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VINTAGE TASTINGS - New Year's Eve 2009


1/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

Big Boy has a lot of monopolies. One of them is great wine events in the month of December. Tradition always has me chez Rosania on New Year’s Eve, and previous articles of his incredible events to ring in the New Year have already been published for the last few years. After 2009, someone needs to call the FTC, because this past New Year’s Eve, it officially got out of hand, in the greatest sense possible.

I arrived a bit late and missed a handful of things, like 1989 Krug, 1989 Krug Clos du Mesnil and 1979 Pommery. Oh, well. Other commitments had me on the tardy side, but I was able to get in the swing of things rather quickly. By the time I arrived, Slover, who was to be helping everyone keep up with the onslaught of wines all night, was already a couple blocks away in Lenox Hill Hospital from a sabering accident. It just goes to show all you kids out there that sabering is not something that should be done unless under proper adult supervision. Four stitches later, however, Slover had admirably recovered and was back at wine control, albeit a little limp-wristed for the rest of the evening.

Every wine was served out of at least magnum, with a few Jeros making their way into the lineup later in the evening. The theme of the evening was vintages ending in the year ‘9,’ which is probably the luckiest number when it comes to vintages of the last 100 years.

The first wine on which I laid my lips was a 1979 Krug Collection. It was the same as it ever was, still very young and at least a decade away from being approachable if you ask me. Its finish requires rocket fuel, as it has that much power and acidity. Hints of milk and wood were a bit out of sync from other recent experiences. Gentleman Jim noted, ‘light in its flavors like an Angel Food Cake.’ Indeed, the 1979 Krug Collection is all about the backside at the moment, but there is enough there to merit an outstanding rating, although this particular magnum didn’t make me want to add a ‘plus’ sign as usual (95M).

A 1979 Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill was a bit disappointing. Nothing was wrong with the bottle, but it seemed to lack that boom boom pow. As Big Boy observed, ‘it was a little light and didn’t pop.’ The nose was stone city. The palate was long, gritty and grainy with white fruits and wheat, but I expected more from this normally outstanding cuvee (92M).

The ‘regular’ 1979 Krug was fantastic. The nose was big, bready and toasty with hints of egg, varnish and mahogany. It was deep, open, rich and expressive with lots of meaty, gamy fruit. The palate also had great fruit and finish; its flavors were open and hinting at key lime, while its length was still impressive, indicating that the words ‘Collection’ and ‘Clos du Mesnil’ are not necessary for a Krug to be ageworthy (96M).

It was time for some red wines, and Big Boy was in a Pomerol state of mind. We warmed up with the 1989 Petrus. Man, I love this wine. 1989 is clearly the greatest modern-day Petrus, the one against which all others should be measured. We’ll see how vintages like 1998, 2000 and 2005 develop, but they will all have to answer to this vintage. The ’89 was unreal as always, even more of a behemoth out of magnum, infantile in its initial expression, and all the more brooding. There was still fruit showing, and its acidity was hidden at first but slowly uncoiled to reveal regality. Big Boy observed its ‘vahlrona chocolate.’ This wine was quite hedonistic, packed and stacked with chocolate, plums and earth, adding up to near-perfection again (99M).

The Petrus was paired with a 1989 Lafleur out of double-magnum. Dapper Dave noted, ‘leaner but more open, great.’ He preferred the nose of the Lafleur and the palate of the Petrus. The Lafleur was definitely more fragrant, with hints of olive to go with classic Pomerol fruit. I was surprised by the Lafleur’s approachability, especially since it was out of double magnum, and even more so since this wine has blown me away with its power on more than one occasion out of standard bottle. There was long acidity and chalky flavors here, and the crowd observed ‘porcini’ and ‘Nebbiolo cherry.’ It was still outstanding, but this wine should be in that 97-99 point category, and this double magnum wasn’t (95D).

A pair of 1949 magnums were next, also from the Holy Land known as Pomerol. When it comes to magnums of 1940s Pomerols, you either believe or you don’t, so all non-believers can feel free to skip the next two paragraphs. Anyone who was treated to a glass of either wine, however, would find it difficult to say anything negative or defamatory about either of these two nectars.

The first was a 1949 Clos L’Eglise Clinet, which had what I would call a ‘typical’ Nicolas Pomerol profile. Both magnums were Nicolas bottles, by the way. Plum, olive and lots of chocolate were in the nose; its core was sweet and musky. The palate was quite similar, very satiny and smooth, polished and chocolaty, easy and delicious (94M).

The 1949 Latour a Pomerol was another beauty, although I wanted to see what others had to say first, so I put Slover on the spot. ‘Smells great,’ was his first reaction, ‘lots of olive. The color seems youthful, but the palate is so relaxed it could be that old, amazing.’ Every sip I took, this wine became more impressive, and not because it gained power in the glass. Like a wine of this age should, it unfolded different layers as opposed to gaining steam. The classic Pomerol was there, particularly the olive and plum, with more cassis and less chocolate than the L’Eglise. It was sheer deliciousness, even more so than the L’Eglise Clinet because its fruit was purer. The L a P was decadent but light on its feet. Gorgeous and pretty were two words that came to mind in describing this ancient wonder. That hint of fresh garden unfolded, and the Latour a Pomerol left the L’Eglise behind. Hints of slate also unfolded, as did ‘Mexican coffee’ per someone. Arriba arriba (96M).

A perfect magnum of 1979 Louis Roederer Cristal snuck in right before Midnight. Aromas of sweet golden corn and yellow straw combined with ‘creamsicle’ ones, per Dapper Dave. It was elegant yet powerful, absolutely sizzling on the palate with its racy acidity and expressive bubbles. Creamy and somehow integrated despite all that fizz, the 1979 was another example of why Cristal is not just a name (96+M).

Midnight struck, and Big Boy gave one of his notorious speeches. There were many warm and fuzzy things said, one of which wasn’t ‘I can’t wait to get rid of this f’ing decade’ lol. Out came a Rehoboam of 1959 Moet. I think that is somewhere between Jero and Methusaleh, just don’t miss that right turn in Reims. I am pretty sure this was the first one of these opened in 2010, and possibly the last one that ever will be. The nose was clean with light citrus and apple with pinches of musk, anise and truffle. The palate was a bit tangy for me, its bubbles just hanging on despite the fact that there was no oxidation here. Its wine-like personality was very oily, but its flavors just didn’t do it for me. I like to stick to the pre-Dom Perignon Moets, personally (88R).

There were a couple more bubblies before we went to Burgundy. A 1979 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose was race car city at first, fresh and zippy both in the nose and palate of this perfectly stored magnum. ‘Zippedy doo dah’ summed it up. There were nice, secondary strawberry aromas, but the palate was tight and almost a bit mean, super dry and rocket-like in its finish. Olof thundered in from the North, took off his horns and aptly came up with ‘a little white asparagus, platinum and copper.’ He then proceeded to impale someone who disagreed with him. Someone else appreciated its ‘good stank.’ Kayne West would have described it as ‘bright funky earthy fresh,’ as I wrote, and Big Boy lobbied for 96 points, but I told him it just wasn’t showing enough yet for that (95+M).

A jeroboam of 1949 Pommery was coffee city. It was mature and rich with luscious, earthy and dirty white chocolate flavors. These old Pommerys can be all-star material, but even bottles that aren’t at their best are still always good everyday players. This jero was a touch mature but still creamy and lush, arguably slightly affected but still excellent (93J).

It was time for some Burgundy, and Big Boy delivered a 1-2 knockout punch that would have settled this whole Mayweather-Pacquiao BS by leaving them both lying on the canvas, wondering what hit them. A magnum of 1969 Rousseau Chambertin, the one and only in Rob’s collection, was incredible. Wendy was going crazy over it; this was as excited as I have ever seen her over a given wine, and as the honorary ‘Angry Woman,’ she has seen a lot of greatness for sure. Rousseau undoubtedly made the wines of the vintage in 1969; what he did in this year is nothing short of spectacular given how most other wines from the vintage are showing. Words like ‘unreal, great, rich and spectacular’ graced my notes. The fruit and finish were both extraordinary. Citrus and rose blended together with tomato and rust to form an exemplary combination that left my palate watering for more. It remains a benchmark wine not only for 1969, but also for Burgundy (97M).

The wine that followed took it up another notch. The jero of 1959 DRC La Tache quickly laid claim to wine of 2010 with its incredible nose. It was DRC and LT all the way, one of the best examples of this wine that I have ever had. I have rated it as high as 99 points, but that was over five years ago and I have not had it hit the heights ever since until now. Smoke, mesquite, rose, rust, tomato, citrus, iron, cola, vine and more rust were all balanced by great acidity. This wine was so intense it made Big Boy look passive. Secondary aromas and flavors of bouillon joined the party, as did ‘perfect violet’ per Wendy. One couldn’t deny the style or greatness of DRC here; kudos once again to the greatest producer of wine in the world (98+J).

A half-dozen Champagnes slowly rounded out the evening, which was ultimately to end at 4am. We came down back to earth with a magnum of 1970 Veuve Clicquot Rose. Its nose was yeasty and full of vitamins, mature and warm. I noted flavors of orange blossom and tangerine, while Cliff found ‘orange Sunkist wedges.’ Wendy called it ‘a bit tropical, watermelon and persimmon…confectionary’ (93M).

The 1949 Louis Roederer was quickly crowned ‘Champagne of the night’ by the King of Champagne. Anyone who disagreed would quickly be banished from the kingdom, so good thing he was right. Rizzo observed ‘butter toffee,’ and it was housed in vanilla city. Hints of root beer, coconut liqueur and ‘salt water taffy’ per Cliff rounded out its exotic nose. Its flavors were all about the butter – that butter toffee, butter rum and even butterscotch got into the game, all dry and all great (97M).

The crown of Champagne of the night didn’t last long, as I liked the magnum of 1959 Pol Roger even a touch more. Its nose was crystal clear with divine yellow fruits. Its palate was fantastic; it was big and smooth, force without mass. It was deliciously buttery without any of the sweet butter qualities and kinkiness of the ’49 Roederer. It was classic in the ‘Fall’ sense of the word, Yankees style (97+M).

A 1959 Veuve Clicquot was outstanding. It tasted (and looked) more recently disgorged than not. It was strong, long and full of song. Well, that’s what I wrote. It was getting to that point in the evening where I was about to be full of something else :) (95M).

The 1969 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne was exotically good, as usual for old C de C’s. Butterscotch and lemon/lime were present in this fresh and well-stored magnum. I can’t exactly read what I wrote, it looks something like ‘anal’ and ‘great,’ but since my memory is fuzzy around this point, let’s hope it wasn’t exactly that lol (95+M).

The 1929 Louis Roederer was ‘unreal great.’ I wish I could tell you more about it, but the pen had officially fallen off the page. I do remember that it was a continuance in style of the 1949, though less exotic and more mellow, definitely close to divine (96M).

Oh, what a night, and thanks again to the most generous host in the world today. Here’s to 2010 being another year filled with great friends and great bottles.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - The Punisher


12/7/2009 12:00:00 AM

I interrupt my natural progression through some of this Fall’s more noteworthy wine evenings in order to bring you notes from a night last week that was so extraordinary, it immediately went to the top of my pile, easily one of the ‘nights of the year,’ so to speak. And there were only three of us.

I have often joked in years past about the two Jef(f)s in Los Angeles who share a last name (despite different spellings), the ‘good’ Jef being one of my close friends. Well, the, um, let’s call him ‘other’ Jeff, was in town on his way back from two weeks in Bordeaux and reached out to get together with myself and another special guest a couple months ago, and the evening was finally upon us. This other Jeff was fresh off an evening in Baltimore with Mr. Parker himself, drinking 1961 La Chapelle from Bob’s cellar amongst other goodies. It is, in fact, on Mr. Parker’s website where you will often find the other Jeff posting away on a daily basis, to which his thousands of posts will attest. When you talk that much on web bulletin boards, you are bound to find some people disagreeing with you, but after this evening, I can safely say that both Jef(f)s in LA are now ‘good’ in my book.

We were joined by one of New York’s empirical collectors, one who used to have an Airplane in his nickname, but after this night, he will only be known as ‘The Punisher,’ because he just punished us with incredibly rare wine after another until we couldn’t drink no more. And there were still another eight or ten bottles in tow if necessary!

Acrobatic/exotic/unique chef Wylie Dufresene’s 12-course tasting menu (at WD-50) also filled us to the gills, but was absolutely critical in soaking up the awesome arsenal of insane wines to which we would be privy on this special night.

I was sitting at the bar for about twenty minutes, not knowing that Jeff and The Punisher were waiting patiently in a booth in the back. I finally called The Punisher, perplexed as to how both of them could be so late – was my calendar wrong? This was the right restaurant, no? I was not wrong in either regard. Bad hostess, bad bad bad bad girl! Thankfully, I hadn’t missed much. Jeff and The Punisher were casually sipping on a 1900 Pichon Baron and had not gotten any further. In advance, Jeff offered up a 1989 Rayas, and I a 1993 Mugnier Musigny, although I changed up to a 1978 Ponsot Clos de la Roche at the last second due to circumstance…and still had the Mugnier, of course, just in case. The Punisher had assured us in advance that he ‘should be able to find something,’ and knowing his cellar already, that was good enough for us.

Ok, time for some notes. The 1900 Pichon Baron had a deep nose, still with a wealth of fruit despite a healthy whiff of oak at first. Aromas of peanut and walnut were also there, and with some extended aeration and swirling action, the oak settled down into more of a benevolent cedar, along with some creepy caramel and sawdust. The palate was rich and luscious. The Punisher remarked how he liked the ‘nose more than the mouth,’ and Jeff agreed, finding it ‘a hair short and a bit taut,’ but make no doubt about it, this bottle was in fabulous condition, still fresh for age 109 despite no signs of reconditioning. It was a natural fresh; it doesn’t get any better than that for old wine. There was a little bit of locker room funk that emerged, but this ancient rarity was still a tasty treat and an impressive bottle (92).

We jumped into my 1978 Ponsot Clos de la Roche. It was actually graciously given to me to taste from a case by a potential seller, as some of the color was off in a few but not all of the bottles, per his ethical acknowledgement. The nose was at first minty, beefy and chocolaty, also ‘foresty’ per The Punisher. Hints of tea rounded out its nose. The palate was rich and round, tender yet long, and tasty in a sweet, brothy, bouillon way with a hint of citrus. Autumnal flavors of forest and damp earth were present, along with game, browned fruit, beef and chocolate. There was still nice tannin definition to its cedary finish, and the wine possessed a little bit of that good dirty. The Punisher grimaced. ‘It is moving in a stewed direction.’ The wine was a bit exotic and unfortunately a bit affected, still good but not a perfect bottle (94A).

Jeff’s 1989 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape followed, and it needed to be woken up a bit. A first there was a lot of sweet cherry, but in a cough syrupy way, with enough menthol in its nose to clear any sinus on any occasion. The palate was rich, hearty, decadent and delicious. Jeff questioned ‘a touch of volatile acidity?’ The Punisher noted, ‘Riesling diesel.’ The wine had amazing power and acidity, not to mention its sweet concentration. Its cherry flavors were superb, and garrigue and white pepper balanced it out perfectly. One could pick at it and call it ‘too sweet,’ but it was pretty delicious to me, and a wine that will age a long time (95+).

It was at this point where The Punisher took over. He told us how he recently bought this old cellar where the Pichon Baron came from and had brought a few others from it to try to make sure the cellar was good. Enter 1918 Ducru Beaucaillou. The Punisher was having a case of ‘deja-vu,’ as he felt ‘like I just drank this wine.’ The Ducru was lighter than the Pichon Baron, also possessing more sour cherry in the nose. The palate was a bit yeasty at first, with some morning mouth flavors on its finish and fruit that I would call on the tired side, despite the condition of the bottle being fine and fresh per my note on the Baron. Flavors of citrus, wheat, sour cherry and dust were here, and the wine grew on me, as I was again impressed by the condition of the wine, even if it was, perhaps, past its prime. Jeff picked up on secondary ‘butterscotch’ aromas, which I saw in a dry way. There were cobwebs on its tangy finish (90).

The Punisher pulled out a 1925 Mouton Rothschild next as if it was another weapon to help him carry out wine justice. Jeff immediately noted, ‘pretty Asian spice,’ and The Punisher ‘strawberry.’ Jeff countered with ‘tobacco and truffles.’ The Punisher then finished the rally with ‘a touch of salty vinegar and metal on the end.’ I saw all that and then some. The nose was like cobwebs meeting biscuits, and it was divinely sweet in a restrained and refined way. I was really digging the nose on this ’25, which I believe is the first Bordeaux I have ever even had from this rarely seen vintage. Its front and mid-palates were great, although the finish did have some of that awkward metal. Light Asian tea flavors and ‘rhubarb’ per Jeff were upfront in the mouth, and while the wine was soft and bright, its citrus flavors were a touch too tart (?), I questioned, and Jeff chimed in on that ‘hint of metal.’ With a little more air, its citrus flavors became great, and the palate leaned on the sexy side in a ballerina way with light brothy qualities. Light beef and previous citrus flavors gave way to old cherry vanilla ones in the end, and overall, this was an excellent Mouton, perhaps never to be experienced again (93).

‘Let’s try some ’01 Lafite,’ The Punisher pronounced. Jeff had to stop himself. He was wondering, why are we going to try something so young now, until he realized it was the 1901 Lafite Rothschild. Like, duh :). The nose said ‘wow,’ roaring to reveal this decadent, toasted caramel like Smores without the chocolate, made with caramel instead, and a hand-made Guy Savoy caramel at that. Jeff kicked in ‘gingerbread,’ and that he ‘would have guessed Right Bank’ if the wine had been served blind. This, too, had a light, deft edge that the previous wines from this cellar showed and again was fresh and lively. The palate had nice citrus hints and ‘light brown sugar’ flavors. This wine was absolutely delicious, and I loved it, giving it three yums. Even at the end of the night, it was still delicious, still classy and incredibly distinguished. Move over, 1900 (96+).

The Punisher was just warming up. I swear I heard the click of a shotgun, and out came a 1904 Lafite Rothschild. The sibling rivalry was on. There was more citrus in the ’04, and more floral qualities to its sweetness, but we could all see it was a sibling to the ’01. The 1904 was much lighter in the mouth, however, and no ’01 for sure. It had wafer and water flavors along with sour cherry, dust and cobwebs in an old cupboard. It was still pleasant but its palate didn’t live up to its nose; it was a big drop off (88).

The vertical continued with a 1905 Lafite Rothschild, which had a deeper and darker nose than the previous two and was the first of the Lafites to show black fruits in its nose. There was also this hint of windshield wiper, but not in a negative way. Again the palate was on the lighter side. These weren’t hallmark vintages, of course, so that should not be a surprise for hundred year-old wines from years that are not from those ‘vintages of the century.’ The palate was also round, possessing waterfall flavors and again those dusty cobwebs, this time wrapped around old books (90).

There was one more Lafite to this impromptu flight, a 1907 Lafite Rothschild. I asked the sommelier for his thoughts, to which he replied that it had ‘the most grip and is a lot bloodier in its flavors.’ The Punisher playfully asked me if I was trying to get the sommelier to write my notes for me lol. The 1907 was the most classic in my book, possessing rich cassis and cedar in its nose. There were flavors of band-aids and strawberry soup on the palate, which was again lighter but more substantial than the 1905. It developed nice baked aromas as well (92).

It was Mouton’s turn again, beginning with the 1929 Mouton Rothschild, whose nose was intriguing and exciting. It was deep, long and smoky and clearly great claret. It had hickory, cassis and cedar aromas, all working well together. The palate was another wine that could best be described as delicious. Rich and sweet, it had both great fruit and great finish, with coffee flavors on its long backside. It was saucy with black cherry flavors and a hint of grill. The only negative was that it got a touch figgy in the glass after some time, pulling it down from outstanding back into the excellent zone, even though that initial impression was without a doubt outstanding (94).

The 1928 Mouton Rothschild made for an interesting comparison. I have always liked both these vintages for Mouton despite a lack of critical acclaim, and this evening reinforced my internal beliefs. Jeff resurfaced to find the ’28 ‘minty,’ although The Punisher was a bit concerned with some ‘cardboard’ at first. I saw what he was saying, but likened it more to an un-fresh bathroom edge, with hints of chlorine, although black fruits kept trying to fight their way through. Thankfully, the ’28 tasted far better than it smelled. The ’28 was rich and chocolaty, beefy and saucy. There were lots of Vitamin C flavors surrounding its dusty and zippy, rich fruit. The Punisher noted ‘mushroomy’ qualities and found ‘the nose better on ’29, but the mouth better on ’28.’ The Punisher also found that the ’29 softened in the glass, as well, and I agreed that while the two were close in quality now, as time continues, the 1928 will distance itself more as the better wine. Only in Bordeaux can a wine at age eighty still have time to outdistance another similar vintage! Jeff was in the ’29 camp, however, rating it one point higher ‘for elegance.’ The ’28 got better and better, and its nose became integrated and less awkward (96).

I don’t think I could have eaten another crumb or drank another drop. It was at this point that I had to say, ‘I think that cellar’s good.’ What a cellar, and what a night. Somehow, I think that if we didn’t throw in the towel, we could have stayed until every bottle in The Punisher’s wine bag was done.

I bowed down before the wine superhero before me, meagerly offering up my unopened 1993 Mugnier as a token of my gratitude. It quickly got sucked into his arsenal with the ease of a gun being put back into the holster of a marksman. As I stumbled out of WD-50 into the cold, rainy New York night, all I could hear was the crowd cheering, ‘Ed-die, Ed-die, Ed-die….’

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - A Trio of Krugs


12/5/2009 12:00:00 AM

On my last trip to Hong Kong, I was fortunate to sit down to a late dinner where only Krug was served, centered around a trio of 1996s, including the recently released Clos d’Ambonnay. New CEO Maggie Henriquez was in town, and we celebrated the then upcoming lots sourced directly from Krug’s cellars with some Krug, of course.

The 1996 Krug Clos du Mesnil was intense and deep like an abyss in its nose. Minerals, rocks, light citrus, wet earth and wheat aromas were present. There was still elegance in what could be called its sadistic nose, its power whipping my senses over and over again. The palate was lightning in a bottle; there was enough acidity for University chemistry courses. Someone remarked, ‘1996 is a 10/10 vintage for its acidity and alcohol.’ It would be tough to argue that this is not the Champagne of the vintage (98+).

The 1996 Krug Clos d'Ambonnay was more perfumed and sexier than the Clos du Mesnil. It was softer and more tender in its aromas, exuding hints of lime and 'lemon soap.' It was still quite deep and expansive. On the palate, it was elegant, and tender came to mind again. Its smooth and satiny style charmed me while its vim and spice picked my pocket. While classy and stylish, it was still powerful and possessed tremendous acidity. Decadent flavors of bread soaked in oil emerged. Tasting side by side with the 1996 Mesnil, they struck me as the perfect husband and wife, with the d'Ambonnay being all woman, and I say that with only the best connotations in mind (97).

The little ol’ ‘regular’ 1996 Krug wasn’t too shabby, either. It was clean, fresh and classic, quite zippy itself and noticeably special, even after the two monarchs that preceded. The palate was long, spicy, edgy and longgg. It will be fascinating to have these three together for the decades to come (96).

It was a youngie but a goodie night, as any night when Krug is served is. There is Champagne, and there is Krug…

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - In Europe In Love


11/30/2009 12:00:00 AM

I often title consignments we get directly from Europe ‘From Europe with Love,’ as I always love to get collections directly from there, and this November, I was in Europe on a couple of occasions and in love thanks to some fantastic wines and meals. Whenever in Europe, I am always in awe of the quality of food. From the everyday gas station quick mart to the greatest of restaurants, the food is far finer when it comes to Europe, and so are many of the wines. Thankfully, they sell more than they buy when it comes to the best of wines – wine is almost regarded more like an everyday beverage, adult cola if you will. However, there still remain many incredible wines nestled away in some extraordinary cellars, as well as on numerous wine lists across the continent.

One of my trips was on the way to Hong Kong and begun near Milan, on a quiet little Lake named Como. I was there for a conference, but it was a lunch on the day of my arrival that was most noteworthy, consumption-wise, at least. It was an international get-together including a few fellow Americans and some European trade members. Lunch was actually in Switzerland, a mere ten minute drive away, and we pillaged a local wine list to celebrate our arrival.

We started with a 2005 Didier Dageneau Pouilly Fume Silex, one of the world’s most collectible Sauvignon Blancs. Dageneau recently passed away tragically while piloting his own plane. Although I had never met him, those that knew him say that he was one of the most adventurous people they have each encountered. The Silex was quite wound, full of structure, tight and pungent with lots of wooden match and icy yellow fruit aromas, with hints of minerals and pee. Its fruit was quite rich for a Sauv Blanc. Kevin found it ‘very tight’ as well, and it was quite shut down although lush. Kelly observed ‘grapefruit’ in the nose. Someone on a later date told me not to drink his wines for 10-15 years, and this ’05 showed me why. The flavors that did show were pungent. There were nice hints of tea on its finish, and Gil was admiring its hidden acidity. It did linger in the belly (92+).

It was truffle season, so we complemented a great pasta and truffle course with a 2001 Clerico Barolo Ginestra. Ironically, I had just had this wine four days prior in New York. It both started my week in New York and my weekend in Europe. It was classic Piedmont with its nose of leather, tar and pine nuts. Gil observed, ‘tomato salsa.’ There was lots of intense structure and great black fruits along with a hint of black jam, anise and mint chocolate. Kelly found ‘a lot of oak.’ The palate was thick on its finish, and a lot of oak did linger on its backside. It hinted at flavors of leather, tar and anise. The finish was smackingly good in that Barolo way (94).

A pair of 2005 Burgundies set the stage for a celebrity death match. The 2005 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze was full of baby fat, although its fruit was still sexy with its red roses and raspberries. The wine had big lift in its nose but was so elegant at the same time. I think Kelly observed ‘Miracle Whip,’ to which Gil concurred, though he varied a bit, citing ‘more the blender ozone with the whip cream, totally with the metal.’ I found forest and crushed fruits. Kevin found it ‘very primary.’ The palate had hints of taut red fruits, forest and vitamins to go with leathery, stemmy flavors. There was definition and true grit here, but I found it almost too young to appreciate, and while still sexy, the wine that followed made it seem lighter and dare I say lesser (95+).

The 2005 DRC La Tache had a much deeper nose with blacker fruits, more crushed and with more tea. There were also hints of citrus and wooden match again. The palate was grand but closed at first. It was long and stylish, complicated but so young. ‘See you in twenty years,’ I wrote. As I said before, when I went back to the Rousseau, the La Tache stood out more. It was deep, dark, black, large and in charge. I think King Angry has a fantasy about that, the 2005 La Tache, that is. It got better with each sip, flexing just a bit more when I thought it possibly couldn’t. It is one of the great young wines I have tasted (98).

We ended with a blind wine that had a nice nose for something very old, but not for a wine from 1985. The 1985 Pousse d’Or Volnay Clos des 60 Ouvrees had lots of animal and sweet, kinky fruit, along with leather, game and some Syrah bacon. There were also hints of powdered sugar, ‘the leather of Barolo’ per Kelly, big-time garden and lots of alcohol and acidity. Gil found ‘hints of B vitamin 6 and 12 and sautéed liver.’ Despite all that going on in the nose, the wine was tired on the palate, a bit rusty and with lots of citrus flavors. It was clearly an affected bottle, advanced and a bit cooked (91A).

The weekend had its share of interesting encounters, like dinner with Luciano Sandrone, lunch with Piero Antinori, a drink with Charles Banks as well as seeing some familiar friends such as Eric Rousseau and Louis Michel Liger-Belair. I tasted a pair of 2007s from Rousseau, the Clos St. Jacques and Clos de Beze, and I was impressed with them both. I asked Eric to compare 2007 to other vintages, and after some hesitation, he finally said that it was a combination of 2002 and 2001 if anything. I also grilled Sandrone about Italian vintages and his opinion of them all relative to each other, thanks to some deft translation courtesy of Gil. Here’s the brief synopsis: first, I asked him about 1989 vs. 1990, perhaps the two greatest back-to-back vintages in Italian history. Interestingly enough, Sandrone felt that almost no one hit the bullseye for both vintages; those that made great 1989s had issues in 1990 and visa-versa. When asked of the other three vintages from the ‘80s, (’82, ’85 and ’88), Sandrone felt that 1988s are really good wines, but they will always be in the shadow of the ‘89s and ‘90s. 1985s are starting to dry up, but 1982 is the true classic vintage that will continue to age for years to come. He gave the edge to 2001 over 2004, and the sleeper vintage that everyone seems to have forgotten is 1999, which he clearly feels made some great wines despite the fact that no one seems to notice at the moment. I could have sworn I asked him about 1996 vs. 1997, with 1996 prevailing, but I am not completely sure of that last one!

Happy Birthday to Me

My second trip to Europe took me to a top secret location and an extraordinary cellar, one that I was working on for our January auction. The depth and quantity here is extraordinary, and the older wines are in particularly spectacular condition. I was in awe of it for most of the weekend, and I am very excited to be representing it. I was most in awe for the two dinners where we sampled wines from the cellar, the first evening which saw me celebrate my 38th birthday. I hear the combination of three and eight is very lucky, and I am looking forward to this coming year accordingly.

The wines were served blind, and mercifully we were not left guessing for too long. The first wine on this starry night was a Champagne, one that I thought was a Rose but ultimately was not. I did guess late ‘60s/early 70s, and it was a 1971 Lanson Red Label, their top of the line cuvee at the time. Lanson made some great Champagne in the ‘70s; this I already knew, and this bottle backed up that fact. There were aromas of sweet faded roses, dried strawberry and breath mints, along with hints of dark chocolate and earth. There was nice, light petillance in the mouth, and our host noted flavors of ‘creamy caramel brioche.’ There were more citrus flavors on its really good finish, and its acidity was long and stylish, blending well with the citrus. Its flavors were sweet with hints of oil and more earth. I was surprised to see that it wasn’t Rose, but we were convinced that there was definitely a higher concentration of Pinot Noir in the blend. Great strawberry jam flavors developed in this outstanding bubbly (95).

A pair of whites followed, and the color was noticeably different in the two. The first was much lighter and hence younger. It almost gave off a Sauvignon Blanc impression in the nose, but its palate was definitively Chardonnay. The nose was clean and fresh with a pungent core; it was taut and citrusy, wrapped around an obsidian-like minerality on a bed of honeysuckle fruit. The palate was very rich with lots of acidity and noticeably strong alcohol. Its honeysuckle qualities came on stronger and stronger and were joined by acacia. This 2002 Comtes Lafon Meursault Genevrieres had been open for an hour. It was another testament to the 2002 vintage, the most forgotten of the great vintages. Everyone talks about 1999 and 2005; even 2001 and 2006 get more recognition it seems, although I am talking reds, really, but even the whites seem to be less discussed in the context of greatness. This ’02 was loaded with Chardonnay fruit and flesh, and its minerals and acidity were superb. The only flaw was this spike of alcohol, but it didn’t detract from the wine for me (95).

The second white we got a clue – ‘same wine, different vintage. It was a 1992 Comtes Lafon Meursault Genevrieres, a nice pair with the ’02. The nose was sweet and buttery, full of tropical mango and kinky corn with a drop of heavy cream. The palate was rich, round and tangy with golden raisin and sunned fruit flavors. The acidity was still solid even though the wine was fatty and a bit over-ripe as ’92 whites are prone to be. This was still about as tasty a 1992 as I have had in a while, and while the sun is slowly setting on this vintage, there was still goodness in a gamy, semi-sweet way. Secondary flavors of banana peel (from the inside out) and tangerine joined the party. The ’92 kept growing on me, and it was a bottle that came directly from Lafon’s cellars on release, in fact (94).

It was onto some reds, and another pair. The first wine I pegged 1999 Burgundy right away – the decadent fruit and rich, saucy and sexy style gave it away. It was deep and inky and edgy with its fruit. This wine had tremendous energy; the tannins and alcohol had that boom boom pow. The wine was incredibly rich and powerful on the palate as well, and the acidity was of superhero status. Our host found it akin to ‘eating berries off the tree’ as it was so concentrated. There were deep black fruits in this wow wine, and I was shocked to see it was the 1999 Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin Lavaux St. Jacques, as it was better than the Griottes that I had had just a month prior. On cue, our host made a glowing comment about the quality of his cellar, of course. It did get a little drier in the glass as more skin aka tannins started to show (95+).

The second wine was another that I had had within the past month, but this time the US bottle showed much better. This bottle of 1999 Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin Clos St. Jacques was very sulfury. There was barn, animal, cedar and hay behind it, and our host also found it ‘gassy.’ Touches of garden rounded out the nose, but the gas dominated, for sure. The flavors were more on the candied red fruit side with a hint of rust, along with popcorn. The bottle was not exactly right, as the glorious other bottle I recently had would attest. Somehow, too much sulfur made its way into a batch of this wine, and here was one of them (93A).

The next wine was unfortunately corked, and it was a 1971 DRC Grands Echezeaux, in honor of my birth year. Rats (DQ).

The next wine was also from my birth year, a 1971 Gros Frere et Soeur Richebourg. Its creamy nose was full of barbecue aromas along with the horseradish and brown sugar that often accompany BBQ. It was rich and saucy, also displaying distinct green olive aromas. The palate was rich, saucy and hearty, although it had some skunked keg flavors on its finish, which was also likened to ‘old furniture.’ It was ‘not so clean with some chemical qualities, but also minerals and vitamins,’ our host commented. Kisses of tobasco, game and cherry rounded out the palate in this fleshy red, which was still excellent despite some unusual edges (93).

The next wine had a great nose, with this 7up sexiness to go with citrus and black cherry. It was rich and sexy, more hearty on the palate. The finish was big and gritty, displaying lots of minerals and flavors of olive and slate. It was very Burgundian in style, so I was surprised to see this be a 1971 Certan de May! It was a ‘wow’ wine for sure, and a pet wine of our host’s (95).

The next wine had a hint of oxidation, paint-like in its impression, although our host insisted we give it some time to allow that paint ‘to crack off.’ The palate was decadent, rich, oily and thick with hints of port and ‘layers.’ It was still rich and saucy and what I would consider an outstanding wine despite the nose, as it was cleaner on the palate, and air continued to benefit the wine, as flavors of chocolate and bread pudding developed. Our host smiled after the wine, and all of us, came around, admiring its ‘bakery’ aromas and how it was ‘packed with fruit and acidity.’ It was a 1945 Certan de May (96).

We ended our meal with a 1990 Jacques Selosse, one of the great producers in Champagne who still seems to be under the radar, perhaps due to his dizzying array of non-vintage bottlings. The nose was cream city, make that cream soda city, very Krug-like in its personality with rich vanilla aromas that were also almost beefy, or ‘coq au vin’ as someone commented. In the mouth, the Selosse was long and decadent yet fine and elegant. Our host noted, ‘rich with good acidity…fat’ (95).

We didn’t end our night, however. We went back to the cellar for a healthy midnight raid, beginning with a 1986 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet. Healthy and forward aromas of corn, butter, stalk, cream and nut were all over the nose, developing into a hybrid of corn nuts and hazelnuts. There were rainwater flavors in this round and mature ’86, as well as lots of corn ones including candy. This was about as good as 1986 gets now, a vintage to drink up and enjoy (94).

The last wine on this extraordinary night was an also extraordinary 1961 Palmer. There were lots of cobwebs at first in this ancient wonder, but they blew off into black cherry dust, spice and ‘mushrooms.’ Flavors of chocolate shavings and earth were present in this round, tender, soft yet sturdy wine. It was dust city on its hearty finish, a classic claret all the way (96).

It was a definite happy birthday to me.

And then there was the night after, a quiet get-together of just me and my host after a hard day’s work in the cellar, with three more extraordinary wines selected, beginning with an incredible bottle of 1955 Roederer. Acquired from the cellar of a Belgian castle, this bottle, despite some wear and tear on the outside, had an amazing color and fill. Thankfully, there are 12 more in our January auction! The bottle was amazingly fresh, its bubbles popping in the glass upon first pour. Aromas of honey, tea, dried fig, straw, orange blossoms and ‘green apples’ were everywhere in its complex nose. The palate was delicious, long and with great effervescence, impossible to stop sipping. A hint of meat/game/animal developed in the nose, and our sommelier eagerly added, ‘pink grapefruit.’ My host wisely commented, ‘what you have in the nose, you get on the taste, and that is a sign of a great wine.’ I just couldn’t stop drinking it, and caramel started to take over its palate in time. It was clearly outstanding and flirting with that next level, best wines of my life category, but I left it on the border (96+).

The next bottle was one we took a chance on, a low-fill 1961 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape. ‘It’s aliiiiiive,’ I smiled. It was another low fill Burgundy/Rhone that proved to be outstanding, another feather in Mr. Jaeger’s cap regarding his theory of lower fill bottles from these regions. ‘Cooked strawberry marmalade,’ my host admired, and he didn’t mean that the wine was cooked, it was just the aroma he found. It was a ‘wow’ wine, so sweet and sexy with amazing spice. Plum, boysenberry and cassis were all there, wrapped in a decadent musk. Additional flavors of bamboo shoot, new leather and a hint of truffles were there; it was another wine I could not stop drinking. ‘Burgundy-like, except for the alcohol,’ my host keenly observed. There was great tension; this was a wine that would make aspiring rappers want to ‘smack that.’ Candle wax emerged after extended time. It was another wine right on the border of the greatest of all-time, but it didn’t last as long in the glass, perhaps a combination of its age as well as its fill catching up to it a little (96).

The third wine of the night was a rare 1967 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva Speciale. Tar and leather were the first things I noticed in the nose, but also lavender and ‘white flowers’ balancing it out. It was a desert storm of a nose, with additional hints of black rose, fig, tobacco, spice and spine, along with huge alcohol and acidity, plus a little coconut skin. The palate was full-bodied with loads of tar and charcoal but this awkward edge on its finish at first. The fruit was sweet, but the finish ‘not that long.’ There was good spice, excellent flex and definition still. It was a perplexing wine, as one sip would be great, and the next awkward, but one of the best lamb dishes that I have ever had kept it on the greater side, and flavors of chocolate-covered cigar developed. It held well in the glass, gaining in time and ultimately proving to be close to outstanding (94+).

There was one more wine on this night, a 1997 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva, generously given as a gift by the restaurant. How come they don’t do that in New York :). It first came across rich, lush and hearty with a long, leathery personality that alternated between stroking me and slapping me between its fruit and finish. The palate was quite gamy and figgy, though. It ‘reminds me of a garage St. Emilion, slightly overripe,’ my host noted, adding, ‘but I like it.’ Its backhand was wicked, but its forehand was fruity and figgy and honestly tough to drink compared to the three classics also on the table. It did hold in the glass and hinted at more potential, but like many 1997s, they might not last as long as people think (93+).

Memorable meals in memorable places with memorable people are just enough to make me fall in love, especially in Europe, where the food and wine can be as good as it gets.

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - EMP


11/24/2009 12:00:00 AM

One of the best meals I have had this Fall was at Eleven Madison Park, or ‘EMP’ as the kool kids like to say. Chef Daniel Humm, known and respected by a couple of my most significant European collector friends, showed us why he is top of his game with a custom tasting menu fit for a king. It just so happened that we had a king at our table, King Angry, that is, but after the spectacular meal that followed, even King Angry had a smile on his face. Special thanks goes to Carl for organizing such a wonderful meal.

We started with a pair of Krug mags, beginning with a 1990 Krug. This was as great a bottle of this that I have ever had. Its nose was perfect, a great mix of vanilla and citrus with hints of nut. The palate had a great center, a linearity from start to finish that made my spine arch. Long, citrusy and zippy, this outstanding and bready bubbly was focused and in charge. I could have drunk it all night long and been quite happy (96M).

The just released 1985 Krug Collection was more pungent, very wheaty and grassy. Minnesota Slim found it ‘yeasty.’ Just disgorged last year, the 1985 was tighter than a nun’s knees, coming across too young and too recently disgorged, to be frank. The flavors were also grassy, and its finish long, fine and grainy. Chalky and limestony, the Collection had lots of potential, but was just too young and too ‘RD’ for me at the moment. It was tough to drink next to the 1990 (93+M).

There was only one blind flight for the night, and it was reserved for the whites. The flight was single blind, as we knew what the wines were, but not in what order they were served. Leflaive and Niellon Batards and Chevaliers were our subjects, and 1996 was the vintage.

The first white smelled like 1996 and popped like fresh kernels, which made me think Leflaive. The King called it ‘obvious.’ It was smoky and toasty with lots of forest, cream and yellow fruits. The nose was thick, long and sexy, but the palate was softer than I thought it would be. It was round with yellow and waterfall flavors, also with nice dust and spice on its finish. JP noted, ‘a little bit of bubblegum’ in this 1996 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet. I should add that we did not know the name of the wine until all of them were tasted and discussed (94).

The second white was cleaner, more floral in style. There were aromas of fireplace and brick, a veritable white Christmas of a nose. The nose was regal, long and full of spice. If the first was Leflaive, this was definitely Niellon. The palate was rich and lush, sexy with its white fruits and tender with a delicate wintry edge. The floral qualities were divine and delicious in this 1996 Niellon Batard Montrachet (95+).

The third wine had the same style as the first with its kernel, toast, musk, waterfall and smoke. JP was loving ‘the clean, razor-cut acidity.’ There were lots of kernel and toast flavors on its round and lush palate, but again there was this tender side. There was still excellent pop and definitely more acidity and length than its sibling. Although a touch was missing up front in the mouth, its big acidity more than made up for it. Since the next wine was corked, and this was the 1996 Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet, this was a day of Batard over Chevalier, ‘rare’ in Ray’s book (95).

