It’s been quiet around here in the last days – but the ‘action’ has been non-stop – my weekend wines were never-more needed than over the last days…

It began, last week, with a three day tour with a fine group of visitors to Chablis and the Côtes. I’d hired a car, as it’s always nicer to have a little more room when there are more than two people. All was good, until I returned the hire-car. My own car, left in the car-park, was nowhere to be seen when I returned. My first instinct was to look for ‘no-parking’ signs (the office was already closed for the night), assuming that it was going to cost me €150 to recover my car – but I found none. Next day when the staff returned – blank faces. The car had been stolen.

Of-course, there has been an onslaught of phone-calls and police reports since then – in both France and Switzerland. Cancelling the number plate (registration is through the insurance companies in Switzerland – if the car has number plates it is insured, if it hasn’t… That’s a great system), dealing with insurance companies and so-on. I was also having to look at options for a new car (and on, and on, and on…)

Last night the (Swiss) police called – ‘We have your car.‘ Hmm, stolen 300km away, but driven back into Switzerland by the thieves. Today our door locks were changed though, as a house-key was in the car – I said it was a long list of phone-calls! I don’t have any more details yet, and won’t get to pick the car up until next week, as the car-key awaits in France – I’d assumed that if the car was going to turn up, that it would be in France, not here in der Schweiz! Let’s see how it looks (and what remains in the car!) when I pick it up next week. In the meantime, another hire car and TGV tickets are required for a much shorter (than planned) return to Beaune next week.

So it was a hot and fairly frustrating weekend – wine was needed! To start with, I picked a bunch of whites that would chill (even forgetting one of them in the freezer compartment!) There is a downside to the ultra-chilled riesling idea though – a glass is very easily dispatched in a very modest number of minutes!

2008 Wolfberger, Rangen Pinot Gris
Forgotten in the freezer. only the last 2-3mm of cork left in the neck!
Ooh – super cold – waxy texture, still good colour and freshness. Just a delicious first taste whilst cold – less interest as it warms a little.

2011 Dr Loosen, Loosen Bros Riesling
So cold, so good. 2 bottles drunk – and frighteningly quickly too! Fresh and maybe rather sweet when warmer in the glass. But a great refresher.

2006 Roty, Gevrey-Chambertin La Brunelle.
This was not an easy drink when young, but now I see that it is beginning to turn the corner a little – still, so it should now that it’s 10 years old!
Hmm, this is a very attractive nose – there’s still a little grating wood, but really it’s now developed a delightful floral countenance too. In the mouth there is decent freshness and good scale – the floral aspect of the nose is obvious in the flavours too. The mid-palate remains a little wood-locked with more than a suggestion of woody dryness. The counterbalance of the floral fruit means that it’s easy to drink a glass, but 2 is more wearing. For that reason I enjoyed a (large) glass on 4 consecutive nights – I enjoyed all 4 glasses, but would still suggest waiting at least another couple of years before opening the next one – this wine is definitely getting better and better though.
Rebuy – Yes