Question: What is the present situation for northern Italy vineyards?

Answer: Very topical because of extreme weather conditions of extreme heat and lack of rainfall drought presently in northern wine regions. Italy has just declared a state of emergency in 5 key wine regions: Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont, and Veneto. Will be important to monitor the ongoing effect on the vineyards in those areas. Could be an unusual vintage 2022 for sure!

Attended a most unique event on May 25, 2022 showcasing classy Cognac instead of wine – paired with several courses over dinner. The wonderful hosts Drs. Jean & Alastair Carruthers are aficionados of the finest wines but also had collected some treasured old bottles of rare vintage dated Cognacs to share among friends. They astutely arranged for talented couple Sommelier Nessa van Bergen & Chef Dino Renaerts of Bon Vivant Catering to orchestrate this splendid evening to great success. Their pairing ideas with excellent hospitality really worked out well. The Chef cleverly incorporated cognac reduction with delicious lobster plus made a brandy cream jus to bring out the best of the spirit matched to the beef course with porcini risotto. Note there are 3 principal developments that occur during the maturation of Cognac: Chemical changes from the air & wood; it takes on colour from the Limousin oak casks; and the alcohol content & volume of liquid diminishes. Check out the biggest wholesaler Tesseron (of Ch. Pontet-Canet) Lot 29 pre-phylloxera and vintage 1825-1906 in 25 liter glass demi-johns plus oak casks of 1907 and following. These ten Cognacs were all quite different (see the colour variations) as well as a few Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Springbank Campbeltown 25 year, Aberlour 16, Glenmorangie Legends The Tayne) thrown in for comparison. A Tasting-Dinner unlike anything else! Marvelous.

1. HUDSON’S BAY BRAND FINE CHAMPAGNE COGNAC SUPERIOR QUALITY BERRY BROTHERS AND RUDD (BBR): Sweeter & attractively styled.
2. TIFFON GRANDE CHAMPAGNE AND FINS BOIS: A bit turpy at first but developed some interesting coffee notes.
3. 80 YEAR OLD BORDERIES TIFFON GRANDE CHAMPAGNE COGNAC BBR: More wood more complex yet admire the floral delicate perfumes here.
4. ROBERT CHEVILLON VIEILLE FINE MARC DE BOURGOGNE: More powerful tannic caramel notes
5. ADAM & EVE BARBIER EAU DE VIE DE VIN BOTTLED BY VINCENT BARBIER: Wine spirit brandy but prefer them made out of fruit.
6. 1948 ARMAGNAC NISMES-DELCLOU BBR: Distinctly different soils and not double distilled like Cognac with less alcohol.
7. HENNESSY XO COGNAC: Benchmark reputed to be around 1200 cognacs some up to 100 years of age. Shows smooth as rich butterscotch & dried fruits with a long spicy finish.
8. 1967 LIGNIERES & SONNEVILLE (single villages) GRANDE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLED BY DELAMAIN (From early 1600s-no vineyards) IN 1995 (AT 28 YEARS) BBR: Much lighter colour than Hennessy XO but exquisite.
9. 1948 OLD LANDED PALE COGNAC SHIPPED BY THOMAS HINE (Firm since 1763-Married Delamain’s daughter) LANDED 1949 BOTTLED 1980 (32 YEARS) BBR: Interesting in only 68 cl. bottle is also pale but subtle and so well-balanced.
10. 1904 VERRIERES GRAND CHAMPAGNE COGNAC LANDED 1956 & BOTTLED 1965 (61 YEARS in wood) BBR in 24 fl. ozs. bottle: Hit of the Night! Dark looking with a fantastic bouquet so open and full of round flavours with finesse. So many complex perfume elements of fragrant flowers, marmalade of dry figgy plum fruits & orange peel to mocha cinnamon spiced acacia honey. A rare treat to experience.

Question: Who are some of the main Burgundy producers that are now in Oregon?

Answer: There have been quite a few since the Drouhin family first established their Domaine Drouhin Oregon pinot noir release in 1988. Jacques Lardiere after 40+ years at Louis Jadot (with Guillaume Large) is developing Resonance Wines. Dominique Lafon (with Thomas Savre) influenced Evening Land & Lingua Franca. Jean-Nicolas Meo of Meo-Camuzet has Nicolas-Jay with Jay Boberg. Your scribe visited Nicolas-Jay winery earlier this month and was impressed tasting their 2021 pinot noirs in barrel. Henriot Champagne (owners of Bouchard Pere) are invested in Beaux Freres. There are many others as well from both Burgundy and elsewhere. Hamilton Russell is a fav from South Africa who have an agreement with Jackson Family Wines. Continue to monitor!