As indicated, the 1996 Niellon Chevalier Montrachet was unfortunately corked (DQ).

The next course was foie gras, and the obligatory Sauternes came out, a 1988 Climens. I didn’t taste it. I know that it is a great pairing, but I do not like having a sweet wine in the middle of my dry wines, as it can affect the next few wines and diminish one’s tasting abilities.

The 1995 Krug Clos du Mesnil that followed was an excellent palate cleanser. Champagne is the only wine that is great before, during and after a meal. It fits in everywhere you put it, and this Krug was no exception. Aromas of cream, butter, vanilla, musk and yeast graced its nose, all supported by wood, almost a bamboo. The palate was dry, lean and long. The finish was exceptional, but this was very lean and dry. Perhaps 1995s will blossom, but that is typical of the vintage, one that I feel is very good but not great (94).

It was time for some reds, some Rousseaus to be exact, beginning with the 1985 Rousseau Chambertin. When asked to share my notes, I began with ‘milky, foresty, yeasty.’ Young Chris remarked how he didn’t like the Rousseau, to which I replied something far too undistinguished to write again here. The Rousseau was also beefy and saucy, and Worcestershire and tree bark came out. It was a bit dirty in a mushroomy way. The palate was round and rich, soft yet lush, tender but long. Two sips resulted in two sneezes, which is always a sign of outstanding in my book :). The third sip showed me its tender side, but the acidity remained constant. JP also noted the ‘mushroom,’ and it got redder over time (95).

The 1991 Rousseau Chambertin was all about its oak at first, that and some burnt popcorn. Vitamins and sour cherry slowly but surely fought through, and the wine found itself eventually. The palate was rich, lush and long, balancing out to reveal great definition and length. Its flavors of cedar, tree bark, forest and leather all had me licking the roof of my mouth. Once the oak blew off, the wine was fantastic, but in the end, after the last sips were said and drunk, the 1985s were one step ahead (94+).

The 1991 Leroy Chambertin that followed was deeper and much darker with its noticeably blacker fruits. There was oil in dem der hills for sure. This was a midnight wine, and JP admired its ‘spice.’ The King chipped in with ‘velvety, silky and smoother.’ The palate was also rich and lush showing that 1991 goodness, and its finish was grapy and grainy (94).

The 1985 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze backed up the 1985 is greater than 1991 theory. There was much more perfume to the Beze. Tender and lush was again the theme, and lavender took over its perfume while spice emerged. The palate was delicious with super fruit and great roundness. Pinches of vitamins rounded out this beauty (95).

We continued the ’85 vs. ’91 battle with a pair of Contis. The 1985 DRC Grands Echezeaux had a spectacular nose that sung all the great qualities of 1985 in that unique DRC way. Aromas of rust, menthol, red fruits (rusty ones again) and iron were present in its tense, zippy, pungent and deep nose. The palate was rich, long and saucy, still young with taut fruits and lingering acidity. It was a tightrope walker of a wine, balancing its fruit and finish components deftly in delicious fashion. Many hailed it as wine of the night (95+).

JP remarked how the 1991 DRC Grands Echezeaux ‘needs time.’ It was blacker in its fruit, also possessing aromas of menthol, forest and bread soaked in something. The palate was thick, big and young, again with lots of black fruits and very good in a beef bouillon way. There were hints of garden here as well, but midnight struck and its fruit was nowhere to be found, as the wine shut down in the glass rather than open more (93).

A trio of 1985 Guigal La La’s were last, plus a bonus wine. Practice agreed with theory for this flight, at least in my book. I was not loving the 1985 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque. There were aromas of lavender, bacon, menthol and gyro meat. Its palate had olive and dark fruit flavors but was also a touch oaky, and the wine was simpler than I wanted it to be (93).

The 1985 Guigal Cote Rotie La Landonne was beefier, bigger and thicker than the La Turque. There was more stone, wheat, chocolate and sprinkles on top. The palate was long and thick with excellent acidity. It was more classic Cote Rotie and smacked around the La Turque (95).

The 1985 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline was the best of the bunch – what else is new? It was the sexiest of the three, with aromas of bacon, leather, grilled meat and gyro juice. Meaty and fragrant, it had that whiff of Viognier along with complex black fruit, leather and lavender flavors. It was great and WOTN for me, although JP stuck to his ’85 DRC gun (97).

There was also a 1990 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline, but I was kind of spent. It was quite peppery and also outstanding, pretty and precious (95).

It was the night before auction and time to check out, not a creature who came would stir in their house.

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Latour at Latour


11/13/2009 12:00:00 AM

There is a restaurant named Latour tucked away an hour outside of New York City in New Jersey, within the confines of a very special place, Crystal Springs Golf Resort. It is a great place for a weekend getaway of golfing or skiing (depending on the season), spa-ing, eating, drinking or even just relaxing in the hotel room with a loved one…playing backgammon, of course :). I was there for the eating and drinking part, as the restaurant was hosting a very special vertical of Chateau Latour back to 1955, guided by none other than Frederic Engerer, president of Chateau Latour.

By the way, the wine list at Restaurant Latour is one of the country’s finest, and the prices are fantastic. The night prior, I had a bottle of 1982 Vieux Chateau Certan off the list for $195. The half-bottle of 1999 Lafite had just sold out earlier in the week. It was $95 on the list! I think you get the picture. The VCC was classic with its aromas of deep plum, olive and chocolate. It was very elegant, round and supple. It showed the tender side of 1982 and felt like it was entering its plateau. Traces of garden rounded out its finish (93).

Back to the main event…our evening of Latour started with the 2004 Latour, which had a sweet, sexy nose, ripe with its cassis and carob and framed by nut, pencil and cedar. Its fruit dominated at this young stage, and hints of lilac, lavender and jasmine were present. In the mouth, the wine was round, supple and soft, very shut down at the moment, especially when compared to the nose. It was not giving a lot, and G-man found that it had ‘too much pencil and was missing some legs.’ Engerer commented how ‘Cabernet doesn’t need heat, it needs light’ (92).

All wines were opened and double decanted about three hours before the event, which gave all the wines a very polished quality. I couldn’t help but wonder if a score or two might have been different were they not so aerated, as some wines may have given a more vigorous impression. Regardless, everything showed beautifully. They were also scanned by the restaurant’s patented machine, which detects any level of corkiness or oxidized qualities in any wine.

We sat down to a pair of 2006 and 2005. Engerer told us that this evening ‘is about pairs.’ The 2006 Latour was more classic, still possessing excellent fruit but also more minerals and earth. It was still purple passion with its deep, youthful cassis in the nose, but it also had more tobacco and structural components. The palate had excellent acidity and lots of earth and cedar flavors. It was long and lingered, and even though its fruit was a bit shy, it was still tasty and showy. Its perfume filled up the room. Engerer commented how the 2006 did not have ‘the breed of 2005…but long and deep’ (94+).

The 2005 Latour was very wound, showing lots of cinnamon, leather and earth. It was dark and brooding, with hints of whitewall tire. The brooding continued on its big, rich palate. Sandy and earthy, there was also a nice hint of bitters here. It was really deep and impressive in its size, even though it was a bit shy. The acidity was long, but the 2005 was definitely more secondary than primary. G-man admired ‘a lot of raw materials, and well-integrated compared to 2006,’ even though the 2006 was more inviting (96).

The next pair was ’03 and ’02. ‘Wow, what sauvage’ came from G. The ’03 was very forward in that ripe 2003 style, roasted as well, again with that hint of rubber tire. It continued to gain in stature in the glass, possessing more structure than the typical 2003 Latour with noticeable alcohol and acidity. Toasty caramel emerged. The palate was rich, ripe, big and delicious. This was a ‘show me the money’ wine, hedonistic and sexy with lots of slate on its finish. ‘Very showy,’ someone remarked. Engerer said, ‘the ’03 comes to you, but you have to go to the ’02.’ I couldn’t help but love this ripe and rich 2003 (96).

Engerer commented, ‘I love the line in the ’02. It’s like a black star.’ I also loved its pointed nose; it was on the t ‘n a side with lots of cedar, carob, caramel and musk. Its sweetness was all caramel. The palate was linear and focused, zippy in the middle but lighter on its backside. The 2002 Latour was really good and much better than I thought it would be, gaining in the glass (94).

Engerer shared how he and Parker always debate these two vintages, and that Frederic always stands up for the 2002. The 2003 had Parker excited early, but for Frederic it was too easy and lacked the balance he yearns, and for him, the ’02 has that balance. I saw both sides of this debate!

The 2001 Latour was fragrant and perfumed, showing more violets than any previous wine. There was a sweet fragrance about it, leaving a nectar-like impression with this lavender honey quality. The palate was round, with nice pop to its long finish. Black fruits and dusty flavors rounded out this excellent ’01 (94).

The 2000 Latour had a wow nose. It was deep and dark, chocolaty and cedary, possessing lots of edge and qualities of carob and Egyptian cotton. The palate was thick, especially on its finish. Its backside was long and gritty for its glazed palate, and Engerer admired that the 2000 was ‘the best since 1982 in terms of balance, but today a little closed.’ He conceded, ‘I would probably want to drink the 2001 tonight’ (97).

1996 versus 1995 has always been an interesting head-to-head. The 1996 Latour had a fabulous nose with lots of nuts, windex, cedar, toast and cocoa. It was long and cedary, tight and minerally in its aromatics. The palate was long, dusty, lingering and tasty, possessing the most acidity of any Latour so far. It was ‘a whole different breed, on par with the 1961,’ someone commented. After some time in the glass, it became beefy and jammy; this was serious stuff (97).

The 1995 Latour was classic in the nose, similar to the 1996 with its minerals, dust and windex. This was closer than I thought it would be, and the finish of the ’95 stood up to the ’96. The 1995 had excellent thickness and body, showing a little more than the 1996 although overall possessing a little less (95).

We took a trip back in time with a flight of four older wines, beginning with the 1971 Latour. The ’71 was very bready with a pinch of pungency to the nose. It was also nutty and had nice fruit aromas of cassis and blueberry. The palate was rich and lush, a touch gamy and deliciously grapy, delivering a great drink of mature claret (94).

The 1962 Latour was beefy and brothy with a little wet cardboard in there. Hints of tobasco and pungent fruit marked its tangy aromas. The palate was fleshy and still zippy with great, pure flavors of plum and grape. Wholesome, round, tasty and lush, the 1962 was the second excellent bottle from this vintage that I have had in the past month, provoking some future curiosity (94).

The 1964 Latour had a nutty yet dirty nose, with lots of earth and a hint of cotton candy. It also had the cedar of ’64. The palate was round with lots of coffee, earth, cedar and tobacco flavors. It was pleasant, round and balanced, but a little cardboard-y on its finish (92).

The 1970 Latour was the last of this flight of four, and it proved to be the winner for me, by a nose, so to speak. The nose had this initial bread pudding quality to it, built off toast, raisin, game and black fruit aromas. Its flavors were the youngest, and there was great definition to this long and vimful Latour. A chalky and leathery intensity and hints of citrus separated this Latour from the rest. Some food made the power in this vintage stand out from the prior three (94+).

There were three more pairs on this evening, beginning with the modern-day heavyweight matchup of 1990 vs. 1982 Latour. The 1990 Latour was fresh and clean with nut, plum and spice aromas. It was rich, lush and seductive both in the nose and on the palate. Its cashmere tannins just melted in my mouth. Engerer found it ‘very extreme for Latour.’ It was so creamy and tasty, very forward and hedonistic with still enough stuffing for any turkey. It would be the first of three times for this wine in the coming month, and all three showed in the same decadently delicious way (96).

The 1982 Latour quickly rose to the top of the charts and took wine of the night honors. It was much more wound than the 1990, also with more minerals in its long, classic nose. Dust, cedar and more minerals kept surging out of the nose. The palate had so much length and strength, noticeably more so than any other wine on this starry night. While the 1990 was sexy, the 1982 was serious, and a wine that still stood out even four hours after being opened and decanted. Engerer commented how the ’82 was ‘sure of itself and surfed across your palate.’ He went on to comment how ‘all Latours gently age’ (98).

It was now time for the classic heavyweight matchup of 1961 vs. 1959. The 1961 Latour was a bottle released from Latour in 2003, and hence reconditioned. The nose was fabulous, with power, fruit and finesse all rolled into one. There were cassis and plum fruit aromas in this youthful Latour. Engerer found it ‘tighter than 1982, a bizarre accident of nature, with frost coming after flowering.’ The palate was gritty and long with lots of cedar flavors. G noted ‘coconut milk,’ while I did slate and cement on its finish. G did admit that there was ‘an element missing,’ and while there was outstanding definition to the finish, the fruit didn’t show the natural mature qualities I wanted. It got a little dirtier in the glass (95).

The 1959 Latour had so much more fruit, deep fruit, along with game and nut, and both G and I immediately preferred the ’59 to the ’61. There was more maturity, more open fruit, and a soft, lush, easy and pure personality. Its sheer deliciousness was tough to not like, and this bottle of 1959 definitely KO’d the 1961. Of course, at this age, it all comes down to the bottles. Hints of fig, game, truffle and chocolate sex appeal rounded out this impressive and original bottle of 1959 (97).

There were two more wines to go, although after the previous two pairs, almost anything would seem anti-climactic at this point, but the ’55 was up for the challenge. The 1955 Latour had a creamy, sexy nose with aromas of nut, A1 without the steak sauce, caramel, game, spice, citrus and leather from an S & M suit. It was rich, round and tasty, another sexy 1955. Caramel flavors and a hint of teabag were flat-out delicious. Engerer agreed, noting, ‘like ’62, a lot of energy’ (95).

There was a blind wine served at the end, a solid 1950 Latour. I didn’t have much left in me, but it was chalky, rich and with an excellent finish. It was a Latour, after all (93).

It was a special night at a special place, and a pleasure to have Frederic on hand to guide us through over fifty years of the greatest Latours.

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Let's Play Two


11/2/2009 12:00:00 AM

Early October was a month of small get-togethers, a lot of one-on-one ball, so to speak. Despite a healthy wine market and a Dow that continues to flirt with 10,000, large celebrations have become a bit rarer, as conscious remains king in 2009. When dining a duo, usually two is the magic number as far as a bottle count goes, although three proved to be the right stuff for the first of four fine evenings over the course of a week or two. Does that add up?

There once was a man named Hans. He had a very big cellar. Hans was in town on his yearly pilgrimage to the US and we decided to get together for dinner, at a place called Veritas. They have been doing some good promotions of late and keeping people coming back for more.

We started with a bottle of 1990 Raveneau Chablis Valmur. 1990 was a great vintage for Chablis, and what better place to be than on top of the ladder with Raveneau. It didn’t disappoint with its nose of svelte yellow fruits, rain on rocks, minerals, wax and anise. It was lean yet still in fighting shape, fragrant with a hint of pungency. The palate was delicious, clean and fresh, showing mature roundess but still possessing solid acidity, tasty in that kinky Raveneau way. Rocks, anise and limy fruit balanced their way down the hatch in slippery yet agile fashion (95).

A rare bird followed, and I am not talking about the food. We grabbed the last bottle of 1955 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc off the list. Old white Bordeaux can be spectacular, even the dry ones, although this wine was extremely oaky at first. It took a lot of coaxing to get it to come into its own, but once it did, it was quite the wine. Its oak blew off into the classic straw, dry honey, glue and cement. The wine stll came across youthfully, amazingly fresh for a white 55 or so years old, and its palate kept pace with its nose. There was nice density in the mouth, still roundness and richness but in a graceful way, with flavors of straw, glue, dried yellow fruits and kisses of oak still married together after all these years. It was an excellent wine and a real treat, but make sure to remember that old white wines need aeration too (93).

The third wine on this enjoyable evening was a rare 1950 Ausone. It was a reconditioned bottle, but a job well done, and a bottle we enjoyed to the last drop. The nose was deeper accordingly, a bit fresher than one would normally expect for a wine this age, with a wave of purple fruit emerging first. After a swirl or two, more classic and mature wintry red aromas came, along with earth, stone barn and gravel. Light Christmas spice danced around gingerly, perhaps gingerbreadly. In the mouth, the wine showed both its sides – the original and reconditioned. It was a bit deeper and hinted at youth with its spectrum of fruit, but it still had classic aged St. Emilion flavors, especially the red fruits, earth, game, animal and tobacco. It was tough not to love it (95).

A day later I found myself drinking 1982 Mouton at Tse Yang. No, I was not by myself. It was a gorgeous bottle in beautiful condition and one of the more open bottles of this that I have had. I have always been impressed by the power of the 1982 Mouton, one of the few wines reticent to give into the hallmark elegance of the 1982 vintage. This bottle was starting to give in, perhaps softening up in its old age so to speak. The nose was everything claret should be – regal, refined, elegant and classy. It oozed out black fruit, dry cassis, pencil, earth and a hint of carob. This was open, sexy and singing. The palate was rich and round. There was strength in its silent finish, one that caressed and petted rather than smacked and attacked. It was long and round, almost frightfully delicious in its approachability. There is a lot of bottle variation amongst 1982s, so it is tough to make a consensus about this vintage, or any for that matter, based on the snapshot of one bottle, but this one sure made me think that the top 1982s could be starting to plateau, which for a great vintage in Bordeaux, could last decades, of course (97).

My friend and I snagged the last bottle of 1999 Dugat Griottes Chambertin off the list. Curiosity killed the wine lover. Dugat’s modern and oakier style is a bit controversial amongst the Burgundy intelligentsia, but this bottle delivered a positive experience. It was certainly beefy; concentration was king here, and there was a bit of an animalistic edge to this brute of a wine. ‘I am Tarzan,’ came to mind lol. Deep purple and black fruits seeped out, all served in a tangy vitamin wrap. The wine was rich and lush in the mouth but lacked the definition to support its ocean of fruit. Could its structure be latent? Yes, possibly, as many 1999s have so much fruit that their structures can be lost at this early age, but the finish seemed almost too soft despite its upfront complexities and unique style (93).

A few days later it was off to Long Island for a couple of bottles with another friend of the court, and we started off in familiar territory, with a 1996 Salon. If there is a better young Champagne in the world today, please let me know. I have written this bubbly up on numerous occasions, and it was lightning in a bottle again. Minerals and diamonds abounded as the Salon wrapped my palate in mink and then cut right thru it with its razor-sharp acidity and long, sexy finish (97).

The 1999 Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin Clos St. Jacques that followed was also extraordinary. Its fabulous nose was so good, possessing great aromatics. Sweet and pungent cherry red fruit, vitamins, musk, delicate cedar and perfume all came together in an overall meaty impression. The palate was rich and flavorful with tastes of spice, tea and sandbox. There was real depth here in this mouthful of a wine. While long and stylish, the Rousseau retained its elegance. Absolutely delicious (95).

The final night of this Fantastic Four saw me with another distinguished European gentleman, a Cabernet lover by confession, so we drank some Burgundy. A 1979 Dujac Clos de la Roche was a little woolly at first, needing some extra aeration to dry off its sweat and reveal a wonderful range of aromatics. Tobasco was first to jump out for me, along with old, pungent strawberry and dried leaves. There was also earth, leather and a pinch of Worcestershire along for the ride. The palate was mature, more purple in its profile, tasty with hints of saddle sweat and old book. It still zipped on its finish, and lots of citrus came out accordingly. It was another solid ’79 red, a vintage almost forgotten for Pinot (94).

We exercised some judgment with a half-bottle of 1989 Mugnier Musigny Vieilles Vignes as our second bottle. Mugnier only made a V.V. bottling two or three times, definitely in 1986 and 1989, I can’t remember if there was another. The ’86 has blown me away before, and I could have sworn the 1989 has also, but this half was a bit funky. It was milky and yeasty, pleasant yet simple, not what I had hoped for. It had a bit of a sour edge to it, and it didn’t pack the punch that ’89 can and should. It was still a pleasant wine, but I wanted more (88H).

Things heated up in the second half of October with a special Latour vertical, King Angry holding court, some auction debauchery and a lunch in Lake Como. Stay tuned – that flight to Hong Kong should have me catching up soon!

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Kickoff Classic


9/18/2009 12:00:00 AM

The Tuesday after Labor Day saw the Fall season commence in fine fashion with an extraordinary BYO spectacular at Bouley. Many of New York’s brightest wine stars were in attendance, and by the end of the night, it seemed that more than a few were a little rusty from the summer solstice and not in as good drinking shape as usual lol.

The evening started fast and furiously, as the Hillbilly needed to get his drink on and started popping DP’s. The 1955 Dom Perignon was alive although maybe a hint mature, as in more mature than a perfect bottle would be. It was still excellent, still coming across with some freshness and a hint of cement around a classic core of sweet caramel and vanilla cream. The palate was rich and round with similar flavors of sweet caramel, vanilla and cement. Bad Boy Bruce hit the nail on the head when he said that this was a DP that ‘would benefit from food’ (94).

A 1973 Dom Perignon was delicious and classic with its granulated sugar, white fruit and mineral aromas and flavors. It was very fresh and racy, in a perfect spot. For some reason, a few of the ‘Dom-inators’ were a bit under-impressed by the ’73, but I thought it was outstanding (95).

Mr. Happy was already up and about, sharing some of his magnum of 1982 Billecart Salmon Blanc de Blancs. It was still tight with great and dominant vitamin aromas, quite fresh as well. It was excellent, long and stylish with yellow, tangy fruit flavors (94M).

Justin slid me a glass of 1983 Krug Clos du Mesnil, which was yeasty and bready, but leaner than most Krug Mesnils. It had a wafery dry quality, and despite good definition, it was lacking in its fruit (92).

JJ had a bottle of 1969 Dom Perignon Rose, the second bottle of this batch that I have had in the past three months, maybe four. It had a sweet, candied nose with great musk and earth aromas, and strawberry and rose stood out as well. Its flavors were very earthy with a hint of barn, and its bubbles were starting to mellow, but this still was an excellent DP despite its down and dirty personality (94).

The first wave of bubblies was over, and it was time to settle in with some whites. Doug E. (I guess we have to call him Fresh now) brought a 1993 Roumier Corton Charlemagne. It had a nice nose with real balance between its sweet, tender fruit and its chalk, dust and minerals. The wine sparkled in its nose, and while the palate was a bit light in the front and middle, it had nice yeast flavors to its finish. Smooth, easy and in the right spot, this was a sensual and impressive white from a producer known for his more than impressive reds (93).

The Don was in the house, and I actually got him to show up on time! The Inspector awarded me a badge of honor when he arrived to see The Don there before him lol. He had a few goodies with him, of course, the first of which was a magnum of 1986 Ramonet Bienvenues Batard Montrachet. The nose was waxy and pungent, very stony with aromas of fireplace, rainwater and minerals. Its flavors were toasty with exotic hints of guava and honeysuckle (94M).

The 1985 Louis Latour Montrachet was a pleasant surprise, with an inviting, warm and toasty nose. Despite Latour getting taken for granted by many collectors, this was a special wine, and it had great aromas of corn, cereal, oats and puffed rice. In the mouth, the wine was tasty, nice, round and easy with light grit (93).

Bruce slid over to my table with a gorgeous bottle of 1962 Dom Perignon. He was cooing over it, and rightfully so. He got it from one of our auctions :) . The bottle was just f’in delicious. Forgive my French, but it was French, after all. Grainy, toasty, rich and creamy, this was a classic. Hay and honey dripped out of the glass and coated the palate. This was an extraordinary bottle (96).

I finally got to take a taste of my wine, a magnum of 1981 DRC Montrachet, from Wolfgang Grunewald’s cellar. Awooooooooooooo! I was told that 1981 was actually a very well received white Burgundy vintage upon release, soon to get lost in the shuffle of 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986. I was dying to try this wine, from a vintage that I don’t think I have ever sampled. The nose was incredibly exotic with super coffee aromas including the bean and the stalk, bordering on espresso liqueur. The palate was rich, tasty and delicious; this was another real surprise. Andy remarked that it was old Chard for sure, and I don’t think he is a fan of old Chard. There were definite cobwebs, but most were loving this mature DRC Monty (94M).

A 1982 Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne was a bit stinky and horsy with lots of animal and vegetable aromas. It was round in the mouth, but aggressive in its coffee and vegetable flavors (90).

There were two more white wines on this already extraordinary evening, a 1999 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres courtesy of Sweet Lou. Mr. Fresh hailed it as the best white of the night. It was extraordinarily clean and fresh, popping out of the glass as Coches tend to do. The nose was certainly amazing with aromas of wintry white fruits, minerals, sweet corn and kernel. The flavors were similarly delicious, but the palate didn’t quite pop for me like the nose, although I didn’t have much of it to play with (93+).

The last white was a 1992 Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche. It was definitely ’92 in its personality, but a bit better in that Montrachet way. There was that round, waterfall quality, turning the corner like 1992s are. Tasty and pleasing, there was still solid, hidden acidity in this descending white (93).

After a brief debate, our table decided to do the red Bordeaux before the red Burgundies. I kicked things off with a half bottle of 1962 Latour a Pomerol. I think I picked this up at one of our auctions for less than $200, and it turned out to be one of the best buys I have ever made. The nose was classic Pomerol, with Versailles garden and hints of cocoa shaving to go with its reticent plum core. The palate was round, tender and soft, just beautiful and delicious out of half. Andy felt it was just hitting its plateau of maturity, and The Duke remarked wisely, ‘it’s tough to beat that’ (96H).

The next Bordeaux was a 1929 Latour courtesy of Jeff. It had a wow nose and impressed the heck out of everyone. Hints of hinderbush, I wrote. Yeah, that’s a new one lol. There were also great aromas of tobasco, musk, cassis and toll house. The palate was full of cedar, cobwebs and sweet cherry fruit. Duke hailed it as ‘wine of the night’ so far, and the Inspector called it ‘the best bottle of this that I have ever had.’ Wait a second, was that a compliment for a Bordeaux wine from the Inspector??? Sacre bleu! Chalk outlined the palate gracefully in this regal and still ruling claret (95).

King Angry must have heard the word ‘regal,’ as he interrupted the royal procession of the ’29 Latour with some 1964 Krug. The Duke gave it an official, ‘That’s gooooood.’ It was delicious with decadent vanilla and cream soda flavors. Pure and balanced, its long finish went on and on (95).

We were back to Bordeaux with a 1947 Clinet. It had a nice nose, also with that hint of fresh garden a la the ’62 L a P. There were also hints of olive. The palate was a bit soupy and dirty, but it was still long and really good (94).

Andy graced us with a 1959 La Mission Haut Brion, a bottle that was reconditioned in 2002. It was fresh accordingly, but still had mature nuances in its aromas and flavors as well. Gravel jumped out at first, along with pleasant t ‘n a. The palate was full of cassis and gravel. It was round, lush and delicious, about as good a mix of old and new that one could hope for in a reconditioned wine. The finish was round and grainy. It was a delicious reconditioned bottle, although I would still take an original bottling any day (95).

JJ had unwittingly brought a 1989 La Mission Haut Brion, not knowing this would be the third time that I had the wine this month. I mean, what nerve, sheesh :) . Its deep purple fruit jumped out amongst all the older wines. There was also cotton, earth, gravel and coconut in this unbridled and youthful claret. It was, too, delicious; this wine’s ocean of fruit always stuns me, although given its mature company, it came across a bit boyish on this night (95+).

It was time for another Champagne intermezzo, and the 1971 Dom Perignon was another great Dom. It had a perfect nose, similar to the bottle I had just had with the Hedonist Jay. It was all about the vanilla and granulated sugar in the nose. The palate was rich, lemony, zippy and great (96).

A couple of more Champagnes rapidly followed. The 1975 Dom Perignon was more yeasty and full-bodied, a bit rougher around the edges. It was chalky and grainy, but still excellent (93).

Peter snuck me over some 1999 Philipponat Clos des Goisses Rose, a very rare bird. The color was the lightest color I have ever seen in a Rose. It was vitamin city, more tender in its vibrant fruit than I would expect for something so young, but it still came across o so fresh (94).

Three Champagnes were just enough to cleanse the palate for a healthy procession of red Burgundy. The first was a 1978 Drouhin Vosne Romanee Beauxmonts. The nose was like citrus meets beef bouillon lite. Hints of forest complemented tangy flavors in this smooth and balanced Pinot. Traces of Worcestershire rounded out the flavors on its finish (93).

Justin, who ultimately won ‘most outstanding drunk’ for the evening, had another ace up his sleeve, a 1966 DRC Romanee Conti. He had forgotten about me as he was besieged with screaming fans once the RC started flowing, but thankfully the Inspector shared his glass with me. It was everything it should have been and then some, classic all the way. There was great spice, rose and menthol to this man amongst boys. The Inspector and I finally agreed on a score for a wine; I guess we need to share the same glass more often (96).

A 1966 Clair-Dau Chambertin Clos de Beze was up for the challenge of following the RC. It was a killer bottle, possessing superb lift in its long nose. A weed-like complexity complemented its citrus, red and watermelon trifecta, and a hint of game and pinch of bitters gave it just enough tension to make any drinker take notice. This was a great wine. I am not sure who to thank, because by this time The Don and two Dougs had become a three-headed hydra supplying great bottle after great bottle, so thanks y’all (95).

The 1949 Gouges Nuits St. Georges Les St. Georges Doug E. hailed as red wine of the night so far. What the Don hailed as ‘band-aids’ I found more to be like earthy, dirty shorts. The wine was very complex and all over the place, extremely nutty at first with lots of toasty kernel and citrusy fruit. The earth of NSG continued to dominate, and its flavors stayed dirty and earthy, with a bit of leather coming in (93).

I think between Ray, Bruce and Todd there must have been 47 vintages of Dom at their table, and it was time for the 1976 Dom Perignon. It was another beauty, all it should be and delicious. And at wine #28, the notes are starting to shorten (94).

But not before an incredibly grand finale. The Duke had been laying low with a stocked box chock full of hotness, and he finally took center stage on this star-studded night with a pair of 1971 Musignys. The first was a 1971 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes. The nose was perfect at first sniff, with great fruit that was clean but gamy, rich yet sensual, red but hints of brown and purple, and meat that was both raw and grilled. Despite autumnal flavors and hints, the wine was still young and full of vitamins, rose and how now brown edges, brown like sugar and Worcestershire. The brown edges were a bit too brown for the brothers Doug, but I found the Vogue to be delicious and full of citrus smack, an all that and then some wine. ‘I need a whole bottle to figure this one out,’ The Duke playfully joked as he went for a refill. This was a wine where you wanted the whole bottle for yourself, for sure (96).

And the next one was even better. A glorious bottle of 1971 Roumier Musigny rained down on every other wine’s parade and quickly took my personal wine of the night crown. It got the universally accepted ‘so f’in good wowowowowow.’ Yes, it was about that time. The dust, the earth, the wind, the fire – this wine had all the elements of greatness. The citrus and rose balance was perfect, and the pitch and tension made me smack my lips. It had all the ’71 sex appeal with its great flesh and acidity. The Roumier wasn’t a wine, it was a meal (98).

There were a few more reds that I had some quick sips of, notably a 1958 B.V. Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a 1971 and 1975 Trotanoy. I couldn’t really get much out of any of these three wines at this point, but then one last wine stood out for me at the end of the night, a 1983 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline. Roasted, earthy, long, fine and sensual, the La Mouline was still full-bodied and really great. When I thought I was starting to lose my palate, it found it for me. It jumped out at the end of the night (95+).

The next night was the auction, and the momentum from this event carried over to the sale, which ended up being 100% sold. It looks like it’s gonna be a good season!

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Dinner with Jay and Anne


9/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

As we turn the page to Fall, I wanted to sneak in a quick, special evening I recently had in late August. I know, Rob, I never got to the Krug vertical amongst a dozen other special summer soirees. Catching up seems to be something perpetual in my world.

Summer evenings in the Hamptons are always special, even if I am a Fire Island guy at heart. Recently, I spent a most memorable evening in the Hamptons, arriving from Fire Island in fact, welcomed into the home of Jay and Anne for a fantastic dinner where the number of wines ultimately outnumbered the number of guests. Good thing I only had to drive upstairs at the end of this night. I found out the hard way that there is a reason many call Jay ‘the Hedonist.’

There were some other noteworthy guests staying at their place for the weekend, but since they didn’t join us for dinner, they will have to live without infamy. I was joined by Alexander the Great, and one other couple joined us, dear friends of Jay, Roger Waters and his wife. Yes, that Roger Waters. Having met Roger on a couple of other brief occasions, I knew this was going to be a fun night. Roger always enjoys a good joke or three, and he won’t hesitate to make you pull his finger lol.

Roger was running late, and Jay and I started to become dizzy and confused without a bottle open between us. He quickly remedied that situation with a 1990 Dom Perignon. The 1990 DP had a toasty nose, just right in that regard. There was great balance with its granulated sugar sex appeal, and bread joined the aroma party with a rye twist. Alexander admired its ‘floral’ qualities, and Jay its ‘freshness.’ This was about as good a bottle of 1990 Dom that I have had, and there have certainly been lesser ones, a fact echoed by Jay. Hints of apple were on the palate, and it got cracker crispy in the glass. It s acidity was outstanding, and so was the bubbly (95).

Inspired by the 1990, Jay dug deep into the cellar early on, pulling out a pristine bottle of 1971 Dom Perignon from his cellar. The bottle lived up to its appearance, as it was practically perfect. Jay pegged, ‘apple cider and armagnac.’ I wrote, ‘so complex, what a wonderful nose.’ There were warm, mature notes in its aromas and flavors despite its youthful character, and I could see the consistency of the style of Dom Perignon travel back in time from the ’90 to the ’71, which was impressive. The apple, the bread and the crackers were joined by a dash of sea salt. Its flavors were meaty and full of vanilla oil, musk and citrus jam. Despite its creaminess and more secondary nature, it was still almost as fresh as the 1990! What a bottle (97).

We sat down to dinner and were greeted by a pair of whites, the first being a 2004 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet. ‘Smells like Leflaive,’ Jay confirmed. Aromas of sweet musk and citrus jumped out of the glass like an adolescent in gymnastics class. It did a forward roll into hints of tangerine, cold butter and rainwater. The palate was fresh and round, long and satiny, giving off more butter than anything else. While sexy juice and possessing a bit of pubescent tension, it didn’t quite have the crispness I wanted out of it just yet. It still needs time to come into its own (94).

The next wine was truly extraordinary, sick as sick can be, love at first sip. The 1996 Lafon Montrachet was so good I think I heard trumpets canoning in the background as I raised the glass to my mouth after nearly inhaling it. It had that 1996 spark, its vibrant acidity screaming and whispering at the same time. This was a white wine on which buildings could be built. It was most fascinating to watch this wine develop in the glass, as it went through multiple personalities. After about fifteen or twenty minutes, it started to become brothy and tea-like, hinting at tutti-frutti, and I was afraid that perhaps the wine was suffering from a little premature oxidation. A refill kicked the wine back into kill mode, and it regained its taut, smacking personality, full of unsweetened lemon ice flavors. Rich, thick, slaty, long and dry, the Montrachet had a lot going on despite a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde conflicted personality. It definitely found itself, and its long, lip-smacking finish made everyone warm and fuzzy (96+).

A pair of Vogue Musignys were next, beginning with a 1991 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes. Roger noted a ‘strong hint of urine.’ He then looked down at the ground and said, ‘Oh, shit!’ Just kidding :). There was also a core of very sweet raspberry fruit along with forest aromas. Jay noted ‘a litte VA.’ Its sappy core had hints of mint, and its gamy palate hinted at fig and leather. Jay admired its evolution in the glass, citing ‘a little barnyard, a lot of forest, but the funk blew off and it is now elegant in a Burgundy way.’ The acid was still sturdy, and this 1991 was still solid, getting a little coconutty in the end (94).

Roger was warming up, and he found the 1998 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes ‘faintly Cuban.’ Jay added ‘a hint of Montecristo.’ The boys were jamming. I couldn’t pin the exact cigar but did get the cigar thing in this taut and leathery nose. There was definite tension here, and a hint of rubber tire that wanted to burn. Roger honed in on the leather, finding it more like ‘sweaty bridles.’ There were much more vitamins present in the 1998. The Vogue also had this back of a ruler thing going on, and hints of earth and cereal were present in this sturdy, long and thick red. It was an impressive 1998, a vintage that is still taut and developing, and one that might provide a lot more long-term pleasure than many think (94+).

Roger is a true claret lover, British to the core, but these Burgundies definitely made their mark on him, and he appreciated them to the last drop. Nonetheless, he was beginning to playfully grumble about having some real wine, so the boys all went down to the cellar to dig around and find him some claret before he trashed Jay’s dressing room. Jay pulled out an ’82 Haut Brion and a 1989 La Mission, and we tried to make a decision. When Roger told us while he has had the 1961 La Mission about two dozen times but has never had an ’89, the decision made itself.

The 1989 La Mission Haut Brion was a whole new world. Alexander the Great purred, ‘now this is leather.’ Its deep, dark fruit had lots of slate and gravel supporting it, and that classic toasted kernel of this particular wine was alive and popping. A pinch of salt was there, but the rocks and fruit dominated the nose. The palate was so rich and concentrated, and coffee flavors emerged after a little cheese. It was almost too much wine, the wine itself that is. Satin took over its palate after time in the glass, and its finish stayed long and special. Jay quipped to Roger, ‘we are making you look right.’ To be fair, it was a handicap match, as the ’89 La Miss is an all-time great Bordeaux, although a separate, recent head-to-head matchup with an ’89 Haut Brion after being uncorked two days prior had the La Miss a noticeable second (97).

We closed with a couple more Champagnes, beginning with the 1990 Dom Perignon Rose. To be honest, this is a Champagne that shouldn’t be touched for another decade. It was bone dry, long and with excellent acidity but everything about it was about the dryness, even its red fruits. Strawberry tried to creep in, but it was so dry. Alexander found it ‘talc-y’ (95+).

The 1990 Krug was the closer, and I think we were all just about closed for the evening, anyway. The Krug had the classic toast, bread, musk and vanilla cream in the nose. It was furry in a mink kind of way, and the vanilla morphed into a liqueur-like ecstasy. Flavors of butterscotch and white chocolate abounded in this long and still so young bubbly. There is Champagne, and then there is Krug (96).

And then there is hangover.

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Hong Kong Diaries, September 2009


9/8/2009 12:00:00 AM

I love Hong Kong. The city, the people, the energy, and the passion for wine are a combination rarely seen in the world today. My ten days in HK saw a lot of great wines and generosity on display, and the festivities commenced on Monday night, which was technically a ‘category 8’ Typhoon night, with 12 being the highest and most dangerous category. The wind was certainly whipping, but the rain mercifully stayed away until late in the night, really coming down heavily the next morning. Eight was enough to close schools and many businesses the next day, although by the afternoon, the typhoon had passed through, and it was business back to normal.

About eight of us got together on Monday night thanks to the efforts of Lawrence, and Paul was able to secure us a table at Café Gray, which is not officially open but doing a few, special pre-opening meals for some of Hong Kong’s finer diners. Gray himself was there, getting ready for what will technically be the opening in a couple more weeks.

Some 1995 Dom Perignon Oenotheque kicked off the evening in fine fashion. The ’95 had that classic Oeno style – clean, pungent and grassy with hints of hay, citrus and melon. The palate was full and fresh, quite long, yet the acidity didn’t overpower the wine like many young Champagnes. It still sparkled in the glass and had nice zip, rounding out and becoming more fleshy with time (94).

A 1976 DRC La Tache set the stage for what would be a mainly Bordeaux night, and it had a great nose. 1976s can be instant charmers but not be last-longers, so to speak, and I predicted this would be great for about 30+ minutes before disappearing into the air. I guess one could say that ’76 Burgs are great first kissers lol. There was sweet musk and black cherry fruit along with nice stalk, forest and a pinch of menthol in the nose. The palate was full of autumnal fruit flavors, round and balanced, with traces of earth, tea and dust on its finish (93).

Desmond noted ‘chocolate’ right away in a 1959 L’Evangile, and Gary found it ‘quite powerful.’ Loewe concurred, calling 1959 ‘more tannic than ’61,’ in general. It was, indeed, quite chocolaty with a hint of garden goodness, along with some faint aromas of cement and pungent interior. The palate was big and a bit of a bruiser with lots of alcohol showing. Its cassis and plum fruit were walking on slate stilts, and a hint of metal/iron ore was there as well. The L’Evangile’s sexy nose was old but fresh, and its acidity was really long in the belly, but there was some squareness in its shoulders. 1959 was never quite the vintage in Pomerol that it was for the rest of Bordeaux, although clearly still way above average (93).

Unfortunately, a Jean Nony Negociant bottling of 1947 Cheval Blanc was corked (DQ).

Paul had brought a pet wine of his, the 1958 Haut Brion, a vintage not often seen. This bottle was from the Mahler-Besse cellars, and the nose was certainly classic HB. There was that instant whiff of gravel, although oak started to creep in, in eyebrow raising fashion. The tannins and acidity were still firm in the penetrating nose, but its palate also had that oaky edge. The initial attack in the mouth was nice, but its mid-palate and finish were soft. Its flavors were more oak than anything else, although its oak morphed into cedar a bit. I was wondering if the wine was reconditioned at all, but there was no indication that it was (88).

Hello, 1955 La Mission Haut Brion. The first words to be written were ‘wow.’ There was a deep core of cassis and chocolate here, escorted by massive t ‘n a, cedar, mahogany and more classic wood without the oak. The palate was rich, sensual and vibrant, with secondary dust and desert qualities. There were nice, old citrus kisses to its caroby core, and it got more chocolaty in the mouth over time. While it competed with the last wine we would have on this night for ‘WOTN,’ it ultimately fell a step behind as we headed down the stretch towards the finish line (95).

