Saturday, March 29, 2008

Around the Hexagon


Yesterday I met up with Neil at 1pm. We had a serious agenda, but unfortunately, I had grabbed a quick bistro lunch with Arnaud just before and ordered dessert - a Paris-Brest, which is a puff pastry filled with hazelnut buttercream - and, to my horror, and then unbridled gourmandise, the dessert was sized for a party of four with a hearty appetite.

So, it was in a sugar comatose haze that I met Neil before the Saint-Paul metro stop, next to a whirling merry-go-round.

We headed up to the Caves Bossetti to taste lineups of Chablis from William Fèvre and Côte de Beaune whites from Bouchard Père & Fils. Afterward, we would jump in the metro and go to the biggie: the Salon des Vignerons Indépendants, which is a bi-annual show in which some five hundred independent winemakers come and pour their wines, taste, discuss, and sell them.

When I got home at 7pm, my lips and teeth were a bit dark, and I was a bit sleepy. I had tasted quite a fearsome amount of wine. I will be systematic in the future, but at this early date, and before a tasting this afternoon, I will just jot down a few impressions.

Standouts:

2007 Amphibolite (Jo Landron) - I cannot get over the sheer exuberance of this cuvée. Landron's other Muscadets are more polished or classic (or, like the one aged in old oak - whatsit called, Fiefs du Breuil? - atypical and full-bodied), but Amphibolite is one quirky, jumpy, lively wine; its green-apple and brine are great.

2005 Breton Bourgueil Perrières - (with special mention to the splashy, crunchy 2007 Avis de Vin Fort and Nuits d'Ivresse - I am going to snap up cases of those babies) - this one was extremely elegant, smooth and not at all in the usual Breton "it's green because we like it" vein. I have hereby renewed my cultish adherence to the domain, after some doubts a year ago. Even the sparkling Vouvray - with far, far less RS this year - was delicious. And Pierre Breton remains the coolest person to talk to.

2005 Dupasquier Jacquère + Altesse + Altesse Marestel - Where has Dupasquier been all my drinking life? Back up the truck; this is Muscadet of the mountains, with a wild, incredible spicy thing going on. First taste; want much, much more.

2005 Bouscassé Madiran - Great bite, smooth then barky and hard on the finish. The starter of their lineup, this was, to my tastes, the outstanding bottle of the Montus/Bouscassé offering, though I also liked a tannat/cabernet blend, which I found quite suave.

We also tasted some more traditional fare: many Burgundies (a shock of pleasure with the Domaine Bernard Bachelet's 2005 Meursault Narvaux; bis repetita with Domaine Chevalier's white 2004 Ladoix "Bois de Gréchons," which both took the stuffing out of Bouchard's lackluster lineup.)

I was left with a couple of questions: why do people like William Fèvre's Chablis? I have never gotten any pleasure from them. And how come not more people enjoy Irancy - especially with a 5% slug of César grapes? (Much enjoyed a 2005 Ferrari Irancy "Paradis"; yes, aptly named.)

I also confirmed my opinion that old oak on Champagne is good.

All right, off to taste some cru Beaujolais.

1 comment:

Rajiv Ayyangar said...

Lovely notes, Sharon!

When you go to big tastings like that, how do you recall the wines? What kind of notes do you take, or do you use a voice recorder - or just remember your impressions?