PEO Social Wine Tasting

PEO Social Wine Tasting

Wife Linda's service organization had a social gathering with a wine tasting hosted by Julie, and I was delighted to comply with the invitation to curate the wine flight for them. 

Julie prepared an extensive food course with which to pair a flight of wines - a selection of artisan cheeses from brie to manchego, followed by turkey breast followed by a beef tenderloin with a coffee rub preparation which gave it a charred taste that I love. Along the way were fresh grapes and apple slices with crackers to cleanse and reset the pallet through the courses.

I pulled a white and two red wines to accompany their foods from our cellar collection. I selected aged vintage wines in that 'Goldilocks window', not too old and not too young, so as to hopefully best represent the wines, and as part of proper cellar inventory management. In the end, the wine selections nicely complemented the foods for a wonderful tasting experience that was enjoyed by all.

The opening wine was from Andretti Cellars, a fun commemoration of one of the diner member's enthusiasm, legacy and career in the auto industry with wine from the legendary International race car driver Mario Andretti. 

The wine I selected for their opening course was Villa Andretti Napa Valley Moscato 2019. 

 

We discovered and acquired this wine at the winery during our Napa Valley Wine Experience in 2019.

Andretti Winery strive to create wines that are both fruit-forward and food-friendly, wines that can be thoroughly enjoyed with a meal today or tucked away in the cellar for additional complexity. 

This is sourced from various California vineyards. Most Andretti wine are sourced from the Andretti Winery estate vineyard in the Oak Knoll appellation AVA of the Napa Valley, a 42-acre estate vineyard, planted with Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. The Oak Knoll location is blessed with a climate is cooler than the upper reaches of the Napa Valley, yet warmer than the Carneros region to the south, making it especially conducive to growing diverse varietals such as Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. This unique climate, combined with quick-draining soils, yields small but intensely flavored grapes, just the sort of fruit that produces the very best wines.

This was ideal with the selection of cheeses and as a pivot to the turkey breast. 

Winemaker's notes - Lovely aromas of Bartlett pear syrup, honeysuckle, lavender and orange zest practically jump out of the glass.  There is a wonderful balance between acid and sugar on the palate for someone that likes a lightly sweet wine and a finish that lasts forever with hint of Meyer lemon and limoncello.

 https://andrettiwinery.com/andretti-wines/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3297286  

The next wine was a Burgundian Pinot Noir to complement the turkey breast and serve as a pivot to the beef tenderloin.

Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin "Champerrier" Vieilles Vignes Côte de Nuits 2005 

We acquired several bottles of this label back in 2011 and last tasted it in 2021 when I wrote about the producer and estate in detail in this blogpost- Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes.

Vieilles Vignes meaning “old wines” in French, the label actually indicates that the grapes used to make this bottle comes from older aged vines. In Burgundy, this generally means the vines are at least twenty-five years of age or older. 

I wrote in that tasting note - "Its hard to believe but its been almost ten years since I last tasted this label from our cellar. Back then, on 12/26/2011 - I wrote: "Very open and expressive - bright berry, strawberry, mulberry, spice and wood with long moderate tannin finish."

"Consistent with my tasting ten years ago too, this had similar tasting profile and the I blindly gave it the same rating. It showed no diminution of aging whatsoever and it likely still at its apex of its drinking profile.'

"This was garnet colored, medium bodied, bright, concentrated ripe red and blue berry fruits with earthy minerality and violet notes, smooth silky texture with firm but approachable tannins."

Two years later, tonight, at fifteen years of age, the fill level, label, foil, and most importantly, the cork, were all in ideal condition. This wine remains in its prime drinking window, albeit approaching the end and will start to diminish with age in the next few years.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/01/domaine-tortochot-gevrey-chambertin.html

Another Cellartracker review wrote: Very open and expressive - bright berry, strawberry, mulberry, spice and wood with long moderate tannin finish.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=537162

Our hostess, Julie, was so enthused by this wine, she went down and selected from her cellar a favored Pinot Noir to try as a tasting comparison with the Burgundian Pinot. Indeed, this is the fun of a tasting with several others, the ability to share and compare several wines. 

Gary Farrell Sonoma Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2019

We know this producer and wine well having visited the winery and estate during our Napa/Sonoma Wine Experience back in 2017. I wrote about this producer and our visit there in this earlier blogpost.