A 1959 Lafite Rothschild was reconditioned in 1998, perhaps a bit too much so. It was sweet and gamy with lots of t ‘n a in the nose, but it came across younger more than older; it didn’t find the right balance that a great reconditioned wine should have. The palate was sweet and chocolaty, flirting with figgy, nicely dense and with flavors of leather, spice and cassis. Lawrence admired its ‘excellent finish,’ and while the wine was tasty, it was a bit hot and lacked the depth that I wanted and expect from this wine. It was still very good, but it should have been outstanding (92).

A 1953 Lafite Rothschild closed the evening in fine fashion. This, being an original bottle, was everything I expected and wanted. At first, it was a bit stinky, and it needed time to blow off some of its initial hay and wet grass. Thick, seepy fruit emerged with some swirling and aeration. The wine was rich and tasty, richer than I expected, and its hay blew into coffee and earth with a pinch of citrus. There was great ‘smack’ to this leathery wine and excellent pop to its finish. Carob, cobwebs and dust were all there as well. The wine was delicious, still vigorous but definitely mature. It remains one of the all-time classic Lafites (96+).

I actually had to go back to work after dinner and ended up spending another four hours trying to deal with deadline issues for our next set of Fall auctions. I wasn’t jet-lagged at all during my trip to Hong Kong, just work-lagged! The next two days were basically devoted to October and November, so I was especially ready come Thursday night to enjoy some more great wine, and we had assembled about fifty eager collectors for a BYO spectacular at the Island Shangri La. It was a quite social affair, and I only managed a dozen, brief notes, but they were good ones :).

We started off with a magnum of 1992 Sauzet Montrachet, which was as great as 1992 can be. The wine was rich and yeasty, only showing a touch of that fast-forwarding 1992 style. Its acidity was still solid, and this was a mouthful of a white, no doubt helped by the magnum format. Sauzet is one of the elite producers of white Burgs, and probably the least appreciated of the elite. His style has a power unmatched by any other producer in Burgundy (95M).

A magnum of 2002 Chave Hermitage Blanc stood up nicely to the Sauzet, even though it was from a vintage not held in high regard. If real estate is all about location, location, location then wine is all about producer, producer, producer. A great producer will make quality wines every year no matter what the conditions, and this Chave proved it. The Chave had lots of gamy fruit and glue in its nose. The palate was long and had great spine with lots of honey and wax flavors. Thanks, Dave (93M).

There was a James Suckling sighting, and along with him came a 2001 Massetto. Talk about a great package deal. James is always great company at a tasting and an encyclopedia of wine knowledge, and he was really the first major Western wine critic to experience the Hong Kong market. No one from the West knows Hong Kong and its major collectors more than James. The Massetto was super-concentrated and deep purple personified. The words ‘rich’ and ‘thick’ kept appearing over and over again in my notes, along with ‘super.’ James added, ‘layered and powerful…black olives and mint.’ This was an awesomely endowed wine, full of decadent flavors of coffee and blueberry. It was still very young but incredibly sexxxy juice (97).

If there were a Bordeaux that could stand up to the Massetto, a good choice would be the 1989 Haut Brion. It was another ‘wow’ wine; it is always special, indubitably one of the top ten wines made in Bordeaux over the last forty years. Long, elegant yet meaty, it zipped along faster than the speed limit but still seemed like it was moving slowly. It was so sensual, seductive from the first sniff to the last sip, full of carob, caramel, cedar and enough spice for Julia Child’s kitchen cabinet. This is an any place, any time wine. Thank you my friend (99).

The 1982 Haut Brion that followed had many similar characteristics, but there was much more peanut butter here in a peanut brittle way. This had a tender side to it that the ’89 wasn’t ready to show. It was more forward than the seven years between the two, gamier and readier, although still with a long life ahead of it. The ’82 HB seems to be under-appreciated in the market and is certainly the best value of all the First Growths (95).

A magnum of 1966 Haut Brion was all about the coffee in the nose. Its palate was smooth and satiny, soft and tender, fully mature and ready to go. While not in the category of the greatest Haut Brions, it is still very good, though probably best to drink up (91M).

Thomas blessed us with a rare 1969 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. As I have recently iterated, I love old Beaucastels. They are amongst my favorite, old wines and an incredible value relative to similarly old, great Bordeaux and Burgundy. This ’69 was no exception. It was full and regal in the nose, emitting black fruits, wet stones and pinches of game, tar and pepper. It was long in the mouth, tasty and tender despite a full finish marked by earth and cement flavors. It was another awesome, old Beaucastel (94).

A 1995 Roumier Chambolle Musigny Les Cras was pungent and gamy, long and full of iodine and dry leather flavors. While 1995 is a controversial vintage in Burgundy, there is no doubt that Roumier hit the bullseye this year and made the wines of the vintage, and this Chambolle proved why (93).

It was back to Bordeaux with an excellent magnum of 1964 Latour. Its nose reminded me of rich, Christmas pudding. It was long, tasty and sensual, in a good spot out of magnum, displaying classic flavors of black fruit, carob, walnut and pencil (93M).

A bottle of 1983 Margaux was in perfect condition, chalky and minerally, fuller-bodied and more stony than any other bottle of this that I have ever had. Its acidity was noticeable and noticeably good, and its spine and length suggested younger rather than older. Its black fruits were almost entrapped by its minerality; this will be a fascinating wine to follow for the next 25 years (95).

There was one more Bordeaux on this starry night, a 1990 Cheval Blanc, whose nose was full of meaty, wintry red fruits and hints of gingerbread. There is always this hint of game and wild grass to the ’90 Cheval, and I say that in a positive way. The palate was classic all the way around, rich and red, tasty yet still somewhat shy and reserved. This was a meaty, long and regal wine that will be enjoyable for decades to come (96).

I didn’t have much left in me by the time a magnum of 1989 Giacosa Barolo Falleto Riserva came around. Its leather and acidity really stood out at this point, along with its black as night fruit. This was a mouthful of a wine, practically taking my tongue hostage with its sheer strength. Long and zippy, the Giacosa spoke up for Italy admirably on this great night (95+M).

After a good night’s sleep, it was the day before the auction and time for our pre-auction tasting. There were many fantastic wines being poured. I only had time to taste about a dozen of the 35-40 wines being poured, but the standouts for me included 1971 Moet Rose (94), 2004 Marcassin Pinot Noir Three Sisters (94), 2003 Dujac Clos de la Roche (95+), 2001 Lafleur (96) and 1985 Rayas (96). The Moet Rose was delicious, still fresh yet showing some mature and open red fruit flavors, still vibrant with its effervescence and citrusy goodness. The Marcassin was remarkably good. It was rich, saucy and full, a mouthful and then some of beefy, California Pinot that retained the grape’s natural sex appeal. I was impressed, and equally so by the 2003 Dujac. I must confess that I have not had too many 2003 Burgundy recently as I don’t drink that much ‘serious’ young wine, and I have also perhaps been a bit brainwashed by a few Burgundy connoisseurs that this is not a pure or classic vintage in Burgundy due to the excessive, record-breaking heat of 2003. Well, this Dujac lit my mouth up. It was rich and concentrated and still full of acidity and length, making my lips smack and my tongue lick the roof of my mouth. It had sweet fruit, but not what I would call overripe, as the knock can be on ’03. It left me with a yearning to try a bunch more ’03 Burgs in the near future. 2001 Lafleur is a classic Lafleur, and 2001 is a great vintage for Pomerol. I will never forget when one of the Moueixs told me, ‘It will be interesting to compare the 2001 and 2000 over the next ten years,’ and that ultimately one day the 2001 might be held in higher regard. ‘Nuff said. The 1985 Rayas showed the glory of great Chateauneuf du Pape. I don’t know about all these new producers that have achieved huge ratings. When it comes to Chateauneuf, I keep it simple – Rayas, Beaucastel, Bonneau, Pegau, Brunel…I might be missing a couple of others, but you get the idea. The classic producers that have been making wine for decades are the ones I tend to prefer, and the same goes for the rest of the world, too. Experience matters. The ’85 was open and rich, tasty and gamy, jammy with its kinky strawberry fruit, supported by hot stones, leather, garrigue and spice. It was the real standout of the whole tasting for me, even more so than the Lafleur despite their same score, since the Rayas was much more open due to the sixteen year age difference.

I ran off to a quick dinner, where I had a flashback of our last auction in Hong Kong as 1989 and 1990 Petrus were already being served. I was given the pair blindly and able to identify which one was which. Phew :). I guess it helped having the same pair three months ago! My conclusion of the two was also the same, although this bottle, make that bottles, of the 1990 were better than the one I had in May. 1989 is the greatest of the greats, though.

The 1990 Petrus had a gamy nose, a touch figgy and caroby but still possessing a core of hardcore Pomerol fruit. It was also waxy and had more noticeable alcohol than the last bottle in May and a little more strength. Gil found it ‘a bit rusty’ and its alcohol a hair ‘disjointed.’ The wine was tight, better than the last bottle I had, but it continued to improve in the glass and with each refill. It is nice when you have two bottles of this wine to go around and around! The finish kept expanding, and the wine kept fleshing out. It was easy to keep drinking it, for sure (96+).

The 1989 Petrus was deeper and more chocolaty in its nose, pure class in a glass. In the mouth, it was regal, long and full of vim. Flavors of chocolate, plum and forest danced together like Baryshnikov and an ensemble of thousands. Length, harmony and strength - that is the 1989 Petrus. It will age forever (99).

The 1992 Screaming Eagle was a fascinating follow up to the pair of Petruses. It actually had a little Petrus character to it. Hints of game and fig jumped out at first, followed by black cherry fruit, coffee and a touch of olive. It was full of exotic spices. The palate had great game and spice flavors, and more coffee. That kiss of Cali sweetness was not over the top and rather refined here, and its tangy cassis and grainy cedar qualities were joined by exotic blueberry. Gil found it more ‘huckleberry, exotic raspberry coulis and a peach schnapps finish.’ It was long and delicious and could hang in the same flight as the Petrus, although the Petruses kept getting better while the Screamer stood pat, and if anything started to soften (95).

A glass of 1995 Krug Clos d’Ambonnay helped us say goodbye on a high note, although I still find this first vintage to be excellent and not yet outstanding. There was lots of lemony goodness and elegance in this young, taut Champagne. There was a flash of fruit, and while its flavors were great and its finish long, it still needs lots of time to come into its own (94+).

Once again, thank you very much to my friend, who also brought the 1989 Haut Brion the night prior. It was an incredible evening and a pleasure to meet some of your friends as well.

The auction was on Saturday, and it was a tremendous sale, but you all know about that already. I always like to enjoy a drink or six at an auction, so I brought with me a glorious magnum of 1989 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin. I haven’t had this wine in a while, and it has always left the impression on me as one of the greatest Rhone wines ever, always exceeding the equally-regarded 1990. While this wine has always been massive, and it was still big, there was a decadent core of fruit showing in this magnum that was delicious and open. There were black and purple fruits, spice, pepper, earth and that Rhone gamy quality all combining for a fantastic experience. Chunky and long, this was again special stuff and starting to shed some of its thick skin (97M).

The Monday after brought another festive gathering, kicked off by a spectacular bottle of 1996 Salon. This bottle was just perfect, like drinking diamonds. It just sparkled from first sip to last. Minerals, white fruits and extraordinary acidity produced lightning in a bottle. It was so fresh, so long and so balanced. Its tangy, pungent fruit was like a sun rising with its yellow flavors, and this Champagne just dropped me to my knees (97).

Surprisingly, some liked the 1996 Dom Perignon Rose better. The nose was all alcohol and acidity at first, but rusty red fruit tried to fight through along with a pinch of grass and almost melon. This is a wine that needs time; it was rusty and clean but very lean, tight and unyielding. It came across with more brute strength than the Salon, and it did open up in about an hour showing hints of exotic fruits, ginger, lime rickey and citrus peel. Its last sip reminded me of strawberry lime soda (93+).

Paul noted ‘lychee’ in a 1972 DRC Richebourg. Additional aromas of earth, bacon, tomato and ‘mint’ were present, along with some nice t ‘n a. There was also this touch of grilled endive meets marshmallow (accompanied by a ‘yes!’ in my notes; I was excited to pinpoint such an unusual combination lol). Light toast and a hint of animal rounded out its nose. The palate was very citrusy and leathery, lean and dry. Paul keenly observed, ‘it will turn sour in an hour,’ but he gave it too much time as I started to see that in fifteen minutes. The wine kept heading south for the winter despite its initial complex aromatics (88).

A 1989 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque burned rubber in the nose fast and furiously. There was lots of classic, mountainous Rhone fruit with tons of minerals and quartz. The palate was very peppery and also with bacon, earth and garrigue flavors. Victor found its bacon qualities more ‘smoked meat.’ The wine was a bit dry, its only flaw (94).

A 1999 Ponsot Close de la Roche V.V. had chunky, thick fruit in that 1999 way. Vitamins jumped out of the nose, with hints of medicine dropper, baby style. It was very wild with lots of kinky raspberry fruit. The palate was rich and concentrated, again with a hint of medicine, along with some iron. The wine was fleshy, kinky, sweet and unusual Burgundy. I saw the style of 1999 in the wine, but overall it was atypical (92).

A 2004 Leroy Gevrey Chambertin had a rich, saucy nose. I was told that Leroy didn’t bottle any grand or premier crus in 2004, so all the wines went into an ‘AC’ Gevrey and Vosne, depending on the vineyard, of course. The nose was exotic and concentrated with seepy, thick raspberry and blackberry fruit. The palate, however, was softer, easy and smooth, nice and pleasant, but simpler than I wanted. There was a touch of New World beef, along with menthol and spice (91).

The biggest surprise on the night was a 1998 J.J. Confuron Romanee St. Vivant. Leather and cedar were the first things I noticed, with reticent black fruits behind. It had what I call nice ‘whiff’ to it with its hints of allspice and all-fruit, for that matter. I really liked its taut style, and the palate was singing, impressing me with its leathery, taut 1998 side, and this was already open for two hours! It was still tense, with hints of hilltop garden, and it possessed classic qualities despite Confuron being a producer that is sometimes considered to be on the New World side of the wheel. I think I will be drinking more 1998s in the coming year; I think it is time to revisit this underrated vintage (93).

We finished up with a classic 1983 Yquem, sweet and delicious with lots of candle wax and honey. It was very stony in its aromatics, still sweet and decadent as only Yquem can be, with outstanding acidity (95).

There was one more night, and it proved to be a definite nail in the coffin, as I didn’t drink for three days afterwards as a result. It was all Jerome’s fault, but I’ll get to that later. We had a fun group assembled, including another James Suckling sighting.

The evening started off innocently enough with a magnum of 1990 Dom Perignon, which was very fresh out of magnum, much younger than out of bottle, as it should be. It was clean with great acidity, as well as mineral, spice, cement and straw aromas. With excellent definition and length in the mouth, it got even breadier over time, like toast soaked in oil. Yum (95+M).

Thomas, one of Hong Kong’s most knowledgeable wine lovers, brought with him a few goodies, the first of which was a 2003 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune, one of my favorite white wines, period. The nose was great, full of lychee, honey, petrol and waterfall. The palate was also delicious, balanced between its sweet fruit and petrol qualities. It was smooth and floral with nice richness, beautiful fruit and a soft, tender finish. Happy happy (93).

A pair of Margaux Blancs was next, beginning with the 2000 Pavillon Blanc du Margaux. The nose was yeasty with complex straw and gold aromas, along with honeydew and honey drip. The palate had glue flavors, along with waterfall and sunchoke ones. It was tender and definitely at its peak, pleasing at first, but the more I tasted it, the more it went downhill (88).

The 2005 Pavillon Blanc du Margaux was similar in style but sweeter. It had the glue, the hay, the yeast. It was ‘a point or two more’ per James, who was in the 87/88 point zone for both these wines. I preferred the 2005 significantly more than the 2000, and found it richer and fresher. Maybe this is a wine best within its first five years. Peter admired its ‘vanilla’ qualities (91).

It was on to the reds and another Thomas treat, a 1986 Ponsot Latricieres Chambertin, which Thomas quickly asserted was ‘better than the 1985’ he had the night prior. High praise indeed! The nose was super sexy, so seductive and gorgeous, sweet and musky. There was a lot going on: iron, black cherry, raspberry, tangy vitamins, garden and citrus borders all framed by impressive vigor and t ‘n a. The palate was ‘wow’ with its strong acidity and huge personality; this was about as impressive a 1986 as I can remember, save a 1986 Roumier Musigny. The finish was massive; before that there was a surplus of citrus, leather and cement smack flavors. It popped in the mouth, and I could not stop drinking it. Gil loved its ‘bang for the buck,’ and someone called it ‘the cat’s meow.’ Tasty, dry like the vintage, and with hints of cedar and menthol, this was an impressive wine, and James was loving it too, although he graded it a point less than me as he felt it would not get any better than it is right now (95).

Thomas pulled another cat out of his bag with a 2000 Anne Gros Richebourg. This was another impressive Burg from a year that is not that highly-regarded for its reds. It was another testament to the most important wine lesson I can ever give, which I will say again here: producer, producer, producer. The 2000 was quite rich in the nose, another ‘wow’ wine, very concentrated and beefy with tantalizing black raspberry fruit. It gave an oily impression, and aromas of vitamins, forest and cedar rounded out its nose. The wine was rich and tasty in the mouth with strawberry flavors and a kiss of lemon drop. I think it was James who said that it was ‘more modern but there is still precision and upside here.’ This time he was a point higher than me, but it felt like we were in sync. I get to be Justin lol (94).

A 2001 Comte de Vogue Musigny V.V. was next. There was a hint of milk in its tight nose, and it was also beefy and had more penetrating t ‘n a. Thomas was huffing how it was ‘not true Pinot.’ It had a nice shield around it of glass and citrus. The palate was a bit shut down. It was beefy, earthy and leathery with excellent acidity, but it clearly needed more time than the previous two wines (93+).

There was one more Burgundy on our agenda, a 2003 Rouget Vosne Romanee Cros Parantoux. The Rouget had a deep, saucy, concentrated nose, again this grilled endive thing around a core of plum, cassis, soda and liqueur. It was a thick wine, and the second tasty 2003 Burg that I had had on this trip. It was really good, hedonistic and rich, long and concentrated, sweet and hearty, if anything a touch too sweet, but hey, that’s 2003 (93).

I was surprised to see there was only one Bordeaux in the lineup; it was an outstanding 1990 Leoville Las Cases. It had a great nose, classic Bordeaux all the way with its cedar, minerals, pencils and cassis underneath. The palate was still so, so young, long, cedary and zippy. James found it ‘velvety,’ and I found lots of interior qualities in that Better Homes and Gardens kind of way (96).

We skipped, or make that sipped, through Spain with a NV Vega Sicilia Reserva Especial. They make this wine every few years as a blend from three different vintages, so one has to track the inconspicuous lot numbers on the label to know which one is what, which is kind of annoying; this was a blend of 1985, 1991 and 1996, or so I was told. This had that Vega egg to its nose, as well as a sweet, leathery kink and good wood. James noted ‘jammy and rich, chocolate, tobacco and rose leaf.’ The wine was gamy, smooth, soft, tender, easy and tasty, but it didn’t quite have the complexity of a typical Unico (92).

A 2001 Quicleda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon was like ‘Idaho jam,’ James joked. It was definitely deep and inky, chocolaty and cassisy, sporting a New World woody. It was soft and smooth, relatively unexciting. Perhaps I was generous giving it 90 points, as James walloped it with an 88 (90).

A couple of Rhones closed out the red wine portion of our program, beginning with a 1989 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle. Peter found it ‘plastic-y,’ but then said he finds Rhones that way in general. The nose was fabulous, full of sweet, black fruits, garrigue, spice, pepper, game, chocolate, minerals and bread aromas. The palate was rich and hearty, more limited and square than its nose, although there was nice citrus and leather smack to its gamy finish (94+).

We also got to try a 2003 Pegau Chateauneuf Cuvee du Capo, which Peter thought had ’20, 30 years to go.’ The nose was full of sweet and sexy Grenache fruit, so strawberry and so sweet. It was gamy in a confiture way, and super delicious. There was great balance to its fruit and long finish despite its overall sweet personality. This was a wine that was gettin’ figgy with it (95+).

Actually, I forgot, we had a 2005 Two Hands Shiraz Ares, which elicited lots of boos and hisses. This was hailed as a nightclub wine, and ice cubes were requested. I guess it could have been better with some girls around :) (88).

There was also a 1990 Yquem, which someone called ‘better than 1967.’ Honey, coconut, pineapple and candle wax complemented its rich structure and super sexy, nutty, lush finish. It is a great Yquem, but I’ll drink ’67 over it any time, at least for a while (96+).

When asked for my thoughts regarding the best wine, I said that I wanted another bottle of the Ponsot for right now even though the Las Cases was my highest-rated wine, and the Pegau won the freak at the end of the night award lol. It was about that time, and the guys made me do some Chinese traditions after dinner, including Jerome force feeding me shots of various liquids. Unfortunately, they forgot to give me the traditional herbs to overcome a massive hangover, a hangover to the point where I couldn’t remember getting back to the hotel or even think about alcohol for the next three days, messing up my routine :).

It was a great night of great wine, a fitting closing chapter to another great week of wine in Hong Kong. I can’t wait to be back in November.

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Back to Back


8/9/2009 12:00:00 AM

Recently I spent back-to-back nights in two different cellars in two different states. The first night was at The Don’s, the unofficial church of Burgundy here in America. A delicious lineup of five different wines had me thanking the wine Gods accordingly.

We started with a delicious 1990 Dauvissat Chablis La Forest. This wine really knocked me out and cemented the fact that 1990 may be the greatest Chablis vintage of my lifetime. (Yes, I know, 1996 could be as well). The nose was so warm and mature, yeasty in the best way possible, giving way to earth, smoke, baked yellow fruits and hay. The palate was rich and saucy, meaty and chewy, full of mild citrus and terroir flavors. While at its peak, the La Forest was pure hedonism and had me forgetting about the trees (94).

We paired it with a 1989 Raveneau Butteaux. The Raveneau was much more anisy and spiny, showing more citrus and minerals. It was more wound up, pungent in a good way, clean and long. It had more smack and was more youthful than the La Forest, but it didn’t quite deliver the same pleasure quota, although in five years it may be the better wine (93+).

A 2003 Haut Brion Blanc was a welcome introduction to dinner. The nose was sweet and giving, rare for a young HBB. The appeal of the 2003 vintage made itself known immediately, as sweet aromas of Sauvignon and Semillon fruit combined with the usual suspects of glue, hay and smoke. Almost tropical, the HBB was so delicious, sweet and balanced, elegant yet full-bodied. It didn’t feel like it was on a fast evolutionary track, but rather one of those wines that will always be enjoyable from the word go (95).

A pair of 1999 Leroys rounded out our evening. It has been a while since I have had any Leroy ‘99s, and I love ‘99s, so this was perfect as far as I was concerned. The first was the 1999 Leroy Vosne Romanee Beauxmonts. It had the signature, beefy Leroy style, dripping with black and red fruits, earth, and a long, defined finish. The Vosne maintained its inherent, elegant nature and gave off a silky impression (93).

As impressive as the Vosne initially was, the 1999 Leroy Corton Renardes just bullied over its sibling. It made the Vosne seem lighter and less of a wine, to be frank. The power of the Corton was searing. Its acidity and tannins stomped all over the Beauxmonts, and it kept a rich, powerful core of dense fruit to match its everlasting finish. This was impressive stuff (96).

On the next night, I found myself down South with a longstanding collector of forty years. While half of his cellar had been sold off due to divorce many years ago, and thousands of bottles had been consumed over the years, there was still a lot of great juice left, much of which you will hopefully be seeing soon at auction. We sampled a bunch of wines from the cellar, more eclectic and value selections since we wanted to save the best stuff for the auction. The result was a great testament to the ageability of quality wines in general, and how taken for granted many older wines have become. This evening proved that a wine doesn’t have to be a First Growth or DRC or from only the greatest of vintages to age gracefully and provide much pleasure.

We started with a wine that was never commercially available, a 1979 C.I.B. Corton Bressandes. The CIB is an organization in Burgundy that makes selections and wines every year for seminars that it conducts about Burgundy. My friend happened to help organize a series of their events here in America many years ago, and he was allowed to keep the leftovers as long as he promised not to sell them. He kept his promise, and was I ever glad for it. This wine was stunning, hauntingly delicious, showing mature nuances of game, black raspberry, earth and truffle. It was in a perfect spot and a wine that I could just keep drinking endlessly for hours. It was flat-out delicious. It, coupled with the extraordinary Ponsot that I had sampled recently, made me want to find more 1979 reds! This was a generic Corton Bressandes, mind you. It was what Burgundy was all about – gamy, sweet fruit, supple body and fleshy yet firm texture. This was 99 points on the enjoyment scale; it was that good. I couldn’t stop drinking it, and if it ever did come up for auction, it would probably be less than $50 (95).

We turned to California next with an off-the-trodden selection from one of his favorite winemakers and former friends, Joe Heitz. The 1977 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Fay Vineyard was another excellent wine. It was taut and mineral driven in that Heitz style, flirting with anise and chock full of earth, coffee, slate and hints of chocolate. Long and fine with good grit, this was still holding up well after all these years, from a vintage to which no one pays any mind anymore. It just goes to show that great producers make great, or at least really good, wines every year. This is another wine that if it ever came up for sale, it would probably only get $40 or $50, if that. Now that would be money well spent (93).

We went to dinner, and I grabbed a 1978 Heitz Pinot Chardonnay, because curiosity killed the critic. The kick was up, it’ssss goooooood! It was still rich and yeasty, smoky and woody, a solid wine that was clearly mature but still enjoyable. Mature flavors of cobwebs and campfire rounded out this piece of history, and although some alley crept in, it didn’t cross the line. Remind me why they don’t make wine in California like they used to again (90)?

I picked another curiosity, a 1968 Chateau Ste. Michelle White Oak Cabernet Sauvignon. Well, you can’t win ‘em all. The nose wasn’t bad, giving off cedar, cassis and lots of slate, but the palate was a bit sour and thin. It was still fun to try, and drinkable for a 40-year old Washington wine (83).

Since there was a lot of Bordeaux in the cellar, I insisted on one claret, and we had a half-bottle of 1970 Latour. Out of half, the Latour was a bit more mature than your average bottle but still excellent. It was gritty and sandpapery, framed by chunky black fruits and hints of coffee. It went down easy and remains a solid Latour, although not as great as many initially felt it was (93).

This gentleman has a great German collection, so we finished with a 1976 Albert Kallfelz Riesling Beerenauslese Merler Stephansberg, a producer whose family has been making wine since 1450. Now that’s a family tradition! The BA was very good, showing mature aromas and flavors of yeast, peach, basement, lychee, rainwater and minerals. It was a great way to end this evening, one that reminded me how great wine is, especially when you find great ones that aren’t the so-called great ones (92).

The bill for dinner was quite reasonable, especially the $2 corkage fee per bottle. You gotta love the South…

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Bad Boy 2


8/3/2009 12:00:00 AM

It was one month later, so wine’s original Bad Boy Bruce decided to have another get together at his home in New Jersey. It was a smaller get-together than his previous party, but still on hand from last month’s birthday bash were King Angry, the Hillbilly and Alexander the Great. I don’t think the Hillbilly ever left, actually. Bad Boy’s musical world touched us on this night, as we were also joined by Maynard Keenan, lead singer of Tool, a passionate wine lover and maker of fine wine as well. I had dined with him before a couple of years ago, and we had enjoyed an incredible wine dinner at Cru, but I somehow lost those notes and was never able to share that night. He was in town for a concert, and his presence was just enough to spark a fantastic evening centered around 1979 Champagnes, Soldera and Monfortino. The King and the Hillbilly, in a twist of half-inspiration and half-destiny, answered the musical bell and assumed the role they were born to play: the wine world’s version of Tupac and Biggie lol.

We started with a magnum of 1979 Louis Roederer. While good, the Roederer was simpler than I would have hoped and a significant drop off in quality from the Roederer bottles of the ‘60s, ‘50s and older, which all have legendary potential in them. I am not sure when this quality curve changed, perhaps coinciding with an increase in production of Cristal. The Roederer was clean and fresh with light aromas of yellow and toast. The palate was a little pungent, with flavors of urine and minerals (89M).

A magnum of 1979 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill had decadent vanilla aromas. It was ‘peachy and slaty’ per Todd, aka the Hillbilly, and also had great white musk and light toast aromas, more like bread soaked in oil. The palate was still young, very young, with nice bread, toast and white chocolate flavors. There was a bit of dirty earth on the finish, holding it back a bit (94+M).

A 1979 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame was gorgeous and lived up to its name. The Great one was admiring its soft, caressing nature. It was very floral with crushed, crystallized fruit aromas, sprinkled in sugar. A touch of hay added complexity. The palate was very clean. It was also long and fresh and possessed great effervescence, an effervescence that was more about its bubbles than its acidity. The Hillbilly said, ‘JK 94,’ and he was right. What can I say, the guy worships me :) (94).

We did a fascinating comparison of three bottles of 1979 Krug, all with different disgorgement dates. ‘Real geeky wine stuff,’ Bruce gleefully admitted. The first was believed to be the original release, some time in the mid-80s. Alexander found it ‘very creamy,’ and Todd ‘more golden.’ It was big and bold, full of that Krug vanilla cream, but it was really more egg cream this time. While big, rich and bold, the ’79 was also a touch aggressive. Bruce thought it had ‘more yeast, balance and development.’ It stayed eggy but in a good way. The second bottle was disgorged in 1990, and showed more youthfully accordingly. Alexander noted, ‘white cherry,’ but there was also a slight must to this bottle. On the palate, it also had the egg, more wood and vanilla cream pie. Big, rich and bubbly, while there was more muscle here, there was also more BO, as in cork issues. The third bottle of 1979 Krug was disgorged in 1988. Again eggy, the third bottle finally had everyone jumping on my egg bandwagon. Todd called it ‘hard-boiled and sulfury.’ This bottle was the best balanced, and while lighter, it was tastier, too. The Hillbilly found it ‘less robust,’ but then again, he’s a big guy and needs those 99-point Shirazes, Priorats and Chateauneufs to wake up his senses lol. He didn’t think it would go well with Possum Stew, always a big factor in his ratings scale. Speaking of which, while all three bottles were different, and one was affected, I found them all to be qualitatively equal and (95).

It was at this point that Bruce started grumbling about the female sommelier he hired to serve at the party. The Hillbilly was all over him, saying ‘you can’t get a girl to come over even when you pay her, and she doesn’t even have to have sex with you.’ It was quite a funny moment, and no one enjoyed it more than the Hillbilly, who hooted and hollered for approximately the next five minutes. We gave him some oxygen to settle him down.

But it was really the 1979 Krug Collection from magnum that got Todd’s attention. The Collection had a great, toasty nose with unreal vanilla cream aromas. The HB noted, ‘more linear and saline…a tighter package.’ It absolutely was, and racy enough for any major speedway. It had a rocket-like finish that took off, leaving a trail of dust, minerals and spice. This was the first Champagne I insisted on seconds (96+M).

A 1979 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose had a nice nose, very floral in a thick way. There was red rose and strawberry fruit, mint and chocolate. The nose was outstanding and really seduced me, but the palate was milder and more elegant, simple with its sweet and earthy personality. The King agreed about the nose, but found it ‘too sweet like cotton candy.’ Alexander the Great also found it ‘sugary like lemonade’ (92).

We had our first wine of the night, and it was from Arizona, our friend Maynard’s estate Cabernet, of which he makes about 90 cases in total. The 2007 Caduceus Cabernet Sauvignon Nagual del Judith was an inky baby. It had a young, sappy and seepy nose, quite juicy in that New World way. There were nice minerals dancing around a core of superripe cassis, make that hardcore; this is Tool we are talking about! The palate was rich, saucy and juicy, with nice flesh to its finish, very good definition and traces of earth, melons and coffee grinds. The winery was named after the staff of Hermes; of course, King Angry insisted that his staff was bigger lol. This was a well-made wine by someone who takes his wine very seriously, and I look forward to trying more wines from him in the future (93).

There were three more ‘79s to go, though, and they were three of Champagne’s finest. The 1979 Louis Roederer Cristal was distinctively Cris. It was very bready, with fine, sweet vanilla wafer, smoke, orange rind and crème brulee aromas in the nose. The palate was rich and heady with a sweet, oily core and an aggressive ‘burnt’ edge in the mouth. Very full-bodied, this ’79 was quite wild on the palate, sporting earth and weed flavors, but they were balanced by pleasing caramel, sweet margarine and yellow corn ones. Bruce hailed it as ‘great and staggering.’ There was a hint of celery, veggie goodness here. At first, the Cristal was all over the place, almost too complex, or as Todd put it, ‘a little furry.’ It really rounded out with some time in the glass, its sweetness reined itself in, and it got oily, kinky and sexy, three of my favorite things when they are enjoyed simultaneously (95+).

While I enjoyed the 1979 Salon more than the Cristal at first, by the time I had finished evaluating the both of them, the Cristal had snuck ahead. The Salon was clean and racy like light speed in the nose. It was so focused with its aromas of white fruits, ice and granulated sugar. It had the perfect sweetness, and it was a ‘laser cannon’ per the Hillbilly. The sweetness carried its perfection over to its rich palate through a rainbow of lemon and lime flavors. Its finish was long, and it had great balance. It was elegant but still big, starting to plateau and mellow, and it continued to mellow more in the glass while the Cris took off. The King added ‘vanilla cream soda’ (95).

Last and certainly not least was the 1979 Krug Clos du Mesnil. The last two bottles that I have had of this were horribly corked; thankfully, history would not repeat itself, and this bottle lived up to its historic reputation. This was the first vintage for what is now considered by many to be greatest Champagne made year in and year out, the Romanee Conti of the Champagne world. The Mesnil had a big, scintillating nose full of cinnamon, antique wood and vanilla bean. It was so big that it came across almost beefy. Deep and regal, it required our complete attention. The palate was rich, heavy and hearty, with its cinnamon and wood qualities carrying over to the palate. It was absolutely delicious, like drinking feathers and still having the meat along with it. With air and food, the wood melted away into a butter bomb. The Mesnil became saucy and decadent, rich and full of vanilla. ‘Vanilla cream soda,’ the King added. Wait a second, you said that for the Salon? ‘Make that celery soda,’ he laughed. This was finally the bottle of this legendary wine that I have been looking for; it didn’t disappoint (98).

It was time for some wine, and we began with a couple of Contis before heading over to Italy. Ray’s mystery wine had a gamy nose full of wintry red fruits and a kiss of menthol, along with rose, garden, citrus and tree bark. The palate was rich and intense with lots of red citrus fruits. There was great spice, tree flavors and a leathery finish that supported cedar and mahogany flavors. It was a delicious 1983 DRC Echezeaux. I have said it before, that many 1983 Burgs can be surprisingly good, especially for DRC’s (94).

The Ech was paired with a 1985 DRC Grands Echezeaux. Alexander the Great noticed ‘beet cottage’ right away in its big, beefy nose. There were lots of brown aromas, but not as in mature. Some vitamins and rose crept out behind the beef. The palate was oily and concentrated, almost too much so, again beefy. Its finish was lip-smacking but bruising, and the GE was a bit broad-shouldered at the moment. Although I thought the ’85 to be the better wine as far as its raw materials and long-term aging potential, I preferred the ’83 Ech on this night, as did Maynard and Ray (95+).

It was on to the Italians and the Solderas, Tuscany’s true First Growth. By the way, all Solderas are Casse Basse, which is the name of the estate, I believe. There has long been confusion about whether a Soldera is Casse Basse or not, but they all are! The 1997 Soldera Brunello Riserva had a sweet cherry core but was really all about the dust. There was also a cigar dipped in chocolate aroma in this deep, dark wine. The palate was rich and concentrated with great smoked Brunello flavors of beef, earth and leather. I was pleasantly surprised by this 1997, which seems to have floundered in the secondary market recently. Why, I am not sure (95).

The 1995 Soldera Brunello Riserva was more leathery with lots of peanuty goodness to its nose. One could tell the 1995 and 1997 were related, as the Soldera style translates in any vintage. The palate was rich and thick, full of tobacco, black fruit and tar flavors, also marked by a little egg. Its finish was much drier than the 1997’s, and it exerted itself firmly on the back end (94+).

The 1993 Soldera Brunello Riserva followed suit admirably for a vintage that isn’t considered to be a great one. Besides the usual suspects, aromas of glue and oat made their presence known. The 1993 was still rich in fruit although lighter than the previous two vintages, and flavors of leather and sour cherry candy were there in this fairly concentrated wine (93).

The 1990 Soldera Brunello Riserva had more garden and bell pepper at first, blacker fruits and a very nutty profile. It was by far the deepest and most expansive nose. The palate was thicker than anything else either, almost over the top with its motor oil concentration. Burnt coffee grinds simmered in the background. This was the essence of Brunello, and when I say essence I mean where something is taken and then reduced and concentrated. The 1990 was so concentrated that everyone lost complete focus, but that usually happens around wine #19 lol. While the 1990 stood out, the entire flight was consistently amazing and a reminder as to the greatness being achieved here (95+).

Unfortunately, a 1985 Soldera Brunello Riserva was corked (DQ).

There was one last dance, a flight of Monfortinos beginning with the 1958 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva. The nose was fabulous, and everything one could want in an old Barolo. There were mature aromas of sweet tea fruit, earth, tobacco, tar, minerals, leather, citrus, oil, smoked meats and truffles. The palate was quite concentrated as well, thick bordering on syrupy. The strength of the acidity was mind-boggling; this was a powerful wine and at age 41 showing no signs of slowing down (96).

The 1961 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva was more classic in style, a cleaner, more elegant and feminine style of this wine. This was a beauty, making the 1958 a beast. There was also more reserve and depth in the ’61. Reserve, breed and class all came to mind. The palate was delicious with its mix of tobacco, citrus, autumn and bouillon flavors. Again, there was impressive acidity here, and great smack to its finish, which was full of citrus and earth (97).

The 1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva had aromas of sweet cherry, seemingly more mature than its older siblings, but it still possessed a tight core of leather, citrus, old book, tobacco leaf, varnish and sweet cigar aromas. It was round and rich with excellent acidity, nice leather and citrus flavors, and a gritty finish. Again, the acidity really impressed (94).

The last of the four horsemen here was the 1971 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva. The 1971 was more anisy, and bready in a biscotti way. The palate had lots of black fruits, and this came across as the youngest by far, more so than the actual age difference. The acidity again was superb, and its flavors were thick but more tangy, and also more primary at this stage (95).

There was one last wine on the program, a 1976 Dom Perignon. This was a fantastic bottle of Dom, complete with that granulated sugar goodness, rich and delicious. It was long, focused and youthful. Awesome summed it up (95).

I am hoping this turns into a monthly occurrence!

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - 50 In Style


7/24/2009 12:00:00 AM

There’s something about July and birthdays that works for me. A close friend and loyal Acker client recently turned 50, and he celebrated in the finest of fashions with two dinners this month, the first of which celebrated his birth year, 1959. He has occasionally made his way into some previous vintage tasting notes, but due to a personal request, let’s just call him ‘Mr. Happy.’ It is most certain that everyone in attendance for this extraordinary evening was giddy by the time the night was over, and the food at Per Se didn’t make anyone grumpy, either.

The evening started with a bang and the only Rhone for the night. The 1959 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape had an explosive and amazing nose; this was clearly an incredible bottle, love at first sniff. Actually, it was Domaine de Beaucastel at the time. I guess they got some new digs soon thereafter! Anyone that thinks Chateauneuf cannot compete with the greatest wines of the world need to start with old Beaucastel. Jules gave it a ‘hubba hubba,’ while Amy added ‘smoked bacon.’ Deep garrigue was accompanied by green olive, smoked meats (indeed), menthol and juicy red fruit aromas in this spicy nose. Jean Luc admired the ‘mint,’ while Sarah admired its balance. The palate was rich, saucy, hearty and earthy, and its acidity was still young; this wine was still ascending at age 50, much like Mr. Happy. Flavors of chocolate, great earth and hints of rust and tobasco on the finish made this wine even more special. Jules summed it up, ‘it’s like really good Wagyu; it just melts in your mouth’ (97).

We quickly moved to Burgundy and a 1959 Mommesin Clos de Tart. Mr. Happy quickly gave it an ‘oh my God and wow.’ It was classic ’59 with that sweet hint of over the top ripeness. The wine was bursting with red fruits, ‘iron ore’ per Jean Luc, and the Happy one concurred with ‘minerality.’ Hints of orange peel and yeast proceeded in this complex nose, along with whiffs of good wood, beef satay and hot cereal with the brown sugar. Its flavors were sweet and tender, silky with hints of metallic goodness, like a shield from bad wine. Mr. Happy found it rhymingly ‘sappy,’ and it was smooth but still a bit hot (94).

The Tart was paired with a 1959 Noellat Romanee St. Vivant, which was about as good as an old Noellat as I have had. It was also sexy with that sweet ’59 style, syrupy and sugary with hints of orange again, but more citrus overall. It was tasty with a bittersweet finish, again with hints of tobasco. The Noellat was hearty with a twisted spice, like brown leather syrup. While the Clos de Tart danced more, the Noellat could knock you out. Jean Luc found it ‘more put together,’ but its ‘dustiness’ bothered Sarah a bit (93).

Some foie gras was served, along with the classic pairing of Sauternes and a 1959 Rayne Vigneau. Despite the magic of the matching, I still find having a sweet wine in the middle of many dry ones a bit intrusive. Nonetheless, I serviced with a smile. The Rayne had a nice nose with aromas of coconut, candle wax and almost a bit of beef. The palate had ‘serious dried fruit’ per our host, peach to be precise. It was rich and sweet with a tender, soft finish. The foie gras brought out its mid-palate and finish more (93).

