Your scribe is a long time devotee to top natural cork closures on fine quality top wines for aging. In the old days there was nothing else. There were some TCA corky issues that could arise but it wasn’t that bad. Less producers needing less top quality corks. Not the case today with so many more new wineries in the game. Now with differing opinions out there on so many alternative choices for wineries it makes it difficult to know which is the best closure. Most agree on the screw cap effectiveness for fresh early drinking wines. However for longer aging the jury may still be out. Check out here this posting of Ridge Vineyards on 12 types of corks and wine closures for more details.

Over the past several years on opening many wine bottles it has been surprising to me the number that are now using Diam corks. We answered a question about Diam corks on the Ask Sid Wednesday feature back on April 4, 2018 linked here. Also noted on this Blog posting on May 21, 2018 here (and followed up on October 25, 2021 here) the interesting decision of Olivier Bernard at Domaine de Chevalier starting with 2015 whites followed by 2016 reds to convert both Grand Vins to long top quality Diam 30.

As a keen collector of Christian Moreau Chablis (especially Les Clos) I have been monitoring the different corks used by them back to 2010. That vintage 2010 Les Clos is holding wonderful maturity brilliantly but wished it had a better cork as they only used the Diam 5 (as did then 77 year old Vaillon vines of Guy Moreau cuvee). 2011 & 2012 Les Clos are in normal cork closure but the brilliantly balanced acidity of long cellaring 2014 is Diam 10 before going back to natural cork again for 2015. The exciting 2020 Les Clos also is in Diam 10 like the 2014 but wish they had chosen Diam 30 – like Benjamin Leroux did for his 2020 Meursault Charmes Dessus and his other wines. Long aging potential deserves their best.

We know New Zealand and Australia wineries are big fans of screw caps. Enjoying many top younger whites from those regions with that closure including young 2021 Shaw & Smith M3 Chardonnay.

Lots of European classic producers still using old style corks from 2021 Redigaffi by Tua Rita, Domaine Billaud-Simon (Faiveley) 2020 Montee de Tonnerre, 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino by Biondi-Santi, 2015 La Clarté De Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan, and 2010 Chevalier Montrachet les Demoiselles from Domaine Louis Jadot – though Jadot, Bouchard Pere and other larger houses have now endorsed Diam.

Another newer synthetic closer by Nomacorc is Select Green 300 and others designed for controlled oxygen management made from sugar-cane used for example by Vincent Careme on his South African Chenin Blanc.

However, most surprising to me has been the plethora of wineries who have endorsed Diam. 2020 Château de Fieuzal (like Domaine de Chevalier) is in Diam 30, 2018 Corton-Charlemagne Bouchard Pere only used Diam 10 though 2015 Meursault Goutte D’Or from Domaine des Comtes Lafon & Corton-Charlemagne Louis Jadot both Diam 30 Grand Cru best. Olivier Leflaive 2017 St. Aubin Champlots is Diam 10.

A clear majority of value younger white Burgundies your scribe has opened so far this year are all Diam 10: includes Armand Heitz, 2020 St Aubin 1er Cru Sur Gamay Mark Haisma, 2021 Pernand-Vergelesses Domaine Jean-Baptiste Boudier, and 2021 Monthelie Blanc Cuvée Miss Armande Douhairet-Porcheret.

Maybe a trend?

Please let us know what your thoughts are on your preferred wine closure?

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Question: How are producers trying to make No Alcohol wines more popular?

Answer: Some quite good non-alcoholic wines are now in the marketplace. But many consumers still don’t believe wines with no alcohol have the same body mouthfeel interest and complexity of wines with alcohol. Some grape varieties – like Sauvignon Blanc – have fared better and Rose & especially spritzy carbonation bubbles are trending well. However the latest marketing ideas involve the addition of more flavour enhancers including bitters, spices, herbs, vanilla, tea, fruit juice and the like. Not all are strictly using only fermented grape juice as in production of normal wine with alcohol.

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Canadians are being encouraged this year by the Federal Government to travel in Canada, promoting domestic travel rather than to the USA and other foreign destinations. Last month, they launched a Canada Strong Pass initiative offering deals on national parks, museums, and other attractions & experiences across Canada. Exploring your own country is a great idea – especially if it includes finding interesting food & wine discoveries.

