Sunday night I was taking my brother and a couple of friends on a "run" with
things for needy in city, and so didn't have wine with dinner (Betsy's duck,
which cries for pinot noir!). But I did some tasting and spitting earlier, as
Rochambeau had their semi-annual tasting that afternoon. Wonderful setting
(Harvest, a lovely space with Hudson views), nicely spread out tables (15 from
various distributors), good stemware, nice crowd. 175 wines, and even spitting
I tried only maybe 25-35%. As much as possible, I tried to stick to ones I had
not tried but thought I might like. So probably tasted more European than New
World. No way to really rate wines or write real notes at this scale of
tasting, but I stuck most in categories:

The winners (I buy this week)
'99 O. Raffault Chinon "Picasses" - pourer thought rustic, I was surprised how
good it was - didn't think 1999 was a very good Loire red year? A little
chunky, a deal at $14
'02 Closel Savenierres "Papillon" - lives up to vintage hype
'02 Deletang Montlouis -ditto
'02 Bailly Pouilly-Fume "Les Loges" -getting the idea I like '02 Loires?
'01 Phelps Napa Cab.Sauv - a nice medium-sized cab
''03 Txomin Etxaniz - I liked '02, I like '03
'96 Pol Roger Rose - as good, no in fact better, than the superb '90
'03 Neil Ellis SB -nice clean wine
'03 Pieropan Soave - Clean and classic

Wish I could afford:
'02 Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet "Les Combettes" -excellent clean
Puligny, but no $60 bottles for me for a while

Glad I already bought:
'01 Coudolet
'02 Laroche Chablis St Martin

Maybe buy later:
'00 Nozzole CCR - sweet fruit, good acidity, but a tad too much new oak,
'02 Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare
'02 von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Spätlese
NV Gonzales Noe PX Byass Sherry
'02 Robert Groffier Bourgogne Rouge
'00 Batasiolo Barbaresco- bigger than other Barbarescos at tasting, deep
flavors surrounded by surprising (for Batasiolo) tannins
'00 Ch. Barreyres (Haut-Medoc)
'99 Melini CCR "La Selvanella"
'02 Moreau Chablis
'02 Olivier Leflaive St. Aubin "En Remilly"- not usually a huge fan of Olivier
Leflaive's wines, but this is nice

Confusing:
'02 Lignier-Michelot Chambolle VV - lots of oak, but sweet Chambolle fruit
underneath. Will it integrate?
'01 Ch. Potelle "VGS" Zinfandel- lots of oak, lots of spice, lots of berry
fruit. But what would I serve it with?

Also rans:
'03 Saintsbury Vin Gris- pleasant rosé
'00 Ponzi Pinot Noir Reserve "Anniversary" - ok, but a pass at $38
'02 Faiveley Macon-Prisse - ripe but forgettable
'01 Ladoucette Pouilly-Fume- nice, but not $25 nice
'99 Napanook CS- nice, but surprisingly tannic
'00 Dominus- even at $65 can't see value
'00 Renwood Barbera "Sierra"- does actually taste Barbera-ish, but some new
oak?
'00 Marchesi di Gresy Barbaresco
NV Gonzales Byass Palo Cortado Sherry
'01 Ch. Pibarnon Bandol Rouge
'99 Seghesio Barolo "La Villa" surprisingly forward
'02 Richter Riesling Qba- decent wine, but at $10 other Germans pass it
'01 Banfi Rosso di Mont.
'99 Remirez de Ganuza Reserva
'02 Mason SB -gooseberries in grass
'99 Frescobaldi Mormeto
'02 Droin Montee de Tonnere - a bit oaky, not a lot of mineral, too many other
'02 Chablis I prefer
'02 Soufrandiere Pouilly-Vinzelles "Quarts" - sweet fruit, but too oaky, and a
pass at $32.
'99 Guenoc Langtry Red
'02 Potel Vosne Romanee
'03 Villa Maria Riesling

Yawn:
'00 Lincourt PN
'00 Quintessa
'01 Cape Mentelle Chardonnay
'03 Jacobs Creek Riesling
'02 Far Niente Chardonnay
'02 Meulenhoff Erdner Treppchen Spatlese
'99 Vitccio "Monile" -oaky and soft
'02 Penfolds Bin 389 - a disappointing showing for a perennial buy
'03 Boschendal SB- too floral
'02 Ch. Fuisse Pouilly-Fuisse " Combettes"
'02 Potel-Avignon Moulin-a-Vent - my least fave '02 Beaujolais to date

Run Away at Price:
'98 Cordelian-Bages (Pauillac)- charmless, dilute fruit, green tannins. Others
liked better. $45

Run Away Regardless of Price:
'02 Pierre Andre "Reserve Vielles Vignes" Bourgogne- my note reads "blech!"
Dale

Dale Williams
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