The next flight was one of Musigny, with a bonus round. The 1959 Moillard-Grivot Musigny had lots of brown sugar in its nose in that chapitalized way. It was very Asian in its profile, and also had some hot, salty pretzel in there. The nose was hearty, spicy and woodsy, but the palate was light, a touch metallic, although it leveled out in a leathery direction. Sarah concurred that the ‘aromatics are on steroids,’ but the palate, although beefy, had tutti frutti fruit and a square finish, although some emerging chocolate flavors didn’t hurt (92).

The 1959 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes was a superb bottle. It had sweet, delicate cherry vanilla aromas with much purer and high-toned fruit. There was lots of citrus here in this very bright and ‘framed’ (Jean Luc) wine. There was also a decadent, floral, lavender soap quality without the soapiness. The Moillard-Grivot versus the Vogue was like bowling versus baseball; ‘no, you mean versus soccer,’ Jean Luc insisted with a smile. Someone admired its ‘precision,’ and Sarah its ‘raisiny’ qualities. This was definitely a raisin in the sun. The palate was round with nice spice, smack and pinch. It had great red citrus components that went on and on; this wine kept on giving all through the night (96).

A 1959 DRC La Tache was a most welcome way to say goodbye to Burgundy. This bottle was a bit affected, but still outstanding. It was quite meaty, almost like meat liqueur, beefy yet tropical as well. There was a touch of cork, and a hint of maderization as well, but it was a fine line between that and gamy. The palate was rich and hearty, brawny and soupy. It had the most muscle of any Burgundy so far, and the most serious acidity of the night as well; in these regards, it was no contest. The inherent greatness of this wine was evident despite it being gamier than usual and despite it having some cork issues (95+A).

It was time for Bordeaux, and we started with some Pomerols, namely a 1959 La Conseillante, which had a fresh, young nose filled with purple fruit galore. Vanilla, musk and hints of coconut unveiled in its sexy nose. There was also gauze there but no need for medical attention. Despite the cavernous nature of the nose, the palate was leaner, possessing more chalk and citrus although still nice purple fruit. Someone admired its ‘floral and rose petal’ qualities (91).

There was one magnum on this starry night, a magnum of 1959 Gazin. Its nose was rich with a deeper and sexier Pomerol kink. Royal garden, chocolate, cassis, plum and ceramics rounded out the nose. I preferred its smooth and satiny style to the Conseillante, as it was more balanced and also had more fruit on the palate. Jean Luc agreed, citing ‘more length’ on the Gazin (93M).

While the first two wines reminded me that 1959 wasn’t as good a year for Pomerol as it was for the Left Bank, the 1959 Petrus reminded me that Petrus doesn’t care. Jean Luc remarked, ‘its intensity is almost painful.’ There was a deep core of alcohol and acidity, as well as an ocean of plum and cassis. Its initial wood blew off into garden, chimney and ceramic, and its palate was absolutely f’in delicious. It popped and hit warp speed, leaving the other two Pomerols in another galaxy. Rich, regal, long and with great spine, slate and vigor, the Petrus made me change my mind about ’59 Pomerols (96+).

The 1959 Ausone wasn’t bad either. Was this the last great year of Ausone until the ‘80s? Perhaps, perhaps. The Ausone needed a lot of work as in aeration to shed its very dusty nose. Red fruits slowly emerged, along with big-time black licorice, rye bread and caraway seeds. It spine and spice created an impression of a deep forest in the heart of winter. The palate was saucy and firm, and it had soupy good fruit, and ‘tar on the back end’ per Jean Luc. Rich, delicious and ultimately perfumed, the Ausone was outstanding (95).

A 1959 Palmer was ‘stinky in the best possible way,’ according to Sarah. Additional aromas of cigar, tobacco, yeast and crusted red meat with a sea-like twist made up its unique nose. The palate was good but a little underwhelming after the Petrus and Ausone (92).

It was not a good day for the Left Bank, as its other representative, a 1959 Latour, was way too oaky, to be frank. I just couldn’t deal with it at this point in time, although I just think it was an off batch rather than an off bottle, so to speak (DQ).

There were a few dessert wines that continued the celebration, one being a 1959 J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese. It smelled like mother’s milk. There was a whiff of oak that was so clean; it was amazingly young for a 50 year-old Riesling, and its color looked like it could be less than 10 years old! It was delicious and clean, linear and focused, elegance wine-sonified. Vanilla flavors lingered on its finish (93).

The 1959 Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu was much sweeter, musky and seepy, rich and smoky with a hint of Sauternes here. Aromas and flavors of yummy honeycomb, apricot and hints of dandelion were all present in this great wine (95).

There was another German, our last sweet wine of the night, a 1959 Von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Herrenberg Riesling Beerenauslese. It had deep honey and kink in the nose. Thick, rich with a swath of wood but decadent honey to balance it, the Von Schubert was rich, lush and impressive (95).

We had our only bubbly from 1959, a 1959 Cristal. Although it was a little tough going dry after all those sweets, the Cristal managed to show quite well, although it might have showed a point or so better at the beginning of the night. Aromas of baked bread came out first in this rich and decadent nose, although the dessert wines definitely cut the sweetness in the mouth. Someone observed ‘a key lime citrus burst’ in the mouth, no doubt getting that tang due to the dessert wines stealing some sugar from the spotlight. Flavors of oats, earth and yeast were more dominant accordingly, and there was still a kiss of spritz in this sunsetting yet beautiful Cris (94).

There was actually one last wine, a blind wine, served courtesy of one of Mr. Happy’s friend’s who could not make the event. He knew the lineup in advance, and wanted to get him something that he would never forget. The nose had ‘green apple jolly rancher’ per Mr. Happy. It was like Sprite meets Grappa to me. It smelled like I was in a nightclub where I didn’t know the address (not a good thing), and ‘waking up next to a stranger’ per one of the ladies on hand. It was a NV Thunderbird, particular flavor undetermined, if they even have flavors of that swill lol. It was the first time I ever had some T’bird, and definitely the last. Man, that stuff was putrid, so it got the rare ‘Not Recommended’ (NR).

A toast was in order, and a good friend of Mr. Happy delivered and summed up this celebration with one of his favorite quotes, ‘Though youth gave us love and roses, age still leaves us friends and wine.’

I will always drink to that.

FIN…

…but it wasn’t over. Two days later, we were together again, this time closer to Mr. Happy’s home upstate, and with a whole host more people, including many of the Acker crew. It still had its share of 1959s, although since there were over fifty people, and at least six bottles of every wine served, there was a wider range of wines on this evening.

A glass of 1985 Salon kicked things off. It had a yeasty nose with lots of game and a miso glaze, also with hints of white chocolate and musk. The palate was rich, spritely and long with excellent lift. Very meaty and very gamy, the 1985 Salon again gave me the impression that it might mature earlier than other Salons from top vintages, but it was still outstanding and with serious structure (95).

A 1971 Schloss Eltz Rauenthaler Baissen Riesling Spatlese was delicious, just a pure, hedonistic and juicy Riesling that was in the perfect sweet spot, aka not too sweet and not too dry. There were great petrol aromas and sweet fruit, and aromas of honey, musk, apricot and lychee. There were rich flavors of orange and honey glaze, and a hint of nice ‘butter’ per Alexander the Great (93).

A flight of 2002 Burgs were next, beginning with a 2002 Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges Blanc La Perriere and ending with a Pillot that I will get to in a minute. Both were pungent and acidic at first, but the Gouges the more so of the two. It had a pungent, anisy nose with aromas of rusted metal and wet earth, but the palate was rich with a lot of backside showing. It had a bruising style, big but clumsy (91).

The Jean-Marc Pillot Puligny Montrachet Cailleret had a cleaner nose that was more mineral driven and rocky, with tantalizing hints of dew-laced yellow fruits. It was balanced with a really nice perfume to it, and what I would call ‘make up flavors.’ Rainwater flavors were clean, elegant and stylish (93).

A 1959 Josef Schmitt Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Auslese had a great, yeasty nose with additional aromas of orange peel, rubber, mint and a kiss of very mature wood. Alexander noticed ‘basement,’ and that was a ‘great’ call, of course. There were good sugar flavors on its oily palate with a kiss of cement (94+).

The procession of ‘59s continued with a 1959 Cune Rioja Reserva Especial Vina Real. Aromas of chocolate, game, iodine and lots of leather sat perched in the glass, alert and ready for duty. The palate was also very leathery, still young and with a nice citrus smack to its finish. The Unico that followed made the Cune seem drier and outclassed this excellent Rioja, although others did prefer the Cune, as difficult as I found that to believe (93).

The 1959 Vega Sicilia Unico was incredibly exotic and complex. There was a lot more wood in the nose at first, but it soon gave way to cherry, vanilla and soy, along with a sweet, leathery kink. The wine was flat-out delicious, rich and meaty in that kinky, Unico style. Its kink was in the citrus and leather family, and the wine was edgy and hit staccato notes deftly. It was a great, classic Unico with nice musk, great spice and crackle to its finish, which still had good tannins (95+).

We had the 1959 Moillard-Grivot Musigny again, and I liked the bottle better on this night, perhaps because it was the only Burgundy on this evening ? (Actually, there was one more later, off the menu, so to speak…) Competition can be tough, as we all know. It was ‘blue velvet’ per Alexander, whose greatness was showing brightly again. This bottle came across more regally, and its long, gritty tannins played out well with earth, autumn and red fruit flavors (93).

A jero of 1959 Gruaud Larose had a reticent nose, deep but reticent, with nice black fruits, nuts and earth, but shy overall. The palate had classic qualities although it was a bit fruit forward. Bright and round, it was long and gritty but simple, possibly reconditioned (91J).

It was dueling jeros, the next being a 1989 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. The week was coming full circle, and the Beaucastel was a complete wine to match. Alexander the Great found ‘pork rinds and salty bacon,’ and along with that there was deep violet, cassis and all the black fruits, dark as night, with a hint of garrigue. The palate was superb with hints of pepper and more black fruits, and phenomenal t ‘n a. Its earth components were gritty, agile and balanced, and its finish thick. The ’89 remains a great wine and the true modern-day legend of this legendary estate (96J).

A 1983 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle was a worthy adversary, ‘irony’ per the Great One, who added ‘blood.’ It was much more wound than I remember it last being, but upon looking at the bottle, it did look like a later release. Aromas of black fruits, earth and hot stones were complemented by a big, beefy palate, which was really sturdy for a 1983. It had lots of power and a similar finish to the Beaucastel in its gritty, earthy and balanced style, although it had a more roasted flavor to it (94).

There was one last wine to this night, a 1959 DRC La Tache redux, from the same batch as the bottle served two nights prior at Per Se. It was also gamy with a bit of stew and raisin at first. Mr. Happy noted ‘sous bois city.’ It opened up into aromas of bouillon, autumn, earth, a pinch of cola and wild greens. The palate was insanely good – rich, hearty and fatty like a good piece of sashimi, with awesome concentration, hearty garden flavors and superb acidity. It both danced and boxed, to continue an analogy from the first evening. This was special stuff, and it may not have been a 100% perfect bottle, either, but it didn’t matter (97).
What a week and many thanks to Mr. Happy. Encore encore! I think you need to turn fifty again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that…

FIN

JK




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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Bad Boy Birthday Bash


7/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

July 2nd proved to be one of the year’s most noteworthy wine bashes, a birthday celebration for wine’s original ‘Bad Boy’ and 12 Angry Manner Bruce. Bruce is a veteran of the music industry and accordingly knows how to throw a party, and about forty of his closest friends including many significant others gathered at his home for a celebration of wine and Champagne.

It started in fast and furious fashion, as when I arrived with Big Boy, such dignitaries as Airplane Eddie, Tennessee Tom, Wheels, Brad and others were already sampling some goodies, and when I say goodies, I mean some really goodies. Everyone’s generosity was on full display in honor of our gracious host.

A quick glass of bubbly came my way to waken up the palate, and it was an obscure 1969 Reserve Selection Le Mesnil, apparently some joint bottling made by the growers at the time of the famed Champagne vineyard. It was the first time that I ever even saw such a bottling, and it had a rich and fat nose with aromas of butter and vanilla. It was toasty and smoky but a bit alcoholic, rough around the edges and a bit chemical in its flavor profile, but an interesting experience nonetheless (88).

There was a lot of DRC going around the room, a lot of which was thanks to Wheels, so I did my best to catch up quickly. A 1964 DRC La Tache had a dusty nose, but there was sweet perfume behind it, mainly rose with a lot of minerals in tow. The palate was rich, hearty and gamy, classic 1964, with a sweet front palate that was ‘beautiful’ (95).

The 1962 DRC La Tache was even better. There was more lift and breed to its nose, which displayed fine aromas of regal garden and tobasco goodness. The nose was so fine and expressive, gamy and sweet in that perfect, old Burgundy way. The palate had length, fatness and richness, also gamy and meaty as well. It was pretty extraordinary and a testament to how good ‘62s can be when they are on, although Eddie chimed in that he had had better bottles. True, I have had 99-pointers as well of this wine, but neither of us were complaining (96+).

What better way to follow up the ’62 La Tache than with a 1962 DRC Romanee Conti. There was this initial hint of baby powder in the nose, which was deeper, thicker and richer than the La Tache. There was a kiss of good stink here along with enough meat to satisfy the hungriest of carnivores. The wine was rich and saucy, smooth and luscious. Its rich, gamy fruit had ‘rose petals galore,’ but its palate was smoother and more satiny than the nose led me to believe, showing more of that ’62 class. It was very balanced with nice slate and minerals on its finish, which was a ‘good dirty’ (96).

Big Boy pulled out one of the real treasures in his cellar, a 1923 Liger-Belair La Tache. I was lucky enough to have this bottle from Rob with Louis Michel Liger-Belair a few months ago, and I was more than happy to have it again. It was a ‘wow’ wine. The nose was so rich and saucy with incredible complexity, just so much going on. Minerals, gravel, dust and spice were perched atop beefy, rich fruit, with additional aromas of tomato, garden, oil and a pinch of Worcestershire. The palate was rich and still hearty after all these years, flat-out fantastic. Its acidity was endless. This is definitely one of the greatest wines ever made (98).

The hits kept on coming as a 1929 DRC Romanee Conti was next, courtesy of Eddie. Unfortunately, it was a touch corked, but it did blow off and was still well worth getting to know, and the palate was not even showing any traces of cork. The wine was satiny smooth with great texture and hints of earth, spice, dust and leather. There was great mouth feel to this gorgeous wine, whose acidity was still there, but not as forceful as the ‘23’s. A touch of citrus rounded out another classic, whose palate was so good, I was hesitant to call it ‘affected,’ but I decided ultimately that it was affected due to its nose (95A).

Next up was my contribution for the evening, a jeroboam of 1957 DRC La Tache, and what a jero it was. This is one of the few wines from 1957, Bruce’s birth year, that can still deliver, and out of jeroboam it was extraordinary. This bottle would be a good exhibit A for those that feel the best barrels often went into the large formats of DRC. The nose was gorgeous and pungent, wild and gamy with that pure La Tache style. It was incredibly aromatic, with oceans of spice, mushroom, truffle oil and garden. The palate was juicy and saucy, rich with beautiful rose hip flavors and the Vitamin C. Eddie hailed the nose as ‘singing’ while King Angry, a late arrival due to holiday traffic, observed its ‘burnt’ qualities, although he was not hating. This wine was still singing out of the bottle eight hours later…impressive (95J).

The 1942 Krug signaled the end of the procession of Romanee Conti, although I would soon sample one more that had already been opened before I got there. Of course, we had big Boy to thank for this treasure, from this rarely seen vintage of Champagne. This was special stuff, with heavenly aromas of butter and vanilla. The bubbly had perfect color and poise, and its palate had a perfect balance of fruit and finish. Bubbles were still present though mature. Butter butter butter was what this beauty was about, although there were great cement flavors to its fine finish. The nose became grainy. Big Boy came over to me and asked, ‘what did you give this, 96, 97 points?’ To which I replied, ‘it’s right there on the border of 97.’ Big Boy was pleased that he knows my palate. Everything about this Champagne was beautiful, but I kept it South of the 97-point border in the end, as its ‘earlier’ maturity kept it from that ‘best wines that I have ever had’ category, but it sure was close (96+).

A blind wine came out courtesy of Mr. Antonio Galloni. Of course, it had to be an Italian wine, although it gave me a bit of a Bordeaux impression at first, until a few swirls brought out its true character. It had a deep nose full of mocha, cedar, earth, leather and a nutty glaze. Alexander the Great chipped in, ‘Christmas tree sap,’ and there was also this kinky tar. The palate was great, leathery and gritty with intense spice. Flavors of tar and chocolate were dominant, and this 1982 Giacosa Barolo Collina Rionda was in a great spot, and it wasn’t even a Riserva (95).

Antonio also treated us to a 1970 Giacosa Barolo Collina Rionda, which had a much milder nose to the 1982. There was more wheat cracker, yeast and zeppole here, and the palate was smooth and balanced with nice tannins, but it left a simpler impression after the 1982 despite nice grit on its finish (92).

I got a swallow of the 1934 DRC Romanee Conti that somehow I missed prior. It was only a swallow, so forgive the brief note. This wine has been amongst the greatest of my life, and while this bottle was great, it was a bit affected and browned around the edges. There were unique pizza oven aromas, which were probably in their tertiary or later stages by the time I got to taste. The palate was thick, rich, saucy and oily with flavors of orange zest, slate and port (95+A).

Eddie pulled another whopper out of his arsenal, this being a double magnum of 1955 La Mission Haut Brion. It was another special bottle, and our first of only a few Bordeaux on this magical night. As can be typical with old La Mission, gravel and slate jumped out of the nose. Slate continued to dominate, but black fruits slowly crawled out from underneath, along with charcoal, peanut and chocolate. On the palate, slate and chocolate continued to exert their influences, along with nice plum. Rich, long and fine, the ’55 had a thick finish where the gravel and charcoal came out again. Zippy, long and extraordinary, the La Miss was still young out of double mag (96+D).

A magnum of 1953 DRC Richebourg was unfortunately quite gassy and like ‘rancid crayons,’ per King Angry. Needless to say, it was (DQ).

A 1964 R. Engel Grands Echezeaux had a chapitalized nose with aromas of brown sugar, oat and a touch of pizza crust. Eddie wasn’t impressed, calling it ‘burnt in the mouth, horrible tail.’ There were some rich red fruits in the mouth, but there was also a bit of alley, barn and animal as well (89).

A 1969 Hudelot Musigny had that same chapitalized style of the Engel, possessing brown sugar, oat and more rust. The finish was longer and better, gritty and stony. Someone called it ‘pungent egg soaked in alcohol.’ It was very good, but you had to like that chapitalized style (91).

It was time for some more bubbly, and King Angry had brought a rare jeroboam of 1945 Ruinart. Wheat jumped out of the nose, along with a touch of grass, hay and ‘camomille frappucino’ per The Great One, who then added, ‘pumpernickel,’ while I added buttered. It was tasty, round and smooth, definitely possessing camomille flavors as well. It had richness with a dollop of sauciness, a hint of lime and a nutty finish. Butter and ‘caramel’ joined the party, and I found the Ruinart excellent, although a bit wild and woolly, and aggressive for some (93J).

A 1964 Krug Collection had a superb nose, possessing great freshness. There were aromas of whitewall tires along with the leather interior, and white fruits, flowers and rain. The palate was classic, long and dry, although at first a bit linear. Someone called it ‘ordinary for Krug,’ but its acidity slowly started to emerge, and it took off like a rocket. It became more buttery, more gamy, more minerally, just more. It zipped into the future and finished strongly (95+).

A pair of Goisses were next, beginning with a magnum of 1966 Philipponat Clos des Goisses, which came across young as heck. It was recently redisgorged, of course, in 2003. Pungent and gamy, it was spritely, long and zippy, but simple. King Angry found it ‘primary’ (91M).

The 1964 Philipponat Clos des Goisses magnum was also recently redisgorged (in 2000), but I enjoyed it much more. There were more mature flavors of rich butter and a great core. Rich, racy and zippy, I couldn’t read my notes too well other than great iron flavors. The King made a great point about how the extra three years of disgorgement made a big difference, but I think that there were also some inherent differences in the style of the wines and vintages. After about twenty wines, the notes started to get a little brief, as I was not spitting much. Apologies in advance of the rest of this article (94M).

A mini-Krug vertical broke out, beginning with a 1982 Krug Clos du Mesnil, which had amazing aromatics. The palate was rich yet reticent in what could best be described as a sleeping beauty (95).

The 1979 Krug Clos du Mesnil, its first vintage, was corked. That sucked (DQ).

The 1985 Krug Clos du Mesnil was fantastic. It was rich, buttery and classic, so balanced and long, make that really long. Its zip and zoom were still massive, although it was in a spot where the words ‘Great Awakening’ came to mind. It was King Angry’s favorite ‘young’ bottle of champagne from the evening; he loved its powerful fruit and acidity, but also the fact that it was ‘light as a feather’ (97).

The 1969 Krug Collection magnum was right there with the ’64, possessing tart lemon flavors balanced by sweet marzipan kisses. It was outstanding (95M).

The 1995 Dom Perignon out of jeroboam was long, grainy, edgy and zippy but one-dimensional. Ray and Bruce thought it was ‘flat-out great,’ Ray adding ‘smoky aromas, a wealth of yellow fruit and that creamy DP style…staggering.’ I should add that they were both plastered at this point lol. The King had his hand on a saber already, so I didn’t want to argue (92J).

The 1979 Krug Collection magnum was the same as it ever was, but old Krug is always a lot better than Old Milwaukee, and this old Krug was still young. Racy and zippy, NASA should test the ’79 as an alternative to rocket fuel (95+M).

A flurry of wines came back before the Champagnes answered the bell one last time. 1961 La Mission Haut Brion, now that got my attention. It was another classic La Miss, with gravel and great, rich cassis fruit to match. Long and sensual, the wine was good too :) (95).

A magnum of 1929 Rausan Segla from the Grunewald cellar now via Minnesota’s #1 troublemaker was extraordinary. Is there a bottle from Wolfgang’s cellar that hasn’t been? The Segla was sweet, rich, round and lush, displaying dynamite old book and ‘library’ aromas and flavors (95).

The Artful Roger was in the house, with bags of…wine in tow. One of those wines was a 1969 Rousseau Clos de la Roche, which was so mint jelly I wanted a lamb chop. I am actually not eating red meat for the summer, so restraint was in order. It was rich, sweet, lush and exotic, still delicate and full of menthol (94).

The 1966 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline was full of violets and purple fruits along with light pepper. Rich, long and creamy, it still had acidity and length. Its pepper turned more to shades of white in the mouth, and the first vintage of La Mouline again proved to be timeless and extraordinary (96).

A magnum of 1966 Palmer was beautiful and classic, long and feminine and gorgeous. It still had edge and a lot of slate on its finish (94).

The next wine I had I can’t read what it was or remember. It was from ’83, maybe ’93, and it was leathery, long and balanced. Highly recommended :) (93).

A 1962 Vega Sicilia Unico was delicious. Rich and headstrong, possessing classic Unico leather, kink, egg and meaty fruit, this magnum jumped off the page at the end of the night for its richness and vigor. It flirted with oaky but ended up being good ol’ fashioned good wood (95M).

A 1989 Coche-Dury Meursault Rougeots was in the house, again courtesy of the Artful Roger, and it was excellent. You want more notes, bring me another bottle ha ha (93).

There was a 1964 Dom Perignon Oenotheque, which was big and full of straw and hay. Zippy and heavy, this was serious stuff and an older green label Oeno. As the Angriest of the Angry pointed out, it had ‘remarkable freshness due to its late disgorgement as well as the complexity of a 45 year-old Champagne’ (95).

The 1996 Krug Clos du Mesnil shattered every glass in the room once opened. Champagne of a lifetime? Bet the house on it, with or without equity in it (98).

There was a 1988 Dom Perignon and a 1990 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, both hanging out in that excellent zone. It started to get a little ugly, so the long, stumbling and mumbling goodbye commenced. I think the main point was thank you Bruce, thank you Bruce, thank you Bruce. To many mooooooooooooooorrrrrrre!!!

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - DRC Weekend


7/6/2009 12:00:00 AM

Bipin returned to Las Vegas this year to sample the cuisine of a couple of his favorite French chefs while they were in town, which is a lot easier than a trip to Paris! Joel Robuchon and Guy Savoy were both in Vegas, and Bipin followed suit accordingly since his aces were in the hole. Of course, he planned a wine weekend around it, and this year he was in the mood for some DRC. It ended up being a weekend of mainly Montrachet and La Tache, although thanks to some generosity of Midwestern Magnum Mark, a few Richebourgs made their way into the mix for some interesting perspective. As with every Bipin event, the food, the wine and the company were all extraordinary.

We started Friday night at Robuchon with a 2001 DRC Montrachet, whose nose jumped out of the glass with that DRC class. Sweet butter, musk heaven and a core of richness flirted with that touch of botrytis that the DRC Montys almost always have. The palate was shut down, however, leaving a soft and confused impression at first. There was nice, light grit and decent length but that soft impression never left. Flavors of white tea and ‘crushed almonds’ were present (per Mr. Wine Vegas, aka Gil), but this 2001 was definitely in a bit of a dumb phase (94).

The 2000 DRC Montrachet was more elegant than the ’01, long and cleaner in its aromas, more 2000 in style than DRC. There was a kiss of ice skating rink to its citrusy nose, and the palate was delicious, with lots of minerals, grit and elegance, although King Richard found it the ‘weak man here.’ It didn’t have the raw materials of the ’01, but I found it quite pleasant, although it did wane in the glass. The 2000 was singing for Ed, and Bipin admired its acidity (93).

The 1999 DRC Montrachet took control of our first flight with its spiny character. Gil admired ‘Chanel No. 5,’ while someone else called it ‘the most pungent,’ part of its spiny quality. The nose was full of anise, hot stones and minerals, and there were nice flavors to match. Rocky, spiny, edgy and long, the ’99 rocked and rolled over the previous two, and it was ‘the biggest of the flight, obviously,’ as King Richard decreed (95).

An animated discussion followed about the first flight. All were kind of closed and shut down; words like ‘disappointing, short and no subtlety’ were thrown around a bit maliciously, but given the price tag and expectations, perhaps they were a bit justified, but how a wine is showing versus what it is and where it is going are two different stories. ‘None are really showing right now,’ Mr. Vegas concurred, but we both agreed that all of these will benefit from Father Time.

The second flight began with the 1990 DRC Montrachet, which started to show the benefits of age in a very regal way. There were aromas of butter, oil, tea and a bit of fortune cookie here, and the palate was rich, smoky and long, with more noticeable alcohol. Richard observed, ‘more butter,’ and while the alcohol made the ’90 hotter, it stayed on the outskirts of integrated, and it was clearly the best Monty so far. Flavors of vanilla and rainforest rounded out this ‘marvelous, always marvelous’ wine according to Ed (95).

The 1989 DRC Montrachet was cleaner and spinier than the ’90, and its palate was long, clean and buttery, but simple. Gil noticed, ‘dill weed,’ and the ’89 was clearly softer and possessing less power than the ’90. It was a mismatch. No one was blown away by this tepid ’89 that had more flash than fortitude. Bipin admitted that the ’89 has always been disappointing and never impressive (92).

It was on to the reds, beginning with the 1998 DRC La Tache. The ’98 had a taut, vitaminy and leathery nose that showed the best qualities of the vintage. Gil admitted that 1998 was ‘a vintage that grows on you,’ and perhaps went a bit overboard with the question, ‘The 1993s of the future?’ The first red after a bunch of whites always makes a good impression lol. It had a pungent core with lots of cinnamon spice, and concentrated, fresh fruits in the nose, which continued to sing and change and develop. The palate was also leathery and cinnamony with more noticeable oak. Gil called it ‘ratatouille in a glass,’ and the tomato and garden were there. We both found this crazy yet distinct tequila with lime aroma in the nose after some time in the glass. It was a ‘wow’ impression once identified, as it was so strong! The palate stayed oaky and dry overall, but give this complicated La Tache some time to integrate, and you may have yourself a sleeper (92+).

The 1988 DRC La Tache had a lot of urine in its nose, or as Gil politically corrected me, ‘uric acid,’ in this nightclub sofa kind of way. Catbox, stewed tomato (‘canned actually,’ Mr. V chimed in), citrus and tang all emerged in this pungent nose, along with nice minerals. Both the nose and the palate turned green a la the incredible Hulk in this tannic wine, with me noting peas and Gil ‘fava beans.’ Whether that will be a good thing in the future remains to be seen (92+).

As noted already, a handful of Richebourgs made their way into our Montrachet and La Tache weekend, thanks to the generosity of Midwestern Magnum Mark. Merci beaucoup! I liked the nose of the 1988 DRC Richebourg better than the LT; there was more earth, more open red fruits, musk, forest, truffle and sweet mint aromas. The palate had delicious red fruits and nice citrus vigor; the Richebourg was classic and delicious. Gil called it a ‘Rayas impersonator with its Chateauneuf pepper.’ On this day and for this vintage, the Richebourg out-charmed the La Tache (93).

The 1993 DRC Richebourg was more coy and wound, like the vintage, with lots of stems and wintry red fruits in its nose. The palate was milky and stemmy, with nice earth and forest qualities but a bit unyielding overall (91).

Our overlapping trio of duets finished with a 1993 DRC La Tache, which was richer and more concentrated than the Richebourg. It has an oilier nose, and the palate was long and gritty with flavors of leather and strawberry, along with excellent earth and waterfall ones. King Richard found it ‘very lovely, pure silk.’ It kept growing and growing in the glass, and while this was not the magic of that one 97-point experience that I have had with this wine, it was still flirting with outstanding. 1993 DRCs do have a lot of variation, I should add (94+).

The next flight began with a gorgeous 1985 DRC La Tache. I have always loved this vintage for La Tache, despite the fact that it has always been picked on by some as far as the ‘great’ vintages of La Tache go. The nose was open, ripe and full of sweet red fruit. Rose, nut, mint, bouillon and game were all present. Its palate was more concentrated, oily and tasty, long and zippedy doo dah with its lipsmacking finish. There was real character here, and secondary flavors of cola and tobacco joined the party. Gil admired that ‘it has everything,’ and there were plenty of vitamins and pitch left on its young finish. It was ultimately Gil’s and my wine of the night (96).

Unfortunately, the 1978 DRC La Tache was oxidized. Ouch (DQ).

The 1990 DRC La Tache was the right stuff. Its nose was rich and concentrated, yet reticent. Very saucy, there was oil in dem dar hills. George called it ‘big and brutal,’ and it was full of foresty, black fruits. The palate had enough tannins and acidity for an entire vintage of Burgundy, with secondary hints of rubber tire. The finish was super hearty, but its fruit and up-front nature were shut down and quiet despite its obvious richness. To be continued…(95+).

The 2003 DRC La Tache sung ‘baby baby’ with its nose. Aromas of black raspberry and minerals dominated, and its nose gave me a bit of a 1998 impression. The palate was smooth and soft, and while thick, it just didn’t seem to have the acidity one wants for long-term aging, a knock on the vintage overall (93).

We had a treat for dessert, a 1900 d’Oliveras Madeira Barbeito. I love old Madeira, and although I rarely have dessert wine as I find it to be too much sugar for my body after having other wines (alcohol is sugar, after all), if I had to choose one dessert wine to have, it would be Madeira. Tea, molasses, tang, lemon, zip…all were present in this sexy, smacky wine. Still beefy, it was like molasses with a twist of lemon and a side of horseradish. Its concentration was outstanding (95).

Most found the 1985 to be the wine of the night, or at least the most enjoyable, although someone found the 1993 ‘the best wine in every respect.’

Day two was a lunch at Guy Savoy, with Guy himself manning the ship, which is always something extra special. Bipin said how he prefers lunch to dinner, as the palate is always fresher and more alert during the day. The 2006 DRC Montrachet kicked things off in a clean and fresh fashion, with yellow flowers and fruits seeping out of its nose, along with citrus and musk. There were nice minerals delicately perched atop its other aromas. The palate was round with medium body, good minerals and a nice finish. It had a pleasant, perfumed way about it, with some of its mineral qualities showing obtusely due to its youth, but overall it was a beautiful and promising, young Montrachet (94).

The 2005 DRC Montrachet had a deeper nose with more toast and wood, integrated at the last bar possible. The nose was bigger and had more weight, and a bit of spice was just right. The palate was really long, yet still delicate up front. It squeezed on the back side, however, with lots of minerals exerting themselves alongside citrus juice, twists and pop. There were lots of young, woodsy flavors here. Mark found the ‘06 ‘more delicate yet really closed,’ while the ’05 had more power and was ultimately the better wine. Bipin cooed how ‘the first two are incredible, the acidity is so high. The ’06 is flamboyant, and the ’05 needs time’ (95).

We time traveled with the second flight to the 1986 DRC Montrachet, which had a milky nose, ‘2 day old milk?’ Gil questioned. JJ added, ‘clams, sea salt, ocean.’ The nose was yeasty and buttery, with sweet corn, but it had that old feeling to it, older than it should have, perhaps. The palate was rich with a backside that was out of balance and woodsy in its flavor profile. The finish was hot and long with nice, slaty flavors of yeast and white cola. It got fresher and sweeter with air, morphing into corn oil meets caramel, getting dirty and staying rich. That reminds me of a few people lol. JB admired its high acidity, calling it ‘more ethereal and more feminine.’ In terms of its overall existence, the ’86 is declining, but still holding on to excellence (93).

The 1985 DRC Montrachet had a cleaner nose and came across elegantly with flashes of yellow, waterfall, hints of apple, grilled something a la sea bass or some sort of white fish, along with nice sprinkles of white Asian spices. The palate was a bit dirty in is flavors, soft, easy and round with more milky flavors. It was a bit stewy, with some alley and backwater as well. Mark observed ‘sawdust,’ and Gil ‘crushed Triscuit.’ It did gain in the glass and evened out with the 1986, and JB also found it ‘funky in the beginning but getting sweeter and more structure.’ For both these bottles, though, I wanted more (93).

The 1978 DRC Montrachet was spectacular as always. I have had this wine a half-dozen times in my life, and if there is a better DRC Montrachet, then I haven’t had it. JJ noted ‘milk house,’ and there was more power here in this ’78 than either of its predecessors, even though it was older. Musky goodness, fire and creamed corn were in its richer nose, which had nice toast and a smoky sex appeal. The palate was great with rich, buttery flavors, an oily palate and a long finish with the acidity of the previous two wines combined. This was special stuff. Its stalky flavors had lots of corn, too, along with lots of mountainous qualities. It was so rich and concentrated, with great musk and a lot of personality. While I have had 99 point bottles of this wine, this was ONLY (97). JB concurred, and he would know.

Montrachet’s turn was over, and it was back to La Tache, beginning with the 2004 DRC La Tache. The ’04 was super wound and high-pitched with aromas of crushed red fruits, sandalwood, black raspberry, stems, a kiss of nut butter and lots of t ‘n a. The nose was very expressive, and its acidity impressive. Mark was saying how he has been impressed with 2004s, especially DRCs, in general. This ’04, despite its youth, was really singing, and I kept noting its acidity over and over, a good sign for its future (94+).

The 2002 DRC La Tache was classic with its crushed roses, great spice, vitamins, great stems, olives and lots of citric tension. There was great (sensing a trend?) vim here, both to the nose and to the palate. Its flavors were long and stylish, elegant like a lady with a few bodyguards in tow. Its acidity was also superb, even more so than the ’04 as it was more reined in but still vigorous. ‘So good, so long, so fine’ summed it up. I couldn’t help but think about how great this 2002 was, and how the vintage is general is a bit under the radar in the market right now as far as top-tier vintages of Burgundy go. Everyone talks about 1999 and 2005, but 2002 could be a vintage that finds itself in that discussion more and more as time goes on (96).

The 2001 DRC La Tache had Gil’s attention right away, not something easy to accomplish. He noted ‘garrigue, olive grove and lavender.’ There was some great pitch in the nose, and the ’01 possessed more fruit than the ’02 along with more sweetness. It also had some of the length of the ’02 but was milder in that regard. Gil still found it a bit Rhonish. The palate had nice stems and was elegant, but it didn’t have the power of the ’02. There was nice cedar smack to the finish in this excellent ’01 (94).

The 2000 DRC La Tache was ‘a jar of dill pickles’ per Mr. Vegas, but it became curry in a hurry for me. Olive, dill and green bean were all in the nose. Its palate also had dill flavors, but it was fleshy and tasty, on a faster maturity track than the previous three, but there’s at least a decade or two to enjoy this vintage of LT for sure. While congenial and forward, it still had strength and ageability (93).

Mark commented on the flight that if you had these four wines served single blind, you would know which one is which, as they all classically reflected the vintage and showed each year’s typicity. Bipin hailed the ’02 as ‘a truly great wine,’ how good the 2000 and 2004 were ‘a surprise,’ and the ’01 ‘great but monolithic.’

JJ found the 1996 DRC La Tache like ‘Bordeaux.’ I found it classic ’96 – screechy with its long acid, but it also had some fatness to its fruit, decadently both purple and red. Slate, rubber tire and minerals all blended with the acid, and menthol was hidden underneath. It felt like the menthol will ultimately take over the character of this wine in time. The palate was coy, softer than I expected, still possessing length and grit with nice tannin definition, and more menthol and slate on its finish. The nose was special, but at the moment, the palate of this LT was shut down, although the wine still screams potential (94+).

The 1995 DRC La Tache had crushed red fruits and bull’s blood to its reticent nose, which was also a bit rubbery. The palate was rusty, dry and long with a serious finish, but will the fruit catch up? The 1995 rap was evident here, as someone noted, ‘just structure, really no fruit.’ Gil chipped in at the end, ‘carraway seed and Chinese black tea’ (93).

The 1991 DRC La Tache had a special nose. It had rich, concentrated and saucy fruit. Kisses of milk, vitamin, citrus, rubber, minerals and leather danced around its flashy core of sweet, pungent red fruit. The palate was delicious with great iron flavors, musk and more red fruits. It was noticeably long, and someone called it ‘superb’ (95).

The Good Doctor shared some comments with the group about the first two flights, hailing La Tache as ‘always enjoyable even though all fairly young. The ’02 stood out, and in the second flight the ’96.’

The next flight began with another comparison of La Tache and Richebourg, this time the vintage being 1989. The 1989 DRC La Tache was a Bordeaux impersonator with its open, cassisy fruit and cedar, along with a pinch of pavement. There was nice flesh to its nose as well. The palate was rich and hearty with black fruits and flavors. Very musky, the ’89 was long and had excellent acidity, very 1996 in style with all that slate and acidity. It got a little dirtier in the glass (94).

The 1989 DRC Richebourg was more classic, possessing more elegance than the LT. There were plenty of musk, earth and nut aromas balanced by rose and vitamins. There were also lots of vitamin flavors and a long finish, which was full of excellent acidity like its sibling. I liked the fruit of the Richebourg and its flavors better, but I couldn’t rate it higher than the La Tache and the LT’s impressive breed and structure. With that being said, the Richebourg was really good and a more enjoyable wine on this occasion (94).

1989 remains an interesting vintage to me, one that is quality and seemingly forgotten in the minds of many Burgundy lovers. 1988 was a vintage embraced by Parker that had the market’s hopes very high accordingly, but it soon became controversial with its big tannins and monstrous style, so there was some trepidation over embracing 1989, and then 1990 quickly overshadowed not only 1989, but them all, so to speak. It remains a year worth getting to know a little more in Burgundy.

I had saved a few sips of 2006 and 2005 Montrachet, and it was at this point that I revisited both. The ’06 opened a little but was still dusty and shy. The ’05 also gained a little more, but not much more, and the ’06 seemed to gain on it.

The 1980 DRC La Tache had a great nose, ‘so great,’ I put. It was musky, open and sexy with its strawberry fruit. There was also great earth here, and this struck me as the greatest ‘young’ vintage of La Tache to have that also shows mature qualities. It won’t get any better, but it will hold for a while, too. There were delicious flavors of menthol, tobacco, rose oil, ‘vanilla’ per Mark, and ‘mesquite’ per another (96).

The last red on this afternoon was a 1964 DRC Richebourg, which was the third time I had had this wine in six weeks. I love it when that happens. It got an ‘ok’ from the Good Doctor, and it was not as good as the other two bottles recently sampled, but still excellent. It was hearty a la ’64, with nice rose and red fruits, good dirt and earthy flavors and hints of menthol. Its tannins and acidity were first only pleasing, but soon gained in the glass, like a mini-explosion. JJ found it ‘very candied and very sweet,’ and that sweetness played into its minty, fresh and elegant style. It couldn’t quite shake its dirt clean and maintained an earthy streak (93).

We finished the afternoon with another glorious Madeira, an 1875 Barbeito Madeira Malvazia. It never ceases to amaze me how young 100+ year-old Madeira can come across. Aromas of raisin, fig, date and nut musk seeped out of the glass. This was more elegant and not as heavy as yesterday’s Madeira, medium-bodied and possessing great spice to both the nose and palate. JJ noticed its ‘oak,’ and there was this charred, wet oak quality. There were indoor screen flavors, which wasn’t a bad thing. JJ also noted ‘cinnamon’ and ‘Duncan Hines’ (93).

Day three was at Picasso’s, one of my favorite restaurants in Las Vegas. What makes Picasso’s special besides the multi-million dollar paintings by its namesake hanging all over the restaurant, is the fact that it is one of the few restaurants in Vegas where the actual chef is in the restaurant every night. It makes a difference, and Julian Serrano was in fine form as always. We got off to another good start with the 2004 DRC Montrachet, whose nose jumped off the page. It was very musky and minerally, with aromas of sweet butter, spice, nuts and more musk. The palate was smooth, balanced and long, rounded and feminine in style. Bipin admired its ‘high acidity’ and felt it had a ‘great future.’ While its nose rippled with character, the palate of the ’04 was a bit coy and still missing some weight, although I am sure it will improve with time (94+).

