AJ McClellan
Another beautiful day! We just left the doors open to see who would mosey on in.
We opened a couple of bottles to chum the waters and then sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the breeze and sunshine.
2006 Champy Signature Blanc – With a nose full of cooking spice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and white pepper backed by a subtle hint of buttered toast, this wine is the master of first impressions. The palate is an amazing encore to the nose, showing off its fantastic blend of toasty oak with pine nuts, cinnamon, caramelized pears, and white summer flowers. A robust minerality of wet limestone explodes on the finish with a fresh acidity to back it up; this is a brilliant summer wine for the patio.
2003 Guigal Tavel Rose – A true example of classic Rose, dry as a bone with a tart bitter bite on the end and, surprisingly enough, a slight note of leather on the finish. Perfect wine pairing for saltfish with its crisp acidity and sour fruit bite; this was a fun little wine.
2004 Guigal Chateau d’Ampuis – This is a great little bottle from one of my favorite producers in the world – Guigal. While not quite the elegant beast that is the La la’s, this wine is a third of the price. Roasted red cherries with burnt plums and smokey cranberries melting into a sea of forest floor and earthiness. Brilliant acidity with overtones of vanilla, toast, and cooking spice. This wine was drinking great right out of the bottle, but with some time to develop it only got better and better.
1988 Michel Bouzereau Meursault – This wine was drinking surprisingly well, reminding me of a cross between Montrachet and Corton Charlemagne. All of the honey of Montrachet – honey suckle, crystallized honey, and honeycomb – but with the toastiness and buttery popcorn of a great Corton. After opening up, the wine evolved to show new complexities of honeyed pear, big limestone, toast and burnt butter.
Then in walked Karl with a bag full of Betts & Scholl’s. Richard Betts is a Master Sommelier who has taken his passion for wine to the highest level – making his own label. As a fan of Dr Dre, the rapper, Richard shows his adoration with labels such as The OG and The Chronique (the Chronic). I have always been extremely impressed with Betts & Scholl wines and today was no exception.
2009 Betts & Scholl Riesling – Crisp and clean, this is a perfect, elegant example of what Riesling can do. Tropical fruits up front with pineapple, mango, papaya, starfruit, and guava. The palate had the crispness of a ripe Granny Smith apple with a cleanness that is attainable only by Riesling. With a slight finish of saltwater and horse apples this was a great way to start.
2007 Betts & Scholl The OG – It amazes me how you can get so much acidity out of Australia while still retaining the incredible fruit, structure, and delicate tannin balance, but somehow they manage to do it. Ripe roasted blueberries on the nose with slight watermelon and strawberry notes on the back. After taking some time with the wine you will start to discover the subtle layers of black earth, tanned leather, and rocky minerality.
2007 Betts & Scholl The Chronique – Slightly bigger than the OG with the velvety tannins more present but still retaining the blazing acidity and delicate balance that makes these wines so remarkable. Ripe red fruit up front with a beautiful expression of barnyard and funk filling in any cracks and allowing this wine to hit on all cylinders. The palate is refreshing with a powerful essence of strawberries that have been drying on the windowsill for a day or two. There is a finish of black pepper and blackberry jam. This wine was my favorite of the Betts & Scholl line up.
2005 Betts & Scholl Hermitage Rouge – From the vines of Chave and the winery of Chave but with Richard Betts personal twist; this was the blockbuster of the bunch. This wine had all the classic Hermitage qualities but with a slight new world twist bringing the fruit slightly more to the forefront but still retaining the balance of the wine. Big funk with barnyard and bales of hay up front but with a juicy red cherry evident through the earthiness of the wine. Stewed fruits on the palate with cedar, vanilla, big pepper, and beef jerkey.
2004 Fontanafredda Barolo – Karl had opened this bad boy up a day earlier and it was drinking like a champ. From the heralded 2004 vintage, this Fontanafredda Barolo surprised everyone around the table with its raw power contained by lively blue fruit and the classic nebbiolo notes of tar, mushroom, lavender, and a slight hint of lychee on the back.
Most of the wines mentioned above are available for sale. If you are interested in purchasing some vino please click here.