Archive for February, 2023

Red Burgundy from a large 1999 crop (now over 20 years of age) were highly rated initially (coming after the lesser 1998 & 1997) drinking so well early on but lauded even more presently as showing their true dense character with successful aging. Your scribe has enjoyed the underrated mostly consistent reds of Cote de Beaune (especially Volnay) in this vintage because of wonderful clean pure intense fruit from early picking before the September 24 rains which affected some later picked thick skinned Cote de Nuits. As a result there is some variability in 1999 Burgundy reds because some producers picked too early and some picked too late so harvest timing and grape selection became most important.

Our Group of Eight in Vancouver on February 21 at Blue Water Cafe enjoyed a horizontal tasting-dinner of nine selections from this formidable 1999 vintage. A treat to start with 1996 DOM PERIGNON P2 ROSE beautifully boxed with a lovely bright pink copper look in the glass. Bouquet of fine raspberries but all rather delicate soft rounded classy styling for current drinking enjoyment.

Some brief impressions of the 1999 reds:

1. DOMAINE MICHEL GAUNOUX, BEAUNE AC Aged paler red brown rim tastes lighter and is drying out. Picked early? Ready with excellent acidity to refresh a unique local fresh sturgeon dish on delicious “roesti” potatoes. This traditional producer owns vineyards in southern Beaune next to their home base of Pommard which they use in this blend. Also check out their Corton Renardes.
   
2. DOMAINE JACQUES PRIEUR CLOS DE LA FEGUINE, BEAUNE 1ER Much redder and darker – quite dense. An attractive open tertiary bouquet with lovely clean cherries and so balanced. Shows Côte de Beaune 1999 high quality potential. Perhaps a tad simple but on a perfect plateau.
   
3. DOMAINE SYLVIE ESMONIN CLOS SAINT-JACQUES, GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN 1er CRU Deeper red with minty earthy slightly musty notes. A bit dank but the nose cleared up somewhat yet still not perfectly clean on the palate. Bottle variation? Picked too late? Small producer Sylvie Esmonin is recommended by your scribe using 100% new oak on her powerful Clos Saint-Jacques (one of 5 owners) from 3 vineyard sections blended together for best results from top marly, middle rocky, and bottom clay.
   
4. DOMAINE HUMBERT FRERES ESTOURNELLES ST. JACQUES, GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN 1er CRU By far the darkest of this first flight. Deep reluctant aromas. Intense cherries. Lacks elegance. May develop further.
   
5. MAISON LOUIS JADOT BONNES MARES GRAND CRU First of the second flight, all Grand Cru. Lighter paler rim. Exquisite open bouquet by far the best complexity so far. Amazed at how solid it is yet so very charming & elegant. Delightful pairing the Chicken Supreme. Great juice! No rush.
   
6. MAISON BERTRAND AMBROISE LE ROGNET CORTON GRAND CRU So big ripe concentrated “porty” like Pinot Noir. Full rich and a touch alcoholic. Too big perhaps as it lacks desired elegance. Needs way more time to soften and develop more.
   
7. DOMAINE MEO-CAMUZET CLOS DE VOUGEOT GRAND CRU Opposite style of the Corton wine displays delicious beautiful drinking medium weight no stems most delicate so elegant admiration. Really like this producer and this wine!
   
8. DOMAINE RENE ENGEL CLOS-VOUGEOT GRAND CRU Your scribe received a pour from the bottom very cloudy and a disappointing early impression. Tried a neighbour’s wine glass that was so completely different, clear and bright. Service on these older wines with sediment is crucial. Mixed feelings on this wine as a result of the look and grainy texture at first. Enjoyed more with the black winter truffles in the main chicken dish. Great historic producer now acquired and renamed Domaine Eugenie owned by Francois Pinault (Chateau Latour).
   
9. DOMAINE ARMAND ROUSSEAU CHAMBERTIN CLOS DE BEZE GRAND CRU This is young dark and intense. The two northern deep rich soil plots of 1 ha 42a results in an unbelievable wine here. So aromatic with just the starting of that sophisticated spice note of complexity. Layered with black ripe fruits & minerality with an amazing touch of silky elegant delicacy developing. Showing better every time your lucky scribe has tried it. Even more open less tannic more charming than the last experience a year ago at the Rousseau spotlight reported here on February 22, 2022. Need to put this wine on your Bucket List. Profound!

Question: Which wine region has been most affected over the past year by Mother Nature?

Answer: Interesting question with several possible correct answers because Mother Nature seems to be adversely affecting so many vineyards around the world. So many natural key influences on vineyards include frost, hail, drought, climate change, forest fires, smoke, earthquakes, volcanoes, bugs & pests, Covid, etc. Your scribe’s nomination would be Hawke’s Bay on the East coast of the North Island of New Zealand. A tropical Cyclone Gabrielle hit the area this past week causing extensive damage and mass flooding which obviously will affect the 2023 grape harvest. Watch for updated news on the popular tropical Sauvignon Blanc 2023 production plus many vineyards including Esk Valley’s famous limestone hillside “Terraces” and inland warmer iconic Gimblett Gravels. Stay tuned!

