This past Thursday, I had the opportunity to sit with some of NY's "Elite" in the wine trade. Aubert de Villaine was on hand to discuss and sample the 2007 lineup of DRC wines. 30 people gathered in a conference room at the Carlysle Hotel, in what has become an annual tradition in these parts. As I look around, I always feel out of place. For starters, this year, I was the only male not wearing a jacket. Many are wine directors/sommeliers off to work after, so they get dressed for work before work. I gave up a suit when I left the legal world almost 10 years ago. Never looked back, although my closet is still filled with suits that get worn once per year, max.
Okay, enough background, onto the wines...
Aubert discussed the difficulties and confusion with the 2007 harvest. An abnormally hot April/May was just the beginning of a strange road that led to harvest at the beginning of September. Much of the fruit was rotted, and subsequently discarded. One thing I always enjoy about this tasting is that Aubert is a straight shooter. He may try to sugarcoat like any vigneron, but at the end of the day, you know how good the wines are before you taste them. Nevertheless, we still get to taste...
So, I went through and smelled all of the wines before tasting them. Then I tasted them through once and jotted notes. I then did a second round of tasting and the "notes" are a compilation...Just for the record, I am pro flavor!
1) 2007 Echezeaux: A slightly medicinal smell. Harsh in the mid palate. Decent finish, but not much fruit.
2) 2007 Grands Echezeaux: This is much richer. Nose shows a lot more berries. Still on the palate, a harsh taste. I think this wine has a great potential based upon the aromas, but, in the palate, it was just not there.
3) 2007 Romanee St. Vivant: A very bright color in my glass. The nose was muted. Very closed. Lots of structure in the wine. This appeared to be a favorite based on comments in the room. For me, it was one of the worst wines.
4) 2007 Richebourg: This had a very "DRC Richebourg" like aroma...earthy, mushrooms. Dense, "dark" color. I was into this nose. But the taste just did not follow. Decent wine, and maybe will get better.
5) 2007 La Tache: Very floral bouquet. Pretty wine. The most well rounded wine of the tasting. Needs time, but this clearly has the stuffing to be a great wine.
6) 2007 Romanee Conti: Initially, very muted nose. Then earthy, dirty nose. This is a very muscular, masculine wine. Very earthy, with a slight green streak, but very rich.
7) 2007 Montrachet: This wine is a baby. High acid and vastly different from what I remember in tasting 2004-2006 Montrachets. I suppose this is destined to be a classic, but I would not touch a btl for 10 years.
As a whole, this is the least impressive lineup of DRCs that I have tasted. Aubert said that the wines appear to be getting better, but he does not appear to high on these either. Nevertheless, what appears more depressing is how negatively he spoke of the 2008s, as the growing conditions were even worse in 2008 than they were in 2007. I am always honroed to get to attend these attendings. Unfortunately, I just cannot speak all that positively about these 2007s. These wines appear very young, and hopefully they will take on weight, fill out, and balance well, but I am not an expert with a crystal ball to say that that will happen.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Tasting Notes from Dinner Last Night!
Went back to one of my local faves last night, Crabtree's Kittle House.
It was "bargain" night for all of us. So we searched the wine list for the best wine for not a lot of money.
Here is what we came up with...
1997 Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay-Clearly showing its age on the nose and color, but I enjoyed this wine. Not a rich, show offy wine, but had some fruit still there. Fun to drink. $58 on the list.
1998 Domaine de Mordoree Lirac Cuvee Reines des Bois-Tired and over the hill, this was just a very simple, monolithic wine. Good example of how many critics tasting windows are just flat out absurd. This wine should have been drunk upon release and not much after that. I am sure it was great at one time. On this evening, pass. Interestingly enough, Robert Parker says to drink this one from 2001-2015 and even takes a step further with..."It is one of those rare Liracs that will age for 10-15 years." I don't think so! $33 on the wine list.
1999 Ch St Cosme Gigondas-I am biased. I love this producer. This wine was drinking beautifully last night. Spice, Black Pepper, deep dark fruits...what a lovely wine...great pairing for the Oxtail. $48 on the list!
It was "bargain" night for all of us. So we searched the wine list for the best wine for not a lot of money.
Here is what we came up with...
1997 Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay-Clearly showing its age on the nose and color, but I enjoyed this wine. Not a rich, show offy wine, but had some fruit still there. Fun to drink. $58 on the list.
1998 Domaine de Mordoree Lirac Cuvee Reines des Bois-Tired and over the hill, this was just a very simple, monolithic wine. Good example of how many critics tasting windows are just flat out absurd. This wine should have been drunk upon release and not much after that. I am sure it was great at one time. On this evening, pass. Interestingly enough, Robert Parker says to drink this one from 2001-2015 and even takes a step further with..."It is one of those rare Liracs that will age for 10-15 years." I don't think so! $33 on the wine list.
1999 Ch St Cosme Gigondas-I am biased. I love this producer. This wine was drinking beautifully last night. Spice, Black Pepper, deep dark fruits...what a lovely wine...great pairing for the Oxtail. $48 on the list!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday Night Meatloaf-Part ???
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a very special wine dinner featuring the winemakers and owners of some of the most prestigious estates in Burgundy. The dinner was at A Voce in the Time Warner Building (Columbus Circle for those non NYers reading).
First the food...With about 60 people in attendance, you could not ask for better food preparations. Whilst the water service was slow (did you note the use of 'whilst'?), everything else was great. 17 wines poured, a new glass for every wine, you do the math...Some highlights were the Funghi al Forno...these mushrooms were rockin. And the veal tenderloin to close out the meal was "tender" and then some. Great job in the kitchen!
