had a higher percentage of Merlot. According to a note on CellarTracker, 2008 was the first vintage with no Sangiovese in the blend. Also, both wines are described as "young" in 2013 notes on CellarTracker so might benefit from five to ten more years of aging.