There are many lesser known St. Emilion wineries (plus other Right Bank satellite regions) currently releasing top value wines showing forwardly drinking delicious ripe fruit. Seek them out as bargain-priced Bordeaux. However, at the top end it is still rather confusing for the consumer even after the September 2022 Reclassification with now the top 2 wines Premiers Grand Cru Classes A being Figeac & Pavie followed by 12 Premiers Grand Crus Classes B and 71 Grand Cru Classe. The market price doesn’t truly reflect the new classification because several top properties have dropped out including Angelus, Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Croque Michotte, La Gaffeliere, Le Dome, and Tertre Roteboeuf among others. Former star performers like L’Arrosee & Magdelaine have disappeared on mergers into Quintus & Belair-Monange respectively. There is an excellent article on all these St. Emilion changes at
www.thewinecellarinsider.com providing more detail.

It is going to be interesting to monitor how the prices of all these St. Emilion wines will be affected (if at all) by the new classification in this current decade. Keep in touch. On February 15, 2023 our Commanderie de Bordeaux Vancouver at Forage Restaurant studied over dinner 7 vintages of Chateau Canon-la-Gaffeliere over a 20 year period from 2009 back to 1989 with a finishing mystery wine. Pleased to see it is now among the 12 Premiers Grand Crus Classes B as is Comtes von Neipperg sister property La Mondotte. Here are some brief impressions:

2009 CANON-LA-GAFFELIERE: Darkest colour. Ripe rich concentrated super smooth. Open cassis fruit and so opulent! Impressive, modern, and delicious. Everyone adored it.

2005 CANON-LA-GAFFELIERE: As expected the most classic with better balance and admirable structure. New oak to advantage. Less showy. For the longer term and probably ultimately will show the best complexity.

2000 CANON-LA-GAFFELIERE: In the 2009 style of flattering softer intense fruit with more tertiary development also on the truffled bouquet. Forwardly with less acidity but on a lovely drinking plateau
presently. No rush.

1999 CANON-LA-GAFFELIERE: Lighter vintage but is surprisingly deep with silky charming more defined St. Emilion character. Lovely. Ready to enjoy now.

1998 CANON-LA-GAFFELIERE: Excellent Right Bank vintage and this has interest for sure. Rather minty bitter cherries on the nose showing the Cab Franc in mix with Merlot. Structure & layered sweet depth is OK. Enjoy.

1996 CANON-LA-GAFFELIERE: Somewhat atypical with harder finishing tannins than expected but enough fruit left perhaps to carry it further. May develop more.

1989 CANON-LA-GAFFELIERE: Much lighter with a browning rim. Supple, earthy, and fruit drying out so drink up.

2000 CLOS FOURTET (MYSTERY WINE BLIND): More open juicy Merlot on the bouquet in a more obviously St. Emilion terroir styling. Developing nicely with balanced sweet dense attractive fruit. A different property from the hillside Cotes with higher Merlot in the blend..

Congrats to the von Neipperg family with the results at Canon-la-Gaffeliere (and La Mondotte). Admire what they are accomplishing with the wines through hard work and dedication. The wines since 2005 and especially over this last decade and current releases are superbly well made. Using lots of very old vines plus certified organic in 2014 so all vintage since are real collectable treasures. Well done.

Question: Do you prefer drinking Pet-Nat wines clear or with the sediment haze?

Answer: First of all I admit to not being the biggest fan of sparkling Pet-Nat (petillant naturel) with no disgorgement. They can be a lot of fun but your scribe doesn’t really like their unpredictability. There are some lovely ones out there to discover which I prefer to drink clear avoiding the yeasty sediment that with time for the bottle standing up usually sinks to the bottom. Others (including some winemakers) prefer tasting the uniquely natural richer body and texture of that hazy deposit. I believe it is a very personal decision with Pet-Nat wines.

Relais & Chateau is a brand established in France nearly 70 years ago with a mission statement “to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.” Their motto has been the important five C’s of Calm, Character, Charm, Courtesy, and Cuisine. It has been a most successful idea based on high quality core values recognizing so many top establishments around the world. In these changing times Wedgewood Hotel & Spa (a Relais & Chateau member) in Vancouver has provided a beacon of genuine warmth in their hospitality, service and value. An important contribution has been the hands-on family-run passionate dedication of co-owner & managing director Elpie Marinakis, Hotel Manager Jean-Michel Tanguy, and the entire talented service team in making sure the five C’s are constantly met. Another key factor at the moment is the under-rated outstanding quality of the food under the guidance of Chef-in-Residence, the brilliant Rob Feenie, Chef de Cuisine Jason Baker and their skilled brigade. Rob Feenie is preparing now for his culinary evolution from his successful Cactus Club innovations into later this year some new Feenie’s 2.0 locations and another flagship-like Lumiere. Presently at Bacchus in the Wedgewood it is a return to Relais & Chateau for Rob (a recognition he held with Lumiere in its glory years) inspiring and raising the always high quality of the cuisine to even higher levels.

Your scribe attended dinner on February 8 and was impressed indeed by the food, wine-matching ideas, and attentive insightful service. So many tasty courses presented – some were Rob Feenie nostalgic classics tweaked to a more refined style – such as the ravioli, the Lois Lake Steelhead, and the remarkable short rib. Is Bacchus ever on an exciting cuisine evolution! Congrats to Elpie and everyone on the Wedgewood Hotel & Spa team – a precious jewel of excellence in Vancouver for the prestigious Relais & Chateaux brand.