Onto the alcohol, err, the wines...
First Course (served with Bay Scallops)
1) 2006 Christian Moreau Chablis Valmur: Our first btl was corked. Our second btl still had something wrong with it. I complained to Christian and he cried.
2) 2005 Ch de Chamirey Mercurey Blanc La Mission: This wine had a very strange nose and a very oily texture in the mouth. I am generally not a fan of Mercurey Blanc and this wine did nothing to convince me otherwise.
3) 2006 Ch Fuisse Pouilly Fuisse les Combettes: Wow, this wine was excellent. If anyone does not believe that the villages of Pouilly and Fuisse cannot make superb Chardonnay that can compete with the top villages, you need to drink more Ch Fuisse. Unfortunately, from a retailer standpoint, they are tough sells, but this wine was top notch.
Second Course (served with Fungi al Forno...Roasted trumpet royal mushrooms)
1) 2006 Ch Genot Boulanger Puligny Montrachet Les Mosroyes: This wine was hitting on all cylinders. A nice creamy texture. Showed very well.
2) 2006 Olivier Leflaive Chassgne Abbaye de Morgeot: This was nice. My notes say maybe too much oak, and a little obvious. By obvious, I meant "varietally correct." It was good, just did not wow me.
3) 2006 Ch de la Maltroye Chassagne Morgeot Vignes Blanches: I would love to try an older btl of this wine. The current releases are all excellent, but just too young. Painfully expensive as well
Third Course (Served with the largest piece of Pancetta I have ever seen on a plate)
1) Potel Aviron Moulin a Vent VV Cuvee Exceptionelle: Slightly maderized. Not my cup of tea...or wine!
2) 2006 Humbert Freres Gevrey Chambertin Poissenots: If memory serves, Geantet Pansiot is the only other producer of Poissenots these days. This is Humbert Freres finest wine. If you have never tried it, you need to. One of the stars of the night, this wine was a baby. Ripe, strawberry flavors with a great long finish. Well done!
3) 2005 Dominique Gallois Gevrey Chambertin Goulots: Gosh, I was hoping this was going to shine. For whatever reason, the wine came off as tired and very uninspired.
Fourth Course (served with Squab)
1) Ch de Chorey Beaune Teurons: Clearly out of the place in this flight, due to the style, this wine held its own. Funky, dirty and old school were some of my adjectives written down. I enjoyed this wine with the squab. Clearly a traditional producer (if you have never had anything from them) and quite good at it.
2) 2006 Jacques Prieur Corton Bressandes: In Burgundy circles, Prieur is known for its heavy dose of oak, and its heavy price...well this wine did not disappoint on either. A very masculine wine, this wine needs time, and then...who knows?
3) 2006 Alain Burguet Gevrey Chambertin Mes Favorites: Burguet takes his best parcels in Gevrey and produces this stuff each year. Before he sourced some Beze in 2004, this was the flagship wine, and to many, still is. The nose was very pretty, a nice flower bouquet. On the pallet, the wine was a little rough, however, based on my experience, I am not concerned about this wine. In a few years, this will be tasty, The stuffing was there.
4) 2006 Meo Camuzet Clos Vougeot: As usual, this wine was a beast. I am never sure where Meo's wines are headed, but I am always happy to sample them. This one will be quite nice...in 15 years.
Fifth Course (Veal Tenderloin)
1) 2006 Domaine des Perdrix NSG Aux Perdrix: Another one with pricing that could use adjusting, I found this wine to be a bit metallic.
2) 2006 Sylvain Cathiard NSG Murgers: I am really not sure that I have ever had a bad btl of wine from this producer. Big, rich and very "fleshy," this is an outstanding effort.
3) 2007 Lamarche Vosne Romanee Les Chaumes: Earlier in the day, I tasted about 6 Lamarche wines, and I thought the AC Vosne Romanee stood out. At dinner, this wine showed a bit too much sweetness for me. Nevertheless, this Domaine's quality is rising fast.
4) 2006 Rousseau Mazy Chambertin: Wowser! Just the right amount of sweetness, to go with the depth of fruit and tannins. Who knew this would show so well? I was happy to enjoy a second glass. Eric Rousseau announced that the Domaine purchased 0.40 hectares additionally in Chambertin for the 2009 vintage. Everyones allocation just doubled!
Thanks for reading!
First the food...With about 60 people in attendance, you could not ask for better food preparations. Whilst the water service was slow (did you note the use of 'whilst'?), everything else was great. 17 wines poured, a new glass for every wine, you do the math...Some highlights were the Funghi al Forno...these mushrooms were rockin. And the veal tenderloin to close out the meal was "tender" and then some. Great job in the kitchen!
Onto the alcohol, err, the wines...
First Course (served with Bay Scallops)
1) 2006 Christian Moreau Chablis Valmur: Our first btl was corked. Our second btl still had something wrong with it. I complained to Christian and he cried.
2) 2005 Ch de Chamirey Mercurey Blanc La Mission: This wine had a very strange nose and a very oily texture in the mouth. I am generally not a fan of Mercurey Blanc and this wine did nothing to convince me otherwise.
3) 2006 Ch Fuisse Pouilly Fuisse les Combettes: Wow, this wine was excellent. If anyone does not believe that the villages of Pouilly and Fuisse cannot make superb Chardonnay that can compete with the top villages, you need to drink more Ch Fuisse. Unfortunately, from a retailer standpoint, they are tough sells, but this wine was top notch.
Second Course (served with Fungi al Forno...Roasted trumpet royal mushrooms)
1) 2006 Ch Genot Boulanger Puligny Montrachet Les Mosroyes: This wine was hitting on all cylinders. A nice creamy texture. Showed very well.
