Tuesday, December 31, 2002
Over the past few days I've had the good fortune to dig deep into the cellar and pull out some gems that have been taking up space. Without a doubt proper cellaring is key to having wines that defy imagination years after they have been purchased.
Take for example the 1994 Martin Codax Albarino, a delicate white from Spain made from 100 percent Albarino, a grape that is not that much unlike Viognier with it's Condrieu like perfumed bouquet. At age eight this wine should be past it's peak. It wasn't. To be candid, I was floored at how fresh and lively the wine was, complete with apricot, pear and peach flavors. It had a defined crispness and steely mineral base that made it a perfect compliment to the marinated scallops in Havana Key Lime juice, served with wilted collard and mustard greens that had been sautéed in olive and white truffle oil, fresh minced garlic and crushed red pepper.
Then there was the 1994 Mas Cal Demoura Coteaux du Languedoc. I've been slowly drinking up my stash of this bargain find from the hills just outside of Montpellier. This small lot red, produced by the now retired Jean-Pierre Jullien (the father of Olivier Jullien of Mas Jullien) is a delightful blend of Syrah, Grenache, and then 90 year old vine Carignane. It is a wine that only a Zinfandel lover could appreciate, for the old vine Carignane is often time found in the field blends of California Zin. Over the past six years, I've opened one of these each year, always amazed at how well made, perfectly developed and forward the wine is becoming. Now also at age the wine is pure velvet, with spice, fruit and complexity somewhere between a Chateauneuf du Pape and an old vines Gigondas. Black raspberry, the typical Garrigue flavors and scents, tar, chewy cherries, cassis and plums made this wine a sheer delight.
Equally impressive, if not almost port like, was yet another 1994 red. This time, it was the 1994 Renwood Fiddletown Zinfandel from an ancient vineyard in Amador county. It was massive, deep, rich, silky, dense and ripe. Black walnuts, chunky monkey like chocolate, ripe raisins, bing cherry, blueberry and plum flavors. The only question about this wine is will the fruit or alcohol win out, for it's really a high test red.
Here's a wine that had everyone at Roy's front bar just going WOW. The 1993 Domaine Maris Carte Noir Minervois. Priced at $6.49 back in 1995, I remember drinking one of these with a former flame and getting the "ooo, don't give me wines like this" response. So I forgot about the two remaining bottles, buried them in the back of one of the cellars and last night got around to trying one of them...WOW...All I can say is thanks to her for letting me not share them then. The Maris was dazzling wine made from Grenache and Syrah . ...Leading off with a cinnamon and lilac bouquet, the red Languedoc wine stirred up the palate with deep blueberry and blackberry flavors, with a bright and flavorful telltale Garrigue aroma and taste. Black plums, cherries and blueberry fruit in a finish that all seemed to never end.
I opened one of the 1995 Domaine La Tour Vieille Cuvee Puig Oriol on Sunday which sadly was corked. So last night, being a believer of if at first you don't succeed, try, try again, I did. And am I ever glad of that. The bottle was pristine and stunning. A blend of Mourvedre, Carignane, Grenache and Syrah, I continually think of the Collioure region along the French La Cote Vermille as the Bandol of the deep south. This inky black, wine is loaded with soft leather, blueberry and black raspberry flavors, kirsch, cassis and black cherry fruits. Already smooth and forward, I see this wine lasting another 10 years in the cellar---if I can keep my hands off of the rest of them.
Then there were two wines from the same producer of Vieux Telegraphe, the 1998 Domaine Vieux de Mas Papes Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge and the 1999 Domaine Vieux de Mas Papes Blanc. The white was floral, rich, unctuous. Something happens to Rhone whites after a few years, they become thick and rich, but not caramelized. The Roussanne and Marsanne seems to develop deep flavors of cloves, honey and nutmeg, while having nice layers of sub tropical fruit in the form of honeydew and cantaloupe flavors. The red on the other hand was simply decadent. Made from 100 percent Grenache fruit, the wine is not a second label wine to Vieux Telegraphe. It is a world class Chateauneuf du Pape on its own merits. Meaty, and loaded with wild cherry like jam, blackberry, elderberry and jimson flavors, the stone plum fruit flavors, along with a hint of herbal spices and coffee made this wine a real winner.
