The 2020 Pandemic of COVID-19 has left people feeling both isolated and depressed. One of the best things I found in the second week of isolation was groups of friends who would get together on line, have drinks, and talk about their feelings: what they are experiencing, be it isolation and depression, simply how they were surviving, or just what happened to be in their glass.
Say no more, I was IN! Here was an opportunity to simply pull from my cellar and grab something my palate was asking for, to see some friendly faces and say hi! So here we go!
Domaine du Bouscat, Caduce Bordeaux Supérieur 2012. 13.5% ABV, SRP $15/bottle.
Deep garnet with purple edging, the nose is rich and foreboding. The palate is full of dark red and black fruit, heavy on the black currants, with mellowing tannin, and solid acidity. Secondary notes are of eucalyptus, forest floor, pipe tobacco, and granite. This is the last bottle of a case I purchased years ago; each bottle has been an excellent bargain and what a pleasure to enjoy it over the last half-decade. I paired this with red meat, grilled asparagus, baked cauliflower, and gouda cheese over the course of five days and the wine evolved into a more aromatic, less tannic, gentle view of Bordeaux. Either way, it was delicious and fun to finish up this case of wine that had become a trusted friend.
All content: copyright 2020, JvB UnCorked. All Rights Reserved.
2018 Bourboulenc, Acquiesce Winery, Lodi, CA. 13.5% ABV, SRP $28/bottle.
Pale gold in color, the nose offers honey, apricot, and a hint of geranium. On the palate is a beautiful fruit compote of pear, orange, green apple and honeysuckle. Supple acidity swirls across the top palate with a lovely lemon zest finish. I paired this on two evenings with turkey cutlet and whole wheat pasta, the wine is so flavorful and luscious, while maintaining a gentle, restrained, and crisp flavor profile. This is a wine that I pour and my guests simply ask for more, more, and more. You will do the same, and will feel lucky to have found a great resource for this rare Rhône varietal in Lodi, California.
Julien Sunier 2018 Fleurie, Gamay, Beaujolais, France. 12% ABV, $29/bottle from Crush Wine & Spirits
Those who are lovers of Burgundy are often fans of Cru Beaujolais. I am one of these people! Those who seek the exquisite, top end of the gamay grape are rewarded by passionate, expert winemakers who craft their small plots into wines of perfection. This is a perfect example: the 2016 vintage was ravaged by hail. The grapes suffered, harvests were smaller, but flavors soared. I opened this bottle last night, and could not stop tasting. The wine is classically pale ruby with a glamorous and perfumed nose, while flavors explode off the palate. Sour cherry, red currants, red plum, a hint of young strawberry lead into a beautiful acidity, with soaring minerality. Everything feels slightly larger than life, and for the wine lover, that means you will want glass after glass, bottle after bottle. Believe me, if you love the high-end gamay, you will adore this wine. Sunier is a winemaker’s winemaker; this is a geeky glass of wine heaven. My only regret on this wine is simply having not purchased more.
All content: copyright 2020, JvB UnCorked. All Rights Reserved.
What’s in your glass?
à votre santé!
Chateau Musar 2009 White Blend
11 AprChateau Musar 2009 White Blend, Bekka Valley, Lebanon. 12.5% ABV, SRP $49/bottle.
Color is medium gold. The nose is a savory blend of fruit and spice: rich banana and pear, secondary floral and spice notes, with melted butter. On the palate are pineapple, baked apple, and lemon zest both mature and refined, with subdued acidity. It lingers with a glamorous and classic sensibility. I paired this with Matzoh ball soup, baked chicken and steamed vegetables, then the next day with meat loaf (yes, white wine with red meat), and on a third day with home made pizza.
A blend of two historic grapes and vines that range from 50-90 years of age, the 2009 Musar white is comprised of 66% Obaideh and one third Merwah, two grapes that are indigenous to Lebanon but are supposedly relatives of chardonnay and semillon. Without question, it is a joy to drink an eleven year-old white Bordeaux style blend that is one of Musar’s ‘classic’ vintages still under Serge Hochar’s supervision before his passing in 2014.
This bottle was stored on its side in my wine cellar for several years before removal. It uncorked easily with a standard waiter’s corkscrew, the cork still in excellent condition. The wine excels with a touch of air, -we let it breathe for 30 minutes before serving- but the flavors fully opened after about an hour. The wine lasted four days when refrigerated after opening without change to character or flavor profile.
If you are a lover of Bordeaux Blanc and world wines, Musar’s 2009 is a must-taste for perspective on a classic winemaker, as well as for Middle Eastern winemaking in the historic Bordeaux style.
à votre santé!
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Tags: Bordeaux Style White Blend, Chateau Musar, Historic White Wine, Lebanese Wine, White wine review, Wine Commentary