2) 2006 Olivier Leflaive Chassgne Abbaye de Morgeot: This was nice. My notes say maybe too much oak, and a little obvious. By obvious, I meant "varietally correct." It was good, just did not wow me.
3) 2006 Ch de la Maltroye Chassagne Morgeot Vignes Blanches: I would love to try an older btl of this wine. The current releases are all excellent, but just too young. Painfully expensive as well
Third Course (Served with the largest piece of Pancetta I have ever seen on a plate)
1) Potel Aviron Moulin a Vent VV Cuvee Exceptionelle: Slightly maderized. Not my cup of tea...or wine!
2) 2006 Humbert Freres Gevrey Chambertin Poissenots: If memory serves, Geantet Pansiot is the only other producer of Poissenots these days. This is Humbert Freres finest wine. If you have never tried it, you need to. One of the stars of the night, this wine was a baby. Ripe, strawberry flavors with a great long finish. Well done!
3) 2005 Dominique Gallois Gevrey Chambertin Goulots: Gosh, I was hoping this was going to shine. For whatever reason, the wine came off as tired and very uninspired.
Fourth Course (served with Squab)
1) Ch de Chorey Beaune Teurons: Clearly out of the place in this flight, due to the style, this wine held its own. Funky, dirty and old school were some of my adjectives written down. I enjoyed this wine with the squab. Clearly a traditional producer (if you have never had anything from them) and quite good at it.
2) 2006 Jacques Prieur Corton Bressandes: In Burgundy circles, Prieur is known for its heavy dose of oak, and its heavy price...well this wine did not disappoint on either. A very masculine wine, this wine needs time, and then...who knows?
3) 2006 Alain Burguet Gevrey Chambertin Mes Favorites: Burguet takes his best parcels in Gevrey and produces this stuff each year. Before he sourced some Beze in 2004, this was the flagship wine, and to many, still is. The nose was very pretty, a nice flower bouquet. On the pallet, the wine was a little rough, however, based on my experience, I am not concerned about this wine. In a few years, this will be tasty, The stuffing was there.
4) 2006 Meo Camuzet Clos Vougeot: As usual, this wine was a beast. I am never sure where Meo's wines are headed, but I am always happy to sample them. This one will be quite nice...in 15 years.
Fifth Course (Veal Tenderloin)
1) 2006 Domaine des Perdrix NSG Aux Perdrix: Another one with pricing that could use adjusting, I found this wine to be a bit metallic.
2) 2006 Sylvain Cathiard NSG Murgers: I am really not sure that I have ever had a bad btl of wine from this producer. Big, rich and very "fleshy," this is an outstanding effort.
3) 2007 Lamarche Vosne Romanee Les Chaumes: Earlier in the day, I tasted about 6 Lamarche wines, and I thought the AC Vosne Romanee stood out. At dinner, this wine showed a bit too much sweetness for me. Nevertheless, this Domaine's quality is rising fast.
4) 2006 Rousseau Mazy Chambertin: Wowser! Just the right amount of sweetness, to go with the depth of fruit and tannins. Who knew this would show so well? I was happy to enjoy a second glass. Eric Rousseau announced that the Domaine purchased 0.40 hectares additionally in Chambertin for the 2009 vintage. Everyones allocation just doubled!
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Good meals in Indianapolis!
So, off I went to Indy this past weekend, to take in the beautiful sunshine that this small town had to offer. In addition, I went to see the Jets blow a golden opportunity to get Namath off of their back, but, alas, that did not happen.
On Saturday evening, we went over to 14 West. St. Elmo's is the popular tourist place in town, but 14 West is where the Colts fans dined.
The food at 14 West was very good. Some items (Fried Oysters, Lamb, Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles) were simply outstanding. I even told my buddy, Matt, that the truffles, at $4 for 3 of them, was probably the best value dessert I have ever had at a restaurant.
The food was so good and the service so delightful, that we decided to get our pregame tailgate in on Sunday at the very same place. Boring? Possibly, but the Burger was pretty killer. American Cheese, Bacon, Mushrooms, Lettuce Tomato, Mayo...on a bun soaked in clarified butter...what's not to love about that Burger?
If you are in Indy, I highly recommend a meal there.
Onto the wines...the theme of the weekend was Syrah from around the Globe...
1) 1993 Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon...This was the "Wild Card." Despite Robert Parker's drinking window on this of 1996-2046, I had my doubts. And for good reason. The wine, which was in pristine condition, was flat, and uninteresting. We barely touched it.
2) 2004 Kurtz Lunar Block Shiraz...Back in August 2009, I tasted this wine for the first time, and instantly fell in love. Well, on this night, we said our vows for each other all over again. A total production of like 60 cases, this is extremely rare...and extremely good. The same Eucalyptus notes that I picked up back in August were even more prevolent on this night. There has to be some Cabernet in there somewhere. This is just great food pairing wine, and very atypical for a struggling wine region. KUDOS!
3) 2005 Charles Smith Syrah Heart...I just do not get these wines. This wine was basically Port. We decanted it for over 2 hours...and it was still Port. Pours like Syrup, looks like Syrup, tastes lie Syrup...it must be Syrup. Totally overwhelming for the food, until dessert. It was a good match for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles.
For lunch the next day, just one btl (had to save room for beer at the stadium)
4) 2007 Gramercy Cellars Syrah Walla Walla...These wines have been picking up buzz for over a year now...I bought them after some people I really trust told me to, so on blind faith, I put them on the shelves. Well, I decided to see what all of the fuss was about. This wine is OUTSTANDING! We popped and poured at lunch, and just sucked it down. I could have put a straw in my wine glass, this was so silky smooth! Is this stuff for real at this price? I am going to need some more...going to pop a Cabernet this weekend, and press my luck. Well done, Greg Harrington!
