A couple of bin ends that fell through the cracks and deep into the
oubliette:

'91 Morgon (Jacques Trichard). No expectations. But actually a big
Morgon nose, black fruit, stone, sous-bois. Pleasant in the mouth like
old pinot (though all gamay I'm sure) with a lively acidity, medium
long. All in all a very enjoyable quaff, and even stood up unexpectedly
to spicy peanut vegetables on the side of the roast chicken. I think
good cellar conditions in Normandie saved this wine, as far as I can
remember it has never traveled (like most of our wine).

'85 Cornas (Delas Freres). Some expectations; Cornas can certainly keep
this long but this is not the highest example of the art. Tired
mushroomy nose didn't promise much. In the mouth muted bramble and tar
with a little leather and smoke. Recognizably old syrah but I wouldn't
ever have guessed Cornas blind. Over the hill, we sent it to the long
sleep over a non-demanding dinner of lentils with pancetta and spring
onions, which it accompanied with all the panache it could muster.

On Jul 2, 4:42*am, Emery Davis > wrote:
> A couple of bin ends that fell through the cracks and deep into the
> oubliette:
>
> '91 Morgon (Jacques Trichard). *No expectations. *But actually a big
> Morgon nose, black fruit, stone, sous-bois. *Pleasant in the mouth like
> old pinot (though all gamay I'm sure) with a lively acidity, medium
> long. *All in all a very enjoyable quaff, and even stood up unexpectedly
> to spicy peanut vegetables on the side of the roast chicken. *I think
> good cellar conditions in Normandie saved this wine, as far as I can
> remember it has never traveled (like most of our wine).
>
> '85 Cornas (Delas Freres). Some expectations; Cornas can certainly keep
> this long but this is not the highest example of the art. *Tired
> mushroomy nose didn't promise much. In the mouth muted bramble and tar
> with a little leather and smoke. *Recognizably old syrah but I wouldn't
> ever have guessed Cornas blind. *Over the hill, we sent it to the long
> sleep over a non-demanding dinner of lentils with pancetta and spring
> onions, which it accompanied with all the panache it could muster.

I love it when I find the odd bottle lurking in an overlooked bin in
my cellar and I open it with little expectation. I've been working
hard to ferret out these wines and I've found far more good than bad
which I chalk up to good storage condition and wise buying in the
first place..:-)

Emery Davis wrote:
> A couple of bin ends that fell through the cracks and deep into the
> oubliette:
>
> '91 Morgon (Jacques Trichard). No expectations. But actually a big
> Morgon nose, black fruit, stone, sous-bois. Pleasant in the mouth like
> old pinot (though all gamay I'm sure) with a lively acidity, medium
> long. All in all a very enjoyable quaff, and even stood up unexpectedly
> to spicy peanut vegetables on the side of the roast chicken. I think
> good cellar conditions in Normandie saved this wine, as far as I can
> remember it has never traveled (like most of our wine).
>
> '85 Cornas (Delas Freres). Some expectations; Cornas can certainly keep
> this long but this is not the highest example of the art. Tired
> mushroomy nose didn't promise much. In the mouth muted bramble and tar
> with a little leather and smoke. Recognizably old syrah but I wouldn't
> ever have guessed Cornas blind. Over the hill, we sent it to the long
> sleep over a non-demanding dinner of lentils with pancetta and spring
> onions, which it accompanied with all the panache it could muster.

Yeah, Delas in the '80s wasn't the most exciting of producers. It'd be
interesting to know who they got their grapes from, as it might be a
vintner of some repute today.

Mark Lipton

On 07/03/2012 06:04 AM, Mark Lipton wrote:
> Emery Davis wrote:
>> A couple of bin ends that fell through the cracks and deep into the
>> oubliette:
>>
>> '91 Morgon (Jacques Trichard). No expectations. But actually a big
>> Morgon nose, black fruit, stone, sous-bois. Pleasant in the mouth like
>> old pinot (though all gamay I'm sure) with a lively acidity, medium
>> long. All in all a very enjoyable quaff, and even stood up unexpectedly
>> to spicy peanut vegetables on the side of the roast chicken. I think
>> good cellar conditions in Normandie saved this wine, as far as I can
>> remember it has never traveled (like most of our wine).
>>
>> '85 Cornas (Delas Freres). Some expectations; Cornas can certainly keep
>> this long but this is not the highest example of the art. Tired
>> mushroomy nose didn't promise much. In the mouth muted bramble and tar
>> with a little leather and smoke. Recognizably old syrah but I wouldn't
>> ever have guessed Cornas blind. Over the hill, we sent it to the long
>> sleep over a non-demanding dinner of lentils with pancetta and spring
>> onions, which it accompanied with all the panache it could muster.
>
> Yeah, Delas in the '80s wasn't the most exciting of producers. It'd be
> interesting to know who they got their grapes from, as it might be a
> vintner of some repute today.
>

True enough. In those days there were far fewer independent winemakers
in Cornas; virtually everyone either sold the grapes or brought them to
the Coop. Many of the plots there are very small, I think the total AOC
(or is it AOP now) surface is only 111 ha.

On 07/02/2012 07:34 PM, Bi!! wrote:
> I love it when I find the odd bottle lurking in an overlooked bin in
> my cellar and I open it with little expectation. I've been working
> hard to ferret out these wines and I've found far more good than bad
> which I chalk up to good storage condition and wise buying in the
> first place..:-)

Good storage really helps! I can't call all of the bottles I've found in
this way wise decisions, though. But I agree, it's always fun to
stumble across a forgotten bottle, it brings back memories of the time
when it was bought -- I think I got the Cornas from Brookline Liquors no
less, long before we moved to France! -- and sometimes you find a real
surprise.

cheers,