The 2003 DRC Montrachet had a mild nose by comparison with light yellow hues including corn and the stalk, along with a lot of slate. There were nice, round, forward flavors with some richness despite a softer and simpler overall personality. It is a good vintage of DRC Monty to drink young with its round, lush and forward style. Bipin commented on its ‘low acidity,’ and a debate emerged about its ageability, and Mark stood up for its potential, comparing it to 1976, another hot vintage (92).

The 2002 DRC Montrachet had a complex nose with more orange fruits and peel, very penetrating aromatically in a slow and seductive way. There was great nut and caramel kink here. The palate was rich, luscious and honeyed with a long finish; this was clearly outstanding stuff and carried my 2002 thesis quite admirably, that 2002 is a forgotten vintage in the context of big-time wines. Manny hailed it as ‘the most balanced’ of the three, and some secondary mango emerged, along with more butter and musk. Mark felt that each wine in the flight had its own distinctive quality, ‘the citrus minerality of ’04, the opulence of ’03, and the balance of 2002’ (95).

The next flight paired 1996 against 1995, always a fascinating comparison when you have two good bottles. The 1996 DRC Montrachet had a bit of milk and waterfall in the nose; the high acidity of the vintage stood out in the nose but in an elegant and refined way. It had a long, wintry palate that was elegant, regal and stylish. Seomone remarked how the ‘nose was more closed, but the finish explosive.’ Mark shared my opinion of the wine when he commented that it was the ‘lightest of the two but surprisingly long, although I expected more’ (94+).

The 1995 DRC Montrachet was much more honeyed and forward, with Mark noting its ‘butter.’ I could not get past its honey; it was pure honey in the nose. The palate was much richer, also woodsy, but fat, long and edgy. There were great minerals on its finish, and ‘a lot of botrytis’ per Bipin. It was exotic, like a freak show or Frankenstein, take your pick. Rich, buttery and kinky, the 1995 reminded Mark of 2005, which he found a step behind this wild and crazy 1995. While the 1995 wasn’t exactly classical, it was definitely jazzy with a lot of bass. The ’95 and ’96 were two totally different wines (95).

We said goodbye to Montrachet for the weekend with an unfortunately oxidized 1983 DRC Montrachet (DQ).

We said hello again to La Tache with a fantastic 2006 DRC La Tache. The ’06 was so fresh, brimming with crushed red fruits, stems, roses, oil, mint, black cherry and cola. It was so fragrant, with excellent richness and divine aromatic sweetness. Wow! The palate was also great, its fruit clean and natural to the core. It was similar to the nose with dominating black cherry and stem flavors, along with choice earth and great tannin expression. Traces of cinnamon sprinkled over its ‘high-toned fruit’ (Mark). Man, was that nose damn good (96).

While the 2006 set a high bar rather quickly on this Sunday afternoon, the 2005 DRC La Tache set one even higher. While it was more reserved than the ’06 at this stage, its depth in its nose was undeniable. It had aromas of earth that sparkled with diamonds, rust without the decay, and black as midnight fruit. The palate was incredibly concentrated. It was rich, beefy and stemmy, possessing so much fruit yet still coiled and deadly. Its t ‘n a squeezed my tongue like a python, and blood emerged in its bloody good nose. So fine, so rich, so long, I think profound summed it up best (98).

As if there could be another wine that could stand up to the first two in this flight, oh, that’s right, we had yet to sample the 1999 DRC La Tache. There was more elegance here but still meat on dem der bones. There were also more vitamins and cola, but some expressive black cherry as well. The palate was rich, long, elegant but fat, also showing more cola. While reserved and more backhand than forehand, the ’99 was still a winner all the way. It got more aromatic in the glass as its crushed qualities became more fragrant. Jim also noted that fact, saying that ‘the ’99 has lost its initial baby fat but is gaining in harmony,’ also finding it the most enjoyable of the three right now. Gil found the 1999 ‘woodsy, like a lukewarm sauna,’ as well as ‘crushed nutshells and cranberry red fruit,’ although he did find the ’99 closed as well. Manny called this flight one of ‘three superstars’ (97).

We traveled back in time rather quickly with our last Richebourg pairing for the weekend. The 1976 DRC Richebourg was noticeably mature with warm aromas of menthol, olive, game and ‘caramel’ per Bipin. There were also secondary aromas of garden and sweet bouillon. Its beefy, dirty flavors were browned and autumnal, with more bouillon emerging. While it only lasted about thirty minutes in the glass, it had a fleshy character and an open, spicy citricity. Someone keenly remarked how ‘sometimes it is nice to have wines where you don’t have to say it will get better’ (93).

The 1976 DRC La Tache was nutty and gamy, less pungent but with similar qualities to the Richebourg. There was more style, more elegance and more reserve here, but it was still autumnal in its personality. It was thicker and longer than the Richebourg. Both had a lot of ‘toffee’ per Bipin, and Paul chipped in how ‘both are drinking beautifully right now’ (94).

There were two wines to go in this magical weekend, and one of them was a magnum of 1972 DRC La Tache. The ’72 had a sexy nose with just a hint of that ’72 tomato. There was also sweet cherry, meat, oil, citrus, Worcestershire and chocolate. The palate was dirty even though its acidity was excellent. There were Korean barbecue flavors, a lighter mid-palate and dry tannins. The ’72, even though it was served from magnum, quickly headed south for the summer (92M).

The closer for the weekend was a fitting choice, the 1971 DRC La Tache. This wine has always been one of my all-time favorites, and it is probably the greatest wine that I have had on the most occasions, ie more than any other of the all-time greats. Bipin also shared how it was his frist great Burgundy, and that the first time this wine was even brought into California was by him! I knew there was a reason I liked it so much :). The nose creamed citrus, olives, meat, oil and spice. Admittedly, this bottle was a bit more autumnal than some of the best bottles that I have had, but the palate had great citricity and flavors of bouillon in its long and fleshy profile. There was pitch and class here, and the acidity still snapped, crackled and popped (97).

It was a great weekend, and another testament to the greatness of Domaine de la Romanee Conti, another chapter in the endless story of the greatest producer of wine on Earth.

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Roaring Twenties


6/10/2009 12:00:00 AM

I interrupt my recent trip to Hong Kong for an article I started writing before I left, one that I finally finished on my way back. I still do have one article left from HK in order to wrap things up for Book 2, Chapter 4 of Hong Kong Diaries, 2009. I will try to get to that one soon, famous last words, I know.

Before I get started, I have to make a correction relative to a previous article recently written. I had mentioned the Roumier and Ponnelle connection, and that Georges Roumier had at some time made the wines for Ponnelle in the 40s or 50s. I was corrected by a close friend of Christophe Roumier’s who told me that Georges never made the wines for Ponnelle, and that they were made by Christophe’s other grandfather as his mother is a Ponnelle.

I also have to give a little grief to the Big Ticket for hosting a great 1998 Bordeaux tasting on the same night as my Roaring Twenties dinner, and only giving everyone like three day’s notice. I would have loved to be there, big guy. I think he said the Chateau Camensac was wine of the night lol.

Ok, now to our featured program, the Wine Workshop’s recent dinner at CRU, featuring a baker’s dozen of Bordeaux from the 1920s. The food was incredible as always. As fate would have it, there were a few more wines to be had, but we’ll get to that later. When it comes to claret and the 20th century, the ‘20s can certainly lay claim to ‘top decade’…as could the 40s, 50s, 80s and honorable mention to the 90s, but let’s get back to the 20s.

The first flight was a pair of wines from a vintage I don’t think I have ever sampled, 1920. When planning this event, I was surprised to find out this was a highly-regarded vintage, one known for its acidity. You just never see wines from this vintage, and the two that we sourced were kind of random, the first being a 1920 Chateau Cantemerle. The nose was great, and the wine was still fresh. Cedar, horseradish, tangy citrus and dust bowls swirled around its nose. Its nose’s greatness was seconded by many, and a kiss of woodsy rainbow rounded out the aromas. The palate was round and soft, with nice citrus and wood flavors. ‘Still hangin’ on after all these years,’ I wrote. Someone observed ‘rose garden.’ DC Don then gushed, ‘this is like having sex with a 90 year-old,’ to which I replied, ‘I’ll take your word on that’ (90).

A 1920 Baret was muddier in color, but still solid. Curious George noted ‘VA on the nose,’ meaning volatile acidity. George is definitely curious, as his love for wine takes him anywhere, anyplace he can, and he would rather try something new like these pair of 20s than things he has had two dozen times. Those who need a further clue about George think Bacchus plus Commanderie plus one of the great collections in America. Back to the, um, what’s it called, right, the Baret. Ed noted ‘vegemite,’ and there was a kiss of oxidation, but the wine wasn’t oxidized; it was the VA that George observed. The nose was open, musky and gamy, and it tasted fresh due to the high acidity. There were nice lemony flavors with pleasant dust and spice. George called the pair ‘amazing for two unclassified wines.’ Holly noted ‘morels, when you hang them up to dry for a while.’ The Cantemerle was definitely the favorite of the group, but the Baret was still solid and enjoyable (88).

The 1921 Ducru Beaucaillou had this earthy, natural gas kick, almost like popcorn. George noted, ‘aluminum shavings and green olives.’ It was very toasty with a mellow palate, soft and easy, with a mercury-like flavor on the finish, along the lines of the aluminum to which George was referring. It mellowed with air and wasn’t as toasty in time. There were smooth, green olive flavors with kisses of horseradish and citrus, and then it got this great grilled endive quality (91).

The 1924 Beychevelle was unfortunately corked, but its texture was the best of the first four. The flavors behind the corked quality were great; its fruit was deeper with nice cassis and flesh, as well as great balance (93A).

We kept progressing in time, stopping two years later with a 1926 La Mission Haut Brion. Its nose was port city, like claret meets port. Ed noted ‘celery salt,’ and someone else noted ‘vegetable juice.’ It had aromas of earth, mushroom and truffle oil. The palate was round, soft and supple with a lemony squirt and beefy flavors, flirting with bouillon. The La Miss opened and gained with time, and while a couple wrote it off immediately due to its porty nature, I found it to be excellent (93).

We had a couple of backup bottles on hand, just in case, so I felt like breaking one out to make up for the corked Beychevelle in the second flight. I can’t help myself when it comes to extra unopened bottles lying around, you know. We happened to have a 1924, too, a 1924 Sarget de Gruaud Larose. This was the second label of Gruaud, but it showed like the first. The label was scratched out and illegible, so maybe it was the Gruaud, after all. It came from the Graham Lyons cellar, and the neck tag insisted Sarget, so we will trust his impeccable records. Holly noted ‘nice structure,’ and the Curious one ‘pure definition.’ It had a classic nose full of cedar, cassis, leather and dust, and its palate was classic as well. Its palate was smooth, so elegant and refined, but it still had vim and zip, buttressed by cedar flavors. The Sarget was very stylish, like Brooke Astor with the memory (93).

The 1928 Brane Cantenac was our first reconditioned bottle of the evening, but still had a complex nose with hints of anise, cassis and nut, an almond with the skin thing. Someone noted, ‘diaper.’ It was a touch metallic in the mouth at first, with some dirty water flavors, but it still came across fresh. The nose opened to the pruney side, like raisins soaking in a jar. The palate stayed (91).

The 1928 Cos d’Estournel had a dirty nose with a touch of vegetable at first. Then it blossomed into a nice peanut character with hints of wax. Its flavors were the best of the night so far; great and classic in every way. Nut, interior, stone wall, caramel, ‘quince and persimmon’ (had to be George) were all there, and someone found it ‘fleshy like a marbled steak.’ This is what one expects out of a ’28; rich, balanced and long, it had all the components. This was one situation where ‘fat’ and ‘gains weight’ were compliments for this lingering and superb Cos (95).

Someone found the 1928 Montrose to ‘smell like Venice.’ It was earthy and full of hay, but also perfumed, reticent compared to the others. DC Don noted, ‘fonde duc, those Moroccan courtyards where they have the tanneries and hash.’ That must have been where he met that 90 year-old lol. Mike noted ‘cigar box,’ and its structure came out more with time, as did its fruit, revealing nice red cherry flavors along with great dust and length. The minerally, edgy finish had definition and true grit to it, but this was not the best bottle of this wine that I have ever had. It did continue to grow on me, however (94+).

When comparing the two St. Estephes, Holly noted that the Montrose spilled off the side of your tongue while the Cos was more upfront with its spicy and fleshy character.

The 1928 Clos Fourtet was also reconditioned, and it had forward red fruit oil aromas along with band-aids, chocolate and earth. The palate was rich and lush, hearty and with lots of acid; the motor was definitely ‘souped up.’ Someone else noted the new motor thing happening, and added ‘with the grease seepin’ out.’ Flavors of wintergreen and nice earth were present on its finish, and the sweetness in its nose became more concentrated. This was long and sexy juice, a good job on the con, I mean recon :) (93).

A rare 1928 L’Evangile had everyone serious for a Seoul second. George noted ‘liquid chocolate’ right away. This was forward, sexy stuff, super sticky, gamy, edgy and oily. The palate was rich and gamy with this rusty edge that somehow lacked rust. I noted tangy taffy flavors, Hilt did ‘brown sugar and peach cobblers,’ and the Scruffy Neurologist added ‘cinnamon butter toast.’ There was a lot going on, and a lot of sweet, complex fruit in this Evangile. Rich, long and leathery, I liked its vim but found it ultimately short of outstanding (94).

The 1928 Cheval Blanc was my favorite nose of the evening by far. Mike noted, ‘burnt rubber,’ while George ‘roasted coffee.’ George pulled the Jedi Wine trick as everyone was repeating roasted coffee almost immediately. He is a jedi, of course, so that makes that ok. The Cheval was rich and delicious with nutty and caramel flavors that lasted longly, longingly and longestly. Holly hailed it as ‘NAMMERS,’ aka indescribably delicious. It’s a down south thing, I think. George had ‘melted silk’ in his mouth, and those were not panties, I swear. He continued how the Cheval ‘clinged to all the nooks and crannies in your mouth.’ Bill hailed it as ‘a warm embrace, not a taste but a feeling.’ I gently asked him to take his head off my shoulders, and quickly moved on to find great definition; it was so long and so balanced, yet light on its feet, but rich in its flavors and still endless on its finish. George officially felt encouraged after such a special bottle (97).

A pair of ‘29s marked the last flight, beginning with the 1929 La Lagune, a bottle that was reconditioned in November of 2008. ‘Minty’ and ‘strawberry’ came from the crowd. It was a little horsey, a little gamy and a little zippy. There was a little candy store in this rich wine. There was this exotic, woodsy edge, almost like gingerbread meets teriyaki. The wine was very good, but it was a bit ‘clinical,’ as one put it, a la hospital, a function of its doctored nature, of course (92).

The last wine of our official program was a glorious bottle of 1929 Margaux, a bottle that would leave us thankful for curiosity, and continue to condition us to love those things original. David observed ‘French polish’ of antique furniture in the nose, and it was there along with mint, caraway, julep and wild field full of dandelion. The wine was incredibly sensual, caressing in its personality and fresh in its nature. George commented, ‘so Margaux, with its hint of violets.’ It was lush with great, tender fruit, and a tea-like complexity developed. It was only fitting that the one bottle from George’s cellar rounded out the night in fine fashion (95).

But the night was not over yet…

Upstairs, Big Mike had gathered with a small group of friends and family celebrating his run for governor in 2010. Either that, or he got a new puppy, I can’t remember exactly, but it was cause for celebration, and Big Boy, Airplane Eddie, Neal Diamonds, Sir Robert Bohr and others were present already, and I slipped upstairs with a bottle of 1928 Pichon Lalande, my extra backup bottle even though there was no need for it downstairs. I passed out Pichon with political fervor, making sure everyone I knew got a taste and then some. The Pichon was in a perfect spot, beautiful and graceful, timeless yet coming into its time both at once. Elegance and style married like its cassis and pencil, and its tender, sweet finish left me yearning for more (95).

Dueling jeros were next; jeros of 1971 DRC Grands Echezeaux and 1971 DRC Richebourg. Like whoaaaaa. They were both fantastic bottles, and on this night, I gave the slightest of edges to the Grands Echezeaux, and Air Jordan, the Duchess of Bohr, agreed with me. They both were long and rich; both full of tar, rose and leather; both menthol on skates…but the Grands Ech had more power and stuffing. Obviously, this is not a universal occurrence when these two are served together, especially jeros, which probably have been served together maybe once, twice, three times a lady in the course of history? Who knows, could it have been the first time ever? History check, please. Airplane Eddie found the Richebourg ‘cleaner.’ I found it (95J) and the Grands Ech (96J).

There were two magnums of 1999 Roulot Meursault Perrieres served, and I got to try from both. The first was decanted two hours prior and was quite clean with yellow fruits and light toast (93M), while the second one, opened much more recently, had more character. It was richer, larger and a butter bomb in that elegant Burgundy way. I guess time doesn’t always do a white Burgundy good (94M).

A jero of 1988 Bollinger RD was very good; lemony, bready, yeasty, zesty, zippy and clean, it was nice but a touch simple as RD’s can be (92J).

There was some Giacosa wine served at the end, and it was outstanding stuff, but I didn’t quite write down the right stuff enough. I will dig further, and save those notes for when I can identify the Unidentifiable Giacosa Object. For now, it goes into the bucket with the hundreds of other nights, the ‘never got written’ bin, the ‘put me in coach’ basin, the ‘if only writing this stuff created income’ box lol.

The great thing about Bordeaux is its age-ability and the fact that it is about the only thing left from the ‘20s that can still roar. This night was a true testament to the ‘tough as nails’ x-factor that makes Bordeaux so great, and cheers to Big Mike for providing the hammer to close out this magical evening in the finest of fashions.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Hong Kong Diaries 2009, BYO


5/29/2009 12:00:00 AM

Last night saw sixty of Hong Kong’s finest collectors gather in a celebration of fine and rare wines, BYO style. This was a first for most of the guests and a new concept; one could tell that everyone wasn’t really sure what to expect at first, but once everyone settled in and got some ground rules, a great time and some great wines were had by all.

The rules for a good BYO are simple: 1) get a list of what everyone is bringing in advance; 2) seat everyone together based on said wines; 3) encourage everyone to pour out half of their bottle at their table and then trade with other tables the rest of the bottle; 4) remind everyone not to grab other people’s bottles without asking :)

I found myself surrounded by some of the world’s greatest wines early on, and made sure I got to know them before sampling some of the rest of the room’s selections. I also made sure to make my rounds of giving before I made my rounds of receiving, always a good BYO host rule of thumb.

The night got off to a great start with a 1986 DRC Montrachet. What was even more special is that it came from a parcel of ten cases purchased twenty years ago! About five are left. Taiwan was in the house, and many thanks to my good friend for his generosity, and everyone’s for that matter. The nose was fabulous in an ’86 way – sweet and buttery with lots of wild corn and clear botrytis. There was a little waterfall edge and a touch of benevolent alley. Its flavors were similar, adding some light cement and a bit of butter that has been out on a hot summer day all afternoon. Kisses of caramel rounded out the flavor profile along with game and candle wax, and the acidity was superb and the best ’86 impression that I have had in a while. It is always a good thing to have those unmoved, purchased upon release bottles (95).

The only other white at my table was a 1992 Ramonet Batard Montrachet. While 1992 is a vintage that is starting to pass its prime for many white Burgundies, this Ramonet was still far from maturity. I don’t know what he did in 1992 that makes his wines stand out so much from the rest of the pack (with Leflaive right behind it), but the acidity in the 1992 Batard was mind-blowing. It was as fresh as fresh can be, taut, minerally and zippy with incredible white fruit flavors and an endless finish. Smoke and minerals were everywhere; this was a fiery wine that could burn down any wine lover’s palate (95+).

A rare 1961 Latour Haut Brion was excellent, full of gravel, smoke, slate and dirt, slowly revealing a bit of a BBQ edge. There was lots of cement to the palate, and black fruits emerged in time. Samantha noted ‘hickory,’ and someone else ‘high acidity.’ There were still lots of tannins and life left in this ’61 (93).

That red was a warm-up, as we got very serious, very quickly, beginning with the 1989 Petrus. A 1990 would follow, as would a 1990 Le Pin. Now that’s a flight! The ’89 was spectacular and the wine of the night. It had a big, bold nose with lots of t ‘n a, chocolate, earth and black and purple fruits. It was so thick yet so fine. The palate was insanely good, so chocolaty and thick, absolutely delicious. Hendra also commented, ‘more chocolaty and hot.’ This is a staggering wine and a great time to be buying it since the price has practically dropped in half over the past year (99).

I know that the 1989 versus 1990 Petrus is supposed to be a great debate, but to be honest, it isn’t even close. The 1990 Petrus was still an outstanding wine, but the ’89 has just clearly distanced itself from the ’90. The ’90 was minty with a fleshier nose, possessing more red fruits and green olives. It was a bit milkshaky, with secondary aromas of grain and bran. Its flavors were more yeasty, and the palate was still long and elegant, but it left a little sister impression after the 1989 (95).

The 1990 Le Pin was very fragrant in an aggressive way. Aromas of green bean combined with wild, exotic tropical fruits into a unique and ‘sexy’ style. The palate was very shut down at the moment for me, and although it rounded out, it left me with a mellow, soft, tender and easy impression, which was not the case the last time I had this wine late last year, when I rated it 96 points. This bottle needed more time, and will surely get better (94+).

The 1982 Lafleur had a rich, creamy and sexy nose in that kinky Lafleur way. Aromas of coconut, green olives and a rainbow of black, purple and red fruits rounded out the nose, although there was more structure here than other memories that I have of this wine, which can often be super fleshy and wide open. This one still had a long way to go. Hendra hailed it as ‘all seasons – any place, any time’ (97).

The last couple of bottles I had at my table were Burgundies, beginning with a 1999 DRC Richebourg. 1999 plus DRC always equals greatness. Aubert de Villaine and company really hit the bullseye in 1999. The Richebourg’s nose was fleshy, young and zippy, full of violets, lavender and minerals with the encrusted diamonds. The nose was super sexy, oily and ‘just like the 1990,’ per one who would know. The 1990 has a little more power at this stage I think, but the 1999 is even more seductive (97).

Last but not least before I ventured out into the room to receive was a 1990 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes. The Ponsot was a bit milky and yeasty at first, but it blew off into a powerful concoction of menthol, oil, black fruits and yeast without the milk. Its flavors were distinctively black; olives and fruits. It left a midnight impression, lingering on its long and thick finish, which was both slaty and edgy. Concentration was king for this 1990 (97).

The rest of the night was a bit of rapid fire, but all friendly fire thankfully. Forgive the lack of notes, but with a tasting in three hours and the seating for tomorrow’s auction still to be finished, I will have to defer my observations until the next article – I will get to them, I promise! It will be a few paragraphs of recapping, as snapshots were really all that could be taken at this time. Look for a more detailed recap of the rest of the wines in my next article. For now, the scores…

1989 Cheval Blanc (94)
2003 Haut Brion (92J)
1983 Billecart Salmon Blanc de Blancs (94)
1997 Leroy Clos de la Roche (92)
1996 Sauzet Bienvenues Batard Montrachet (92)
1999 Niellon Chevalier Montrachet (94)
1994 Latour (93)
1971 Faiveley Clos de la Roche (93)
1996 Margaux (96)
1996 DRC Romanee St. Vivant (94)
1986 Lafite Rothschild (96)
2000 L’Evangile (95)
1994 Cheval Blanc (92)
1995 Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin Clos St. Jacques (92)
1999 Claude Dugat Charmes Chambertin (94)
1990 La Conseillante (95)
1978 Leroy Beaune (91)
1990 Haut Brion (95M)
1982 L’Evangile (94)
1983 Lafleur (94-95)
1995 Leoville Las Cases (93)
1975 Latour (94)
2001 Shafer Hillside Select (93)

The great thing about a BYO is the diversity of wines and the sheer spontaneity of it all. It was a great assortment of great wines, and most importantly, a great mix of people. I look forward to the next one!

FIN

JK




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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Hong Kong Diaries 2009 Continued


5/28/2009 12:00:00 AM

Greetings from Hong Kong. I have been here already for two nights, and it has been non-stop upon my arrival. I still haven’t quite learned how to overcome my jet lag that quickly, but the energy of HK is about as good a remedy as one can find. The city is buzzing and alive, and I can feel the wine power! We are expecting close to 300 people yet again this Saturday for the auction, and I am excited for another active day on the sales floor. But first, we drink. The passion for wine here is second to none, and I started with an intimate dinner Tuesday night hosted by my friend Peter. Everything comes down to mathematics, and the equation for this past Tuesday was four wines, nine bottles, nine people and eleven courses. There were multiple bottles (and one magnum) of each wine, as quantity is as important as quality for many here. The meal was a very traditional Chinese one, and a special one, so I will make some rare food notes here as well at the end.

We started with three bottles of 1996 Krug and many toasts. The Krug was outstanding as usual, more balanced and fat than some recent memories. There was great toast to it and a creamy, uplifting personality. Extremely complex, the 1996 Krug is one to bank on for the next century (96).

A magnum of 2001 Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne was excellent, buttery and smoky with its aromas, smooth and sexy in its personality. Rich, lush yet tender, the palate had medium-weight and nice butter and waterfall flavors. Its finish was round and sensual, and it was quite enjoyable (93M).

There were two bottles of 1982 La Mission Haut Brion, and they were both classic. The first thing I noticed was the minerality and musk on top of its pungent core of claret. It had great smoke, smokehouse and even a little barbecue to it, with strong cassis elements underneath. The palate was full of iron and band-aid flavors, wrapped around a great plum core. The acidity was superb, so long and fine, zipping and zapping its way down my hatch. It had that great Graves flavor, that smoke and gravel, and these were perfect bottles, with the structure of the vintage coming first, but the fruit still packed in there. Vincent admired its balance. Both bottles were still very young (97).

There were three bottles of 1989 Lafleur, and I took notes bottle by bottle for academic purposes, of course. The 1989 remains one of my favorite Lafleurs…ever. These were no exception. The first bottle was wound and classic, with someone noting ‘raspberry cheesecake.’ There was some iron green goodness here, but it was a bit closed. The second bottle was more expressive, with still black as night fruit, forest, minerals, tannins, alcohol and long acid. It was big and brawny but agile on its finish, tea-like with its tannins and true grit personified. Flavors of plum, black fruits, spice and forest lingered on this fine, long wine. The third bottle was the most impressive, possessing the most power. These all came from the same case, mind you. It was almost a mix of the first two, but its tannins and alcohol were monumental. ‘Rich, rich, lush, lush…wow’ summed it up. My ratings varied from 95+, 96 to 98 points in that order, with the third bottle being the 98 (95-98).

A bit about the food, which was one of my most memorable meals in Hong Kong so far. We started with boneless barbecued pork, which is about as addictive as meat can get. I could have eaten a bucket of it! So delicious! The next course was my first Conch, and I was advised to eat it quickly while it is warm, before it gets too rubbery. Conch is very rare and difficult to come by, and it was an experience. The third course was a massive prawn, one of the best I have ever had, crunchy and meaty, just perfect. We were onto my first fried shark fin, another first for me, fried with some vegetables and/or noodles and another absolutely addictive dish. The abalone was another first for me, and not really my cup of tea, made with a brown, gravy-like sauce that would also have gone well with beef. Apparently people risk their lives to get the abalone, so I tried it :) . The truffle consomme that followed was out of this world good. That is what I want for lunch all winter. A steamed yellow grouper was about as fresh as fish can be, and then the Chinese monk’s duck made with eight different accompaniments had me converting. By now, I was starting to sink into my chair, and after the crispy egg noodle with shredded chicken and sautéed rice noodle with shredded beef, I had to raise the flag. That beef dish was another one I could just eat day after day and never get bored of. Unbelievably great! We ended with the Ching Dynasty Imperial soup, a rare dessert for me, but this was one meal where I would not let a course pass me by. This was a special meal, and the quality of the food was certainly a match for the wines.

Wednesday night would be one devoted to Musigny; there is Burgundy alive and well in Hong Kong, too! That news will be fit to print tomorrow.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Hong Kong Diaries 2009, Ode to Musigny


5/28/2009 12:00:00 AM

My second night in Hong Kong was devoted to Musigny, thanks to an anonymous and most generous benefactor. Yes, Burgundy is alive and well in Hong Kong, and I couldn’t think of a better terroir to prove that point. We started with a Champagne and a white before getting into the main event, the Champagne being a 1982 Salon. The Salon had a yeasty nose that was big, rich and bready. It was very fragrant, tangy yet complex. The palate was oily and meaty, almost beefy, big and citrusy with outstanding acidity. Tangy, zippy and gamy, the ’82 was rich and tasty with vanilla cream flavors. At the end of the night, the Salon was still strong, losing its bubbles but becoming decadently delicious and still great (95).

The 2004 Raveneau Chablis Montee de Tonnerre was very open, with a minty and anise-y centerpoint, while Kris observed ‘white lychee and pear.’ Round, minty and delicious, the palate had a nice, feminine side to its acidity. Someone noted ‘sweet and sour apple,’ and another its ‘fresh, good structure.’ Premier Cru Chablis’ are great values – oops, put that cat back in the bag (93).

On to the Moose…we started with a flight of ‘young’ wines, its starting point being a pair of 1993s. A 1993 Drouhin Musigny was one of the best bottles of this I have had. I looked up two prior bottles and found that I rated them each 92 points, but this one was significantly better. Yeast was the first thing I noticed, but it quickly blew off into the classic underbrush of 1993. Black fruits, a great nut glaze and excellent sun-baked earth rounded out the nose. Richard admired ‘that ’93 tautness,’ and it was really driven by its mineral and earth qualities. It opened wonderfully and became more exotic with a stir-fried sweetness and actual fruit, holding its acidity for the entire evening. It all comes down to the bottle (94+).

The 1993 Jadot Musigny had more hay in the nose and a bit of stinky barn and green pepper. There were also band-aids there, and good ‘catbox.’ The Jadot had a lot of power, noticeably so after the Drouhin. Some baked bread came out as well as gamy, black flavors and a lot of t ‘n a. Hendra also observed ‘more power,’ and Kris liked its ‘fleshy side of Musigny.’ It had a long, earthy finish, and the tannins and acid of the vintage showed their stuff there, coming out even more in the belly. There was more wood here, integrated yet big, as well as more animal (93).

At first, Richard and I were admiring the 1990 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes and how it was one of the better bottles of this that we had both had. Hendra remarked how it was ‘always this way,’ but this bottle was not stewed or woodsy as others can be. It was zippy with Worcestershire aromas, a bit of celery salt and excellent t ‘n a. It had the best finish of the flight, and its acidity was noteworthy. It squared up a bit in the glass, however, and got more cedary, and the second impression was less than the first. Richard agreed. Its structure was still excellent, but this wine might continue to be a perplexing one for a while (93+).

The second flight began with a rare 1989 Mugnier Musigny Vieilles Vignes. It had a minty nose, very forward with its wild fruits, olives and forest aromas. The palate was rich and its acidity long, with that gamy ’89, rich, ripe style. Tasty and balanced, there were significant earth and iron flavors to go with some autumnal and forest floor ones. Kris said it ‘sparkled,’ and it was fresh on its feet, dancing in the mouth. It didn’t get any better in the glass, but it was on a couple of people’s ‘top three’ wines for the night (94).

The next wine was one of my two wines of the night, a 1988 Roumier Musigny. Richard noted ‘a little more substance and linearity.’ Its nose was deep personified, or winified, I suppose. There was great perfume and breed to its sexy and unraveling nose. There was cedar, forest and a pinch of menthol. Its flavors were also deep, just singing, rippling with minerals and acidity on its thick finish. There was actually fruit here for this ’88, which is not often the case in this tannic vintage, and there was enough fruit to stand up to the tannins. Red fruits emerged, and its woodsy complexity was just right, creeping in with time (96).

The 1985 Drouhin Musigny was again a better bottle than the last time I had this wine just three months ago. What’s up with Drouhin showing better in Hong Kong? Maybe it likes the humidity here. It was the most open of this flight, in ’85 fashion, sweet and gamy and full of Pinot fruit. Caramel kisses and damp earth rounded out its nutty nose. Paul agreed this was a better bottle than the one he had recently as well; in fact, I think it was the same bottle we shared in New York, or same batch. This bottle was in a perfect spot and still ascending (95).

We then took it way back in time with an outstanding 1952 Bichot Musigny. At first, it was a bit gassy in the nose, with a touch of toilet in there, but it opened quickly into wheat, grass and herbs. The palate was delicious and way ahead of the nose with its nutty, oily texture. It was also rich and chocolaty, possibly a bit adulterated but so good, who cares? There was this vanilla ice cream deliciousness, and one said he heard rumors that Bichot bought their Musigny from Vogue during this period. It kept flirting so much with outstanding, I finally gave it to it (95).

A 1952 Remoissenet Musigny had green fruit in a fresh way and a nutty nose. The palate was more milky with some red fruit there, and a sweet flash in a tree bark, cedar and herbal direction. It was simpler but still good (90).

Unfortunately, the last wine in this flight was an oxidized 1952 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes (DQ).

The next pair more than made up for it, beginning with a 1949 C. Marey et Liger-Belair Musigny. It was many people’s wine of the night. Richard crowned it ‘amazing’ right away, and its nose was indubitably great, pungent and with aromas of olives, citrus, rich black and red fruits, cola and cream soda. The palate seemed rich for ’49 but was still elegant on its finish. There were great flavors of sweet plum and purple. There was more posture and style versus the ’47 that would follow, and it got more mentholated in the glass (96).

The 1947 C. Marey et Liger-Belair Musigny was ‘porty’ to one and ‘very sweet’ to another. It was definitely keeping with the hot style of 1947 with its sweetness, as 1947 was one of the hottest years ever on record in the 20th century in Burgundy, I believe. The nose was again great, full of sweet cream and touches of earth and citrus. The palate was lush and earthy, still zippy, concentrated with sweet purple flavors and great spice. It was so sweet that it seemed almost chapitalized, a bit negociant in personality. I am not sure if these were negociant bottles or not. While the ’49 was more demure and distinguished, one couldn’t help but like the ’47 and its skinny dipping personality (94).

It was a grand finale to a monumental evening of Musigny. The Roumier and ’49 Liger-Belair were on the top of most people’s lists, but the Bichot definitely got a lot of consideration, too. There were a few honorable mentions for the Mugnier and ’85 Drouhin as well.

It is good to see Burgundy alive and well in Hong Kong. Thursday night would be our first BYO dinner in HK, and I would have 35 notes before all was said and through, including many Burgundies, although Bordeaux did dominate the landscape provided by the 60 guests. About nine of the wines took me two hours to enjoy, and then the rest in a blitz at the end. Stay tuned!

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Bordeaux Horizontals


5/11/2009 12:00:00 AM

Recently and on separate occasions, I had the good fortune of experiencing two of Bordeaux’s most heralded vintages in the past twenty-five years, 1986 and 2005. First, let’s talk about 1986. One recollected how originally 1986 was in the shadow of 1985; the wines were hard, and Broadbent gave ’86 four stars after ‘85’s five. 1986 Bordeaux have proven to be long-distance runners, although detractors will say that they will always be too hard and never come around, that there isn’t enough fruit to integrate with the tannins. Let’s see what the wines had to say.

The ‘warm-up’ was a 1986 Meyney. The Meyney had a nice nose, with aromas of green bean, carob, hay and a little benevolent animal. Its profile was dark and nutty overall. The palate was round, also nutty and also with carob flavors, possessing nice spice and still flashy on its finish – I did notice some heat. There were a touch of bitters to its flavors, along with earth and slate on its finish. I liked it overall, even though it fell a step out of balance with time. It was soft and tender, tasty stuff that everyone was loving. Someone remarked it was ‘spiny, with a touch of wood and a surprising amount of legs.’ It was a good show for this good value (90).

A flight of two Pomerols was next, beginning with the 1986 Lafleur. The Lafleur had a kinky and sexy nose, that tutti-frutti side of Lafleur that comes out more in certain vintages. Aromas of sweet grape, game, musk, white chocolate and a hint of caraway were all present. The palate was big and thick with rocky and black fruit flavors, unraveling with slow and squeezing tannins. A hint of motor oil and prune rounded out this delicious boa constrictor of a wine, and there was enough acidity to match (95).

The 1986 Trotanoy was not a match for the Lafleur. It was gamy like the Lafleur, but more figgy. Aromas of carob, caramel and wild boar were followed by round, figgy flavors and a soft and smooth palate. There was nice slate and spice around its edges, and still a touch of heat like a fire that is starting to dwindle. It was pleasant and pleasing, and Julieanne liked the Trot ‘better now’ (91).

The second flight led off with the 1986 Talbot. There were lots of green beans and olives in the nose, which was a bit waxy and spiny, though also clean. Some tickling crushed red fruits rounded out the nose, which also had a little bathwater edge to it. The palate was much more classic; it had sweet, tasty and nutty fruit and a spicy palate that had mineral, earth and game flavors. Sweet cassis, nut and caramel flavors were also there. It was thick in the mouth but balanced, classic and delicious despite a bit of awkwardness to its aromatics (93).

The Talbot was followed by its sibling, the 1986 Gruaud Larose, which also had a bit of that bathwater to it at first. Someone hailed the nose ‘more voluptuous.’ The nose became perfumed and also developed aromas of cola, cherry and wool, and it left a clean and spiny impression. The palate had the minerals, earth, game, carob and cassis. It was smokier and bigger than the Talbot but still distinguished, stylish and long (94).

The 1986 Leoville Las Cases had a big nose and was blacker and inkier. Its purple fruit was decadent and its musk great, and it also had a sexy vanilla quality to it. The palate was rich, long and thick with a nice finish that had lots of unfolding tannins. The palate was refined, and Julieanne called it ‘a nice package.’ It was (95).

It was at this point that I wrote how the ‘86s were so polished and soft and that this was a vintage that seemed to be finally coming into its own.

The ‘odd bull’ of the Left Bank was next, which was called odd due to its high concentration of Merlot. The 1986 Pichon Lalande had aromas of green bean, cleaner, roasted hazelnuts, roasted walnuts and pencil shavings. Its nose was meaty and musky, while its palate was pretty, soft, round, sensual, tender…just beautiful. There were classic flavors, and its elegance and style could not be denied. In the end, this was one of the group’s favorite wines (95).

The 1986 Cos d’Estournel had much more peanut brittle in the nose, along with coffee, spice, candle wax and beef. The palate was nutty and quite gamy for a Left Banker, with a pinch of sugar dropped in. It was toasty up front, but waxy on its finish. Lots of minerals and cigar lingered, and it was hailed as ‘rich and dense’ (94).

It was on to the final flight of three, beginning with the 1986 Margaux, which was extremely spiny and the most wound wine of the night. There were lots of spice, minerals, leather, iron and gyro beef aromas. The palate was again more polished than I expected, especially given the nose. Flavors of carob, spice, dust, earth, leather and waterfall were all present on the palate, but there was a hole in the middle of this wine, or at least this bottle, that held it back (94).

The last Left Bank wine was its most renowned, the 1986 Mouton Rothschild. Its nose was deep and dark, a touch stinky and gamey with a strong whiff of wood and cedar. The palate was also deep, dark and black with oceans of cassis, cedar and minerals. Its finish was by far the longest of the night. This was the only bottle that had a bit of that theoretical 1986 squareness, the only one that still said, ‘give me more time,’ but there was no doubting its raw materials (96+).

The last wine of this fascinating retrospective was the 1986 Cheval Blanc. The Cheval had its classic wintergreen aroma, along with red fruits and green olives. There were great flavors of cranberry, strawberry, interior leather and curds n’ whey. It was tender and pretty, more open than the previous two wines, adding wintergreen and game flavors (93).

So what to make of this tasting? Those that have 1986s in their cellar might want to get to know them again, although at least an hour or two of airtime probably makes a difference. Regardless, there was a lot more polish and tender qualities to this vintage now than I expected, certainly more than the last time I did a retrospective of 1986s about seven or eight years ago. That doesn’t mean that they won’t continue to age; it is important not to confuse power with ageability, and that is something that the Bordelais have been understanding for centuries. I just think that the ‘86s are starting to come into their own, and that its ‘hard’ reputation might not be as accurate as before.

2005 Bordeaux

I guess the other retrospective that I recently did wasn’t really a retrospective, and more like an initial perspective. This was my first tasting of 2005 out of bottle, and while this heralded, potential all-time great vintage of Bordeaux needs no introduction, I wanted to reintroduce myself to these wines after their release.

We began with a disappointing 2005 Pichon Lalande. Its nose was lightly roasted and nutty with aromas of coffee. While elegant, the dryness of its tannins and acidity jumped out. There were lighter, nutty flavors of black tea present, but it did not have the depth I have come to expect for this reliable Chateau (91).

The 2005 Montrose had a bigger nose with much more fruit. It was concentrated and rich with big, buttery flavors, coffee again and some toast while Alexander The Great noted ‘bitters.’ Despite its bigness, it maintained elegance and had softness. Although its tannins were long, they were fine (94).

The 2005 Ducru Beaucaillou was also big, more cedar city in the nose. There was big-time ‘vanilla bean,’ as someone noted. Tasty and nutty, it had mocha, vanilla and milkshake flavors. It continued to gain in the glass and get bigger (95+).