On Saturday evening, we went over to 14 West. St. Elmo's is the popular tourist place in town, but 14 West is where the Colts fans dined.
The food at 14 West was very good. Some items (Fried Oysters, Lamb, Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles) were simply outstanding. I even told my buddy, Matt, that the truffles, at $4 for 3 of them, was probably the best value dessert I have ever had at a restaurant.
The food was so good and the service so delightful, that we decided to get our pregame tailgate in on Sunday at the very same place. Boring? Possibly, but the Burger was pretty killer. American Cheese, Bacon, Mushrooms, Lettuce Tomato, Mayo...on a bun soaked in clarified butter...what's not to love about that Burger?
If you are in Indy, I highly recommend a meal there.
Onto the wines...the theme of the weekend was Syrah from around the Globe...
1) 1993 Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon...This was the "Wild Card." Despite Robert Parker's drinking window on this of 1996-2046, I had my doubts. And for good reason. The wine, which was in pristine condition, was flat, and uninteresting. We barely touched it.
2) 2004 Kurtz Lunar Block Shiraz...Back in August 2009, I tasted this wine for the first time, and instantly fell in love. Well, on this night, we said our vows for each other all over again. A total production of like 60 cases, this is extremely rare...and extremely good. The same Eucalyptus notes that I picked up back in August were even more prevolent on this night. There has to be some Cabernet in there somewhere. This is just great food pairing wine, and very atypical for a struggling wine region. KUDOS!
3) 2005 Charles Smith Syrah Heart...I just do not get these wines. This wine was basically Port. We decanted it for over 2 hours...and it was still Port. Pours like Syrup, looks like Syrup, tastes lie Syrup...it must be Syrup. Totally overwhelming for the food, until dessert. It was a good match for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles.
For lunch the next day, just one btl (had to save room for beer at the stadium)
4) 2007 Gramercy Cellars Syrah Walla Walla...These wines have been picking up buzz for over a year now...I bought them after some people I really trust told me to, so on blind faith, I put them on the shelves. Well, I decided to see what all of the fuss was about. This wine is OUTSTANDING! We popped and poured at lunch, and just sucked it down. I could have put a straw in my wine glass, this was so silky smooth! Is this stuff for real at this price? I am going to need some more...going to pop a Cabernet this weekend, and press my luck. Well done, Greg Harrington!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Monday Night Meatloaf-Spanish Style!
This past Monday, in what is becoming a regular thing...10 of us got together at Mas, in downtown Manhattan, to taste very old Spanish Wines. How old is very old? The oldest was 1935 and the "newest" was 1989...pretty old for crappy Spanish wines that do not age, right?
First, a few comments on Mas. This was my third (or fourth?) time visiting. The food has never disappointed. The service on this night was awesome. 24 wines to be poured for 10 people is no easy task. These guys were great. We started with some Canapes, which included some delicious oysters and tuna tartare and ended with some awesome shrimp. 5 courses followed...sardine tart was not something that I would ever order, but was very flavorful. Sweetbreads were the highlight of the night for me. The cheese selection was great as well.
So, with people like KA and JK present, you need to have a Champagne flight, I guess. We started with an over the hill 1947 Charles Hiedsieck. 1990 Gosset Celebris was next. It was very good, but possibly a touch too sweet for me? 1990 DP was very uninspiring. Our lone white still wine was 1968 Lopez de Heridia Rioja Tondonia Blanco Gran Riserva. Wow, what an effort. It smelled like gerkins and green olives (take your pick, there are no wrong answers). Very oily in texture and not showing 40 years of age. Impressive.
Flight #1 (4 wines)
1) 1938 Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva- I was not a fan of this one. In the end, it was flat and uninteresting.
2) 1942 Bodegas Riojanas Gran Reserva Rioja-Corked. Was not served.
3) Mystery #1-Slightly corked. A shame because it did not show its age. 1935 Riojanas Gran Reserva Rioja
4) Mystery #2-I mentioned Cabernet in the blend. Laurent mentioned that it was a lot of Cabernet. Based upon previous things I had read, I guessed 1950s Marques de Riscal. The wine was very lively, and sweet. Delicious stuff. 1945 Ch Cantemerle.
Flight #2 It can only get better...we hope
1) 1950 Cune Vina Real Gran Reserva-This was awesome. Very young nose with the hint of green olive again. Very youthful, my second favorite wine of the flight. 60 years old...very impressive
2) 1951 Cune Vina Real Gran Reserva-Maderized. Could not even taste it, as it smelled so bad to me. Others who did try it, said not to bother
3) 1952 Cune Vina Real Gran Reserva-Spicey and chocolatey. Pretty "dry" tannins. Reminded me of hot cocoa with marshmallows, served chilled. Good stuff.
4) 1954 Cune Imperial Gran Reserva-For me, this was a little closed up. Never really came out of its shell. Still a good wine. But I preferred the 1952.
5) 1962 Cune Vina Real Gran Reserva-WOTF...this was a GREAT wine. Rich and dense, this seems to have a lifetime ahead of it. I loved the 1950, but the 1962 was like the 1950 on steroids. Will it be like the 1950 in 12 years? It could be and that would be good, but it could be better!
Flight #3-Lopez de Heredia flight
How can you have an old Spanish wine tasting without a Lopez flight. Well, after the impressive Cune flight, we really got our hopes up...unfortunately for me.
