The Wine Scout Summer Party

With Summer upon us, my friend Patricia, aka The Wine Scout (http://www.thewinescout.com/) hosted a tasting party at her crib in Brooklyn. It was a perfect early Summer night and the flawless showing of the wines reflected this happy circumstance. A group of about ten friends and wine lovers got together to enjoy a fabulous menu of salad, cheeses and pot roast, with a dessert of absolutely scrumptious biscotti. The basic theme was French, but in deference to the Wine Scout’s tradition of highlighting New York State wines, a few exceptions were made at the beginning of the tasting to get things going.

Dirty Girl Chardonnay, Texas
A light to medium bodied Chard with a slight effervescence. It showed traditional melon and pear aromas and flavors. The Dirty Girl’s cousin from France would show up later in the evening.

Pugliese Vineyards Sparkling Blanc de Blanc Brut 2002
100% Chardonnay in the blanc de blanc style, this sparkling wine from the North Fork of Long Island showed well with a light body, decent mousse, and slightly sour apple on the nose and in the mouth. Good finish. A pleasant surprise. Definitely more complex and authentic than plenty of Champagne wanna-bes.

Domaine Guyot Pouilly-Fume 2005 “Les Loges”
Light yellow gold color. A fetching nose of grass, grapefruit and other citrus fruits. In the mouth the wine is soft and gets softer and more seductive as it warms. Medium bodied with great balance between fruit, acid and texture. Medium long finish. It was wonderful with a citrus and (sunflower? Pine nuts?) flavored salad and the cheeses. A classic style of wine from a wine region that remains slightly under the radar in the US. Elegant and refined with sex appeal and a great value, to boot.

2005 Domaine la Garrigue Cotes du Rhone “Cuvee Romaine”
This wine, a blend of 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah, is somewhat controversial. Rated a whopping 91 by Robert Parker, it carries a price tag that’s distinctly on the other side of the spectrum from many wines that have recently received the benefit of his largesse. The rating seems to be somewhat inflated, possibly because the wine is an excellent value, but either way, it was a hit at the tasting. A very competent CdR of the black cherry and spice variety, it has a dark purple color and zesty nose of black cherry, spices, earth and perhaps some crème de cassis. More of the same flavors show up on the palate, with good complexity and texture. The wine is full bodied with a medium long finish. There’s well integrated tannin in a low acid style for 2005. Balance is excellent overall and this example had none of the gooeyness that a previous bottle possessed. Don’t know if it will last ten years as RP believes but that’s mainly because folks will be chugging it down at parties all Summer long from St. Tropez to Fort Greene, Malibu and beyond. A very solid wine.

Marc Colin 2002 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge “Les Encegnieres”
As big of a hit as the previous wine was, this single vineyard red Burg from the much lauded ’02 vintage glided past like a vintage Bugatti overtaking a gas guzzling 70s muscle car on hairpin turn in the rain. Colin’s style is no doubt a modern one, but this wine proved that his reds can gain in complexity over the short term. Some mature brownish tones showed in the garnet/ruby color. The wine’s nose was classic pinot, with sweet cherries and incense. Some strawberries emerged later. Smooth but with fine tannins and perfectly balanced acidity, it was a match made in heaven for the beautifully done pot roast that was served by the Wine Scout. The fruit is simultaneously round and bright and the finish very suave. A crowd-pleaser.

Domaine Ramonet 2002 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge
However, the glory of Colin’s delicious rouge had a limited timeframe. The legendary (for their whites, at least) Ramonet produced some great value reds in ’02, and they’re aging beautifully. It was a fascinating pairing, really, showing the subtle differences in the house styles. The Ramonet was a little fatter and had more of a velvety texture and was more opulent, plus there were some subtle almond or praline notes. Much the same aromatic and flavor profile, but with more subtlety and complexity. Everyone agreed, as much as they liked the previous wine, that the Ramonet was clearly better. Classy, complex, elegant, sexy, smooth – what more do you want from a wine?

Chateau de Fieuzal 2003 Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux
Just to bring everyone back to earth, we next sampled this sweet little Bordeaux from the torridly hot 2003 vintage. A deep, semi-opaque red, the wine has a ton of sweet oak on the nose and in the palate, plus cherry and some pruney flavors. It doesn’t lack for charm, however, and I included it in the tasting because it was much enjoyed, with a slight smirk, perhaps, at a broad tasting of Pessac wines earlier in the year. It tasted exactly the same as before. Light to medium body for a cru class Bordeaux, but there is nice texture with some glycerin and mild chunkiness. A wine that many would enjoy at table or in the garden, it nonetheless suffered in comparison to the two high society denizens of the previous flight. Charming and slightly slutty, but perfect for dinner and a movie when the SO is away on business or visiting with the in-laws.

Chateau Gloria 2002 St. Julien, Bordeaux
The ’02 Gloria offered a return to a much more traditional style of Bordeaux. A dark purple color was accompanied by a somewhat reticent nose. The palate was anything but, however, displaying significant soft tannin along with plenty of liquorice and dark fruits. Full bodied. There was also an element of charcoal or dark chocolate and the overall impression was of a dark toned, complex Bordeaux that was somewhat evolved. The texture was fairly soft as well with balanced acidity and a good finish. Most preferred this wine to the ’03 de Fieuzal. A classic style of Gloria, however I’m not sure it will ever rival the ’96, my favorite so far.

Chateau Bastor Lamontagne 2001 Sauternes, Bordeaux
Fortunately for the Bordeaux fans in attendance and the crowd in general, the inclusion of this wine in the lineup insured that the Southwestern stronghold of France’s illustrious wine industry would not go down swinging at the clever hands of their rivals to the East, those ever elusive and seductive Burgundians. It often seems unfair to many a great lineup of dry red wines to conclude with Sauternes, but that’s often the nature of how things work. Upon release, Bastor Lamontagne’s 2001 offering seemed a bit on the light side, with an iridescent and complex mixture of tropical fruit flavors whispering and winking from a distance in the somewhat dilute palate. Worries over whether this wine would last or perform were dashed immediately upon pulling the cork however, and the reputation of the fabulous ’01 vintage in Sauternes was upheld and increased. A pure, enticing light gold color was joined by an intensely alluring aroma of honey, butterscotch, apricot and orange. Full bodied, a huge surprise, and a viscous texture added to the very satisfying experience. More honey and apricot on the palate concluded with a pure, long finish. Great balance, with excellent acidity holding it all together. Everyone loved this wine and if it didn’t exactly even the score, it at least offered a chance for some to argue over a split decision.

Overall it was a wonderful and exciting night with great company, excellent wines and delicious food. Stay tuned for more of the Wine Scout’s events!