Long time followers of this Blog will know your scribe’s affection for Meursault wines – and especially classy Perrieres with postings here on August 26, 2019 & August 24, 2015. Also reference notes here on the rounder Les Charmes on September 7, 2020, September 24, 2018, and Ask Sid feature on Dessus September 19, 2018. Long list of producers of top Meursault today that include among others my favs of Bouchard Pere, Coche-Dury, and Guy Roulot. Also very much in that star group is Domaine des Comtes de Lafon in the hands of the most competent Dominique Lafon since 1984 taking over and extending with innovations (biodynamic late nineties) the marvellous tradition of his father Rene. Clive Coates calls Lafon the “best white wine domaine in Burgundy”. This opportunity for a tasting-dinner on June 7, 2022 at Blue Water Cafe of 10 Meursaults & 3 Volnay Clos des Chenes all from Lafon was exhilarating indeed! Some thoughts:

The initial plan was to start with 6 consecutive vintages 2007-2012 of Clos de la Barre but 2011 was misplaced so 2000 Desiree substituted:

2000 DESIREE MEURSAULT AC – Nice treat here of older vines that were replanted in 2007-2008 and reappeared again in 2012 as younger vines. No oxidation or madrization with 2000 but mature softer luscious rich hazelnuts. What a big surprise opening statement!

2007 CLOS DE LA BARRE – Vines of this “home” 2.4 hectare village AC vineyard are a step up with limestone-clay soils. 2007 is fresh light and leaner but rather good despite the lack of much Summer sun that vintage.

2008 CLOS DE LA BARRE – Lovely now with some full tropical fleshy guava but nice tighter balance too. Clos de la Barre always shows the fruit well because no new oak is used.

2009 CLOS DE LA BARRE – Riper opulent concentrated delicious now with ginger, spices, anise but a bit of heat on the finish.

2010 CLOS DE LA BARRE – So vibrant and precise citrus! Intense but not over concentrated. Still young, sophisticated and subtle that can age further for even more complexity.

2012 CLOS DE LA BARRE – Lower yields for Lafon in 2012 results in wonderful elegance. So clean.

2012 MEURSAULT PERRIERES – Admire this vineyard in 3 parts of older vines north, younger south and newer small parcel also Dessous facing SE acquired in 2004 first used in the 2010. However, this bottle of very low yields (15hl/ha) is a tad earthy mushroomy and not as typically pristine as usual, outshone by the 2012 Clos de la Barre this time.

2013 MEURSAULT PERRIERES – Shows wet rocks minerality with complexity still so youthful. Impressive for the year with a steely backbone! Older vintages of Perrieres in Lafon horizontals have sometimes been more mature than Charmes. Dominique told me it was because he was picking Perrieres a week later but now picks all vineyards earlier and as much as possible at the same harvest time. No filtering.

2014 MEURSAULT CHARMES – Love that 2014 vintage for white Burgundy including Chablis! In fact here the vintage vibrant structure is so strong that it takes over from the Charmes terroir underneath. What a future treasure!

2015 MEURSAULT CHARMES – Richer rounder more classic velvety texture from this large vineyard (more than Perrieres & Genevrieres combined). Riper pears of 2015 are more forwardly delicious already.

1999, 1997, & 1996 VOLNAY CLOS DE CHENES – Generally balanced fuller bodied from the southern part of Volnay These three vintages are showing quite differently. 1999 biggest sturdy deep intense powerful fruit; 1997 much paler but seductive open delicate charming aromatic bouquet; and 1996 pure more elegant Volnay styling.

Question: What is the oldest Riesling vineyard in the world?

Answer: Must be Schloss Johannisberg in Germany’s Rheingau region. Their history dates back to the days of Charlemagne (742-814) with the vineyard first documented in 817. Schloss Johannisberg has been cultivating since 1720 the entire domain with only the Riesling variety exclusively. That is an amazing 300+ years old!