1) 1961 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia Gran Reserva-A touch maderized on the nose, but that seemed like it was part of its charm. This was a pretty juicy wine, given its age. Excellent wine for food. It worked.
2) 1970 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia Gran Reserva-Lean and green would be my summarization. Not a fan.
3) 1976 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia Gran Reserva-DQ'ed...I cannot recall why, but it was not poured.
4) Mystery #3-Love tasting blind...this was again Cab based, in my opinion (Laurent and I fought over who said it first, so I punched him out...I win). This was a real wild card...I had no real guess for this, other than the fact that I was not a huge fan. Tasted old. 1952 Ch Cantemerle.
Flight #4-Unico flight
How can you have an old Spanish wine dinner without Unico?
1) 1960 Vega Sicilia Unico-One of the btls I brought. Interesting story, my last of a few great btls of this stuff. Purchased "to go" at a famous Baltimore restaurant on the cheap, about 6 years ago, after a btl I consumed there whooped up on 1982 Latour. This wine was awesome. Spice, coffee...it was hard for me to embellish on this one, but everyone else loved it more than me...so there you go...happy to share it with such a passionate group. Of course, KA joked that I took credit for the good btl from Grapes The Wine Company, while I let Yaacov out to dry with a bad 1970 Lopez. I had to explain that this Unico was actually from my "vast" collection. Just as a point of interest, after having this btl in Baltimore, I looked up Robert Parker's TN...he scored it a 78 and said how it was old, tired, and bad. I emailed him and urged him to skip Charleston for once and head over to the other place for this (at the time, they had cases). He said that he would...looks like that never happened...his loss.
2) 1968 Vega Sicilia Unico-I really wanted to like this. But in the end, this wine was sandwiched between my two favorite red wines of the evening. This may need more time. It just lacked the "oomph" of the other two wines. Too lean. But that is inthe context of what surrounded it. I may have liked it more on its own.
3) 1970 Vega Sicilia Unico-This was heavenly. Sweet, dense, cocoa. I was into this wine. I wish I had more of it to enjoy. I can see the fascination with this wine, in this vintage. Killer stuff.
4) 1981 Vega Sicilia Unico-This was just way too young. It never came out of its shell while it sat in the glass. I suppose it could turn out great, but on this night, following the 1970, it was mediocre.
Flight #5 The Flight that should have gone before the Unico, aka "The Letdown" flight...
1) 1989 Pesquera Rioja Gran Reserva. JJ commented that he had recently had a great btl of this. This was good stuff, but hardly inspiring.
2) 1982 Pesquers Rioja Gran Reserva-I did not like this at all. It had this "smokey" kind of smell.
3) 1978 La Rioja Alta Vina de Ardanza-Sweet pickles. This wine was pretty flat and a little over the hill.
4) Mystery #4-Really tough to put my finger on the pulse of this wine. After all of this Tempranillo, I found myself there again. Just not liking the wine. It was clearly over the hill. 1980 Cousino Macul Cabernet Sauvignon Antiguas Reserva from Chile. Fascinating.
Take my notes on the last flight for whatever they are worth...not much...Nothing inspired me there to pay close attention. I was sucking drops of 1970 Unico out of the btl!
First, a few comments on Mas. This was my third (or fourth?) time visiting. The food has never disappointed. The service on this night was awesome. 24 wines to be poured for 10 people is no easy task. These guys were great. We started with some Canapes, which included some delicious oysters and tuna tartare and ended with some awesome shrimp. 5 courses followed...sardine tart was not something that I would ever order, but was very flavorful. Sweetbreads were the highlight of the night for me. The cheese selection was great as well.
So, with people like KA and JK present, you need to have a Champagne flight, I guess. We started with an over the hill 1947 Charles Hiedsieck. 1990 Gosset Celebris was next. It was very good, but possibly a touch too sweet for me? 1990 DP was very uninspiring. Our lone white still wine was 1968 Lopez de Heridia Rioja Tondonia Blanco Gran Riserva. Wow, what an effort. It smelled like gerkins and green olives (take your pick, there are no wrong answers). Very oily in texture and not showing 40 years of age. Impressive.
Flight #1 (4 wines)
1) 1938 Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva- I was not a fan of this one. In the end, it was flat and uninteresting.
2) 1942 Bodegas Riojanas Gran Reserva Rioja-Corked. Was not served.
3) Mystery #1-Slightly corked. A shame because it did not show its age. 1935 Riojanas Gran Reserva Rioja
4) Mystery #2-I mentioned Cabernet in the blend. Laurent mentioned that it was a lot of Cabernet. Based upon previous things I had read, I guessed 1950s Marques de Riscal. The wine was very lively, and sweet. Delicious stuff. 1945 Ch Cantemerle.
Flight #2 It can only get better...we hope
1) 1950 Cune Vina Real Gran Reserva-This was awesome. Very young nose with the hint of green olive again. Very youthful, my second favorite wine of the flight. 60 years old...very impressive
2) 1951 Cune Vina Real Gran Reserva-Maderized. Could not even taste it, as it smelled so bad to me. Others who did try it, said not to bother
3) 1952 Cune Vina Real Gran Reserva-Spicey and chocolatey. Pretty "dry" tannins. Reminded me of hot cocoa with marshmallows, served chilled. Good stuff.
4) 1954 Cune Imperial Gran Reserva-For me, this was a little closed up. Never really came out of its shell. Still a good wine. But I preferred the 1952.
5) 1962 Cune Vina Real Gran Reserva-WOTF...this was a GREAT wine. Rich and dense, this seems to have a lifetime ahead of it. I loved the 1950, but the 1962 was like the 1950 on steroids. Will it be like the 1950 in 12 years? It could be and that would be good, but it could be better!