This provided a wonderful contrast in profiles and characteristics of two wines of the same varietal at different stages of their aging window.  The Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier was bigger, bolder, brighter and actually a bit obtuse when compared with the smoother and softer Farrell Sonoma RRV, which was more 'behaved' and approachable for enjoyable drinking. In the end, both were delightful and paired with the foods well, each favoring a cheese and meat that had the more complementary profile. 

Farrell produces a extensive profile of ultra-premium single vineyard designated Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. This is their standard bottling blended from numerous vineyard sources.

This Russian River Selection bottling is classic Russian River Valley profile sourced and blended from several of the region’s top vineyards, taking advantage of varied climates and unique site characteristics. 

Grapes in this release are sourced from the following vineyards Hallberg, Rochioli, Toboni, Martaella, Bacigalupi, Nonella and
Pratt-Lakeview. 

The Rochioli and Bacigalupi vineyards are located in the Middle Reach subdivision, where close proximity to the river awards foggy mornings, warm and sunny days, and cool nights – the perfect balance that characterizes the Russian River Valley. The Toboni and Nonella vineyards are located in the Santa Rosa Plain, a distinctly cooler and foggier sub-region, and the Hallberg and Dutton sites within the Green Valley sub-appellation exhibit even more extreme and cooler conditions. A beautiful expression of the varietal and of the appellation’s
unique terroir, this Pinot Noir blend captures the richness, purity and elegance that are Gary Farrell Winery’s trademarks.

This release was aged 10 months in 30% new French oak.

Winemakers' notes - "Raspberries, red currant and strawberry conserve dominate the nose with underlying
tones of tobacco and forest fl oor. Hints of cola, summer jasmine, honeysuckle, and rose petals further the intrigue. The palate presents a striking brightness and purity, coupled with a generous mouthfeel that delivers fl avors of fresh cherries, garden herbs, and sweet baking spice."

This was rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4157367

https://www.garyfarrellwinery.com/

Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Red Bordeaux Blend 2010 

This is one of our favorite go-to wines when we want a sophisticated, more complex Bordeaux Blend, rather than a single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. 

In the profile of a true Bordeaux Blend, Tapestry is a blend of the all classic Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

We had a bottle of this label just last week when I featured it in more detail in these pages - BV Tapestry with beef bourgogne, when it was a fabulous complementary pairing with the beef. Tonight, this was an ideal pairing with the beef tenderloin - especially with the coffee rub preparation that gave it more complexity which I love.

I wrote about Tapestry a while back in a blogpost when we tasted this label at a Chicago restaurant for a team dinner; "Tapestry is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux Blend. I consider it a go-to wine, readily available and a safe reliable choice for easy drinking or special occasions, approachable when young but capable for aging. If your overwhelmed or intimidated by the plethora of wines available and not sure what to choose or take to or serve, Tapestry is a safe choice.'

"Our Cellartracker records indicate we hold more than a dozen vintages of this label dating back to the mid-nineties.  This is a classic Napa Valley label that provides high QPR - Quality Price Ratio for a Bordeaux Blend. Its another one of those high production label that I believe does a remarkable job achieving and maintaining the level of quality in high volumes and is approachable when young but also has significant aging capability for cellaring. James Suckling says this is "A wine that harkens back to its traditions.”

The predominant Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the historic BV Ranches No.1 and No. 2 Napa Valley vineyards in Rutherford, selected from specific blocks of reserve-quality grapes that give Tapestry the combined attributes of rich character and softer tannins for relatively early approachability. To complement the Rutherford Bench Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is added from Beaulieu’s vineyard in the Los Carneros region and the remaining grapes in the Blend from various Napa Valley vineyards. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1668974

https://www.bvwines.com/

Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes

Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes Grand Vin de Bourgogne 2005

Linda prepared pork chops and I pulled from the cellar this authentic Grand Vin de Bourgogne,  Burgundy Pinot Noir as an ideal accompaniment. 

This is from Côte de Nuits in the northern part of the Côte d’Or, home to some of the most famous vineyards and wine communes in the world. There are more Grand Cru appellations in the Côte de Nuits than anywhere else in Burgundy. Of the fourteen communes, or villages in the Côte de Nuits, six produce Grand Cru wines. They include Gevrey-Chambertin, as well as Morey-St.-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Flagey-Échezeaux and Vosne-Romanee. 

