WCC French whites not from Burgundy @ Yono's Restaurant, 10/23/2025

WCC French whites that are not from Burgundy
Yono's Restaurant, Albany, NY, 1/30/2025

My local group got together to taste French whites that are not from Burgundy at Yono's. Chef Ian O'Leary once again knocked it out of the park with some original and inspired dishes that were so delicious and beautifully matched to the wines.

The wines were from the group members' cellars. The tasting was blind to everyone but me (though at my age, I easily forget which is which). Dinner started at 7pm and lasted till about 10pm.

Click on any image with a border for a larger view of that image, and in some cases more image.

The Menu:

Starter
Amuse Bouche: Wild Mushroom Potagé with an olive oil drizzle and a fresh celery leaf.
Yummy and more filling than one expects from an amuse bouche.

2018 Red Tail Ridge Winery Blanc de Noir - USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake
Crisp, bright red fruit nose. Really nice Blanc de Noir. Bright, crisp, and tasty! This winery is killing it in the Finger Lakes. (89 points)

Flight 1: Gérard Boulay Sancerre La Comtesse
Smoked Rainbow Carrots, Pistachio Labneh, Zatar, Naan.
This was so tasty and enhanced the wines.

Jared says these wines were too young and will show more complexity down the road. I look forward to that.

2015 Gérard Boulay Sancerre La Comtesse - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Mild lemon zest nose. Bright and refreshing in the mouth. Lovely to drink, but no complexity. (89 points)
2016 Gérard Boulay Sancerre La Comtesse - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Lovely nose of citrus and some stones. Bright in the mouth. Showing more depth than the 2015. (90 points)
2018 Gérard Boulay Sancerre La Comtesse - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Muted citrus nose. Fuller and more complex than the previous two. (91 points)

Flight 2: Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Grilled Georges Bank Swordfish, Fermented Black Bean Glazed Leeks, Sautéed Kale, Seared Eggplant, Rujak Vinaigrette.
Incredibly good swordfish. Maybe the best I've had.

I think I liked these wines more than much of the group.

2016 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Gorgeous nose of minerals and flowers. Rich and complex in the mouth. Full bodied. A good food wine. (92 points)
2022 Château de Nalys Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grand Vin Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Complex light citrus nose. Rich and complex. WOTN so far. (94 points)
2023 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Réservée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
There's a bitterness here that seems out of place. Some think it's too much brett. Others think it is mildly corked. I think a good bottle would be really good. (NR/flawed)

Flight 3: Alsace
Pan roasted ostrich, confit turnips, sweet potato puree, radish, Kluwak Demi Glace.
The ostrich was tasty, but a little chewy. The sweet potato puree and the demi glace
really enhanced the flavor. Held up well to the richness of these wines.

2002 Paul Blanck Riesling Schlossberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Huge nose, bright and crisp. Complex lemon and flowers on the rich palate. Fully mature. (93 points)
2001 Marcel Deiss Schoenenbourg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Honeyed nose with hints of exotic spices. Rich, smooth. A little on the sweet side, but so delicious. Long finish of apricots and honeyed spice. My WOTN by a narrow margin. (95 points)
2002 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Caramel honey nose. Crisp in the mouth, but there's something off here. Too bad. (NR/flawed)

Flight 4: Domaine des Baumard
Cheese Selection (left to right):
Valdeon Blue (Cow & Goat, Leon, Spain).
Le Secret de Compostelle (Raw, Sheep, France).
Jake's Baby Cumin Gouda (Raw, Cow, Deansboro, NY).
Excellent with these wine. The blue was great, but a little overpowering.

1990 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Rich, sweet nose of honey and spice. Rich and complex in the mouth with flavor that goes on and on! Wow! My #2 WOTN. (95 points)
1996 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon
The darkest wine in this flight, it is more mature than the two Quarts de Chaume. Still holding up with rich honey complexity. (93 points)
2002 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Lush nose of bright honey. Clearly younger that the two previous, this has a long life still ahead. So full and complex. Terrific. My #3 WOTN. (95 points)

Conclusion

One of our more unusual tastings. This was a real challenge to organize. All in all, it ended up being quite interesting.

My notes posted from CellarTracker.

WOTN Voting (3pts each for #1, 2pts for #2, 1pt for #3)

Rank	Pts	#	Wine
1(tie)	12	4.2	1996 Baumard Clos Sainte Catherine
1(tie)	12	4.3	2002 Baumard Quarts de Chaume
3	8	2.2	2022 Château de Nalys Ch9 Blanc
4(tie)	6	1.3	2018 Boulay Sancerre La Comtesse
4(tie)	6	3.2	2001 Deiss Schoenenbourg
6(tie)	3	1.1	2015 Boulay Sancerre La Comtesse
6(tie)	3	4.1	1990 Baumard Quarts de Chaume
9	1	3.1	2002 Paul Blanck Riesling Schlossberg