Ah, the joys of a cellar !
Take for example the 1994 Martin Codax Albarino, a delicate white from Spain made from 100 percent Albarino, a grape that is not that much unlike Viognier with it's Condrieu like perfumed bouquet. At age eight this wine should be past it's peak. It wasn't. To be candid, I was floored at how fresh and lively the wine was, complete with apricot, pear and peach flavors. It had a defined crispness and steely mineral base that made it a perfect compliment to the marinated scallops in Havana Key Lime juice, served with wilted collard and mustard greens that had been sautéed in olive and white truffle oil, fresh minced garlic and crushed red pepper.
Then there was the 1994 Mas Cal Demoura Coteaux du Languedoc. I've been slowly drinking up my stash of this bargain find from the hills just outside of Montpellier. This small lot red, produced by the now retired Jean-Pierre Jullien (the father of Olivier Jullien of Mas Jullien) is a delightful blend of Syrah, Grenache, and then 90 year old vine Carignane. It is a wine that only a Zinfandel lover could appreciate, for the old vine Carignane is often time found in the field blends of California Zin. Over the past six years, I've opened one of these each year, always amazed at how well made, perfectly developed and forward the wine is becoming. Now also at age the wine is pure velvet, with spice, fruit and complexity somewhere between a Chateauneuf du Pape and an old vines Gigondas. Black raspberry, the typical Garrigue flavors and scents, tar, chewy cherries, cassis and plums made this wine a sheer delight.
Equally impressive, if not almost port like, was yet another 1994 red. This time, it was the 1994 Renwood Fiddletown Zinfandel from an ancient vineyard in Amador county. It was massive, deep, rich, silky, dense and ripe. Black walnuts, chunky monkey like chocolate, ripe raisins, bing cherry, blueberry and plum flavors. The only question about this wine is will the fruit or alcohol win out, for it's really a high test red.
Here's a wine that had everyone at Roy's front bar just going WOW. The 1993 Domaine Maris Carte Noir Minervois. Priced at $6.49 back in 1995, I remember drinking one of these with a former flame and getting the "ooo, don't give me wines like this" response. So I forgot about the two remaining bottles, buried them in the back of one of the cellars and last night got around to trying one of them...WOW...All I can say is thanks to her for letting me not share them then. The Maris was dazzling wine made from Grenache and Syrah . ...Leading off with a cinnamon and lilac bouquet, the red Languedoc wine stirred up the palate with deep blueberry and blackberry flavors, with a bright and flavorful telltale Garrigue aroma and taste. Black plums, cherries and blueberry fruit in a finish that all seemed to never end.
I opened one of the 1995 Domaine La Tour Vieille Cuvee Puig Oriol on Sunday which sadly was corked. So last night, being a believer of if at first you don't succeed, try, try again, I did. And am I ever glad of that. The bottle was pristine and stunning. A blend of Mourvedre, Carignane, Grenache and Syrah, I continually think of the Collioure region along the French La Cote Vermille as the Bandol of the deep south. This inky black, wine is loaded with soft leather, blueberry and black raspberry flavors, kirsch, cassis and black cherry fruits. Already smooth and forward, I see this wine lasting another 10 years in the cellar---if I can keep my hands off of the rest of them.
Then there were two wines from the same producer of Vieux Telegraphe, the 1998 Domaine Vieux de Mas Papes Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge and the 1999 Domaine Vieux de Mas Papes Blanc. The white was floral, rich, unctuous. Something happens to Rhone whites after a few years, they become thick and rich, but not caramelized. The Roussanne and Marsanne seems to develop deep flavors of cloves, honey and nutmeg, while having nice layers of sub tropical fruit in the form of honeydew and cantaloupe flavors. The red on the other hand was simply decadent. Made from 100 percent Grenache fruit, the wine is not a second label wine to Vieux Telegraphe. It is a world class Chateauneuf du Pape on its own merits. Meaty, and loaded with wild cherry like jam, blackberry, elderberry and jimson flavors, the stone plum fruit flavors, along with a hint of herbal spices and coffee made this wine a real winner.
Ah, the joys of a cellar !
Comments:
Post a Comment
