WTN: Puligny, Chinon, Sicily, Getaria, Clarksburg

Monday I had takeout tofu with mixed vegetable sans wine before a meeting, but when I got home had some 2012 Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli rosado. Clean, red berry fruit, light, simple but ok. B-

On a hot Tuesday Betsy made pappardelle with radicchio and watercress salad, and I opened the 2011 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc. A bit of RS, floral, tropical fruits, nice served cold on a hot day. B/B-

It has cooled enough Wednesday to be back on patio, with grilled lamb chops, potato salad, and kale salad, and the 2010 Baudry Chinon. This is the domaine/estate bottling, drinking pretty well. Some tannin, fresh acids, sweet black raspberry fruit, green herbs (but no green pepper). Good value. B+

On a rainy Thursday I made flounder in a miso glaze, corn, roasted Brussels sprouts, rice with furikake, and salad. I had gone to Stews thinking lobster with white Burgundy, then decided on a cool rainy day I’d rather go fin (thinking meuniere). But when I switched and did an Asian accented meal I probably should have switched to Riesling, but stuck with the 2011 Chavy-Chouet “ Les Enseigneres” Puligny-Montrachet. First bottle corked, quick chill of a second. Rich, to me more Meursault-ish than Puligny, though with a bit of minerality. Balanced acids, rounder fruits, good length. B/B+

With spaghetti and meatballs, asparagus, and salad with sauteed king trumpets, the 2006 A. Occhipinti “Grotte Alte” Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Wow, what a pretty and compelling wine. Crushed red berries, tobacco and fresh herbs, full but plenty of lift, earth/soil notes. Quite long. My WOTW! A-

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.

I returned recently from attending the Nantucket Wine Festival and a few days on Cape Cod and will post my notes over the next day or two. One of the wines I enjoyed with a dinner on Nantucket was the 2011 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Viognier, with Chenin Blanc from a Clarksburg, CA vineyard and Viognier from Lodi. This may be the same wine Dale had recently. (He had the Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc last Tuesday and I had a glass of it on Wednesday.) My notes say that the wine was well chilled when it came to the table. 79% Chenin Blanc, 21% Viognier. 12% alcohol by volume. It was crisp, inviting, with perhaps some lemon and pear. A little floral in tone but not as sweet as "honeysuckle" mentioned on the label. I found it extremely attractive and would rate it higher than Dale did. It combined firm acids with offsetting sweetness.
Prior to the wine I ordered a beverage the restaurant called a Sun-Kissed Manhattan. It included Woodford Reserve, Cointreau, Agave Nectar, Bitters and Prosecco. I enjoyed it. (Woodford Reserve is a small batch Kentucky bourbon whiskey.)

Hi Dale,

"2011 Chavy-Chouet “ Les Enseigneres” Puligny-Montrachet. First bottle corked, quick chill of a second. Rich, to me more Meursault-ish than Puligny,"

That's interesting. I think of Meursault as more minerally and Puligny as rounder, maybe more unctuous, and well, generally richer. Obviously, there are different "house" styles, but has that not been your experience?

Best,
Josh

Hi Dale,

"2011 Chavy-Chouet “ Les Enseigneres” Puligny-Montrachet. First bottle corked, quick chill of a second. Rich, to me more Meursault-ish than Puligny,"

That's interesting. I think of Meursault as more minerally and Puligny as rounder, maybe more unctuous, and well, generally richer. Obviously, there are different "house" styles, but has that not been your experience?

Best,
Josh

I don't drink much white Burgundy but my (grossly oversimplified) shorthand was the opposite of yours.

