January started with my trying to eat lighter and imbibe a bit less after the month of excess between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.
That lasted about three days before I got bored.
Instead, I’ve decided to start off the year in a much more enjoyable way: By treating myself as well as possible at the table. Which is why today’s Wines of the Week are the kind of indulgences that we all deserve, especially as we roll into the still-young new year.
My white Wine of the Week is actually a rosé: The Champagne Gosset Grand Rosé Brut NV. It’s a blend of 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir, 8% of which is actual red wine. After three-plus years on the lees in Gosset’s caves beneath Aÿ—the critically lauded house, dating back to 1584, is the oldest in the Champagne region—the wine is in an absolutely spectacular place right now, beyond fresh yet with layers of underlying depth that reveal rhubarb, red cherries, rainy-sidewalk minerality, rooibos tea, sumac, and toast. And it seems like it will continue to evolve for another decade and a half…not that you need to wait.
Interestingly, this stellar Champagne actually got even better the longer it was open. I took my tasting note immediately after popping the cork and fell in love right away, but on day three—I rely on those Champagne stoppers that use a spring-loaded rubber piece to seal the bottle and two metal clips that latch on to the underside of the lip—the wine had taken on a vinosity, an increased depth to the fruit, that I just couldn’t get enough of: Surely the sign of a truly phenomenal Champagne.
My red Wine of the Week, the Pio Cesare Barolo “Mosconi” 2015, is the first vintage of what I assume will become an important player in the reliably excellent stable of wines from the venerable Piedmont producer.
It’s grown within the 10 hectares (approximately 24-plus acres) of Monteforte d’Alba’s Mosconi, and produced in tiny quantities—just 5,000 bottles have been crafted. Given its scarcity and pedigree, it likely won’t be all that easy to find, but it’s definitely worth the effort, especially with its incredible complexity and potential longevity. Aromas of tart cherries, pomegranate seeds, forest floor, and tar are subtly lifted by roses. The palate shows power and presence, with star anise-spiced sun-warmed black cherries, tiny wild strawberries dancing alongside balsamic tones, allspice, flamed orange peel, and a finish of tar, sandalwood, cigar humidor, and crushed mint complicated by purple plums. This should continue to provide a ton of pleasure for decades.
Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean that indulgence at the table should stop. In fact, I’d argue the opposite is true: What better way to kick off a new year than to pop the cork from a great bottle or two? These two Wines of the Week are perfect for that.
Champagne Gosset Grand Rosé Brut NV
Beyond fresh on the nose, with rhubarb, red cherries, rainy-sidewalk minerality, and flowers, turning to a palate of unexpectedly sappy red cherries, rooibos, sumac, and toast, a deep seam of acidity running through the wild strawberries, sweet spice, violets, and a lingering finish of blood oranges and herbs. Long and linear yet with such generosity. Proof that structure and breadth can co-exist seamlessly. SRP: $89.99
Pio Cesare Barolo “Mosconi” 2015
Aromas of tart cherries, pomegranate seeds, forest floor, and tar are subtly lifted by roses. The palate shows power and presence, with star anise-spiced and sun-warmed black cherries and wild strawberries dancing alongside balsamic tones, allspice, and flamed orange peel, all rolling into a finish of tar, sandalwood, cigar humidor, and crushed mint complicated by purple plums. This should continue to provide a ton of pleasure for decades. SRP: $200