Your scribe was in Montreal last week and was impressed with many food items and restaurant menus. Quebec key specialities of POUTINE (French fries, cheese curds, and hot gravy) at LA BANQUISE and others & Smoked Meat (long line-ups still at SCHWARTZ’S Deli since 1928 on the major north-south street of Saint-Laurent – called “The Main) were no longer a focus for me this trip. Still excited about their many quality creme glacee ice cream shops including ICONOGLACE, KEM COBA, UNICONE, and a must in Old Montreal of Mlle CATHERINE. Excellent pizza led by recent award winner PIZZERIA NAPOLITAINE #900 at several locations should be checked out for an authentic Margherita. The food markets are interesting and purchased some clean paler morel mushrooms ($16/100grams) coming from the Yukon from Les Jardins Sauvages. Admired the bakery talents of AUTOMNE with top baguettes, batard, and 7 grain using all their own flours. However my favourite is still those outstanding fresh Montreal bagels. Big long time fan of ST.-VIATEUR Bagel Factory (since 1957) and their classic style. This trip bought hot fresh sesame bagels from them and the highly rated FAIRMOUNT Bagel (since 1919) for a blind tasting comparison. Both are outstanding but different with St-Viateur toasty and more chewy while Fairmount seemed slightly sweeter and softer. Fun experience.

Lots of top restaurants to enjoy. The two best for us were – MONARQUE BRASSERIE starting with Grilled Octopus fattoush salad, labneh, dukkha, and chermoula ($26) followed by Duck Confit fingerling potato, duck jus ($36), and Roasted half Cornish hen morels, asparagus, sauce poulette au Vin Jaune ($36). Smart by the glass program with value found for forwardly white 2023 Alvarinho Soalheiro Granit Vinho Verde Portugal ($16) & well paired red pinot noir 2023 Bourgogne Côte D’Or Domaine François Buffet ($19).

MASTARD One of only three Michelin Award winners this May – all one rosette – with Jerome Ferrer -Europea, and Sabayon. Five outstanding courses ($90) locally sourced ingredients, and cooked to perfection. Wine pairings offered and food allergies & intolerances are taken into account. See the fantastic menu attached. Liked how they printed out the names of their whole team contributing to the memorable meal, including our attentive server Benjamin Houde. A worthy better than one-star execution. Highly recommended.

Also checked out the enticing menu of June 28 attached for the consistently highly rated RESTAURANT MON LAPIN at which it is rather hard to get a reservation.

As a wine aficionado, something I support are BYOB restaurants, and Montreal has lots of these. We tried three on this trip and were delighted with all of them. Highly recommend:

LE P’TIT PLATEAU: Aubergine Confite et Ses Herbes ($15) & Fondant Souris d’Agneau Romarin et Amandes Grillées (15 hour “melting” lamb shank) for $40.

LES MÔMES: Three course $80 with exquisite Tarte tatin tomate cerise/Glace Burrata/Pesto pistache; Flétan vapeur & Carre de porc Iberique/ Fraise du Québec & Chocolat/Noisette/Cardamome verte.

OTHYM: Beautiful blue flower fresh pea, onion, and wild mushroom tartelette ($21) & Canard Goulu compressed leg and breast ($30) Great local suppliers used.

Perhaps should have brought BC wines but instead three classified Pauillac from 2003 paired well with vying for best of the vintage Duhart Milon over dependable balanced d’Armailhac and usual top favourite property Grand Puy Lacoste solid as well but not singing as elegantly in the hot vintage conditions.

Really like the amazing value lunches at MILOS and wrote up here previously our extraordinary experiences in Las Vegas & Hudson Yards in New York. Estiatorio Milos Greek restaurant the original one was opened by Milos in 1979 on Parc Avenue in the Mile End neighbourhood of Montreal. It is still popular and going strong with the quality lunch $49 serving three brilliant perfect courses. Tender grilled octopus with fava bean sauce, Sea bream grilled with broccoli, and moist walnut cake with vanilla ice cream is hard to beat. Visited twice on this trip. So very highly recommended! As is a culinary visit to Montreal.

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Question: What is Pugnitello?

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The eighties were the decade in which your scribe collected most of his cherished ageable Bordeaux. Sure there were some outstanding bottles in the sixties (legendary 1961, long distance runner 1966) and seventies (underrated 1970, tannic overhyped 1975, and miracle 1978) but those decades fade against the remarkable vintages of the eighties many still going strong. Pretty consistent run except for 1984 and 1987 as starting with under the radar 1981 like Chateau Margaux, less consistent 1983 better in southern Medoc & Pessac-Leognan but clean classic Pichon Lalande, hard to go wrong with brilliant 1982 and charming 1985 years, and 1988 last of old style and finishing up with a warmer 1989 (and 1990). However, early on the Left Bank 1986s were big backward quite tannic concentrated wines needing long cellaring. Got a chance to try over the years many Left Bank 1986s since bottling and most continue to show encouraging development of their concentrated fruit. Now nearing 40 years of age it was an appropriate time to assess their current development. The Vancouver Group of Eight at meeting #132 held a tasting/dinner on June 24 at Blue Water Cafe featuring 8 well chosen top examples. We started with 2004 SAINT-GALL ORPALE BLANC DE BLANCS GRAND CRU a very prestige cuvee by this grower’s coop using quality grapes from Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Avize, and Oger with long lees aging. Surprised how fresh alive vibrant these delicate fragile elegant bubbles with higher acidity are showing. Only partial malolactic fermentation works. Interesting and refreshing on the palate with unique opening scallop course.