Jane, yes this was the CB/Viognier, my goof, I typed up without consulting bottle (but I should have known, while I haven't had in a while, this was an annual buy in days of yore)

Josh,
while the differences between Burg terroirs are always a matter of opinion, to me on the scale of richness/fatness to leanness/minerality, once one excludes GCs to me I'd generally rank the big 3 communes as Meursault as roundest/most opulent, Chassagne as the straddler, and Puligny as the most elegant/stony. Obviously producer makes a difference (is my opinion of Meursault influenced by friends with a lot of Coche?), and within each commune some vineyards are more elegant/stony (hard to get more minerally than a great Meursault Perrieres) or rich/luscious. But if one did some kind of Venn diagram there would be more intersection than difference. so I know I could never confidently blind taste and declare a village.

Rahsaan, I think you are agreeing with my opinion, in which case I salute you

Hi Dale,

I am not sure anyone in Southern Indiana even has any Coche-Dury, no less are they my friends and willing to share it.
I'm sure your experience is broader than mine in other ways as well. Still, in my narrow window I, like you, place Chassagne in the middle but than reverse the poles. The Puligny that I have drunk most recently was from Girardin so that may explain some of it (and the Meursault has been from Matrot), but when I look, for example, at the write ups of the Boillot's (Henri) I have, the Meursault (Les Perrieres) goes in the minerally direction, while the Puligny (Clos de la Mouchere) bigger and bolder, but not some much stone. Other than Coche any other examples come to mind?
Obviously, I don't doubt your judgement, in fact appreciate it, but I am curious (and curious about what others have found as well).

Best,
Josh

I don't drink much Meursault but think of it as rounder and one classic descriptor refers to "nutty" elements (hazelnut for example.)

I am not sure anyone in Southern Indiana even has any Coche-Dury, no less are they my friends and willing to share it.
I'm sure your experience is broader than mine in other ways as well. Still, in my narrow window I, like you, place Chassagne in the middle but than reverse the poles. The Puligny that I have drunk most recently was from Girardin so that may explain some of it (and the Meursault has been from Matrot), but when I look, for example, at the write ups of the Boillot's (Henri) I have, the Meursault (Les Perrieres) goes in the minerally direction, while the Puligny (Clos de la Mouchere) bigger and bolder, but not some much stone. Other than Coche any other examples come to mind?
Obviously, I don't doubt your judgement, in fact appreciate it, but I am curious (and curious about what others have found as well).

Well, certainly Girardin tends toward a riper/bigger style, so that can make a difference. And I already specified Meursault Perrieres as the most minerally (dare I say Puligny-esque?) Meursault vineyard
Matrot is Meursault producer I buy most, because they are well-priced and they are more minerally than most Meursaults. But a Pernot Puligny is usually more elegant than a Matrot Meursault, to me.

Thanks, Dale,

I'll keep my eye out for some Pernot and let you know what I think.

Best,
Josh

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for the update on the Baudry. Loved it when it came out. Glad it is still showing well.

For what it's worth Josh, every Puligny I've had, from assorted domains and various levels of ripeness, has been defined by stone and white flowers, each one a study in Burgundian elegance. I have little experience with Meursault, but that and everything I've ever read leads me to expect butterscotchy opulence. Not that my two cents adds much next to Dale's massive experience, but even based on a more limited sample, I can corroborate it.

Hope all in well in Bloomington! Will be headed your way in just over a month!!

Thanks again everyone,

For your "input." And Ryan, please be sure to let me know when you are coming to B-town, and I can try to arrange for us to try a few of these white burgs blind and see what we think. (Maybe, we can get some others--Sam, Mark, Julia, etc.--on board and do a blow out white burg tasting. I'd be happy to host.)

Best,
Josh

Thanks again everyone,

For your "input." And Ryan, please be sure to let me know when you are coming to B-town, and I can try to arrange for us to try a few of these white burgs blind and see what we think. (Maybe, we can get some others--Sam, Mark, Julia, etc.--on board and do a blow out white burg tasting. I'd be happy to host.)

Best,
Josh

Sorry for my delayed response Josh - what a generous offer! And in fact, Julia et al. expressed interest in having an offline while I'm in Bloomington. So yes, let's move forward on that!