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| Somebody's got to bring home the bacon |
Another eclectic evening, one where variety did not come at the cost of quality, nor were the tried and true classics ignored. The setting is a relatively new place in Ramat-Hasharon, Alter.
Alphonse Mellot, Sancerre, Les Romains, 2019
Classic number one, which, in my opinion, underperformed (others enjoyed it more). At first, it's relatively mute in the nose, showing mostly grapefruit and obvious traces of oak. As it opens, the oaky notes are replaced by minerals. The palate is rich and flavorsome, but lacked the focus and tension I find in others available locally (Vacheron, Claude Riffault).
Chateau Beaucastel, Chateauneuf Blanc, Vieilles Vignes, 1998
I'd give it credit for being a classic, because of Beaucastel's reputation and because once upon a time, many of us loved Chateauneufs in general and were intrigued by the whites. Before we turned away from the Southern Rhone, we learned that the whites are charming early on, but then require long years of aging to come out of their shell. Because we stopped caring for Chateauneufs, none of us bothered to age a white. Well, one of us did and it was totally worth it. Beaucastel is unique in Chateauneuf for two things: the regular red is (supposedly) comprised of all the thirteen allowed varieties and the Vieilles Vignes is comprised solely of Rousanne.
The thing about tasting notes is we deal with a shared vocabulary. A wine like this falls into a niche where there are few communal terms, because few people taste aged whites and even fewer encounter this style of aged whites, where the age and oxidation bring out minerals, herbs and a spicy aftertaste, and let the fruit take an almost spectator role. If you've ever loved a mature Rioja, especially from Heredia, you'll swoon.
Yves Cuilleron, Cote-Rotie, Terres Sombres, 2010
A knockout nose of black pepper and roasted meat. A refined, tasty wine that reminds you why Cote-Rotie is the Bourgogne of the Rhone, an unquestionable classic and the wine of the night.
Chateau Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estephe 4me Cru, 2010
Nothing says "classic wine" better than Bordeaux. This is young, gifted and black (of fruit). Well-defined and well-formed, judiciously decorated by minerals.
Ridge Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018
Admittedly, not where I'm at, but definitely showcasing why Ridge is an American classic. This is archetypical Cabernet, almost a blasphemous name these days. It's not the overdone California Cab your hipster sommelier warned you about. It's quite balanced and elegant, showing a black cherries and mineral combination not unlike the Lafon-Rocher, only friendlier. I was surprised by how much I liked it.
Segal, Rechasim, Merlot, 2003
Only Avi Feldstein's magical touch could have made a classic icon out of a 19 year old Israeli Merlot. What we have here are the minerals typical of Avi’s reds and the firm softness of Merlot.
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