Someone noted ‘mushroom’ in the 2005 Palmer. I did pick up on forest floor, but it was shier and more elegant in the nose. Alexander picked up on a little ‘blue cheese,’ but it was not pungent. It was perfumed and sexy, getting a little grapier as it opened. The palate was great, full of oil, leather, coffee and smoke flavors. There was exquisite balance to this superb wine. It really got my attention (97).

The 2005 Cos d’Estournel quickly brought sexy back with its classic aromas of cedar, nut and caramel. While more elegant than expected, there were great flavors of cedar and what I call fireplace action. This was classic every which way, and it got two ‘fantastics’ from the crowd (96).

The 2005 Leoville Las Cases was tight and a touch anise-y. Stony and cedary, its nose was much more reticent than the other ‘05s. The palate was also very stony, but its length and breed were outstanding. While a bit muted, and much more reserved already, the Las Cases was still serious stuff. Every case should come with a sign, ‘wake me when it’s over’ (95).

We transitioned to the First Growths with a 2005 La Mission Haut Brion, arguably a First Growth in its own right. The La Mission was so exotic compared to the rest. There was great fruit here, and wild aromas like coconut and blueberry standing side by side with classics like charcoal, black currants and truffles. The flavors were also kinky and gamy with exotic marzipan, and its finish popped with more noticeable acidity than anything prior. It was a wild and crazy wine whose outstanding quality could not be denied, but I couldn’t help but wonder if all this exoticness would come back to haunt it later in life (96).

The 2005 Mouton Rothschild was the first of our First Growths, and we had them all ready. Tar, smoke and a little marijuana green crept out of its nose. The flavors were mocha, and the wine was softer and easier. Someone called it simplistic, and while that might have been a bit harsh, it definitely under-impressed compared to some of the wines already sampled (94).

The 2005 Latour had the nose of the night. There was fantastic and undeniable breed here. ‘Nutty nutty, long long and dry dry’ were my first notes. It had enough length to last through double overtime, and the marriage between its signature cedar and walnut aromas and flavors said, ‘happily ever after’ (97+).

The 2005 Lafite Rothschild was a bit unusual at first, emitting this mentholated rub in the locker room vibe, which someone else likened to ‘barnyard.’ It did get more cedary and classic with time, but needed more coaxing. There was a soft and subtle minerality here that provided a beautiful backbone to the wine, like good posture. Its elegant style was overshadowed by the Latour in the beginning, but it, too, had undeniable breed and over time gained on the Latour, closing the gap. Its elegance and breed were ultimately remarkable (96).

The 2005 Haut Brion was full of cigar smoke in the nose to go along with the usual suspects of tobacco, earth and black fruits. There was a tender quality to this powerful wine, which exerted its influence in a quiet and easy way. It was an Obamawine lol. Flavors of earth, tobacco and charcoal were more classically rendered than its sibling La Miss, and definitive bacon emerged in the nose, so much so that I wrote it in caps with an exclamation mark to boot like some hungry dog – BACON! The Haut Brion lived up to its lofty status (97).

We closed with the 2005 Margaux, which was classic all the way. Cedar, cassis, earth and minerals abounded in its long, smoky and elegant nose. The palate was long, decadent and smoky. The Margaux ended up the evening in stylish fashion, as it is prone to do (96).

So what about 2005? There is no doubting the quality of the vintage. It will be one of the all-time greats. The concentration of fruit is already legendary, and there are enough tannins and acidity to keep up for decades. Despite the concentration levels, the best wines have retained the hallmark elegance that makes claret lovers croon. What about the prices? Well, there is no doubt that they were expensive, the most expensive en primeur vintage that anyone has ever seen, or perhaps ever will. There has not been that initial secondary market bounce that most vintages have when bottles finally hit the marketplace, as consumers have said that they are already expensive enough, and the recent yet lessening economic uncertainty didn’t help. They are still selling, and their greatness cannot be denied. We’ll leave the rest up to the market.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Hong Kong Diaries 2009


5/9/2009 12:00:00 AM

As we prepare for our second auction of the year in Hong Kong in 2009, I thought it was a good time to look back on a couple of most noteworthy events related to the great city of Hong Kong. The first event was a Champagne dinner before the auction, featuring a stellar selection of bubblies courtesy of the cellar of Robert Rosania. Rob was offering a slice of the world’s greatest Champagne collection in our last Hong Kong auction, and we wanted to make sure that the local clients who had already let us know that they were Champagne lovers had an opportunity to see what aged Champagne is all about. Rob’s cellar was up for the task, as usual, even when halfway around the world.

A six-pack of 1996 Krug was the aperitif, and when that’s the aperitif, you know it’s going to be a good night. I didn’t take a note for that, as I was too busy meeting and greeting. The first official flight was one of Dom, beginning with a 1971 Dom Perignon. Aromas of cracked wheat and honey jumped out of its seductive nose. The palate was rich, long, dusty and spiny with great fizz. It was fresh, zippy and long, with excellent acidity. This was a superb bottle, absolutely delicious, brimming with white cola and honey flavors (96).

A magnum of 1975 Dom Perignon was next. The ’75 was more herbal, but herbal in a good way. There were also more minerals here, with hints of granulated sugar and toast, along with some rye crisp. It was very fresh as well, more spiky in its acidity and drier in its personality. It was still excellent (93M).

A magnum of 1985 Dom Perignon Rose was an infant by comparison. There were aromas of strawberry and some Pinot garden goodness. It was fresh and tangy, with a bit of hay flavors, like a roll in the barn. Very fresh and very young, I look forward to when it finally finds its way (95M).

The second flight went back in time even further. A 1961 Pol Roger was still fresh, with a core of sweet and mature aromas. Honey, beer and caramel were dominant. The ’61 was rich, fleshy and round with caramel and honey flavors to match its aromas. There was more integration here than any of the Doms; the extra ten years had done the Pol Roger well. Its acidity was still special, and lots of vitamin flavors lingered on its finish (94).

A 1962 Philipponnat Blanc de Blancs had a great cereal-like nose, like Frosted Flakes meets Corn Pops. This was not a Clos des Goisses bottle, just to be clear. There was exotic perfume and spice, almost jasmine, and its cereal qualities moved in an oatmeal direction. The palate was nice and yeasty with sugar cane flavors and a long finish (94).

A magnum of 1964 Moet was probably the least exciting Champagne of the night, but still very good. Old Moets can be spectacular, particularly pre-Dom Perignon, during the first twenty years of the 20th century and even older, or so I am told. I have only had as far back as 1900. The ’64 was a magnum that had been redisgorged, not necessarily for the better. It was pungent and grassy both in the nose and mouth. Gamy and zippy, it was good but overshadowed on this special evening (92M).

The last wine of this flight was a 1952 Louis Roederer - not Cristal. I always feel like I need to clarify that, remind everyone that Roederer makes Cristal, and also that the regular ‘Roederer’ bottlings are some of Champagne’s finest from the 1960s on back. The ’52 was long-legged, Mommy long legs. The nose was mature and warm, and the palate was rich with a meaty texture and a hint of bubbles left. More wine-like with delicious tea flavors, this bottle was on the mature side but still delicious (95).

A Cristal followed, the 1969 Roederer Cristal. It, too, had pungency to it, more in a gamy way. The nose was a little oaky, as well as bready. The palate was rich, meaty and lush with vanilla wafer flavors, but the oak stayed on the palate and throughout the finish. It did grow on me and get more honeyed, but having had extraordinary bottles of ’69 Cris before, I can say that this wasn’t the best bottle. It wasn’t off, just a lesser batch, so to speak (93).

The 1979 Roederer Cristal was a classic. The nose oozed greatness. Clean and pure, it was full of butter, scotch, butterscotch (yes all three!) and grain aromas, with a pinch of flower in a gourmet soap way. The palate was fresh and zippy, still young and mineral-driven (95+).

A 1949 Pommery was served on its own, and deservedly so. It had gorgeous and sexy vanilla ice cream aromas. Its palate was sexy and smooth, round and delicious. This was great Champagne, special and honeyed (95).

Krug, meet Salon. The 1973 Krug was from an original bottling, and had that signature Krug vanilla cream sex appeal. Quite tasty, it was full of Wasa rye crisp wafer flavors. This was breed Champagnified and Krug all the way. So good and so tasty, the Krug was round and rich with vanilla wafer flavors as well (95).

The 1976 Salon was out of magnum, which probably gave it an edge. It was much tighter and more minerally with a pinch of white fruits and flowers fighting to be recognized. The palate was longer than the Krug, better, and racy beyond belief. Usually it is Krug that bullies everything else around, but the hallmark Salon acidity was still as sharp as a razor, and this magnum had enough freshness and zip to go for many more decades (96+M).

The 1969 Krug Collection was so fresh, another grassy and pungent one. It was still a baby, endless in its acidity, as fresh as fresh can be, as Krug Collections are prone to be. It had perfect balance to its spice and length, and was a testament to the cellars at Krug (96).

The 1979 Krug Collection was out of magnum, and showed more bread and toast in the nose. It was long, zippy and great as well. There were flavors of citrus tang, bread soaked in egg yolk and more lemon. Despite being a decade younger, there were almost more mature nuances to the ’79. Of course, its finish was long (95+M).

We closed with the 1990 Krug Clos du Mesnil. If there was a fitting closer, it would be Clos du Mesnil, the vineyard equivalent in Champagne to Romanee Conti. The 1990 was so good, so young, like nails on a chalkboard in its pitch. A hint of oak needed some time to integrate, and the 1990 needs time in general to integrate. Its acidity reminded me of Wolverine, ready to destroy anything in its way. It had lots of flavors of earth, minerals and what I would call tombstone, as this Champagne laid to rest everything else (97).

It was a spectacular evening of Champagne, a testament to how well it ages, and a testament once again to Rob’s cellar. I can’t wait for ‘the greatest Champagne dinner of all-time.’ We’ll keep you tuned in for that one.

The other chapter of my Hong Kong diary actually took place in New York. One of our biggest clients in Hong Kong was passing through New York ten days after the auction, so we decided to give him an official New York City wine welcome. We were joined by the Angry Men’s first family, gentleman Jim and Little Miss Angry, as well as Alexander the Great, a welcome addition to any dining experience.

We warmed up with a 1990 Dom Perignon, which was one of the better bottles of this that I have had recently. It was rich, nutty and beefy, a bit of a bruiser, but long and full of structure (95).

A 1990 Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche was full of aromas of honey, honeycomb and honeysuckle in its creamy nose. There was a hint of floral that Wendy likened to ‘grandma’s lilac perfume.’ Our friend noted ‘chinese herbs.’ It was more ready than I would have thought, buttery and full of ‘petrol flavors,’ as Wendy noted, and she also agreed that it was ‘definitely ready.’ Another guest at the restaurant to whom we gave a taste noted that it was ‘almost like a dessert wine’ due to its sweetness of fruit. There were nice yeast flavors on its sunsetting finish (94).

The 1989 Haut Brion Blanc was a spectacular white. Its nose was pungent, full of glue, straw, cat’s pee and a pinch of twisted honeycomb. That Graves minerality reeked out of the glass. The palate was coy at first yet rich, very regal with tons of breed and acidity. This was the best young white Bordeaux that I had ever had. It retained its character throughout the evening and even became more complex, with more of its floral side coming out, along with jasmine tea, marzipan and coconut. It got more and more delicious as it opened with air (96+).

We traveled to Burgundy with a 1993 Roumier Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses. The nose was milky, stemmy and earthy, and Jim noted ‘the scent of a woman.’ It was perfumed, in the lavender direction. Its flavors were on the ’93 side, full of leather, tree bark and earth. Its fruit was both black and purple in its personality, and its acidity really came out with time. It flexed and grew stronger, and a little mint came out. I vascillated between 94 and 95 points, and settled on (94+) as it just wasn’t giving me as much as I wanted just yet, at least from this bottle.

Next in line was a 1964 DRC Richebourg, which happened to be the birthyear of our honored guest, so I guess it was fate! The Richebourg was open and hearty, rich and long in the nose. It had the garden, the mint and the menthol of old DRC. Wendy found it ‘meaty and smoky.’ The palate was rich and lengthy, hearty a la ’64. There was nice grit and meat, and Jim noted ‘iron,’ which I saw with a little more air. Gamy, mesquite flavors lingered on its rusty finish, and its acidity asserted itself more in the nose. Alexander liked it more on the nose than the palate, but I enjoyed it overall (94).

We closed with a 1955 Mouton Rothschild, one of my favorite Moutons of the 20th century. Alexander noted ‘liquid lavender,’ and Wendy ‘red licorice.’ Its core of cassis was undeniable despite traces of wild grass around its edges. Wendy then continued her red fruit feelings with ‘raspberry.’ Our guest felt that it needed more time to open and that its aromas were secondary rather than primary for a wine of such an age, and perhaps we were a little eager to experience this wondrous wine. The palate was rich and big, long and still young, with great cobweb and old bark nuances (95).

It was another special evening, and even though it was in New York, I could thank Hong Kong for it. In less than three weeks, we will be back in Hong Kong and with three special events already planned, I am sure I will have more to share soon.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Mayday


5/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

On the first of May, Big Boy and I got together with Jacksonville’s number one collector for a late dinner in New York City. Then again, he is the only guy I know in Jacksonville :) . It was four of us, as he had a friend with him, so we only had about a dozen bottles with us. She didn’t drink that much, so we ultimately opened only nine.

Unfortunately, there were three oxidized bottles, just one of those nights. A ’66 Cristal, ’59 Vogue Bonnes Mares, and ’66 La Mouline were all (DQ). There were no tears shed, though, as it happens, and those that drink enough old wine know that the only thing to do is move on and remember how much the good ones make up for the occasional bad ones. The color on the Cristal was a bit dark, so we suspected that might have issues, and it did. The Vogue was about as good a fill as one could hope for at that age, and although the color was a bit light, there was still a good ruby core. The craziest thing was that the La Mouline came from a batch of six bottles, two of which we had already had that were both extraordinary, 99-point wines. Even wines from the same case or batch can be completely different! If these kind of experiences make you lose sleep or want to sue people, I suggest you stick to drinking wines ten years and younger. Wine is supposed to be fun, right?

Fortunately, the six wines we did consume were some extraordinary ones. We all contributed to the cause, of course. It began with a magnum of 1985 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne. The first thing I noted was that it was younger than I like my C de C’s. It probably needs another decade to get that creamy, open, butterscotchy kink. The nose was a little grassy at first and a touch barny, but it also had nice waterfall aromas to it. A touch of alley blew off into more corn and yellow smells. The palate had no issues, with its core of sweet corn oil and its excellent structure and acidity. Its finish was prickly, gritty and grainy. The nose started to lean in that butterscotchy direction with some air, as Justin noted, as he did ‘almonds’ (93M).

A pair of Rousseaus was a fascinating comparison. The 1971 Rousseau Chambertin had a wow nose that just jumped out of the glass. There was so much fruit and spice; it was reeking great Burgundy with its unreal aromatics. Earth, Worcestershire, almost hoisin, spice and leather were all there. The palate was rich and saucy, a bit fat by ’71 standards, but the acidity of the vintage tied it all together. Traces of nut, cola and black cherry rounded out the palate. Unlike the Beze that followed, the Chambertin was at its best right out the gate, but it softened a bit over time, bringing its score down to only, yes only (95). Other bottles might sing a slightly different song, as is always the case with older wines.

The 1971 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze was much more reserved than the Chambertin at first. It did come right out of the cellar, so it was a bit colder. Justin immediately observed, ‘slightly more intensity.’ It took me a little longer to get to see that, but he was right. Its reserved quality translated into elegance in 47 languages. The nose was minty and foresty, showing more red cherry as well as more citric tension. It had more woodsy elements, a la Keebler and all the Elves. Rob likened that to ‘the back straight at Talledega.’ That did blow off in time, and it was only slight, and not really a negative in the first place. Slowly and surely, the Beze thickened like a boa constrictor having lunch. The palate was so precise, as if it was walking on a tightrope. Big Boy called it ‘like glass – clean, pure and elegant.’ The acidity was superb, and this was indubitably a classic. While the Cham was hotter and chunkier, the Beze kept distancing itself as the night went on, and its finish was endless (97+).

A 1971 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape was next, and it, too, was outstanding. It was Rayas all the way and absolutely gorgeous on the nose. It was full of that Grenache strawberry, and Rob noted ‘menthol’ and also seconded my strawberry. It was a great bottle, and it tasted great too lol. Rich, hearty and with excellent acidity, this was a Rhone that could rival Rousseau. The flavors were more strawberry dipped in chocolate, and Justin noted ‘tea leaves.’ It danced in the mouth with its rich and luscious flavors, and its finish had excellent mineral notes (96).

A bottle of 1947 Pierre Ponnelle Musigny was next. I know that their wines were made by Georges Roumier for a few years in the 40s and/or 50s, so we might have been blessed by his hand here. I’ll check with the Inspector. The nose was deep with dark, black fruits and traces of cola, nut, earth and a pinch of rubber tire. It was thick and soupy. The palate was rich and also full of black fruits. There was still acid here, but no tannins, and the cola also carried over to the palate, along with some cola nut. It was tasty and sweet, with more brown sugar and oat flavors of a hot vintage, and of a negociant style. It reminded me of a lot of some ‘59s (93).

The final wine on this special evening was a 1964 DRC Richebourg. It was relatively mild-mannered in the nose for a ’64, possessing so much elegance at first. Usually, ’64 Burgs are taking their tops off right away, which is why I like the vintage :) . The DRC had lots of pitch, hitting a high note aromatically, possessing lots of mint, rosemary, menthol, game and edge. The palate showed more typical power and was classic all around with its flavors of menthol and rose oil. Slightly browned and perfectly grilled, the Richebourg was chunky and long with excellent acidity, and it kept gaining and unfolding in the glass. ‘Wow, that’s rich,’ summed up Big Boy (95+).

It was an evening that made us all feel richer, although I felt poorer in more ways than one in the morning.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - RN 74


4/28/2009 12:00:00 AM

San Francisco has a new restaurant home for fine wine, and it is called RN 74. I was there for the opening weekend of this heralded collaboration between Michael Mina, Raj Parr and collector Wilf Jaeger. Wilf provided the core of the wine list, and since he is one of America’s premier collectors, the list has immediately become one of the finest in the country, rivaling such New York legends as Cru and Veritas. In addition, there are many great deals to be had on the list, of which we took advantage. The food was also excellent, with a bistro-type feel infused with haute cuisine courtesy of Michael and Wilf. Wilf, a self-trained chef who loves to cook as much as he loves to collect, was also very involved in the menu, and everything was delicious. The restaurant was packed, the mood festive, and it was time to drink.

There were a few familiar facelifts in the crowd, and I was joined by my friend Chris, who generously brought a 1978 DRC La Tache with him. We’ll get to that shortly. We started with some whites and a 1969 Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche, from a batch that Wilf got directly from Drouhin’s cellars. The nose was gorgeous, with a honeycomb core along with aromas of almond and cola nut. It was exotic and tropical with a cocoa buttery nose. The palate was polished and round with nice vigor and a tongue twisting finish, possessing excellent definition. Chris admired its ‘almost Champagne-like’ qualities, also noting ‘apple.’ There were also excellent citrus flavors, and the aromas carried over the palate, providing a layer of kink and complexity. There was still ‘nice acid,’ and toast emerged on the finish of this tasty and leathery white, which held in the glass admirably. It bloomed in the orange direction, as its few cobwebs dusted themselves off over time (95).

We followed with a 1979 Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet. Both of these whites were off the list, by the way. The Leflaive was singing in the nose, full of wheat, corn syrup, caramel, bittersweet orange, wax, yeast and honey aromas. There was great poise and balance on the palate, which possessed definition and class, along with grace and agility. It was another testament to the greatness of 1979 in white Burgundy, the vintage of the decade for white and arguably one of its finest all time. Wilf even hailed ’79 as his ‘favorite white Burgundy vintage.’ The wine stayed tasty, with more honeycomb flavors emerging, and the Leflaive kept lifting to higher and higher ground. What a wine (96+).

Sufferin’ Sandy was in the crowd, and he had brought with him a 1999 Ramonet Montrachet, a wine that I just had the Monday prior. When it rains, it pours. The nose was minty and full of corn stalk, wound and tight with nerves of steel. This bottle was much more powerful than the bottle I had had Monday, which was a bit shut down. Despite being wound, this bottle was still expressive, and its palate rippled with minerals. Flavors of butter and corn stalk joined the minerals on the palate, which had a minty finish. There was race car-like power and definition here (95+).

We had a pair of 1978s on tap next, but Sandy interrupted our programming with a magnum of 1996 Henri Jayer Vosne Romanee Cros Parantoux. ‘Young, young, young and so tight,’ observed Chris at first, and yes, he was talking about the wine. Wilf found it ‘impressive.’ This magnum was not marred by some of the sulfur or gas that I had previously encountered a couple of times with this wine, which was good news for me, as I had almost written this vintage of Jayer Cros P off. It was staggeringly concentrated, especially for a 1996, and flirted with a California impression. Aromas of anise and black cherry jam dominated the nose, which was almost Chunky soupy with its thickness. The palate was very wound and very New World, with a thick finish and lots of cola flavors. There was a muscly, monolithic edge to this infant of a red (95+M).

We finally made our way to the 1978 DRC La Tache, which was one of the best bottles of this that I have ever had, and one of the best bottles of La Tache period that Wilf has had over the past few years. 1978 is a vintage that many DRC lovers like to bash a little, but this bottle would have silenced any critic. The nose dripped with menthol, mint and game, displaying intense depth and richness. The palate was thick and creamy, tasty and still minty, with long, long acidity. Overall, the flavors were on the earthy side, but since this earth was La Tache, that was a very good thing. It had a mother’s milk goodness to its palate, and its acidity seemed endless. Some duck confit brought out ridiculous black olive flavors, and words like ‘catnip, syrup, flesh and goodness’ rounded out my notes (96+).

Unfortunately, a bottle of 1978 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux was oxidized. Ouch (DQ).

We plucked a 1947 Drouhin Chambertin off the list next, whose nose was unfortunately slightly musty and corked, although Wilf and Raj found it ‘more mushroomy.’ The palate was still outstanding, rich and fat with amazing concentration. Beef bouillon and garden flavors graced the palate. Wilf commented how ‘1947 reminds me of 1996 with its high acid, but has more bulk.’ It had that old edge to it despite all its fresh qualities, and oat and tea flavors rounded out its hearty and citrusy palate, and Raj added, ‘coffee.’ It was quite reductive in all its raw materials, and it did continue to improve, almost overcoming its musty qualities. It was still a good drink, let’s put it that way. Wilf continued on his vintage analysis when asked about 1995, comparing that to 1976, although he did say that there were a handful of great 1995s for the producers who waited to pick after everyone else, mainly Roumier, Rousseau and DRC. Surprise, surprise (95A).

We changed gears with a 1970 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape on Wilf’s recommendation as one of his favorite, old Beaucastels. I was just commenting how much I love old Beucastel, and how someone got a great buy at last week’s auction for a case of 1966 that hammered at $4000, and I couldn’t resist trying the ’70 for the first time, especially for the price it was on the list. It was a ‘wow’ wine, much blacker in style than any of the Burgundies, thick and oozing aromas of slate, which carried over to the palate along with olives, garrigue, spice and black cherry flavors. Its mineral components were mega, and its power for its age also most noteworthy. The wine was still inky! Smoke and wax rounded out this incredible Rhone (96).

We decided to refresh ourselves with some 1973 Pol Roger, which was interesting yet quite yeasty. The nose was gamy and full of stewed white fruits, along with some ‘wet bed’ per Chris. There was good freshness in the mouth with some white blossom flavors, but also some back alley ones. White chocolate wafer flavors emerged, as some air helped this older bubbly find itself in the glass (93).

The last wine on this extraordinary evening was a 1989 Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet Les Ruchottes. We had intended to have an ’89 white earlier to complete our ‘on the nines’ white flight, but didn’t quite get around to it until now. This has always been one of my ‘pet’ white Burgundies, delivering grand cru complexity at a premier cru price, and this ’89 didn’t disappoint. In fact, it exceeded my expectations as I thought we might start to see some effects of age on it, but this bottle was perfect. Its nose was classic Ramonet – rich, buttery and minty. There was deep fat here in a buttery, corny way. Its minty and (good) herbal flavors came to me as rosemary mint jelly – that was it, wow! There was also honeysuckle, although Chris found a little benevolent ‘catbox.’ Someone admired its sweetness, and there were flavors of Corn Pops there (95).

It was a fitting opening to what will be a must destination in San Francisco for every wine lover.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - La Paulee 2009, Part II


3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM

Thursday night was the pre-paulee dinner, hosted by Senor Johnnes at the Bouley Test Kitchen, where David Bouley, Daniel Boulud and Michel Troisgros were all in the same kitchen chefing it up for the eager attendees. This year, the honored vignerons were Veronique Drouhin and Jean-Francois Coche-Dury. This would mark Coche’s first trip ever to America, but alas, the fates were not kind, and unfortunately his father passed away right before he was scheduled to come, so he had to cancel. Our condolences to Jean-Francois.

The show went on, and his wines were there to tell his tale, probably more effectively than Jean-Francois himself, since he doesn’t speak a lick of English and apparently isn’t the most forthcoming person in the world. We started with a flight of Rougeots.

The 2001 Coche-Dury Meursault Rougeots had the signature, smoky Coche nose with lots of kernel, butter, oil, smoke, toast and underbrush. The palate was smooth and easy, tender and round, suppler than I expected. There was still nice, hidden acidity in its wavy and wafery personality, and the finish was pleasantly dusty. Eddie noted the ‘reduction’ and found it ‘shut down’ (92).

The 1996 Coche-Dury Meursault Rougeots had a more minerally nose, more structure and elicited more oohs and aahs from the guests. There was this nutty, almost crusted edge to it. Its palate was delicious, in a good spot, balanced yet still with long acidity that was just starting to integrate. Tasty and poppy, or popping perhaps, the 1996 was just right (94).

The 1989 Coche-Dury Meursault Rougeots had a milky, mildewy nose, a touch weird. There was cracked rye crisp in the nose, but not much more. The palate was creamy and long, but flabby comparatively and had butter flavors as in butter that had started to turn. Some herbs came out in the nose, but it stayed yeasty, not off necessarily, but off :). Someone quipped, ‘It’s still village Meursault’ (88A).

I did take a sip from a second bottle, and it was much better and classic, so I knew for sure the first bottle was off, as the second was in the excellent, 93-94 point territory again. Chris hailed the flight, ‘a good intro to Meursault.’ He then asked me if I knew where he could get any Montrachet lol.

Things were looking up already, as the second flight was all Perrieres. The 2001 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres was a little kitty that needed a bath. That blew off quickly into corn, nut and sweet, baked bread. The perfume started to unravel like bathrobes in a hotel room – rather quickly, and that’s a good thing. The signature Coche kink followed, and a round, rich, sexy and smoky palate full of white fruit flavors was enough for a happy ending (94).

The 1996 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres was a little milky in the nose with waterfall aromas, a bit of jungle fever, some musk and finally crystallized fruit. The palate was a little back alley, confused and shut down, mildewy. Someone noted its ‘steely finish,’ while Wilf observed, ‘tanky resin.’ Chris found ‘chalky limestone and metal.’ Coche Diddy summated, ‘a great wine is good all the time.’ This one was still good, but disappointing (92A?)

The 1989 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres was a bit stinky at first, with hay and char-grilled wood. Sunsetting yellow fruits led into a yeasty palate, which unfolded into a buttery and smoky finish. Flavors of oatmeal joined the party. The acidity and spice were super special, even more so after a little food, and the ’89 kept taking off – up, up and away (95).

What, no Corton Charlemagne? Of course there was, but not at the moment. It was Drouhin’s turn at the wheel, and a pair of ‘60s magnums had everyone in the mood for peace and love. The 1964 Drouhin Romanee St. Vivant was a touch stewed, with meat, rose and iodine behind that fact. It was still hearty in that ’64 way with lots of beef and acid. There was richness and lushness at first, but the wine fell off a cliff and turned into putty within a very short period of time. There is no doubt that a perfect bottle of this would be outstanding, or close to it (91+A-M).

The 1961 Drouhin Romanee St. Vivant was incredible. It was so vibrant and high-pitched in the nose that it made time stand still. The acidity, the Vitamin C, the rose, the hips…it was zippy with the doo-dah-day. This wine showed the greatness of the 1961 vintage for Burgundy, still forgotten and in the shadow of Bordeaux. The wine was so tasty, with flavors of earth, citrus and rose. It made me want to smack my lips, and a thing or two (95M).

The second flight of Drouhin was all about the Amoureuses. I miss my Amoureuses. The 1990 Drouhin Chambolle Musigny Amoureuses had a beefy, stir-fried nose in the gamy and stewed direction. It was hearty and big and reminded me a bit of ’64, and Wilf agreed. There was nice backbone and slaty flavors but just not as much stuffing on the palate as I had hoped (91).

The 1985 Drouhin Chambolle Musigny Amoureuses was trufflicious, distinctive and good. There were pinches of waterfall and oats along with straw and cabinet action. The ’85 was classic and classy, and how I thought it would be and should be (93+).

The 1976 Drouhin Chambolle Musigny Amoureuses had a woodsy, cinnamon spice, was round and frankly not that interesting. Spice, citrus and dust were there, but I wrote ‘eh’ twice in my notes (87).

Roger pulled out a 1978 Drouhin Beaune Clos des Mouches, which was great and just delicious, perfectly sunsetting and oh so right. It was silky city. Round, earthy and pretty, the Clos des Mouches property always seems to deliver, both red and especially the white (93).

The flight of Musignys began with the 1989 Drouhin Musigny. There was lots of morning cereal in the nose, which was getting a little figgy with it. The ’89 was round and rich with a pinch of acid and marzipan-y flavors. The wine was pleasant, and the finish hearty yet dirty (92).

The 1985 Drouhin Musigny was a touch musty in the nose, but the palate was tasty. Eddie concurred, appreciating the palate. The palate was rich and round, a touch soupy in a good, light, creamy way. There were great earth and nut flavors and a touch of caramel (93).

The 1978 Drouhin Musigny was special. There was great tension from the very start. Aromas of oat, cereal, citrus, Worcestershire and taut, red florals combined with pinches of garden and beef for a complex nose. The palate was rich and long, with a green, leafy spice and beautiful poise and spine. This wine had me at immediate attention and kept it until the glass was empty (95).

We were back to the whites. I love a good flight of white Burgundy or Champagne after a bunch of reds or even in between. It really works well. The 2001 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne was great. Its smoky, white minerally nose lured me in deeper. Cinnamon stick wrapped itself around me, and the nose was incredibly fresh, seeping from the glass. The palate was long and superb with great acidity, yet it was still so elegant. I know as far as reputation and even price, Perrieres can flirt with the Corton Charlemagne, but in reality the Perrieres didn’t come close. Sweet, white fruit flavors, super minerals and super spice meandered in the mouth, but with purpose. ‘Really good,’ summed it up (95+).

The 1996 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne was also super, as always. There was more of a lemon ice-y sweetness here, and a more pungent twist. There was also a leathery spice to the 1996. Its flavors were gamier, and the 1996 clearly had the most depth in the flight. It was longer and finer than the rest. Thick but still elegant, the 1996 had me quickly forgetting the 2001 and looking for seconds (97).

The 1992 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne was a bit anti-climactic and felt like it was starting to crack up. The negative side of 1992 came out in this bottle – that rained-on garbage bag in the alley thing thing there there. It was round and pleasant, still good but not by comparison to the previous two, and not one to grow on (91).

It was on to Veritas for an after-party, and Big Boy was there waiting with a magnum of 1982 Louis Roederer Cristal Rose. He immediately hailed it as ‘very winy’ or it might have been ‘very wiry’ or maybe he was calling me ‘very whiny’…yup, it was that time of the night. The Cristal Rose was meaty and sturdy, lingering like great sex, possessing superb structure and that Rose goodness (95+M).

A 1978 Louis Roederer Cristal was a rare treat; it is a vintage that has mostly been consumed and not collected, but it held up well. It was much more mature than the ’82, a sign of the ‘82s quality, and ready to go. There was still some light spritz here, and mature carob and caramel flavors. Rob called it ‘clean,’ although I found a bit of back alley water to it along with garden flavors (92).

A 1969 Dom Perignon had the classic granulated sugar in its near-perfect nose. It was mature yet still fresh and young. The palate was long and spritely, with superb acidity and great, grainy flavors. Bobby also admired its ‘clean and young’ qualities. It was a great bottle (96+).

A magnum of 2002 DRC Vosne Romanee Cuvee Duvault Blochet was sweet and young with a little banana peel appeal. It was easy like Sunday morning (92M).

A pair of fascinating Roumiers were next, beginning with a 1969 Roumier Morey St. Denis Clos de la Bussiere. Chris called it a ‘candy store’ while Neil admired its ‘weight.’ Pat thought the finish on the ’59 that followed was better, but the ’69 had complex aromas and flavors of black olives, sweet plums and prunes. It had great acidity, showing the best side of this dually regarded vintage. It was figgy yet not in that over the hill way (93+).

Brittain found that the 1959 Roumier Morey St. Denis Clos de la Bussiere ‘sinks into your skin.’ There was oat and brown sugar, more typical ’59 action, and it was round, soft and easy. I preferred the ’69 (92).

A few more wines followed, but the notes were done at this point. I do remember a 1982 Lafon Montrachet being excellent, I don’t remember the 2004 Liger-Belair Vosne Romanee Clos du Chateau that well, a 1996 D’Auvenay Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres was also excellent, as was the magnum of 1982 Chave. The Chave obviously stood out; its menthol and roasted earth were on full display like a spread peacock’s tail. Meaty, animalistic and rich, it was a great Chave (94M).

Day one still to precede!

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - La Paulee 2009, Part III


3/10/2009 12:00:00 AM

Part III was this past Friday night, which was basically the first session of our most recent auction. We had scheduled our auction for the weekend of La Paulee and hailed the sale ‘The Road to Burgundy,’ which worked especially well thanks to the great cellars of Roger Stein and Wilf Jaeger, and a few anonymous others.

Anyone that has been to an Acker sale, especially an Acker evening sale, knows that we, and those that come to our sales in person, like to enjoy one or twenty glasses of wine during the course of an auction. BYO is always welcome now, and many great collectors and generous souls made their way to CRU for what would be another extraordinary evening. On this special night, I would sample thirty-eight wines, and I was working. So this article will be more academic than literary, as I only had enough time to write down the names of the wines and my scores of them, although I will share some thoughts on most of the wines in a few paragraphs at the end.

Here were the wines I had, in order, and their respective scores.

1996 Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin Clos St. Jacques (92)

1990 Dom Perignon (93)

1996 Ramonet Montrachet (95)

1995 Krug Clos du Mesnil (95+)

1955 Charles Heidseick (DQ)

1996 Dom Perignon Rose (93)

1985 Dom Perignon Rose (95)

1993 Pousse D’Or Volnay Bousse d’Or (94)

2000 Lafon Meursault Perrieres (93)

1990 Drouhin Montrachet ‘Laguiche’ (93A)

2000 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet (95)

2000 Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet Les Ruchottes (93)

1995 Krug Clos d’Ambonnay (93)

1990 Ponsot Chapelle Chambertin (94+)

1990 Vogue Musigny V.V. (93)

2000 Thierry Manin Champagne (92)

1990 Haut Brion (95)

1991 Dujac Clos de la Roche (93)

1989 La Fleur de Gay (94)

2004 Niellon Chevalier Montrachet (95)

1997 Meo Camuzet Vosne Romanee Les Brulees (91J)

1962 DRC Richebourg (97+)

2003 Roulot Meursault Perrieres (92)

1993 Pousse d’Or Pommard Les Jarollieres (91)

1988 Gaja Sori Tilden (93)

1985 Ponsot Clos de la Roche V.V. (96)

1980 Ponsot Clos de la Roche V.V. (94)

1986 Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano Riserva (93)

1990 Cos d’Estournel (93)

1999 Mugneret Ruchottes Chambertin (95)

1962 Vogue Musigny V.V. (98)

1971 DRC Grands Echezeaux (97)

1990 Bollinger V.V.F. (94)

1970 Bollinger V.V.F. (DQ)

1982 Salon (93A)

1988 Vogue Chambolle Musigny Amoureuses (93M)

1991 Leroy Clos de la Roche (94)

1969 Salon (97)

Where to begin? How about the two 1995 Krugs. I was in the minority when it came to preferring the ’95 Mesnil over the d’Ambonnay, then again, I don’t own any anymore lol. I didn’t get to cuddle up with the d’Ambonnay that closely, but this was the second time that I have had it, and it comes across much more elegantly than the Mesnil. Elegance is not a bad thing, but the Mesnil just had more power, more acidity, more length, just more. The d’Ambonnay might have had more drinkability, more approachability, more finesse, but I would be surprised if it outlasted the Mesnil.

How about another pair of distinguished bubblies? The ’85 Dom Rose was so much more open than the 1996. It seemed more than ten years between the two. I have always loved the 1985 although this one hinted at a faster evolution than I last recall; the 1996 is very wound, a bit tart and not as racy as other 1996s. We shall see how it develops.

Pairs seem to be the theme here. The 1993 Pousse d’Or Volnay was absolutely delicious. What a great wine. Man, do I love Volnay. Talk about the best value appellation in all of Burgundy. The Volany still has plenty of life left in it. The Pommard was still very good, just, well, more like Pommard – a bit bruising, less complex, more monolithic – not all thumbs, but more thumbs.

The 2000 whites were all really good, with the Leflaive distancing itself from the pack. What else is new? It did have the Grand Cru handicap in its favor, though. 2000 whites are great to drink now, and they will probably last longer than some people give them credit. I am not the only white Burgundy lover to think that. Wait a second, the way action has been for the category, I am the only white Burgundy lover left :).

The Ponsots were all stellar. The best vintages of Ponsot are always the best, and 1990, 1985 and 1980 fit that equation. The 1985 is one of the best Ponsots ever, and didn’t disappoint. It was chunky and thick, but incredibly agile as well. The 1980 was grace in a glass, much more feminine and elegant, but still all about the Burgundy. It was big brother versus little sister, and we all know who usually wins that matchup. The 1990 was no slouch, from the forgotten Ponsot grand cru. It is another vintage where Ponsot separates his wines from the pack.

The other handful of 1990s were all Bordeaux. The Haut Brion was outstanding as always, while the Vogue Musigny was a cross-dresser of a wine – a Bordeaux posing as a Burgundy ha ha. The Cos can be excellent, and no one love Cos more than me. While La Mission should be considered a First Growth already, Cos would be the first second knocking at the door. However, this bottle, while still excellent, was less thrilling than other ’90 Cosses (how does one pluralize that?) that I have had. The only other Bordeaux was delicious, an ’89 Fleur de Gay. Pomerols not named Petrus or Lafleur still seem to be taken for granted – why is that again? Not by me, and any Bordeaux lover who doesn’t buy the L’Evangiles, the Trotanoys, the L’Eglise Clinets, the etc etc’s needs to love a little more often if they love themselves.

Of the remaining red Burgundies, the Mugneret Ruchottes stood out the most. That’s why Sir Robert Bohr always buys them, I concluded lol. Mugneret seems to be making some of the best, unknown, top-flight reds in Burgundy. The ’91 Dujac was gorgeous, one of the better ‘91s that I have had of late, really beautiful stuff, although 1991 is not in the upper echelon as far as vintages go. The other ’91, the Leroy Clos de la Roche, showed why Leroy can be great, particularly in 1991, 1993 and 1996. Vintages that are full of fruit don’t play well into her hand all the time, though. The Meo Brulees was roasted and overblown, showing more of the weaker rather than the stronger qualities of the 1997 vintage – it was still very good, but the points aren’t going up any time soon. The ’88 Vogue mag was rock solid, a pleasing ’88 that was big and brawny but still had a brain.

And then there were the ‘62s…and the ’71. What wines! Thank goodness the price on all these ancient superstars has fallen more than anything else, because now everyone is just drinking them. Both ‘62s were just flat-out incredible, best wines of my life category, both riding the ’62 wave as high as it can go. While some ‘62s are starting to gracefully plateau, these two both felt like they were still on the way up. They are wines around which to make travel arrangements. I might be sold bold as to call 1971 the greatest vintage of all-time for DRC. Ok, ok, I know, 1934, 1945, 1962, maybe even 1999…I can’t get into anything much older or younger for this discussion at the moment. 1971 is unquestionably one of the top five vintages for DRC…ever.

One of the most pleasant surprises was the ’86 Giacosa, which was excellent. I am not sure I have ever even had an Italian wine from 1986, but this was a good place to start. The ’88 Gaja was also very solid. I have never had a bad bottle of Gaja; they always answer the call.

Lastly, the 1969 Salon was spectacular. Old bottles of Salon are the ones, along with Cristal, that can stand up face to face and toe to toe with Krug. Salon and Krug have more structure; Cristal is the sexiest, but Salon and Krug can just bully anything and everything else around them, and that is what this ’69 did. It had the rocket’s white glare, the bombs bursting in my mouth, and it stayed true and carried me through the rest of the night. There’s only one cat that’s pulling that wine out of his hat, and everyone knows who that is.

There was a Paulee party uptown, but I had nothing left. More to precede.

FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - La Paulee 2009, Part IV


3/9/2009 12:00:00 AM

And on the fifth day, I couldn’t get up. After four consecutive nights with an average return home time of 2:30am, sandwiched around and in-between a 2-day auction, let’s just say that the energy levels are a bit low. It was an epic week of Olympic wine proportions, and it was great to see New York and many from outside the city out, about and enjoying life to the fullest. By the way, the auction went really well, probably about 95% sold. The wine market has stabilized quickly. Now it is up for the producers to pay close attention to their release prices and adjust accordingly as well.

