Chablis and Chateauneuf at A Cote

Six of us went to dinner at A Cote in Oakland after a Distinguished Scientist lecture by James Davis at Berkeley Lab. I did my best to organize some quick wines, even though A Cote has a nice list of their own. We had thought of going to Chez Panisse, but the $25 cancellation fee (X 6) discouraged me, not to mention the $25 corkage fee.

Anyway, first up was one of my perennial favorites that I am posting on again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record: a 2004 Fevre Chablis Montee de Tonnerre. I had purchased the 2004 Fevre les Clos after tasting a couple of brilliant bottles, but somehow had neglected to buy any more from this excellent vintage. Well, I grabbed 4 of these at Premier Cru for a bargain price, and we were not disappointed. The wine shows a bit less power than its Grand Cru neighbors, but conveys quite successfully the complex, weightless style of the best Montee de Tonnnerre. Delicate, almost feminine, with distinct saline tidal pool aromas and flavors and sharply delineated mineral-infused citrus notes, this is thoroughly enjoyable now, even if maturity is some way off. I would save the rest of my bottles to see some further evolution here, but this really is classic Chablis in its delineation and precision and complexity, even it cannot measure up to the sheer power of the Grand Cru, or to the heftier Dauvissat Premier Cru...

Next up was a 2001 Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape, which previously had shown a bit of a hard edge when young. Well, this one seems to have turned the corner quite nicely, taking on a creamier, softer almost Burgundian character with eight years in the bottle. The firm, tightly wound character of the wine has given way to a more open and expressive style on the nose and palate, with ripe kirsch and garrigue notes emerging on the long finish. Excellent, and evidently much appreciated by the troops...