(not really TNs,. just impressions of a few of the many wines sampled)
So this year is 20th anniversary of my local non-serious (most people run to store day of tasting to buy wine) wine group. A truly great bunch of guys, and some of my best friends. So when Alex proposed a trip to France to celebrate, I said I’m in (my first vacation without Betsy in 23 years of marriage). I flew out Mon night, met Rob B at CDG Tuesday AM and then we took RERs through Paris and to Fontainebleau. Alex picked us up at station, and we headed to his family place in Samoreau. 9 cousins own the estate now, each with own house or apartment - Alex used his and his sister’s place to house us. Phenomenal setting.
By afternoon everyone was there, and the celebration started. Fred (chief planner and chef, and like Alex a French native) had made a great choucroute garnie.I didn’t care for the 2023 Christophe Auguste Aligote (sharp, thin) or a soft 2017 Weissenburg Pinot Gris, but liked an Alsace Riesling where I missed label and the 2018 Ch. D’ittenwiller Cremant d’Alsace (made by one of Alex’s cousins),. Fine beads, just a touch of RS, good persistence.
The next morning we piled into a van and headed to Sancerre (Alex’s place is 60-90 minutes from Sancerre, Chablis, Aube). A touristy but nice and informative visit at the Maison de Sancerre, then we went to Chavignol for lunch at Au p’tit Gouter. Highly recommended, cute menu place with a resident dog, they did however refuse to serve water (“it might rust you). I had trout/almond terrine , boudin noir, buttered leeks. Good pricing (US retail) on wines.
2022 Pierre Martin Sancerre
Crisp, snappy, classic. Green apple and tangerine with just a hint of gooseberry and white pepper. B+
2021 Pierre Martin Sancerre Rouge
Tart, crunchy fruit, not super long. B-
2021 Jolivet Sancerre Rouge
I haven’t had a Jolivet wine in years, and then only whites, but we had struck up a conversation with guy having lunch alone at next table, a 5th generation member of the family who was heading to US on sales trip this week. Glad we ordered- light but with more persistence than the Martin, bright cherry and raspberry, herbs. B
Then a visit to Domaine Henri Bourgeois. We started in rain looking at the hill of Mont Damnes, moved to shelter, came back as rain ended to watch a spectacular show of the cloud shadow fleeing across the famous hill. Then our guide (young, very nice, a recent viniculture grad who knew a lot about wine, less about Bourgeois) gave a nice tour and then tasting. We tasted the base (stainless steel) and upper end (barrel and amphora) from 3 types of soil- Argiles calcaires (Grande Reserve and Coteaux aux Valets) Kimmeridgiennes (Monts Damnes and Cotelin), and Silex (ES56 & D;Antan)) I ended up preferring the stainless steel in each case. The Monts Damnes was my fave. They also showed a sweet wine , the 2014 Vendagne de Novembres, which showed me why I never need to try another Sancerre area dessert wine (some others loved it).
Back in Samoreau dinner was actually in dining room at the actual chateau, but we just brought up charcuterie, cheese (compared a Meaux with 3 different local bries, Melun ended my fave), salad etc. Several forgettable wines, I also forgot one actually good Saumur blanc, the other wine I enjoyed was the 2020 Ermitage du Pic St. Loup Pic St. Loup Tour de Pierres. Pushing my ripeness preferences, but not overwhelming.
Next AM van to Burgundy, starting at Benoit Cantin in Irancy. No English here, but Alex and Fred were great translators. Benoit’s dad Bernard (87 and quite fun) told us about the estate and led tasting. I liked the ‘22 base Irancy (a little rustic, but honest) and the ‘21 La Grand Cote (smooth and bright), but my favorite wine was the ‘21 Cuvee Emeline, which had an exotic spicy topnote over a solid fruit base. I didn’t much care for the ‘20 Palotte, unsure if the vintage or the 10% Cesar. There was also a Ratafia - well done but not my thing. Benoit then came and gave us a tour of the winery and answered questions.
Lunch was at the Hostellerie des Clos in Chablis (I had good escargot and excellent sea bream). Fred handed me the huge wine list. Actually quite well priced, and I saw some good Chablis in our price range (Savary for 32 euros, etc). But I also saw some geeky wines that were fine values by US standards but more than I think Fred had budgeted (he did an estimate of all expenses -food, van/driver, etc- before we left US, we all paid, and afterwards we did final accounting- I paid another $27, pretty good estimate). I ended up asking for the wine to be on a separate check- my gift to group. 2017 V. Dauvissat Forest Chablis 1er for 220 euros for a mag (basically low retail for a 750 in US now). Lovely, long, and classic. Green apple, grapefruit, oystershell and just a hint of oak. Great acids, long mineral finish. A-/A
Then to Domaine Clotilde Davenne, where her son gave the tour. Great vistas, fun visit. I liked the 22 Aligote, but didn’t care for dull ‘22 St Bris. Then really liked a mag of 2012 St Bris VV. (fresh but with petrol and rocks). A Petit Chablis was surprisingly grassy, not for me. 22 Chablis was serviceable, liked a ‘21 Mont de Mileau that was full but with good verve. Cremant was ok, Irancy was chewy and tannic.
That night Fred made lamb stew, and we enjoyed a bottle of 2004 Cheval Blanc that Alex had rescued when his parents moved back to Paris. This didn’t have the power I associate with Cheval Blanc in top vintages, but it was elegant and refined. Black raspberry and cherry, espresso, some light earthy mushroom Silky texture. B+/A-
And on a 20th anniversary of a wine group, drinking Cheval Blanc, what else to do other than watch Sideways together (which I hadn’t seen since release 20 years ago). Good fun.
Friday we headed to the Aube, to the village of Montgueux (closest part of Champagne to our base). We visited Olivier Lassaigne, where Olivier’s wife (whose name I have misplaced) gave an excellent tour. I loved she was “selling “the current vintages, telling us the problems the heat has caused - “we can’t get enough acid.” Really an honest look at a small grower’s situation. She is the Montgueux rep with the INAO, she talked about difficulties of being southermost/warmest area trying to get INAO permission to start harvest earlier. The tasting was fun, I particularly enjoyed the Reserve BdB (NV that spent extra year before disgorgement) and the Saignee rose.
Then lunch at Pierre & Clement in Troyes. When in Troyes must have the andouillettede Troyes (I enjoyed it). Wine was the 2020 Borgnat “Tete de Cuvee” Bourgogne Coulanges -la-Vineuse. New appellation to me, apparently west of Irancy. Crunch raspberry and cherry, a bit of tannic structure, floral notes. I enjoyed (a bit to my snobbish surprise). B
Then a final dinner at Le Petit Cedre in Vulaines sur Seine, near our homebase. Really wonderful meal, I had salad with avocado and crayfish in a light sauce and then veal. I also sampled others terrine de foie gras, veal kidneys, and duck, all excellent. We just did pichets of Chablis and Irancy, perfectly serviceable.
One last breakfast (I had collected the eggs from coop night before) and then back to RER to CDG. Really had a blast. And best part was I liked all the guys even more than when we started!
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.