But I digress…this week came about due to ‘La Paulee,’ the world’s greatest celebration of Burgundy, organized and orchestrated by Restaurant Daniel’s Daniel Johnnes. Months of preparation finally came to fruition, and a special thanks has to go out to Daniel for making this event happen again. In a time when people need more reasons to celebrate, Daniel helped put a smile on a thousand faces, ear to ear, all week long. It is tough enough to organize a dinner for 20 people, let alone 400, with other numerous events around it. Thank you again, Daniel.

Many of you might remember last year’s articles from the La Paulee in San Francisco, where I wrote up the first three nights, only to lose my notes from the last night, the grand finale, and the 52 wines that I had tasted. With that in mind, I have decided to write up Saturday night’s finale first this year.

There was a war room of wine assembled in the back for our table, far too many bottles to drink, but they sure were fun to look at altogether. A glass of 1975 Krug out of magnum kicked things off. I must admit, I was feeling a bit queasy from the three previous nights, and did not even drink a drop at Saturday’s live auction during the day. Small sips, small sips, I kept saying to myself, and after a few of those, I was feeling better :). What is that called, hair of the dog? The ’75 Krug was green apple city in the nose, citrusy and taut, with yellow fruits in tow behind. There was nice spritz to this perfect mag, and yeast and wheat emerged in the nose as it unfolded. It was rich, tasty and tangy, about as good as it gets for the vintage. Yes, it was Big Boy style (94M).

A 1976 Salon magnum took it up a notch and left the Krug at the station. The Salon just rocked and rolled from the very first instant, its nose racy and zippy, long and full of white crystallized fruits and distinct edge. The acidity was still monumental, and its youthful energy said top five pick in the draft, even at age 32. It had an endless finish and made everyone who sipped it more alert (96+M).

Augie slipped me a 1996 Lafon Meursault Perrieres on the way back from the war room. It was classic, round, rich and pretty full of white, delicately sweet fruit, also possessing great, smoky flavors. There was great balance, and while it was a bit softer and more mature than I expected, there was still hidden acidity, woven beautifully into the wine’s elegant style (94).

A 2005 Etienne de Montille Puligny Montrachet Le Cailleret was sweet, subtle and round, easy and tropical but just way too young for me to properly evaluate. I was already in the old wine zone (90+?).

Unfortunately, a 1996 Niellon Batard Montrachet was prematurely oxidized (DQ).

A 1992 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet was as good as 1992 gets, and was still showing why Leflaive made the wines of the vintage in 1992. Acidity still sparkled throughout the wine, and while there was a hint of that forward, 1992 stew, it was delightfully floral and smoky, with a long, fine finish and had plenty of stuffing left to last another decade. Butter, citrus, smoke and class resonated in the glass. Neil called it ‘killer,’ and thank you Eddie (96).

Wilf pulled out one of his off-the-trodden path beauties, a magnum of 1990 Gagnard-Delagrange Montrachet. It was drinking beautifully, round and rich but silky and fine. Its nose was lemony while its palate was full of bread and water flavors, full of smoke and circumstance, in a good spot (92M).

A jeroboam (a double-magnum by definition for Burgundy) of 2002 Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche was singing, something not easy to do amongst the 15 or so singing Paulee-ers imported to sing old French drinking songs throughout the weekend. There was great spice and smoke in the nose; it really jumped out more than any other white so far, helped by its youth and by its bottle format, no doubt. There were great, yellow fruit and smoky flavors here, and the wine was full of both muscle and grace. Its finish was long like three-hour movies that you still don’t want to end (95J).

A trio of Coche Perrieres magically appeared as I frantically tried to keep up with my bearings, as wines were coming faster than I could take notes. I re-organized my glasses and made sure I knew what was what, and then proceeded with the 1985 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres. On Thursday, we had had a trio of Perrieres as well, officially making this a good week based on that fact alone. That was night two, coming to a theater near you soon. The ’85 was a little yeasty and dirty in the nose, still nutty, toasty and smoky. It was very round, full of white earth, spare rib and white chocolate aromas. There were earthy flavors of white ice fruits, and Tom and Etienne preferred the ’85 most overall (93).

I, along with The Duke, Neil and others preferred the 1990 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres. The nose was perfect, a ‘laser’ as Neil pinpointed. Qualities of toast, kernel, white fruit and flowers were divine, its perfume lingering like the scent of a woman. Its flavors were round and rich, vitaminy and singing. There was great spice to this long and vigorous ’90, which was stellar all the way (96+).

The 1992 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres was rounder and more typical of the vintage, showing cracks in the armor. Yeasty flavors were more similar to 1985, but the ’92 was softer and rounder despite being seven years younger, and its flavors were more watery overall. The wine was still very good, but the least of the three (92).

A magnum of 1982 DRC Montrachet came knocking thanks to Jonathan, and everyone eagerly answered the door. The nose was open and aromatic, round and sweet with smoky and buttery tendencies. Additional aromas of white mesquite, iodine and hospital gauze emerged in this complex white. The palate was rich, round, smoky and buttery, although a bit yeasty with a touch of morning mouth flavors. Mike and Rob hailed it as the best white so far (94M).

Chet glided on by with a glass of 2000 Lafon Montrachet. Merci beaucoup. The temperature was a bit warmer than any of the other whites so far, probably on purpose knowing Chet, and the Lafon was pleasant and clean like 2000s are supposed to be, although simpler than I wanted it to be given how much I adore the vintage for whites. It was dusty and chalky with nice limestone flavors (93).

A magnum of 1986 Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche was ripe, round and open, showing the vintage’s best qualities adeptly. The nose was full of butter and rainwater, perhaps a touch of rot in a good way. There was still nice definition on its long, crystalized finish (94M).

My magnum of 1993 DRC Montrachet was next, whose nose was super smoky, gamy and zippy with great aromatics of yeast, fruit and flowers. Its flavors were yeasty and tasty with great structure. This ’93 was chunky, oily and long, still with finesse on its finish. It was a great showing for a 1993 white, the vintage where everyone knows the reds now, but that everyone who knows should know the whites. It might be tough to find a more pleasurable vintage to enjoy at the moment from the decade, with the exception of 1990 (95M).

Bad Boy Bruce kept the Champagne torch lit very brightly on this evening, beginning with a perfect 1966 Dom Perignon. The ’66 was clean, clear, fresh, dusty, limy and vigorous. It was hitting on all cylinders and still had plenty of life to go. Its great balance, long finish and bubbles were not to be ignored (96).

Bobby came around with a jero of 1996 Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet Les Ruchottes. It was showing quite well out of jero, standing up to some of its grand cru counterparts. Steely and fresh, there were great, zippy and lemony aromas and flavors, and a buttery core. Hints of mint rounded out this jero, which was really good and flirting with outstanding (94J).

A 1983 Ramonet Montrachet had that ’83 style – forward, slightly sweet, clean and lighter in style than some of the other ‘80s whites so far. There was a hint of rot here, but its finish was thick and long, its terroir flexing its muscles, lingering into the night (94).

The last white on this incredible evening was a 1993 Carillon Bienvenues Batard Montrachet, a cult white amongst those that know. The Carillon was tropical, smoky, exotic and tasty, showing gamy flavors that were again in a just right spot, another ’93 white making things alright. Thanks Dave (93).

Nineteen whites and Champagnes were down the hatch, and I was feeling great, as in not inebriated, fully in control, and ready to continue. Then came the reds.

A pair of 1964s kicked off the reds, the first being a magnum of 1964 Drouhin Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses. Thursday night also saw a flight of these, vintages to be remembered later, but none as glorious as the ’64. Aromas of sweet cherry, animal and old barn wood seeped out of the nose. Grainy in the mouth, it was long and full of rose flavors, super sweet and hearty like good ‘64s are, showing lots of acidity and staying bright in the glass. Big Mike was loving the ’64 rock ‘n roll style (94+M).

The 1964 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes was a contrast in style, showing more elegance and finesse. It was also sweet in the nose, showing more game and cherry, and still very decadent. It was super sexy and satiny in the mouth, and its acidity was superior to that of the Amoureuses. Chris also noted its acid, finding it ‘still young.’ The Vogue kept gaining and expanding, showing off a little peacock’s tail on its finish (96).

Oops, there was one more white, a 2001 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne, whose nose was reeking smoky greatness with very forward and dominating aromatics. Kernel was pop, popping out of its toasty personality. Long, thick, sugary and gamy, the ’01 was a bit more tits than ass at the moment, but still pretty sexy (94+).

Unfortunately, a magnum of 1959 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes was off (DQ).

A 1964 DRC Romanee Conti magnum wasn’t off, but it was a bit softer and shy than I expected based on my experience with the vintage and specifically the DRCs. There were dusty old flavors and aromas, more on the book and earth side, possessing a lot of classic qualities without the power that should go with it. The wine was what it was, perhaps just not the best barrel. Since DRC did bottle barrel by barrel back then, bottle variation is to be expected (93M).

The next bottle took center stage and was ultimately one of the top three or four wines of the night, if not wine number one, this jeroboam of 1952 DRC Romanee Conti. Not too many people have these bottles to even think about bringing, but Big Boy is one of them, and his generosity was on full display with this incredible bottle. ‘Wooooooooooo’ celebrated the ‘King of the Business’ after one sniff. The ’52 was spot on, exactly as I remembered it to be. Its nose was perfect, showing off the spice and spine that makes ’52 so special a vintage. Its concentration out of jeroboam was spectacular. Earthy, tangy and gamy aromas all spanked by citrus were fresh and forward. Its divine aromatics carried over to the palate, which was thick, creamy, decadent and again divine. It was incredibly complex, showing the A1 and the citrus flavors of great older Burgundy. This was the first wine I had to go for seconds, which would signify the beginning of my own personal decline despite the heights that the ’52 achieved (98J).

A 1959 Drouhin Musigny had the unfortunate luck of following up the RC, and while chunky and earthy, full of dense black fruits and displaying the forward, roasted character of ’59, it was left inhaling the fumes of the RC (93).

The Duke pulled out a magnum of 1966 DRC Grands Echezeaux, whose nose was full of Chinese spice box. There were great dark chocolate aromas to go with its spice, and the wine was delicious and fat, dancing in the mouth with its long, spicy, edgy and flavorful profile (95M).

A pair of infant 1991 Vogues generously found me thanks to Mr. 420. While appreciated and quality, it was near impossible to really dig deep into these wines after the depths already experienced. Once you go old, it is tough to go back! I actually preferred the 1991 Vogue Bonnes Mares (93) to the bottle of 1991 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes (92). The Bonnes Mares had more definition; they both seemed inky and beefy, but there was more earth and leather there than in the Musigny, which was rounder and less intense.

Bad Boy Bruce was back with a magnum of 1947 Roederer Rose, which immediately cracked the top five club. It had a perfect nose full of divine rose aromas. Rich strawberry flavors and amazing spice were evident on its hearty and edgy palate, one that was decadently rich and also possessing big chocolate and superb earth flavors. Dusty, long and still spiffy at age 62, the Roederer rocked out with its…(97M)

Big Mike pulled out another one of the evening’s showstoppers next, a Methusaleh of 1978 DRC La Tache. It was superb, as good as ’78 LT gets, full of rose hips and menthol and all the classic LT earthy sex appeal. The palate was meaty, spicy, earthy, long and rich. Having had this wine on at least a dozen occasions, I can safely say that this bottle was everything that it should have been and then some. For those out there that like to put down DRC in 1978, one sip would have converted you all! This Methusaleh was the Dr. Jekyll of DRC in this vintage, and with secondary traces of beef, garden and tomato, it delivered as much pleasure to those that had it as any other wine on this starry night. Thanks again Big Mike (97-I).

Keith pulled out a rarity, a 1915 Michel Gaunoux Pommard Grands Epenots. It was a later release, a wine reconditioned from the domaine, really smoky and citrusy and full of wild flavors and benevolent cat pee. It was a bit aggressive in its reconditioned qualities, but still a very good wine, although not reflecting its age appropriately. He later gave me a glass of one of his wines of the night, an outstanding Pousse d’Or, but damned if I remember what it was exactly. Details hopefully will follow (91).

A magnum of 1985 Henri Jayer Vosne Romanee Cros Parantoux came to me courtesy of The Don, I believe, or at least because I finally made it over to his table. The nose seeped black fruits in that deep, dark Jayer way, along with minerals, earth, leather and crushed granite. The nose seemed endlessly deep, and the palate backed it up with rich yet still taut fruit, black and purple, along with leather and spice and everything nice, retaining an elegant, caressing finish. This was still a big wine by ’85 standards, and why Jayer is considered to have made some of the best wines from the vintage (95M).

It was followed by a 1985 Henri Jayer Echezeaux, which on this night outshowed the Cros. It was similar in its fruit and flavor profile, but it possessed more structure, more acidity and gave a bigger overall impression. Perhaps on a night where fewer wines were sampled, or I had more time to get to taste each of these wines unfold, I might have preferred the Cros, but on this night, the rugged and full-bodied nature of the Echezeaux stood out more for me (95+).

There was a corked magnum of 1962 Patriarche Pere et Fils Musigny (DQ).

A 1961 Leroy Musigny Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tasteduvin bottling was earthy and tasty, but a bit rough around the edges. It had a lot of animal flavors and was on the browned side flavor-wise (92).

It was quickly dismissed by an outstanding 1964 Bouchard Pere et Fils Romanee St. Vivant which Chet was carrying around. It was another case of good timing. This was special stuff, thick and chunky yet agile, full of great red fruit flavors along with a nice sprinkle of brown sugar. Yum (95).

Bad Boy Bruce soon became this game’s version of ‘Champagne Hero’ with a bottle of 1961 Krug from an original case. This was pretty much everything one could ask for in a Champagne. With breed like Queen Elizabeth and a finish that would make Hollywood proud, this was one hell of a Champagne. The nose was full of white fruits, minerals, crushed ice and decadent musk. What set the Krug apart was the structure, the penetrating acidity, the endless finish, and the accompanying freshness accordingly. There is Champagne, and there is Krug (98).

Next up was an incredible magnum of 1971 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze. This was the second wine that I had seconds of, and that is saying something. It was about time I had some Rousseau, and what a way to make an entrance. Ripe red fruits, decadent spice, along with traces of tree bark, leather, earth and citrus were all there. The density of the wine, both in the nose and on the palate, was extraordinary. It lingered like good memories, and always seems to be a wine that delivers truth, justice and happiness for all (97+M).

It was about time that I had some Roumier, and the magnum of 1988 Roumier Bonnes Mares Vieilles Vignes was another great way to make an entrance. This magnum was epic in its presence, its nose coiled like a vampire just starting to sense nightfall. Practically black in its personality, there was still mature qualities unraveling in this decidedly youthful red. The t ‘n a were extraordinary, and behind the densely packed aromas of earth and stems, slowly other parts of the rainbow of fruits emerged, red and purple to be precise. The tannins were bodybuilders amongst boys, partly because of the youth of the wine relative to most others sampled, but also because they stood out in any crowd. The fact that we were talking 1988, a tannic year, certainly helped. The depth, the breed, the style – everything was spectacular in this magnum, which took every bottle that I had ever had up a notch. It literally blew me away…(98M)

…as I think it was the last wine I had before leaving for CRU, which was packed to the gills for an afterparty that lasted much longer than I did…the notes got pretty blurry from this point on, must have been all that fresh air on the way to CRU…

A bottle of 1966 DRC Grands Echezeaux was pretty much the same as the magnum. See earlier in this story…

A 1961 DRC La Tache was rich but a bit figgy, gamier than another great bottle I had recently, perhaps a touch affected, or maybe that was me. There was nice concentration and still some hallmark acidity of the vintage, but not as much as I remembered (93A?).

A 1983 DRC La Tache was another testament to the fact that there is quality out there in 1983. I have been having a lot of luck with this forgotten and sometimes maligned vintage, which is probably because Parker liked them so much upon release, and we know how those Burgundy lovers like to play the other side of that fence. I enjoy a good 1983, and the La Tache was a great one. Open aromas of menthol, wintry red fruits and lighter earth, combined with a fleshy palate and solid acidity, made for an excellent overall experience. Out of magnum this wine can be outstanding (94).

A 1983 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes was a nice pair with the La Tache, a bit heartier and rougher around the edges, denser and blacker in style although still excellent. ‘Where’s the beef’ is a question Ponsot rarely has to answer (93+).

There was a 1982 Bollinger RD, disgorged in 1995. It was simple and easy, solid and pleasant but not thrilling (91).

There were four more wines I took notes for, forty-nine notes in all. As it turned out, the remainders were all Champagne. Big Boy was holding court, and I was starting to fade. I kept on my game face and tried to march onwards, and I did for a crazy magnum of 1923 Veuve Clicquot, which had the black truffle oil nose similar to some of the Bollingers that I have had from this same era. ‘Sugarmeister’ and ‘rotten game’ came from someone or somewhere…I neglected to write down a score, sorry

I did write down a score for the magnum of 1953 Krug, another spectacular bottle of Krug. Could the best producer on this historic night of Burgundy have been Krug? Shhhhhhhhhhhh. Ok, DRC was right there too (97M).

There was a magnum of 1979 Cristal (95M) and some 1996 Dom Perignon Rose (93+), but by this time everything started to become irrelevant. All I could remember was trying to eat and drink water over and over to get my balance, but neither really did the trick. It was time to go, and that’s just what I did.

It was another epic night, although it wasn’t an epic Sunday morning. Thanks to Daniel Johnnes and the great collectors who assembled in the name of Burgundy. Viva La Paulee!

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Sundays


3/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

Football season is over, and wintry Sundays sans football need a purpose. This past Sunday, lunch with a client and friends was just what the doctor ordered, especially considering what was pulled out of the plentiful cellar.

We started with a mag of 1988 Louis Roederer Cristal, served out of a white wine glass, which this collector considers mandatory for any Champagne 1990 and older. The reasoning is to allow the complexities that come with age to aerate and open up as one would with a wine, and it makes complete sense to me. Champagne is, after all, sparkling wine! The nose was creamy and musky with nice buttery, yellow fruits, sweet and with touches of corn and rye yeast. The palate was round and fleshy, with nice sprite, very expressive and open at the moment. There were dry seltzer flavors, and while ’88 is a middleweight vintage for Champagne, the Cristal still showed like a champ despite a lighter impression on the mid-palate (94M).

A 1990 Faiveley Corton Charlemagne was next, and it had a deep gold color and mature nose to match. At first, aromas of sea dock and oyster shells were a bit on the negative side. Behind those was a sweet, buttery and noticeably woody core, but the nose left a fishy impression. The palate was creamy with nice yeast and wood flavors, a honeyed finish, and over time the nose left the dock and balanced out nicely. It got more buttery and rich, rounding out like a Citibank accounting error (93).

While this collector drinks mostly Burgundy, he felt like the Roast Beef for lunch called for a Bordeaux, and it wasn’t just any Bordeaux, it was a 1971 Chateau Petrus. The nose was classic, still unwinding into a delectable chorus of olive, nut, mint and deep, dark purple fruits. Hints of leather, game, smoke and spice were all present, as was a drop of tobasco. This was a perfect bottle, still fresh at age 38. The palate was round with nice earth and garden traces to go with its elegantly packed fruit. This was pure, yummy, mature Pomerol at its best, with plenty of maturity still to come. Secondary hints of coconut and some catnippy goodness rounded out this outstanding Petrus (95).

We were in for a treat for the finish, an extremely rare bottle of 1966 Faiveley Musigny. There is usually less than a barrel produced of this nectar every year; you rarely see bottles. Again, the bottle was in extraordinary condition. The nose was divine with lots of red fruits, layered like waves in an ocean, with sprinkles of earth, brown sugar, forest, bright cherry, citrus and spine. The Faiveley was full of garden flavors, along with what I would call ‘interior’ ones, and hints of horseradish. There was great smack to the finish, of the animal and citrus types, and tasty earthy flavors. Yum. It was a great head-to-head match-up with the Petrus, contested and well-played, but this game went to Burgundy (96).

We retreated to the living room to discuss this coming week’s auction, and he pulled out a 2004 Coche-Dury Meursault Caillerets. I like going back to whites or Champagnes after some reds as a palate refresher, and the Coche was up for the task. It was another terrific 2004, sweet and perfumed in that Coche way, light on its feet and very musky. Its nose was long, and its palate smooth and satiny, yet still complex. Flavors of white fruits and minerals were plentiful. It was a great way to slowly set sail on the evening, with our eyes on the many Burgundy prizes in this weekend’s sale.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Roulot and Ponsot


3/2/2009 12:00:00 AM

A recent evening spent with Mr. Roger Stein, who’s collection is being offered this weekend, had us sampling a couple of Roulots and Ponsots, in that order. The four wines we sampled were beautiful reminders of why Burgundies are some of the greatest wines on Earth, and often the most contested. These two producers are at the top of their game, and as this evening would prove, have been there for years.

We started with a 2004 Roulot Meursault Tessons, Mon Plaisir, which was clean, buttery and smoky in that signature Roulot way. The more I drink ’04 whites, the more hard-pressed I am to consider a better white Burgundy vintage so far this century. The Roulot was absolutely delicious, young yet approachable, decadent yet elegant, long and refined, bristling with minerals and a just-right kiss of wood. Its smoky flavor lingered, and this bottle wasn’t around long (93).

Next up was a 1990 Roulot Meursault Les Luchets, nineteen years old and still legal despite not being an official premier cru of Meursault. The Luchets was still singing, showing its age in a rich, complex way. It was very opened and honeyed, showing lots of yeast, and again that smoky Roulot style. Complex nuances of cobwebs, damp earth and old barn danced around its core of meaty, yeasty fruit. Its flavors were rich and fully integrated, holding on to its golden years, showing lots of honey and kinky fruit flavors. It was a welcome transition to the reds that were to follow (93).

A 1979 Ponsot Clos de la Roche was absolutely delicious. 1979 and 1980 seem to be forgotten years for red Burgundy, but every time I have had one recently they make me want to have more. There just aren’t that many of them still around, unfortunately. This Ponsot was in a perfect place, hauntingly good and showing mature aromas that were still very fresh. Black fruits danced around its nose, which had an earthy foundation that reeked of terroir. Chocolate, sandalwood and a catnip-like goodness rounded out its nose. The palate was in sync with the nose, showing similar characteristics, and going down easy. It was a pleasure to drink, mature yet capable of going another decade and then some, although it may never be better than it is right now (95).

The 1991 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes was inky by comparison. It was an adolescent next to the ’79, still showing lots of baby fat and thick, black fruits. It was very shut down after the glorious ’79, clearly possessing lots of raw potential, but unrealized at this point. Very thick and round in the mouth, there were lots of black fruits and even more concentration, but the definition needs to flesh out more. Compared to most 1991s at this point, this is far less advanced and has a long future ahead of it, but on this night, it was shut down and not that forthcoming (92+).

It should be a great week full of great Burgundy, especially Friday night and Saturday at Cru for our ‘Road to Burgundy’ auction. We hope to see you there in person, live online or in spirit!

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - 2006 DRC's


2/20/2009 12:00:00 AM

Recently I had the opportunity to taste through the 2006 DRC portfolio at a tasting held for select members of the wine media and trade in New York City. The event celebrated the release of the 2006s and was hosted by the always distinguished Aubert de Villaine, who guided us through the tasting as skillfully as he navigates through any given vintage. This was my most detailed snapshot into this ‘shadow’ year, lost in the shuffle of 2005, but a vintage that has already endeared itself to many Burgundian connoisseurs. One collector recently told me 2006 will be like 1993, where everyone overlooks it for awhile and then all of a sudden, ten years later, everyone will want it. Based on this tasting, I couldn’t disagree with that prognostication.

First, a few notes paraphrased from DRC about the 2006 vintage…

Climactic conditions in 2006 were a bit wild and initially a source of anguish for many, but at the end of the season, optimism and confidence were restored. A long and unusual heat wave in July blocked the vegetative cycle of the vine, and an exceptionally cool and rainy August resulted in conditions favorable to botrytis, unseen since 1986. However, September brought hot weather, with barely any rain (only on the 23rd and 24th), and these perfect conditions allowed the vines to efficiently use the reserves of the rains of August in the soil. Ultimately, the grapes were as ripe as in 2005 at the time of harvest, at least for DRC. While 2006 was difficult, it ultimately gave winemakers the tools to make great wines, provided that they harvested before botrytis set in too deeply. Low yields were also important to permit the grapes to achieve an early maturity for the same reason. Sorting was also crucial due to botrytis. The Richebourg was the first vineyard to be harvested on September 20th; Echezeaux was the last to be completed on the 27th. “If one can speak of a striking general character for this vintage, it is, indeed, purity: purity of aromas, purity of taste, purity of general expression, which is completely different from that of 2005, (which was) a rather bright, spectacular, symphonic vintage. In 2006 we hear chamber music with more discreet notes, but subtle and complex.”

Let the 2006 DRC Vosne Romanee Cuvee Duvault Blochet begin. Purity did, indeed, jump out first. Cinnamon and spice were next, followed by taut black cherry, forest floor and a healthy whiff of healthy wood, cedar and mahogany to be exact. A hint of green olives rounded out the nose. The palate was round with gamy flavors, clean and silky overall. Flavors of stem, cinnamon, earth went with the cherry and rose. In retrospect, the Vosne Romanee was light, but light on its feet and dancing in the mouth (90).

The 2006 DRC Echezeaux had a deeper, blacker nose with more crushed mint and rubber tire there. Cedar slowly slithered out, blending in with the rubber along with some matchbox, lit match, lavender and a purplish, floral complexity. The palate was rounder and lusher than the Vosne, and just delicious, with flavors of beet root, rhubarb, cherry, spice, cedar, mahogany and grilled meat. For sheer sex appeal, the Echezeaux was excellent (93).

The nose on the 2006 DRC Grands Echezeaux continued the progression nicely with an even deeper personality. It was more coiled and wound, with more structure showing, along with lots of cedar and spice. It had bigger and exotic tendencies, almost peach or mango but not quite either, maybe apricot? It was flirting in those directions, and also had big-time rose and oil there. It was rusty in its vigor, but not much bigger than the Echezeaux as I expected. It was upfront but lacked the open quality of the Ech, but made up for it with its structure. That rubber tire emerged on its gritty finish with lots of earth, beef and cedar flavors. Overall, it had a much blacker style than the Ech and although not as delicious and sexy as the Ech, it had better long-term potential (93).

The 2006 DRC Romanee St. Vivant had a bright nose and lots of cloves to go with its cinnamon, along with nutmeg; it was a veritable spice cabinet. There was high pitch to its spice, and a little baked Grandma goodness. The palate was the roundest and most balanced; in fact, the balance was exquisite, yet there was still stuffing. There was a leathery finish with a peacock’s tail, very coating. There were pure red fruits and a sturdy finish, and it stayed agile in the glass (94).

The 2006 DRC Richebourg was stinkier than anything so far, with a bit of animal, wet hay and grass here. It was wild yet fleshy, full of character, the wine that wanted to stay up all night. Musk and a pungent goodness were present along with black fruits. The palate was cleaner and lighter than I expected, frankly a bit disappointing after the RSV, and a rare time when the RSV outshined its bigger brother. The palate was a bit watery upfront, still with nice, rosy flavors. There were some classic stems and cedar, and it did gain a bit in the glass, fattening and fleshing out (93).

Ahhhh, the 2006 DRC La Tache. Here kitty, kitty. Life is too short not to drink La Tache…often. The 2006 was phenomenal. The breed and structure were a most noticeable step up. It was wound, giving me a medical emergency impression with its clean minerality and intensity. Some band-aids joined the party to patch things up, along with a little bread, rose, vitamins and bull’s blood. The concentration on the palate shattered everything prior and made me feel I should lower every other wine’s score by a point! It was so flavorful, full of great fruit and all the colors, also with incredible stems and vitamins. There was serious length to this ‘serious shit,’ which was denser and bigger and more brooding than anything else (96).

The 2006 DRC Romanee Conti was neither last nor least. It was much more sensual and elegant than the LT in the nose, with more subtlety and complexity, though. It was more toasty, with aromas of cinnamon, baked bread, stemmy goodness, black cherry and also a glazed goodness. The palate had incredible spice and foresty fun; it hit the highest note on the piano. There was a divine delicacy to the RC, its palate endless like a ballerina who never leaves its toes. Aubert noted the ‘justability’ of the RC versus the ‘masculinity’ of the RC (95).

The 2006 DRC Montrachet was one white that could follow up any flight of reds. That hint of botrytis that the growers had to deal with in 2006 was more evident in the Montrachet. The nose was sweet, aromatic and tropical as only the DRC seems to be as far as white Burgs go. Aromas of candy cane and a minty sweet core were self-evident, but there were also great structure components to complement its sweetness. The palate was rich, buttery and lush, with butter dominating and tropical sweetness coming in second. Guava and mineral flavors rounded out this outstanding white (95).

So there you have it, 2006, admittedly looking down from 20,000 feet, but I am convinced this will be a true connoisseur’s vintage for many years to come, and one to have in the cellar for the most passionate of Burgundy lovers. What was interesting about the DRCs was the fact that it was an underdog year; Ech outshowing the GE, RSV over Richebourg, and LT out-muscling the RC, at least at this stage. Go Knicks :)

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Encore Encore


2/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

The Inspector and The Don got together soon after Don’s Birthday bash for a small retrospective of 1973 whites. Even though I was a bit under the weather, I couldn’t resist such an invitation. We were joined by Nick and Geoffrey, and it was one of those rare evenings where the whites ended up being older and rarer than the reds. We still started with the whites, of course.

A 1973 Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche had aromas of old honeycomb, wax, dried nut, yeast and orange marmalade. Secondary aromas of minerals, ale and white meat joined the party. The palate was round and waxy, old but not bad, with hints of dirt, stone and earth flavors. Geoffrey and Doug noted a touch of botrytis, and caramel did come out with a touch of cotton candy. It was flirting with excellence but missing that extra definition, which seemed to come out after a little food, and it gained in its acidity. It was likened to a ‘dry Sauternes.’ Honey and a hint of floral ‘sexy back’ rounded out this mature yet pretty wine (93).

The 1973 Lafon Montrachet had a big, bold nose, and Geoffrey was immediately preferring it to the Drouhin. There was almost cinnamon in the nose, along with aromas of tree bark, butter, game, smoke, toast and lemon. The palate was richer, lusher, toastier and longer, with a creamy, sexy quality. Geoffrey called it ‘gorgeous,’ and Doug ‘brilliant.’ The palate was round and rich, with flavors of cobwebs and nice texture and length. There was this almost cardboard edge that bothered me a little, but besides that this was a classic - fleshy, buttery and tasty stuff (95).

We had a head-to-head showdown of 1973 DRC Montrachets, an original release versus the recent re-release from the Leroy cellars. The original had aromas of sweet acacia and honey, and then wildflower and lavender, almost like two pairs. Additional aromas of waterfall, morning dew, and more honey emerged. In the mouth, the DRC was rich, big and tasty with great acid. Doug added, ‘lemon spice cake.’ This was long and longer with extended vim and vigor, but it fell off a cliff after about 15 minutes, becoming overly yeasty and full of morning mouth flavors. I couldn’t tell if the bottle was slightly affected or not. It was spectacular at first, but became perplexing shortly thereafter (93A?).

The re-release came across more artificially at first, with aromas of cinnamon and cleaner. Fresh and zippy, there was a hint of the original here but cinnamon dominated. The palate was round and long with nice acidity, and although this was leaner than the original, it did come across fresher. ‘One for the bitch,’ quipped the Inspector. He quickly got a call from headquarters and was instructed to attend sensitivity training the next morning. The re-release kept growing on me; it was clean and fresh, with almost a spritz-like zest, and the acidity was long. In the end, it came across pure and stylish, although it did need some time to find itself (95).

Geoffrey and I preferred the ‘Lalou’ bottling of DRC, while Doug and Nick preferred the Lafon, although I did admit that if a 10 minute rule was in effect, the original DRC might have won.

A 1985 Ramonet Montrachet was a welcome transition to the red wines. There was a yellow pungency to this wine, almost urine-like, but it was also buttery like a sautéed scallop with additional aromas of smoke and corn. Clean with aromas of smokehouse, sandalwood and charcoal, there was a lot going on here. Curdled flavors of rainwater and tang without the vitamin C were on the palate, along with white barbecue flavors. It was excellent but not as thrilling as other bottles of this wine that I have had (94).

A 1991 DRC Grands Echezeaux had aromas of stems and bay water, salty and with additional aromas of dirty rose, beefaroni and lime. The palate was soft and polished, stemmy yet simple overall (91).

I must have been complaining about collections when someone said the following, ‘Whenever your tailor starts bothering you about your debt, order four more new suits.’ I am not sure who said it, but I had to include it!

The 1991 Meo-Camuzet Richebourg had a similar nose to the DRC. Milk, stems, rose were there, along with that tangy, salty bay water thing. There was more definition and substance here, and the Meo was quite earthy. Although 1991 has a bit of a sleeper reputation for the reds in Burgundy, this duo left me a bit under-impressed compared to their usual lofty status (93).

We had to have one bottle of Rousseau to make up for its omission at Don’s birthday party, so we settled on a 1985 Rousseau Chambertin. The nose was classic 1985 with its sweet and nutty profile. Rich and gamy, the fruit was all about the cherry, but pruny as well. It was very aromatic, milky and foresty as well, with good bases of minerals and earth. Round, soft, easy and tender, the wine was gamy and friendly in the mouth, in a nice 1985 spot, but just missing a degree of ‘oomph’ that I was yearning. Nick and Geoffrey found it ‘fantastic’ (94).
It was another nice evening of Burgundy, a reverse night of old whites and younger reds, and a fitting encore to The Don’s birthday bash.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - Happy Birthday Don!


1/23/2009 12:00:00 AM

The first celebration of 2009 was a warm, welcome Happy Birthday for ‘The Don,’ the world’s pre-eminent collector of fine and rare Burgundy. If you had to bet on the size of Don’s collection, let’s just say that I would advise you to take the over! It was a milestone year being celebrated, and all I can tell you is that you probably wouldn’t want to drink much from his vintage, but you definitely would want to drink from his collection. He remains one of the most generous and passionate collectors in the world today.

Many of New York’s top wine collectors were invited to gather at Veritas, which closed for the evening in order to celebrate ‘and many more.’ Bottles were coming from every angle, and it was tough to hold down a decent conversation, as everyone’s eyes were wandering around to make sure they didn’t miss the any new bottles being circulated. It could only be classified as ‘Wine Attention Overload Disorder.’ I managed to take 26 notes myself; my problem was that there were many magnums and many seconds; oops, I did it again.

Everyone was welcomed with some 1996 Billecart Salmon Clos St. Hilaire, which was classic as always, racy like Nascar with its seemingly endless acidity. I am looking forward to drinking 1996 Champagnes for the rest of my life (96+).

A jeroboam of 2004 Henri Boillot Chevalier Montrachet awaited. Henri was actually there, in fact. There was great musk to its nose and super aromatics. Very perfumed and nutty, it was also sweet, buttery and youthfully intoxicating. The palate was smooth and lush with nice citrus, bread and mineral flavors and a dusty finish, perhaps a touch closed out of jero (93+J).

Sir Robert Bohr quickly offered up a 1986 Coche-Dury Meursault Chevaliers, which was very yeasty and nutty in the nose, bordering on a Chinese food impression. It was a bit dirty, still white meaty and nice, but starting to fade a bit and definitely very yeasty (91).

The third wine of the night was offered up blind by Fred, and it was an amazing shocker. The nose was similar to the Coche except it was bigger, smokier and more open. There was also yeast here, but more balanced within the nose, as well as butter and game, and a just-right hint of stew. The palate was delicious, full of matchbook flavors, as well as morning dew, milk, earth and toast. We were all pleasantly stunned to find out it was a 1973 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet! Not a premier cru, just the village wine. It just goes to show you – producer, producer, producer (94).

There was a mystery magnum that turned out to be an outstanding 1992 Sauzet Batard Montrachet, but damned if anyone knew the vintage at the time. It was super spiny, wound and intense per the style of Sauzet, full of acidity and strength in the nose. Classic anise rounded out this behemoth of a nose. The palate was full of spine as well, long and yeasty and full of personality and flavor. 1989? 1996? Those were initial guesses due to the tremendous structure, but it was actually a 1992, and about as much structure as I have seen from this maturing vintage and an amazing feat. Sauzet seems to be the forgotten upper echelon producer in the hierarchy of white Burgundy (96M).

There was one more white wine for now, a 1996 Coche-Dury Meursault Chevaliers, which popped out of the glass as young Coche always does. Aromas of toast, kernel and a touch of cardboard (but not in a bad way) graced the nose. The palate was clean and fresh, tasty and full of kernel flavors and the big acid of the 1996 vintage (93).

I managed a glass of 1966 Faiveley Latricieres Chambertin as I finally headed back from the bar, I believe courtesy of Geoffrey. Old Faiveleys are real jewels, especially the ‘Latriss,’ and this was no exception. The nose was sweet and musky, gamy and ripe with cherry oil aromas. Sexy and sultry, the ’66 had great candied and earthy flavors and was very, very tasty (95).

1985 Roumier Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses out of magnum? Sure, why not. Aromas of forest floor, mushroom, earth, game and incredible nut all balanced together perfectly. The palate was also in a perfect spot, as many great ‘85s are right now. Round and succulent, there was still great definition, spine, spice and leather flavors to balance with its deep, deep, dark, dark cherry fruit. Still satiny smooth, I was most impressed by this wine out of magnum (96M).

How about 1964 Pousse d’Or Volnay Les Caillerets out of jeroboam? Sure, why not. Although this jero was reconditioned and a recent release from the winery, it was about as good a job of reconditioning as one could hope for, providing both mature nuances and a fresh impression. The aromatics were great; leather, nut, minerals and stone stood on top of its sweet fruit. The flavors matched up well, and there were still mature game nuances along with excellent vigor, more so than if an original bottle, I’m sure. ‘Exquisite’ still summed it up (94J).

I grabbed a 1971 Roumier Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses off the list before I could be accused of keeping my hands in my pocket and on everyone else’s bottles for the evening. What a bottle. The nose was divine, so sweet, so perfect, so 1971, a vintage I have always adored and not because it was my year! The aromas were plentiful and adorable; landscaped garden, sweet cherry, oil and nut were symphonic in their presence. There was still superb t ‘n a, enough to make me sneeze. The lightest glaze of caramel added to its already tasty and sexy palate. Meat, earth and game rounded out the palate, although Big Boy found a minor flaw, calling it a touch beefy on the palate and gave it only, ahem ahem, oooooonly 95 points. Big Mike commented, ‘the nose, you can’t get any better, but the palate is better on the ’85.’ I liked the two vintages equally for different reasons, and saw both sides of this rare coin (96).

Roy threw in a magnum of 1993 Roumier Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses to keep the love going. The nose was deep, dark and inky. Iodine, band-aid and rich, deep, dark purple came to mind. The deep and dark trend continued on the palate for this infant of an Amoureuses. There were lots of vitamin flavors here, and the wine still left a round and balanced impression. I am going to love you 1993 long time (95+M).

A white intermezzo slipped its way in front of me, a magnum of 1990 Raveneau Chablis Les Clos. Can’t say no to Les Clos. The nose reminded me of a stony waterfall in the Amazon, with of touch of sweet cotton candy and a twist of citrus. It was also waxy. The mouth was rich and honeyed with great citrus and wax flavors, a continuum of the nose (95M).

The first of a handful of DRC wines was next, a 1966 DRC La Tache. It was a touch dirty at first, which is consistent with most of my notes on this vintage for La Tache, but it blew off and sweetened out into beautiful rose, sweet cherry, earth, musk and a touch of ‘BM’ in a baby goodness way, keeping the dirty in the birdie. There was a touch of celery and stalk in the mouth to go with its rose and cherry flavors, but the wine never completely lost its dirtiness (94).

A 1972 Vogue Bonnes Mares was exotic and tropical, stunningly so. It was extremely open in an apricoty way and had much less tomato than I remember for a typical ’72. The palate was rich and round, tender with a little sidekick, and impressive overall for this vintage (93).

A quartet of Roumier Musignys was next served blind, a group effort. The first bottle had some issues and was a little oxidized. Too bad, as it was the 1995 Roumier Musigny, which some felt strongly would win the flight. Stewed vitamins, meat, iodine and nice leather were about all I could come up with. It was still somewhat drinkable, but not with fourteen wines down and three more Musignys up (92A).

The second Moose was stemmy and complex with lots of forest spice and a nice milk and leather combo, halter-top style. Nice spice, outstanding spice, I continued. The palate was smooth, surprisingly velvety and plush, but it was more polished than I expected. It was the 1996 Roumier Musigny. I could taste the 1996 in it, but very faintly (94+).

The third Roumier of this flight got a ‘big, incredible’ from Big Boy, and Inspector Barzelay was loving the tannins. The nose was very nutty, with aromas of sweet caramel and light, perfect toast that was caviar-ready. There was great fruit in the mouth, which was tart and tender with beautiful acidity and stem flavors. The 1988 Roumier Musigny was in a great spot and really, really good. 1988 was a special year for Roumier and a few others that made indubitably great wine (95).

The final Musigny also got an ‘incredible’ from Big Boy. The ‘killer bees’ DB, RB, and BB quickly crowned it wine of the flight. Anise was the first thing that jumped out at me. Leather, stone, shoeshine, spine, meat and distinctive grape nuts (as in the cereal) all followed. It clearly had the best tannins of any wine in the flight as well as the longest finish; of course, it was the 1993 Roumier Musigny. Many flip-flopped or were divided between preferring the 1988 versus the 1996, but no one could deny the 1993 and its very concentrated personality. WOTN (97).

