| | Ran one of these about a month ago and it was so successful we opted to do a second one. Few more folks and a lot more wine. I didn't get to try everything, but will post a full list of wines when I have it.
In addition to the below, we also had:
1994 Weingut Licht Bergweiler Erben Brauneberger Mosel Auslese
2013 Aubert UV-SL Chardonnay
1990 Ciacci Piccolomini D'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso
2007 Leoville Barton
1992 Dalle Valle Cabernet
Plus some odds and ends that I am chasing down and will update with. Meal was served family style
Meats & cheese to start
APPETIZERS
Buffalo Mozzerella
fennel, meyer lemon, argula, capers
Octopus a la Plancha
fingerling potato, roasted red pepper, black olive
SALAD COURSE
Seasonal Caesar Salad
grana padano, breadcrumbs
MAIN COURSE
Fresh Spaghetti
san marzano tomatoes, flore sardo
Pappardelle Bolognese
grana padano
Grass Fed & Dry Beef
thistle creek farm, pennsylvania
Roasted Chicken "Under a Brick"
cascun farms, ithaca
Organic Salmon
the hidden fjord
SIDES
New Potatos
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
DESSERT
Dark Chocolate Cake Doughnuts
cardamon - N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
This is always a nice champagne. Lots of strawberry, very bright flavors, very easy drinking wine. It's the right apertif to food.
- 2011 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Millésimé Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules - France, Champagne
Really lovely champagne, lots of stone fruit, decent acidity, very nice, good complexity. Good start.
- 2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
Bit more toasty than the bubbles we had before. Still fairly light. Easy to drink. Very fresh.
- 1970 Château Mouton-Baronne-Philippe - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
From a 3L. Opened and poured. Tons of leather and maybe a touch of stinky socks (not in a bad way - almost kindof interesting) and just very well aged and fun to have.
- 2004 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Soft wine. One of the first reds. We had it with the caesar and it didn't really work well with that dressing. More of an earthy wine. Lots of woods and leaves. Light bodied.
- 1990 Château Palmer - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Poured from a magnum and decanted. This is young. Has many more years to go. Lots of black fruits. A bit of leather. Beautiful wine.
- 1984 Chateau St. Jean Brut - USA, California, Sonoma County
Served blind. This was all sorts of butterscotch and caramel. Very sweet for a sparkling wine. Still has some decent acidity. Well aged. Interesting wine.
- 2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
One of my favorites from the night. This had been decanted and rebottled. Only a small pour, but impressed with the quality of the black fruits, well-integrated, just a beautiful wine.
- 1989 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
Another favorite of the night although this was much more old world in style. Very woodsy, sticks, good acidity. It feels like it's in just the right spot although I suppose the fruit has faded down some (which means CT window that ends in 2009 is way off). Originally a pnp although some was decanted and the extra air seemed to help it a bit more. Very good.
- 2000 Antinori Solaia - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
This was excellent. Very pretty. Lots of red fruit, cherry, cranberry, hints of tart, touch of leather. Very nice. Another excellent wine from the night.
- 2008 Blankiet Estate Proprietary Red Wine Paradise Hills Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
Almost port-like coming on the heels of the Solaia. Very black fruits - lots of dark cherry, very interesting. Really enjoyed this wine even in the different style. Very good.
- 2007 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
One of those awesome Napa cabs - lots of black fruits, almost a compote-like blackberry flavor, hints of pepper, well-integrated and well structured. Almost hedonistic. Very enjoyable.
- 1995 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
Opened and double-decanted and rebottled. Originally had thought this was a 2005 and was surprised at the level of age showing (which is very much more appropriate for the 1995). Hints of blackberry. Very well structured, in a good spot. Somehow didn't have the same level of detailed notes here, but know that I enjoyed it.
- 2005 Ovid Red Wine - USA, California, Napa Valley
Poured from a magnum. Opened and poured and let it sit in the glass for probably an hour before I got to it. Still going very strong. This was probably much too early to open it. Lots of fig and plum. A bit more muscular of a wine. Changed a lot in the glass. Definitely a very enjoyable wine on a night of a lot of very enjoyable wines.
- 2008 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Treinta y Dos - Argentina, Patagonia, Río Negro
Poured from a magnum. Red fruits and Christmas spices. Low acidity. Easy drinking. In the right spot.
- 2000 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Just a complete baby wine. Licorice, pepper, leather. Very pretty, but felt like it was much too early to be drinking. Will be awesome one day.
- 1983 Giacomo Montresor Recioto della Valpolicella - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella
Thought this would be more of a dessert wine, but it was definitely much more standard amarone. Fruit fairly well faded and the ones that do exist are more dried. More leather.
- 2001 Château Suduiraut - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Loved this. Had just had a fairly large amount of red wine and this was a welcome respite. Lots of caramel, apricot, honey, and very pretty. Really enjoyable, very soft, always evolving. Delicious wine.
- 2009 Cerbaiona (Molinari) Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Poured from a magnum. Just really much too young. Drank at the very end of the night and I thought it was maybe starting to open up just a bit, but definitely not there yet. More leather and wood than anything right now.
Hard to pick a favorite - so many really great wines from many different spots. Some ones that stood out include the 2007 Quilceda Creek, 1989 Ridge Monte Bello, 1990 Palmer, 2008 Blankiet, 2001 Suduiraut. Great to see everyone and meet some new folks. Need to find another time to do one of these. |