Flight #3-Lopez de Heredia flight
How can you have an old Spanish wine tasting without a Lopez flight. Well, after the impressive Cune flight, we really got our hopes up...unfortunately for me.
1) 1961 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia Gran Reserva-A touch maderized on the nose, but that seemed like it was part of its charm. This was a pretty juicy wine, given its age. Excellent wine for food. It worked.
2) 1970 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia Gran Reserva-Lean and green would be my summarization. Not a fan.
3) 1976 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia Gran Reserva-DQ'ed...I cannot recall why, but it was not poured.
4) Mystery #3-Love tasting blind...this was again Cab based, in my opinion (Laurent and I fought over who said it first, so I punched him out...I win). This was a real wild card...I had no real guess for this, other than the fact that I was not a huge fan. Tasted old. 1952 Ch Cantemerle.
Flight #4-Unico flight
How can you have an old Spanish wine dinner without Unico?
1) 1960 Vega Sicilia Unico-One of the btls I brought. Interesting story, my last of a few great btls of this stuff. Purchased "to go" at a famous Baltimore restaurant on the cheap, about 6 years ago, after a btl I consumed there whooped up on 1982 Latour. This wine was awesome. Spice, coffee...it was hard for me to embellish on this one, but everyone else loved it more than me...so there you go...happy to share it with such a passionate group. Of course, KA joked that I took credit for the good btl from Grapes The Wine Company, while I let Yaacov out to dry with a bad 1970 Lopez. I had to explain that this Unico was actually from my "vast" collection. Just as a point of interest, after having this btl in Baltimore, I looked up Robert Parker's TN...he scored it a 78 and said how it was old, tired, and bad. I emailed him and urged him to skip Charleston for once and head over to the other place for this (at the time, they had cases). He said that he would...looks like that never happened...his loss.
2) 1968 Vega Sicilia Unico-I really wanted to like this. But in the end, this wine was sandwiched between my two favorite red wines of the evening. This may need more time. It just lacked the "oomph" of the other two wines. Too lean. But that is inthe context of what surrounded it. I may have liked it more on its own.
3) 1970 Vega Sicilia Unico-This was heavenly. Sweet, dense, cocoa. I was into this wine. I wish I had more of it to enjoy. I can see the fascination with this wine, in this vintage. Killer stuff.
4) 1981 Vega Sicilia Unico-This was just way too young. It never came out of its shell while it sat in the glass. I suppose it could turn out great, but on this night, following the 1970, it was mediocre.
Flight #5 The Flight that should have gone before the Unico, aka "The Letdown" flight...
1) 1989 Pesquera Rioja Gran Reserva. JJ commented that he had recently had a great btl of this. This was good stuff, but hardly inspiring.
2) 1982 Pesquers Rioja Gran Reserva-I did not like this at all. It had this "smokey" kind of smell.
3) 1978 La Rioja Alta Vina de Ardanza-Sweet pickles. This wine was pretty flat and a little over the hill.
4) Mystery #4-Really tough to put my finger on the pulse of this wine. After all of this Tempranillo, I found myself there again. Just not liking the wine. It was clearly over the hill. 1980 Cousino Macul Cabernet Sauvignon Antiguas Reserva from Chile. Fascinating.
Take my notes on the last flight for whatever they are worth...not much...Nothing inspired me there to pay close attention. I was sucking drops of 1970 Unico out of the btl!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Dinner at the Kittle House!
Last Saturday night, I went to one of my favorite places, Crabtree's Kittle House, in Chappaqua. I have gone for years, mostly for the great wine list, but recently I find myself going for the awesome food as well. New Chef, Brad McDonald, who has worked at Per Se and Alain Ducasse, amongst other top restaurants, is producing some of the best dishes in New York. In addition, it is innovative and "cheap." Their 5 course tasting menu is $60! One of his best best dishes is the Gnudy, which he uses Mascarpone and Ricotta cheese for. The stuff is unreal.
On this Saturday evening, I had to control myself with the wine list, as I was drinking for 1, as my pregnant wife is only good for a sip or two.
I ordered two half btls...1996 Donnhoff Auslese Niederhauser Hermannshohle...This was an absolutely stunning wine. Not much more I can say on this, other than it is a shame that it was only a half btl. Clearly not something I would age too much longer, as I see no reason to. The acid has basically disappeared from this wine, and what you are left with is a fruity, delicious wine, that proved to be a great pair for a couple of the courses served.
The next half btl was 1991 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon. I was torn as to whether I should order this and then whether I should decant it. Well, I was wrong...not about ordering it, but about decanting it. Still a "baby" the best tastes of this wine were the last ones. Clearly in a funky stage, I thought the fruit was nearly gone from the wine, and I was left with a "dry" wine not for me. Then, at the end of the meal, the wine did a 180, and the wine actually too on weight, sweetness and fruit, and it was actually very good. In the end, a very impressive showing for this nearly 20 year old wine, especially out of half btl!
On this Saturday evening, I had to control myself with the wine list, as I was drinking for 1, as my pregnant wife is only good for a sip or two.
I ordered two half btls...1996 Donnhoff Auslese Niederhauser Hermannshohle...This was an absolutely stunning wine. Not much more I can say on this, other than it is a shame that it was only a half btl. Clearly not something I would age too much longer, as I see no reason to. The acid has basically disappeared from this wine, and what you are left with is a fruity, delicious wine, that proved to be a great pair for a couple of the courses served.