A 1978 DRC Richebourg appeared courtesy of Airplane Eddie, who decided he had to bring some Conti and order to the proceedings. The ’78 was full of menthol and dripping with oil in its nose, 1978 the right way, I wrote, as some have complained about bottle variation amongst the ’78 DRCs. This one was A-OK. Doug guessed ‘78 RC or Riche.’ Impressive. I guess it was served blind! It was fresh and with a pop to it, but the palate was softer than the nose led me to believe, and there was a touch of almost spritz or CO2 there that was peculiar, not off, but peculiar (94).

A magnum of 1983 Clair Dau Bonnes Mares was excellent, and another solid 1983, which I have been enjoying here and there over the past couple years. Black licorice dominated initially, opening up into nutty, Burgundian fruit. The flavors were also licorice, and the wine was fleshy and tasty with a nice finish, in a good spot and a good showing for this oft forgotten vintage in Burgundy (93M).

Neil pulled out a gorgeous 1982 Henri Jayer Echezeaux. Jayer was a master of the ‘off’ vintages, and this was no exception to that rule. The nose was round and smooth, wine catnip. It was chock full of character, rich, full and complete. Plums and nut danced around the nose, and the palate was ‘wow’ tasty, with the perfect amount of sweetness and game. Yum (95).

What the heck was this, a 1991 Guigal Cote Rotie La Turque? This wasn’t Burgundy, this was an impostor! Ok, I won’t go any further and shame the person that brought it (Michael you know who you are :) ), but I must say that I was actually stunned how Burgundian it was. I am not sure if it was the circle of influence, the actual wine, or the fact that my senses had been drowned in Pinot, but the La Turque actually fit right in and was outstanding (95).

It was getting late, and a few started to trickle out the door. It was time to separate the alcoholics from the men lol. Doug pulled out a rare 1915 Faiveley Bonnes Mares. Aromas of oat, hay, brown sugar and cereal were all there. It had that old, chapitalized feel, toasty and sweet, earthy and still possessing some freshness, still very good and a fascinating trip back in time (92).

I wobbled over to a 1978 Dujac Echezeaux. Aromas of garden, ‘bubble bath,’ play dough, musk, nut, game, black cherry and forest floor were present, and noted as a group effort. There was a nice sweetness to the palate on this excellent wine (94).

There were a couple of big cannons at the end of the night, although they didn’t quite go off as planned. A 1949 Roumier Musigny was unfortunately corked and tough to get into beyond that, although it did have great mouthfeel. What a shame (DQ).

Then there was a controversial bottle of 1945 DRC Romanee Conti. Inspector Barzelay was all over the potential crime scene. First, my observations, in non-sentence form: ‘Aromas of old cherry, old vitamins, old book. Gamy and super old with amazing aromatics and lots of cobwebs. Rose, menthol and mint, all the classic components. Gamy but a touch stewed. Mouthfeel lighter than it should be but aromatically right on.’ Even the Inspector admitted that the aromatics were typical old RC, but he could not get beyond the fact that the mouthfeel was not as thick or rich as his memory served him, nor mine for that matter. It was definitely ‘45-lite,’ but who is to say that it is not bottle variation? I definitely couldn’t say it wasn’t what it was supposed to be. Old wines can be extremely variable, even within the same case. I still thought the wine was close to outstanding, but definitely at the bottom of my ’45 experiences, all other of which have been religious. Rob also felt the bottle was stewed and a bit affected, not in perfect condition but still special (95A?)

I think we covered most of the major food groups – sacre bleu! No Rousseau? How did that happen? And Don is probably Rousseau’s number one fan…encore encore, anyone?
It was another special night, celebrating an even more special man. Happy Birthday, Don.
FIN

JK



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VINTAGE TASTINGS - VCC and Le Pin


1/11/2009 12:00:00 AM

I recently spent a weekend in Los Angeles hosted by none other than Dr. Bipin Desai, of course. This particular event celebrated the frères Thienpont, Alexandre and Jacques, and their respective properties, Vieux Chateau Certan and Le Pin, two of Pomerol’s brightest stars. It was a magical weekend full of magical wines, and while Le Pin was expected to be great and delivered, it was Vieux Chateau Certan that stole the show, proving yet again that it is still Pomerol’s best-kept secret. Unfortunately, I missed Friday’s session featuring many of the younger VCC’s as I was conducting an auction that night, but I made it out just in time for Saturday’s lunch, where many golden oldies awaited.

We started with a 1976 Vieux Chateau Certan, which had aromas of bean and green stalk initially, gradually becoming more earthy. The tannins were noticeably drying – one could smell the dryness even, but pinches of milk chocolate provided just enough sweetness to still keep the wine interesting. The wine was a touch hot at first; its t n’ a jumped out on the palate. There were more green olive flavors with a hint of carob and a bright, tarry finish. The green olives grew to take over the nose as well, and while the 1976 was somewhat lean and a dry wine overall, it really grew on me and was one of Alexandre’s favorites of this first flight (90).

The 1975 Vieux Chateau Certan had more earth and minerals, but more plums and cassis surfaced as the sweetness came through. It had a bruising but solid, tannic personality that was enjoyable because it had enough fruit to match, but definitely backward, almost backsided. There was nice acidity with a flash of hot pan on the finish, and it also had a gentle touch of green bean. Manny felt it wasn’t ready, and Ed said it was tannic in keeping with the vintage (91).

The 1971 Vieux Chateau Certan had a greener, dirtier nose with a lot of wet earth and ashtray. The fruits were very black and rolled in hay and oat. The palate was leaner with more oat flavors, along with lean citrus and carob. Neal Martin preferred the ‘71 to the ’70, and Alexandre called it more ‘Burgundian.’ It was my table’s consensus favorite and danced like an agile middleweight (91).

The 1966 Vieux Chateau Certan was a touch corky or maybe a glass issue? It was chlorine city in the nose, but the palate was pretty and smooth with a perfect, satiny balance. The ’66 was a rich yet elegant wine that was pure and long with nice plum, citrus and chocolate flavors. It was Bipin’s favorite of the flight, and mine too (93).

The 1970 Vieux Chateau Certan was a la the ’71, but dirtier with more hay and barn, but its red fruits were sweeter. The palate was tangy and flirted with being stewed, say tomato, a bit gamy in a gentlemanly way, still nice. It was Manny and Ed’s favorite, and Bipin’s third place (90).

Alexandre summed up this first flight by saying that ‘the seventies were difficult,’ and while 1971 was his favorite, 1970 was next, and the 1976 was ‘surprisingly good, but like a fire stroke, not long in keeping.’

The second flight began with one of the few magnums of the day, the 1964 Vieux Chateau Certan, which was picked before the rain, Alexandre revealed, while most of the Left Bank didn’t, which is why there is a disparity amongst the two banks in 1964, with the Right Bankers being great and the Leftists not. Its nose was clean and fresh, a bit spiny and almost waxy. Nice black fruits and dark chocolate emerged with additional aromas of leather and a touch of black bing cherry. The palate was youthful out of magnum, giving the wine extra vigor and heartiness. The finish was dry and desert-like with minerals shining through as well as this tangy, apricot kinkiness. Frank found it ‘great,’ and Alexandre deemed it powerful, flirting with outstanding. It really stood out in the flight thanks to the magnum Viagra factor. Ed was loving it accordingly (95M).

The 1962 Vieux Chateau Certan was from magnum as well and had a super chocolaty, very sexy nose oozing caramel and other things like hints of garden and yeasty goodness. The palate tasted sweetly of baked chocolate chip flavors and was round and tasty, a bit warm but still soft yet chewy. ‘This is a wine for wine lovers,’ Alexandre cooed, going on to share, ‘vigor and power is not always equal to quality,’ hailing a 1971 DRC La Tache as the best wine he ever had. The 1964 was pure drinking pleasure, Alexandre’s favorite of the flight, almost Burgundian, and it gained and held well (94M).

The 1961 Vieux Chateau Certan was very exotic and minty, over the top with a hint of crème de menthe and another mysterious herbal liqueur. There were earth and plum aromas behind the kinkiness, and the palate continued these super exotic tendencies. It was so full of sweet flavors it was if the skins of the grapes were going to break. There was a slight dust of tannins on the finish in this delicious and hedonistic wine (95).

The 1959 Vieux Chateau Certan was almost as exotic as the ’61, full of spice and purple fruits. The ’59 was more ‘austere and proper’ per Dave and had great spine and spice in the mouth. The palate became more wild and fruity in a gamy and autumnal kind of way, with its brown sugar and spice indicating it was heading towards its sunset. Frank and others thought it was oxidized while Bipin liked it despite some oxidation. 1959 was also Alexandre’s birthyear, who concurred that the bottle was not 100% (94A).

The 1955 Vieux Chateau Certan was controversial with its very wild and fruity nose that showed some sherry and gingerbread. It wasn’t cooked, but Alexandre again felt it was not 100% pure, but it was still drinkable to me. Toffee and coffee flavors came out with almost a Muscat late harvest note, adding to the rich, creamy and exotic feel (93A).

The 1952 Vieux Chateau Certan had a rather spiny and stony nose. The palate punched forward with the most vigor in the flight, but the wine was overall dry, lemony and earthy and metallic on the finish. Jacques Thienpont found the ’52 closed and tannic but good. (92).

Jacques Thienpont spoke about this flight and hailed the ’61, ’62, ‘64 and ’52 in that order, but he found the ’59 and ’55 problematic. The Good Lawyer hailed this flight as a ‘huge step up from the last flight and all typical for the year,’ noting the cherries, plums and rich fruits. He also liked the ’61 the best, followed by the ’59, ’62 (‘smooth and silky, as good as it gets’), the ’64, then ’52 (‘a bit lighter’) and then the ’55 (‘still excellent but dried out’). We found out that from 1934 to 1962, Jacques and Alexandre’s grandfather was the winemaker.

The last flight was a showstopper, beginning with the 1950 Vieux Chateau Certan, which had a beautiful, vibrant nose, dusty and full of spices, citrus, what I would call great cabinetry and ripe plums behind all that. Initially very bright, olives crept in the nose. The superb palate exquisitely balanced all the aromas and also showed great vigor with a stony finish. The structure and fruit were in perfect harmony, and this delicious wine finished strongly and solidly. As the Good Doctor put it, ‘there is not a single thing to fault about the ‘50’ (96).

The 1949 Vieux Chateau Certan had a pretty, citrusy, almost waxy nose, a bit more spiny than the ’50. The palate was clean, almost too clean, possibly reconditioned. The finish was leathery, dry and long, enjoyable but somewhat stripped, and it too got metallic. Marshall felt it was ‘restrained and a tad dried out.’ I have had better bottles (92).

The 1948 Vieux Chateau Certan had a divine nose full of olive, fig cake, anise and plum liqueur with a hint of coffee. The palate was unbelievable with a Lafleur-like sweetness and supreme Pomerol kink. This great ’48 became more gamy, and the Lafleur impression continued. I drank this one quickly as it was wine catnip. Alexandre said it was ‘normally better than the ’47’ (95).

The 1947 Vieux Chateau Certan - all I can start with is mmmm…good. Jim bowed entering the church of this great vintage. On the nose, chocolate and truffles merged with smoky dust and leather. The palate was sweet and delicious, showing great black and purple fruits. It was sweet and sugary, but delicious with enough spice to match, and the spine was so longgggggg. Ed summed it up best, ‘superb’ (97).

The 1945 Vieux Chateau Certan had great menthol aromas (and flavors) with super spine and spice in its nose. It had a rich, round, long and nutty palate full of great length and spine causing Mary to joke, ‘the war was worth it.’ Henry added, ‘viagra not needed.’ Great olive and toast flavors emerged on the finish. Jacques shared with us that ‘grandpa did not drink it for 15-20 years’ as it was so tannic in its youth (96).

The 1934 Vieux Chateau Certan was so exotic that it was almost tropical, round and delicious and dripping with fat. Mary called it ‘fabulous and port-like.’ There were great mandarin and apricot marmalade flavors. The ’34 was surprisingly delicious with a rich, round palate. It was ‘soft, juicy and balanced’ for Marshall, who gave it 99 points. It was Frank’s first time having the 1934, and for those of you that know the Good Doctor, if you can find a wine that he is only having for the first time, then that is saying something! His other half, Mary, aptly and topically noted, ‘this proves that good things can come out of economic depression.’ Its acidity was excellent and its finish foresty. Alexandre found the ’34 ‘surprising.’ I couldn’t help but think how each of these wines might have been a point or two higher were it not for the fact that they were all served in the same flight. Bravo (95)!

Unfortunately, the 1928 was corked (DQ). Rocky Mountain John was loving the 1950, as well as the softness of the ’34. The ’45, ’47 and ’48 trio stole the show for him, however. Manny loved the ’45 the most, hailing this flight as ‘old wines that are tasting new today. You can’t ask for anything more.’ Alexandre joked how in the 1940s, the way the Bordelais watched for rain was by putting a finger in the sky. He also commented that it is ‘impossible to compare the 2005 to the 1945; we have to turn the page.’ As to the question if people could make wine like this today, Alexandre slyly replied, ‘even better.’

That’s the best news I have heard all year.

The next afternoon we were at Spago doing the Le Pin thing, Le Pin thing. I believe we had every vintage except one; bonus prize to whoever figures out which one that be.
Le Pin is 100% Merlot, with an average Production of 400-600 cases, although in 1982 they only made 250 cases! In 1982, the average age of the vines was only four years, too. So much for that old vine theory, at least for those of you that like it…

But I digress. Bipn shuffled the deck of vintages, and the 1996 Le Pin came out on top. Green was the first aroma that came to mind, then sappy fruit behind that, plums and cassis, plums and cassis. There was a lot of stalk and a pinch of dark chocolate rounding out the nose. The palate was soft, round, tender and easy. The fruit was pleasant, still a bit green but very good in its soft, caressing way. It still had vigor and spice, this ‘hot year’ (92).

The 1994 Le Pin had a dirty nose in a leathery way, maybe a bit corky? The fruit was stewed in this earthy nose with a hint of black cherry coming out. There were pleasant green and purple plum flavors, but this was definitely a bit corked with dry tannins, earth and corky leather on the finish. There was a good sturdy wine underneath that gained in the glass, however. It was Jacques’ favorite of the flight, and ‘one of the wines of the vintage for many’ (91+A).

The 1991 Le Pin again had some green beans here but less than the first two, possessing more coffee and sour cherry fruit. The palate had lots of green olive flavors, but the mid-palate was watery. More barn came out in the nose. There was nice definition still on the finish in this pleasant but simple wine, which also had a hint of citrus without the tang (88).

The 1988 Le Pin had a creamy nose; it was easy to detect a step up here. There were more classic Pomerol elements - nice garden, spice, elegant purple fruits, smoke and grilled pheasant. The soft and tender palate had great balance. It was very refined with the lightest of grit on the finish…elegant city (92).

The 1986 Le Pin was more open on the nose, a little wild and gamy, with a richer style. There was that distinctive sweet fatness there, showing chocolate and mocha tan lines. The palate was even sweeter, pretty with even fatter fruit, an open knit style with Hollywood Jef admiring its sweetness as well. This was another ‘hot year’ (93).

Unfortunately, the 1979 Le Pin, its first vintage, was corked (DQ).

Bipin remarked how the first flight left him with a cabernet impression.

The second flight began with the 2002 Le Pin, whose young, fresh nose was still loaded with baby fat, plummy fruit, hints of coffee grinds and nice t ‘n a. There was also excellent spice, fat grapy fruit and nice structure aromas. This was impressive wine for 2002 - for a less desirable vintage, this wine was pretty desirable! Round and mouthfilling with nice flavors, the 2002 became more hearty after some food (92).

The 1999 Le Pin had a deep, dark nose with lots of black fruits, wax cleaner spice and some black olives. The palate was packed with dense fruit and was big, rich, meaty and lush. I liked the ’99 a lot; it was just delicious with a nice, leathery finish that popped (94).

The 1998 Le Pin had a surprisingly regal and refined nose that was subtle yet long. The palate was super sweet and kinky, more refined. It definitely kissed me rather than shook my hand. Completely different in style than the ’99, the 1998 had ‘incredible tobacco and cigar box’ per Bipin, but was thinner than I expected, although I could see hints of the future in this shy wine. Bipin also questioned whether it was ‘a little vegetal?’ It was Ed’s favorite of the flight (93+).

The 1995 Le Pin was corked…badly (DQ).

Someone likened the 1985 Le Pin to ‘basketball shoes.’ Its nose was a cat box, but there was sweet cherry underneath. I liked it, even though it was all cat box and sweet fruit. There was great balance and a great intensity, and while others didn’t care for it, I liked its twisted style but could not tell if it was affected or not (93A?)

The 1983 Le Pin had a sweet kinky nose, full of rich fruit. Its fruit was really great, the purest and most kaleidoscopic with that overripe kink like ’83 Lafleur. The palate was also rich, with nice earth and olive flavors twisting into blueberry and boysenberry jam extraordinaire. Bipin found it ‘seductive, elegant and sexy,’ and Jef kept stressing the sexy (95).

Bipin likened the flights to a ‘strip tease,’ as each flight revealed a different layer of the wine. Jef hailed Le Pin as ‘the epitome of elegance and balance,’ and it was. I couldn’t help but think how ironic it was that most people think Le Pin is some hedonistic fruit bomb. Having had very little experience with the wine myself, I have to say that I was one of them before this afternoon!

The third flight began with an impressive 2006 Le Pin. ‘Baby, baby, baby’ was how my note started. This wine had a great nose, with clean and outstandingly pure, plummy fruit buttressed by minerals. The palate was beautifully crafted with long and fine tannins, and dry flavors of earth, mineral and tobacco. The 2006 was really refined and sexy juice (94).

The 2005 Le Pin lived up to the hype and ultimately was wine of the afternoon for me. It had a great nose, t ‘n a city yet still refined but also with so much stuffing. There was noticeable citrus with decadent fruit – cranberry, blueberry, blackberry, cassis, boysenberry – everyone was invited! There was great spine and length, but the 2005 was still so elegant. Jef called it ‘a lip smacker’ and noted ‘kirsch and strawberry.’ The 2005 was all that and then some (97).

The 2004 Le Pin had a very shy nose that was almost non-existent. The palate was thick and rich with coffee, chocolate and peanut butter flavors. The 2004 was rich, round and easy with a nice minerally finish (92).

The 2001 Le Pin initially had a milky, weird nose, a bit sickly almost. The palate was very gamy, and the nose got richer and more concentrated, and its weirdness became pungent. While still smooth, the ’01 also had richness on the palate, which was a bit wild in a foresty way with bright vitamin flavors on the long finish. Nutty marzipan flavors became more apparent as it evolved in the glass (93).

The 2000 Le Pin was shy at first, but crushed red fruits slowly emerged with an icy edge. Cranberry, currant, strawberry were all there. The ’00 had a nice, clean style with a touch of green bean around the tightly-wound, sweet core of raspberry fruit flavors. Like the ’98, the ’00 was a bit shy, despite some expressive tannins. I wanted more from this heralded vintage (93).

The intense nose of the 1990 Le Pin really stood out, bursting with plums and cassis, along with their trees ready to be plucked from the garden of Versailles. Edges of green beans and stalk rounded out the nose. The palate was rich and lovely, continuing the decadent fruit theme with hints of coffee and more green bean. The 1990 had outstanding thickness and richness, setting it apart from most of the pack in this distinguished flight (96).

The 1989 Le Pin had amazing depth and complexity mixing the elements of ripe plums, cassis, fresh forest, and edges of stalk and milk. The palate was dry and austere, sharing that dry citrus edge of the ’85, but less pungent. It was pretty, pleasant and tangy, but again I wanted more from this vintage as well (94).

The 1982 Le Pin was corked. That was three so far, bummer (DQ).

Jef called Le Pin ‘a lover’s wine’ after this flight, going on with ‘silky, sexy, hot, back of the shoulder beautiful, dresses nicely, and the boobs are real.’ He knows LA. We were also told that there are no more five or six-liter bottle of Le Pin from 1996 on, but that they did make twenty of the 1982 to fill a special request!

The last flight was some of the lesser years, as Bipin believes the best flight should always be second-to-last to avoid any palate fatigue for the finest wines.

The 1997 Le Pin had a mild nose of stalk, stem, mineral and earth. In the mouth, the wine was soft and tender with a touch of purple fruit, but this was an easy and simple wine and one of the day’s least impressive (88).

The 1993 Le Pin had a creamy and nutty nose, surprisingly and decadently good, with great tobacco aromas. The palate was tasty, round and smooth, delicious with tobacco and earth flavors, beautiful and exceeding my expectations for this vintage (91).

We were in the garden again with the 1992 Le Pin. The nose was kissed by cinnamon, while its palate was milky and a touch sour but pleasant in an average way, but ‘too light’ according to Jacques (86).

There were lots of olives and chocolate in the 1987 Le Pin. There was a dirty goodness here, and flavors of barn and earth seconded that notion. The palate continued the dirty theme, but the wine was very full for the vintage and had a round, sturdy and solid build (90).

It was hard not to love the pruney nose of the 1984 Le Pin. The prunes were complemented by earth, slate and stalks. It was a bit light in the mouth, however, displaying more one-dimensional slate and earth flavors (88).

Last and close to least was the 1981 Le Pin, which had a very gamy, almost horsy nose, definitely barny. The palate was too vegetal for the fruit to really show, but there was good character underneath it all, with flavors of cereal, milk and tomato (89).

There were lots of fun comments at the end. Jef wanted some ‘hip hip hoorays,’ but Ed chided him, ‘not yet!’ Neal Martin commented how Bordeaux and Burgundy are the world’s two greatest wine regions, and how he always flip-flops which region he prefers, and how he finds Le Pin to be in the middle of the two styles. He hailed the 2006 as the wine of the vintage. Paul took my handshake/kiss comment and called the first flight a handshake, the second a kiss, and the third ‘hot, sloppy, wet sex.’ Jef continued his budding winographic career with, ‘if you had to pour a red over your lover’s body, this would be it!’ For those of you on a budget, any Australian Shiraz will do lol.

It was an extraordinary weekend of Pomerol. People need to remember how special this region is.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - New Year's Eve 2008


1/5/2009 12:00:00 AM

I have found over the last few years that the best place to be on New Year’s Eve is at the home of the world’s greatest collector of Champagne, aka Big Boy. This year was no exception, and the generosity of our host was on full display with an incredible lineup of Champagnes and wines. In fact, the evening ended up being a little more wine-heavy than I thought, but after what we got to taste, there would be no complaints.  All wines were sabered by our host; therefore you can add an 'S' at the end of each Champagne rating if you so choose.

Rob had coined a phrase over the course of 2008: ‘The rats of ’08 will become the bulls of ’09 and slaughter the pigs of ’07.’ This saying relates to the Chinese calendar year and the fact that 2008 is a ‘year of the rat,’ 2007 a pig, and 2009 a bull year, of course. This calendar cycles every twelve years, so that 1996 is a year of the rat, 1995 a pig year and 1997 a bull, etc., going back to the beginning of time. Every wine served on this night was to be from a year of the rat, pig or bull. Game on.

I had gotten there early, and a few wines had already been opened and decanted, so I figured let me get ahead of the curve while I still had my wits with me, at least most of them. One of the wines was a magnum of 1971 Ponsot Clos de la Roche. Of course, since this was a Big Boy production, everything was to be served out of magnum; actually sometimes Jeroboam. The Ponsot smelled like Burgundy and reminded me of the ’71 vintage with its menthol and vivid acid rust. So far, so good. There was gamy fruit behind that, lots of red flowers to its aromatic fruit. The palate was gamy and tasty with lots of flesh and hints of black pepper and cola. Balanced and polished, it was a nice start to the evening and seemed right to me (94M).

We didn’t waste any time with a magnum of 1949 Rousseau Chambertin, whose nose was so gamy it was practically chewy, but still overall definitively silky with that ’49 haunt. There were great traces of smoke and old wood to go with its decidedly red and rose aromas. The palate was lush and tender, absolutely delicious with its game, meat and old fruit flavors. There was almost a touch of fig to its finish, something in that ‘senior’ fruit category. Light chocolate shavings rounded out this mature and plateau-ing red that still showed good posture after all these years (96M).

The Rousseau made a nice pair with the magnum of 1949 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle. Slover was quickly drooling, with ‘sensational’ spilling out of his mouth after one sip. The nose was a left turn, with bacon traces to go with its purpler fruit. It was very musky with aromas of band-aids, chocolate and more earth. It had Burgundy in its personality due to its age, ie a softening, but the kink said all Rhone. Light pepper emerged in time. Slover fancied the ’49 to be what the ’61 would taste like in 30+ years, as if the ’49 was in the same quality camp yet an earlier maturing vintage…relative to the ’61, of course. Every wine in the world might seem earlier maturing next to a good bottle of that! The palate was classic in every sense of the Hermitage word with its burnt, roasted earth, toast, chocolate, game, stone and white pepper flavors. Still young out of magnum, this long, smoky and rich red was impressive, still possessing hidden acids that proved long in the gut in a sneaky way (96+M).

Next up was a rare magnum of 1900 Lafite Rothschild, recorked at the Chateau in 1986. It was the real deal and about as good a reconditioned bottle as I have had in recent memory. The nose was full of cedar, clean from the reconditioning but still lush with cassis. Cedar was the dominant trait, however. Despite the obvious fact that the wine was reconditioned, it was damn delicious, vibrant and rich in its fruit and cassis flavors, complemented by delicate cedar and earth. Rose and grape also added themselves to the flavor profile, and there was a purity to the wine despite its theoretical impurity. Speez noted ‘a hint of cougar (insert your own body part here).’ Big Boy found it ‘close to outstanding,’ and ultimately I found it so (95M).

The 1985 G. Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva was quite young, rockin’ and rollin’ by comparison to the previous quartet. Its nose was full of leather, tar, smoke, truffles and that Nebbiolo goodness. Tar and chocolate flavors graced its earthy palate and rock solid finish. This wine is still an infant, and another sip two hours later had me note, ‘wicked’ (95+M).

There was one more wine for my warmup session, a 1985 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes. The nose displayed massive concentration, the most so far, brimming with big and rich aromas of chocolate, game and menthol. Its flavors had a bit of a wild streak to them, especially with its mint, eucalyptus and almost jasmine flavor. Quite gamy, there were fruit flavors of blueberry and acai as well as a hint of cola. Compared to the bottle that I recently had from the Grunewlad collection, though, I found this wine to be polished and hibernating a bit out of magnum, better to drink out of bottles at this stage, even though that could still arguably be too young (95+M).

Not a bad warmup, huh? What did I have to do to get some Champagne already??? Enter 1996 Krug Clos du Mesnil out of magnum, three of them to be exact. Not a bad reception bubbly. Its nose was fabulous, possessing more breed than Churchill Downs, or Churchill for that matter. The nose was raining razors with its searing structure, yet somehow a perfect flash of sweetness came through in the form of fat vanilla cream. Smoke on the water rounded out this golden child of a nose. The palate was long and in charge, full of yellow, lemon and citrus flavors. ‘Fantastic’ summed it up for what will probably be considered one of the greatest Champagnes of the 20th century if not all-time (98+M).

Next up was a 1973 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, and yes it was out of magnum. Still one of the most underappreciated big-time Champers, the Comtes stood out for its signature butterscotch right away, along with heavy cream, light toast, butter on top and a hint of all good, foresty wood. Fresh, lean, zesty and racy, I might have guessed 1996 if served to me blind as this magnum was in extremely good condition. Its finish dominated its palate, although there were also nice butter flavors and kisses of oak. There was one noticeable flaw, the fact that the flavors seemed short and mono (94M).

The ‘73s continued with a 1973 Dom Perignon Oenotheque magnum. It had a nice nose, classic DP with its granulated sugar and pinch of gingerbread. The palate was a little dirty and gave a sugar water impression despite nice fizz and vim. Dirty and earthy, the palate was long and round with a touch of teabag to it. Its flavors also seemed a bit short, but maybe that was the 1996 Mesnil (93M).

A 1959 Henriot Cuvee des Enchanteleurs was clearly disgorged recently, obviously fresh but not much after that. It was a touch sour on the palate with some notes of corkiness (88A).

It was back to the grill again with a 1973 Dom Perignon, this time from an original magnum. The nose seemed better, more balanced with nice aromas and edge to it, more musky and intoxicating with excellent cream traces. Its flavors of grilled nuts and toast were spot on. Original baby, go ‘head baby (95M).

We continued on the Moet trail with a magnum of 1959 Moet, which had a wild nose with lots of wheat and farm-like aromas. There was a granulated edge that brought back the classic, as well as nice butter along with this definitive cement quality merging with its wheat. The palate was round and ‘not so complex,’ as one noted. The palate was buttery and yeasty but a bit flat, not over the hill but possessing barely any fizz. Its roundness was one of its better qualities in the mouth (91M).

An original magnum of 1973 Krug was ‘dead on,’ as Big Boy put it. There was a lot of seashell and Fulton fish market at first, but that quickly blew off into the signature vanilla cream. The palate was apple cider meets rocket fuel with a razor’s edge of a finish. It had an endless silver streak in the mouth, zippedy doo dah day and den sum. There were good flavors of wood chip and almost a cinnamon without the spice. It was so zippy at first that it almost burned the tongue, although it did mellow nicely over time (96M).

We went back to the reds with a pair of Mascarellos, beginning with the 1961 Cantina Mascarello Barolo. It was glue city in the nose, along with some suburbian leather. The palate had leather as well with a touch of Madeira and bitters, thin in the middle with some paint thinner up front. There was also caramel glaze to this advanced yet solid Barolo (90A-M).

The 1971 Cantina Mascarello Barolo had a richer nose, firmer and with much more red and rose fruits along with leather and cigar. The palate was absolutely delicious, full of rust and rich bronze age action. Long and zippy, there was mucho citrus sex appeal in this flat-out fantastic wine (95M).

The next wine was one of the more discussion-worthy wines of the night, a double magnum or jeroboam of 1899 Latour. We couldn’t tell. At first, questions of authenticity were in the air, and even Big Boy thought it might be fake, despite the fact that was acquired five or six years ago and supposedly was one step removed from Latour itself. It was indubitably reconditioned, clearly showing darker and more youthful fruit, but it still had mature nuances and old qualities. The distinguished Sir Robert Bohr started making some positive observations at first. Olof noted ‘500 flavors at once.’ There was mint and eucalyptus at first. The texture was fleshy, rich and long. The wine remained controversial. Candle wax, earth and cobwebs all emerged, as did some signature sea salt and walnut. I was convinced it was Latour, but it was quixotic in its ‘am I young or am I old’ way. No one could say it wasn’t a reconditioned 1899, and by the end of the night there seemed to be mostly believers. The next day the wine was even better, so soft and supple, and even more decidedly Latour in its flavor profile, still with a purple core. It reminded me more of 1955 than 1899, and I guess reconditioning helps if you want to have an old wine 24 hours later (94D/J?).

One possible jero deserves another, especially when the other is a 1923 Bollinger. It doesn’t get much rarer than that. I had recently had a controversial bottle of this, but after this jero, I can safely say that there is controversy no more. The nose was the essence of white truffle oil, much like the bottle from before. Loreto hailed it as ‘trufflicious.’ Mike noted hints of garlic, and it wasn’t my breath, either. Someone noted apricots, and there were indeed apricots, but definitely on the Turkish side. Rich and oily in the mouth, there was still nice spritz and length here. It was rich and buttery with oyster shell flavors (95J).

More red wine? How about a magnum of 1949 DRC La Tache? Very LT and very ’49, this was about as rich as 1949 can be. It had the oil, the rose, the leather, the meat, the menthol. As Crane noted, it had ‘a feminine style but still manly.’ Everyone noted its greatness, with lots of oohs and aahs coming from the crowd. It was definitely wine of the night so far, and even had Robert asking for seconds (98M).

One good ’49 deserves another, especially when it is a 1949 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes. Old book jumped out of its haunting nose. Rose and a citrus twist helix rounded out this amazingly old yet fresh nose. Robert quickly crowned this as the ‘best wine I’ve had tonight.’ Big Boy cooed ‘amazing and unbelievable.’ Its palate was tender, rich, long and soft, but its richness was what stood out the most. It was in a perfect spot (98M).

We finished off the evening with a trio of Champagnes, beginning with a staggering 1900 Moet. Olof, Scandavia’s version of physical therapy meets sadism, acutely noted, ‘crème brulee, vanilla bean, caramel and espresso bean.’ The Moet had the truffle oil of the ’23 Bolly and the butterscotch of the C de C. It reminded me of a Daniel Boulud coconut cake. Insanely rich and exotic, it also reminded me of a great white Burgundy, perhaps a Meursault Perrieres. It was delicious and round, and Robert noted, ‘white chocolate covered espresso bean.’ Paul hailed it as ‘Willy Wonka.’ Speez kicked in ‘ever so nutty and creamy,’ which worked all the more better with the Stimpy impersonation. Crane noted ‘burnt cake.’ The gloves were off, and everyone was all-in for the 1900 (98M).

Three ‘98s in a row, what year was that? A 1947 Bollinger made us forget. It had the same truffle as the ’23; I guess it’s a Bolly thing. There was also chicken bouillon there. The palate was super; long and fresh and amazingly so on both counts. It was long and zippy without the zip, if that makes sense. Its flavors were rich and long, with butter toffee and hard candy flavors. Two distinguished gentlemen noted separately ‘Rolo’ (96M).

There was one more magnum left, a 1971 Cristal, and it was a spectacular one. ‘Really fresh’ came from Slover, and ‘deep and thick’ from Big Boy. It was incredibly rich with a light saber of a finish, zippy and with orange marmalade and corn flavors. Its finish was extended and extensive with a super Sprite bite. Big Boy also noted ‘burnt orange,’ and there were toffee traces on its finish (97M).

I must confess there were a couple of klunkers, but we ended up using them in the sauce of the great cuisine of Chef Gaia Bagnasacco of Milano.

But New Year’s Eve wasn’t over, and I would soon discover that it was just beginning. As previously noted, I came back the next day to have some 1899 Latour again, and we also had a 1926 Bollinger, which again had this super exotic truffle oil aroma, along with a kinky, limy and gamy overall nose. A streak of mint surged to the forefront, Chartreuse-like and edgy. Big Boy was admiring its citric pitch, and there was a lot of life left in this ancient Bolly. I wondered if this and the ’23s of previous mention were disgorged at the same time due to the similarities. The pungency of its flavors was a bit much for me, and it held it back, again for me, but Big Boy was in love and rated it much higher for its freshness and condition (93).

The rest of Friday was dedicated to some cellar management, and Saturday I was in the office, catching up and getting ready for 2009, when I got the call at 5pm. ‘Johnny, I need you to run by my house, grab the following seven magnums and meet us at Balthazar. Now.’ Thirty minutes later I was at the bar of a packed Balthazar, which closed down one end of their bar for Big Boy and entourage. Any complaints of not enough Champagne on New Year’s Eve would soon be off the record.

The crew was already there drinking 1996 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill. I took a quick glass of this clean and fresh bubbly. It was full of yellow sunshine aromas. Its palate was long and balanced, elegant and smooth. It was more refined than I remembered, but this had been in the glass a bit before I got there (95).

First officially up was a spectacular magnum of 1949 Pommery Rose in unreal condition. Its color was a perfect light pink. Bobby noted ‘Riesling-like petrol and peach.’ It was very peachy, almost like a Buckingham Palace bellini. ‘Purely elegant, 100% integrated total rose and hard to make better,’ cooed Big Boy. Sweet, clean and pure, the ’49 was all one could want in a rose. Secondary strawberry qualities emerged. ‘That’s why Pommery is better than Dom…lacks nothing…the forties is the greatest decade for Pommery,’ were all comments from our generous host. Bobby noted ‘sweet tart’ without the tart, almost this powder and acid combination. Paul added ‘Dylan’s Candy Shop,’ to which I replied, ‘more like Fitty’s Candy Shop,’ to which Loreto reminded us, ‘It’s Big Boy’s Candy Shop’ lol. Everyone was floored by the ’49, including our eager bartender. A few glasses made their way around the room, and soon strange women from strange countries came to thank Big Boy for a taste of his magnum nectar (96M).

Wait, there were six more magnums to be had. The next was a (DQ), an oxidized 1949 Louis Roederer magnum, which still had excellent texture and length, and impressive sweetness in the mouth. Were it not oxidized, it would be in rare air territory.

The 1959 Louis Roederer had a perfect nose, clean and fresh, from a magnum acquired directly from Roederer. The disgorgement was clearly within the last few years, as this was fresher than most average 1990s, let alone 1959. It still had mature aromas of nutty, sundried, yellow fruit, as well as this kinky coconut milk meets mother’s milk. It was very buttery once you got past its freshness, almost sauteed. ‘Acid city,’ one remarked. This magnum was so fresh, it could last another 100 years, and one could keep it in the glass 24 hours, and it would still be great. It reminded me of the 1996 Clos du Mesnil somewhat, and while the disgorgement gave the ’59 ‘superpowers,’ it did have me yearning for some of its natural maturity. That was the only bad thing I could say about this 6 star wine from this 6 star vintage. There were long, zippy and tasty granulated sugar flavors along with vanilla lemon finger wafer ones, too (97+M).

The maturity I was looking for in the 1959 came in the form of the 1961 Louis Roederer, which immediately got ‘three cleans and two jerks’ from Big Boy. This original magnum had a much warmer nose, displaying exotic aromas of rye, ‘confectioners’ (Bobby), wheat, corn, wax, minerals and seeds including sesame. In fact, it was everything bagel style. Bobby also noted ‘potpourri,’ and there was, big-time. The palate was almost as fresh as the ’59 despite the original bottling. There was still speed racer acidity, and ‘rare air’ and ‘real deal’ came from the KOB. There was a nice, gamy twist to the flavors, and ‘oceanic depth’ per Bobby. There were meaty, white gyro juice flavors and an hour later, the ’61 was still going strong, o so nutty and ‘acorn-ish’ per Avi. He went on to say, ‘if they served Champagne in Heaven, this would be it.’ Big Boy insisted it was 98 points, and he may have been right, but I was stuck on (97+M).

The Roederers were finished, but the ‘61s paraded on with a 1961 Bollinger. Unfortunately, the Bolly was affected with a kiss of fino. Nutty skins and white cola flavors were there in what could be called a pleasant but flat Champagne. Hints of orange peel and more white fruits grew on me. There were tasty vanilla ice cream flavors, and I liked it even though it was affected. Bob the bartender, having the tasting of his life, noted the higher Pinot Noir content. A perfect bottle would have been a higher score, but the Bolly soon fell apart, and morning mouth joined the party, and that’s not a party one wants to be at (92A-M).

The final ’61 was a 1961 Krug, another original bottling. Bobby the bartender was having a tough time with the cork as it was so tightly in there, and he shared, ‘the best ones are the most difficult ones, just like women.’ Now the Krug was ever so slightly oxidized as well, but it was so great that it turned out being outstanding nonetheless and probably the best ‘affected’ wine that I have ever had, and Rob later said separately the same. It had similar nuances to the Bollinger, but this was way better, much richer and longer even though it shared a similar wine-like quality. It was round, lush, smooth and rich with apple cider flavors. Were this not oxidized, it would have clearly been 98 or 99 points. Its oxidation took on a bouillon essence flavor, and the Krug ‘kept building in the glass,’ as Big Boy observed, and he is one who knows about building. It got more honeyed, and had ‘mind-blowing minerality – that’s why it is Krug,’ Rob also shared. Pretty impressive for a bottle that wasn’t 100% (96A-M).

The final Champagne to ring in the New Year was the 1928 Bollinger. Rob was anxious about the finale as he wanted to end with a bang, but one sniff elicited a ‘Thank you, Jesus.’ The color and fizz were both there and incredible for this ancient wonder. Wheat crackers were the first aroma I noted, followed by a seeping vanilla and touch of apple. Earth, forest, cinnamon spice and Apple Jacks joined in. It had great perfume. It was so sweet in the mouth, almost too much at first. ‘We are in the land of all-time,’ Big Boy pronounced. The palate eventually developed a dry goodness to it, not leather, not earth, but rather a benevolent cardboard, like opening up a Chanel gift box. There were Rose’s Lime Juice flavors on its finish, which had great sweetness and spritz. Pinches of mountain herbs and dried apple had this tremendous bubbly flirting with 98 points (97M).

It was a tremendous start to what will hopefully be a better year for everyone. There are many great collections out there in the world, but the greatest collectors are the ones who share from their cellars, and it is tough to find anyone more generous than Rob.

And on the first, second and third day, he opened them.

FIN

JK


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VINTAGE TASTINGS - All Hail the King


11/29/2008 12:00:00 AM

We started with a 1964 Bollinger RD magnum, disgorged in the mid-80s. It had a yeasty nose with light orange blossom, minerals and light mesquite. It was a touch musty in the mouth at first, very dry and linear. There was still nice sprite and decent straw flavors, but most were unimpressed. It got a ‘sweaty’ from Brad, it was definitely corked and an ‘ehhh’ overall (88A-M).

We got to the controversy early with the evening’s second bubbly. I should note that the King always does his hosted tastings blind, so everyone can make an ass of himself and be relegated to the King’s stable, where God knows what happens lol. There was this wild truffle pudding sweetness to the nose, flirting with a butterscotch. Its flavors tasted almost spiked with something absinthe or de menthe. Something and cinnamon joined the party, but the overall palate gave a minty and medicinal impression, and it was very fresh. Brad said that he ‘never had a nose like this before,’ while Big Boy found it ‘outta this world.’ Everyone was all over the truffles in the nose. People were guessing ‘60s or ‘70s, and then the guessing went all over the map, and no one thought this was a 1923 Bollinger. Even after people knew, some still didn’t think it was :). I haven’t seen too many fake Champag