The 1986 reds followed with a First Flight all Saint-Julien:

1986 CHATEAU DUCRU-BEAUCAILLOU:

Dark, lighter rim, leafy earthy very Bordeaux elegant nose more than a clear S-J definition from this excellent gravel slope. Superb terroir site. This bottle re-corked at Chateau in 2011 because of controversial Cellar TCA issues at the end of this decade. Structured with acidity balance but drier and not the best singing bottle of this vintage. There are better bottles.

1986 CHATEAU LEOVILLE BARTON:

Deep very dark to rim with concentrated Cab Sauv statement less medicinal notes shown by some vintages. Slowly coming together but still rather big hard backward with potential. Lacks a bit of charm and finesse which may still develop. Always bought this property because outstanding value. Promising. Most hopeful. No rush. Patience.

1986 CHATEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE:

Quite dark with paling edge. Solid but more herbaceous from very young vines replanting by Didier Cuvelier with Emile Peynaud consulting. Later on Michel Rolland changed style direction from 1994. Ian Mottershead found this “more exotic”. Lovely drinking now but lacks complexity compared to LLC. Making outstanding St. Julien the past few decades!

1986 CHATEAU LEOVILLE LAS CASES:

Deepest and darkest with best open classic St Julien intense classy bouquet. Impressive cedar with tobacco showing dense layers of complex smooth flavours with helpful 4% Petit Verdot. Nick Wright liked “more weight more fruit and more structure.” Already a treasure and will continue on this high plateau for a long time. Delicious. Both mine & group favourite of First Flight.

MYSTERY BLIND – 1982 CHATEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE:

Redder more mature tones looks older. A sous-bois mushroom herbal style is ready now. Softer easy simpler elegant S-J. Not a top 1982 but interesting drinking superbly with a tasty refined Chicken Supreme with morels dish.
This flight is only missing the great St Juliens of Gruaud Larose & surprising Talbot that both really sing eloquently in 1982 & 1986 and are just best plateauing right now.

Second flight of 1986s featuring 3 top Pauillac & the Chateau Margaux. Ian determined that the most popular food matching for these big wines according to the proprietors is rib eye steak therefore he so ordered:

1986 CHATEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE COMTESSE DE LALANDE:

Lighter look but together. Emile Peynaud called it “the most tannic wine ever” and May de Lencquesaing always optimistic about its future. In tough company here but shows well the mellowing tannins with graphite and mint. Nick said it “has more charm and reminds me of Palmer” and Fred Withers “at a perfect spot with elegance and balance.” It is developing nicely as Pichon.

1986 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD:

So dark & deep right to the edge. Big & powerful as expected with outstanding concentrated Mouton style with 80% Cab Sauv. Wondered about it presently as several 100 point scores earlier on but last year in Fine Wines Andrew Jefford stated it was “perfect once but not now”. However this bottle is most impressive again for me and now is nearing classic perfection. Perhaps catching that remarkable sensual 1982 and about to pass it? Loved unanimously as clear group fav – Wine of the Night!

1986 CHATEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD:

Less deep with paling rim. Shows wonderful cedar and cigar box with energy & delicacy. Finishes tannic. Not quite clean pure enough bottle but quality comes through. Excellent balance but believe this is not the very best vintage of Lafite (or Latour) compared to other stellar years.

1986 CHATEAU MARGAUX:

Very dark deep young intense colour. Still closed in. Chateau Margaux has charm in 1985 but more austere backward atypical style in 1986. Always powerful with rich concentration and balance. Quite firm but your scribe feels this vintage still has great potential. Promising future with lots of fruit remaining but requires even more patience.

1986 CHATEAU GUIRAUD SAUTERNES:

Always has so much high percentage Sauvignon Blanc in the blend with the usually more dominant Semillon. Forwardly and the sweetness is a balanced delight perfect now with orange tart dessert.

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