The next half btl was 1991 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon. I was torn as to whether I should order this and then whether I should decant it. Well, I was wrong...not about ordering it, but about decanting it. Still a "baby" the best tastes of this wine were the last ones. Clearly in a funky stage, I thought the fruit was nearly gone from the wine, and I was left with a "dry" wine not for me. Then, at the end of the meal, the wine did a 180, and the wine actually too on weight, sweetness and fruit, and it was actually very good. In the end, a very impressive showing for this nearly 20 year old wine, especially out of half btl!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Old Rhones-Another Monday Night Meatloaf Recipe!
Last night, 10 very passionate one wine drinkers got together for an evening of Old Rhones at Peter J.'s house. One got food poisoning, so that made it just 9 of us. Have no fear Keith, we still drank your Guigal after you left! Laurent brought no wine for a change, using the excuse that he is a poor Burgundy farmer.
Peter had a chef that did a tremendous job with the food. I am still trying to figure out the ravioli dish and how the egg got inside of it. Oh well, as little as I know about wine, I know less about food.
Onto the wines...
For starters, we did 2 bubblies...
1982 Salon-Man, this was a weird one. Upon first pour, this was oxidized. Only 5 minutes later, it was not. Smooth, sweet fruit, with little bubbles, this ended up being very tasty.
1996 Billecart Salmon Clos St. Hilaire- This is still much too young for me. Vibrant, and very crisp...I look forward to tasting this one down the line (Peter will have to open it though)!
Overall, the wines we had from the Rhone were excellent. Very few issues with one possible fake. As a whole, these wines stood the test of time!
First flight...
1) Blind...this was dark, rich, and minty, absolutely delicious...King Angry guessed 1970s Grange...the answer 1976 Penfolds Grange...(I am assuming Ray meant Penfolds, although he never did specify) ;)
2) Blind...for me this was a little watered down...finish was flat, I did not enjoy it...I guessed early '80s CDP...it was 1967 Mont Redon
3) Blind...I really enjoyed this wine...it had life, and a good spicey characteristic...very tasty stuff...I guessed early 90s Northern Rhone...it was 1971 Ch Fortia CDP...sign me up!
4) Not blind...1977 Chave Hermitage...one of my contributions...this had a very strange nose at first. Others liked it, I did not, after a few moments, it blew off. I actually went back to this wine hours later, and it was absolutely delicious!
Second Flight
1) 1983 Ch Beaucastel CDP...a good showing for the 1983 Beau on this night. It had good fruit...medium intensity...good pairing for the food.
2) 1989 Ch Beaucastel CDP...the 1983 overshadowed this one. Fortunately, it was not corked (as is the case with many 1989 Beaucastel CDPs).
3) 1989 Andre Brunel CDP Cuvee Centenaire...Not talked about much, but a few of us liked this wine and many others hated it (Ron complained of too much oak). It was clearly a pioneer of styles of new world CDP, but I thought it was very good, for many of the reasons that the "traditionalists" hated it.
Third Flight
1) 1989 Ch Rayas CDP...wow, this was a good wine. It would have been even better for me, if not for...
2) 1990 Ch Rayas CDP...this was absolutely stunning. Big, rich, layered with fruit, and a finish that went on and on. While some preferred the 1989 (which was really nice), this was one of my Wines of the Night!
3) 1989 Henri Bonneau CDP Cuvee Celestins...another wine with varying opinions. I found this wine to be harsh, and "too masculine." It was just not my style on this night. Especially after the silky smooth Rayas wines.
Fourth flight
1) 1989 Beaucastel CDP Hommage Jacques Perrin...I thought this flight was going to be historic, but I think the previous flight made it not so...nevertheless the 1989 Beaucastel Hommage was a very good wine, definitely softer than the 1990, which comes later. I can get into this wine.
2) 1990 Beaucastel CDP...a wine, that in the past, I have enjoyed immensely, and at one dinner, a couple of years back, showed nearly as well as the 1990 Hommage. On this night, though, this was a good wine, just not a great one.
3) 1990 Beaucastel CDP Hommage Jacques Perrin...darker in color than the 1989, this had less finesse and more muscle than the '89. I think this wine still has a long life ahead of it.
Fifth flight
1) 1989 Chave Hermitage...It was right about now when someone said, "victory for the 1989s tonight." Well, that is just opinion, but this was my WOTN (maybe a tie with 1990 Rayas)...another rich, intense wine that just had gobs and gobs of fruit coating my mouth. Man, I wish I had not just sold a mag of this last week!
2) 1989 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle...this was was a bit austere and rather unpleasant...which surprised me, because generally 89 La Chapelle is a very good wine.
3) 1990 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle...this is where it got interesting. I opened up most of the btls throughout the evening. This cork was gleaming white and clean...very strange, considering how moldy the 1989 was. The wine was more of a blueberry style (think high ratings from Jay Miller). No one really cared for the wine. The btl was etched with a number coding on the back. A rerelease from Jaboulet, perhaps? Could be, but clearly the cork was not original, and the bottle code left some doubt...and the wine sucked...makes you wonder...
4) 1989 Chapoutier Hermitage Pavillon...Another stunning btl of 1989 Chapoutier Pavillon for me. A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of drinking a magnum of this stuff with everyone's hero, Robert Parker, and it was delic. A 750ml last night did not disappoint either. While I cannot stand his white wines, Chapoutier seems to have mastered certain reds.
Sixth Flight
1) 1990 Guigal Cote Cotie La Mouline...something was not correct with this btl...a shame, as it should have been amazing stuff...but it just never came together.
