Two years ago I wrote about how much I enjoyed the Francois Cazin’s 1999 Le Petit Chambord Cour-Chevergny Vendanges Manuelles. When I saw the 2002 edition about a year ago, I immediately wanted to buy it. But I already had my hands full, and the same genius wine guy who recently steered me toward the bizarre 2005 Crima told me to stay clear of the Cazin. Something about it being a little off kilter.
In the moment, I listened and obeyed.
Fast forward to a recent visit to a local fancy supermarket, where I again found the 2002, priced at just $11.99. Temptation got me and I bought one, only to open it last night and find, well, something off kilter.
Now Cour-Chevergny isn’t typcial wine. Made from the Romorantin grape, it tends to show a unique blend earthy diesel notes balanced by pronounced red fruit and citrus, not unlike Riesling, with the honeycomb and lanolin edge of Chenin blanc.
The 2002 Le Petit Chambord Cour-Chevergny Vendanges Manuelles smells and tatses just that way, only with a fumey, slightly volatile bent to the aroma and a sour acidity on the palate that doesn’t mesh with the off dry sweetness.
The wine didn’t tasted flawed, just ripe and a bit on the edge, maybe over. We drank it over two nights but I didn’t really enjoy the wine. It was ok, just nothing like the 1999 I loved.
Go figure. 1999 was supposedly a difficult vintage, and 2002 just the opposite. Maybe my wine guy isn’t crazy from the Crima after all.
4 comments:
I wonder if the 2002 Cour Cheverny is going through a weird adolescent phase. I really enjoyed it when it was first released. The acids and demisec sweetness seemed to be in sync then. They can age very well as the '96 is drinking great right now. Anyway thanks for the post. I will leave the 02 bottles I have alone for a few more years.
Off topic, but I heard a rumor of one more String Cheese Incident at Horning's this summer. It will probably be the last time as they are supposedly breaking up after this summer's shows. Maybe an occasion for another Portland Jeebusito and a Romorantin tasting?
Hope you are doing well.
Best,
Marc D
Hey Marc, thanks for the comment. I don't know, maybe this wine's in a weird place. Knowing the producer, I wouldn't doubt that time may change things (back?) for the better. Still, I'm not buying more of this one.
I haven't heard anything about Horning's, but I'm up for a gathering should you be coming down this way. Might even have to spring for a ticket to catch the band before they go. Let me know if you hear more, and I'll do the same.
It's closed, dude. Put it away.
Or maybe it was in the channel for too long and cooked a bit?
I never thought of the vendanges as demi sec - could it be the cuvee renaissance that you're talking about Marc? I just tasted the 05 vendanges for the second time and didn't like it again, no matter how much i wanted to. I love Cazin, but it's his Cuvee Renaissance I love, the later harvest demi sec wine that's about $17.
Post a Comment