Some of the vineyards within the Côte de Nuits are tiny, which adds to their prestige. The fabled Grand Cru vineyard La Romanee is barely two square acres. Altogether there are twenty-four Grand Cru vineyards. The region takes its name from the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Côtes de Nuits produces mostly reds from Pinot Noir, and the wines have been in demand for centuries. During the 18th century King Louis XIV’s physician recommended that for his health the king only drink wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges. Like most of Burgundy, the soils of the Côte de Nuit can vary greatly from one vineyard to another, though most are a base soil of limestone mixed with clay, gravel and sand.

Domaine Tortochot consists of four appellations sites totaling 27 acres. The Tortochot family have managed the property as vine growers in Gevrey for four generations. In the 19th century Paul Tortochot was a modest “vigneron” on the “Place des Marroniers”. His son Félix married Louise Liébaut from Morey Saint Denis, the neighbouring village. Liébaut's Family was well-known in Morey, there was even a variety of Pinot Noir named after the ancestor Eugène. Gabriel, the son of Félix ran the estate for many years before moving aside to let his two daughters, Brigitte & Chantal, take over. Today, Chantal runs the estate’s day-to-day activities.

After graduating from business school, Chantal spent 15 years working for an American petrochemical company in finance. At the urging of her father, Gabriel, she set out in industry and gained experience before eventually joining and taking over the family estate. Both Chantal's children are studying medicine and her husband is a doctor.

After years in America in industry, Chantal returned to the family wine estate. At 35, she passed key certification exams at the Dijon wine university, before taking control of the estate. Chantal is one of a growing breed of “viticulteurs” in Burgundy, bi-lingual and with valuable international business experience. Chantal is knowledgable and passionate about her vineyards and their distinctive terroir. “We are blessed with having some of the best terroir in Burgundy. When the hills first formed hundreds of millions of years ago, the tectonic plates were displaced in such a way as to produce a unique sub-soil made up of different types of limestone and a perfect mixture of clay & marne.”

When talking about her style of Pinot Noirs, Chantal explains: “Here we make a more traditional Gevrey Chambertin, with lots of fruit, strong tannins and good acidity. These are not really Pinots that can be drunk early…you have to be a little patient.”

Gevrey Chambertin has a rare and unique “Terroir”, with its “alluvial fan” in a valley situated to the west of Gevrey called “La Combe de Lavaux”. Its is notable that 9 of the 33 Grand Crus come from this village including the famous Chambertin as well as 26 Premier Crus!

Producer supplied map of Gevrey Chambertin and
Domaine Tortochot parcels

 

Domaine Tortochot is in the village of Gevrey Chambertin, also the name of the wine appellation. The town boasts over 100 wine estates with Tortochot one of the more famous estates. Tortochot have parcels dispersed in 4 village appellation sites, Morey Saint Denis and those in Gevrey Chambertin, each with distinctive terroir that produces wine with its own style. The appellation formed on the lower slopes of Côte St. Jacques and Brochon. The wines produced here include Au Vellé, En Champs, Jeune Roisare and this Champerrier - powerful and fleshy, rich and aromatic wines with great ageing potential. 

The Champerrier parcel has old vines and is their oldest in all of Gevrey. The vines were planted by Félix Tortochot in 1920. They produce a wine with marvelous density and texture. Like so much of Burgundy, the vineyards are incredibly fragmented with many diverse small parcels, Champerrier is just slightly under two acres. Tortochot is noted as a "charming and impressive estate with professional ownership, a premier producer of Gevrey"!

That characteristic of Burgundy, the Bourgogne, being so fragmented into so many small distinct parcels, is one of the primary reasons that Burgundy wines are so maddeningly complex and confusing there being so many different labels and brands. 

Pictured at left is tonight's bottle. Pictured below is bottle from earlier tasting a decade ago, both from our cellar. 

Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes Champerrier 2005

This label is made from 40+ year old vines and as such is a very different wine than some of the others in the portfolio with a more forward concentrated style.

Its hard to believe but its been almost ten years since I last tasted this label from our cellar. Back then, on 12/26/2011 - I wrote: "Very open and expressive - bright berry, strawberry, mulberry, spice and wood with long moderate tannin finish."

Consistent with my tasting ten years ago, this had the same tasting profile and I blindly gave it the same rating. It showed no diminution of aging whatsoever and it likely still at its apex of its drinking profile.

This was garnet colored, medium bodied, bright, concentrated ripe red and blue berry fruits with earthy minerality and violet notes, smooth silky texture with firm forward tannins.

Both times I gave this RM 89 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=537162

http://www.tortochot.com/