2) 1990 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque...What more can you say about this one but, WOW! In case, there was any doubt about the La Mouline being off, the La Turque confirmed it. This had everything going on...the funk, the fruit, the acidity, I loved this wine...I think I suffered from a little palate fatigue at the end of the meal, which caused me to not really appreciate what we had here!
Thank you to Peter for his generous hospitality, and everyone else who brought wine, except for Laurent, who, as usual, contributed nothing and compared everything to 1966 Drouhin Musigny!
Just kidding...Laurent!
Sixth Flight
1)
Peter had a chef that did a tremendous job with the food. I am still trying to figure out the ravioli dish and how the egg got inside of it. Oh well, as little as I know about wine, I know less about food.
Onto the wines...
For starters, we did 2 bubblies...
1982 Salon-Man, this was a weird one. Upon first pour, this was oxidized. Only 5 minutes later, it was not. Smooth, sweet fruit, with little bubbles, this ended up being very tasty.
1996 Billecart Salmon Clos St. Hilaire- This is still much too young for me. Vibrant, and very crisp...I look forward to tasting this one down the line (Peter will have to open it though)!
Overall, the wines we had from the Rhone were excellent. Very few issues with one possible fake. As a whole, these wines stood the test of time!
First flight...
1) Blind...this was dark, rich, and minty, absolutely delicious...King Angry guessed 1970s Grange...the answer 1976 Penfolds Grange...(I am assuming Ray meant Penfolds, although he never did specify) ;)
2) Blind...for me this was a little watered down...finish was flat, I did not enjoy it...I guessed early '80s CDP...it was 1967 Mont Redon
3) Blind...I really enjoyed this wine...it had life, and a good spicey characteristic...very tasty stuff...I guessed early 90s Northern Rhone...it was 1971 Ch Fortia CDP...sign me up!
4) Not blind...1977 Chave Hermitage...one of my contributions...this had a very strange nose at first. Others liked it, I did not, after a few moments, it blew off. I actually went back to this wine hours later, and it was absolutely delicious!
Second Flight
1) 1983 Ch Beaucastel CDP...a good showing for the 1983 Beau on this night. It had good fruit...medium intensity...good pairing for the food.
2) 1989 Ch Beaucastel CDP...the 1983 overshadowed this one. Fortunately, it was not corked (as is the case with many 1989 Beaucastel CDPs).
3) 1989 Andre Brunel CDP Cuvee Centenaire...Not talked about much, but a few of us liked this wine and many others hated it (Ron complained of too much oak). It was clearly a pioneer of styles of new world CDP, but I thought it was very good, for many of the reasons that the "traditionalists" hated it.
Third Flight
1) 1989 Ch Rayas CDP...wow, this was a good wine. It would have been even better for me, if not for...
2) 1990 Ch Rayas CDP...this was absolutely stunning. Big, rich, layered with fruit, and a finish that went on and on. While some preferred the 1989 (which was really nice), this was one of my Wines of the Night!
3) 1989 Henri Bonneau CDP Cuvee Celestins...another wine with varying opinions. I found this wine to be harsh, and "too masculine." It was just not my style on this night. Especially after the silky smooth Rayas wines.
Fourth flight
1) 1989 Beaucastel CDP Hommage Jacques Perrin...I thought this flight was going to be historic, but I think the previous flight made it not so...nevertheless the 1989 Beaucastel Hommage was a very good wine, definitely softer than the 1990, which comes later. I can get into this wine.
2) 1990 Beaucastel CDP...a wine, that in the past, I have enjoyed immensely, and at one dinner, a couple of years back, showed nearly as well as the 1990 Hommage. On this night, though, this was a good wine, just not a great one.
3) 1990 Beaucastel CDP Hommage Jacques Perrin...darker in color than the 1989, this had less finesse and more muscle than the '89. I think this wine still has a long life ahead of it.
Fifth flight
1) 1989 Chave Hermitage...It was right about now when someone said, "victory for the 1989s tonight." Well, that is just opinion, but this was my WOTN (maybe a tie with 1990 Rayas)...another rich, intense wine that just had gobs and gobs of fruit coating my mouth. Man, I wish I had not just sold a mag of this last week!
2) 1989 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle...this was was a bit austere and rather unpleasant...which surprised me, because generally 89 La Chapelle is a very good wine.
3) 1990 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle...this is where it got interesting. I opened up most of the btls throughout the evening. This cork was gleaming white and clean...very strange, considering how moldy the 1989 was. The wine was more of a blueberry style (think high ratings from Jay Miller). No one really cared for the wine. The btl was etched with a number coding on the back. A rerelease from Jaboulet, perhaps? Could be, but clearly the cork was not original, and the bottle code left some doubt...and the wine sucked...makes you wonder...
4) 1989 Chapoutier Hermitage Pavillon...Another stunning btl of 1989 Chapoutier Pavillon for me. A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of drinking a magnum of this stuff with everyone's hero, Robert Parker, and it was delic. A 750ml last night did not disappoint either. While I cannot stand his white wines, Chapoutier seems to have mastered certain reds.
Sixth Flight
1) 1990 Guigal Cote Cotie La Mouline...something was not correct with this btl...a shame, as it should have been amazing stuff...but it just never came together.
2) 1990 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque...What more can you say about this one but, WOW! In case, there was any doubt about the La Mouline being off, the La Turque confirmed it. This had everything going on...the funk, the fruit, the acidity, I loved this wine...I think I suffered from a little palate fatigue at the end of the meal, which caused me to not really appreciate what we had here!
Thank you to Peter for his generous hospitality, and everyone else who brought wine, except for Laurent, who, as usual, contributed nothing and compared everything to 1966 Drouhin Musigny!
Just kidding...Laurent!
Sixth Flight
1)
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